{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T00:17:21Z","timestamp":1787789841283,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":65,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]],"date-time":"2026-07-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785110400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787788800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":31,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000203","name":"Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000203","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nat Commun"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    Elevated groundwater salinity in coastal regions threatens the beneficial use of fresh groundwater. Coastal groundwater management typically focuses on preventing intrusion from modern sources of seawater; however, past geological processes can also leave a legacy of saline groundwater now hidden in the subsurface. Here, multiple extensive airborne electromagnetic surveys provide detailed evidence of residual salinity from a paleo-estuary filling a late Pleistocene incised valley impacting more than 10,000\u2009km\n                    <jats:sup>2<\/jats:sup>\n                    that is now hidden beneath coastal Louisiana\u2019s deltaic plain. Our results show that the three-dimensional pattern of saline groundwater beneath Louisiana mimics that of near-surface aquifers surrounding the modern Delaware Bay estuary, fingerprinting the signature of the past drowning of a large, incised valley of the Mississippi River following post-glacial sea-level rise. These findings demonstrate a new framework for understanding legacy sources of saltwater critical for managing stressed water resources along global coastlines.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-026-76005-5","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]],"date-time":"2026-07-27T19:43:01Z","timestamp":1785181381000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The saline groundwater legacy of a large buried coastal paleo-estuary"],"prefix":"10.1038","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1689-1306","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Burke J.","family":"Minsley","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1107-7698","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Holly A.","family":"Michael","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1786-1272","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maxwell A.","family":"Lindaman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lyndsay B.","family":"Ball","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5715-253X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stephanie R.","family":"James","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5611-6307","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"JR","family":"Rigby","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Wade H.","family":"Kress","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8005-5575","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Frank T.-C.","family":"Tsai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bennett E.","family":"Hoogenboom","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"76005_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-023-44659-0","volume":"15","author":"EM Lansu","year":"2024","unstructured":"Lansu, E. M. et al. A global analysis of how human infrastructure squeezes sandy coasts. Nat. Commun. 15, 432 (2024).","journal-title":"Nat. Commun."},{"key":"76005_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100","DOI":"10.1038\/s43017-023-00500-2","volume":"5","author":"CM Richardson","year":"2024","unstructured":"Richardson, C. M. et al. The impacts of climate change on coastal groundwater. Nat. Rev. Earth Environ. 5, 100\u2013119 (2024).","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Earth Environ."},{"key":"76005_CR3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-020-17038-2","volume":"11","author":"S Jasechko","year":"2020","unstructured":"Jasechko, S., Perrone, D., Seybold, H., Fan, Y. & Kirchner, J. W. Groundwater level observations in 250,000 coastal US wells reveal scope of potential seawater intrusion. Nat. Commun. 11, 3229 (2020).","journal-title":"Nat. Commun."},{"key":"76005_CR4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2610","DOI":"10.1002\/2017WR020851","volume":"53","author":"HA Michael","year":"2017","unstructured":"Michael, H. A., Post, V. E. A., Wilson, A. M. & Werner, A. D. Science, society, and the coastal groundwater squeeze. Water Resour. Res. 53, 2610\u20132617 (2017).","journal-title":"Water Resour. Res."