Continuous soil CO<Superscript>2</Superscript> and discrete plume SO<Subscript>2</Subscript> measurements at Mt. Etna (Italy) during 1997–2000: a contribution to volcano monitoring

Continuous monitoring of soil CO₂ dynamic concentration (which is proportional to the CO₂ flux through the soil) was carried out at a peripheral site of Mt. Etna during the period November 1997–September 2000 using an automated station. The acquired data were compared with SO₂ flux from the summit craters measured two to three times a week during the same period. The high frequency of data acquisition with both methods allowed us to analyze in detail the time variations of both parameters. Anomalous high values of soil CO₂ dynamic concentration always preceded periods of increased flux of plume SO₂, and these in turn were followed by periods of summit eruptions. The variations were modeled in terms of gas efflux increase due to magma ascent to shallow depth and its consequent depressurization and degassing. This model is supported by data from other geophysical and volcanological parameters. The rates of increase both of soil CO₂ dynamic concentration and of plume SO₂ flux are interpreted to be positively correlated both to the velocity of magma ascent within the volcano and to lava effusion rate once magma is erupted at the surface. Low rates of the increase were recorded before the nine-month-long 1999 subterminal eruption. Higher rates of increase were observed before the violent summit eruption of September-November 1999, and the highest rates were observed during shorter and very frequent spike-like anomalies that preceded the sequence of short-lived but very violent summit eruptions that started in late January 2000 and continued until late June of the same year. Furthermore, the time interval between the peaks of CO₂ and SO₂ in a single sequence of gas anomalies is likely to be controlled by magma ascent velocity.Editorial responsibility: H. Shinohara     

“An oasis for us”: ‘in-between’ spaces of training for people with mental health problems in the Scottish Highlands

Training and Guidance (TAG) units in the Scottish Highlands are sites that people with mental health problems can access for training and learning activities designed to prepare them for (re-)entry into the labour market. These units also perform other, perhaps more intangible, roles in assisting trainees to cope with their mental health problems, thereby offering a supportive setting with therapeutic dimensions (albeit one not explicitly configured as delivering therapy). In this paper we explore the ‘in-between’ quality of the TAG units as spaces that might be said to possess dual economic and social roles. Using primarily qualitative evidence, we investigate both sets of roles, debating the extent to which the economic and social imperatives complement or contradict one another. The paper contributes to critical commentary on how ‘workfare’ initiatives articulate with the experiences and concerns of disabled trainees, the novelty arising in part from centralising the material spaces at the heart of such initiatives.     

The occurrence of potentially hazardous trace elements in five Highveld coals, South Africa

Permian coals of the southern hemisphere are generally considered to contain lower concentrations of sulfides, halogens, and trace elements when compared to northern hemisphere Carboniferous coals. Few studies have considered the trace element content in South African coals, and little or no work has been published for Highveld coals. Of the nineteen coal fields in South Africa, the Highveld coal field is one of the nine currently producing, and is second largest in terms of production. Five run of mine samples and a high ash middlings product from the Number 4 Lower seam were analyzed, totaling six sample sets. Fourteen trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, V, and Zn) were selected for this study based on the global perception that these elements may be hazardous to human health and/or the environment when they are released during coal utilization. Several sample preparation techniques were tested using certified reference materials (SARMs 18, 19 and 20) to determine the most repeatable technique for these coals. The samples were analyzed by ICP-AES and CVAA (Hg only). Microwave digestion proved to be generally unreliable despite the utilization of several different methods. A slurry direct injection method into the ICP-AES provided good correlations with the reference material, but requires further development to enhance the confidence level in this relatively unexplored technique. Samples prepared based on three ASTM standards for the determination of trace elements in coal provided repeatable results in most instances, and were the preparation methods utilized for the Highveld coals.The trace element values determined for the Highveld coals are generally in good agreement with values available in literature for South African coals, with the exception of Hg, Mn and Cr. Hg values reported here are lower, Cr and Mn higher. Results generally agree well with analyses on the same samples conducted by the United States Geological Survey. When considering the global ranges for trace elements, the Highveld range values are within Swaine's range boundaries with the exception of Cr. Compared to the cited global average values for the fourteen trace elements determined, the values obtained for the Highveld coals generally fall below or well below these average values, with the exception of Cr and Mn. Concentrations of Cd and Cu are lower compared to global average values, and As, Mo, Pb, Se, Sb, and Zn can be considered low to very low. Arsenic is ten times lower compared to typical USA values. Concentrations of Co and Ni are similar to global averages, with V and Hg being very slightly higher. The middlings samples reported higher concentrations of most elements, related to the higher ash content of these samples. Of interest, the chalcophile elements determined are all depleted in the Highveld coals compared to global averages, and the siderophile elements are enriched or comparable to global averages.Risk-based health studies in the USA on coals with similar or higher Hg and significantly higher As contents have not reported negative health effects, and therefore it could be assumed that the mobilization of these trace elements from the five Highveld coals are unlikely to cause human health problems. Work is ongoing to determine the modes of occurrence of these HAPs and to address the partitioning behaviors and speciation states of these elements during coal utilization.     

