Evaluation of change in subsurface thermal environment due to groundwater flow in the Tokyo Lowland,Japan

Information on the distribution of subsurface temperature and hydraulic heads at 24 observation wells in and around the Tokyo Lowland, the eastern part of the Tokyo Metropolitan area, were examined to make clear the relationship between groundwater and the subsurface thermal environment in the urban area. Minimums in temperature–depth logs due to subsurface temperature increasing at shallow parts were recognized in 21 wells. This fact shows subsurface temperature is affected by ground surface warming in almost all of this area. Deeper than minimums, where the effects of surface warming became relatively small, regional variation is observed as follows: high temperatures are shown in the central part to the southern part, and low temperatures shown in the inland to eastern part. The high temperature area corresponds to an area where the lower boundary of groundwater flow is relatively shallow. This area corresponds also to an area with severe land subsidence resulting from excessive groundwater pumping. It is considered that this high temperature area is formed by the effects of upward groundwater flow affected by hydrogeological conditions and pumping. On the other hand, a comparison between past data (1956–1967) and present data (2001–2003) revealed widespread decreasing temperature in the inland area. This is explained by downward groundwater flow based on an analysis of temperature–depth logs. This fact suggests that subsurface temperature is not only increasing from the effects of surface warming but also decreasing from the effects of groundwater environment change due to pumping.     

Stable carbon isotope behaviour of natural seepage of deep underground C-rich methane detected along a fault zone and adsorbed in mudstone: Tokyo Bay area,Japan

Gas was sampled regionally, including by drilling into faults, in the South Kanto gas-field around Tokyo Bay, Japan. Gas samples were collected from cores in a gas sampling container immediately after drilling. A value of δ¹³C₁ = −44.3‰ was obtained for gas in the container and δ¹³C₁ = −36.3‰ for seeping gas in a fault zone. However, typical CH₄ in this dissolved-in-water gas-field is mainly depleted in ¹³C, and δ¹³C₁ values range from −66‰ to −68‰ owing to microbial degradation of organic material. ¹³C-rich CH₄ is so far uncommon in the South Kanto gas-field. Seepages were observed from the surface along the north–south fault zone. The natural gas is stored below the sandstone layer by impermeable mudstone underlying the boundary at a depth of 30 m. Gas seepages were not observed below a depth of 40 m. Gas rises along the fault zone dissolved-in-groundwater up to the shallow region and then separates from the groundwater. ¹³C-rich CH₄ (adsorbed CH₄) was found to have desorbed from drilled mudstone core samples taken at depths of 1400–1900 m in the main gas-production strata. Similarly, ¹³C-rich CH₄ was found in black shale overlying the oceanic crust forming part of a sedimentary accretionary prism underling the Tokyo region. It also appears in the spring-water of spa wells, originating at a depth of 1200–1500 m along a tectonic line. Methane generated by microbial degradation of organic material through CO₂ reduction in the South Kanto gas-field mainly originates as biogenic gas mixed with a small amount of ¹³C-rich CH₄, derived from thermogenic gas without oil components in strata. It is assumed that ¹²C-rich CH₄ is easily detached from core or pore water through gas production, whereas ¹³C-rich CH₄ is strongly adsorbed on the surfaces of particles. The ¹³C-rich CH₄ rises along the major tectonic line or up the 50 m wide normal fault zone from relatively deep sources in the Kanto region.     

