Impact of Heterogeneity on Oxygen Transfer in a Fluctuating Capillary Fringe

We performed quasi‐two‐dimensional flow through laboratory experiments to study the effect of a coarse‐material inclusion, located in the proximity of the water table, on flow and oxygen transfer in the capillary fringe. The experiments investigate different phases of mass transfer from the unsaturated zone to anoxic groundwater under both steady‐state and transient flow conditions, the latter obtained by fluctuating the water table. Monitoring of flow and transport in the different experimental phases was performed by visual inspection of the complex flow field using a dye tracer solution, measurement of oxygen profiles across the capillary fringe, and determination of oxygen fluxes in the effluent of the flow‐through chamber. Our results show significant effects of the coarse‐material inclusion on oxygen transfer during the different phases of the experiments. At steady state, the oxygen flux across the unsaturated/saturated interface was considerably enhanced due to flow focusing in the fully water‐saturated coarse‐material inclusion. During drainage, a zone of higher water saturation formed in the fine material overlying the coarse lens. The entrapped oxygen‐rich aqueous phase contributed to the total amount of oxygen supplied to the system when the water table was raised back to its initial level. In case of imbibition, pronounced air entrapment occurred in the coarse lens, causing oxygen to partition between the aqueous and gaseous phases. The oxygen mass supplied to the anoxic groundwater following the imbibition event was found to be remarkably higher (approximately seven times) in the heterogeneous system compared with a similar experiment performed in a homogeneous porous medium.     

Studies of Water Velocity in the Capillary Fringe: The Point Velocity Probe

The point velocity probe (PVP) is a device that can measure groundwater velocity at the centimeter scale, and unlike devices that measure velocity within well screens, the PVP operates while in direct contact with the porous medium. Because of this feature, it was postulated that the PVP could be effective in measuring velocity within the capillary fringe. This hypothesis was tested using a laboratory flow-through cell filled with a medium-fine sand from Canadian Forces Base Borden. The cell was constructed to simulate conditions such that the PVP was positioned from 2.5 cm below the water table to 79 cm above the water table. As the water table was lowered, the PVP gave highly consistent values of velocity over the range equivalent to 2.5 cm below the water table to 44 cm above the water table, the approximate extent of the capillary fringe. The average measured velocity was 11.3 cm/d ± 11.6%, somewhat higher than that calculated based on the measured discharge through the cell (7.5 cm/d ± 5.5%). With a further decline in the water table there was a progressive decrease in the measured velocity values, consistent with the declining hydraulic conductivity as the sand material drained. Readings could not be made beyond about 57 cm, where the water content was approximately 75% of saturation. These experiments showed that the PVP is capable of measuring groundwater velocity within the saturated zone above the water table and possibly into the unsaturated zone. Currently, this is the only instrument available with this capability.     

Experimental Evidence of Critical Sensitivity in Catastrophe

The paper presents an experimental study on critical sensitivity in rocks. Critical sensitivity means that the response of a system to external controlling variable may become significantly sensitive as the system approaches its catastrophic rupture point. It is found that the sensitivities measured by responses on three scales (sample scale, locally macroscopic scales and mesoscopic scale) display increase prior to catastrophic transition point. These experimental results do support the concept that critical sensitivity might be a common precursory feature of catastrophe. Furthermore, our previous theoretical model is extended to explore the fluctuations in critical sensitivity in the rock tests.     

灵敏度在土结构性定量化研究中的应用

根据近年来土结构性定量化研究中的新进展,定义了土在变形过程中的两种灵敏度——应力灵敏度和应变灵敏度。以西安黄土为研究对象,分别制备不同深度的原状和重塑饱和试样进行固结试验,得到规律性相对比较稳定的两种灵敏度。对两种灵敏度曲线的形态及其对应的土在变形过程中的结构性的变化进行了分析,初步认为无论从求取的方便性还是规律的稳定性来说,应变灵敏度具有更大的优越性。     

井下地电阻率观测影响系数分析——以江宁地震台为例

采用水平层状均匀介质中点电源位于任意深度时的电位解析表达式,以江宁台3层电性结构为例,分析了井下对称四极地电阻率观测时各层影响系数随深度、极距的变化,并结合探测深度探讨了实施井下观测时影响系数在选择供电极距和电极埋深时的作用。结果表明,对于"K"型电性结构,江宁台井下观测对地表、浅层干扰有较强的抑制作用,其短极距观测对地表、浅层干扰的抑制能力显著优于长极距观测;长极距观测在电极埋深H小于100m时对地表介质季节性的干扰具有放大作用;浅层影响系数一定时,电极埋深和供电极距需同时增加;江宁台井下观测供电极距AB/2取100～150m、电极埋深H为250m较为合理。     

