Current Research Areas

Groundwater-surface water interactions

In many lake systems, subsurface groundwater discharge (SGD) constitutes a major water and particularly solutes source that effects the lake water chemical composition. Since Ra is typically enriched in groundwater, we have used radium isotopes variations in lake water as a tool to quantify the SGD flux in the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinereth), Israel. Radium isotopes has been used extensively to delineate and quantify SGD into saline estuaries and coastal zones since Ra is behaving conservatively in saline environments.  In contrast, under low-saline conditions, numerous studies have shown that Ra is strongly adsorbed onto sediments. We show that in spite of the significant Ra retention via adsorption into sediments, SGD can be quantified also in fresh water lakes.