CFD modelling of a small–scale fixed multi–chamber OWC device

Wave Energy Converters (WECs) have excellent potential as a source of renewable energy that is yet to be commercially realised. Recent attention has focused on the installation of Oscillating Water Column (OWC) devices as a part of harbor walls to provide advantages of cost–sharing structures and proximity of power generation facilities to existing infrastructure. In this paper, an incompressible three–dimensional CFD model is constructed to simulate a fixed Multi–Chamber OWC (MC–OWC) device. The CFD model is validated; the simulation results are found to be in good agreement with experimental results obtained from a scale physical model tested in a wave tank. The validated CFD model is then used for a benchmark study of 96 numerical tests. These investigate the effects of the PTO damping caused by the power take–off (PTO) system on device performance. The performance is assessed for a range of regular wave heights and periods. The results demonstrate that a PTO system with an intermediate damping can be used for all chambers in the MC–OWC device for most wave period ranges, except for the long wave periods. These require a higher PTO damping. An increased incident wave height reduces the device capture width ratio, but there is a noticeable improvement for long wave periods.     

Stormflow concentration–discharge dynamics of suspended sediment and dissolved phosphorus in an agricultural watershed

Concentration–discharge (C-Q) relationships are an effective tool for identifying watershed biogeochemical source and transport dynamics over short and long timescales. We examined stormflow C-Q, hysteresis, and flushing patterns of total suspended sediment (TSS) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) in two stream reaches of a severely impaired agricultural watershed in northeastern Wisconsin, USA. The upper watershed reach—draining a relatively flat, row crop-dominated contributing area—showed predominantly anti-clockwise TSS hysteresis during storms, suggesting that particulate materials were mobilized more from distal upland sources than near- and in-channel areas. In contrast, the incised lower watershed reach produced strong TSS flushing responses on the rising limb of storm hydrographs and clockwise hysteresis, signalling rapid mobilization of near- and in-channel materials with increasing event flows. C-Q relationships for SRP showed complex patterns in both the upper and lower reaches, demonstrating largely non-linear chemodynamic C-Q behaviour during events. As with TSS, anti-clockwise SRP hysteresis in the upper reach suggested a delay in the hydrologic connectivity between SRP sources and the stream, with highly variable SRP concentrations during some events. A broad range of clockwise, anti-clockwise, and complex SRP hysteresis patterns occurred in the lower watershed, possibly influenced by in-channel legacy P stores and connection to tile drainage networks in the lower watershed area. Total suspended sediment and SRP responses were also strongly related to precipitation event characteristics including antecedent precipitation, recovery period, and precipitation intensity, highlighting the complexity of stormflow sediment and phosphorus responses in this severely impaired agricultural stream.     

U–Th–Pb monazite dating and the timing of arc–continent collision in East Timor

The Timor Orogen represents one of the youngest arc–continent collisions exposed on the Earth. It has the potential to provide some of the key parameters about how this style of orogeny evolves. However, the metamorphic age of the highest-grade rocks formed in the collision remains controversial. Using U–Th–Pb dating of monazite from amphibolite-grade sillimanite and garnet-bearing schists we show the peak metamorphism occurred at 5.5–4.7 Ma. The young age of the monazite and the presence of significant amounts of common Pb required the development of a new protocol to simultaneously account for the ²³⁰Th disequilibrium and the ²⁰⁷Pb common Pb correction. The new estimate of metamorphic age is consistent with the estimates based on plate reconstructions for the initiation of arc–continent collision in East Timor. The metamorphic event is a result of this collision.     

Origin of the alkali tonsteins from southwest China: Implications for alkaline magmatism associated with the waning stages of the Emeishan Large Igneous Province

A unique type of Nb–Zr–REE–Ga-enriched alkali tonstein of pyroclastic origin occurs exclusively within the late Permian coal measures of southwest China. The alkali tonsteins are located within the lowest Xuanwei or Longtan formations of Wuchiapingian age, indicating that their age is later than the main episode of Emeishan Large Igneous Province (ELIP) magmatism. The alkali tonsteins have intermediate–felsic Al₂O₃/TiO₂ values (12.6–34.2, mean 22.0), light rare earth element-enriched chondrite-normalised patterns, negative δEu and incompatible element ratios similar to those of ELIP alkaline Nb–Ta-enriched syenites. All available evidence shows that the alkali tonsteins from southwest China originated from coeval ELIP alkaline magmatism. The enrichment of Nb–Zr–REE–Ga in alkali tonsteins is derived from the ELIP alkaline Nb–Ta-enriched volcanic ashes and may represent the last stage of mineralisation associated with the Emeishan mantle plume activity.     

