Hydrochemical characterization of complex volcanic aquifers in a continental rifted zone: the Middle Awash basin, Ethiopia

The Middle Awash basin is an arid region in Ethiopia where surface waters are scarce and local communities are dependent on groundwater resources for water supply. The complex hydrogeological system of this basin has been conceptualized. Multivariate statistical analysis of hydrochemical variables and water isotopes were used to study the rock?Cwater interaction, geochemical reaction processes and the hydrological link between aquifers. Groundwaters from aquifers of the high-rainfall plateau bounding the rift are slightly mineralized, as well as depleted in ??¹⁸O and ??D, and contain ³H above 0.8?TU. This suggests a low degree of rock?Cwater interaction and that groundwater is under recharge from heavy rain that falls on surrounding highlands. On the other hand, groundwaters from aquifers of the rift floor are highly mineralized and show slight enrichment in ??¹⁸O and ??D with positive oxygen shift, but contain ³H below 0.8?TU. The positive oxygen shift in rift floor groundwaters may be caused by the isotopic exchange of oxygen between groundwater and aquifer materials during rock?Cwater interaction, whereas the low ³H content could be due to the decay of tritium along relatively long flow paths. The approach utilized in this study may be applicable to understanding hydrogeochemical processes in other complex volcanic terrains.     

The distribution and hydrogeological controls of fluoride in the groundwater of central Ethiopian rift and adjacent highlands

Occurrence of fluoride (F) in groundwater has drawn worldwide attention, since it has considerable impact on human health. In Ethiopia high concentrations of F in groundwaters used for community water supply have resulted in extensive dental and skeletal fluorosis. As a part of a broader study, the distribution of F in groundwater has been investigated, and compared with bedrock geology and pertinent hydrochemical variables. The result indicates extreme spatial variations. High F concentration is often associated with active and sub-active regional thermal fields and acidic volcanics within high temperature rift floor. Variations in F can also be related to changes in calcium concentration resulting from dissolution of calcium minerals and mixing with waters of different chemical composition originated from variable hydrogeological environment across the rift valley. The concentration of F dramatically declines from the rift towards the highlands with the exception of scattered points associated with thermal springs confined in local volcanic centers. There are also interactions of F-rich alkaline lakes and the surrounding groundwater. Meteoric waters recharging volcanic aquifers become enriched with respect to F along the groundwater flow path from highland recharge areas to rift discharge areas. Locally wells drilled along large rift faults acting as conduits of fresh highland waters show relatively lower F. These areas are likely to be possible sources of better quality waters within the rift. The result of this study has important implications on site selection for water well drilling.     

Principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analyses of arsenic groundwater geochemistry in the Hetao basin,Inner Mongolia

Although high As groundwater has been observed in shallow groundwater of the Hetao basin, little is known about As distribution in deep groundwater. Quantitative investigations into relationships among chemical properties and among samples in different areas were carried out. Ninety groundwater samples were collected from deep aquifers of the northwest of the basin. Twenty-two physicochemical parameters were obtained for each sample. Statistical methods, including principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), were used to analyze those data. Results show that As species were highly correlated with Fe species, NH₄-N and pH. Furthermore, result of PCA indicates that high As groundwater was controlled by geological, reducing and oxic factors. The samples are classified into three clusters in HCA, which corresponded to the alluvial fans, the distal zone and the flat plain. Moreover, the combination of PCA with HCA shows the different dominant factors in different areas. In the alluvial fans, groundwater is influenced by oxic factors, and low As concentrations are observed. In the distal zone, groundwater is under suboxic conditions, which is dominated by reducing and geological factors. In the flat plain, groundwater is characterized by reducing conditions and high As concentrations, which is dominated by the reducing factor. This investigations indicate that deep groundwater in the alluvial fans mostly contains low As concentrations but high NO₃ and U concentrations, and needs to be carefully checked prior to being used for drinking water sources.     