Imagining migration: Placing children’s understanding of ‘moving house’ in Malawi and Lesotho

Research pertaining to children’s geographies has mainly focused on children’s physical experiences of space, with their ‘imagined geographies’ receiving far less attention. The few studies of children’s imagined geographies that exist tend to focus on children’s national identities and their understanding of distant places. However, children’s lives are not necessarily static and they often move between places. Research has not so far considered children’s images of these transitional spaces or how such images are constructed.Through an examination of over 800 thematic drawings and stories, regarding ‘moving house’, produced by children aged 10-17 years in urban and rural communities of Lesotho and Malawi, this paper explores southern African children’s representations of migration. The research considers how ideas of migration are culturally-constructed based on notions of family, home and kinship, particularly in relation to the fluid family structure characteristic of most southern African societies. The results suggest that most children imagine migration as a household rather than an individual process, rarely including micro-migrations between extended family households in their drawings. Further, children’s images of migration are place-rooted in everyday life experiences. Their representations concentrate on the reasons for migration, both negative and positive, which are specifically related to their local social and environmental situations and whether house moves take place locally or over longer distances. The paper concludes by exploring the implications of these conceptualisations of moving house for children’s contemporary migration experiences, particularly in light of changing family structures due to the effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.     

Propagation of H and He cosmic ray isotopes in the Galaxy: astrophysical and nuclear uncertainties

Observations of light isotopes in cosmic rays provide valuable information on their origin and propagation in the Galaxy. Using the data collected by the AMS-01 experiment in the range ∼0.2–1.5 GeV nucleon⁻¹, we compare the measurements on ¹ H, ² H, ³ He, and ⁴ He with calculations for interstellar propagation and solar modulation. These data are described well by a diffusive-reacceleration model with parameters that match the B/C ratio data, indicating that He and heavier nuclei such as C–N–O experience similar propagation histories. Close comparisons are made within the astrophysical constraints provided by the B/C ratio data and within the nuclear uncertainties arising from errors in the production cross section data. The astrophysical uncertainties are expected to be dramatically reduced by the data upcoming from AMS-02, so that the nuclear uncertainties will likely represent the most serious limitation on the reliability of the model predictions. On the other hand, we find that secondary-to-secondary ratios such as ² H/³ He, ⁶ Li/⁷ Li or ¹⁰ B/¹¹ B are barely sensitive to the key propagation parameters and can represent a useful diagnostic test for the consistency of the calculations.     

Integrated use of archival aerial photogrammetry,GNSS, and InSAR data for the monitoring of the Patigno landslide (Northern Apennines,Italy)

Landslides - The morphological changes of unstable areas can be identified using different methodologies that allow repeated surveys over time. The integration between the data obtained from...     

Migmatite-like textures in anthracite: Further evidence for low-grade metamorphic melting and resolidification in high-rank coals

Previous studies demonstrated that melting, initiated by supercritical fluids in the 375–400 °C range, occurred as part of anthracite metamorphism in the Appalachian Basin. Based on the known behavior of vitrinite at high temperatures and, to a lesser extent, at high pressures, it was determined that the duration of the heating, melting, and resolidification event was about 1 h. In the current study, featureless vitrinite within banded maceral assemblages demonstratesthe intimate association of melted and resolidified vitrinite with anthracite-rank macerals. By analogy with metamorphosed inorganic rocks, such associations represent diadysites and embrechites, i.e., cross-cutting and layered migmatites, respectively. Even though the temperature of formation of the anthracite structures is several hundred °C lower than that seen in metamorphosed inorganic rocks, anthracites are metamorphic rocks and the nomenclature for metamorphic rocks may be appropriate for coal.     