Subsurface thermal environment and groundwater flow around Tokyo Bay,Japan

Previous studies and borehole temperature measurements suggest that subsurface temperature distribution on the west side of Tokyo Bay (from Tokyo to Yokohama) is higher than that of the east side (Chiba side). To understand the groundwater flow and other factors which may contribute to the subsurface temperature discrepancy such as geological setting in the study area, groundwater temperature profiles were measured in 119 boreholes around the Tokyo Bay from 2002 to 2007. The data were analyzed and compared with previous studies. Horizontal distribution of subsurface temperature at the depths of −50 and −100 m was made to show the distribution of thermal regime. A cross-section across the bay of Tokyo was made to see the isothermal lines and distribution of hydraulic heads in a vertical perspective. These results show that the highest subsurface temperature zone is in the Tokyo area, along the river valley. Subsurface temperature at the depth of 50- and 100-m below sea level in the western part of the bay is comparatively higher than its eastern side at the same elevation and distance from the bay. This fact suggests that there is a regional groundwater flow system in the area and it is strongly affected by the geological structure, particularly buried valley systems of the bay during the Paleo-Tokyo River and the topographical driving force which is the result of the different elevation of recharge areas. Groundwater discharge is concentrated along the buried valley of Paleo-Tokyo River.     

Recent formations and their basal topography in and around Tokyo Bay,central Japan

This paper summarizes the subsurface geology of the recent (both $\text{Holocene}$ and latest $\text{Pleistocene}$ formations and the buried topography beneath them in and around Tokyo Bay, the type area of the late Quaternary in Japan. Buried abrasion platforms in the buried topography are classified into upper (ca. 0 to ?10 m high) and lower (ca. ?20 to ?40 m) platforms; upper and lower buried river terraces are also distinguished, and are correlated to the subaerial late Pleistocene terraces of Tc₁ and Tc₂, respectively. A buried valley system is elucidated, of which the trunk valley floor reaches ?70 m in Tokyo and emerges into a flat surface at the shelf edge in the entrance to Tokyo Bay. Approximate dates for these geomorphic surfaces are given. The height of sea level contemporaneous with the buried valley floor (ca. 20,000–15,000 yr BP) is estimated at about ?135 m. The recent formations are divided into two members, upper and lower, by a middle sand bed, in addition to the lowest buried valley floor gravel. The lower member, which is composed of brackish to marine deposits of complicated lithofacies, was accumulated in narrow drowned valleys during the early stage of the Yurakucho (Flandrian) transgression. The middle sand bed is the foreset bed of deltas, which was formed during a slight regression between ca. 11,000 and 10,000 yr BP. The upper member, which consists mainly of widespread homogeneous marine clay and deltaic sand, was accumulated in a wide bay and its embayments during the late stage of the Yurakucho transgression and the following stage of a relatively stable sea level.     

贵州织金地区煤层气合采开发实践与认识

贵州省是薄至中厚煤层群发育的典型地区,煤层数量多、厚度薄、渗透率低、地应力高、压力系统多层叠置等资源禀赋特征导致国内外主流煤层气开发工艺技术本土化困难,煤层气资源难以动用。多、薄煤层煤层气地质特征的特殊性决定了煤层气开发技术的明显选择性,多煤层合采成为该地区煤层气资源高效开发利用的必由之路。2009年至今,中石化华东油气分公司在贵州织金区块陆续完成23口合采煤层气井的部署工作,实现了单井最大日产气量达5 000 m3、试验井组(10口直井)单井平均日产气量超1 000 m3的突破。对此,基于织金区块多煤层煤层气的勘探开发实践,系统分析了该地区多、薄煤层煤层气成藏地质条件,归纳总结了开发关键工艺的地质适用性,从地质选层、开发模式及排采管控等方面取得以下认识:(1) 建立了合采产层优化判别方法,明确了以珠藏次向斜III煤组20、23、27、30号煤层为主的最优层位组合关系;(2) 形成了定向井多层分压合采、水平井分段压裂体积改造相结合的特色开发模式;(3) 制定了以“平衡排采、阶段降压”为理念、以“面积降压”为目的的精细化排采管控制度。研究成果有助于促进该区域的多煤层煤层气开发,对贵州省煤层气高效开发具有重要的参考价值。      

Multi-aquifer pumping test to determine cutoff wall length for groundwater flow control during site excavation in Tokyo, Japan