An assessment of the origin and variation of groundwater salinity in southeastern Ghana

Groundwater from the major aquifers in southeastern part of Ghana was sampled to determine the main controls on groundwater salinity in the area. This paper uses multivariate statistical methods, conventional graphical methods and stable isotope data to determine spatial relationships among groundwaters from the different hydrogeologic units in the area on the basis of salinity. Q-mode hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was used to spatially classify the samples, whilst R-mode factor analysis was used to reduce the dataset into two major principal components representing the sources of variation in the hydrochemistry. Analysis of the major chemical parameters suggests that the principal component responsible for salinity increment in the area is the weathering of minerals in the aquifers. This factor is especially more significant in the upland areas away from the coast. The second factor responsible for salinity in the area is the combined effects of seawater intrusion, and anthropogenic activities. This study finds that four major spatial groundwater groups exist in the area: low salinity, acidic groundwaters which are mainly derived from the Birimian and Togo Series aquifers; low salinity, moderate to neutral pH groundwaters which are mainly from the Voltaian, Buem and Cape Coast granitoids; very high salinity waters which are not suitable for most domestic and irrigation purposes and are mainly from the Keta aquifers; and intermediate salinity groundwaters comprising groundwater from the Keta basin aquifers with minor contributions from the other major terrains. The major water type identified in this study is the Ca–Mg–HCO₃ type, which degrades into predominantly Na–Cl–SO₄ more saline groundwaters toward the coast. Stable isotope data analyses suggest that groundwater in the Voltaian aquifers is largely of recent meteoric origin. The Birimian and Togo aquifers receive a component of recharge from the tributaries of the Densu and Volta Rivers, after the waters have undergone evaporative enrichment of the heavier isotopes. In the Keta basin, recharge is mainly from precipitation but an observed enrichment of ²H and ¹⁸O isotopes is probably due to seawater and evaporative effects since the water table there is very shallow. An analysis of the irrigation quality of groundwater from the six aquifers in the study area using sodium adsorption ratio and electrical conductivity suggests that most of the aquifers supply groundwater of acceptable quality for irrigation. The only exception is the Keta Basin area, where extremely high salinities and SAR values render groundwater from this basin unsuitable for irrigation purposes.     

Assessment of natural and anthropogenic influences on regional groundwater chemistry in a highly industrialized and urbanized region: a case study of the Vaal River Basin,South Africa

The Vaal River Basin is an economically significant area situated in the interior of South Africa (SA), where mining, industrial, domestic and agricultural activities are very intense. The purpose of the study was to assess the influence of geology and anthropogenic activities on groundwater chemistry, and identify the predominant hydrochemical processes in the basin. Data from seventy groundwater sites were retrieved from the national database, and attention was paid to fifteen water quality parameters. Groundwater samples were clustered into seven hydrochemically distinct groups using Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), and three samples treated independently. A Piper plot revealed two major water types, Ca–Mg–HCO₃ and Ca–Mg–SO₄-Cl, which were linked to dissolution of the underlying geology and mine pollution. The Ca?+?Mg vs HCO₃?+?SO₄ plot indicated that reverse ion exchange is an active process than cation exchange in the area. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify the main natural and anthropogenic processes causing variation in groundwater chemistry. Four principal components were extracted using PCA that explains 82% of the total variance in the chemical parameters. The PCA results can be categorized by four components: (1) evaporites and silicates weathering enrichment of Na, K, Cl, SO₄ and F, and anthropogenic Cl; (2) dissolution of dolomite, limestone and gypsum; (3) agricultural fertilizers (4) wastewater treatment. This study reveals that both natural and anthropogenic activities are the cause of groundwater variation in the basin.     

