Detecting temporal shoreline changes and erosion/accretion rates,using remote sensing,and their associated sediment characteristics along the coast of North Sinai,Egypt

The variation during 15 years in the shoreline along the North Sinai coast has been determined by analysing TM and ETM true colour Landsat images from 1986 to 2001. The analyses identified erosion and accretion patterns along the coast. The shoreline has advanced west of El Bardawil inlet1, El Bardawil inlet2, and El Arish Harbour, where the wave-induced littoral transport has been halted by jetty construction and beach growth rates are 20,681, 69,855 and 20,160 m²/year, respectively. On the downdrift side of the constructed jetties to the east, the shoreline is retreating and beaches erode at rates of −71,710, −69,968, and −11,760 m²/year, respectively. Sedimentological analyses of beach sediment samples have indicated selective transport of heavy minerals according to their densities and grain sizes. A general correspondence has been found between variation in grain size, sorting and heavy-mineral content of beach sand and the patterns of shoreline changes.     

Shear wave velocity as function of cone penetration resistance and grain size for Holocene-age uncemented soils: a new perspective

For feasibility studies and preliminary design estimates, field measurements of shear wave velocity, V _s, may not be economically adequate and empirical correlations between V _s and more available penetration measurements such as cone penetration test, CPT, data turn out to be potentially valuable at least for initial evaluation of the small-strain stiffness of soils. These types of correlations between geophysical (Vs) and geotechnical (N-SPT, q _c-CPT) measurements are also of utmost importance where a great precision in the calculation of the deposit response is required such as in liquefaction evaluation or earthquake ground response analyses. In this study, the stress-normalized shear wave velocity V _s1 (in m/s) is defined as statistical functions of the normalized dimensionless resistance, Q _tn-CPT, and the mean effective diameter, D ₅₀ (in mm), using a data set of different uncemented soils of Holocene age accumulated at various sites in North America, Europe, and Asia. The V _s1–Q _tn data exhibit different trends with respect to grain sizes. For soils with mean grain size (D ₅₀) < 0.2 mm, the V _s1/Q _tn ^0.25 ratio undergoes a significant reduction with the increase in D ₅₀ of the soil. This trend is completely reversed with further increase in D ₅₀ (D ₅₀ > 0.2 mm). These results corroborate earlier results that stressed the use of different CPT-based correlations with different soil types, and those emphasized the need to impose particle-size limits on the validity of the majority of available correlations.     

Effect of sewage effluent on the sediments of Nordåsvatnet (a land-locked fjord), Norway

Nordåsvatnet is a land-locked anoxic fjord along the west coast of Norway which is used as a natural recipient of untreated domestic sewage. The study of four core sediments collected from the heavily polluted basin of the fjord reflects the enrichment of surface sediments by Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and organic matter. This surface enrichment is entirely attributed to the anthropogenic input.     

Calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy of the Paleocene at the Misheiti section,East Central Sinai,Egypt

Integration of calcareous nannofossil data, δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values, and carbonate contents of the lower Paleocene–upper Paleocene sequence that crops out at the Misheiti section, East Central Sinai, Egypt, were used to denote the Danian/Selandian (D/S) and Selandian/Thanetian (S/T) stage boundaries. The study interval belongs to the Dakhla and Tarawan formations. Four calcareous nannofossil zones (NP4, NP5, NP6, and NP7/8) were recognized. The base of the Selandian Stage is tentatively placed at the lowest occurrences (LOs) of taxa ascribable to the second radiation of fasciculiths (i.e., Lithoptychius janii). This level is marked by a sudden drop of δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values and carbonate content. No distinctive lithological changes were observed across the D/S boundary at the study section. A hiatus at the NP5/NP6 zonal boundary is indicated by the condensation of zones NP5 and NP6.The base of the Thanetian is placed at the base of Zone NP7/8 at the lithological change observed in correspondence to the boundary between the Dakhla and Tarawan formations. The δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values abruptly decrease slightly above the base of Zone NP7/8. No consistent variations in the carbonate contents were recorded within Zone NP6 or across the NP6/NP7/8 zonal boundary.     

Stage–discharge estimation in straight compound channels using isovel contours

For various hydrological applications such as flood control projects, a knowledge of stage–discharge relationship is of particular interest to river engineers. Stage–discharge curves in compound channels cannot be easily predicted in comparison with single channels due to their 3D characteristics of flow. In this paper, the concept of cross‐sectional isovel contours is used for estimation of stage–discharge curves in compound channels. The multivariate Newton's method is applied to the difference between the observed and estimated data to optimize the exponent values of the governing parameters. The accuracy of the proposed model is tested successfully against available experimental results, which are taken from the Flood Channel Facility (FCF) laboratory. Then the results are compared with the Single and Divided Channel Methods (SCM and DCM, respectively), the Weighted Divided Channel Method (WDCM), the exchange discharge method (EDM), and the Coherence Method (COHM). The average values of mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) in discharge estimation based on each referenced section at any level for 6 sections of the experimental cases are within 3.1% and 0.023, respectively. The biggest advantage of the proposed method is its inherent simplicity, which does not need any calibration.     

