Community-based disaster risk and vulnerability models of a coastal municipality in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is one of the most natural hazard-prone countries in the world with the greatest negative consequences being associated with cyclones, devastating floods, riverbank erosion, drought, earthquake, and arsenic contamination, etc. One way or other, these natural hazards engulfed every corner of Bangladesh. The main aim of this research paper is to carry out a multi-hazards risk and vulnerability assessment for the coastal Matlab municipality in Bangladesh and to recommend possible mitigation measures. To this aim, hazards are prioritized by integrating SMUG and FEMA models, and a participation process is implemented so as to involve community both in the risk assessment and in the identification of adaptation strategies. The Matlab municipality is highly vulnerable to several natural hazards such as cyclones, floods, and riverbank erosion. The SMUG is a qualitative assessment, while FEMA is a quantitative assessment of hazards. The FEMA model suggests a threshold of highest 100 points. All hazards that total more than 100 points may receive higher priority in emergency preparedness and mitigation measures. The FEMA model, because it judges each hazard individually in a numerical manner, may provide more satisfying results than the SMUG system. The spatial distributions of hazard, risk, social institutions, land use, and other resources indicate that the flood disaster is the top environmental problem of Matlab municipality. Hazard-specific probable mitigation measures are recommended with the discussion of local community. Finally, this study tries to provide insights into the way field research combining scientific assessments tools such as SMUG and FEMA could feed evidence-based decision-making processes for mitigation in vulnerable communities.     

Groundwater resources assessment using integrated geophysical techniques in the southwestern region of Peninsular Malaysia

Combined geophysical techniques such as multi-electrode resistivity, induced polarization, and borehole geophysical techniques were carried out on volcano-sedimentary rocks in the north of Gemas as part of the groundwater resource’s investigations. The result identifies four resistivity units: the tuffaceous mudstone, tuffaceous sandstone, the tuff bed, and the shale layer. Two types of aquifer systems in terms of storage were identified within the area: one within a fracture system (tuff), which is the leaky area through which vertical flow of groundwater occurs, and an intergranular property of the sandy material of the aquifer which includes sandstone and tuffaceous sandstone. The result also reveals that the aquifer occupies a surface area of about 3,250,555 m² with a mean depth of 43.71 m and a net volume of 9.798?×?10⁷?m³. From the approximate volume of the porous zone (28 %) and the total aquifer volume, a usable capacity of (274.339?±?30.177)?×?10⁷?m³ of water in the study area can be deduced. This study provides useful information that can be used to develop a much broader understanding of the nature of groundwater potential in the area and their relationship with the local geology.     

Correspondence between f(G) gravity and holographic dark energy via power-law solution

In this paper, we discuss cosmological application of holographic Dark Energy (HDE) in the framework of f(G) modified gravity. For this purpose, we construct f(G) model with the inclusion of HDE and a well-known power law form of the scale factor a(t). The reconstructed f(G) is found to satisfy a sufficient condition for a realistic modified gravity model. We find quintessence behavior of effective equation of state (EoS) parameter ω _DE through energy conditions in this context. Moreover, we observe that the squared speed of sound $v_{s}^{2}$ remains negative, which indicates the instability of HDE f(G) model.     

Assessment of Trace Metal Contamination of Drinking Water in the Pearl Valley,Azad Jammu and Kashmir

The aim of this study was to assess trace metal contamination of drinking water in the Pearl Valley, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (Pakistan). The objectives were to determine physical properties and the dissolved concentration of five trace metals, i. e., lead, copper, nickel, zinc, and manganese, in drinking water samples collected from various sites of municipal water supply, natural water springs and wells in the valley. Concentrations of the metals in the water samples were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Results showed physical parameters, i. e., appearance, taste and odor within acceptable limits and pH was between 5.5 and 7.0. The observed concentrations of the metals varied between sources of water samples and between sampling sites. Maximum dissolved concentration observed was 4.7 mg/L for Pb and Mn, 4.6 mg/L for Zn, 2.9 mg/L for Ni and 2.8 mg/L for Cu. The observed concentrations of the metals were compared with the World Health Organization's guideline values for drinking water. Overall, the quality of water samples taken from the water springs at Mutyal Mara and Bonjosa was good; however, the water quality was unsuitable for drinking in Kiraki, Kharick, and Pothi Bala localities particularly. Finally, the authors discuss possible causes for increased concentrations of the trace metals in drinking water in the study area.     