化隆—循化盆地不同类型含水层组高氟地下水的分布及形成过程

天然成因的高氟地下水是世界范围内备受关注的环境问题和饮用水安全问题。前人对高氟地下水的形成过程已开展了大量研究,但是对于高原盆地复杂水文地质条件下不同类型含水层组(第四系松散层含水层、基岩裂隙或岩溶含水层以及新生代古近纪以来的碎屑岩含水层)高氟地下水的分布和形成过程尚不明确。本文以化隆—循化盆地为研究区,通过采集、测试研究区内的各类地下水样品,分析研究区内不同类型含水层中地下水的化学特征及同位素特征。结果表明,高氟地下水(1.007.73 mg/L)主要分布在沿黄河的河谷区域和巴燕低山丘陵区域的泉水和潜水中以及深部的承压水中,在垂向上高氟地下水无明显分布规律。接受黄河水入渗补给的河谷潜水中氟离子浓度较低,补给黄河的河谷潜水中氟离子浓度较高。贫钙富钠的弱碱性苏打型水有利于地下水中氟的富集。泉水和潜水中氟主要来源于萤石的溶解,而承压水中氟除了来源于萤石外,还来源于其他含氟矿物。对于潜水和第四系松散层泉水,蒸发浓缩作用促进了地下水中氟的富集。另外,阴离子竞争吸附作用、阳离子交换吸附作用是泉水(第四系松散层泉水和基岩裂隙泉水)和潜水中氟元素富集的主要原因,而承压水中氟离子浓度受竞争吸附作用影响较大,阳离子交换吸附作用影响较小。研究成果可为化隆—循化盆地低氟地下水的勘查和开发提供科学依据。     

Groundwater flow dynamics in the complex aquifer system of Gidabo River Basin (Ethiopian Rift): a multi-proxy approach

Hydrochemical and isotope data in conjunction with hydraulic head and spring discharge observations were used to characterize the regional groundwater flow dynamics and the role of the tectonic setting in the Gidabo River Basin, Ethiopian Rift. Both groundwater levels and hydrochemical and isotopic data indicate groundwater flow from the major recharge area in the highland and escarpment into deep rift floor aquifers, suggesting a deep regional flow system can be distinguished from the shallow local aquifers. The δ¹⁸O and δ²H values of deep thermal (≥30 °C) groundwater are depleted relative to the shallow (<60 m below ground level) groundwater in the rift floor. Based on the δ¹⁸O values, the thermal groundwater is found to be recharged in the highland around 2,600 m a.s.l. and on average mixed with a proportion of 30 % shallow groundwater. While most groundwater samples display diluted solutions, δ¹³C data of dissolved inorganic carbon reveal that locally the thermal groundwater near fault zones is loaded with mantle CO₂, which enhances silicate weathering and leads to anomalously high total dissolved solids (2,000–2,320 mg/l) and fluoride concentrations (6–15 mg/l) exceeding the recommended guideline value. The faults are generally found to act as complex conduit leaky barrier systems favoring vertical mixing processes. Normal faults dipping to the west appear to facilitate movement of groundwater into deeper aquifers and towards the rift floor, whereas those dipping to the east tend to act as leaky barriers perpendicular to the fault but enable preferential flow parallel to the fault plane.     

Hydrogeochemical genesis of groundwaters with abnormal fluoride concentrations from Zhongxiang City,Hubei Province,central China

The groundwaters from Zhongxiang City, Hubei Province of central China, have high fluoride concentration up to 3.67 mg/L, and cases of dental fluorosis have been found in this region. To delineate the nature and extent of high fluoride groundwaters and to assess the major geochemical factors controlling the fluoride enrichment in groundwater, 14 groundwater samples and 5 Quaternary sediment samples were collected and their chemistry were determined in this study. Some water samples from fissured hard rock aquifers and Quaternary aquifers have high fluoride concentrations, whereas all karst water samples contain fluoride less than 1.5 mg/L due to their high Ca/Na ratios. For the high fluoride groundwaters in the fissured hard rocks, high HCO₃ ⁻ concentration and alkaline condition favor dissolution of fluorite and anion exchange between OH⁻ in groundwater and exchangeable F⁻ in some fluoride-bearing minerals. For fluoride enrichment in groundwaters of Quaternary aquifers, high contents of fluoride in the aquifer sediments and evapotranspiration are important controls.     

