The thermal effect of groundwater flow on temperature distribution in the Sendai Plain

Understanding the response of aquifer thermal regime on different climatic events is important to predict the effects of climate change in groundwater aquifers. A heat transport model that incorporates the effect of groundwater flow was developed to estimate the seasonal heat flux change in the Sendai Plain. Domenico & Palciauskas's analytical solution for 2-D heat transport was used to investigate the heat flow during four months time period (From 01-May-2007 to 31-August-2007). Potential distribution of groundwater flow was simulated by means of the MODFLOW numerical code. Simulated results were verified with observed water level and temperature records at three observation wells. 47.5 mW/m(2) of maximum vertical heat flux was estimated near to the Nanakita River and it also noticed about 17% heat flux change during two extreme precipitation events of simulation time.