Modeling hydrothermal, suspended solids transport and residence time in a deep reservoir

This article presents the modeling of hydrothermal characteristics and suspended solids in a long and large-volume reservoir with a highly fluctuating water level. A laterally averaged two-dimensional hydrothermal and water quality model was configured for the Shihmen Reservoir in northern Taiwan. The model was validated with measured data of water surface elevation, water temperature, and concentration of suspended solids in 2006. The results show that the numerical model was able to reproduce the measured data. The validated model was then used to investigate the effects of water withdrawal schemes at different depths and to estimate the residence time in the reservoir. When water is withdrawn from a great depth, the relatively warm water from the upper layers can replace that in the deep layers, thereby facilitating heat transfer from the surface to the deeper layer. Bottom-water withdrawal results in a lower concentration of suspended solids compared with withdrawal from depths of 20 and 40 m. The simulated results show that the residence time is approximately 154 days in the Shihmen Reservoir.     

苏北Byl孔粒度特征、含水层分布与苏北平原地下水资源保护

地下水资源是长江三角洲地区社会经济发展的重要后备资源.根据江苏宝应境内钻取的145m深的By1孔岩芯,沉积物粒度分析显示,钻孔20m之下有5个主要的含水层,主要是粉砂质砂层,其间是粘土质粉砂层隔水层;在钻孔60m之下有3个厚度超过10m的含水层,显示该区域深部地下水资源十分丰富,具有较大的开发价值.宝应钻孔揭示的地下含水层上覆广泛分布末次冰盛期的硬质粘土层,对地下水资源起到明显的保护作用,未来地下水资源开发中应重视"硬枯土层"的保护和防止海水内侵,并加强深层地下水资源的科学调查与开发管理.     

不同地下水补给条件下非饱和砂壤土冻结试验及模拟

为研究土壤冻融过程中不同地下水位对土壤的补给规律,在室内进行了两组不同地下水边界条件下的土柱冻结试验: A组无地下水补给,土柱高度60cm;B组地下水维持在距土柱表层60cm深度处。土壤在冻结过程中水分及盐分均呈向上运移趋势,稳定浅地下水补给会加剧水分及盐分向上运移,造成上层土壤盐分的聚积,影响土壤剖面的热量平衡,引起剖面温度的重新分布,从而减缓冻结锋的推进速度。运用HYDRUS-1D冻融模块对不同地下水埋深（0.5m,1.0m,1.5m,2.0m,2.5m）情况下冻结过程中水分运移规律进行了模拟。模拟结果表明:累积补给量在埋深小于1.5 m时随埋深增加而有所增加,而当地下水埋深大于1.5 m时,累积补给量随着埋深增加而有所减小,甚至保持不变。     

Recruitment and growth of the Eastern oyster,Crassostrea virginica,in North Carolina

The effects of location, salinity, and depth on recruitment and growth of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica in Pamlico and Core sounds, North Carolina, were investigated from 1988 to 1990. We measured length and density of spat settling on oyster cultch deployed at deep (～3 m) and shallow (～1 m) depths at six sites in areas with low salinity and six sites in areas with high salinity. These data were compared with similar data taken at some of these sites by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries since 1981 as part of their cultch planting program. Recruitment was generally greater in the high salinity sites, compared to the low salinity sites. Recruitment was less at shallow depths compared to deeper depths. In all three years the highest recruitment occurred in August and September, corresponding to the months of maximum water temperature. Recruitment was highly variable in space and time, but appeared to diminish from 1988 to 1990. Recruitment was reduced by sedimentation and a variety of sessile organisms. All sites appeared to have a similar potential for growth.     

