Book

This compendium emerged as a result of studies performed in a multidisciplinary group brought together within the framework of a three year long project “Establishment of interdisciplinary scientist group and modelling system for groundwater research 1 ” which was launched in 2009. A group of PhD students, recent PhD graduates and foreign scientists in the field of geology (Faculty of Geography and Earth Science of the University of Latvia) teamed up with an experienced group of modellers (Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of the University of Latvia) and engineers (Faculty of Rural Engineering, Latvian University of Agriculture) to establish a mathematical model of the Baltic Artesian Basin. The combination of knowledge found in old books and paper maps and modern information technology tools, plus a willingness to overcome multi-disciplinary and inter-organisational barriers using novel modelling methods resulted in structural model and a hydrogeological model of the Baltic Artesian Basin. An insight into the model and its construction has been provided within this book. Hydrogeology is often classified as an applied science. Here we try to diverge from this somewhat restricted approach, considering groundwater as an interesting object of research per se. We took a holistic or academic look at groundwater – a slow turn-over branch of the global hydrological cycle that forms a huge inhomogeneous reservoir of water. It is inseparably confined by a matrix of even more inhomogeneous porous materials – rocks and sediments – the geological structure. This volume is intended for three groups of readers. The first group are geology students who might found this to be a valuable stepping stone for entering the realm of geological research on the region. Various paths for further reading are given in the references. The second expected group are the practitioners – hydrogeologists - working in the region. For them this book may serve as an insight into recent academic developments. The third group are fellow researchers not directly working in the field of hydrogeology: they may find either background information about the geology of the region or pathways for further information in the book.