Field Monitoring, GIS, Remote Sensing, Geophysical Techniques, and Hydrochemical Analysis in Groundwater Investigations

Dear Colleagues,

Integrating remote sensing (RS) and geophysical techniques in hydrogeophysical investigations has proven to be a powerful approach to understanding and characterizing subsurface water systems. By combining the strengths of both disciplines, researchers can comprehensively understand groundwater resources, their spatial distribution, and their hydrogeological properties. RS techniques, such as satellite imagery, airborne sensors, and radar systems, provide valuable data pertaining to the Earth's surface and its surroundings. These techniques offer a wide range of information, including land cover, vegetation patterns, surface water bodies, and thermal properties. RS data serve as a foundation for identifying potential areas of groundwater occurrence, recharge zones, and discharge areas. On the other hand, geophysical methods provide insights into the subsurface characteristics and structures. By measuring and analyzing the physical properties of the subsurface, geophysical techniques can help determine the depth and thickness of aquifers, identify the geological formations and structures influencing groundwater flow, and estimate hydrogeological parameters such as porosity and permeability. Moreover, advances in data fusion and geospatial analysis enhance the integration of RS and geophysical methods. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) play a key role in integrating, visualizing, and analyzing these data for a comprehensive understanding of subsurface hydrogeology. Data fusion combines datasets, thereby enhancing the reliability of hydrogeophysical investigations. This integration has significant implications for groundwater management, resource assessment, and environmental monitoring, enabling the comprehensive characterization of water systems, supporting sustainable strategies, and assessing contamination risks. Successful fusion requires careful attention to data compatibility, scale, and validation through field measurements.

This Special Issue of Water aims to provide an extensive overview of integrating RS and geophysical techniques in hydrogeophysical investigations. This approach offers a robust means of understanding and characterizing groundwater resources. By coupling RS data/tools with geophysical measurements/techniques, researchers and scientific communities can better understand subsurface hydrogeological conditions, leading to enhanced resource management and more informed environmental decision-making processes. Based on the above introduction, this Special Issue focuses on original high-quality articles addressing one or more of the following topics, including state-of-the-art reviews:

• Assessment of using RS, geophysical, and GIS in groundwater investigation;
• Groundwater monitoring;
• Groundwater-surface water interaction monitoring;
• Assessment of existing groundwater resources;
• Assessment of groundwater recharges and aquifer sustainability;
• Three-dimensional mapping and characterizing the aquifer heterogeneities;
• Identification/delineation and assessment of groundwater contamination sources;
• Mapping groundwater contamination;
• Groundwater advanced modeling to support its sustainability;
• Connectivity between groundwater and aquatic ecosystems;
• Connectivity between groundwater and sustainable agriculture;
• Groundwater and environmental change;
• Regional and transboundary groundwater (monitoring, assessment, challenges, etc.).

Dr. Ismael Ibraheem
Prof. Dr. Abdelazim Negm
Guest Editors

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• remote sensing
• geophysical methods
• geographical information system
• joint interpretation
• hydrogeophysical investigations
• groundwater investigation
• groundwater monitoring
• groundwater assessment
• groundwater sustainability
• aquifer characterization
• sustainable water management
• groundwater quality
• groundwater contamination
• groundwater–surface water interaction
• groundwater resources
• advanced groundwater modeling
• investigation of aquifer heterogeneities
• regional and transboundary groundwater