Water quality analysis of a freshwater diversion at Caernarvon, Louisiana

Since 1991, Mississippi River water has been diverted at Caernarvon, Louisiana, into Breton Sound estuary. Breton Sound estuary encompasses 1100 km² of fresh and brackish, rapidly subsiding wetlands. Nitrite + nitrate, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammonium, total phosphorus, total suspended sediments, and salinity concentrations were monitored at seven locations in Breton Sound from 1988 to 1994. Statistical analysis of the data indicated decreased total Kjeldahl nitrogen with associated decrease in total nitrogen, and decreased salinity concentrations in the estuary due to the diversion. Spring and summer water quality transects indicated rapid reduction of nitrite + nitrate and total suspended sediment concentration as diverted Mississippi River water entered the estuary, suggesting near complete assimilation of these constituents by the ecosystem. Loading rates of nitrite + nitrate (5.6–13.4 g m⁻² yr⁻¹), total nitrogen (8.9–23.4 g m⁻² yr⁻¹), and total phosphorus (0.9–2.0 g m⁻² yr⁻¹) were calculated along with removal efficiencies for these constituents (nitrite + nitrate 88–97%; total nitrogen 32–57%; total phosphorus 0–46%). The low impact of the diversion on water quality in the Breton Sound estuary, along with assimilation of TSS over a very short distance, suggests that more water may be introduced into the estuary without detrimental affects. This would be necessary if freshwater diversions are to be used to distribute nitrients and sediments into the lower reaches of the estuary, in an effort to compensate for relative sea-level rise, and reverse the current trend of rapid loss of wetlands in coastal Louisiana.     

MoisturEC: A New R Program for Moisture Content Estimation from Electrical Conductivity Data

Noninvasive geophysical estimation of soil moisture has potential to improve understanding of flow in the unsaturated zone for problems involving agricultural management, aquifer recharge, and optimization of landfill design and operations. In principle, several geophysical techniques (e.g., electrical resistivity, electromagnetic induction, and nuclear magnetic resonance) offer insight into soil moisture, but data‐analysis tools are needed to “translate” geophysical results into estimates of soil moisture, consistent with (1) the uncertainty of this translation and (2) direct measurements of moisture. Although geostatistical frameworks exist for this purpose, straightforward and user‐friendly tools are required to fully capitalize on the potential of geophysical information for soil‐moisture estimation. Here, we present MoisturEC, a simple R program with a graphical user interface to convert measurements or images of electrical conductivity (EC) to soil moisture. Input includes EC values, point moisture estimates, and definition of either Archie parameters (based on experimental or literature values) or empirical data of moisture vs. EC. The program produces two‐ and three‐dimensional images of moisture based on available EC and direct measurements of moisture, interpolating between measurement locations using a Tikhonov regularization approach.     

Field survey and analysis of hillslopes on tower karst in Guilin,southern China

Limestone dissolution in tropical and subtropical humid southern China created residual hills with steep slopes, a landform that is referred to as tower karst. Two types of tower karst landform feature, fenglin or peak forest (isolated towers) and fengcong or peak cluster (linked‐base towers), were identified in Guilin. Previous studies proposed two hypotheses regarding their origin and evolution. One is the sequential evolution model from peak cluster to peak forest. The other is a parallel development model, which postulates that both peak cluster and peak forest have developed simultaneously. Through detailed field survey and analysis of slope forms on tower karst in Guilin, it was found that the mean slope angle of the towers is very high (62·4°) and ranges from 60° to 75°. There is no significant difference in mean slope angle and slope angle distribution between towers in the peak cluster basin and peak forest floodplain areas. Mean slope angle increases with intensified fluvial dissection. Three levels of caves in the towers of the peak forest in Guilin were identified in previous research. The isolated towers of the peak forest as well as scattered residuals of peak cluster are generally distributed in the centre of the Guilin syncline. Favourable circumstances of allogenic water concentration indicate that development of the peak forest resulted from the combined effects of subcutaneous and subterranean dissolution as well as subsequent collapse and recession by fluvial erosion after uplifting. By contrast, peak clusters generally occur on the limbs of the syncline or at the periphery of the Guilin basin with relatively higher elevations. The thick vadose zone and predominantly vertical flow suggests that peak clusters are mainly formed by the combination of intensive uplifting and the enhancement of original dolines. The evidence of slope survey and slope analysis suggests that both isolated towers and linked‐base towers developed simultaneously but by different mechanisms of formation and different combinations of development processes. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessing and correcting the effects of the chemical weathering of potsherds: A case study using soft-paste porcelain wasters from the Longton Hall (Staffordshire) factory site

