| Popis: |
Seven Landsat Thermal InfraRed (TIR) images, taken over the period 2000–2010, were used to establish longitudinal temperature profiles of the middle Loire River, where it flows above the Beauce aquifer. Results showed that 75% of the temperature differences, between in situ observations and TIR image based estimations, remained within the ±1 °C interval. The groundwater discharge along the River course was quantified for each identified groundwater catchment areas using a heat budget based on the Loire River temperature variations, estimated from the TIR images. The main discharge area of the Beauce aquifer into the Loire River was located between river kilometers 630 and 650. This result confirms what was obtained using a groundwater budget and spatially locates groundwater input within the Middle sector of the Loire River. According to the heat budgets, groundwater discharge is higher during winter period (13.5 m3 s−1) than during summer (5.3 m3 s−1). Groundwater input is also higher during the flow recession periods of the Loire River. |
