Hydrogeophysical model calibration and uncertainty analysis via full integration of PEST/PEST plus plus and COMSOL

Calibration of groundwater models is frequently hampered by limited availability of hydrogeological data. Non intrusive geophysical methods are increasingly used to provide higher spatio-temporal resolution datasets for identification of hydrological processes and estimation of hydraulic properties. In groundwater model calibration performed through joint or coupled hydrogeophysical inversion, the hydrogeological datasets are supplemented with auxiliary geophysical data. In this work we propose a methodological approach to perform coupled inversion by integrating the calibration software PEST/PEST++ with COMSOL Multiphysics using MATLAB. The strategy provides multiple options for calibration and uncertainty analysis relevant for a broad range of environmental models. To illustrate the approach, we show a hydrogeophysical application in which electrical resistivity is used jointly with borehole data for the identification of seawater intrusion in a coastal aquifer.

Automated summary

Groundwater model calibration is often hindered by limited hydrogeological data availability, but non-intrusive geophysical methods can provide higher spatio-temporal resolution datasets to identify hydrological processes and estimate hydraulic properties. Coupled inversion methods supplement hydrogeological datasets with auxiliary geophysical data, offering multiple calibration and uncertainty analysis options for a broad range of environmental models.