Imaging hyporheic exchange by integrating deep learning and physics-informed inversion of time-lapse self-potential data

Geophysical Research Letters
By: , and 

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Abstract

Self-potential (SP) monitoring is increasingly used for subsurface flow characterization due to its sensitivity to hydrogeological and geochemical processes. However, SP inversion remains challenging due to its ill-posed nature, sparse data coverage, and strong transient noise. This study proposes a hybrid framework to image hyporheic exchange using a time-lapse SP data set monitored from a streamflow site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Dipole moment tomography grids generated from the physics-informed numerical inversion is first used to train a Vision Transformer (ViT) model that maps surface SP sequences to 2D source distributions. While the numerical method is more responsive to transient signals, the ViT model better captures persistent spatial structures. Their complementary outputs are jointly analyzed in the spatiotemporal domain to isolate dynamic hyporheic exchange zones and distinguish transient from steady state subsurface flow features. This approach integrates physical inversion and deep learning to enhance interpretability, generalization, and temporal awareness in SP analysis.

Suggested Citation

Yin, H., Ikard, S., Rucker, D.F., Brooks, S.C., Dai, Z., Carroll, K.C., 2025, Imaging hyporheic exchange by integrating deep learning and physics-informed inversion of time-lapse self-potential data: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 52, no. 21, e2025GL118772, 11 p., https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL118772.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Imaging hyporheic exchange by integrating deep learning and physics-informed inversion of time-lapse self-potential data
Series title Geophysical Research Letters
DOI 10.1029/2025GL118772
Volume 52
Issue 21
Publication Date November 05, 2025
Year Published 2025
Language English
Publisher Americal Geophysical Union
Contributing office(s) Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center
Description e2025GL118772, 11 p.
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