Re-conceptualizing the Anthropocene: A call for collaboration

Since it was first proposed in 2000, the concept of the Anthropocene has evolved in breadth and diversely. The concept encapsulates the new and unprecedented planetary-scale changes resulting from societal transformations and has brought to the fore the social drivers of global change. The concept has revealed tensions between generalized interpretations of humanity’s contribution to global change, and interpretations that are historically, politically and culturally situated. It motivates deep ethical questions about the politics and economics of global change, including diverse interpretations of past causes and future possibilities. As such, more than other concepts, the Anthropocene concept has brought front-and-center epistemological divides between and within the natural and social sciences, and the humanities. It has also brought new opportunities for collaboration. Here we explore the potential and challenges of the concept to encourage integrative understandings of global change and sustainability. Based on bibliometric analysis and literature review, we discuss the now wide acceptance of the term, its interpretive flexibility, the emerging narratives as well as the debates the concept has inspired. We argue that without truly collaborative and integrative research, many of the critical exchanges around the concept are likely to perpetuate fragmented research agendas and to reinforce disciplinary boundaries. This means appreciating the strengths and limitations of different knowledge domains, approaches and perspectives, with the concept of the Anthropocene serving as a bridge, which we encourage researchers and others to cross. This calls for institutional arrangements that facilitate collaborative research, training, and action, yet also depends on more robust and sustained funding for such activities. To illustrate, we briefly discuss three overarching global change problems where novel types of collaborative research could make a difference: (1) Emergent properties of socioecological systems; (2) Urbanization and resource nexus; and (3) Systemic risks and tipping points. Creative tensions around the Anthropocene concept can help the research community to move toward new conceptual syntheses and integrative action-oriented approaches that are needed to producing useful knowledge commensurable with the challenges of global change and sustainability.     

Preservation of coal-waste geochemical markers in vegetation and soil on self-heating coal-waste dumps in Silesia,Poland

Occurrence and distributions of geochemical markers on vegetation and in soils covering two self-heating coal waste dumps were investigated with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and compared with those of bitumen expelled on the coal waste dump surface. Presence of biomarkers, alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and such polar compounds as phenols indicate that components of self-heating coal wastes indeed migrate to soils and plants surface and their characteristic fingerprints can be applied in passive monitoring to investigate migration of contaminants from self-heating coal wastes. Moreover, results allow to discriminate between the Upper- and Lower Silesian coal basins, notwithstanding value shifts caused by heating. Mechanisms enabling the migration of geochemical compounds into soils include mixing with weathered coal-waste material, transport in gases emitted due to self-heating and, indirectly, by deposition of biomass containing geochemical substances. Transport in gases involves mostly lighter compounds such as phenols, methylnaphthalenes, methylbiphenyls, etc. Distributions and values of geochemical ratios are related to differences in their boiling temperatures in the case of lighter compounds but preserve geochemical features in the case of heavier compounds such as pentacyclic trierpanes.     

Petrogenesis and geodynamic evolution of the Kajan Neogene subvolcanic rocks,Nain, Central Iran

Kajan subvolcanic rocks in the Urumieh–Dokhtar magmatic arc (UDMA), Central Iran, form a Late Miocene-Pliocene shallow-level intrusion. These subvolcanics correspond to a variety of intermediate and felsic rocks, comprising quartz diorite, quartz monzodiorite, tonalite and granite. These lithologies are medium-K calc-alkaline, with SiO₂ (wt.%) varying from 52% (wt.%) to 75 (wt.%). The major element chemical data also show that MgO, CaO, TiO₂, P₂O₅, MnO, Al₂O₃ and Fe₂O₃ define linear trends with negative slopes against SiO₂, whilst Na₂O and K₂O are positively correlated with silica. Contents of incompatible trace elements (e.g. Ba, Rb, Nb, La and Zr) become higher with increasing SiO₂, whereas Sr shows an opposite behaviour. Chondrite-normalized multi-element patterns show enrichment in LILE relative to HFSE and troughs in Nb, P and Ti. These observations are typical of subduction related magmas that formed in an active continental margin. The Kajan rocks show a strong affinity with calc-alkaline arc magmas, confirmed by REE fractionation (La_N/Yb_N = 4.5–6.4) with moderate HREE fractionation (Sm_N/Yb_N = 1.08–1.57). The negative Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu* <1), the low to moderate Sr content (< 400 ppm) and the Dy/Yb values reflect plagioclase and hornblende (+- clinopyroxene) fractionation from a calc-alkaline melt Whole–rock Sr and Nd isotope analyses show that the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr initial ratios vary from 0.704432 to 0.705989, and the ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd initial ratios go from 0.512722 to 0.512813. All the studied samples have similar Sr-Nd isotopes, indicating an origin from a similar source, with granite samples that has more radiogenic Sr and low radiogenic Nd isotopes, suggesting a minor interaction with upper crust during magma ascent. The Kajan subvolcanic rocks plot within the depleted mantle quadrant of the conventional Sr-Nd isotope diagram, a compositional region corresponding to mantle-derived igneous rocks.     