Evidences of Holocene transgression on Domingos Petrolini Swamp, southern coastal plain, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

The Domingos Petrolini Swamp, located on the Southern Coastal Plain of Rio Grande do Sul, near the town of Rio Grande, constitutes an ample holocene lagoonal deposit. Events related to the holocene transgression and their diverse phases of glacial-eustatic ocillations were found through palynological analysis. Bases on these palynological data, four distinct phases to the paleoenvironmental evolution of the ecosystem were identified. It has also shown a transgressive restricted marine sequence on the base , which suggests the existence of a coastal brackish lagoon or a marisme type of environment. Later, there was a gradation for continentality conditions along with a scarce pollinical record. The third phase is characterized by the presence of marine components and halophyte vegetation, showing another transgressive event in that place. Lastly, the end of direct marine influence over the swamp was recorded and also the vegetation development as it appears these days.     

Jewish settlement and its economic impact on the West Bank, 1967–1987

This paper focuses on the process of Jewish settlement in the West Bank and its economic consequences in the period from 1967 to the outbreak of the Intifada late in 1987. It attempts to show that this process is the practical application of Israeli objectives which are based on expansion and occupation of neighbouring Arab lands, facilitated by the fashioning of a dual or bifurcate economy there.After the war of June 1967, Israeli occupation authorities started to draw up plans with a view to settling Jews in the West Bank. There has been an increase in the numbers of settlements and settlers, estimated at 122 and 52,000 respectively in 1987. The pattern of settlement distribution is randomly dispersed, although it is concentrated in a region located to the NW of Jerusalem. The settlement began in the Jordan valley and extended gradually westward in the highlands.Jewish settlement has affected economic development of the West Bank, where there were many constraints on Arab agriculture and industry. Inequality is evident between settlers and Palestinians in an economy that has been structurally bifurcated: although settlers represent about 3% of total population of the West Bank, their economic activity constitutes at least 35% of the GDP of the West Bank.     

Aqueous Surfactant Washing of Residual Oil Contamination from Sandy Soil

A laboratory study was conducted to determine the efficiency of different aqueous concentrations of an alcohol ethoxylate surfactant in washing residual levels of an oil [automatic transmission fluid (ATF)] from sandy soil. Five glass columns packed with the soil were prepared in a manner that simulated conditions leading to residual saturation in an actual oil leak. Each of four columns was washed continuously with 28 pore volumes of solution by pumping either 0.0 percent (water), 0.5 percent, 1.0 percent, or 2.0 percent aqueous surfactant solutions through the columns. The fifth column was washed intermittently with 28 pore volumes of a 1.0 percent surfactant solution. Water washed only 25.5 percent of the ATF from the column soil, while the 0.5 percent, 1 percent, and 2 percent surfactant solutions washed 55 percent, 60 percent, and 72.8 percent of the ATF, respectively. The distribution of the ATF remaining in the column after washing showed that the ATF removed by water was mainly from the outlet side of the column, while the ATF removed by the 2.0 percent surfactant solution was mainly from the inlet side of the column. This observation indicated that different mechanisms were involved; namely, the displacement of oil through the soil-pore space, the dispersion of oil due to reduced surface tension, and the solubilization of oil by surfactant micelles. In the case of water, the displacement of oil was the main washing mechanism, while all three mechanisms were operative during surfactant washing. ATF dispersion and solubilization were improved at higher surfactant concentrations. The column that was washed intermittently to pulse ATF from dead end pores did not show a significant improvement over the column that was continuously washed with the same 1.0 percent surfactant solution. The results show promising potential for application in the field and will be further investigated in a two-dimensional model aquifer.