%0 Journal Article
%T Shallow Subsurface Stratigraphy Inferred from the Use of Vertical Electrical Soundings (VES) Survey in Central Chihuahua, Mexico
%A Alejandro Villalobos-Arag車n
%A Vanessa V. Espejel-Garc赤a
%A Daphne Espejel-Garc赤a
%A Lucio Rivas-Lobera
%J Open Journal of Geology
%P 15-28
%@ 2161-7589
%D 2019
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/ojg.2019.91002
%X Vertical Electrical Soundings (VES) provide fast and economical measurements used in geophysical exploration. VES were carried out in El Sauz-Encinillas (ESE) aquifer, in northern Mexico, to determine apparent resistivity and geoelectrical units＊ thickness. Despite it being one of the three main aquifers feeding Chihuahua city, a lack of available geophysical data prevails in its northern portion. The main goal of this study was the determination of the geoelectrical units in the subsurface stratigraphy via electrical-resistivity soundings. The ESE＊ aquifer is located within alluvial Quaternary sediments, with varying granulometry and reaching from a few meters to more than 600 meters of thickness at the center of the valley. Forty-five vertical electrical resistivity soundings (Schlumberger array, maximum AB/2 distance of 500 m) were performed throughout ESE aquifer＊s northern portion. Field data were analyzed using software. Results illustrate a wide variability in resistivity values throughout the study area. Five geoelectrical units were identified: 1) a hardpan topsoil, with resistivity values ranging from 200 - 800 次-m ; 2) an alluvial material mixture (sand/silt) with resistivity values ranging from 25 to 100 次-m; 3) playa lake-type material (clay/evaporites mixture) with resistivity values ranging from 0.2 to 15 次-m; 4) a gravel/sand mixture with resistivity values from 100 to 300 次-m; and 5) a partly fractured rock or conglomeratic material with resistivity values ranging from 400 to 3500 次-m. The electrical resistivity data, therefore gives reasonably accurate results that can be used to understand the subsurface stratigraphy and basement configuration in groundwater exploration.
%K Geophysics
%K Vertical Electric Soundings
%K Geoelectrical Sections
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=89961