Step-on versus step-off signals in time-domain controlled source electromagnetic methods using a grounded electric dipole

The time-domain controlled source electromagnetic method is a geophysical prospecting tool applied to image the subsurface resistivity distribution on land and in the marine environment. In its most general set-up, a square-wave current is fed into a grounded horizontal electric dipole, and several electric and magnetic field receivers at defined offsets to the imposed current measure the electromagnetic response of the Earth. In the marine environment, the application often uses only inline electric field receivers that, for a 50% duty-cycle current waveform, include both step-on and step-off signals. Here, forward and inverse 1D modelling is used to demonstrate limited sensitivity towards shallow resistive layers in the step-off electric field when transmitter and receivers are surrounded by conductive seawater. This observation is explained by a masking effect of the direct current signal that flows through the seawater and primarily affects step-off data. During a step-off measurement, this direct current is orders of magnitude larger than the inductive response at early and intermediate times, limiting the step-off sensitivity towards shallow resistive layers in the seafloor. Step-on data measure the resistive layer at times preceding the arrival of the direct current signal leading to higher sensitivity compared to step-off data. Such dichotomous behaviour between step-on and step-off data is less obvious in onshore experiments due to the lack of a strong overlying conductive zone and corresponding masking effect from direct current flow. Supported by synthetic 1D inversion studies, we conclude that time-domain controlled source electromagnetic measurements on land should apply both step-on and step-off data in a combined inversion approach to maximize signal-to-noise ratios and utilize the sensitivity characteristics of each signal. In an isotropic marine environment, step-off electric fields have inferior sensitivity towards shallow resistive layers compared to step-on data, resulting in an increase of non-uniqueness when interpreting step-off data in a single or combined inversion.     

Metal Concentrations in the Coastal Fauna of the Caspian Sea

Ocean Science Journal - Metal concentrations were measured in predominant coastal fauna of the Caspian Sea including six macro-invertebrates (Mnemiposis leidyi, Balanus improvisus, Pontogammarus...     

Responses in Phenotypic Plasticity of Amaranthus palmeri and Polygonum orientale to Soil Factors under Different Habitats

The extension and structure of functional traits variation in response to different soil factors between invasive and native plants are poorly understood. Functional traits and soil factors of the invasive plant Amaranthus palmeri and its coexisting plant Polygonum orientale are investigated under three heterogeneous habitats: roadside (rs), wasteland (wl), and riverbank (rb) in Tianjin, China. The shoot dry weight (SDW) and leaf nitrogen (LN) of A. palmeri are significantly higher compared with P. orientale, while A. palmeri has significantly lower leaf dry weight (LDW), leaf area (LA), leaf carbon (LC), and leaf C/N ratio under different habitats. The larger phenotypic plasticity of A. palmeri is one of the important reasons for their successful invasion to heterogeneous habitats. Similarly, the soil water content (SWC) of both species shows a significant difference (p < 0.05) with maximum in riverbank habitat to lowest in roadside habitat. Soil N/P ratio, C/N ratio, and C/P ratio of rb habitats are significantly lower compared to wl and rs habitats (p < 0.05). A redundancy analysis indicates that SWC is the dominant soil factor affecting the functional traits of A. palmeri and P. orientale. However, A. palmeri forms an environmental adaptation strategy by changing traits of SDW, LN, and leaf C/N ratio, which is different from P. orientale by changing traits of LA and LDW.     

Changes in hydrodynamic process dominance (wave,tide or river) in foreland sequences: The subalpine Miocene Molasse revisited (France)