Groundwaters of the Central Ethiopian Rift: diagnostic trends in trace elements, δ<Superscript>18</Superscript>O and major elements

The Ethiopian Rift (a major portion of the Great East African Rift) is characterized by a narrow elongated depression bounded by highlands from both sides. This topographic configuration leads to a monsoon redistribution which resulted in an arid rift floor and humid high rainfall highlands. The rifting and associated volcanism also caused a thinning of the crust and facilitates influx of CO₂ and other mantle gases as diffuse sources or along faults from deeper sources. Groundwaters in the rift floor are usually of high mineral content (high F, U, As and salinity) while those on the plateau are of low mineral content. Among many factors, groundwater availability and quality in the rift floor aquifers is the function of their connection to the aquifers in the high rainfall plateau and the residence time of groundwater prior to reaching the rift floor. This entails the need for addressing one basic hydrologic question in such a setting: at what depth and rate does recharge from the high rainfall highland reach the lowland rift aquifers? This study uses spatial variations in trace elements and relates them to ¹⁴C variations, thereby investigating the suitability of using trace elements as proxies for residence time estimation of groundwaters of relatively short (1,000–2,000 years) residence time. This work also investigates the behavior of trace element trends along the groundwater flow path in a rifted setting and compares them with such trends in sedimentary aquifers elsewhere. The comparison shows a clear difference in behavior of trace elements along the groundwater flow path when compared with such variations in big sedimentary basins with no prominent rifting and volcanism, suggesting the need of calibrating the relation between trace elements and any direct residence time indicators. An integrated use of major elements, trace elements, and environmental isotopes reveals that the main recharge of the aquifers originates from mountain blocks and that recharge takes place via fractures with no evidence of evaporation prior to recharge. Redox processes appear to play a limited role in trace element geochemistry of groundwaters in the region. Progressive trends in trace element composition along the groundwater flow path suggest continuous groundwater flow from the plateau.     

Spatial analysis of fluoride concentration in groundwaters of Shivani watershed area,Karnataka state,South India,through geospatial information system

Hydrogeochemical investigations with emphasis on groundwater fluoride concentrations were carried out in the Shivani watershed area, Karnataka, South India. This drought-prone watershed is characterised by poor groundwater potential and is composed of different lithounits like gneisses, migmatites, tonalites, mafics–ultramafics, conglomerates and quartzites. Analysis of spatial variation of groundwater fluoride concentration through the use of GIS technology software platforms like ArcView 3.2a and MapInfo Professional 8.5 has enabled the identification of low-fluoride and high-fluoride areas within the watershed. Geochemical data indicates that 38% of groundwater samples have excessive fluoride concentration which poses a health risk to the population of the area. Correlation studies indicate that higher groundwater alkalinity activates leaching of fluoride resulting in elevated concentrations of fluoride. No other significant geochemical interrelationship could be identified between fluoride and rest of the physico-chemical parameters owing to the lack of any significant correlation coefficients. This holds good in the case of both low-fluoride (<1.5 mg/L) and high-fluoride (>1.5 mg/L) groundwaters of the watershed. However, differential or non-uniform type (positive or negative) of coefficient of correlation is observed between fluoride at different levels and other physico-chemical parameters. Among the different lithounits of the study area, gneisses house comparatively more number of high-fluoride groundwaters. Fluoride-bearing minerals biotite, hornblende and apatite are the probable natural sources of groundwater fluoride.     

Groundwater origin and flow along selected transects in Ethiopian rift volcanic aquifers

The disruption of lithologies by cross-cutting faults and the variability in volcanic structures make the hydrogeology of the rifted volcanic terrain in Ethiopia very complex. Along two transects, selected due to their hydrogeologic characteristics, groundwater flow, depth of circulation and geochemical evolution have been conceptualized. The groundwater flow continuity between the high rainfall plateau bounding the rift and the rift valley aquifers depends principally on the nature of the bounding faults. Up to 50% of recharge to the rift aquifers comes from the plateau as groundwater inflow where the rift is cross cut by transverse fault zones. Recharge from the mountains is found to be insignificant where the rift is bounded by marginal grabens; channel loss and local precipitation are the principal sources of recharge to the rift aquifers in such cases. At a regional scale, there is a clear zonation in the geochemical compositions of groundwaters, the result of aquifer matrix composition differences. The environmental isotope results show that the majority of the aquifers contain modern groundwaters. In a few localities, particularly in thermal groundwaters representing deeper circulation, palaeo-groundwaters have been identified. Deeper groundwaters in the rift floor have a uniform ¹⁴C age ranging between 2,300 and 3,000 years.     