Multi-aquifer pumping tests, using a multi-screen pumping well and multi-level piezometers, were carried out for groundwater flow control in a large-scale excavation site in Tokyo, Japan. The site was underlain by multi-layered confined aquifers. In the tests, pumping was carried out using a multi-aquifer pumping well in which a screen depth was chosen arbitrarily. Changes in groundwater pressure heads in each aquifer were measured at each screen position of the multi-aquifer pumping well. Hydraulic conductivity (K) and specific storage (S _s) of not only aquifers, but also for low permeability layers between the aquifers, were estimated using the Cooper-Jacob method, and calibrated by a finite element method (FEM) groundwater model. Four different cutoff wall lengths were assumed for final excavation depth, and correlations among wall length, pumping discharge and drawdown at the back of the cutoff wall were obtained from simulations using the K and S _s parameters in the FEM model. Then, the most suitable wall length was selected based on the simulated correlations considering environmental condition, construction period and cost of the cutoff wall.     

油气化探在鄂尔多斯盆地延川煤层气勘探中的应用

中国煤层气资源丰富,煤层气中的游离态烃和溶解态烃气体可通过地层中的断裂、裂隙、微裂缝和孔隙等通道垂直运移到地表,进而在近地表形成化探指标异常。延川南区块煤层气油气化探技术应用研究表明:顶空气甲烷、酸解烃甲烷等烃类化探指标主体异常区呈环形模式分布于延1井煤层气富集区上方,异常成因主控因素包括深部烃源(煤层气)、烃源(煤层气)上覆盖层、深部断层(中垛断层和白鹤断层)等地质要素;热释汞指标主体异常区呈顶端形式分布于延1井煤层气富集区上方,主要受控因素包括深部煤层、深部断层(中垛断层和白鹤断层)等地质要素;研究区煤层气有效化探指标综合熵值圈定了3个环状异常区:程河原—延1井熵值异常区、掷沙熵值异常区和井西岭南熵值异常区,其中程河原—延1井熵值环状异常区有效地指示了延1井煤层气富集区,中垛断层和白鹤断层之间的掷沙熵值异常区、井西岭南熵值异常区可能部分受断层的影响,亦是煤层气有利富集区。     

Two recent flowslides in Yamashina area, Kanazawa City, Japan

Due to a continual rainfall, a flowslide occurred in Yamashina area, Kanazawa City, Japan on November 8, 2002 in the Tertiary mudstone area. The sliding mass was fully fluidized during the motion and moved downward the slope for a long distance. On December 31, 2003, slope failure was triggered by intensive rainfall and snowmelt water at the same site again, and resulted in the second occurrence of flowslide. The total displacement of the slope was recorded with an extensometer. Through field investigation, the difference of the sliding mechanism between the two flowslides was examined.     

沁水盆地安泽地区煤层气富集主控地质因素

通过对沁水盆地安泽区块煤层气地质条件和储层条件的深入分析,探讨了该区煤层气的富集规律及主要影响因素。研究发现,煤的岩石学特征、构造、顶底板岩性是影响煤层气富集的主要因素。总体上,安泽区块煤储层含气量受煤阶影响,表现为：煤的变质程度越高,吸附能力整体增强,含气量增大。局部区域,煤层气含量受煤层埋深、断层、褶皱及煤层顶底板岩性等综合因素的影响。在构造平缓带,煤层气含量随埋深增大而增大;在构造活动带,正断层上升盘含气量明显低于下降盘含气量,断层对煤层气的逸散作用明显。此外,泥岩顶底板封盖较砂岩顶底板封盖能力强。     

Gases in Taiwan mud volcanoes: Chemical composition,methane carbon isotopes,and gas fluxes