Hydrogeologic and hydraulic characterization of aquifer and nonaquifer layers in a lateritic terrain (West Bengal,India)

The hydrogeologic and hydraulic characteristics of a lateritic terrain in West Bengal, India, were investigated. Test drilling was conducted at ten sites and grain-size distribution curves (GSDCs) were prepared for 275 geologic samples. Performance evaluation of eight grain-size-analysis (GSA) methods was carried out to estimate the hydraulic conductivity (K) of subsurface formations. Finally, the GSA results were validated against pumping-test data. The GSDCs indicated that shallow aquifer layers are coarser than the deeper aquifer layers (uniformity coefficient 0.19–11.4). Stratigraphy analysis revealed that both shallow and deep aquifers of varying thickness exist at depths 9–40 and 40–79 m, respectively. The mean K estimates by the GSA methods are 3.62–292.86 m/day for shallow aquifer layers and 0.97–209.93 m/day for the deeper aquifer layers, suggesting significant aquifer heterogeneity. Pumping-test data indicated that the deeper aquifers are leaky confined with transmissivity 122.69–693.79 m²/day, storage coefficient 1.01?×?10^?7–2.13?×?10^?4 and leakance 2.01?×?10^?7–34.56?×?10^?2 day^?1. Although the K values yielded by the GSA methods are generally larger than those obtained from the pumping tests, the Slichter, Harleman and US Bureau Reclamation (USBR) GSA methods yielded reasonable values at most of the sites (1–3 times higher than K estimates by the pumping-test method). In conclusion, more reliable aquifers exist at deeper depths that can be tapped for dependable water supply. GSA methods such as Slichter, Harleman and USBR can be used for the preliminary assessment of K in lateritic terrains in the absence of reliable field methods.     

THE CAUSE OF FORMATION OF THE LAYERS WITH LOW VELOCITY AND HIGH ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY IN WESTERN TIBET

THE CAUSE OF FORMATION OF THE LAYERS WITH LOW VELOCITY AND HIGH ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY IN WESTERN TIBET     

苏北By1孔粒度特征、含水层分布与苏北平原地下水资源保护

地下水资源是长江三角洲地区社会经济发展的重要后备资源。根据江苏宝应境内钻取的145m深的By1孔岩芯,沉积物粒度分析显示,钻孔20m之下有5个主要的含水层,主要是粉砂质砂层,其间是粘土质粉砂层隔水层;  在钻孔60m之下有3个厚度超过10m的含水层,显示该区域深部地下水资源十分丰富,具有较大的开发价值。宝应钻孔揭示的地下含水层上覆广泛分布末次冰盛期的硬质粘土层,对地下水资源起到明显的保护作用,未来地下水资源开发中应重视“硬粘土层”的保护和防止海水内侵,并加强深层地下水资源的科学调查与开发管理。     

Contribution of logging tools to understanding helium porewater data across the Mesozoic sequence of the East of the Paris Basin

Helium concentration measurements made on water and rock samples collected at various depths along a 2000 m depth borehole drilled in the eastern part of the Paris basin and reaching the Triassic conglomerates were used to establish a vertical profile of dissolved helium concentration throughout the entire Mesozoic sedimentary pile. Wireline logging tools were used to measure rock density, porosity and U and Th contents every 15 cm in the various formations. Samples from the deepest Muschelkalk and Buntsandstein show a very good agreement between measured and calculated ⁴He porewater contents. Shallower levels show lower and lower ⁴He concentrations compared to calculated values when going upwards. The data set obtained by wireline logging measurements was used as inputs for numerical simulations of 1D He production/diffusion throughout the 2000 m profile. Several assumptions regarding the transport properties in the various sedimentary layers were tested and all were found to yield fairly good agreement between modeled and measured He concentrations. There is no need to invoke either a transient regime or a deep crustal He flux in this “quiet” (seismically inactive) part of the Paris basin. Moreover, the modeling results suggest that the Keuper massive halite level associated with the upper Muschelkalk pre-evaporitic series efficiently isolates the overlying layers from any input from deeper formations in the Meuse/Haute Marne area.     

Fair weather and storm sand transport on the Long Island, New York, inner shelf

Both spring-summer and fall-winter sand transport have been observed on the Long Island, New York, inner shelf at water depths of 20-22 m using a radio-isotope sand tracer system. The extent of dispersal of the tagged, fine sand was measured at 3 week intervals in two 70 day experiments. In the late spring and early summer, movement was primarily diffusive in nature, extending 100 m around the line of tracer injection, while late fall-winter patterns had strong advective features, including an ellipsoidal outline extending approximately 1500 m westward of the injection points after the passage of several storms with strong northeasterly winds. Near-bottom current observations made with Savonius rotor sensors identify the event responsible for the bulk of the transport over the 135 day observation period as a storm flow of 2 days duration. Tracer and current observations together suggest that westward winter storm flow along the Long Island shelf is the major mechanism of sand transport at these depths on a yearly time scale. A least-squares fit of several of the observed winter patterns with a plume model yields average sediment mass flux lower bounds of 3.2 × 10^?3 gm/cm/sec and 1.7 × 10^?1 gm/cm/sec for ‘typical’ and extreme winter storm activity.     

