Determination of optimum relaxation coefficient using finite difference method for groundwater flow

Solution of Laplace’s equation can be done by iteration methods likes Jacobi, Gauss–Seidel, and successive over-relaxation (SOR). There is no new knowledge about the relaxation coefficient (ω) in SOR method. In this paper, we used SOR for solving Laplace’s differential equation with emphasis to obtaining the optimum (minimum) number of iterations with variations of the relaxation coefficient (ω). For this purpose, a code in FORTRAN language has been written to show the solution of a set of equations and its number of iterations. The results demonstrate that the optimum value of ω with minimum iterations is achieved between 1.7 and 1.9. Also, with increasing β?=??x/?y from 0.25 to 10, the number of iterations reduced and the optimum value is obtained for β?=?2.     

Estimating Curie Point Depth and Heat Flow Map for Northern Red Sea Rift of Egypt and Its Surroundings, from Aeromagnetic Data

In this study, we aim to map the Curie point depth surface for the northern Red Sea rift region and its surroundings based on the spectral analysis of aeromagnetic data. Spectral analysis technique was used to estimate the boundaries (top and bottom) of the magnetized crust. The Curie point depth (CPD) estimates of the Red Sea rift from 112 overlapping blocks vary from 5 to 20 km. The depths obtained for the bottom of the magnetized crust are assumed to correspond to Curie point depths where the magnetic layer loses its magnetization. Intermediate to deep Curie point depth anomalies (10–16 km) were observed in southern and central Sinai and the Gulf of Suez (intermediate heat flow) due to the uplifted basement rocks. The shallowest CPD of 5 km (associated with very high heat flow, ~235 mW m^?2) is located at/around the axial trough of the Red Sea rift region especially at Brothers Island and Conrad Deep due to its association with both the concentration of rifting to the axial depression and the magmatic activity, whereas, beneath the Gulf of Aqaba, three Curie point depth anomalies belonging to three major basins vary from 10 km in the north to about 14 km in the south (with a mean heat flow of about 85 mW m^?2). Moreover, low CPD anomalies (high heat flow) were also observed beneath some localities in the northern part of the Gulf of Suez at Hammam Fraun, at Esna city along River Nile, at west Ras Gharib in the eastern desert and at Safaga along the western shore line of the Red Sea rift. These resulted from deviatoric tensional stresses developing in the lithosphere which contribute to its further extension and may be due to the opening of the Gulf of Suez and/or the Red Sea rift. Furthermore, low CPD (with high heat flow anomaly) was observed in the eastern border of the study area, beneath northern Arabia, due to the quasi-vertical low-velocity anomaly which extends into the lower mantle and may be related to volcanism in northern Arabia. Dense microearthquakes seem to occur in areas where the lateral gradients of the CPD are steep (e.g. entrance of the Gulf of Suez and Brothers Island in the Red Sea). These areas may correspond to the boundaries between high and low thermal regions of the crust. Thus, the variations in the microseismic activity may be closely related to thermal structures of the crust. Indeed, shallow cutoff depths of seismicity can also be found in some geothermal areas (e.g. western area of Safaga city along the Red Sea coastal region and at Esna city along the River Nile). These facts indicate that the changes in the thickness of the seismogenic layer strongly depend on temperature. Generally, the shallow Curie point depth indicates that some regions in our study area are promising regions for further geothermal exploration particularly in some localities along the River Nile, Red Sea and Gulf of Suez coastal regions.     

Geochemical characteristics and spectrometric prospecting in the muscovite-bearing pegmatites and granites,southeastern Aswan,Egypt

Rare metal mineralization of Sn, Nb-Ta and W is encountered in the Gebel Dihmit area （GDA）, southeastern Aswan, Egypt. The mineralization is related to muscovite granites and their pegmatite derivatives. The pegmatites are divided into three types according to their main mineral assemblages： K-feldspar-muscovite-tourmaline, K-feldspar-albite-muscovite and albite-K-feldspar-lepidolite veins. Petrogenetic studies indicate that Sn and Nb-Ta mineralization extends from the late-magmatic stage to the pegmatite and hydrothermal stages of the （GDA） suite. The albite-K-feldspar-lepidolite granite is composed dominantly of albite, lepidolote, and quartz, with topaz, K-feldspar and amblygonite. The accessory minerals are zircon, monazite, pollucite, columbite-tantalite, microlite and Ta-rich cassiterite. Phenocrysts of quartz, topaz and K-feldspar contain abundant inclusions of albite laths and occasional lepidolite crystals along growth zones （snowball texture）, indicating simultaneous crystallization from a subsolvus, residual magma. The origin of the pegmatites is attributed to extreme differentiation by fractional crystallization of a granitic magma. The economic potential for rare metals was evaluated in the geochemical discrimination diagrams. Accordingly, some of the pegmatites are not only highly differentiated in terms of alkalis, but also the promising targets for small-scale Ta and, to a less extent, Sn. The pegmatites also provide the first example of Fe-Mn and Nb-Ta fractionation in successive generations of granites to cassiterite-bearing pegmatites, which perfectly ex- hibit similar fractionation trends established for primary columbite-tantalite in the corresponding categories of pegmatites. Uranium and Th of magmatic origin are indicated by the presence of thorite and allanite, whereas evidence of hydrothermal mineralization is the alteration of rock- foring minerals such as feldspar and the formation of secondary minerals such as uranophane..     

