Ferrous phosphate surface precipitates resulting from the reduction of intragrain 6-line ferrihydrite by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1

The reductive biotransformation of 6-line ferrihydrite located within porous silica (intragrain ferrihydrite) by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 was investigated and compared to the behavior of 6-line ferrihydrite in suspension (free ferrihydrite). The effect of buffer type (PIPES and NaHCO₃), phosphate (P), and an electron shuttle (AQDS) on the extent of reduction and formation of Fe(II) secondary phases was investigated under anoxic conditions. Electron microscopy and micro X-ray diffraction were applied to evaluate the morphology and mineralogy of the biogenic precipitates and to study the distribution of microorganisms on the surface of porous silica after bioreduction. Kinetic reduction experiments with free and intragrain ferrihydrite revealed contrasting behavior with respect to the buffer and presence of P. The overall amount of intragrain ferrihydrite reduction was less than that of free ferrihydrite [at 5 mmol L⁻¹ Fe(III)_T]. Reductive mineralization was not observed in the intragrain ferrihydrite incubations without P, and all biogenic Fe(II) concentrated in the aqueous phase. Irrespective of buffer and AQDS addition, rosettes of Fe(II) phosphate of approximate 20-30 μm size were observed on porous silica when P was present. The rosettes grew not only on the silica surface but also within it, forming a coherent spherical structure. These precipitates were well colonized by microorganisms and contained extracellular materials at the end of incubation. Microbial extracellular polymeric substances may have adsorbed Fe(II) promoting Fe(II) phosphate nucleation with subsequent crystal growth proceeding in different directions from a common center.     

Challenges of an integrated water resource management for the Distrito Federal, Western Central Brazil: climate, land-use and water resources

Land-use/cover change (LUCC) and climate change are major controlling factors for water resources in the Distrito Federal in Western Central Brazil. Dynamic LUCC in the region has severe impacts on water resources, while climate changes during the last three decades is thought to have only moderate effects. LUCC affects water quantity mostly during base flow conditions. River basins with substantial expansion of agriculture since the end 1970s show a dramatic decrease of base flow discharge by 40?C70%, presumably due to irrigation. In contrast, the effects of urbanization on runoff are less distinct, since factors controlling runoff generation might be more variable. For water quality, we found urban areas to have a strong influence on the parameters CSB, NH₄ ⁺, and suspended solids. In addition, we assume emerging pollutants, e.g. organic (micro)pollutants, might play a major role in the future. The project IWAS-áGUA DF focuses on creating the scientific base to face these problems in frame of an IWRM concept for the region. Results of our study will be a contribution to an IRWM concept for the Distrito Federal and will help to maintain high standards in water supply for the region.     

Artificial neural network forward modelling and inversion of electrokinetic logging data

An artificial neural network method is proposed as a computationally economic alternative to numerical simulation by the Biot theory for predicting borehole seismoelectric measurements given a set of formation properties. Borehole seismoelectric measurements are simulated using a finite element forward model, which solves the Biot equations together with an equation for the streaming potential. The results show that the neural network method successfully predicts the streaming potentials at each detector, even when the input pressures are contaminated with 10% Gaussian noise. A fast inversion methodology is subsequently developed in order to predict subsurface material properties such as porosity and permeability from streaming potential measurements. The predicted permeability and porosity results indicate that the method predictions are more accurate for the permeability predictions, with the inverted permeabilities being in excellent agreement with the actual permeabilities. This approach was finally verified by using data from a field experiment. The predicted permeability results seem to predict the basic trends in permeabilities from a packer test. As expected from synthetic results, the predicted porosity is less accurate. Investigations are also carried out to predict the zeta potential. The predicted zeta potentials are in agreement with values obtained through experimental self potential measurements.     

Geochemistry and mineralogy of arsenic in (natural) anaerobic groundwaters

Here new data from field bioremediation experiments and geochemical modeling are reported to illustrate the principal geochemical behavior of As in anaerobic groundwaters. In the field bioremediation experiments, groundwater in Holocene alluvial aquifers in Bangladesh was amended with labile water-soluble organic C (molasses) and MgSO₄ to stimulate metabolism of indigenous SO₄-reducing bacteria (SRB). In the USA, the groundwater was contaminated by Zn, Cd and SO₄, and contained <10 μg/L As under oxidized conditions, and a mixture of sucrose and methanol were injected to stimulate SRB metabolism. In Bangladesh, groundwater was under moderately reducing conditions and contained ∼10 mg/L Fe and ∼100 μg/L As. In the USA experiment, groundwater rapidly became anaerobic, and dissolved Fe and As increased dramatically (As > 1000 μg/L) under geochemical conditions consistent with bacterial Fe-reducing conditions. With time, groundwater became more reducing and biogenic SO₄ reduction began, and Cd and Zn were virtually completely removed due to precipitation of sphalerite (ZnS) and other metal sulfide mineral(s). Following precipitation of chalcophile elements Zn and Cd, the concentrations of Fe and As both began to decrease in groundwater, presumably due to formation of As-bearing FeS/FeS₂. By the end of the six-month experiment, dissolved As had returned to below background levels. In the initial Bangladesh experiment, As decreased to virtually zero once biogenic SO₄ reduction commenced but increased to pre-experiment level once SO₄ reduction ended. In the ongoing experiment, both SO₄ and Fe(II) were amended to groundwater to evaluate if FeS/FeS₂ formation causes longer-lived As removal. Because As-bearing pyrite is the common product of SRB metabolism in Holocene alluvial aquifers in both the USA and Southeast Asia, it was endeavored to derive thermodynamic data for arsenian pyrite to better predict geochemical processes in naturally reducing groundwaters. Including the new data for arsenian pyrite into Geochemist’s Workbench, its stability field completely dominates in reducing Eh–pH space and “displaces” other As-sulfides (orpiment, realgar) that have been implied to be important in previous modeling exercises and reported in rare field conditions.     