Alternative water resources in granitic rock: a case study from Kinmen Island,Taiwan

Kinmen Island is a small, tectonically stable, granitic island that has been suffering from a scarcity of fresh water resources due to excessive annual evapotranspiration over annual precipitation. Recent studies further indicate that shallow (0–70 m) sedimentary aquifers, the major sources of groundwater supply, have already been over-exploited. Therefore, this preliminary study is to investigate the existence of exploitable water resources that can balance the shortage of fresh water on this island. Site characterization data are obtained from island-wide geophysical surveys as well as small-scale tests performed in a study area formed by three deep (maximum depth to 560 m) vertical boreholes installed in mid-east Kinmen northeast to Taiwu Mountain. Vertical fracture frequency data indicate that the rock body is fractured with a spatially correlated pattern, from which three major fracture zones (depths 0–70, 330–360, and below 450 m) can be identified. Geologic investigations indicate that the deepest fracture zone is caused by the large-scale, steeply dipping Taiwushan fault. This fault may have caused a laterally extensive low-resistivity zone, a potential fractured aquifer, near Taiwu Mountain. The middle fracture zone is induced by the Taiwushan fault and intersects the fault approximately 21 m southeast of the study area below a depth of 350 m. Slug testing results yield fracture transmissivity varying from 4.8 × 10⁻⁷ to 2.2 × 10⁻⁴ m²/s. Cross-hole tests have confirmed that hydraulic connectivity of the deeper rock body is controlled by the Taiwushan fault and the middle fracture zone. This connectivity may extend vertically to the sedimentary aquifers through high-angle joint sets. Despite the presence of a flow barrier formed by doleritic dike at about 300 m depth, the existence of fresh as well as meteoric water in the deeper rock body manifests that certain flow paths must exist through which the deeper fractured aquifers can be connected to the upper rock body. Therefore, groundwater stored within the Taiwushan fault and the associated low-resistivity zone can be considered as additional fresh water resources for future exploitation.     

Thermal diffusivity of upper chalk from Hampshire,England

The thermal diffusivity of Upper Chalk from the Micraster coranguinum zone had been calculated from 8 year temperature data obtained from depths between 30 cm and 21.34 m at Harestock, near Winchester, Hampshire.Amplitudes and phase lags were calculated from these data using Fourier analysis.Values of thermal diffusivity were calculated from the variation of amplitude with depth and phase lag with depth for the first harmonic using the Fourier heat flow equation.Agreement between the two methods was very good between 30 cm and 914 cm depth. An overall mean value is 0.004489 ± 0.00052cm^?2s^?1.Using appropriate values of porosity (47%) and density the mean thermal conductivity is 1.519W m^?1°C^?1± 0.326, for the water saturated state.     

Geochemistry and origin of saline groundwaters in the Fennoscandian Shield

Chemical and isotopic analyses of water from drill holes and mines throughout the Fennoscandian Shield show that distinct layers of groundwater are present. An upper layer of fresh groundwater is underlain by several sharply differentiated saline layers, which may differ in salinity, relative abundance of solutes, and O, H, Sr and S isotope signature. Saline groundwater can be classified into four major groups based on geochemistry and presumed origin. Brackish and saline waters from 50–200 m depth in coastal areas around the Baltic Sea exhibit distinct marine chemical and isotopic fingerprints, modified by reactions with host rocks. These waters represent relict Holocene seawater. Inland, three types of saline groundwater are observed: an uppermost layer of brackish and saline water from 300–900 m depth; saline water and brines from 1000–2000 m depth; and superdeep brines which have been observed to a depth of at least 11 km in the drill hole on the Kola Peninsula, U.S.S.R. Electrical and seismic studies in shield areas suggest that such brines are commonly present at even greater depths. The salinity of all inland groundwaters is attributed predominantly to water-rock interaction. The main solutes are Cl, Ca, Na and Mg in varying proportions, depending on the host rock lithology. The abundance of dissolved gases increases with depth but varies from site to site. The main gas components are N₂, CH₄ (up to 87 vol.%) and locally H₂. The δ¹³C value for methane is highly variable (−25 to −46%), and it is suggested that hydrothermal or metamorphic gases trapped within the surrounding rocks are the most obvious source of CH₄. The uppermost saline water has meteoric oxygen-hydrogen isotopic compositions, whereas values from deeper water plot above the meteoric water line, indicating considerably longer mean residence time and effective low temperature equilibration with host rocks. Geochemical and isotopic results from some localities demonstrate that the upper saline water cannot have been formed through simple mixing between fresh water and deep brines but rather is of independent origin. The source of water itself has not been satisfactorily verified although superdeep brines at least may contain a significant proportion of relict Precambrian hydrothermal or metamorphic fluids.     