},{"key":"76005_CR5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"378","DOI":"10.1038\/ngeo881","volume":"3","author":"T Gleeson","year":"2010","unstructured":"Gleeson, T. et al. Groundwater sustainability strategies. Nat. Geosci. 3, 378\u2013379 (2010).","journal-title":"Nat. Geosci."},{"key":"76005_CR6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e2023EF003581","DOI":"10.1029\/2023EF003581","volume":"12","author":"D Zamrsky","year":"2024","unstructured":"Zamrsky, D., Oude Essink, G. H. P. & Bierkens, M. F. P. Global impact of sea level rise on coastal fresh groundwater resources. Earth\u2019s Future 12, e2023EF003581 (2024).","journal-title":"Earth\u2019s Future"},{"key":"76005_CR7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1016\/j.advwatres.2012.03.004","volume":"51","author":"AD Werner","year":"2013","unstructured":"Werner, A. D. et al. Seawater intrusion processes, investigation and management: recent advances and future challenges. Adv. Water Resour. 51, 3\u201326 (2013).","journal-title":"Adv. Water Resour."},{"key":"76005_CR8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-3091.2000.00008.x","volume":"47","author":"MD Blum","year":"2000","unstructured":"Blum, M. D. & T\u00f6rnqvist, T. E. Fluvial responses to climate and sea-level change: a review and look forward. Sedimentology 47, 2\u201348 (2000).","journal-title":"Sedimentology"},{"key":"76005_CR9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1016\/j.advwatres.2019.04.013","volume":"128","author":"X Yu","year":"2019","unstructured":"Yu, X. & Michael, H. A. Mechanisms, configuration typology, and vulnerability of pumping-induced seawater intrusion in heterogeneous aquifers. Adv. Water Resour. 128, 117\u2013128 (2019).","journal-title":"Adv. Water Resour."},{"key":"76005_CR10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jhydrol.2013.05.049","volume":"498","author":"CJ Russoniello","year":"2013","unstructured":"Russoniello, C. J. et al. Geologic effects on groundwater salinity and discharge into an estuary. J. Hydrol. 498, 1\u201312 (2013).","journal-title":"J. Hydrol."},{"key":"76005_CR11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"376","DOI":"10.1038\/ngeo2938","volume":"10","author":"F Larsen","year":"2017","unstructured":"Larsen, F. et al. Groundwater salinity influenced by Holocene seawater trapped in incised valleys in the Red River delta plain. Nat. Geosci. 10, 376\u2013381 (2017).","journal-title":"Nat. Geosci."},{"key":"76005_CR12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/sciadv.adn3924","volume":"10","author":"C Sheng","year":"2024","unstructured":"Sheng, C. et al. Evolution of groundwater system in the Pearl River Delta and its adjacent shelf since the late Pleistocene. Sci. Adv. 10, eadn3924 (2024).","journal-title":"Sci. Adv."},{"key":"76005_CR13","first-page":"100854","volume":"36","author":"M Rahman","year":"2021","unstructured":"Rahman, M., Tokunaga, T. & Yamanaka, T. Origin and evolutionary processes of deep groundwater salinity in southwestern coastal region of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Delta, Bangladesh. J. Hydrol. Reg. Stud. 36, 100854 (2021).","journal-title":"J. Hydrol. Reg. Stud."},{"key":"76005_CR14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1792","DOI":"10.1029\/2018WR023624","volume":"55","author":"R Meyer","year":"2019","unstructured":"Meyer, R., Engesgaard, P. & Sonnenborg, T. O. Origin and dynamics of saltwater intrusion in a regional aquifer: combining 3-d saltwater modeling with geophysical and geochemical data. Water Resour. Res. 55, 1792\u20131813 (2019).","journal-title":"Water Resour. Res."},{"key":"76005_CR15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-025-65770-4","volume":"16","author":"H Le","year":"2025","unstructured":"Le, H. et al. Buried deep freshwater reserves beneath salinity-stressed coastal Bangladesh. Nat. Commun. 16, 10740 (2025).","journal-title":"Nat. Commun."},{"key":"76005_CR16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"131","DOI":"10.1038\/s43247-021-00200-z","volume":"2","author":"BJ Minsley","year":"2021","unstructured":"Minsley, B. J. et al. Airborne geophysical surveys of the lower Mississippi Valley demonstrate system-scale mapping of subsurface architecture. Commun. Earth Environ. 2, 131 (2021).","journal-title":"Commun. Earth Environ."},{"key":"76005_CR17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"U.S. Geological Survey. Airborne electromagnetic and magnetic survey of Delaware Bay and surrounding regions of New Jersey and Delaware, 2022. U.S. Geological Survey data release. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5066\/F7J96592.","DOI":"10.5066\/F7J96592"},{"key":"76005_CR18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Hoogenboom, B. E., Minsley, B. J., James, S. R. & Pace, M. D. Airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric survey of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, Mississippi Embayment, and Gulf Coastal Plain, September 2021 - January 2022: U.S. Geological Survey data release. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5066\/P93DO0EO (2023).","DOI":"10.5066\/P93DO0EO"},{"key":"76005_CR19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"James, S. R. & Minsley, B. J. Combined results and derivative products of hydrogeologic structure and properties from airborne electromagnetic surveys in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (ver. 2.0, July 2024). U.S. Geological Survey data release. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5066\/P9382RCI (2021).","DOI":"10.5066\/P9382RCI"},{"key":"76005_CR20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"8085","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.0812878106","volume":"106","author":"TS Bianchi","year":"2009","unstructured":"Bianchi, T. S. & Allison, M. A. Large-river delta-front estuaries as natural \u201crecorders\u201d of global environmental change. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 106, 8085\u20138092 (2009).","journal-title":"Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA"},{"key":"76005_CR21","unstructured":"Fisk, H. N. Geological Investigation of the Alluvial Valley of the Lower Mississippi River. 78 (Mississippi River Commission, 1944)."},{"key":"76005_CR22","unstructured":"Autin, W. J., Burns, S. F., Miller, B. J., Saucier, R. T. & Snead, J. I. Quaternary geology of the Lower Mississippi Valley. in Quaternary Nonglacial Geology (ed. Morrison, R. B.), vol. K.-2 0 (Geological Society of America, 1991)."},{"key":"76005_CR23","unstructured":"Saucier, R. T. Geomorphology and Quaternary Geologic History of the Lower Mississippi Valley. (U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, 1994)."},{"key":"76005_CR24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"488","DOI":"10.1038\/ngeo553","volume":"2","author":"MD Blum","year":"2009","unstructured":"Blum, M. D. & Roberts, H. H. Drowning of the Mississippi Delta due to insufficient sediment supply and global sea-level rise. Nat. Geosci. 2, 488\u2013491 (2009).","journal-title":"Nat. Geosci."},{"key":"76005_CR25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"675","DOI":"10.1130\/G24728A.1","volume":"36","author":"MD Blum","year":"2008","unstructured":"Blum, M. D., Tomkin, J. H., Purcell, A. & Lancaster, R. R. Ups and downs of the Mississippi Delta. Geology 36, 675\u2013678 (2008).","journal-title":"Geology"},{"key":"76005_CR26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"586","DOI":"10.1130\/B25934.1","volume":"119","author":"TM Rittenour","year":"2007","unstructured":"Rittenour, T. M., Blum, M. D. & Goble, R. J. Fluvial evolution of the lower Mississippi River valley during the last 100 k.y. glacial cycle: response to glaciation and sea-level change. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 119, 586 (2007).","journal-title":"Geol. Soc. Am. Bull."},{"key":"76005_CR27","first-page":"582","volume":"573","author":"M Kulp","year":"2002","unstructured":"Kulp, M. et al. Latest quaternary stratigraphic framework of the Mississippi River delta region. Gulf Coast Assoc. Geol. Soc.Trans. 573, 582 (2002).","journal-title":"Gulf Coast Assoc. Geol. Soc.Trans."},{"key":"76005_CR28","unstructured":"Wessels, S. Late Quaternary Mississippi River Incised Valley Fill: Transgressive Depositional Packages (University of New Orleans, 2010)."},{"key":"76005_CR29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"139","DOI":"10.1016\/j.earscirev.2015.11.001","volume":"153","author":"SJ Bentley","year":"2016","unstructured":"Bentley, S. J., Blum, M. D., Maloney, J., Pond, L. & Paulsell, R. The Mississippi River source-to-sink system: perspectives on tectonic, climatic, and anthropogenic influences, Miocene to Anthropocene. Earth Sci. Rev. 153, 139\u2013174 (2016).","journal-title":"Earth Sci. Rev."},{"key":"76005_CR30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Williamson, A. K. & Grubb, H. F. Ground-water flow in the Gulf Coast aquifer systems, south-central United States. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1416-F. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3133\/pp1416F (2001).","DOI":"10.3133\/pp1416F"},{"key":"76005_CR31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Nyman, J. A. et al. Vegetation types in coastal Louisiana in 2021 (ver. 2.0, April 2023). U.S. Geological Survey data release. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5066\/P9URYLMS (2022).","DOI":"10.5066\/P9URYLMS"},{"key":"76005_CR32","unstructured":"Heinrich, P., Paulsell, R., Milner, R., Snead, J. & Peele, H. Investigation and GIS Development of the Buried Holocene-Pleistocene Surface in the Louisiana Coastal Plain (Louisiana Geological Survey-Louisiana State University for Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana, Baton Rouge, LA, 2015)."},{"key":"76005_CR33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"78","DOI":"10.1016\/j.geomorph.2008.06.006","volume":"101","author":"RH Kesel","year":"2008","unstructured":"Kesel, R. H. A revised holocene geochronology for the lower Mississippi valley. Geomorphology 101, 78\u201389 (2008).","journal-title":"Geomorphology"},{"key":"76005_CR34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"U.S. Geological Survey, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Louisiana Water Resources Research Institute, Tsai, F. & Elkharankany, M. National Water-Well Database (NWWDB), Louisiana. U.S. Geological Survey data release. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5066\/P137JNNH (2026).","DOI":"10.5066\/P137JNNH"},{"key":"76005_CR35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Blondes, M. S. et al. U.S. Geological Survey National Produced Waters Geochemical Database (ver. 3.0, December 2023). U.S. Geological Survey data release. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5066\/P9DSRCZJ (2023).","DOI":"10.5066\/P9DSRCZJ"},{"key":"76005_CR36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Qi, S. & Harris, A. C. Geochemical Database for the Brackish Groundwater Assessment of the United States. U.S. Geological Survey data release. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5066\/F72F7KK1 (2017).","DOI":"10.5066\/F72F7KK1"},{"key":"76005_CR37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"National Water Quality Monitoring Council, United States Geological Survey (USGS), & Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Water Quality Portal. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5066\/P9QRKUVJ (2021).","DOI":"10.5066\/P9QRKUVJ"},{"key":"76005_CR38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Smoot, C. W. Louisiana hydrologic atlas map no. 3: altitude of the base of freshwater in Louisiana. U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 86-4314. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3133\/wri864314 (1988).","DOI":"10.3133\/wri864314"},{"key":"76005_CR39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1801","DOI":"10.1007\/s10040-018-1796-0","volume":"26","author":"VEA Post","year":"2018","unstructured":"Post, V. E. A., Houben, G. J. & van Engelen, J. What is the Ghijben-Herzberg principle and who formulated it? Hydrogeol. J. 26, 1801\u20131807 (2018).","journal-title":"Hydrogeol. J."},{"key":"76005_CR40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"155641","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2022.155641","volume":"836","author":"J Panthi","year":"2022","unstructured":"Panthi, J., Pradhanang, S. M., Nolte, A. & Boving, T. B. Saltwater intrusion into coastal aquifers in the contiguous United States \u2014 A systematic review of investigation approaches and monitoring networks. Sci. Total Environ. 836, 155641 (2022).","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"76005_CR41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"247","DOI":"10.1007\/s10040-009-0514-3","volume":"18","author":"PM Barlow","year":"2010","unstructured":"Barlow, P. M. & Reichard, E. G. Saltwater intrusion in coastal regions of North America. Hydrogeol. J. 18, 247\u2013260 (2010).","journal-title":"Hydrogeol. J."},{"key":"76005_CR42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1029\/2023WR035840","volume":"60","author":"MC Hingst","year":"2024","unstructured":"Hingst, M. C. et al. Beyond the wedge: impact of tidal streams on salinization of groundwater in a coastal aquifer stressed by pumping and sea-level rise. Water Resour. Res. 60, e2023WR035840 (2024).","journal-title":"Water Resour. Res."},{"key":"76005_CR43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1029\/2024WR038157","volume":"61","author":"VR Voller","year":"2025","unstructured":"Voller, V. R. et al. Onshore entrapment of seawater in coastal aquifers by rapid coastline progradation. Water Resour. Res. 61, e2024WR038157 (2025).","journal-title":"Water Resour. Res."},{"key":"76005_CR44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3891","DOI":"10.5194\/hess-18-3891-2014","volume":"18","author":"JR Delsman","year":"2014","unstructured":"Delsman, J. R. et al. Paleo-modeling of coastal saltwater intrusion during the Holocene: an application to the Netherlands. Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 18, 3891\u20133905 (2014).","journal-title":"Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci."},{"key":"76005_CR45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"T\u00f3th, J. The evolutionary concepts and practical utilization of the t\u00f3thian theory of regional groundwater flow. Int. J. Earth Environ. Sci. 2016, https:\/\/doi.org\/10.15344\/2456-351X\/2016\/111 (2016).","DOI":"10.15344\/2456-351X\/2016\/111"},{"key":"76005_CR46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1329","DOI":"10.1007\/s10040-009-0443-1","volume":"17","author":"HA Michael","year":"2009","unstructured":"Michael, H. A. & Voss, C. I. Estimation of regional-scale groundwater flow properties in the Bengal Basin of India and Bangladesh. Hydrogeol. J. 17, 1329\u20131346 (2009).","journal-title":"Hydrogeol. J."},{"key":"76005_CR47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1561","DOI":"10.1007\/s10040-008-0429-4","volume":"17","author":"HA Michael","year":"2009","unstructured":"Michael, H. A. & Voss, C. I. Controls on groundwater flow in the Bengal Basin of India and Bangladesh: regional modeling analysis. Hydrogeol. J. 17, 1561\u20131577 (2009).","journal-title":"Hydrogeol. J."},{"key":"76005_CR48","first-page":"100594","volume":"23","author":"HV Phan","year":"2019","unstructured":"Phan, H. V., Van Geer, F. C., Bui Tran, V., Dubelaar, W. & Oude Essink, G. H. P. Paleo-hydrogeological reconstruction of the fresh-saline groundwater distribution in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta since the late Pleistocene. J. Hydrol. Reg. Stud. 23, 100594 (2019).","journal-title":"J. Hydrol. Reg. Stud."},{"key":"76005_CR49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"153","DOI":"10.1038\/s43247-022-00473-y","volume":"3","author":"BC Jurgens","year":"2022","unstructured":"Jurgens, B. C. et al. Over a third of groundwater in USA public-supply aquifers is Anthropocene-age and susceptible to surface contamination. Commun. Earth Environ. 3, 153 (2022).","journal-title":"Commun. Earth Environ."},{"key":"76005_CR50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2134","DOI":"10.1111\/sed.12596","volume":"66","author":"R Wang","year":"2019","unstructured":"Wang, R., Colombera, L. & Mountney, N. P. Geological controls on the geometry of incised-valley fills: insights from a global dataset of late-Quaternary examples. Sedimentology 66, 2134\u20132168 (2019).","journal-title":"Sedimentology"},{"key":"76005_CR51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"228","DOI":"10.1126\/science.265.5169.228","volume":"265","author":"DJ Stanley","year":"1994","unstructured":"Stanley, D. J. & Warne, A. G. Worldwide initiation of holocene marine deltas by deceleration of sea-level rise. Science 265, 228\u2013231 (1994).","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"76005_CR52","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1038\/s44221-022-00005-0","volume":"1","author":"M Rodell","year":"2023","unstructured":"Rodell, M. & Reager, J. T. Water cycle science enabled by the GRACE and GRACE-FO satellite missions. Nat. Water 1, 47\u201359 (2023).","journal-title":"Nat. Water"},{"key":"76005_CR53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"553","DOI":"10.1111\/sed.12314","volume":"64","author":"JT Korus","year":"2017","unstructured":"Korus, J. T., Joeckel, R. M., Divine, D. P. & Abraham, J. D. Three-dimensional architecture and hydrostratigraphy of cross-cutting buried valleys using airborne electromagnetics, glaciated Central Lowlands, Nebraska, USA. Sedimentology 64, 553\u2013581 (2017).","journal-title":"Sedimentology"},{"key":"76005_CR54","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"124021","DOI":"10.1088\/1748-9326\/aca344","volume":"17","author":"R Knight","year":"2022","unstructured":"Knight, R. et al. Airborne geophysical method images fast paths for managed recharge of California\u2019s groundwater. Environ. Res. Lett. 17, 124021 (2022).","journal-title":"Environ. Res. Lett."},{"key":"76005_CR55","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1845","DOI":"10.5194\/hess-16-1845-2012","volume":"16","author":"F J\u00f8rgensen","year":"2012","unstructured":"J\u00f8rgensen, F. et al. Transboundary geophysical mapping of geological elements and salinity distribution critical for the assessment of future sea water intrusion in response to sea level rise. Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 16, 1845\u20131862 (2012).","journal-title":"Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci."