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Related Experiment Videos

The Lisse effect revisited.

Edwin P Weeks1

  • 1US Geological Survey, Denver Federal Center, Lakewood, CO 80401, USA. epweeks@usgs.gov

Ground Water
|November 12, 2002
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Intense rain can cause the Lisse effect, where trapped soil air rapidly raises well water levels. This phenomenon, explained by negative pressure at the wetting front, involves minimal soil penetration.

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Area of Science:

  • Soil science
  • Hydrology
  • Environmental physics

Background:

  • The Lisse effect is a rare phenomenon where intense rainfall seals soil surfaces, trapping air.
  • This trapped air increases pressure, causing a significant water-level rise in observation wells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the Lisse effect, a phenomenon rarely noted in soil science.
  • To explain the underlying physics of the Lisse effect, including the role of air pressure and wetting front dynamics.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of historical water-level observations from shallow wells.
  • Application of principles from infiltration theory, specifically the Green and Ampt model.
  • Investigating the impact of air pressure on the wetting front dynamics.

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Main Results:

  • The Lisse effect is triggered by intense rainfall, causing a rapid water-level rise followed by a slow recession.
  • A negative pressure head at the wetting front (psi(f)) is identified as a key factor in producing the Lisse effect.
  • Observed water-level rises (0.10–0.55 m) are slightly larger than psi(f), with wetting front penetration of only millimeters.

Conclusions:

  • The Lisse effect is caused by air compression due to surface sealing during intense rain, leading to a significant water-level rise.
  • A revised explanation incorporating negative pressure head at the wetting front provides a more complete understanding of the Lisse effect.
  • The phenomenon highlights the complex interplay between surface hydrology and subsurface air dynamics in soils.