High-Resolution Seismic Mapping of Glacial and Proglacial Sediments in the Swiss Molasse Basin

Quarternary sediments in the Swiss Molasse Basin contain more than two-thirds of the country's aquifers and large amounts of industrial minerals. Glacial sediments are highly inhomogenous, such that their lithology and hydraulic conductivity may change significantly over short distances. As groundwater flow is influenced strongly by hydraulic conductivity, evaluations of the safety of waste disposal sites and predictions about hazardous contaminant flow require reliable information about the three-dimensional distribution of the near-surface sediments that are highly permeable.