北京小汤山地区第四系高氟地下水与地热水关系研究

北京小汤山地区第四系深层地下水氟含量普遍超标, 严重制约区域供水。在收集整理基础地质、水文地质、地热地质资料基础上, 开展第四系高氟地下水与地热水之间关系研究工作。研究表明: 小汤山地区位于复式背斜的核部区域, 该区热储层与第四系地层直接接触并形成水力“天窗”, 受构造应力影响在热储层发育大量张性裂隙, 加之上覆第四系盖层结构松散且厚度较薄, 导致该区成为地热富集带; 在高温高压环境下, 地热水中氟化物含量普遍较高, 地热水上涌同第四系深层地下水发生热流-冷流的混合作用, 导致第四系深层地下水中氟化物含量升高, 形成第四系高氟地下水。     

内蒙古托克托县潜水与承压水中氟化物的空间分布特征及形成机理

氟是维持人体健康所必需的微量元素,过多或过少的摄入都会造成相应的健康问题。本研究从氟的来源、迁移和富集等角度,揭示了内蒙古呼和浩特市托克托县高氟地下水的空间分布规律及其在潜水和承压水中富集的原因。对研究区60个水样(30个潜水和30个承压水)进行了统计分析、水化学特征研究、聚类分析以及相关性分析。结果表明：潜水中F^- 浓度为0.40~7.20(2.30±1.80) mg/L,承压水中F^- 浓度为0.29~12.70(1.67±2.48) mg/L;地下水中F-浓度与HCO^-₃、Na⁺、溶解性总固体(TDS)和电导率(EC)呈正相关,与Ca²⁺呈一定的负相关关系。高氟水的水化学类型主要为HCO₃·Cl-Na型。受地下水流场的控制,高氟潜水(>5 mg/L)主要分布在地下水的排泄区;承压水中F^- 的富集主要受含水层岩性的影响,氟高浓度(>1.5 mg/L)分布区主要集中在研究区南部的湖积台地区域。     

Spillover models for axial rivers in regions of continental extension: the Rio Mimbres and Rio Grande in the southern Rio Grande rift, USA

The Pliocene-early Pleistocene history of the ancestral Rio Grande and Quaternary history of the Rio Mimbres in the southern Rio Grande rift, New Mexico, illustrate how axial rivers may alternately spill into and subsequently abandon extensional basins. Three types of spillover basins are recognized, based on the angle at which the axial river enters the basin and whether it descends the hanging wall dip slope or footwall scarp to reach the basin floor. In the Mimbres basin type, the axial river enters and flows through the spillover basin nearly parallel to the footwall scarp, resulting in a narrow belt of basin-axis-parallel channel sand bodies located near the footwall scarp. In contrast, an axial river may enter a spillover basin at a high angle to its axis, either descending the hanging wall dip slope (Columbus basin type) or footwall scarp (Tularosa basin type), and construct a fluvial fan, consisting of radiating distributary channels orientated nearly perpendicular to the basin axis. Faulting exerts significant control on river spillover by creating the topographic gaps through which the axial river moves and by terminating spillover by subsequently uplifting or tilting the gap. Spillover may also be autocyclic in origin as a result of aggradation to the level of a pre-existing gap, headward erosion creating and/or intersecting a gap, or simple river avulsion upstream of a gap. Predicting facies architecture in the three types of spillover basins is critical to successful subsurface exploration for hydrocarbon reservoirs, groundwater aquifers or placer mineral deposits.     

