Abstract (from Valdose Zone): Infiltration and downward percolation of water in the vadose zone are important processes that can define the availability of water resources. We present an approach that provides insight into how periodic infiltration forcings at the land surface filter in a layered vadose zone in terms of changes in the timing and magnitude of hydrologic responses. To represent geologically realistic systems, we used vertical sequences of one-dimensional periodic solutions, where each solution represents a single soil in a layered profile. The overall approach is based on a linearized Richards equation and assumes that the effects on flow of continuous pressure head changes at soil interfaces are negligible. We evaluated [...]
