Gedeon Dagan – författare

This book describes a major method in modelling the flow of water and transport of solutes in the subsurface, a subject of considerable interest in the exploitation and preservation of water resources. The stochastic approach allows the uncertainty which affects various properties and parameters to be incorporated in models of subsurface flow and transport. These much more realistic models are of greater use in, for example, modelling the transport and build-up of contaminants in groundwater. The volume is based on the second Kovacs Colloquium organised by the International Hydrological Programme (UNESCO) and the International Association of Hydrological Sciences. Fifteen leading scientists with international reputations review the latest developments in this area. The book is a valuable reference work for graduate students, research workers and professionals in government and public institutions, interested in hydrology, environmental issues, soil physics, petroleum engineering, geological engineering and applied mathematics.

In the mid-seventies, a new area of research has emerged in subsurface hydrology, namely sto­ chastic modeling of flow and transport. This development has been motivated by the recognition of the ubiquitous presence of heterogeneities in natural formations and of their effect upon transport and flow, on the one hand, and by the vast expansion of computational capability provided by elec­ tronic machines, on the other. Apart from this, one of the areas in which spatial variability of for­ mation properties plays a cardinal role is of contaminant transport, a subject of growing interest and concern. I have been quite fortunate to be engaged in research in this area from its inception and to wit­ ness the rapid growth of the community and of the literature on spatial variability and its impact upon subsurface hydrology. In view of this increasing interest, I decided a few years ago that it would be useful to present the subject in a systematic and comprehensive manner in order to help those who wish to engage themselves in research or application of this new field. I viewed as my primary task to analyze the large scale heterogeneity of aquifers and its effect, presuming that the reader already possesses a background in traditional hydrology. This is achieved in Parts 3, 4 and 5 of the text which incorporate the pertinent material.

In the mid-seventies, a new area of research has emerged in subsurface hydrology, namely sto­ chastic modeling of flow and transport. This development has been motivated by the recognition of the ubiquitous presence of heterogeneities in natural formations and of their effect upon transport and flow, on the one hand, and by the vast expansion of computational capability provided by elec­ tronic machines, on the other. Apart from this, one of the areas in which spatial variability of for­ mation properties plays a cardinal role is of contaminant transport, a subject of growing interest and concern. I have been quite fortunate to be engaged in research in this area from its inception and to wit­ ness the rapid growth of the community and of the literature on spatial variability and its impact upon subsurface hydrology. In view of this increasing interest, I decided a few years ago that it would be useful to present the subject in a systematic and comprehensive manner in order to help those who wish to engage themselves in research or application of this new field. I viewed as my primary task to analyze the large scale heterogeneity of aquifers and its effect, presuming that the reader already possesses a background in traditional hydrology. This is achieved in Parts 3, 4 and 5 of the text which incorporate the pertinent material.

A year has passed since Eshel Bresler, my good friend and colleague, and a member of the editorial board of the Advanced Series in Agricultural Sciences, died suddenly while on a visit to the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. We had worked together for almost 30 years at the Institute of Soils and Water, ARO, The Volcani Center at Bet Dagan. At the very beginning of our scientific careers we cooperated directly and as a result one of our first publications was coauthored (Soil Sci. 101:205-209, 1966). Thereafter, our specific research interests diver­ sified, but we continued to work together, with similar approaches to research, and to strive towards the development of Israel soil science and its integration into general worldwide scientific progress. I don''t need to emphasize Eshel''s contribution to the understan­ ding of the processes governing water flow and solute transport pro­ cesses in soils and unsaturated zones. The contributions to this Volume by such a body of outstanding scientists shows the apprecia­ tion of the international scientific community to his research achievements.