Using the Arduino Micro-Controller to Build Custom Instrumentation for Groundwater Applications

Friday, Nov. 19th, 3pm

375 Borlaug Hall

David Hart
University of Wisconsin

Abstract

The advent of low cost easily programmed microcontrollers with a wide user base and use of heat as a tracer has provided us an opportunity to develop instrumentation to measure groundwater/surface interactions.  In addition to groundwater studies, we’ve also developed an Arduino data logger for an EM 31 ground conductivity meter.  I will provide several examples of instrumentation and results and will discuss some successes as well as issues we’ve encountered.  The result has been an expansion of our tool kit for characterizing groundwater/surface water interactions and ground conductivity.

Short Bio: Dave Hart, PhD, is a hydrogeologist/geophysicist with the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey and a professor at the University of Wisconsin, Division of Extension with affiliate appointments in the Geoscience and Geologic Engineering departments.  Dave's applied research is focused on collecting more and better data to inform geologic and hydrogeologic models.  These data include measurements of borehole flows and heads in crystalline rock, determining depth to bedrock using geophysics with application to nutrient management, temperature measurements applied to groundwater/surface interactions, and using fiber optic distributed temperature sensing in heat pump geothermal applications.