Tigris River Sediments as Abrasive for Polishing Marble

Natural Resources Research - This study aims to evaluate the use of Tigris River sediments as abrasives for polishing marble surfaces to achieve a usable form as floor tiles, facing stones and...     

Hydrological Characteristics of Estuary in Wulan Delta in Demak Regency,Indonesia

Water Resources - Understanding estuarine characteristics is crucial for managing aquatic ecosystem and aquaculture. A delta is a dynamic area that influence by both sea and river. Research on a...     

Response of infilled frames using pseudo-dynamic experimentation

An accurate and practical testing technique to study seismic performance of multi-storey infilled frames is formulated. This technique is based on the pseudo-dynamic method which can provide an acceptable approximation of the dynamic performance of structures under the influence of earthquake excitation. The pseudo-dynamic experimental technique is outlined and applied for testing a two-bay, two-storey gravity load designed steel frame infilled with unreinforced concrete block masonry walls. From the discussion of the results, the dynamic performance of the tested structure is assessed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

厦门西港表层沉积物中多环芳烃(PAHs)的含量分布特征及其污染来源

利用GC－FID对厦门西港1998年7月采得8个站位表层沉积物中的16种多环芳烃（PAHs)进行了分析。结果显示，16种多环芳烃总量分布范围为247－480ng/g，平均为367ng/g。与1993年的厦门港的分析结果相比较，多环芳烃的污染程度降低；同世界其他港口相比较，其污染程度相对较低。同时，分析了厦门港PAHs污染的分布特征及其可能的污染来源，表明其主要是由于人类的油污染及燃料燃烧引起的。     

Organic compound tracers of fine soil and sand particles during summer in the metropolitan area of Riyadh,Saudi Arabia

Soil and sand fine particles, which may be resuspended as fine dust in the atmosphere, contain a variety of anthropogenic and natural organic components. Samples of fine soil and sand particles (sieved to <125 μM) were collected from the Riyadh area in the summer of 2003 and extracted with a mixture of dichloromethane and methanol (3:1, v:v). The derivatized total extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry in order to characterize the composition and sources of the organic components. Both anthropogenic and natural biogenic inputs were the major sources of the organic compounds in these extracts. Discarded plastics and vehicular emission products were the major anthropogenic sources in the fine particles from populated areas of the city. Their tracers were plasticizers, UCM, n-alkanes, hopanes and traces of steranes. Vegetation was the major natural source of organic compounds in samples from outside Riyadh and included n-alkanols, n-alkanoic acids, n-alkanes, methyl alkanoates, sterols and triterpenoids. Carbohydrates had high concentrations (42–54%) in all samples and indicate sources from decomposition of cellulose and/or the presence of viable microbiota such as bacteria and fungi. The results were also compared with the data obtained in winter 2002 and showed that anthropogenic inputs were higher in summer than in winter, whereas the opposite trend was observed for natural inputs.     

Evidence for and relationship between recent distributed extension and halokinesis in the Farasan Islands,southern Red Sea,Saudi Arabia

This paper presents a structural evolution study of the Farasan Bank using an integration of field work, remote sensing data, and regional Bouguer gravity data interpretation. The architecture of the Farasan Islands is influenced by normal faults parallel to the Red Sea rift axis delineating a series of graben and asymmetric half-graben structures as well as salt domes. Geological data suggest that the negative gravity anomaly over the Farasan Bank reflects thick salt deposits. The gravity data shows a general NW-SE trend with the main negative anomaly coincident with the Farasan Islands. Gravity data together with seismic reflection data suggest that salt diapirs are elongated and parallel to the main rift orientation (NW-SE). This indicates that salt deposition and diapirism was controlled by rift-related basement structures. Forward modeling of gravity data constrained by marine seismic reflection interpretation reveals that the evaporites directly overlie the basement in most places. No pre-evaporite formation was detected. Integration of the modeling with field observations and interpretations suggests that the Farasan Islands are in an area of active extension. Extension and salt diapirism on the flank of the mid-ocean ridge is likely to be synchronous with renewed spreading at 5 Ma.     

Groundwater origins and mixing pattern in the multilayer aquifer system of the Gafsa-south mining district: a chemical and isotopic approach

Major ion geochemistry and environmental isotopes were used to identify the origins and the mineralisation processes of groundwater flowing within the three aquifer levels of the multilayer system of the Gafsa-south mining district (Southwestern Tunisia). It has been demonstrated that groundwaters are characterised by a Ca–Mg–SO₄ water type. Geochemical pattern is mainly controlled by the dissolution of halite, gypsum and/or anhydrite as well as by the incongruent dissolution of dolomite. δ¹⁸O and δ²H values are much lower than the isotopic signature of regional precipitation and fall close to the meteoric water lines, indicating that groundwaters have not been significantly affected by evaporation or mineral–water reactions. The distribution of stable and radiogenic isotopes (δ¹⁸O, δ²H, δ¹³C and ¹⁴C) within the aquifer levels suggests that the deep confined aquifer receives a significant modern recharge at higher altitudes, while, the shallow unconfined aquifer has been mainly recharged under cooler paleoclimatic condition, likely during Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene humid periods. However, waters from the intermediate confined/unconfined aquifer have composite isotopic signatures, highlighting that they are derived from a mixture of the two first end-members.