Alternative Interpretation of the Pressure Front Displacement Pulse for
Pumping Tests in Confined Aquifers
Abstract
Chesnaux (2018) distinguished between the pressure front displacement
pulse and the groundwater displacement during a pumping test in a
confined aquifer. The physical interpretation of the expression that
Chesnaux (2018) adopted for the radial distance traveled by the pressure
front is explored. It is shown that the expression adopted by Chesnaux
(2018) is an implicit statement regarding the magnitude of the head
change caused by pumping. The statement is consistent with the
integrated effect of a continuous sequence of pulses. Alternative
expressions for the migration of the pressure front and celerity are
derived that are consistent with the conception of the migration of a
pulse.