Residence time of Chalk groundwaters in the Paris Basin and the North German Basin: a geochemical approach

The comparative geochemical and isotopic study of confined and unconfined Chalk groundwaters of the Paris Basin and the N German Basin proves a significant chemical evolution during groundwater flow from the recharge zones to the deep confined aquifer. Different time dependent geochemical parameters have been tested as dating tools: Cation ratios (Sr2+/Ca2+, Mg2+/Ca2+), N–NO−3, noble gas contents as paleotemperature indicators (Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe), radiogenic He, 13C, 14C, 18O, 2H, 3H. Cation ratios and 13C show the importance of incongruent dissolution processes in the Chalk aquifer. Water–rock interactions were taken into account in a multi-step dissolution model to determine radiocarbon groundwater ages. The oldest waters in the confined part of the Paris basin Chalk with maximum 14C ages of 14,000 a B.P. contain pleistocene recharge components as can be shown by a stable isotope depletion and noble gas temperatures significantly lower than in recent groundwaters. Chalk waters at the Lägerdorf site in Northern Germany show a distinct stratification with respect to residence times and hydrochemistry.