Assessment of spatial distribution of contaminants and their levels in soil and water resources of Calabar,Nigeria using geophysical and geological data

The contamination levels of soils and water resources in Calabar, Nigeria have been investigated using resistivity (vertical electrical sounding and electrical resistivity tomography), geochemical analyses of soil and water resources and textural analysis. Sixty randomly sited VES sites were investigated in two seasons while ERT investigations were performed along four profiles. The geochemical investigations were spread across seasons in order to track seasonal changes in physico-chemical parameters: hydrogen ion concentration (pH), electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, chloride ion (Cl^?), nitrate ion (\( {\text{NO}}_{ 3}^{ - } \)), bicarbonate (\( {\text{HCO}}_{ 3}^{ - } \)), sulphate ion (\( {\text{SO}}_{ 4}^{2 - } \)), calcium ion (Ca²⁺), sodium ion (Na⁺), potassium ion (K⁺) and magnesium ion (Mg²⁺). Additionally, concentrations of ammonium, aluminium and nitrite ions in soils were determined. Results show that ionic concentrations in the sand-dominated soils and water are within permissible limits and baseline standards. The resistivities follow known trends in the area. However, at the central waste disposal site, a localised thin (< 5 m), low resistivity (< 15 Ωm) anomaly suspected to be due to contamination by leachates was observed. Comparatively, the contaminated area is also characterised by marginal increase in ionic concentrations. Strong attenuation capacities of overlying and adjoining clay/lateritic sediments and optimal design of the waste dump site probably reduced the spread of contaminants. The contaminated zone need to be closely monitored so that it does not extend to the aquifers. Hence, all strategies presently being used in managing wastes in Calabar should be sustained.     

On the accuracy of the GPS L2 observable for ionospheric monitoring

The introduction of the unencrypted global positioning system (GPS) L2 civil (L2C) signal has the potential to improve measurements made with the L2 frequency, an important observable in GPS-based ionospheric research and monitoring. Recent work has shown significant differences between the legacy L2P(Y) and L2C-derived total electron content rate of change index (ROTI). This difference is observed between L2P(Y) and L2C-derived ROTI with certain receiver models and between zero-baseline receiver pairs. We discuss the likely cause for these differences: L1-aided tracking used to track both the L2P(Y) and L2C signals. We also present L2C data that are confirmed to be from tracking independent of L1. Using the ionospheric-free linear combination, we show that the independently tracked carrier phase dynamics are significantly more accurate than the L1-aided observables. This result is confirmed by comparing the behavior of the L2C and L2P(Y) carrier phase observables upon a sudden antenna rotation.     

Development of groundwater favourability map using GIS-based driven data mining models: an approach for effective groundwater resource management

The development of groundwater favourability map is an effective tool for the sustainability management of groundwater resources in typical agricultural regions, such as southern Perak Province, Malaysia. Assessing the potentiality and pollution vulnerability of groundwater is a fundamental phase of favourability mapping. A geographic information system (GIS)-based Boolean operator of a spatial analyst module was applied to combine a groundwater potentiality map (GPM) model and a groundwater vulnerability to pollution index (GVPI) map, thereby establishing the favourable zones for drinking water exploration in the investigated area. The area GPM model was evaluated by applying a GIS-based Dempster–Shafer–evidential belief function model. In the evaluation, six geoelectrically determined groundwater potential conditioning factors (i.e. overburden resistivity, overburden thickness, aquifer resistivity, aquifer thickness, aquifer transmissivity and hydraulic conductivity) were synthesized by employing the probability-based algorithms of the model. The generated thematic maps of the seven hydrogeological parameters of the DRASTIC model were considered as pollution potential conditioning factors and were analysed with the developed ordered weighted average–DRASTIC index model algorithms to construct the GVPI map. Approximately 88.8 and 85.71% prediction accuracies for the Groundwater Potentiality and GVPI maps were established using the reacting operating characteristic curve method and water quality status–vulnerability zone relationship scheme, respectively. Finally, the area groundwater favourability map (GFM) model was produced by applying a GIS-based Boolean operator on the Groundwater Potentiality and GVPI maps. The GFM model reveals three distinct zones: ‘not suitable’, ‘less suitable’ and ‘very suitable’ zones. The area analysis of the GFM model indicates that more than 50% of the study area is covered by the ‘very suitable’ zones. Results produce a suitability map that can be used by local authorities for the exploitation and management of drinking water in the area. The study findings can also be applied as a tool to help increase public awareness of groundwater issues in developing countries.     

SensePlace3: a geovisual framework to analyze place–time–attribute information in social media

SensePlace3 (SP3) is a geovisual analytics framework and web application that supports overview + detail analysis of social media, focusing on extracting meaningful information from the Twitterverse. SP3 leverages social media related to crisis events. It differs from most existing systems by enabling an analyst to obtain place-relevant information from tweets that have implicit as well as explicit geography. Specifically, SP3 includes not just the ability to utilize the explicit geography of geolocated tweets but also analyze implicit geography by recognizing and geolocating references in both tweet text, which indicates locations tweeted about, and in Twitter profiles, which indicates locations affiliated with users. Key features of SP3 reported here include flexible search and filtering capabilities to support information foraging; an ingest, processing, and indexing pipeline that produces near real-time access for big streaming data; and a novel strategy for implementing a web-based multi-view visual interface with dynamic linking of entities across views. The SP3 system architecture was designed to support crisis management applications, but its design flexibility makes it easily adaptable to other domains. We also report on a user study that provided input to SP3 interface design and suggests next steps for effective spatiotemporal analytics using social media sources.     

