Cross-section of a hillslope depicting the vadose zone, capillary fringe, water table, and phreatic or saturated zone. The capillary fringe is the subsurface layer in which Groundwater seeps up from a Water table by Capillary action to fill pores The water table is the level at which the ground water pressure is equal to Atmospheric pressure. The term phreatic is used in Earth sciences to refer to matters relating to ground water below the static Water table (the word originates from the Greek (Source: United States Geological Survey. The United States Geological Survey ( USGS) is a scientific agency of the United States government. )

The vadose zone, also termed the unsaturated zone, is the portion of Earth between the land surface and the phreatic zone or zone of saturation ("vadose" is Latin for "shallow"). The term phreatic is used in Earth sciences to refer to matters relating to ground water below the static Water table (the word originates from the Greek Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It extends from the top of the ground surface to the water table. Water in the vadose zone has a pressure head less than atmospheric pressure, and is retained by a combination of adhesion (funiculary groundwater), and capillary action (capillary groundwater). Hydraulic head is a specific measurement of water pressure or Total energy per Unit weight above a Geodetic datum. Adhesion is the tendency of certain dissimilar molecules to cling together due to Attractive forces. Capillary action, capillarity, capillary motion, or wicking is the ability of a substance to draw another substance into it If the vadose zone envelops soil, the water contained therein is termed soil moisture. Soil, often typeset as SOiL, is a four piece rock band from Chicago Illinois United States founded by Shaun Glass Tom Schofield Tim King and Adam Zadel Water content or moisture content is the quantity of Water contained in a material such as Soil (called soil moisture) rock,

Movement of water within the vadose zone is studied within soil physics and hydrology, particularly hydrogeology, and is of importance to agriculture, contaminant transport, and flood control. Soil physics is the study of soil physical properties and processes Hydrology (from Greek Yδωρ hudōr, "water" and λόγος logos, "study" is the study of the movement distribution and quality of Hydrogeology ( hydro- meaning water and -geology meaning the study of the Earth) is the area of Geology that deals with the distribution and Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into an environment that causes instability disorder harm or discomfort to the physical systems or living organisms they are in Flood control is a feature of many communication protocols designed to prevent overwhelming of a destination receiver The Richards equation is often used to mathematically describe the flow of water, which is based partially on Darcy's law. The Richards equation represents the movement of water in Unsaturated soils and was formulated by Lorenzo A In Fluid dynamics, Darcy's law is a phenomologically derived Constitutive equation that describes the flow of a Fluid through a Porous medium Groundwater recharge, which is an important process that refills aquifers, generally occurs through the vadose zone from precipitation. Groundwater recharge or deep drainage or deep percolation is a hydrologic Process where Water moves downward from Surface water

In speleology, cave passages formed in the vadose zone tend to be canyon-like in shape, as the water dissolves bedrock on the floor of the passage. Speleology is the scientific study of Caves and other Karst features their make-up structure physical properties history life forms and the processes by A cave is a natural underground void large enough for a human to enter Bedrock is the native consolidated rock underlying the surface of a terrestrial planet usually the Earth. Passages created in completely water-filled conditions are called phreatic passages and tend to be circular in cross-section. The term phreatic is used in Earth sciences to refer to matters relating to ground water below the static Water table (the word originates from the Greek

See also

• Aquifer
• Groundwater
• Water retention curve

References

• Unsaturated Zone Definitions Page. An aquifer is an underground layer of Water -bearing Permeable rock or unconsolidated materials ( Gravel, Sand, Silt, or Clay Groundwater is Water located beneath the Ground surface in Soil pore spaces and in the Fractures of lithologic formations Water retention curve is the relationship between the Water content, θ and the soil water potential ψ USGS. The United States Geological Survey ( USGS) is a scientific agency of the United States government. Retrieved on 2006-07-01. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song.
• Unsaturated Zone Flow: Definitions and Details. USGS. The United States Geological Survey ( USGS) is a scientific agency of the United States government. Retrieved on 2006-07-01. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song.

Further reading

• Vadose Zone Journal. Retrieved on 2006-07-01. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song.