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Three-Dimensional Characterization of Lateral Subsurface Flow in an Alpine Forested Hillslope on the Tibetan Plateau Using Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Tomography

Xiang, Hai ; Huisman, Johan Alexander ; Li, Jiawen ; Che, Haoran LU ; Huang, Huayi ; Tian, Jie ; Kang, Weiming ; Liu, Junjie ; Bian, Shiqiang and Wang, Yizhuo , et al. (2026) In Water Resources Research 62(6).
Abstract

Lateral subsurface flow (LSF) is a key component of rainfall-runoff generation on alpine forested slopes, but the influence of weathered bedrock on LSF remains poorly understood due to methodological constraints in monitoring three-dimensional flow dynamics. This study addresses this gap by proposing a standardized morphological interpretation framework for time-lapse 3D electrical resistivity tomography (3D-ERT) inspired by dye-tracing studies, and applying this framework to investigate LSF mechanisms in soil-weathered bedrock systems on an alpine forested slope (NE Tibetan Plateau). During a controlled infiltration experiment, we conducted seven 3D-ERT measurements. The inverted resistivity distributions were temperature-corrected and... (More)

Lateral subsurface flow (LSF) is a key component of rainfall-runoff generation on alpine forested slopes, but the influence of weathered bedrock on LSF remains poorly understood due to methodological constraints in monitoring three-dimensional flow dynamics. This study addresses this gap by proposing a standardized morphological interpretation framework for time-lapse 3D electrical resistivity tomography (3D-ERT) inspired by dye-tracing studies, and applying this framework to investigate LSF mechanisms in soil-weathered bedrock systems on an alpine forested slope (NE Tibetan Plateau). During a controlled infiltration experiment, we conducted seven 3D-ERT measurements. The inverted resistivity distributions were temperature-corrected and converted to moisture content. The developed framework was then applied to quantify LSF patterns observed with ERT. Results show that the weathered bedrock layer acts as a permeable conduit, promoting downward leakage of water and limiting storage at the soil-bedrock interface. LSF penetrated vertically into deeper weathered bedrock but remained laterally constrained within the monitoring range, with greater flow distances observed in deeper layers. The soil and weathered-bedrock horizons exhibited contrasting moisture retention and drainage behavior during the initiation and development of LSF events. The emergence of two discrete flow pathways and the different maximum flow distance indicates the heterogeneity of LSF in weathered bedrock layers. Collectively, findings underscore the hydrological role of weathered bedrock in runoff generation on alpine slopes. The proposed ERT interpretation framework complements existing hydrogeophysical approaches by providing standardized morphological descriptors of ERT-inferred wetting patterns, offering a transferable way to characterize the spatiotemporal organization of subsurface flow in data-scarce mountain regions.

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type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
electrical resistivity tomography, high-altitude mountainous, soil moisture, subsurface flow, weathered bedrock
in
Water Resources Research
volume
62
issue
6
article number
e2025WR042947
publisher
American Geophysical Union
external identifiers
  • scopus:105040789363
ISSN
0043-1397
DOI
10.1029/2025WR042947
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a211908e-d27b-4f5b-894d-13128c15d1a3
date added to LUP
2026-08-20 16:28:13
date last changed
2026-08-20 16:29:10
@article{a211908e-d27b-4f5b-894d-13128c15d1a3,
  abstract     = {{<p>Lateral subsurface flow (LSF) is a key component of rainfall-runoff generation on alpine forested slopes, but the influence of weathered bedrock on LSF remains poorly understood due to methodological constraints in monitoring three-dimensional flow dynamics. This study addresses this gap by proposing a standardized morphological interpretation framework for time-lapse 3D electrical resistivity tomography (3D-ERT) inspired by dye-tracing studies, and applying this framework to investigate LSF mechanisms in soil-weathered bedrock systems on an alpine forested slope (NE Tibetan Plateau). During a controlled infiltration experiment, we conducted seven 3D-ERT measurements. The inverted resistivity distributions were temperature-corrected and converted to moisture content. The developed framework was then applied to quantify LSF patterns observed with ERT. Results show that the weathered bedrock layer acts as a permeable conduit, promoting downward leakage of water and limiting storage at the soil-bedrock interface. LSF penetrated vertically into deeper weathered bedrock but remained laterally constrained within the monitoring range, with greater flow distances observed in deeper layers. The soil and weathered-bedrock horizons exhibited contrasting moisture retention and drainage behavior during the initiation and development of LSF events. The emergence of two discrete flow pathways and the different maximum flow distance indicates the heterogeneity of LSF in weathered bedrock layers. Collectively, findings underscore the hydrological role of weathered bedrock in runoff generation on alpine slopes. The proposed ERT interpretation framework complements existing hydrogeophysical approaches by providing standardized morphological descriptors of ERT-inferred wetting patterns, offering a transferable way to characterize the spatiotemporal organization of subsurface flow in data-scarce mountain regions.</p>}},
  author       = {{Xiang, Hai and Huisman, Johan Alexander and Li, Jiawen and Che, Haoran and Huang, Huayi and Tian, Jie and Kang, Weiming and Liu, Junjie and Bian, Shiqiang and Wang, Yizhuo and Xiong, Tao and He, Chansheng}},
  issn         = {{0043-1397}},
  keywords     = {{electrical resistivity tomography; high-altitude mountainous; soil moisture; subsurface flow; weathered bedrock}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  publisher    = {{American Geophysical Union}},
  series       = {{Water Resources Research}},
  title        = {{Three-Dimensional Characterization of Lateral Subsurface Flow in an Alpine Forested Hillslope on the Tibetan Plateau Using Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Tomography}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2025WR042947}},
  doi          = {{10.1029/2025WR042947}},
  volume       = {{62}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}