Unglazed soft-paste porcelain wasters from the Longton Hall factory site are variably depleted (75–80 rel %) in CaO relative to comparatively insoluble components (e.g., Al₂O₃, TiO₂) due to the dissolution of wollastonite (CaSiO₃, a pyroxenoid) by subsurface water. The degree of desilicification is variable (0–45 rel % SiO₂). Petrographic data and element-abundance plots suggest that these were the principal effects of the chemical weathering process in most samples. The preferential dissolution of a single phase in the unglazed Longton Hall sherds permits the semiquantitative “reversal” of weathering phenomena. Alteration effects can be corrected using porosity–volume data to constrain the amount of wollastonite originally present in the weathered sherds. The original compositions of the unglazed wasters are bracketed by arithmetically “adding back” the missing pyroxenoid components according to two endmember assumptions concerning element mobility: (1) the total leaching of wollastonite components and (2) the preferential leaching of wollastonite-derived CaO. These calculations—particularly the latter—yield results that compare favourably with the compositions of relatively unaltered (wollastonite-bearing), glazed samples from the Longton Hall site. Given the potential susceptibility of archaeological ceramics to chemical weathering, it would seem prudent that these phenomena be carefully assessed, and corrected where possible, so that analytical data for these artifacts can be judiciously interpreted. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Using GIS and large-scale digital data to implement hedonic pricing studies

This paper describes how a standard GIS package can be used to convert large-scale vector digital data (point, line and annotation features) into polygons using standardised and replicable methods. Building area, garden and land use polygons are all derived from such data (Ordnance Survey LandLine.Plus). These entities are then combined with further sources of digital data to derive more refined information such as property types. Finally, complex DEMs are developed for use in visibility studies. The variables calculated are subsequently employed in a property valuation study where many are found to be significant determinants of property price. The main exception is variables relating to viewsheds, although it is argued that this does not invalidate the techniques used in their deviation but highlights the difficulties involved in modelling a large number of variables in a property price analysis.     

Disintegration of Fan Sediments in Death Valley,California, by Salt Weathering

In Death Valley, California, an area of high aridity and great salinity, alluvial fans de scend into the zone of salt accumulation. When the rounded fan gravels come into contact with salt, some of which is sodium sulfate, they are rapidly shattered and reduced in size. Silt and clay are formed by this salt weathering process and this fine material may be subject to deflation processes.     

The impacts of natural hazards on Taiwan’s tourism industry

Typhoon Morakot hit Taiwan in 2009, severely damaging the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, a famous tourist resort in Taiwan. The only highway to this area was under repair for 10 months after the typhoon. Consequently, Alishan’s tourism industry suffered losses estimated at NT$1 billion. This work investigates the impacts of natural hazards on Taiwan’s tourism industry. First, government, university, and industry experts were invited to a focus-group interview to update criteria for tourism development in Taiwan. Next, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was applied to rank the proposed criteria. Last, two tourist attractions, one urban and one rural, are discussed in detail. This work proposes three novel dimensions for Taiwan’s tourism development—destination attraction, destination arrangement, and contingency planning for natural hazards—which comprise nine criteria. Analytical results will provide Taiwan’s tourism industry with references for future policy-making and sustainable development.     

Rapid magmatic processes accompany arc–continent collision: the Western Bismarck arc, Papua New Guinea

New U–Th–Ra, major and trace element, and Sr–Nd–Pb isotope data are presented for young lavas from the New Britain and Western Bismarck arcs in Papua New Guinea. New Britain is an oceanic arc, whereas the latter is the site of an arc–continent collision. Building on a recent study of the Manus Basin, contrasts between the two arcs are used to evaluate the processes and timescales of magma generation accompanying arc–continent collision and possible slab detachment. All three suites share many attributes characteristic of arc lavas that can be ascribed to the addition of a regionally uniform subduction component derived from the subducting altered oceanic crust and sediment followed by dynamic melting of the modified mantle. However, the Western Bismarck arc lavas diverge from the Pb isotope mixing array formed by the New Britain and the Manus Basin lavas toward elevated ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb. We interpret this to reflect a second and subsequent addition of sediment melt at crustal depth during collision. ²³⁸U and ²²⁶Ra excesses are preserved in all of the lavas and are greatest in the Western Bismarck arc. High-Mg andesites with high Sr/Y ratios in the westernmost arc are attributed to recent shallow mantle flux melting at the slab edge. Data for two historical rhyolites are also presented. Although these rhyolites formed in quite different tectonic settings and display different geochemical and isotopic compositions, both formed from mafic parents within millennia.