Investigation of gas content of organic-rich shale:A case study from Lower Permian shale in southern North China Basin,central China

Measuring gas content is an essential step in estimating the commerciality of gas reserves. In this study,eight shale core samples from the Mouye-1 well were measured using a homemade patented gas desorption apparatus to determine their gas contents. Due to the air contamination that is introduced into the desorption canister, a mathematical method was devised to correct the gas quantity and quality.Compared to the chemical compositions of desorbed gas, the chemical compositions of residual gas are somewhat different. In residual gas, carbon dioxide and nitrogen record a slight increase, and propane is first observed. This phenomenon may be related to the exposure time during the transportation of shale samples from the drilling site to the laboratory, as well as the differences in the mass, size and adsorptivity of different gas molecules. In addition to a series of conventional methods, including the USBM direct method and the Amoco Curve Fit(ACF) method, which were used here for lost gas content estimation, a Modified Curve Fit(MCF) method, based on the 'bidisperse' diffusion model, was established to estimate lost gas content. By fitting the ACF and MCF models to gas desorption data, we determined that the MCF method could reasonably describe the gas desorption data over the entire time period, whereas the ACF method failed. The failure of the ACF method to describe the gas desorption process may be related to its restrictive assumption of a single pore size within shale samples. In comparison to the indirect method, this study demonstrates that none of the three methods studied in this investigation(USBM, ACF and MCF) could individually estimate the lost gas contents of all shale samples and that the proportion of free gas relative to total gas has a significant effect on the estimation accuracy of the selected method. When the ratio of free gas to total gas is lower than 45%, the USBM method is the best for estimating the lost gas content, whereas when the ratio ranges from 45% to 75% or is more than 75%, the ACF and MCF methods, are the best options respectively.     

Spatial and temporal analyses of air pollutants and meteorological driving forces in Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region,China

Due to its negative impact on the living environment of human beings, ambient air pollution has become a global challenge to human health. In this study, surface observations of six criteria air pollutants, including PM_2.5, PM₁₀, SO₂, NO₂, CO and O₃, were collected to investigate the spatial and temporal variation in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) region during 2013–2016 and to explore the relationships between atmospheric pollutants and meteorological variables using quantile regression model (QRM) and multiple linear regression model (MLRM). The results show that BTH region has experienced significant air pollution, and the southern part generally has more severe conditions. The annual average indicates clear decreasing trends of the particulate matters, SO₂ and CO concentrations over the last 4 years and slight increasing trends of NO₂ and O₃ in several cities. The seasonal and monthly characteristics indicate that the concentrations of five species reach their maxima in the winter and their minima in the summer, whereas O₃ has the opposite behaviour. Finally, the pseudo R² values show that the QRMs have the best performance in the winter, followed by spring, fall, and summer. Specifically, all the meteorological factors have significant impacts on air pollution but change with pollutants and seasons. The MLRM results are generally consistent with the QRM results in all seasons, and the inconsistencies are more common in the fall and winter. The results of this research provide foundational knowledge for predicting the response of air quality to climate change in the BTH region.     

内蒙古1∶5万乌音呼日勒庙等四幅区域地质矿产调查新进展

内蒙古1∶5万乌音呼日勒庙等四幅区域地质矿产调查项目取得的新进展及主要成果为: 根据岩石组合、动植物化石及同位素年龄等,重新厘定、划分了16个岩石地层填图单位,在多个组段沉积岩层位中首次发现丰富的动、植物化石,建立了各地层年代学格架; 将侵入岩重新解体划分为4个填图单元,并建立了侵入岩年代学格架; 新发现1处规模较大的韧性变形带,主要为逆—左行走滑韧性断层,时代归属于中三叠世末期,为额尔古纳河—阿龙山NE向韧性变形域的南部延伸; 新发现矿(化)点20处,其中金属矿点3处,金属矿化点6处,非金属矿点9处,非金属矿化点2处; 总结了该区成矿规律,圈定了成矿远景区及找矿靶区。     

Geochemistry of organic matter and elements of black shale during weathering in Northern Guizhou,Southwestern China: Their mobilization and inter-connection