曲线桥梁墩高参数动力敏感性研究

为研究曲线桥梁结构桥墩高度参数对地震响应的敏感性,借助有限元分析软件Midas Civil,通过分类处理建立边墩为变高墩和中墩为变高墩两类有限元分析模型。根据Newmark-β法对多自由度体系的曲线桥梁结构进行动力时程分析,结合曲线桥梁结构地震激励的输入基本方式,计算两类墩高布置形式下两跨曲线连续梁桥结构的基本周期、墩顶位移、主梁内力和桥墩墩底内力的变化规律,通过对计算结果分析探究桥墩高度参数和桥墩高度比参数对曲线桥梁结构地震响应的影响规律。研究结果表明:相同条件下,Ⅱ类曲线桥梁的整体刚度小于Ⅰ类曲线桥梁结构;各墩顶径向位移对桥墩高度比和墩高参数敏感性不同;中墩顶曲线主梁内力耦合机理复杂,难以用较少结构参数表征;变高墩墩底内力与曲线桥梁桥墩布置类型密切相关。研究结果可用于指导山区曲线桥梁结构的抗震分析和设计。     

TCAT Analysis of Capillary Pressure in Non-equilibrium, Two-fluid-phase, Porous Medium Systems

Standard models of flow of two immiscible fluids in a porous medium make use of an expression for the dependence of capillary pressure on the saturation of a fluid phase. Data to support the mathematical expression is most often obtained through a sequence of equilibrium experiments. In addition to such expressions being hysteretic, recent experimental and theoretical studies have suggested that the equilibrium functional forms obtained may be inadequate for modeling dynamic systems. This situation has led to efforts to express relaxation of a system to an equilibrium capillary pressure in relation to the rate of change of saturation. Here, based on insights gained from the thermodynamically constrained averaging theory (TCAT) we propose that dynamic processes are related to changes in interfacial area between phases as well as saturation. A more complete formulation of capillary pressure dynamics is presented leading to an equation that is suitable for experimental study.     

新城子井下地电阻率观测影响系数分析

以新城子观测站地电阻率为研究对象,结合新城子观测站电测深资料通过影响系数理论用水平层状介质模型对比分析地表、井下地电阻率两种手段的观测效果,对新城子地电阻率观测各层影响系数随深度和极距的变化分析新城子井下地电阻率观测布极的合理性。其结果反应为新城子地电阻率井下观测设计较为合理,减少场地资源的同时对地表和浅层干扰有更好的抑制作用,对深层的映震能力优于地表观测,分析结果可为类似台址电性结构中实施井下地电阻率观测提供参考。     

地震动模拟过程中断层参数的敏感性分析

地震发生后通常无法快速获取较准确的断层参数,这可能会对采用地震动模拟方法进行地震动强度快速评估产生影响。选取美国西部两次地震,采用两种地震动模拟方法,通过改变断层走向、滑移角、倾角和震源深度等主要断层参数进行模拟计算,分析不同参数对地震动参数和反应谱值的影响以及不同方法计算结果的准确性。结果表明:GP方法模拟的结果比EXSIM方法更接近观测值;在参数误差范围内,相比于模拟方法本身的误差,各参数对模拟结果的影响较小,地震动强度快速评估时可以利用较合理的快速反演断层参数进行地震动模拟。     

平凉台井下地电阻率观测影响系数分析

根据地电阻率影响系数理论,以平凉台4层电性结构为例,分析了井下对称四极地电阻率观测影响系数随深度和极距的变化。结果表明:对于固定的观测极距,影响系数与电极埋深之间的关系复杂;通过计算各层影响系数的大小,认为平凉台井下观测对地表及浅层干扰有较好的抑制作用,其分析结果可为在类似台址电性结构中实施井下地电阻率观测时选择电极埋深和供电极距提供参考。     

