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Meteoric water is the water derived from precipitation (snow and rain). This includes water from lakes, rivers, and icemelts, which all originate from precipitation indirectly. While the bulk of rainwater or meltwater from snow and ice reaches the sea through surface flow, a considerable portion of meteoric water gradually infiltrates into the ground. This infiltrating water continues its downward journey to the zone of saturation to become a part of the groundwater in aquifers.
Most groundwater is meteoric water. Other forms normally do not play a significant role in the hydrologic cycle. Non-meteoric forms of groundwater are connate water and magmatic water, also termed juvenile water. Connate water is trapped in rock strata at the time of formation. Because rock containing connate water is typically formed from ocean sediments, connate water is normally saline. Magmatic water rises from great depth accompanying magma intrusion and affects mineralogy.
In geology and sedimentology, connate water are liquid molecules that were trapped in the pores of sedimentary rocks as they were deposited. These liquids are largely composed of water, but also contain many mineral components as ions in solution.
As rocks are buried, they undergo lithification and the connate liquids are usually expelled. If the escape route for these fluids is blocked, the pore fluid pressure can build up, leading to overpressure.