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A mixed method approach to exploring and characterizing ionic chemistry in the surface waters of the glacierized upper Santa River watershed, Ancash, Peru

Eddy, Alex Michelle
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1339051704

Abstract Details

2012, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, Geography.
Dramatic glacier loss in the upper Santa River watershed in Ancash, Peru has significant impact on proglacial hydrologic systems, with implications for downstream impact on human water use activities. Glacial resources serve as freshwater reservoirs, mitigating the rain shadow effect that deprives the western slopes of the Andes of regular annual water resources via precipitation. The reduction of glacial resources is coincidental with economic and population growth, and concern for the quality and quantity of water resources drives research that contributes to understanding regional hydrologic systems. This thesis integrates hydrochemical analysis and spatial exploration with the aim of assessing inorganic water quality characteristics and determinant processes within the region. The chemistry of proglacial surface waters is primarily determined by weathering processes in rock-water contact areas, and pristine glacial meltwater inherits the chemical properties of the surficial lithology along a flow path. Hydrochemical analysis methods identify elemental characteristics that are unique to the study region. Dominant hydrochemical processes include silicate weathering, coupled pyrite oxidation with silicate weathering, and to a lesser extent, carbonate weathering. Sulfate constituent is unusually high for portions of the study region and is attributed to highly acidified waters immediately downstream from glacial point sources. Geovisualization and exploratory data analysis extend the results of the hydrochemical analysis by showing temporal change and suggesting connections between lithology, areas of high erosion and weathering rates, rapid deglaciation, and elevated sulfate concentrations.
Bryan Mark, PhD (Advisor)
Darla Munroe, PhD (Committee Member)
Ahlqvist Ola, PhD (Committee Member)
146 p.
Climate Change; Geochemistry; Geographic Information Science; Geography; Geological; Geology; Inorganic Chemistry; Latin American Studies
glacier loss; climate change; peru; water; hydrologic; chemistry; hydrochemistry; Andes; weathering; exploratory data analysis

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Citations

  • Eddy, A. M. (2012). A mixed method approach to exploring and characterizing ionic chemistry in the surface waters of the glacierized upper Santa River watershed, Ancash, Peru [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1339051704

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Eddy, Alex. A mixed method approach to exploring and characterizing ionic chemistry in the surface waters of the glacierized upper Santa River watershed, Ancash, Peru. 2012. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1339051704.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Eddy, Alex. "A mixed method approach to exploring and characterizing ionic chemistry in the surface waters of the glacierized upper Santa River watershed, Ancash, Peru." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1339051704

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1339051704
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© 2012, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.