Dr W George Darling

Dr W George DarlingHydrogeochemist

Location: Wallingford

Tel: 01491 838800

E-mail Dr W George Darling

Biography

  • 1992–current: Principal Researcher, British Geological Survey
  • 1996: PhD Open University, Fluid Geochemistry in the East African Rift Valley
  • 1974–1992: Hydrogeochemist, British Geological Survey
  • 1973: BSc University of London, Geology (Hons)

Research interests

  • Stable isotopes as tracers of the hydrological cycle
  • Groundwater residence time assessment
  • Dissolved gases as indicators of geochemical processes
  • Geothermal resource characterisation
  • Evaluating surface water-groundwater interaction
  • Characterisation of palaeo-climate by isotopic and noble gas methods

Skills

  • Analytical techniques for stable isotopes, reactive and noble gases
  • Specialist in a range of groundwater dating methods
  • Interpretation of hydrogeochemical data

Current projects and collaboration

  • Wide range from groundwater recharge to carbon capture and storage
  • Collaboration with other NERC centres and university departments
  • Consultant to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on isotope hydrology

Published outputs

Key Papers

DARLING, W G. 2011. The isotope hydrology of quaternary climate change. Journal of Human Evolution 60, 417–427.

DARLING, W G, GOODDY, D C, RICHES, J and WALLIS, I. 2010. Using environmental tracers to assess the extent of river–groundwater interaction in a quarried area of the English Chalk. Applied Geochemistry 25, 923–932.

GATES, J B, EDMUNDS, W M, DARLING, W G, MA, J, PANG, Z and YOUNG, A A. 2008. Conceptual model of recharge to southeastern Badain Jaran Desert groundwater and lakes from environmental tracers. Applied Geochemistry, Vol. 23, 3519–3534.

DARLING, W G and GOODDY, D C. 2006. The hydrogeochemistry of methane: evidence from English groundwaters. Chemical Geology, Vol. 229, 293–312, doi: 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2005.11.003.

DARLING, W G, BATH, A H, GIBSON, J J and ROZANSKI, K. 2005. Isotopes in water.  Chapter 1 in: Isotopes in Palaeoenvironmental Research, (ed M J Leng) Vol 10 in Developments in Paleoenvironmental Research Series, Springer, 1–66.

DARLING, W G, BATH, A H and TALBOT, J C. 2003. The O & H stable isotopic composition of fresh waters in the British Isles. Hydrology & Earth System Sciences, Vol. 7, 183–195.