Geological controls on groundwater chemistry and arsenic mobilization: Hydrogeochemical study along an E–W transect in the Meghna basin, Bangladesh

Hydrogeochemical investigations along an E–W transect in the middle Meghna basin show groundwater chemistry and redox condition vary considerably with the change in geology. Groundwater in the Holocene shallow (<150 m bgl) alluvial aquifer in western part of the transect is affected by high arsenic concentration (As > 10 μg/l) and salinity. On the other hand, groundwater from the Pliocene Dupi Tila sandy aquifer in the eastern part is fresh and low in As (<10 μg/l). The Holocene shallow aquifers are high in dissolved As, , Fe and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), but generally low in and . High concentrations (250–716 mg/l) together with high DOC concentrations (1.4–21.7 mg/l) in these aquifers reflect active sources of degradable natural organic matter that drives the biogeochemical process. There is generally de-coupling of As from other redox-sensitive elements. In contrast, the Pliocene aquifers are low in As, and DOC. Molar ratio of /H₄SiO₄ suggests that silicate weathering is dominant in the deeper Holocene aquifers and in the Pliocene aquifers. Molar ratios of Cl⁻/ and Na⁺/Cl⁻ suggest mixing of relict seawater with the fresh water as the origin of groundwater salinity. Speciation calculations show that saturation indices for siderite and rhodochrosite vary significantly between the Holocene and Pliocene aquifers. Stable isotopes (δ²H and δ¹⁸O) in groundwater indicate rapid infiltration without significant effects of evaporation. The isotopic data also indicates groundwater recharge from monsoonal precipitation with some impact of altitude effect at the base of the Tripura Hills in the east. The results of the study clearly indicate geological control (i.e. change in lithofacies) on groundwater chemistry and distribution of redox-sensitive elements such as As along the transect.     

Wave passage and incoherency effects on seismic response of high arch dams

The effects of incoherency and wave-passage on the nonlinear responses of concrete arch dams are investigated in this study. A double curvature arch dam is selected as a numerical example. The reservoir is modeled as a compressible material and the foundation is modeled as a massless medium. Ground motion time-histories are artificially generated using the Monte Carlo simulation approach. Four different finite element models (FEM) are considered: uniform excitation; incoherence effect; wave passage effect; and both incoherence and wave passage effects. It was revealed that modeling multiple-supports excitation could have a significant impact on the structural response of the dam by inducing a pseudo-static effect. Also, it was concluded that the coherency effect overshadows the wave passage effect and the results obtained from non-uniform excitation of FEM, including the wave passage effect, is close to the results of the FEM when it is uniformly excited.     

Potability and hydrogeochemisty of the Sarma Stream water,Duzce, Turkey

The Sarma Stream is located in Turkey, southwest of the town of Akcakoca in the Duzce Province. It was decided that the Sariyayla reservoir should be built on the Sarma Stream in order to address the water needs of Akcakoca. This research was conducted in the Sarma Stream basin to determine the effects of environmental and hydrological processes. Samples of rocks, soil, stream water, rain, snowmelt and bed and suspended sediment were collected in the Sarma Stream basin. Geochemical and water chemistry analyses of the samples were performed at the ALS Global laboratories in Canada. The sandstone, which is easily weathering and rich by clay minerals, and soil samples cause the Sarma Stream to flow muddy in rainy season. The kaolinite, illite, montmorillonite and clay minerals that type of chlorite is found in the bed and suspended sediments of the Sarma Stream. The water of the Sarma Stream is rich in calcium and bicarbonate, the water type is Ca–HCO₃. Acid rain affects the dissolution of geological units and the abundance of principal ions. Some heavy metal and elements in the Sarma Stream basin waters exceed the drinking water limit values (e.g. Al, Fe, Mn, NH₄ and NO₃). Hence, water in the Sariyayla Reservoir should be treated.     