Geochemistry and spectrometric prospection of younger granites and granitic pegmatites bearing uranium mineralization at G. Kab El Rakeb area,Central Eastern Desert,Egypt

Acta Geochimica - The present study deals with the detailed field geology, mineralogy, geochemistry, and spectrometric prospection of rare metals and radioactive minerals associated with granitic...     

Stochastic analyses of maximum daily rainfall series recorded at two stations across the Mediterranean Sea

Independence, stationarity, homogeneity, trend, and periodicity tests are applied on 48-year-long complete and 79-year-long incomplete maximum daily rainfall series recorded at Alexandria, Egypt, and on 61-year-long maximum daily rainfall series recorded at Antalya, Turkey, which are located at the southeastern and northeastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The results indicate no significant trend and no periodicity in mean, and both series are independent and homogeneous. Linear regression trend test applied to the 10 % highest part of the Alexandria series indicated a significant increasing trend. Next, frequency analysis is applied on each of these series by the probability distributions of Gumbel, general extreme-values, three-parameter log-normal, Pearson-3, log-Pearson-3, log-logistic, generalized Pareto, and Wakeby. The distributions, except for the generalized Pareto and Wakeby, pass the χ ² and Kolmogorov–Smirnov goodness-of-fit tests at 90 % probability. By visual inspection of the plots of histograms together with the probability density functions, and by the results of the χ ², Kolmogorov–Smirnov, and probability plot correlation coefficient tests, the general extreme-value distribution whose parameters are computed by the method of probability-weighted moments is deemed to be suitable for these two maximum daily rainfall series.     

Geochemistry of lamprophyres associated with uranium mineralization, Southeastern Desert, Egypt

Two brecciated shear zones (NNW-SSE) are found crosscutting cataclastic rocks. The cataclastic rocks (3.0 km2) occupy the core of the granitic pluton and enclose a roof pendant of mafic-ultramafic rocks. The NNW-SSE-extending lamprophyre dykes vary in thickness from 0.5 m to 1 m and up to 800 m long, cutting the cataclastic rocks and are composed mainly of plagioclases, amphiboles, relics of pyroxenes and K-feldspar phenocrysts embedded in fine-grained groundmass. They are characterized as being peraluminous, calc-alkaline in composition (chemical trap) and enriched in calcite, sulfide and P2O5. The lamprophyres were affected by hydrothermal alteration (chlorite-carbonate alteration) while the cataclastic rocks were affected by diagenetic alteration (K-feldspar-albite alteration). Uranium mineralization is the product of hydrothermal events and has been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), involving primary uranium minerals (U3O8) and secondary uranium minerals (uranophane and beta-uranophane, kasolite, torbernite, autonite and meta-autonite) in addition to U- bearing minerals (astrocyanite, betafite and fergusonite). The presence of different mineral parageneses associated with clay minerals indicates that the lamprophyres were subjected to acidic and alkaline mineralizing solutions. Moreover, the U-Zr/U, U-Ce/U values show negative correlations, confirming U-enrichment in both cataclastic rocks and shear zones while the Th-eU/eTh, Th-Zr/Th and Th-Ce/Th values show negative correlations, indicating that the U-bearing solutions are rich in Th in the cataclastic rocks only.     

Simulating L-band emission of coniferous forests using a discrete model and a detailed geometrical representation

A discrete model, based on the radiative transfer theory, is used to simulate coniferous forest emissivity at L-band. Inputs to the model are given by using a detailed geometrical representation of Les Landes forest. Simulated emissivities are compared against EuroSTARRS campaign measurements, which were made over the same forest at nominally vertical polarization and several angles. The model has also been used to investigate the sensitivity of L-band radiometers to soil moisture under forests. Results of this investigation indicate that the soil contribution to emission is potentially appreciable, even under developed forests. This may be a useful result, in view of future satellite missions, such as SMOS and HYDROS.     

The importance of air escape processes in the formation of dish-and-pillar and teepee structures within modern and Precambrian fluvial deposits

Attributed to escape of water from unconsolidated deposits, teepee and dish-and-pillar structures are common features in the Late Proterozoic Torridonian red bed succession of NW Scotland. Study of the first annual flood on a modern depositional analogue, in Wadi Baysh, Saudi Arabia, revealed that a layer of mud, initially deposited across the alluvium, restricted the escape of air being displaced through the normally unconfined aquifer by waters entering the aquifer from the river channels. As air bubbled through high level pool-floor muds, it generated dish-and-pillar structures. The formation of teepee structures by similarly combined air and water escapes nearer to the channel later in the annual cycle of flooding is foreseen. It is suggested that the two sediment structures are generated in response to different parts of the aquifer recharge spectrum. The role of air displacement by influent waters is important in the initial phases of structure formation, and combined air and water escape creates greater disturbance to the sediments. The sedimentary structures formed are not, therefore, solely due to water escape, as has been previously suggested. Ephemeral seasonal flooding appears to have characterized the deposition of at least the Stoer Group and Diabaig Formation sediments in the Torridonian.