Water quality variations in different climates of Iran: toward modeling total dissolved solid using soft computing techniques

In present paper, wavelet analysis of total dissolved solid that monitored at Nazlu Chay (northwest of Iran), Tajan (north of Iran), Zayandeh Rud (central of Iran) and Helleh (south of Iran) basins with various climatic conditions, have been studied. Daubechies wavelet at suitable level (db4) has been calculated for TDS of each selected basins. The performance of artificial neural networks (ANN), two different adaptive-neurofuzzy inference system (ANFIS) including ANFIS with grid partition (ANFIS-GP) and ANFIS with subtractive clustering (ANFIS-SC), gene expression programming (GEP), wavelet-ANN, wavelet-ANFIS and wavelet-GEP in predicting TDS of mentioned basins were assessed over a period of 20 years at twelve different hydrometric stations. EC (μmhos/cm), Na (meq L^?1) and Cl (meq L^?1) parameters were selected (based on Pearson correlation) as input variables to forecast amount of TDS in four studied basins. To develop hybrid wavelet-AI models, the original observed data series was decomposed into sub-time series using Daubechies wavelets at suitable level for each basin. Based on the statistical criteria of correlation coefficient (R), root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE), the hybrid wavelet-AI models performance were better than single AI models in all basins. A comparison was made between these artificial intelligence approaches which emphasized the superiority of wavelet-GEP over the other intelligent models with amount of RMSE 18.978, 6.774, 9.639 and 318.363 mg/l, in Nazlu Chay, Tajan, Zayandeh Rud and Helleh basins, respectively.     

Experimental and analytical investigation of the response of a mud layer to solitary waves

Ocean Dynamics - Although the different aspects of wave-mud interaction have been studied by many researchers, few studies have been conducted on the effect of solitary wave on the particle...     

Etiology of Salinity and Water Origin,the Main Dilemma of Badab Sourt,a Unique Travertine Spring

Badab Sourt travertine‐depositing springs in the north of Iran, naturally create a unique surreal landscape containing a range of stepped travertine terraces, similarly found only in a few other places on earth. This site comprises of three travertine saline springs with different values of salinity and discharge (SP₁, SP₂, and SP₃) and one non‐travertine fresh karstic spring (SP₄) within a distance of about 300 m. The etiology behind this salinity and the water origin are the main research's dilemma that were investigated using geological, hydrochemical, and stable isotopic techniques. Based on the topography and isotopic results, the carbonate formations in northern (Khoshyeilagh and Mobarak) and southern (Cretaceous limestone) parts of the springs potentially provide the initial hydraulic gradient for deep circulation of the water and CO₂. However, geological studies indicate that the hydraulic connectivity of the Cretaceous formation to the travertine springs is interrupted by impermeable geological formations. Based on the proposed conceptual hydrogeological model and mass balance calculations, the SP₄ spring is locally recharged from the nearby karstic area of Khoshyeilagh formation through shallow, short and steep groundwater flow circulation that is completely different from the travertine springs. The travertine spring (SP₁) is recharged from more distant areas having higher altitudes on Mobarak and Khoshyeilagh limestone and circulate more deeply before emerging on the surface. The SP₂ and SP₃ springs can derive from the mixing of the saline water (SP₁) and fresh water (SP₄). The dissolution of interlayers of halite in Shemshak formation is concluded as the main source of salinity. This is the first research article in detail to survey hydrogeology of the travertine springs in Iran.