Deep saltwater in Chalk of North-West Europe: origin, interface characteristics and development over geological time

High-concentration saltwaters occur in many places in the regional Chalk aquifers of North-West Europe; to investigate deep occurrences, profiles of interstitial porewater chemistry have been studied from three 250–450m deep cores drilled in the eastern parts of Zealand, Denmark. At the studied location, saline water in the Chalk resides at depths from 40 to 80m and salinity increases with depth. Concentrations of chloride up to ca. 30,000ppm have been observed at depths of 400m. Measured vertical hydraulic heads in open boreholes suggest that advective groundwater flow is now restricted in deeper parts of the Chalk formation and diffusive transport is thus the predominant transport mechanism. Laboratory-measured porosity and effective diffusion coefficients were used as input to a numerical 1D diffusion model of the interface between freshwater in an upper, fractured aquifer and modified connate formation water below. The model satisfactorily simulated the observed chloride and δ¹⁸O profiles. The diffusive refreshening of the Chalk formation has been going on for about 0.9 million years. The connate water in the Chalk of parts of the sedimentary basin seems to have been modified by transport of saltwater from underlying Mesozoic and Paleozoic sediments during compaction, which presumably ceased around 4 million years ago.     

A study of the thermal behaviour of exposed karst water systems in a mountainous area of Zigui County,Hubei Province,Central China

Temperature, discharge, and stable isotope ratios of five karst springs in a mountainous area of Zigui County, Hubei Province, Central China, were analyzed. The purpose was to illustrate the heat exchanges linked to circulation depth in the exposed karst water systems through the development of a method for estimating heat input and heat flux during a rainstorm. Meteorological water in the study area conformed to a local meteoric water line (δD?=?8.37 δ¹⁸O?+?12.99) with a mean δ¹⁸O elevation gradient of ?4.0‰ km^?1, which was used to estimate mean circulation depths of 209–686 m. The mean spring temperatures defined a vertical gradient of ?5.4 °C km^?1, which resembled that of the stable atmosphere of the Earth, indicating that the thermal response patterns are mainly controlled by surface air temperature. Thermal convection after rainfall events dominated heat exchange between baseflow and recharge water, leading to a warmer and colder recharge during summer and winter, respectively, whereas thermal conduction dominated the heat exchange only between groundwater, surrounding geology, and the interface air under a condition of no rainfall, resulting in only small temperature variations of the baseflow. Successful application of the method for estimating heat exchange showed that the characteristics of shallow circulation, strong karstification, and well-developed epikarst readily allowed disruption of the thermal balance of the Yuquandong system, resulting in a poor heat regulation capacity, a larger variation of heat input, a lower mean heat flux, and lower baseflow temperatures compared to those of the Dayuquan system.

     

Hydrogeochemical stratification of the unconfined Samobor aquifer (Zagreb,Croatia)

In the western part of the city of Zagreb, Croatia, hydrogeochemical and isotopic investigations of the Samobor aquifer were carried out with the aim of determining the differences in hydrogeochemical characteristics at increasing aquifer depths. The aquifer comprises 40-m thick gravelly–sandy deposits, with lenses and interlayers of silt and clay. The analyses have proven that with increasing aquifer depth, there are decreases in groundwater temperature and the values of electrical conductivity and increases in the sodium, iron and manganese concentrations. The δ¹³C distribution shows an evident increase in biogenic carbon concentrations with increasing aquifer depth. The measured specific ¹⁴C activities showed that the deeper part of the aquifer is characterized by slow water exchange, while the shallower part is influenced by current recharge, although the pumping wells located on the well-field downstream penetrate the aquifer fully. A direct exchange of water from the Sava River and groundwater occurs in the near vicinity of the river. This exchange weakens further away, while the difference in hydrogeochemical characteristics between the Sava River water and groundwater increases.     