Mud volcanoes are important pathways for CH₄ emission from deep buried sediments; however, the importance of gas fluxes have hitherto been neglected in atmospheric source budget considerations. In this study, gas fluxes have been monitored to examine the stability of their chemical compositions and fluxes spatially, and stable C isotopic ratios of CH₄ were determined, for several mud volcanoes on land in Taiwan. The major gas components are CH₄ (>90%), “air” (i.e. N₂ + O₂ + Ar, 1–5%) and CO₂ (1–5%) and these associated gas fluxes varied slightly at different mud volcanoes in southwestern Taiwan. The Hsiao-kun-shui (HKS) mud volcano emits the highest CH₄ concentration (CH₄ > 97%). On the other hand, the Chung-lun mud volcano (CL) shows CO₂ up to 85%, and much lower CH₄ content (<37%). High CH₄ content (>90%) with low CO₂ (<0.2%) are detected in the mud volcano gases collected in eastern Taiwan. It is suggestive that these gases are mostly of thermogenic origin based on C₁ (methane)/C₂ (ethane) + C₃ (propane) and δ¹³C_CH4 results, with the exception of mud volcanoes situated along the Gu-ting-keng (GTK) anticline axis showing unique biogenic characteristics. Only small CH₄ concentration variations, <2%, were detected in four on-site short term field-monitoring experiments, at Yue-shi-jie A, B, Kun-shui-ping and Lo-shan A. Preliminary estimation of CH₄ emission fluxes for mud volcanoes on land in Taiwan fall in a range between 980 and 2010 tons annually. If soil diffusion were taken into account, the total amount of mud volcano CH₄ could contribute up to 10% of total natural CH₄ emissions in Taiwan.     

Comparative evaluation of landslide susceptibility in Minamata area, Japan

Landslides are unpredictable; however, the susceptibility of landslide occurrence can be assessed using qualitative and quantitative methods based on the technology of the Geographic Information Systems (GIS). A map of landslide inventory was obtained from the previous work in the Minamata area, the interpretation from aerial photographs taken in 1999 and 2002. A total of 160 landslides was identified in four periods. Following the construction of geospatial databases, including lithology, topography, soil deposits, land use, etc., the study documents the relationship between landslide hazard and the factors that affect the occurrence of landslides. Different methods, namely the logistic regression analysis and the information value model, were then adopted to produce susceptibility maps of landslide occurrence. After the application of each method, two resultant maps categorize the four classes of susceptibility as high, medium, low and very low. Both of them generated acceptable results as both classify the majority of the cells with landslide occurrence in high or medium susceptibility classes, which could be believed to be a success. By combining the hazard maps generated from both methods, the susceptibility was classified as high–medium and low–very low levels, in which the classification of high susceptibility level covers 6.5% of the area, while the areas predicted to be unstable, which are 50.5% of the total area, are classified as the low susceptibility level. However, comparing the results from both the approaches, 43% of the areas were misclassified, either from high–medium to low–very low or low–very low to high–medium classes. Due to the misclassification, 8% and 3.28% of all the areas, which should be stable or free of landsliding, were evaluated as high–medium susceptibility using the logistic regression analysis and the information value model, respectively. Moreover, in the case of the class rank change from high–medium susceptibility to low–very low, 35% and 39.72% of all mapping areas were predicted as stable using both the approaches, respectively, but in these areas landslides were likely to occur or were actually recognized.     

保德地区煤层气地球化学特征及成因探讨

为了查明保德地区煤层气地球化学特征及成因,采集煤样、煤层气样及水样,开展气体组分分析、煤层气井产出水水质检测和稳定同位素分析。结果表明：煤层气组成中烃类气体以CH₄为主,体积分数为88.60%~97.59%;含有少量乙烷,体积分数仅为0.01%~0.14%;干燥系数均大于0.99,属于极干煤层气。非烃类组分中,主要含有CO₂和N₂,其中,CO₂体积分数为1.74%~7.61%,N₂体积分数为0.04%~8.18%。煤层气δ¹³C(CH₄)值为–56.8‰~–47.7‰,δ¹³C(CO₂)值为–6.6‰~13.9‰,δD(CH₄)值为–252.6‰~–241.6‰。煤层产出水呈弱碱性,属于NaHCO₃类型水,与地表水离子构成、矿化度、δD(H₂O)和δ¹⁸O(H₂O)值均相近,有地表水的补给,有利于产CH₄菌大量繁殖,生成次生生物气。综合认为,研究区煤层气为热成因气和生物气的混合气,生物成因气主要是通过二氧化碳还原作用形成,受煤层解吸–扩散–运移作用、水溶作用和次生生物作用导致煤层气“变轻”。研究成果为后续煤层气勘探开发提供指导。     