克拉通盆地基底结构特征及油气差异聚集浅析

克拉通盆地分布广泛，面积巨大，油气资源潜力和富集程度差异性也很大。把世界主要克拉通盆地按照其基底不均一特性划分为4种类型：裂谷拉张型（北美密歇根和伊利诺斯盆地）、拼接缝合型（中国塔里木和俄罗斯东西伯利亚盆地）、褶皱造山型（北美威利斯顿盆地）和稳定结晶型（澳洲卡奔塔里亚湾盆地等）。在对各类盆地深部基底结构和油气富集规律比较分析的基础上，初步认为发育在活动构造基底（裂谷、褶皱带、缝合线）上的克拉通盆地油气资源远远好于稳定结晶基底上形成的盆地，各类盆地的油气丰度排序为：裂谷型＞褶皱型＞拼接型＞稳定结晶型，不同类型的克拉通盆地油气成藏的主控因素也各有差异。     

塔城盆地地下水氟分布特征及富集机理

塔城盆地位于新疆维吾尔自治区西北部,干旱少雨,蒸发强烈。但相对于新疆其他盆地,塔城盆地地下水水质相对较好,溶解性总固体和F^-含量相对较低。为解译这种差异及盆地内高氟地下水的成因,本文在对盆地地下水样品水化学组分系统分析的基础上,结合多种水文地质调查数据,利用数理统计、离子比及主成分分析等手段,研究高氟水的成因及其分布规律。结果表明:受气候以及地质等因素控制,研究区地下水氟浓度总体较低,高氟水主要分布于扇前洼地及盆地中部的低洼地带;受承压含水层的顶托补给,地下水氟浓度呈现出上高下低的垂向分带特征。研究区地下水径流途径短,水循环快,水岩相互作用时间较短,且山区地下水以深径流形式循环补给平原区深层承压含水层,再顶托补给潜水,避免了强烈的蒸发浓缩作用。山前洪积扇地下水氟富集主要受控于沉积地层中含氟矿物的风化溶解,而岩石风化、蒸发浓缩、阳离子交换、竞争吸附为平原区地下水氟浓度的主要影响因素。     

Geochemical characteristics of fluoride in groundwater of Gimcheon, Korea: lithogenic and agricultural origins

The occurrence of fluoride in groundwaters can be influenced by many factors. In Korea, the fluoride-rich groundwaters are normally associated with rock types, especially granite and gneiss. In Gimcheon, high-fluoride groundwaters (up to a maximum of 2.15 mg/L) were observed with bimodal distribution of concentrations. The groundwater in this area showed relatively high concentrations of anthropogenic chemicals such as nitrate, chloride, and sulfate. Statistical analysis showed that fluoride is positively correlated with pH, alkalinity, sodium, and lithium, indicating that the interaction with granite is the main cause enriching its concentration. In Gimcheon, δ¹⁸O data of groundwater showed a negative correlation with nitrate and can be used as an indicator of groundwater age. The four samples of fluoride-rich groundwater were plotted in the light δD and δ¹⁸O region, showing that they were the result of long water–rock reaction. However, other groundwater with a low-fluoride concentration was evenly distributed throughout all δD and δ¹⁸O ranges and did not show a statistically significant correlation with nitrate, indicating possible mixing with another source of fluoride. Considering the influence from the surface on the geochemical characteristics of groundwater in this area, anthropogenic sources including phosphate fertilizer containing fluoride and pesticides may also have partly contributed to the concentrations of fluoride in the low-fluoride groundwater. The scattered distribution of fluoride-rich groundwater and the significant correlation with lithium suggest that pegmatite is the main rock type increasing fluoride concentration in this area.     

Influence of lithology and fluid flow on the temperature distribution in a sedimentary basin: A case study from the Cold Lake area, Alberta, Canada

A detailed study of the groundwater and terrestrial heat flow was carried out over an area of 23,700 km² west of Cold Lake, Alberta, which is part of the western Canada sedimentary basin. The information for the study was provided from data from 3100 wells drilled in the area. The screening and processing of thousands of stratigraphic picks, drillstem test data, bottom hole temperatures and formation water chemistry data was performed mainly using a specially designed software package. As a result, every stratigraphic unit is characterized by appropriate hydraulic and thermal parameters.

A sequence of aquifers, aquitards and aquicludes was differentiated. The groundwater flow in the Paleozoic aquifers is regional in nature and mainly horizontal. The flow in the Cretaceous aquifers is of intermediate type, mainly downward oriented. In general, the permeability of the Cretaceous and Paleozoic strata has such low values that the fluid velocity is less than 1 cm/yr.