Depth and controls of Ca-rhodochrosite precipitation in bioturbated sediments of the Eastern Equatorial Pacific, ODP Leg 201, Site 1226 and DSDP Leg 68, Site 503

The occurrence of early diagenetic Ca‐rhodochrosite [(Mn,Ca)CO₃] is reported in association with ‘griotte’‐type nodular limestones from basinal settings in the geological record; however, without the comparison of analogous modern examples, the controls on precipitation remain speculative. Here the findings of four layers of primary Ca‐rich rhodochrosite recovered from a modern deep‐sea setting in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific, from bioturbated sediments 300 m below sea floor, are reported (Ocean Drilling Program, Leg 201, Site 1226). The mineralogy is similar to cements in burrows recovered during Deep Sea Drilling Project Leg 68 at Eastern Equatorial Pacific Site 503 and from Ca‐rhodochrosite laminae in sediments of the central Baltic Sea. Petrographic relationships and constant oxygen isotopic compositions in the Ca‐rhodochrosite around 5‰ at all depths indicate a shallow burial depth of formation. The onset of 1‰ heavier oxygen isotope composition of Ca‐rhodochrosite at Site 503, about 30 m below the Pliocene/Pleistocene boundary, further suggests that precipitation occurs in the range of 30 m below sea floor. The approximate depth of formation allowed an approximate empirical fractionation factor for marine Ca‐rhodochrosite to be constrained that strongly differs from previously published theoretical values. Based on the approximate precipitation depth, authigenic Ca‐rhodochrosite forms within the SO₄^2?‐reduction zone. Moderately negative δ¹³C values (around ?3‰) and total organic carbon lower than 2 wt% indicate a relatively low contribution of CO₃^2? from organic C mineralization within the expanded redox zonation in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific. It is suggested that the alkalinity is increased by a rise in pH at focused sites of Mn‐reduction coupled with S^2? oxidation. High concentrations of Mn‐oxide can accumulate in layers or burrows because of Mn‐cycling in suboxic sediments as suggested for the Baltic Sea Ca‐rhodochrosites. This study demonstrates how early diagenetic precipitates document biogeochemical processes from past diagenetic systems.     

乌鲁木齐河源1号冰川不同时期雪层剖面及成冰带对比研究

对20世纪60年代、80年代和21世纪初天山乌鲁木齐河源1号冰川(以下简称1号冰川)雪层剖面特征、成冰带的对比分析研究,发现自20世纪60年代以来,1号冰川雪层剖面厚度明显减薄,结构变得简单,各层界限变得模糊.成冰带类型及其分布发生了明显变化,60年代存在于冷气候条件下的冷渗浸带,80年代被渗浸带所替代.21世纪初,1号冰川成冰带变化更为显著,尤其是东支,顶部已具有消融带特征.研究表明,20世纪80年代以来河源区气候变暖是导致上述变化的主要原因.     

Spatial variation in arsenic and fluoride concentrations of shallow groundwater from the town of Shahai in the Hetao basin,Inner Mongolia