Recent Advances in Prediction and Processing of Strong Ground Motions

We present an overview of our recent results on utilizing small earthquakes in the earthquake engineering practice. Site-specific ground motion time-histories of large earthquakes can be successfully simulated using recordings of small earthquakes which are often referred to as 'empirical Green's functions' in seismology. Another important practical problem is whether and how these observations can be used in seismic risk studies which are based on empirical attenuation relations for ground motion parameters. We study a possibility of extrapolating attenuation relations for small earthquakes, to larger magnitudes using the data from the Garner Valley downhole array in Southern California. Finally we introduce efficient ground motion processing techniques in frequency- and time-domains and apply them to site response estimation.     

Temporal variation of tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic Basin

A total of 269 tropical storms and hurricanes originated in the North Atlantic basin from 1960–1989. Of these, 76 made landfall on the continental United states. This study divides the 76 tropical storms into their month of formation. Seasonal shifts in the principal areas of tropical cyclone formation over the Atlantic basin have been recognized for many decades. The results of the study suggest that the early and late season tropical cyclones develop in areas which are first affected by the position of the sun, resulting in an increase in water temperatures. These cyclones normally make landfall along the Gulf Coast and usually are of low intensity. Formation areas shift eastward in mid-summer with a slight increase in intensity. By late August and early September, the formation areas have extended to the Cape Verde Islands. These storms tend to strike the east coast of the US and are normally more intense. By the end of the hurricane season, the primary formation area has shifted back to the Gulf of Mexico, with low intensity storms affecting the Gulf Coast.     

Petrology of the Treknattan intrusion in the Fongen-Hyllingen complex, Trondheim region, Norway: a late intrusion into an evolved layered complex

The basic-ultrabasic Treknattan intrusion is an important example of a late intrusion in a solidified, evolved, layered complex and sheds light on possible mechanisms by which such associations may develop. The Treknattan intrusion, emplaced into the basic Fongen-Hyllingen intrusion shortly after the latter had solidified, consists mainly of massive or weakly layered peridotite (olivine ± Cr-spinel cumulate) and troctolite (plagioclase + olivine ± Cr-spinel cumulate). The mineral compositional range partially overlaps the most primitive end of the much larger variation-interval in the Fongen-Hyllingen intrusion. The margin of the Treknattan intrusion is sometimes outlined by massive feldspathic websterite which appears to have formed by reaction between magma and melts of gabbroic country rock. The parental magma appears to have been a relatively water-rich picritic basalt with a possible genetic relationship to the magma parental to the enveloping Fongen-Hyllingen intrusion, both displaying tholeiitic relationship between olivine and Ca-poor pyroxene, and having crystallized from relatively water-rich magmas with an early crystallization order of olivine ± Cr-spinel-plagioclase-Ca-rich pyroxene. The recognition of the Treknattan intrusion as a separate body suggests that the bulk composition of the Fongen-Hyllingen intrusion is dioritic rather than gabbroic as previously thought.     

The distribution of supermassive black holes in the nuclei of nearby galaxies

The growth of supermassive black holes by merging and accretion in hierarchical models of galaxy formation is studied by means of Monte Carlo simulations. A tight linear relation between masses of black holes and masses of bulges arises if the mass accreted by supermassive black holes scales linearly with the mass-forming stars and if the redshift evolution of mass accretion tracks closely that of star formation. Differences in redshift evolution between black hole accretion and star formation introduce a considerable scatter in this relation. A non-linear relation between black hole accretion and star formation results in a non-linear relation between masses of remnant black holes and masses of bulges. The relation of black hole mass to bulge luminosity observed in nearby galaxies and its scatter are reproduced reasonably well by models in which black hole accretion and star formation are linearly related but do not track each other in redshift. This suggests that a common mechanism determines the efficiency for black hole accretion and the efficiency for star formation, especially for bright bulges.     

Dawn; the Vesta–HED connection; and the geologic context for eucrites,diogenites, and howardites

The Dawn mission has provided new evidence strengthening the identification of asteroid Vesta as the parent body of the howardite, eucrite, and diogenite (HED) meteorites. The evidence includes Vesta's petrologic complexity, detailed spectroscopic characteristics, unique space weathering, diagnostic geochemical abundances and neutron absorption characteristics, chronology of surface units and impact history, occurrence of exogenous carbonaceous chondritic materials in the regolith, and dimensions of the core, all of which are consistent with HED observations and constraints. Global mapping of the distributions of HED lithologies by Dawn cameras and spectrometers provides the missing geologic context for these meteorites, thereby allowing tests of petrogenetic models and increasing their scientific value.