Central place preference by social geographic groups with reference to the tributary area of Shibuya,Southwest Tokyo

Conclusions Central place preference by social geographic groups is in the Tokyo area less determined by social status than by age and life cycles differentiated by sex.In case of the tributary area of Shibuya a simple classification into young people (male and female bachelors) and married people (husbands and housewives) indicates essential differences in central place preferences between these groups.The bachelors, particularly the young men, are most important for central place orientations in that they show distinctive spatial behavioural patterns in terms of complexity, mobility and intensity of distance-movements. The young people being employed — today joculously called dokushin kizoku (bachelors' aristocracy) because of their salary raised remarkably as well as of their extensive concumer demands and high buying power — are representative for the present-day economically independent young generation. The bachelors judge urban center attractiveness on the basis of shopping facilities and also in terms of atmosphere — meeting friends, strolling through town and amusing themselves. The young people are very much courted by commercial enterprises and are regarded as special trend setters having great influence on the image and vitality of Tokyo's inner urban centers.Most attractive for the young people are the ring centers. In the southwestern suburban areas Shibuya predominates; however generally speaking it is Shinjuku, the western and leading (ring)-center, which draws the young people most strongly. Special centers such as Harajuku, Aoyama and Roppongi are also preferred by this group, often in combination with a ring-center visit. Towards the inner city core (Ginza-Nihonbashi) central place preferences chiefly of the young male bachelors are declining gradually.Compared with young people the married people prefer the ring centers only slightly before the Ginza area, which for shopping is primarily visited by housewives, for going out mainly by husbands. Particularly in the inner city core near the main office districts a typical feature for Tokyo of central place preference is evident. For the salaryman — the most representative business type in the Tokyo area — going out is identical with not going home. This phenomenon depends on the place of work in two aspects. First, spatially in terms of a close connection between office and inner city amusement/shopping centers and additionally distance-movements towards a ring center nearest of the place of work or residence. Second, socially — social activities after working hours mainly carried out with colleagues result in a behavioural pattern, in which a clear differentiation between company and private life appears to be difficult. For not going home there are many reasons — among others the constricted living conditions of Japanese homes as Westerners believe — however, other factors play a much more important role: (i) Mainly the extremely long commuting distances, which allow the salaryman a real leaving home to go out only on Sundays or holidays. Other reasons for this typically Japanese feature closely related to inner city tavern and bar visits, may be seen in (ii) the traditionally very limited participation of Japanese housewives to their husbands' out-door social activities; (iii) a system of charging and crediting expenses to one's personal bank account or the company account; (iv) the personal atmosphere of taverns and bars providing the best chances for communication/relaxation and for overcoming stress and frustrations experienced in the office.Shopping is particularly for housewives the most important motivation for visiting urban centers, in this respect two Japanese characteristics should be mentioned: First, fashion and being well-groomed are, as far as the mass of people particularly the young women is concerned, more highly esteemed than in other urban societies. As a consequence good clothes are much in demand. Purchases of these kinds of articles are most often made in department stores and cause the longest distance-movements. Second, in rank of central goods next to fashion and quality clothes follow standard gifts such as seibo and chugen. The purchase of these articles is apart from the unique custom of giving gifts twice a year typically Japanese also in so far as it contradicts the least-effort criterion in central place theory. Though these patterns mostly bought by housewives or middle-aged and older people are substantially more of daily or periodical than episodical demand, they are related to surprisingly long distance-movements because of usually being bought for image reasons in leading department stores located in higher-ranking more distant urban centers.Typical behaviour for all groups visiting higher-order urban centers is an often used combination of shopping and taking part in out-door activities such as meeting friends/acquaintances, strolling around, going to the cinema or other show performances, eating, drinking and chatting together. This is due to the outstanding facilities available not only in retail-trade but also in the gastronomic, entertainment and amusement sectors.Taken all together, complexity and intensity of central place preferences in Tokyo reflect the higher and different attractiveness of Japanese urban centers compared with that of other urban societies. The urban centers are highly esteemed because of their excellent facilities as well as of their vitality, crowds and activity. These latter characteristics are summarized by the word nigiyaka meaning vivacity, which is most typical for Japanese urban centers. The inner city centers of Tokyo can be regarded in the true sense of this term as urban foci compensating for diverse problems such as environmental pollution or lack of inner urban green areas, making life in the most densely populated area of the world worthwhile.     