Impact of soil compaction and irrigation practices on salt dynamics in the presence of a saline shallow groundwater: An experimental and modelling study

Soil salt accumulation is a widespread problem leading to diminished crop yield and threatening food security in many regions of the world. The soil salinization problem is particularly acute in areas that lack adequate soil water drainage and where a saline shallow water table (WT) is present. In this study, we present laboratory-scale column experiments, extending over a period of more than 400 days that focus on the processes contributing to soil salinization. We specifically examine the combined impact of soil compaction, surface water application model and water quality on salt dynamics in the presence of a saline shallow WT. The soil columns (60 cm height and 16 cm diameter) were packed with an agricultural soil with bulk densities of 1.15 and 1.34 g/cm⁻³ for uncompacted and compacted layers, respectively, and automatically monitored for water content, salinity and pressure. Two surface water compositions are considered: fresh (deionized, DI) and saline water (~3.4 mS/cm). To assess the sensitivity of compaction on salt dynamics, the experiments were numerically modelled with the HYDRUS-1D computer program. The results show that the saline WT led to rapid salinization of the soil column due to capillarity, with the salinity reaching levels much higher than that at the WT. However, compaction layer provided a barrier that limited the downwards moisture percolation and solute transport. Furthermore, the numerical simulations showed that the application of freshwater can temporarily reverse the accumulation of salts in agricultural soils. This irrigation strategy can help, in the short-term, alleviate soil salinization problem. The soil hydraulic properties, WT depth, water quality, evaporation demand and the availability of freshwater all play a role in the practicability of such short-term solutions. The presence of a saline shallow WT would, however, rapidly reverse these temporary measures, leading to the recurrence of topsoil salinization.     

Petrographic and geochemical features of the dolostones at the Gölboğazı Formation (Upper Devonian), Southwest Konya,Turkey

This paper describes the occurrence of dolostone and the mechanism of dolomitization of the Upper Devonian Gölbo?az? Formation in the allochthonous Taurus Mountains Alada? unit in Turkey. The Upper Devonian Gölbo?az? Formation carbonates, with dominant ostracod-bearing mudstone and wackestone, formed tidal and subtidal environments, and some of these rocks were dolomitized from shallow to deep burial. On the basis of the field, the petrographic and geochemical features, four different replaceable and cement dolostone phases have been recognized. The replacive dolostones contain (1) very fine to fine crystalline planar-s dolostone (df1), (2) medium to coarse crystalline planar-s to planar-e dolostone (df2), (3) coarse to very coarse crystalline non-planar-a dolostone (df3), and (4) coarse to very coarse crystalline planar dolostone cement (df4). The replacive dolostones are disordered to moderate the ordered and calcium-rich. They are non-stoichiometric and have 46–59 mol% CaCO₃ and 41–54 mol% MgCO₃ total contents. The df1 dolostones have MgCO₃ contents of 41–54 mol%, the df2 dolostones have 41–53 mol%, the df3 dolostones have 49 mol%, and the df4 dolostones have 49–50 mol%, respectively. The Gölbo?az? dolostones have δ¹⁸O values of ?9.44 to ?2.20‰ Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite (VPDB) and δ¹³C values of ?1.58 to +2.52 VPDB. Sr, Na, Mn, and Fe concentrations of replacive dolostones are 74–184, 148–593, below detection level (bdl)–619, and 1049–9233 ppm, respectively. The petrographic and geochemical data demonstrate that the replacive dolostones occurred prior to the chemical compaction at shallow to intermediate burial depths from Late Devonian seawater and/or seawater lightly modified by water–rock interaction process and later recrystallized by basinal brines at increasing burial depths and temperature. The North American Shale Composite-normalized rare earth element values of both limestone and dolostone show very similar rare earth element patterns characterized by slightly or considerably negative cerium (Ce) anomalies and a clear depletion in all rare earth element species. The dedolomitization observed in the Gölbo?az? Formation is thought to occur by the oxidizing effect of the meteoric water in the shallow burial environment during the telodiagenesis.     

Investigation of structures in the Alabanda Bouleuterion by electrical resistivity method

The workspace as Bouleuterion (parliament house) is located in the ancient city of Alabanda far approximately 7 km from Aydin, Çine. The works on the city plan are still continued by the Department of Archeology in Adnan Menderes University. In this work, a geophysical study based on electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) approach is used to bring out the existence of the buried structures and situations of ruins in Bouleuterion. This study is a good example of implementation of the electrical resistivity method to the archeology in a specific area (Bouleuterion). Furthermore, the paper shows to researchers practically advantages and disadvantages of Wenner and dipole-dipole arrays that widely used in archeological prospection. Also with this work, a Bouleuterion has been subject of a geophysical article for the first time. By archeology and geophysics evaluations, it is proved that these ruins such as the cavea, stage, orchestra, and entrances are parts of the Bouleuterion.     

