Geophysical characterization of groundwater aquifers in the Western Debrecen area, Hungary: insights from gravity, magnetotelluric, and electrical resistivity tomography

Abstract The recent study followed a multi-methodological approach integrating gravity, magnetotelluric (MT), and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) to investigate the geometry and hydrological characteristics of the main hydrostratigraphical units in the Western Debrecen area, Eastern Hungary. The integration of these methods aims to delineate potential zones for groundwater development and guide effective extraction strategies. In the gravity investigation, the Bouguer anomaly map undergoes spectral analysis for the separation of shallow and deep features, offering a preliminary indication of basement rock depth. Subsequently, gravity data inversion is employed to map variations in basement rock topography, revealing a basin structure, with sediment thicknesses extending up to 2 km. On the other hand, the MT data are modeled using the 1D Occam inversion algorithm to validate the results of the gravity data analysis. This inversion, constrained with lithological logs is further utilized to delineate the main hydrostratigraphical units in the study area. Accordingly, four units are identified, including the Nagyalföld Aquifer, Algyő and Endrődi Aquitards, the Badenian Aquifer, and the Pre-Neogene Aquitard. Consequently, Dar Zarrouk parameters based transmissivity and the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer units are measured. The Nagyalföld aquifer showed a hydraulic conductivity that ranged between 7.9 and 11.9 m/day, while the Badenian aquifer showed an average hydraulic conductivity of 13.1 m/day. The ERT data are employed to map the spatial distribution of the depth to the water table. The shallow water table is observed in regions characterized by an elevated thickness of sedimentary rocks, attributed to their high specific capacity. Integrating these hydrogeophysical methods provided a comprehensive understanding of the subsurface hydrology and enabled better-informed decision-making for groundwater development.