Characteristics of Percolation Through the Karst Vadose Zone

The study of the vadose zone has been based on own continuous long-term measurements and analyses of precipitation on the surface and of several representative trickles in the vadose zone of Postojna Cave over consecutive hydrological years. It offers an explanation of the dynamics of the percolation of water and simultaneous transfer of contaminants and their impact on the dissolution of carbonate rock in the vadose zone. The research contributes to the understanding of the role of the vadose zone in the karst aquifer. The emphasis is placed on a multi-parameter approach based on the simultaneous use of a number of different methods, not only tracing natural tracers (such as the continuos measurement of discharge, temperature, electrical conductivity, isotopic composition of oxigen, content of carbonates, calcium, magnesium, chlorides, nitrates, sulfates and o-phosphates, electrical resistivity imaging) but also tests with artificial tracers using different methods of injection. The research contributes to the understanding of the role of the vadose zone in the karst aquifers and is directly applicable in planning the long-term protection of the quality of karst springs.

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Knjiga razkriva dinamiko pretakanja in zadrževanja padavin v vadozni coni tudi v večletnem merilu in nanjo vezan prenos kontaminantov, njihov vpliv na raztapljanje kamnine ter vlogo vadozne cone v kraškem vodonosniku. Novo znanje je neposredno uporabno pri načrtnem dolgoročnem varovanju kakovosti kraških izvirov.

Podrobne večletne zvezne, multiparameterske raziskave pretakanja padavin in prenosa kontaminantov skozi vadozno cono so bile zasnovane na rezultatih predhodnih dolgoletnih raziskav pretakanja vode skozi kraške vodonosnike. Novo znanje je bilo pridobljeno z dolgotrajnimi, sočasnimi meritvami padavin na površju ter meritvami in analizami reprezentativnih curkov v vadozni coni Postojnske jame v zaporednih letih. Poudarek je bil na sočasni uporabi številnih metod, ne le sledenj naravnih sledil (zvezne meritve pretoka, temperature, električne prevodnosti, izotopske analize kisika, analize karbonatov, kalcija, magnezija, kloridov, nitratov, sulfatov in o-fosfatov, uporaba električne tomografije) ampak tudi sledenj z umetnimi sledili z različnim načinom injiciranja.