Experimental evidence of fast groundwater responses in a hillslope/floodplain area in the Black Forest Mountains,Germany

Analysis of water flow pathways from hillslopes to streams is essential for the optimal protection of water resources as well as for ecohydrological studies. This study addresses runoff generation processes at a hillslope and near‐stream shallow groundwater system in the Black Forest Mountains, southwestern Germany. The changing spatial and temporal flow patterns during differing hydrological situations were examined using a combined hydraulic and hydrochemical approach. Groundwater levels at 10 wells, discharge at a near‐stream saturated area, and several natural tracers (deuterium, dissolved silica, and major anions and cations) were observed at different locations during high and low flows. The importance of the groundwater component during flood formation was clearly demonstrated: its contribution was about 80% during a double peak flood event at the saturated area. In addition, a rapid change of the shallow groundwater levels was observed along two transects of groundwater wells in the floodplain. This led to an enhanced groundwater discharge into the saturated area located at the end of one study transect. The amount of groundwater additionally activated during the event was about 30% of total discharge recorded at the outlet of the saturated area. Two alternative hypotheses are discussed to explain this phenomenon: the establishment of locally confined conditions and the development of a pressure wave (hypothesis A), or the significant change of the three‐dimensional groundwater flow lines that caused a large increase of the groundwater catchment at the saturated area during the investigated event (hypothesis B). Even if the exact flow paths and mechanisms could not be clearly identified, the importance of rapid responding hillslope groundwater was undoubtedly demonstrated by a combination of tracer and hydrometric methods. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Shocked rocks and impact glasses from the El'gygytgyn impact structure,Russia

Abstract— The El'gygytgyn impact structure is about 18 km in diameter and is located in the central part of Chukotka, arctic Russia. The crater was formed in volcanic rock strata of Cretaceous age, which include lava and tuffs of rhyolites, dacites, and andesites. A mid‐Pliocene age of the crater was previously determined by fission track (3.45 ± 0.15 Ma) and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating (3.58 ± 0.04 Ma). The ejecta layer around the crater is completely eroded. Shock‐metamorphosed volcanic rocks, impact melt rocks, and bomb‐shaped impact glasses occur in lacustrine terraces but have been redeposited after the impact event. Clasts of volcanic rocks, which range in composition from rhyolite to dacite, represent all stages of shock metamorphism, including selective melting and formation of homogeneous impact melt. Four stages of shocked volcanic rocks were identified: stage I (≤35 GPa; lava and tuff contain weakly to strongly shocked quartz and feldspar clasts with abundant PFs and PDFs; coesite and stishovite occur as well), stage II (35–45 GPa; quartz and feldspar are converted to diaplectic glass; coesite but no stishovite), stage III (45–55 GPa; partly melted volcanic rocks; common diaplectic quartz glass; feldspar is melted), and stage IV (>55 GPa; melt rocks and glasses). Two main types of impact melt rocks occur in the crater: 1) impact melt rocks and impact melt breccias (containing abundant fragments of shocked volcanic rocks) that were probably derived from (now eroded) impact melt flows on the crater walls, and 2) aerodynamically shaped impact melt glass “bombs” composed of homogeneous glass. The composition of the glasses is almost identical to that of rhyolites from the uppermost part of the target. Cobalt, Ni, and Ir abundances in the impact glasses and melt rocks are not or only slightly enriched compared to the volcanic target rocks; only the Cr abundances show a distinct enrichment, which points toward an achondritic projectile. However, the present data do not allow one to unambiguously identify a meteoritic component in the El'gygytgyn impact melt rocks.     

Rain properties controlling soil splash detachment

Laboratory experiments have been conducted to study the effects of various rain properties on sand detachment resulting from raindrop impact. Splash cups were exposed to simulated rainfall intensities ranging between 10 and 140 mm h⁻¹. The detached sand was collected and weighed whereas rain intensity, equivalent drop diameter and fall velocity of raindrops were measured with an optical spectro‐pluviometer (OSP). The properties of the simulated rain (i.e. median volume diameter and kinetic energy) were compared with those observed in natural conditions. Statistical analyses have been undertaken in order to evaluate which rain variable best predicts the mass of sand detached. Linear and non‐linear correlations between the mass of detached sediment and the product of drop size (d) by drop velocity (v), i.e. D^αV^β, with values of α varying between 1 and 6 and β between 0 and 3, have been computed. The results indicate that the coefficient of determination (R²) for α ranging between 3 and 5 and β lower or equal to 2 are satisfying. Although kinetic energy (D³V²) described splash detachment relatively well, the product of momentum by drop diameter (D⁴V) was slightly superior in describing splash detachment. Therefore, the momentum multiplied by the drop diameter is recommended as the best rain variable to describe splash detachment. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Application of nondestructive testing methods to study the damage zone underneath impact craters of MEMIN laboratory experiments

Abstract– Within the framework of the Multidisciplinary Experimental and Modeling Impact Research Network (MEMIN) research group, the damage zones underneath two experimentally produced impact craters in sandstone targets were investigated using several nondestructive testing (NDT) methods. The 20 × 20 × 20 cm sandstones were impacted by steel projectiles with a radius of 1.25 mm at approximately 5 km s^?1, resulting in craters with approximately 6 cm diameter and approximately 1 cm depth. Ultrasound (US) tomography and vibrational analysis were applied before and after the impact experiments to characterize the damage zone, and micro‐computer tomography (μ‐CT) measurements were performed to visualize subsurface fractures. The newly obtained experimental data can help to quantify the extent of the damage zone, which extends to about 8 cm depth in the target. The impacted sandstone shows a local p‐wave reduction of 18% below the crater floor, and a general reduction in elastic moduli by between approximately 9 and approximately 18%, depending on the type of elastic modulus. The results contribute to a better empirical and theoretical understanding of hypervelocity events and simulations of cratering processes.     