Twenty-nine wells were selected for groundwater sampling in the town of Shahai, in the Hetao basin, Inner Mongolia. Four multilevel samplers were installed for monitoring groundwater chemistry at depths of 2.5–20 m. Results show that groundwater As exhibits a large spatial variation, ranging between 0.96 and 720 μg/L, with 71% of samples exceeding the WHO drinking water guideline value (10 μg/L). Fluoride concentrations range between 0.30 and 2.57 mg/L. There is no significant correlation between As and F⁻ concentrations. Greater As concentrations were found with increasing well depth. However, F⁻ concentrations do not show a consistent trend with depth. Groundwater with relatively low Eh has high As concentrations, indicating that the reducing environment is the major factor controlling As mobilization. Low As concentrations (<10 μg/L) are found in groundwater at depths less than 10 m. High groundwater As concentration is associated with aquifers that have thick overlying clay layers. The clay layers, mainly occurring at depths <10 m, have low permeability and high organic C content. These strata restrict diffusion of atmospheric O₂ into the aquifers, and lead to reducing conditions that favor As release. Sediment composition is an additional factor in determining dissolved As concentrations. In aquifers composed of yellowish-brown fine sands at depths around 10 m, groundwater generally has low As concentrations which is attributed to the high As adsorption capacity of the yellow–brown Fe oxyhydroxide coatings. Fluoride concentration is positively correlated with pH and negatively correlated with Ca²⁺ concentration. All groundwater samples are over-saturated with respect to calcite and under-saturated with respect to fluorite. Dissolution and precipitation of Ca minerals (such as fluorite and calcite), and F⁻ adsorption–desorption are likely controlling the concentration of F⁻ in groundwater.     

Anaerobic Carbon Mineralisation Through Sulphate Reduction in the Inner Shelf Sediments of Eastern Arabian Sea

Monsoon-induced coastal upwelling, land run-off, benthic and atmospheric inputs make the western Indian shelf waters biologically productive that is expected to lead to high rates of mineralisation of organic matter (OM) in the sediments. Dissimilatory sulphate reduction (SR) is a major pathway of OM mineralisation in near-shore marine sediments owing to depletion of other energetically more profitable electron acceptors (O₂, NO₃ ^?, Mn and Fe oxides) within few millimetres of the sediment-water interface. We carried out first ever study to quantify SR rates in the inner shelf sediments off Goa (central west coast of India) using the ³⁵S radiotracer technique. The highest rates were recorded in the upper 10 cm of the sediment cores and decreased gradually thereafter below detection. Despite significant SR activity in the upper ～12 to 21 cm at most of the sites, pore water sulphate concentrations generally did not show much variation with depth. The depth integrated SR rate (0.066–0.46 mol m^?2 year^?1) decreased with increasing water depth. Free sulphide was present in low concentrations (0–3 μM) in pore waters at shallow stations (depth <30 m). However, high build-up of sulphide (100–600 μM) in pore waters was observed at two deeper stations (depths 39 and 48 m), 7–11 cm below the sediment-water interface. The total iron content of the sediment decreased from ～7 to 5 % from the shallowest to the deepest station. The high pyrite content indicates that the shelf sediments act as a sink for sulphide accounting for the low free sulphide levels in pore water. In the moderately organic rich (2–3.5 %) sediments off Goa, the measured SR rates are much lower than those reported from other upwelling areas, especially off Namibia and Peru. The amount of organic carbon remineralised via sulphate reduction was ～0.52 mol m^?2 year^?1. With an estimated average organic carbon accumulation rate of ～5.6 (±0.5) mol m^?2 year^?1, it appears that the bulk of organic matter gets preserved in sediments in the study region.     

Soil organic carbon within the vadose zone of a floodplain

Past studies have focused on carbon variation in the upper 1 m of the soil profile. However, there is limited information on carbon variation at deeper depths (e.g., 0–4 m) and mathematical functions to extrapolate carbon content at these depths. The objective of this study was therefore to assess the vertical variation in SOC (reached 4 m) of the Tarim River floodplain in northwestern China. The vertical distribution in SOC was described by exponential and power functions based on (1) soil depth, (2) soil depth and silt content, (3) soil depth and SOC at the shallowest and deepest depths, (4) soil depth, silt content, and SOC at the shallowest and deepest depths, and (5) soil depth and SOC at the shallowest depth. We found SOC content decreased with depth from 6.82 g kg^?1 at 0–0.2 m to?<?1.0 g kg^?1 below 3.2–3.4 m averaged across five locations along the floodplain. Both the power and exponential functions provided a good fit to the measured data in the upper 1 m of the soil profile, whereas the power function provided a better fit to the data when extrapolating to a depth of 3–4 m. The power function describing SOC as a function of soil depth, silt content, and SOC at the shallowest and deepest depths best portrayed the distribution in SOC with depth. Considering the cost and labor in measuring soil properties, our results suggest that SOC at the shallowest depth can provide good estimates of the vertical distribution in SOC in a floodplain.