A comprehensive sedimentological study was undertaken in the Miocene of the subalpine massifs and southern Jura (France) with the aim to constrain the evolution of process changes in third-order sequences of peripheral foreland basins during the overfilled phase (i.e. sediment supply higher than accommodation space). Fieldwork analyses based on 35 sedimentological sections allowed the identification of four depositional models: wave dominated, mixed wave-tide, river to tide and river dominated. The sections were dated using chemostratigraphy (i.e. marine strontium isotopic ratios), revealing three-third-order sequences between the Upper Aquitanian and the Langhian. Chronostratigraphical and sedimentological results document prominent and recurrent changes in depositional models along third-order sequences: (i) in the earliest stage of the transgression, mixed-energy coastal environments influenced by the local coastal morphology prevailed (in palaeo-highs or incised valleys); (ii) during the course of the transgression, Gilbert delta deposits suggest a prominent steepening linked to a tectonic uplift in the proximal depozone (between the tectonically active frontal part of the orogenic wedge and the proximal foredeep). Instead, in the distal depozone (between the proximal foredeep and the proximal border of the flexural uplifted forebulge), deposits were characterized either by wave-dominated or mixed wave-tide environments and are likely eustatically-driven; (iii) during the maximum flooding stage, water depth remained shallow below the storm-weather wave base; and (iv) during the regression, the proximal depozone is characterized by the progradation of gravel-rich fan deltas. In the distal depozone, mixed wave-tide systems preceded the development of river to tidal depositional environments. These results were integrated and compared with facies models from other basin analogues worldwide. A model tackling the evolution of process changes within third-order sequences (of the overfilled phase) of foreland basins is proposed, thereby improving sequence stratigraphic predictions in foreland basins.     

Kinetics of DTPA extraction of Zn,Pb, and Cd from contaminated calcareous soils amended with sewage sludge

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of sewage sludge (SLU) amendment on the desorption characteristics of zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) in contaminated calcareous soils. Three levels of SLU (0, 1, and 3% w/w) were added to the two calcareous contaminated soils. Samples were incubated for 30 days and equilibrated with 0.005 M DTPA for 0.25 to 240 h. The addition of SLU significantly increased the amount of DTPA-extractable Zn in soils. While the amounts of Cd, Pb, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and pH showed a significant increase only in 3% w/w of SLU, with the exception of Cd desorption in 1% w/w of SLU, kinetics of Zn, Pb, and Cd extraction increased together with an increase in the level of applied SLU. The best models for describing desorption data were explicitly power function and Elovich. The rate constants of Zn and Pb had significant correlations with DTPA-extractable Zn and Pb, DOC and pH, which affect Zn and Pb desorption. Also, the rate constants of Cd had significant correlations with CEC that can be deemed as equivalent to the fact that Cd desorption is controlled by surface adsorption, particularly in the lower sludge application amount. These results can be used for management of sewage sludge application in contaminated calcareous soils.     

Enhancing Groundwater Remediation in Air Sparging by Changing the Pulse Duration

An important operation parameter in the design of a pulsed air sparging (PAS) system is the pulse duration (PD). To study the effect of the PD on the remediation process, a series of laboratory experiments and numerical simulations were performed. The experimental apparatus was a cylindrical tank, packed with fine sand and partially filled by water contaminated with toluene. Toluene concentrations in water and in effluent air were measured over time during the application of PAS, which was applied with three different PD. Next, the T2VOC model, an extension of the TOUGH2 simulation program, was used to simulate the two-phase flow and transport processes for these cases. The simulation model was calibrated to the experimental results, and then run with a range of PD values. Results showed that there exists an optimal PD which yields the highest remediation efficiency. Next, it was shown that this PD may be obtained by performing a PAS pilot test and measuring the groundwater pressure response in a monitoring well. The characteristic time which describes the exponential decay of the pressure response was shown to provide an adequate estimate for the optimal PD. The estimation improved by taking a number of injection cycles.     

Effect of Orientation on the Variability Pattern of Gamma-Ray Sources

Using a toy model, we demonstrate how the variability pattern of a relativistically moving source of radiation that is subject to the action of a transient force, depends on dynamical effects. The model is motivated by a recent analysis of radiative fronts in magnetized, relativistic jets, but is applicable also in other situations. The main effect analyzed in this paper is the strong dependence of the variability pattern on viewing angle, resulting from changes of the beaming cone of emission. In particular, it is shown that(1) the shape of the light curves reflects the time profile of the Doppler factor when viewing the source at large enough angles to its direction of motion, whereas at small viewing angles it is determined by the time evolution of the radiated power density; and(2) the characteristics of correlated emission depend strongly on viewing angle by virtue of either optical depth effects or the difference in beaming patterns of different radiation sources. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.