Revisiting Mt Fuji’s groundwater origins with helium, vanadium and environmental DNA tracers

A groundbreaking study challenges the long-held belief that Mount Fuji's groundwater system operates as a simple, laminar flow with minimal vertical exchange between its three basaltic aquifers. Utilizing a unique combination of microbial environmental DNA, vanadium, and helium tracers, researchers have uncovered evidence of deep circulation and previously unknown deep groundwater contributions to Fuji's freshwater springs. This finding is particularly significant along the tectonically active Fujikawa-kako Fault Zone, where substantial upwelling occurs. The study not only broadens the hydrogeological understanding of Mount Fuji but also demonstrates the potential of integrating environmental DNA with noble gas and trace element analyses in groundwater science.

Schilling, O. S., Nagaosa, K., Schilling, T. U., Brennwald, M. S., Sohrin, R., Tomonaga, Y., Brunner, P., Kipfer, R., & Kato, K. (2023). Revisiting Mt Fuji’s groundwater origins with helium, vanadium and environmental DNA tracers. Nature Water, 1(1), 60–73. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-022-00001-4