Geochemical Evaluation of the Permian Ecca Shale in Eastern Cape Province,South Africa: Implications for Shale Gas Potential

Shale gas has been the exploration focus for future energy supply in South Africa in recent time. Specifically, the Permian black shales of the Prince Albert, Whitehill, Collingham, Ripon and Fort Brown Formations are considered to be most prospective rocks for shale gas exploration. In this study,outcrop and core samples from the Ecca Group were analyzed to assess their total organic carbon(TOC), organic matter type, thermal maturity and hydrocarbon generation potential. These rocks have TOC ranging from 0.11 to 7.35 wt%. The genetic potential values vary from 0.09 to 0.53 mg HC/g,suggesting poor hydrocarbon generative potential. Most of the samples have Hydrogen Index(HI) values of less than 50 mg HC/g TOC, thus suggesting Type-Ⅳ kerogen. Tmax values range from 318℃ to601℃, perhaps indicating immature to over-maturity of the samples. The vitrinite reflectance values range from 2.22% to 3.93%, indicating over-maturity of samples. Binary plots of HI against Oxygen Index(OI), and HI versus Tmax show that the shales are of Type II and mixed Type Ⅱ-Ⅲ kerogen.Based on the geochemical data, the potential source rocks are inferred as immature to over-matured and having present-day potential to produce gas.     

Structural uncertainty assessment in a discharge simulation model

Abstract

A major goal in hydrological modelling is to identify and quantify different sources of uncertainty in the modelling process. This paper analyses the structural uncertainty in a streamflow modelling system by investigating a set of models with increasing model structure complexity. The models are applied to two basins: Kielstau in Germany and XitaoXi in China. The results show that the model structure is an important factor affecting model performance. For the Kielstau basin, influences from drainage and wetland are critical for the local runoff generation, while for the XitaoXi basin accurate distributions of precipitation and evapotranspiration are two of the determining factors for the success of the river flow simulations. The derived model uncertainty bounds exhibit appropriate coverage of observations. Both case studies indicate that simulation uncertainty for the low-flow period contributes more to the overall uncertainty than that for the peak-flow period, although the main hydrological features in these two basins differ greatly.

Citation Zhang, X. Y., Hörmann, G., Gao, J. F. & Fohrer, N. (2011) Structural uncertainty assessment in a discharge simulation model. Hydrol. Sci. J. 56(5), 854–869.     

A simple method to help determine landslide susceptibility from spaceborne InSAR data: the Montescaglioso case study

On December 3, 2013, a large complex landslide was triggered SW of the town of Montescaglioso (Southern Italy), causing the destruction of roads, commercial buildings and private dwellings, as well as several direct and indirect economic losses. A set of interferometric ground measurements acquired by the Cosmo-SkyMed satellite constellation and processed by means of the SqueeSAR algorithm was used to study the pre-event slope displacements in the entire Montescaglioso municipal area. Data span from January 30, 2012, to December 2, 2013, and show average line-of-sight velocities of 1–10 mm/year in the slope sector ultimately affected by the collapse. In retrospect, a time series analysis of the radar targets was performed in order to identify and characterize all the slope instabilities in proximity of the town. This was based on the setup of characteristic thresholds of displacement. The procedure permitted to locate several areas which recurrently exceeded these previously established thresholds, in consistency with the amount of precipitation. In particular, the major source of potential hazard in the area was indeed found where the December 3, 2013, landslide eventually occurred. The results of this quick data processing technique were validated through comparison with two independently developed landslide maps. This simple method, which is not supposed to diminish the importance of geomorphologic field surveys, could improve both the accuracy and the update rate of landslide susceptibility maps. Not relying on arbitrary or empirically derived approaches, it has the advantage of computing statistically based thresholds specific for each time series. By indicating the slope sectors in higher need of deeper in situ investigation, more support could be provided to administrative bodies for the processes of risk assessment and management.