Two intriguing pluricolumnals (Crinoidea) from the Lower Palaeozoic of Powys and Shropshire

Complete fossils must be preferred to fragments for most palaeontological studies, but disarticulated specimens are nonetheless potential sources of noteworthy data. Two crinoid pluricolumnals are recorded from the lower Palaeozoic; informed discussion shows each is a basis for palaeobiological interpretation. Both are gracile and are probably belong to disparids. Floricrinus (col.) sp. is from the Silurian of Wenlock Edge, Shropshire, either from the Much Wenlock Limestone Formation (Wenlock) or, more likely, the Lower Elton Formation (Ludlow). This is the first crinoid from the Silurian of the British Isles with a pentapetaloid arrangement of the areola, a geometry common in the Middle-Upper Ordovician and higher in the geologic column. Pluricolumnal gen. et sp. indet. is from the Lower Llanvirn of Powys. One end of the otherwise straight specimen is tightly coiled. This is likely the proxistele, the most flexible region of the column, and the coiling occurred after the crown was lost by autotomy in response to an environmental disturbance.     

The role of hydrothermal fluids in sedimentation in saline alkaline lakes: Evidence from Nasikie Engida,Kenya Rift Valley

Saline alkaline lakes that precipitate sodium carbonate evaporites are most common in volcanic terrains in semi‐arid environments. Processes that lead to trona precipitation are poorly understood compared to those in sulphate‐dominated and chloride‐dominated lake brines. Nasikie Engida (Little Magadi) in the southern Kenya Rift shows the initial stages of soda evaporite formation. This small shallow (<2 m deep; 7 km long) lake is recharged by alkaline hot springs and seasonal runoff but unlike neighbouring Lake Magadi is perennial. This study aims to understand modern sedimentary and geochemical processes in Nasikie Engida and to assess the importance of geothermal fluids in evaporite formation. Perennial hot‐spring inflow waters along the northern shoreline evaporate and become saturated with respect to nahcolite and trona, which precipitate in the southern part of the lake, up to 6 km from the hot springs. Nahcolite (NaHCO₃) forms bladed crystals that nucleate on the lake floor. Trona (Na₂CO₃·NaHCO₃·2H₂O) precipitates from more concentrated brines as rafts and as bottom‐nucleated shrubs of acicular crystals that coalesce laterally to form bedded trona. Many processes modify the fluid composition as it evolves. Silica is removed as gels and by early diagenetic reactions and diatoms. Sulphate is depleted by bacterial reduction. Potassium and chloride, of moderate concentration, remain conservative in the brine. Clastic sedimentation is relatively minor because of the predominant hydrothermal inflow. Nahcolite precipitates when and where pCO₂ is high, notably near sublacustrine spring discharge. Results from Nasikie Engida show that hot spring discharge has maintained the lake for at least 2 kyr, and that the evaporite formation is strongly influenced by local discharge of carbon dioxide. Brine evolution and evaporite deposition at Nasikie Engida help to explain conditions under which ancient sodium carbonate evaporites formed, including those in other East African rift basins, the Eocene Green River Formation (western USA), and elsewhere.     

Community-based responses to climate hazards: typology and global analysis

Climatic Change - The severity and frequency of climate change hazards are increasing around the world. Because the impacts are most acutely felt in local communities, it is critical to improve...     

Environmental limitations on recruitment from seed in invasive Spartina densiflora on a southern European salt marsh

The South American cordgrass, Spartina densiflora, has invaded a range of different habitats that can support different native species assemblages on salt marshes in the Gulf of Cadiz, Spain. Little is known about the mechanisms of invasion. We examined the potential for seed germination and recruitment in a field transplant experiment, representing a wide range of environments, on elevational gradients across marshes with muddy and sandy sediments. The biotic resistance of native, perennial vegetation (where present) to recruitment of the alien was also investigated. Spartina densiflora seeds were able to germinate over a greater than 2-m range of elevation in the tidal frame. Germination success on unvegetated muddy sediments was related to sediment redox potential, with poor germination at strongly negative redox potentials on the lower sites. On sandy, well-drained sediments, germination was apparently constrained by water availability at the highest elevations. Comparison of vegetated and cleared plots on the upper marsh showed that there was a negative relationship between the presence of Atriplex portulacoides and germination on the muddy sediments. Recruitment (survival of seedlings for 12 weeks) was seen only on unvegetated muddy sediments at the highest elevation. Hence the invasive success and wide elevational tolerance of S. densiflora on the marshes of the Gulf of Cadiz are not reflected in its short-term ability to become established from its prolific seed production. Colonization of sub-optimal habitats may be largely by vegetative propagules and clonal growth.     

OPA 90's impact at reducing oil spills

OPA 90 set out stringent requirements and liabilities for tankers operating in US national waters. OPA 90 was in response to the public concern caused by the grounding of the Exxon Valdez in 1989. It made ship owners responsible for the cost of pollution incidents and required all tank ships/barges operating in US waters have double hulls by 2015. We model factors influencing oil spills and test whether OPA 90 helped reduce the number of those spills. After accounting for causal factors, both increased liability and double hulls were statistically significant factors in reducing the number of spills.