Determination of heavy metals in sediments of the Ergene River by BCR sequential extraction method

Utilizing the sequential extraction procedure (acid soluble, reducible, oxidizable, and residual) proposed by The European Community Bureau of Reference (BCR), the trace metals present in the sediments of the Ergene River, Turkey, were determined. The sediment samples were collected from 10 sampling sites and analyzed to identify the concentrations of cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, manganese, nickel, lead and zinc. The flame atomic absorption spectrometer was used for metal determination. The validation of the results was checked by the analysis of the BCR-701 standard reference material. The relationship existing between the sediment characteristics and metal fractions was identified using the correlation analysis. Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to find out the grouping of the sampling sites based on the similarities of the heavy metals in the bioavailable fraction. When the extractable amounts of heavy metals are considered, the quantity of the mobile fractions (viz., acid soluble, reducible, and oxidizable) of the heavy metals is observed to be higher when compared with that of the immobile fraction (residual). This might be caused by the anthropogenic sources. Besides, it was statistically discovered that the organic matter, pH and clay contents could influence the bonding of the analyte metals in various forms. The cluster analysis revealed three clusters of the sampling stations, with group I (S5-8) and group II (S3, S4 and S9) showing higher environmental risks. The risk assessment code indicated that the highly mobile soluble fractions of Mn, Zn, Cd and Co created a high environmental risk which could result in negative impacts on the aquatic biota.     

Effects of mining subsidence on masonry buildings in Zonguldak hard coal region in Turkey

Gallerias are the underground constructed results of mining. As these space in underground layers collapse, horizontal and vertical ground movements occur and movement which may reach the earth’s surface are known as mining subsidence. The result of underground displacement may cause surface ground movement which can be detrimental to masonry buildings especially in hard coal regions. Thorough familiarity with general and regional characteristics of an affected area can assist reduction of the effects. Zonguldak and the nearby settlement area, with a population of 300,000, constitute the centre of a hard coal basin where extensive mining has a history extending through 160 years. Mining constitutes the main economic activity in this region, and consequently influences every aspect of life. This study’s intent is to identify the effects of mining subsidence on masonry buildings in the mining area of Kozlu, Zonguldak, Turkey and illustrate them with selected images of damaged masonry buildings. Also included are satellite and mining galleria images.     

Paleoseismology of the Palu–Lake Hazar segment of the East Anatolian Fault Zone, Turkey

The East Anatolian Fault Zone (EAFZ) is among the most important active continental transform fault zones in the world as testified by major historical and minor instrumental seismicity. The first paleoseismological exploratory trenching study on the EAFZ was done on the Palu–Lake Hazar segment (PLHS), which is one of the six segments forming the fault zone, in order to determine its past activity and to assess its earthquake hazard.The results of trenching indicate that the latest surface rupturing earthquakes on this segment may be the Ms=7.1+ 1874 and Ms=6.7 1875 events, and there were other destructive earthquakes prior to these events. The recurrence interval for a surface rupturing large (M>7) earthquake is estimated as minimum 100±35 and maximum 360 years. Estimates for the maximum possible paleoearthquake magnitude are (Mw) 7.1–7.7 for the Palu–Lake Hazar segment based on empirical magnitude fault rupture relations.An alluvial fan dated 14,475–15,255 cal years BP as well as another similar age fan with an abandoned stream channel on it are offset in a left-lateral sense 175 and 160.5 m, respectively, indicating an average slip rate of 11 mm/year. Because 127 years have elapsed since the last surface rupturing event, this slip rate suggests that 1.4 m of left-lateral strain has accumulated along the segment, ignoring possible creep effects, folding and other inelastic deformation. A 2.5 Ma age for the start of left-lateral movement on the segment, and in turn the EAFZ, is consistent with a slip rate of 11 mm/year and a previously reported 27 km total left-lateral offset. The cumulative 5–6 mm/year vertical slip rate near Lake Hazar suggests a possible age of 148–178 ka for the lake. Our trenching results indicate also that a significant fraction of the slip across the EAFZ zone is likely to be accommodated seismically. The present seismic quiescence compared with the past activity (paleoseismic and historic) indicate that the EAFZ may be “locked” and accumulating elastic strain energy but could move in the near future.