地震危险性分析冈布尔方法的宏观实证性检验

地震危险性分析冈布尔方法具有简明、快速而准确的特征，前两个特征似乎已在文献中得以澄清，后一特征将在本文的研究中证实。根据公认明清以来历史地震目录大体完整的事实，作出“１９８１年版”的四川及邻区乃至全国范围的两个地震烈度区划，都以几近精确的水平，通过了其后１０年间地震实践的检验。本文还讨论了该方法与抗震设防、地震保险的接口关系，以及它与地震地质、地震危险性分析科内尔方法的协调性接口关系。     

Pesticide Health Risk Mapping and Sensitivity Analysis of Parameters in Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment

The extensive use of pesticides for increasing the agricultural production is affecting the quality of groundwater. The objectives of this article are to (i) develop pesticide relative leaching ranks for well sites, (ii) develop maps for human health risks due to pesticide applications, and (iii) identify the most significant parameters in pesticide simulations for groundwater vulnerability assessment. The methods include (i) development of acifluorfen relative leaching ranks for 25 well sites using ArcPRZM‐3, (ii) development of health risk maps using model simulated maximum dissolved bentazon concentrations on the basis of USA drinking water quality guidelines, (iii) sensitivity analysis for 14 ArcPRZM‐3 input parameters using the Plackett–Burman method. ArcPRZM‐3 is a user‐friendly system for spatial modeling of pesticide leaching from surface to groundwater. Thirteen acifluorfen relative leaching potential ranks were developed in which the pesticide leaching decrease from 1 to 13. The model predicted ranks for well 34 and well 9 were 2nd and 3rd, respectively, and acifluorfen was detected in both wells during the physical monitoring. The percentages of high health risks in the agricultural areas were 48.38 and 72.72% for Randolph and Independence Counties, respectively. The most significant parameters were thickness of horizon compartment, runoff curve number of antecedent moisture condition II for cropping, soil bulk density, and total application of pesticide. The irrigation, soil permeability, and numerical dispersion could impact the pesticide leaching in soils toward groundwater. The ArcPRZM‐3 system could be efficiently applied for spatial modeling and mapping of pesticide concentrations for groundwater vulnerability assessment on a large scale.     

某耗能减震框肢剪力墙转换结构分析

采用复合型铅粘弹性阻尼器对带转换层框肢剪力墙结构的某酒店进行了耗能减震设计,对耗能减震结构和钢支撑结构进行了对比分析,包括反应谱和局部非线性多遇地震作用和罕遇地震作用下的时程分析。结果表明,底部框架结构布置复合型铅粘弹性阻尼器后,在多遇和罕遇地震情况下层间位移能满足《建筑抗震设计规范》要求,并且采用耗能减震结构能优化整体结构,不会对转换层上部结构产生不利的影响,能更好地改善结构的抗震性能。     

Oxygen and hydrogen in the primitive atmosphere

From time to time there appears in the literature the assertion that photolysis of water vapor could have maintained an appreciable concentration of oxygen in the primitive (prebiological) atmosphere. The implausibility of this assertion is argued in this paper.By itself, photolysis does not provide a source of oxygen because it is usually followed by recombination of the products of photolysis. Only the escape to space (at a much smaller rate) of the hydrogen produced by photolysis of water results in a net source of oxygen. The oxidation state of the primitive atmosphere depended on the relative magnitudes of this net source of oxygen and a volcanic source of hydrogen and other reduced gases. Today the volcanic source of reduced gases is approximately equal to the oxygen source provided by photolysis followed by escape. The oxygen source depends on the mixing ratio of water vapor in the stratosphere, which ultimately determines the rate of escape of hydrogen produced from water vapor. Its magnitude may not have been very different in the past. The volcanic source of hydrogen, on the other hand, is likely to have been much larger when the earth was tectonically young. Hydrogen was therefore released to the primitive atmosphere more rapidly than oxygen, probably. Photochemical reactions with the excess hydrogen maintained oxygen mixing ratios at negligibly small levels. The hydrogen mixing ratio was determined by a balance between the volcanic source (reduced by recombination with oxygen) and escape to space.In time, either because of decline of the volcanic source of hydrogen or because of addition of a biological source of oxygen, the input of oxygen to the atmosphere rose above the input of hydrogen. The oxidation state of the atmosphere changed rapidly. Volcanic hydrogen was now consumed by photochemical reactions with excess oxygen, while the oxygen mixing ratio was determined by a balance between the source (reduced by recombination with volcanic hydrogen) and consumption in reactions with reduced material at the surface.