Hydrogeophysical Characterization in a Volcanic Context From Local to
Regional Scales Combining Airborne Electromagnetism and Magnetism
Abstract
In volcanic islands, a crucial step in managing watershed water
resources is the characterization of groundwater aquifers from local to
regional scales. Airborne geophysical data provide high-resolution
images down to hundreds of meters below the surface, over large areas.
Yet, the production of an accurate interpretation of regional
geophysical imagery may be time consuming or limited by the low density
of geological and hydrological field observations. Here, we propose an
approach combining airborne electromagnetic and magnetic data in order
to reduce geophysical ambiguities and provide a multiscale
hydrogeophysical characterization of Piton des Neiges volcano (Réunion
Island). With limited calibration data, this methodology produces a
geological model more accurate than using airborne electromagnetic data
alone. Through the continuous coverage of both methods, we demonstrate
the influence of volcanic unit geometries on groundwater flows within
the critical zone and we highlight major structures impacting
groundwater flows at both local and regional scales.