Recovering physical parameters from galaxy spectra using MOPED

We derive physical parameters of galaxies from their observed spectra using MOPED, the optimized data compression algorithm of Heavens, Jimenez & Lahav. Here we concentrate on parametrizing galaxy properties, and apply the method to the NGC galaxies in Kennicutt's spectral atlas. We focus on deriving the star formation history, metallicity and dust content of galaxies. The method is very fast, taking a few seconds of CPU time to estimate ∼17 parameters, and is therefore specially suited to studying large data sets, such as the Anglo-Australian two-degree-field (2dF) galaxy survey and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Without the power of MOPED, the recovery of star formation histories in these surveys would be impractical. In Kennicutt's atlas, we find that for the spheroidals a small recent burst of star formation is required to provide the best fit to the spectrum. There is clearly a need for theoretical stellar atmospheric models with spectral resolution better than 1 Å if we are to extract all the rich information that large redshift surveys contain in their galaxy spectra.     

Groundwater Modeling in Integrated Water Resources Management—Visions for 2020

Groundwater modeling is undergoing a change from traditional stand-alone studies toward being an integrated part of holistic water resources management procedures. This is illustrated by the development in Denmark, where comprehensive national databases for geologic borehole data, groundwater-related geophysical data, geologic models, as well as a national groundwater-surface water model have been established and integrated to support water management. This has enhanced the benefits of using groundwater models. Based on insight gained from this Danish experience, a scientifically realistic scenario for the use of groundwater modeling in 2020 has been developed, in which groundwater models will be a part of sophisticated databases and modeling systems. The databases and numerical models will be seamlessly integrated, and the tasks of monitoring and modeling will be merged. Numerical models for atmospheric, surface water, and groundwater processes will be coupled in one integrated modeling system that can operate at a wide range of spatial scales. Furthermore, the management systems will be constructed with a focus on building credibility of model and data use among all stakeholders and on facilitating a learning process whereby data and models, as well as stakeholders' understanding of the system, are updated to currently available information. The key scientific challenges for achieving this are (1) developing new methodologies for integration of statistical and qualitative uncertainty; (2) mapping geological heterogeneity and developing scaling methodologies; (3) developing coupled model codes; and (4) developing integrated information systems, including quality assurance and uncertainty information that facilitate active stakeholder involvement and learning.     

Comparative behavior of Sr, Nd and Hf isotopic systems during fluid-related deformation at middle crust levels

We have carried out a comparative Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf isotopic study of a progressively deformed hercynian leucogranite from the French Massif Central, belonging to the La Marche ductile shear zone, in order to investigate the respective perturbation of these geochronometers with fluid induced deformation. The one-meter wide outcrop presents a strongly deformed and mylonitized zone at the center, and an asymmetric deformation pattern with a higher deformation gradient on the northern side of the zone. Ten samples have been carefully collected every 10 cm North and South away from the strongest deformed mylonitic zone. They have been analyzed for a complete major, trace element data set, oxygen isotopes, Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf isotopic systematics.We show that most of major and trace elements except SiO₂, alkaline elements (K₂O, Rb), and some metal transition elements (Cu), are progressively depleted with increasing deformation. This depletion includes REE + Y, but also HFS elements (Ti, Hf, Zr, Nb) which are commonly considered as immobile elements during upper level processes. Variations in elemental ratios with deformation, e.g. decrease in LREE/MREE- HREE, Nd/Hf, Th/Sr, increase in Rb/Sr, U/Th and constant Sr/Nd, lead to propose the following order of element mobility: U ? Th > Sr = Nd ? Hf + HREE. We conclude in agreement with previous tectonic and metallogenic studies that trace element patterns across the shear zone result from circulation of oxidizing F-rich hydrothermal fluids associated with deformation. A temperature of the fluid of 470-480 °C can be deduced from the δ¹⁸O equilibrium between quartz-muscovite pairs.Elemental fractionation induces perturbation of the Rb-Sr geochronometer. The well-defined ⁸⁷Rb/⁸⁶Sr-⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr correlation gives an apparent age of 294 ± 19 Ma, slightly younger than the 323 ± 4 Ma age of leucogranites in this area. This apparent age is interpreted as dating event of intense deformation and fluid circulation associated with mass transfer, and exhumation of the ductile crust shortly after the leucogranite emplacement. Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf isochron-type diagrams do not define any correlation, because of the low fractionated Sm/Nd and Lu/Hf ratios. Isotopic data demonstrate that only the Lu-Hf geochronometer system is not affected by fluid circulation and gives reliable T_DM age (1.29 ± 0.03 Ga) and ε_Hf signatures. By contrast, the Sm-Nd geochronometer system gives erroneous old T_DM ages of 2.84-4 Ga. There is no positive ε_Nd-ε_Hf correlation, because of decreasing ε_Nd values with deformation at constant ε_Hf values. However, ε_Nd-ε_Hf values remain in the broad ε_Nd-ε_Hf terrestrial array, which strongly indicates that fluid-induced fractionation can contribute to the width of the terrestrial array. The strong ε_Hf negative values of the leucogranite are similar to metasedimentary granulitic xenoliths from the French Massif Central and confirm the generation of the leucogranite by several episodes of reworking of the lower crust.