Rare earth elements in metarhyolite dyke constraints on processes in a dynamic hydrothermal system,Um Ghannam,South Eastern Desert,Egypt

The Um Ghannam area lies within the core of Hafafit Complex, South Eastern Desert. This area is occupied mainly by granitic gneiss (orthogneiss). However, the granitic gneiss is extruded by swarm metarhyolite dykes and quartz veins. The studied metarhyolite dyke is classified into two distinctive zones. However, the intense degree of hydrothermal alteration can partition this dyke into weakly and extremely altered zones. According to the extraordinary diversity in color, this dyke is distinguished into gray to dark gray (weakly altered) and greenish (extremely altered) metarhyolite. Petrographical, mineralogical, and geochemical characteristics of the two distinctive zones are detected in a representative sample. Petrographically, the weakly altered zone is mainly represented by chloritization of primary biotite, garnet, and epidote, and argillitization of primary plagioclase. Although the extremely altered zone contains intensely altered remnants of the original rock, the extremely altered zone is distinguished by intense oxidation products (carbonate minerals and quartz, with significant amounts of secondary Cr-muscovite and hematite). The mineralogical studies are imposed on the millimeter and the micrometer scale in this important hydrogeothermal system. Except for Ca and Mg, most of the major elements are depleted at the extremely altered zone. However, the extremely altered zone is enriched in trace elements (Cr, Mn, Co, and Ni). The major elements of the extremely altered zone reflect the significant alterations (desilication, muscovitization, and carbonatization). These alteration processes have taken place in the hydrogeothermal system in the extremely altered zone. The geothermal fluid is responsible for these hydrothermal alterations. High fO₂ and high temperature are characteristic features of this fluid. Then, the high-field-strength elements such as Zr, Ti, and P are depleted as a significant hydrothermal alteration. Also, nuclear elements with the anion of (CO₃)^2? can travel as molecular complexes (carbonates), as long as the chemical and structural conditions are suitable for the movement of these elements from the metarhyolite dyke to redeposit and accumulate in another geologic formation. The rare earth elements La and Ce, as well as Yb and Lu, are partially mobilized during intensity alterations. The rare earth elements (REEs) are depleted in abundance with enrichment of CO₂ from the weakly altered zone to the extremely altered zone. The REE budget is decreased from the weakly altered zone to the extremely altered zone as 121.17 to (27.38???16.52), respectively. The significant depletion of ∑REEs is controlled by dissolution of monazite. Monazite breakdown and even apatite formation can be caused by alkaline fluid. This fluid is related to event and thermal stage. However, the negative anomaly of Eu can be noticed in all studied samples. Then, Eu anomaly may be formed from plagioclase fractionation. The weakly altered metarhyolite zone and orthogneiss have lower HREE/LREE (0.07–0.11), respectively, relative to the extremely altered metarhyolite zone (0.17???0.2). Even all studied samples at two significant zones are characterized by the enrichment of ∑LREEs relative to ∑HREEs.     

Palynostratigraphy and palaeoenvironmental significance of the Cretaceous palynomorphs in the Qattara Rim-1X well,North Western Desert,Egypt

Palynological and palynofacies analyses were carried out on some Cretaceous samples from the Qattara Rim-1X borehole, north Western Desert, Egypt. The recorded palynoflora enabled the recognition of two informal miospore biozones arranged from oldest to youngest as Elaterosporites klaszii-Afropollis jardinus Assemblage Zone (mid Albian) and Elaterocolpites castelainii–Afropollis kahramanensis Assemblage Zone (late Albian–mid Cenomanian). A poorly fossiliferous but however, datable interval (late Cenomanian–Turonian to ?Campanian–Maastrichtian) representing the uppermost part of the studied section was also recorded. The palynofacies and visual thermal maturation analyses indicate a mature terrestrially derived organic matter (kerogen III) dominates the sediments of the Kharita and Bahariya formations and thus these two formations comprise potential mature gas source rocks. The sediments of the Abu Roash Formation are mostly dominated by mature amorphous organic matter (kerogen II) and the formation is regarded as a potential mature oil source rock in the well. The palynomorphs and palynofacies analyses suggest deposition of the clastics of the Kharita and Bahariya formations (middle Albian and upper Albian–middle Cenomanian) in a marginal marine setting under dysoxic–anoxic conditions. By contrast, the mixed clastic-carbonate sediments of the Abu Roash Formation (upper Cenomanian–Turonian) and the carbonates of the Khoman Formation (?Campanian–Maastrichtian) were mainly deposited in an inner shallow marine setting under prevailing suboxic–anoxic conditions as a result of the late Cenomanian and the Campanian marine transgressions. This environmental change from marginal to open (inner shelf) basins reflects the vertical change in the type of the organic matter and its corresponding hydrocarbon-prone types. A regional warm and semi-arid climate but with a local humid condition developed near/at the site of the well is thought to have prevailed.     

Effect of irrigation with olive mill wastewater on soil hydraulic and solute transport properties

To evaluate the effect of olive mill wastewater (OMW) application on soil hydraulic and transport properties, two treatment sites, which had been irrigated with OMW for 5 and 15 years, and one control site being irrigated with freshwater were compared. The transport and leaching experiment results showed that a portion of the total soil water was available for transport processes while the remaining of the soil water was considered immobile and not readily accessible for solutes. The separation in water fractions of different mobilities was surprisingly consistent among OMW treatments. The bromide recovery rate decreased with the application of OMW showing that tracer molecules became trapped within immobile water phases. The application of OMW increased significantly the soil water-holding capacity, whereas the soil hydraulic conductivity in the near saturation range decreased significantly with long-term OMW application. The soil irrigated with OMW had significantly higher organic matter content, lower bulk density and relatively higher total porosity, but lower macroporosity than that of control sites. We concluded that the soil was increasingly coated with complex organic molecules originating from OMW, as a result, solute exchange between inter- and intrasoil aggregate water was hindered. Although OMW could cause soil and water pollution, its use in agriculture is promoted because of high nutrients and organic matter contents.