Dr Corinna Abesser

Groundwater Modeller

Location: Wallingford

Tel: 01491 69 2296

E-mail Dr Corinna Abesser

Summary

I am a Hydrogeologist and Groundwater Modeller at the British Geological Survey and have more than 16 years experience in research and commercial work. My work portfolio includes management of/involvement in projects related to groundwater flow and heat transport modelling, CCS, renewable energy assessments, development of national scale mapping tools, groundwater geochemistry, surface water - groundwater interactions. I greatly enjoy modelling and data analysis using a variety of software codes and packages, but I am also interested in data acquisition using novel field techniques, e.g., distributed temperature sensing. As part of my work, I collaborate with colleagues nationally and internationally and regularly organise and convene conference sessions and scientific workshops, including the annual workshop of the UK Groundwater Modellers’ Forum (GWMF) – which I am chairing.

Biography

  •  2010 – ongoing : Groundwater Modeller, British Geological Survey
  •  2003 –2009 : Hydrogeochemist, British Geological Survey
  •  2002 –2005 : Guest lecturer at the LVTP (START Programme), East Africa
  •  1999 –2003 : PhD University of St Andrews, Hydrochemistry
  •  1997 –1998 : Research student, German Aerospace Research Centre (DLR)
  •  1994 –1998 : MSc Technical University of Berlin, Hydrogeology
  •  1991 –1993 : BSc Technical University of Berlin, Geology

Skills

  • Groundwater flow and heat transport modelling (ZOOM, PHAST, FEFLOW)
  • Field sampling techniques and instrumentation(water, Sediment, Soil)
  • Geochemical sampling and data analysis
  • Workshop/conference coordination and facilitation
  • Languages: fluent in German and English, working knowledge of French; basic knowledge of Russian

Current projects and collaboration

  • Groundwater modelling applications (dune system modelling, integrated catchment modelling, MARS project)
  • Heat transport modelling applications (deep geothermal and shallow geothermal )
  • Thames Basin Rural-Urban Earth(TRUE) Observatory project

Awards

  •  2012 – ongoing : Fellow at Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB)
  •  1996 –1997 : Scholarship University of Oklahoma, Geophysics and Remote Sensing

Research interests

  • Numerical modelling application in groundwater flow and heat transport
  • (Subsurface) Urban Heat Island
  • Hydrogeological aspects of ground source heating and cooling
  • Groundwater-surface water processes

Boards and committees

  •  2014 – ongoing : Chair of the UK Groundwater Modellers Forum
  •  2014 – ongoing : Committee member of the Hydrogeological Group of the Geological Society of London
  •  2010 – ongoing : Representative for Groundwater on IAHS National Committee (UK)
  •  2007 – ongoing : Vice-president of the International Commission on Groundwater (ICGW/IAHS)
  •  2004 –2007 : UK representative in Management Committee of European COST Action 629

Professional association

  •  2014 – ongoing : Fellow of the Geological Society of London
  •  2005 –2007 : Member of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH)
  •  2002 – ongoing : Member of the Institution of Civil Engineering (ICE)
  •  2002 – ongoing : Member of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS)
  •  1999 –2006 : Member of the Freshwater Biological Association (FBA)

Published outputs

Key papers

Abesser, Corinna; Lewis, Melinda. 2015 A semi-quantitative technique for mapping potential aquifer productivity on the national scale: example of England and Wales (UK). Hydrogeology Journal, 23 (8). 1677-1694. 10.1007/s10040-015-1295-5

Abesser, Corinna; Lewis, Melinda A.; Marchant, Andrew P.; Hulbert, Andrew G.. 2014 Mapping suitability for open-loop ground source heat pump systems: a screening tool for England and Wales, UK. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, 47 (4). 373-380. 10.1144/qjegh2014-050

ALLEN, D.J.; DARLING, W.G.; GOODDY, D.C.; LAPWORTH, D.J.; NEWELL, A.J.; WILLIAMS, A.T.; ALLEN, D.; ABESSER, C. 2010. Interaction between groundwater, the hyporheic zone and a Chalk stream: a case study from the River Lambourn, UK. Hydrogeology Journal, 18 (5). 1125-1141. 10.1007/s10040-010-0592-2

ABESSER, C and ROBINSON, R. 2010. Mobilisation of iron and manganese from sediments of a Scottish upland reservoir. Journal of Limnology, 69(1)

ABESSER, C; SHAND, P; GOODDY, D and PEACH, D. 2008. The role of alluvial valley deposits in groundwater and surface water exchange in a Chalk river. In: ABESSER, C; WAGENER, T and NUETZMANN, G (eds.): Groundwater and Surface Water Interaction: Process Understanding, Conceptualization and Modelling. IAHS Press, IAHS Publication 321, 11-20

LAPWORTH, D J; SHAND, P; ABESSER, C; DARLING, G; HARIA, A H; EVANS, C D and REYNOLDS, B. 2008. Groundwater nitrogen composition and transformation within a moorland catchment, mid-Wales. Science of the Total Environment, 390 (1). 241-254

ABESSER, C; ROBINSON, R and SOULSBY, C. 2006. Using factor analysis and end-member mixing techniques to infer sources of runoff generation. In: SIVAPALAN, M., (ed.) Predictions in ungauged basins: promises and progress. IAHS Press, IAHS Publication 303, 21-29

ABESSER, C; ROBINSON, R and SOULSBY, C. 2006. Iron and manganese cycling in the storm runoff of a Scottish upland catchment. Journal of Hydrology, 326 (1-4). 59-78