Multiple statistical approaches for the discrimination of mangrove species of Rhizophoraceae using transformed field and laboratory hyperspectral data

This study aims at discriminating eight mangrove species of Rhizophoraceae family of Indian east coast using field and laboratory spectra in spectral range (350–2500 nm). Parametric and non-parametric statistical analyses were applied on spectral data in four spectral modes: (i) reflectance (ii) continuum removed, (iii) additive inverse and (iv) continuum removed additive inverse. We introduced continuum removal of inverse spectra to utilize the advantage of continuum removal in reflectance region. Non-parametric test gave better separability than parametric test. Principal component analysis and stepwise discriminant analysis were applied for feature reduction and to identify optimal wavelengths for species discrimination. To quantify the separability, Jeffries–Matusita distance measure was derived. Green (550 nm), red edge (680–720 nm) and water absorption region (1470 and 1850 nm) were found to be optimal wavelengths for species discrimination. The continuum removal of additive inverse spectra gave better separability than the continuum removed spectra.     

Quantification of LST and CO2 levels using Landsat-8 thermal bands on urban environment

Land surface temperature (LST) is an important aspect in global to regional change studies, for control of climate change and balancing of high temperature. Urbanization is one of the influencing factors increasing land surface and atmospheric temperature, by the emission of greenhouse gases (e.g. CO₂, NO and methane). In the present study, LST was derived from Landsat-8 of multitemporal data sets to analyse the spatial structure of the urban thermal environment in relation to the urban surface characteristics and land use–land cover (LULC). LST is influenced by the greenhouse gases i.e. CO₂ plays an important role in increasing the earth’s surface temperature. In order to provide the evidence of influence of CO₂ on LST, the relationship between LST, air temperature and CO₂ was analysed. Landsat-8 satellite has two thermal bands, 10 and 11. These bands were used to accurately to calculate the temperature over the study area. Results showed that the strength of correlation between ground monitoring data and satellite data was high. Based on correlation values of each month April (R² = 0.994), May (R² = 0.297) and June (R² = 0.934), observed results show that band 10 was significantly correlating with air temperature. Relationship between LST and CO₂ levels were obtained from linear regression analysis. band 11 was correlating significantly with CO₂ values in each of the months April (R² = 0.217), May (R² = 0.914) and June, (R² = 0.934), because band 11 is closer to the 15-micron band of CO₂. From the results, it was observed that band 10 can be used for calculating air temperature and band 11 can be used for estimation of greenhouse gases.     

Application of Zn isotopes in environmental impact assessment of Zn–Pb metallurgical industries: A mini review

Zn and Pb smelters are the major contributors to Zn and Pb emissions among all anthropogenic sources, thus, it is essential to understand Zn isotopic variations within the context of metallurgical industries, as well as its fractionation in different environments impacted by smelting activities. This mini review outlines the current state of knowledge on Zn isotopic fractionation during the high-temperature roasting process in Zn and Pb refineries; δ⁶⁶Zn values variations in air emissions, slags and effluents from the smelters in comparison to the geogenic Zn isotopic signature of ores formation and weathering. In order to assess the environmental impact of these smelters, the available and measured δ⁶⁶Zn values are compiled for smelter impacted natural water bodies (groundwater, stream and river water), sediments (lake and reservoir) and soils (peat bog soil, inland soil). Finally, the discussion is extended to the fractionation induced during numerous physicochemical reactions and transformations, i.e. adsorption, precipitation as well as both inorganic and organic surface complexation.