Estimating specific yield and transmissivity with magnetic resonance sounding in an unconfined sandstone aquifer (Niger)Estimation par résonance magnétique des protons de la porosité de drainage et de la transmissivité d'un aquifère libre gréseux (Niger)Estimación de la capacidad de almacenamiento y transmividad con prospección de resonancia magnética en un acuífero no confinado de areniscas (Niger)Estimação do armazenamento específico e da transmissividade através de prospecção com ressonância magnética aplicada a um aquífero arenoso livre (Níger)应用核磁共振测深技术估算砂岩潜水含水层的给水度和导水系数(尼日尔)

The unconfined aquifer of the Continental Terminal in Niger was investigated by magnetic resonance sounding (MRS) and by 14 pumping tests in order to improve calibration of MRS outputs at field scale. The reliability of the standard relationship used for estimating aquifer transmissivity by MRS was checked; it was found that the parametric factor can be estimated with an uncertainty ≤150% by a single point of calibration. The MRS water content (θMRS) was shown to be positively correlated with the specific yield (Sy), and θMRS always displayed higher values than Sy. A conceptual model was subsequently developed, based on estimated changes of the total porosity, Sy, and the specific retention Sr as a function of the median grain size. The resulting relationship between θMRS and Sy showed a reasonably good fit with the experimental dataset, considering the inherent heterogeneity of the aquifer matrix (residual error is ∼60%). Interpreted in terms of aquifer parameters, MRS data suggest a log-normal distribution of the permeability and a one-sided Gaussian distribution of Sy. These results demonstrate the efficiency of the MRS method for fast and low-cost prospection of hydraulic parameters for large unconfined aquifers.