Different from previous studies on effect of weathering upon geochemical variation along a single weathered profile, this paper provides a new methodology validated by comparing a weathered outcrop samples and their stratigraphic counterpart un-weathered core samples in a nearby shallow borehole. This outcrop and borehole penetrated the Ordovician-Silurian Wufeng–Longmaxi shales, located in the same anticline structure in the northern part of Guizhou Province, Southern China. The mineral composition, major, trace and rare earth elements (REEs) composition and Rock-Eval parameters of outcrop and core samples were analyzed and compared. Organic matter (OM) was observed in the microscope and extracted for elements analysis. The results show that short-term weathering still has significant influence on OM, mineral and elemental composition of black shales. The elements composition shows the outcrop profile was moderately weathered. The REEs compositions do not alter much during weathering process and the REEs composition and their relative ratios still are valid for rock origin determination. The OM, mainly composed by graptolite and bitumen, even entering the highly-over thermal maturity, is still sensitive to the weathering with a systematic loss 30–50% of TOC along the outcrop profile, which suggests that the OM consumption is predominantly controlled by weathering duration and the distance from the weathering surface. In turn, OM has significant influence on the trace elements transportation behavior during weathering. Some trace elements associated with the OM such as V, Cr, Th, U, Ni and Co, change significantly in their absolute concentration during weathering, but their relative ratios do not necessarily change too much and might be still reliable proxies for paleo-environmental determination. The mobility of shale minerals during weathering is in the following order: plagioclase?>?potassium feldspar and dolomite >pyrite and OM. Short-term weathering can also result in considerable transportation of elements and significant variation of minerals content in black shale, which may pose potentially high environmental and engineering risk in the regions rich in black shale.     

Prediction of open stope hangingwall stability using random forests

Natural Hazards - The prediction of open stope hangingwall (HW) stability is a crucial task for underground mines. In this paper, a relatively novel technique, the random forest (RF) algorithm, is...     

Evaluating climate change adaptation efforts on the US 50 states’ hazard mitigation plans

Climate change brings uncertain risks of climate-related natural hazards. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA in Climate change: long-term trends and their implications for emergency management, 2011. https://www.fema.gov/pdf/about/programs/oppa/climate_change_paper.pdf) has issued a policy directive to integrate climate change adaptation actions into hazard mitigation programs, policies, and plans. However, to date there has been no comprehensive empirical study to examine the extent to which climate change issues are integrated into state hazard mitigation plans (SHMPs). This study develops 18 indicators to examine the extent of climate change considerations in the 50 SHMPs. The results demonstrate that these SHMPs treat climate change issues in an uneven fashion, with large variations present among the 50 states. The overall plan quality for climate change considerations was sustained at an intermediate level with regard to climate change-related awareness, analysis, and actions. The findings confirm that climate change concepts and historic extreme events have been well recognized by the majority of SHMPs. Even though they are not specific to climate change, mitigation and adaptation strategies that can help reduce climate change risks have been adopted in these plans. However, the plans still lack a detailed assessment of climate change and more incentives for collaboration strategies beyond working with emergency management agencies.     

FY-3 A/MERS I积雪制图中NDS I指标建立及积雪判识模型研究 ——以祁连山区为例

我国新型自主的极轨气象卫星风云3号A星（简称FY-3A）上搭载的中分辨率光谱成像仪（MERSI）为大面积雪监测提供了新的遥感数据源。以中国西北祁连山区为例,分析FY-3A/MERSI传感器积雪与其它地物的图谱特征差异,建立了适用于FY-3A/MERSI的归一化差分积雪指数（NDSI）,以此为基础,构建了综合利用多光谱判别指标及土地覆盖类型（LULC）定类辅助的积雪判识模型,生成250 m分辨率的日积雪制图产品。模型通过逐步逼近的树状判别结构,去除了易和积雪混淆的部分乔木林、云、云阴影、水体、湖冰、沙（盐）地等地物,并提出应考虑积雪下覆地表特性的影响,调整设定不同LULC类型的积雪判别阈值约束,实时结合区域LULC影像进行积雪的最终判定与优化。对祁连山区2010-2011年积雪季FY-3A/MERSI影像的积雪制图应用结果表明,该资料能够客观精细地反映积雪的空间分布与动态发展过程。同时利用气象台站积雪观测记录及Terra/MODIS积雪判识结果进行对比验证,结果表明基于FY-3A/MERSI建立的积雪判识模型具有较高的精度和稳定性,特别是提高了云雪区分的效能。     

Comparison of two types of persistent heavy rainfall events during sixteen warm seasons in the Sichuan Basin

本文筛选出四川盆地西部(盆西型)和盆地东部(盆东型)持续性暴雨个例,深入对比两类持续性暴雨的大气环流特征和直接造成持续性暴雨的西南低涡维持的机理.四川盆地的短波槽和西太平洋副热带高压的配置有利于持续性暴雨的维持,盆东型的降水强度较盆西型个例强,高空急流位置偏南,南亚高压的强度更强,高层辐散更强,对流层中层副热带高压偏东偏南.盆西型的水汽输送主要来自南海,而盆东型的水汽输送主要来自南海和孟加拉湾.合成涡度收支的结果表明散度项是两类持续暴雨中西南涡维持的主要原因,但盆西型中,垂直平流的作用更强.