Groundwater pollution due to discharge of industrial effluents in Venkatapuram area, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India

 Hindustan Polymers Limited was established in the Venkatapuram area in the northwestern part of Visakhapatnam urban agglomeration. Untreated industrial effluent from the plant is discharged with total dissolved solids concentrations reaching up to 6500 mg/l. The groundwater pollution was identified as early as 1981 and a hydrogeologic and water-quality database is available from 1981. The groundwater quality in the plant environs is found to be in the range of 3500–4500 mg/l. Major chemical constituents of industrial-waste waters consist of Na, Cl, and SO₄. Some characteristic parameters of the aquifer were estimated. The available hydrogeologic and hydrologic data was analyzed to conceptualize the groundwater regime. A mathematical groundwater flow model was constructed to compute the hydraulic head at the center of finite-difference grid. The computed head distribution and effective porosity of the formations were used to calculate the groundwater flow velocity. The computed velocity field was ultimately used to prognose the pollutant migration in groundwater accounting for the advection and dispersion processes in the mass transport model and for determining the time-dependent pathlines of pollutant. Areal migration of pollutants from the source was predicted up to year 2002. Received: 23 December 1996 · Accepted: 9 September 1997     

Water column methane oxidation adjacent to an area of active hydrate dissociation,Eel river Basin

The role of methane clathrate hydrates in the global methane budget is poorly understood because little is known about how much methane from decomposing hydrates actually reaches the atmosphere. In an attempt to quantify the role of water column methanotrophy (microbial methane oxidation) as a control on methane release, we measured water column methane profiles (concentration and δ¹³C) and oxidation rates at eight stations in an area of active methane venting in the Eel River Basin, off the coast of northern California. The oxidation rate measurements were made with tracer additions of ³H-CH₄.Small numbers of instantaneous rate measurements are difficult to interpret in a dynamic, advecting coastal environment, but combined with the concentration and stable isotope measurements, they do offer insights into the importance of methanotrophy as a control on methane release. Fractional oxidation rates ranged from 0.2 to 0.4% of ambient methane per day in the deep water (depths >370 m), where methane concentration was high (20–300 nM), to near-undetectable rates in the upper portion of the water column (depths <370 m), where methane concentration was low (3–10 nM). Methane turnover time averaged 1.5 yr in the deep water but was on the order of decades in the upper portion of the water column. The depth-integrated water column methane oxidation rates for the deep water averaged 5.2 mmol CH₄ m⁻² yr⁻¹, whereas the upper portion of the water column averaged only 0.14 mmol CH₄ m⁻² yr⁻¹; the depth-integrated oxidation rate for deep water in the 25-km² area encompassing the venting field averaged 2 × 10⁶ g CH₄ yr⁻¹. Stable isotope values (δ¹³C-CH₄) for individual samples ranged from −34 to −52‰ (vs. PDB, Peedee belemnite standard) in the region. These values are isotopically enriched relative to hydrates in the region (δ¹³C-CH₄ about −57 to −69‰), further supporting our observations of extensive methane oxidation in this environment.