Adsorption of Heavy Metal Cations by Base Metal Sulfides in the Broken Spur and TAG Hydrothermal Fields,Atlantic Ocean

Data on the mineral and chemical composition of samples of sulfide deposits from the Broken Spur and TAG (Mid-Atlantic Ridge) are presented. The main minerals in the Broken Spur field are marcasite, pyrrhotite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and sphalerite; in sample from TAG: chalcopyrite, pyrite, and marcasite. It has been established that these sulfide minerals of Fe, Cu, and Zn are natural ion exchangers and belong to the class of adsorbents. Exchange capacity of sulfide minerals in terms of heavy metal cations (Ni2+, Co2+, Cd2+, and Pb2+) is 0.022–0.32 mg-equiv/g. In the exchange reaction products, the mineral composition of sulfide deposits is retained, and new phases do not appear. It is suggested that the adsorbed heavy metal cations populate either vacant cationic or interstitial defect sites in the structures of sulfide minerals. Bond strength of the adsorbed heavy metal cations with the main structural elements of minerals is low, which is confirmed by their high extraction in an acid medium. The results of adsorption-desorption experiments indicate two forms of heavy metal cations in sulfide minerals: adsorbed (basic) and chemically bound.     

Magnetic measurements in electrical prospecting by resistivity methods

The electrical resistivity and induced polarization (IP) methods are widely used in geological mapping, prospecting and exploration of mineral deposits, engineering geology, hydrogeology, archaeology, and geotechnical and environmental applications. Historically, these methods have formed the basis of the electrical prospecting technique. In these methods, a DC or low-frequency AC electrical current is introduced into the earth through a grounded transmitter line. The measured quantity is the electric field. However, if the earth’s resistivity or chargeability changes horizontally, this change gives rise to an anomalous magnetic field, which is studied by the magnetometric resistivity (MMR) and magnetic induced polarization (MIP) methods, respectively. Along with advantages, some shortcomings are inherent in the MMR and MIP techniques. Apparently, the main drawback of these methods is that the magnetic fields of both the transmitter line wire and ground electrodes on the surface are several orders of magnitude greater than the anomalous magnetic field response. This introduces a significant “noise” to magnetic-resistivity data. We investigate the potential of using a circular electric dipole (CED) in magnetometric resistivity techniques. It has been found that the application of a CED, instead of a conventional transmitter line, dramatically enhances the signal-to-noise ratio.     

Radio identification and continuum spectra of decameter-wavelength sources

The paper describes a method for the radio identification of decameter-wavelength sources based on their continuum spectra and analysis of their coordinates in relatively large error boxes surrounding a specified position on the sky. The distribution of continuum spectra and identifications in other wavelength ranges are analyzed for the resulting radio catalog. Using identifications with the FIRST and NVSS surveys, the statistics of the spectral index-size and spectral index-flux density distributions for steep-spectrum sources have been studied, and a catalog of ultrasteep-spectrum (α相似文献   

Geographical model for precise agriculture monitoring with real-time remote sensing

This paper presents a remote sensing model for crop monitoring that was developed by the authors in a multi-year study. It also presents two experiments conducted for testing a newly developed application. The model combines remote sensing models using mapping of the spatial distribution of vegetation in an agricultural field, with precision agricultural models that maximize the output (yield) while minimizing the input (cost). This combination enables one to operate a monitoring and management process that includes every sub-unit of the field using remote sensing mapping.The model consists of five steps: (1) Preparing information layers that map the crop-affecting elements, e.g. irrigation and topography; (2) Collecting spectral and plant data simultaneously; (3) Processing and analyzing the data in order to prepare vegetation maps; (4) Decision-making in accordance with the above-mentioned maps or with predicted-yield maps; and (5) Quality control.The experiments showed that although the results were not statistically significant, the application of the proposed model enables one to draw recommendations within 45 h, and that remote sensing monitoring results in more benefits than do traditional control methods. The quality control was not ideal, due to the narrow range of the spectrum used in the remote sensing monitoring.     

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Pure and Applied Geophysics -     

Geochronology and genesis of subalkaline basaltic lava rivers at the Dzhavakheti highland,lesser Caucasus: K-Ar and Sr-Nd isotopic data

The paper reports newly obtained K-Ar isotopic-geochronological data on the age of three lava flows (Khrami, Mashavera, and Kura), which begin at the Dzhavakheti volcanic highland in southern Georgia. All of the dated rocks, including those from the Kura Flow, which was previously considered as the Pleistocene, are demonstrated to have a Pliocene age. The lavas of the longest Khrami Flow were erupted at 3.25–3.10 Ma, and those of the Kura and Mashavera Flows at 2.20–2.05 Ma, a fact testifying to two pulses of volcanic activity at the Dzhavakheti Highland. The petrogeochemical and isotopic characteristics of the rocks (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr = 0.7039–0.7042; ∈_Nd = 3.4–5.1) indicate that they are subalkaline within-plate basalts formed by the fractional crystallization of a basic mantle melt with the usually discontinuous selective or rarely continuous contamination with material that was not in geochemical equilibrium with the melt. The volcanics of the Khrami Flow are characterized by the less radiogenic Sr isotopic composition and the highest ∈_Nd values, while the younger rocks of the Mashavera and Kura Flows have similar and more “crustal” isotopic signatures. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of the Dzhavakheti subalkaline basalts are close to the initial Sr isotopic ratios of the Quaternary and Middle Pliocene dacite lavas from the same territory. Considered together with petrogeochemical and geological data, this suggests that all young rocks in Southern Georgia were produced in similar tectonic and geodynamic environments.     

Large to intermediate-scale aquifer heterogeneity in fine-grain dominated alluvial fans (Cenozoic As Pontes Basin,northwestern Spain): insight based on three-dimensional geostatistical reconstruction

Facies reconstructions are used in hydrogeology to improve the interpretation of aquifer permeability distribution. In the absence of sufficient data to define the heterogeneity due to geological processes, uncertainties in the distribution of aquifer hydrofacies and characteristics may appear. Geometric and geostatistical methods are used to understand and model aquifer hydrofacies distribution, providing models to improve comprehension and development of aquifers. However, these models require some input statistical parameters that can be difficult to infer from the study site. A three-dimensional reconstruction of a kilometer scale fine-grain dominated Cenozoic alluvial fan derived from more than 200 continuously cored, closely spaced, and regularly distributed wells is presented. The facies distributions were reconstructed using a genetic stratigraphic subdivision and a deterministic geostatistical algorithm. The reconstruction is only slightly affected by variations in the geostatistical input parameters because of the high-density data set. Analysis of the reconstruction allowed identification in the proximal to medial alluvial fan zones of several laterally extensive sand bodies with relatively higher permeability; these sand bodies were quantified in terms of volume, mean thickness, maximum area, and maximum equivalent diameter. These quantifications provide trends and geological scenarios for input statistical parameters to model aquifer systems in similar alluvial fan depositional settings.