Variability of meteorological elements shaping biometeorological conditions in Szczecin, Poland

In this study, the time and spatial variability of perceptible conditions, determined on the basis of effective temperature in the area of the Szczecin agglomeration are presented. The study was based on air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed data acquired during 2005?C2007 from three emissions stations located in the centre and on the outskirts of the city of Szczecin, Poland. The differences in the values of the measured meteorological components between the studied city locations, in terms of their magnitude and daily structure, were analysed by month and calendar season. The results demonstrate that the temperatures in the city centre were considerably higher throughout the daily cycle, which was most evident during the summer in contrast to winter when the differences were the lowest. Mainly June and July, at 17?C24 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), were characterized by the average highest intensity of the urban heat island. Reduced relative humidity in the centre of Szczecin, as compared to the suburban areas, was observed particularly during summer. Throughout the daily cycle, this trend was also observed during spring, primarily during the night. Wind speed within the congested housing in the centre of Szczecin was over two-fold lower as compared to the unbuilt-up areas of the outskirts, irrespective of the time of the day and season of the year. Modification of the air humidity, thermal and anemometric conditions was reflected in a considerable variation in heat perception. In summer and spring, between 1300 and 2100 UTC, the most burdening biometeorological conditions, sensed as ??hot?? and ??very hot?? weather, prevailed in the city centre. During winter, on the other hand, the unbuilt-up areas on the city outskirts were the most unfavourable in terms of biothermal conditions, with the predominant categories of perceptible weather conditions throughout the daily cycle being ??cold?? and ??very cold??.     

Fuzzy logic circulation types based on the Osuchowska-Klein classification system created for Poland

Fuzzy logic was applied as a methodology to create an objective calendar of daily atmospheric circulation based on an existing atmospheric circulation classification system for Poland called the Osuchowska-Klein method, which includes 13 circulation patterns. In this study, circulation patterns given by Osuchowska-Klein were expressed as normalized values of sea level pressure in a regular 5°?×?5° grid over the area of interest. Cases of daily atmospheric circulation (i.e., normalized values for the same domain) observed from January 1948 to December 2007 were defined in the same manner. The pattern-matching procedure employed in the study was made objective with the application of fuzzy logic sets in a few steps as follows: (1) discrimination and grouping of grid points as well as their classification in order to clearly define each Osuchowska-Klein circulation pattern, (2) calculation of the similarity between observed normalized pressure and that of the pattern at each selected grid point using a membership function, (3) determination of the degree of fulfillment for every class of grid points, (4) determination of the degree of a case and pattern, (5) selection of the circulation type for a particular day based on the degree of fulfillment for each pattern. The largest value of the degree of fulfillment indicates the type of circulation pattern on any given day. Finally, a validation of the obtained results is discussed. This was accomplished using the chi-square test and a comparison of consistency between the traditional and objective approach types. The results do show some differences between the subjective and objective methods, however, they are not major differences, especially when taking into account the fact that the two methods are quite different, as well as the complex nature of pressure systems.     

New Methods for Modeling Laterolog Resistivity Corrections

The paper presents methods for laterolog response modeling. In Coulomb’s charges method, Laplace’s equation is solved for the electric field distribution in rock medium with internal boundaries between different resistivity layers. There, the boundary problem is reduced to Fred-holm integral equation of the second kind. The second method uses a finite element array to model apparent resistivity from laterolog. The task is treated as DC problem and the Laplace equation is solved numerically. The presented methods were applied to borehole data covering a typical stratigraphie section of the Fore-Sudetic Monocline in southwestern Poland. Apparent resistivity was calculated using the Coulomb’s charges method and alternatively modeled using a finite element method which gave similar results. Then, a series of linear corrections for borehole, shoulder bed, and filtration effects for apparent resistivity obtained by the Coulomb’s charges method demonstrated the feasibility of calculating true resistivity of virgin and invaded zones. The proposed methods provide a flexible solution in modeling which can be adapted to other logs.     

Mineralogical and geochemical constraints on environmental impacts from waste rock at Taojiang Mn-ore deposit,central Hunan,China