The convective heat transport in the hydrostratigraphic sequence is negligible with respect to the conductive heat transfer, as shown by the Peclet number of the fluid and heat flow in porous media. The flow of the terrestrial heat flux from the Precambrian basement of the sedimentary basin to the atmosphere is controlled by the variability in the thermal properties of the formations in the basin.

The geothermal gradients were computed by hydrostratigraphic unit using a linear regression fit to the temperature data. As expected, they show higher values for the less conductive layers, and lower values for the more conductive ones. The weighted average, or the integral geothermal gradient of the whole sedimentary column, was computed by considering the difference between the temperature measured at the Precambrian basement and the annual average temperature at the surface. The areal distribution of the integral geothermal gradient (with an average of 22.0 mK/m) shows a strong correlation with the lithology.

The areal temperature distribution for each hydrostratigraphic unit was analyzed by mapping the deviation of the measured value from the computed geothermal gradient. The lateral heat flow from warmer to colder areas is one order of magnitude smaller than the vertical heat flow. In the more homogeneous units, the lateral heat flow presents a trend that seems to reflect the geometry and lithology.     

Assessment of groundwater water quality in central and southern Gulf Coast aquifer,TX using principal component analysis

Principal component analysis has been applied for source identification and to assess factors affecting concentration variations. In particular, this study utilizes principal component analysis (PCA) to understand groundwater geochemical characteristics in the central and southern portions of the Gulf Coast aquifer in Texas. PCA, along with exploratory data analysis and correlation analysis is applied to a spatially extensive multivariate dataset in an exploratory mode to conceptualize the geochemical evolution of groundwater. A general trend was observed in all formations of the target aquifers with over 75 % of the observed variance explained by the first four factors identified by the PCA. The first factor consisted of older water subjected to weathering reactions and was named the ionic strength index. The second factor, named the alkalinity index explained greater variance in the younger formations rather than in the older formations. The third group represented younger waters entering the aquifers from the land surface and was labeled the recharge index. The fourth group which varied between aquifers was either the hardness index or the acidity index depending on whether it represented the influences of carbonate minerals or parameters affecting the dissolution of fluoride minerals, respectively. The PCA approach was also extended to the well scale to determine and identify the geographic influences on geochemical evolution. It was found that wells located in outcrop areas and near rivers and streams had a larger influence on the factors suggesting the importance of surface water–groundwater interactions.     

Rheological controls on extensional styles and the structural evolution of the Northern Carnarvon Basin,North West Shelf,Australia

The extensional architecture of the Northern Carnarvon Basin can be explained in terms of changes in lithospheric rheology during multiphase extension and lower crustal flow. Low‐angle detachments, while playing a minor role, are not considered to have been the primary mechanism for extension as suggested in previous models. Early extension (Cambrian‐Ordovician) in the Northern Carnarvon Basin is characterised by low‐angle detachment structures of limited regional extent. These structures have a spatial association with a Proterozoic mobile belt on the margin of the Pilbara Craton. Thermo‐mechanical conditions in the mobile belt may have predisposed the highly deformed crust to thin‐skinned extension and detachment development. Permo‐Carboniferous extension generated an extensive wide rift basin, suggesting ductile rheologies associated with intermediate lithospheric temperatures and crustal thickness. Thick Upper Permian to Upper Triassic post‐rift sequences and marked thinning of the lower crust occurred in association with only a small amount of extension in the upper crust. This observation can be reconciled by considering outward lower crustal flow, from beneath the basin towards the basin margin, following extension. Strong mid‐crustal reflectors, which occur over large areas of the Northern Carnarvon Basin, probably represent a boundary between flow and non‐flow regimes rather than detachment fault surfaces as in previous models. Crustal thinning and thermal decay following Permo‐Carboniferous extension contributed to the increased strength and brittle behaviour of the lithosphere. Consequently, Late Triassic to Early Cretaceous extension resulted in the development of far more localised narrow rift systems on the margins of the preceding wide rift basin. Diapiric intrusions are associated with the narrow rift basin development, resulting from either remobilisation of ductile lower crustal rock or the initial formation of sea‐floor spreading centres.