Temporal Scaling Analytical Method to Identify Multi-Fractionality in Groundwater Head Fluctuations

Area of Science:

• Hydrology
• Geophysics
• Complex Systems

Background:

• Groundwater head fluctuations exhibit complex dynamics.
• Aquifer heterogeneity and non-stationary conditions influence these dynamics.
• Traditional methods struggle to capture time-varying scaling behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and propose a systematic statistical method for analyzing groundwater head fluctuations.
• To quantify multi-fractionality and time-varying scaling in groundwater level data.
• To provide a novel approach for understanding dynamic hydrologic systems.

Main Methods:

• Quantification of multi-fractionality using the timescale local Hurst exponent (TS-LHE).
• Application of a systematic statistical method to analyze time series data.
• Analysis of daily groundwater level fluctuations from three wells in the lower Mississippi valley, after seasonal cycle removal.

Main Results:

• Transient timescale local Hurst exponent (TS-LHE) values were observed.
• The results imply multi-fractionality and multifractal-scaling behavior that varies with time and location.
• The proposed method successfully characterized the complex temporal dynamics.

Conclusions:

• The temporal scaling analysis provides quantitative insights into dynamic hydrologic systems.
• The TS-LHE method is effective for characterizing non-stationary groundwater level fluctuations.
• Understanding time-varying multifractality is crucial for managing groundwater resources.