The mineralogy and geochemistry of the waste rocks distributed at Taojiang Mn-ore deposit, central Hunan province, China, were studied using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) fitted with energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrum (atomic emission spectra) ICP-MS (AES), with the aim of predicting the environmental impacts of weathering of the waste rocks. The mineralogical results from microscope observation and XRD and EMPA studies show that the waste rock is composed of black shale and minor Mn carbonates. The oxidation of sulfide minerals such as galena, pyrite and chalcopyrite is accompanied by decomposition of Mn carbonates and K-feldspar during exposure to atmospheric O₂. The geochemical characteristics of major, rare earth elements (REE) and trace elements of the waste rocks also show that the waste rock can be divided into black shale and Mn carbonate, and both of them are currently under chemical weathering. The major alkalies and alkaline elements (Ca, Mg, Na, K, Rb, Sr and Cs) and major elements (Fe, S and P) and heavy metals (Sc, V, Cr, Th, U, Sn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Mo, Cd, Sb, an Tl) are being released during weathering. The mobility of alkalis and alkaline elements Ca, Mg, Na, K, Rb, Sr and Cs is controlled by decomposition of Mn carbonates. The dispersion of Cr, Sc and Th (U) might be related to weathering of K-feldspar, and the release of the heavy metals Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Mo, Cd Sb and Tl is dominated by the breaking of sulfide minerals. The REE of the waste rocks and surrounding soils and the spidery distribution patterns of heavy metals in the waste rocks, the surrounding soils and the surface waters show that weathering of the waste rocks and bedrock might be the sources of heavy metal contamination for the surrounding soils and surface water system for the mining area. This is predicted by the mass-balance calculation by using Zr as an immobile element. Therefore, it is urgently necessary take measures to treat the waste rocks distributed throughout the area for the local environmental protection.     

Magnetic,paleomagnetic and palynologic studies of Paleolithic depositions of the Akhshtyrskaya cave (Russia)

The paper presents the results of experimental rock-magnetic, paleomagnetic and palynologic study of Paleolithic sediments sampled along two profiles in the Akhshtyrskaya cave, situated in the vicinity of Black Sea shore. In the upper part of profiles, some magnetite was observed; in the middle and lower parts, strongly oxidized non-stoichiometric magnetite and hematite prevail. Thin maghemite covers on the surface of fine magnetite grains are present in the majority of specimens. Natural remanence has one characteristic component (CHRM), mostly of chemical origin, although in few specimens containing magnetite it may be sedimentary. Directions of CHRM obtained by standard paleomagnetic methods revealed anomalous pattern only in layer 3/2, which is slightly older than the overlying layer 3/1 whose age was established as (35±2)×10³ years BP by the U-Th method. This suggests that this paleomagnetic anomaly (PMA) can be correlated with Kargapolovo excursion dated on about (45−39)×10³ years BP. In the remaining overlying and underlying layers, directions of CHRM are grouped around the present geomagnetic field. Depth distributions of scalar magnetic parameters generally coincide with the lithological division of the profiles. Palynologic study revealed the presence of 22 pollen zones. Five thermomers separated with colder periods were found in the middle and lower parts of profile. The non-magnetite composition of magnetic fraction of the majority of studied sediments — oxidized nonstoichiometric magnetite and hematite — resulted in the lack of correlations between paleoclimatic and scalar magnetic characteristics.     

Elastic parameters of rocks from well logging in near surface sediments

Acoustic full waveforms recorded in wells are the simplest way to get the velocity of P, S, and Stoneley waves in situ. Processing and interpretation of acoustic full waveforms in hard formations does not generate problems with identification packets of waves and calculation of their slowness and arrivals, and determination of the elastic parameter of rocks. But in shallow intervals of wells, in soft formations, some difficulties arise with proper evaluation of the S-wave velocity due to the lack of refracted S wave in case when its velocity is lower than the velocity of mud. Dynamic approach to selection of a proper value of semblance to determine the proper slowness and arrival is presented. Correlation between the results obtained from the proposed approach and the theoretical modeling is a measure of the correctness of the method.     

The assessment of environmental pollution caused by mining and metallurgy wastes from highly polluted post-industrial regions in Southern Poland

Stored metallurgy and mining wastes contain relatively high amounts of potentially toxic elements. To monitor the distribution of contaminants originating from dumps, the chemical and physical properties of the wastes must be characterised. In this study, the chemical properties of wastes deposited in two different locations in Southern Poland (Szklary and Zloty Stok) were evaluated. Heaps located in Zloty Stok contain wastes from gold mineralisation comprising arsenic while wastes in Szklary originate from a factory that produced an iron-nickel alloy. In Szklary the total concentrations of Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cr, Co, Cu, Ni, Tl, Ag, Cd and Pb were determined, while in Zloty Stok also As is an important contaminant. To assess the risk of contamination of the surrounding environment and to select the proper method for removing the contaminants, information on the distribution of elements between operationally defined phases must be obtained. For this purpose, a six-step sequential extraction was used. The mobility of most elements in the wastes from Szklary and Zloty Stok was relatively low; however, the large amount of As, 40–180 mg L^?1, that could be released to environment in case of Zloty Stok was high. The results of fractionation studies indicated that Ag, Cd, Tl, Co, Cu, Cr, Pb, Zn and Mn may be released into environment under low pH and low redox potential conditions, which can be induced by bacterial activity.