},{"key":"76005_CR56","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"240","DOI":"10.1071\/EG998240","volume":"29","author":"DV Fitterman","year":"1998","unstructured":"Fitterman, D. V. & Deszcz-Pan, M. Helicopter EM mapping of saltwater intrusion in Everglades National Park, Florida. Explor. Geophys. 29, 240\u2013243 (1998).","journal-title":"Explor. Geophys."},{"key":"76005_CR57","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ball, L. B., Davis, T. A., Minsley, B. J., Gillespie, J. M. & Landon, M. K. Probabilistic categorical groundwater salinity mapping from airborne electromagnetic data adjacent to California\u2019s Lost Hills and Belridge oil fields. Water Resour. Res. 56, e2019WR026273 (2020).","DOI":"10.1029\/2019WR026273"},{"key":"76005_CR58","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"125","DOI":"10.2136\/vzj2010.0038","volume":"10","author":"C Kirkegaard","year":"2011","unstructured":"Kirkegaard, C., Sonnenborg, T. O., Auken, E. & J\u00f8rgensen, F. Salinity distribution in heterogeneous coastal aquifers mapped by airborne electromagnetics. Vadose Zone J. 10, 125\u2013135 (2011).","journal-title":"Vadose Zone J."},{"key":"76005_CR59","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Burton, B. L. et al. Airborne electromagnetic, magnetic, and radiometric surveys of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain and Chicot Aquifer System, March 2018 and May - August 2021. U.S. Geological Survey data release. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5066\/P9KPK3UJ (2024).","DOI":"10.5066\/P9KPK3UJ"},{"key":"76005_CR60","unstructured":"Brodie, R. ga-aem: modelling and inversion of airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data in 1D. Github. https:\/\/github.com\/GeoscienceAustralia\/ga-aem\/releases\/tag\/Release-20160606 (2024)."},{"key":"76005_CR61","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"403","DOI":"10.1190\/1.1444545","volume":"64","author":"DW Oldenburg","year":"1999","unstructured":"Oldenburg, D. W. & Li, Y. Estimating depth of investigation in DC resistivity and IP surveys. Geophysics 64, 403\u2013416 (1999).","journal-title":"Geophysics"},{"key":"76005_CR62","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"WB171","DOI":"10.1190\/geo2011-0393.1","volume":"77","author":"AV Christiansen","year":"2012","unstructured":"Christiansen, A. V. & Auken, E. A global measure for depth of investigation. Geophysics 77, WB171\u2013WB177 (2012).","journal-title":"Geophysics"},{"key":"76005_CR63","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Clark, B. R. et al. National-scale grid to support regional groundwater availability studies and a national hydrogeologic database. U.S. Geological Survey data release. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5066\/F7P84B24 (2018).","DOI":"10.5066\/F7P84B24"},{"key":"76005_CR64","unstructured":"Deutsch, C. V. & Journel, A. G. GSLIB: Geostatistical Software Library and User\u2019s Guide (Oxford University Press, 1997)."},{"key":"76005_CR65","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"295","DOI":"10.1016\/S0277-3791(01)00101-9","volume":"21","author":"C Waelbroeck","year":"2002","unstructured":"Waelbroeck, C. et al. Sea-level and deep water temperature changes derived from benthic foraminifera isotopic records. Quat. Sci. Rev. 21, 295\u2013305 (2002).","journal-title":"Quat. Sci. Rev."}],"container-title":["Nature Communications"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-026-76005-5","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-026-76005-5.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-026-76005-5.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]],"date-time":"2026-08-26T23:18:21Z","timestamp":1787786301000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-026-76005-5"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]]},"references-count":65,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,12]]}},"alternative-id":["76005"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-026-76005-5","relation":{},"ISSN":["2041-1723"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2041-1723","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]]},"assertion":[{"value":"3 December 2025","order":1,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"15 July 2026","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"27 July 2026","order":3,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"The authors declare no competing interests.","order":1,"name":"Ethics","label":"Competing interests","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethics"}}],"article-number":"9119"}}