Detecting Changes in Ground Water Quality at Regulated Facilities

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (PL 94–580) and related federal and state legislation have mandated routine monitoring of ground water quality at regulated facilities. The objective of the required monitoring activities is detection of adverse changes in ground water quality caused by the facilities.
Both failure to detect pollution and an incorrect determination of pollution can be very expensive. It is crucial, therefore, that monitoring programs be designed and operated to provide statistically sound information. It is equally important that users of ground water quality data understand the nature and limitations of information from monitoring.
To address the preceding issues, the authors present a general approach to analyzing ground water quality data in light of the stated monitoring objective. The suggested approach accounts for "natural" variation in background water quality through pairing of observations. The limitations of quarterly sampling for detecting small changes in quality over a short time frame are discussed.     

Mercury contribution to an adirondack lake

Elevated copper, lead, and zinc concentrations in the upper 10 to 20 cm of sediment sampled from Cranberry Lake, a large Adirondack lake, are attributed to atmospheric contributions. Pb-210 and pollen core data, however, suggest Cranberry Lake also received mercury discharges during the turn of the century when the area was the center of extensive lumbering and related activities. Elevated mercury concentrations in Cranberry Lake smallmouth bass derived from remobilization from mercury-contaminated bottom sediments which increased the bioavailability to Cranberry Lake organisms. Mercury remobilization and accumulation by fish are promoted by fluctuating pH values resulting from acid precipilation.     

Geochemistry,geochronology, and petrogenesis of a Late Precambrian (∼ 590 Ma) composite dike from the North Eastern Desert of Egypt

Late Precambrian (575–600 Ma) igneous activity in the North Eastern Desert of Egypt produced large volumes of compositionally bimodal magmas. A single composite dike was studied to further examine petrogenetic relationships between andesitic and rhyolitic melts. The dike consists of 1.5–2 m of andesite on either side of a 5–6 m wide rhyolite core. Contact relations indicate that the andesite and rhyolite simultaneously existed as porphyritic liquids. Wholerock Rb-Sr dating indicates an age of 591 Ma, but with considerable scatter. Andesite and rhyolite had similar initial⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of 0.7032±2, indicating derivation from a low Rb/Sr source, either the upper mantle, very young upper crust, or depleted lower crust. The composition of the andesites on either margin cannot be distinguished; these are very similar to andesites of the Dokhan Volcanics of similar age. Correspondingly, the rhyolite is compositionally similar to the epizonal Pink Granites. This dike and others like it represent hypabyssal feeders for the extrusive and shallow intrusive members of the North Eastern Desert bimodal suite.Major and trace element studies of the dike rocks show no evidence of mixing. With the exception of the alkaline earths, there is no evidence of diffusional transport across the rhyolite-andesite contacts. REE patterns indicate that petrogenesis of the andesite must have left a garnetiferous residue: either 10% melting of LREE-enriched garnet lherzolite or 25% melting of eclogite, followed by a small amount of shallow fractionation. Petrogenesis of the rhyolites remains enigmatic. Partitioning of trace elements and different plagioclase compositions in andesite and rhyolite argue against an origin by liquid immiscibility. Major and trace element models indicate that the rhyolite formed by fractional crystallization of the andesite or by anatexis of young amphibolite-facies crust.

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Zusammenfassung SpÄtprÄkambrische (575–600 Ma) magmatische AktivitÄt in der »North Eastern Desert« Ägyptens förderte gro\e Mengen bimodaler Magmen. Um die petrogenetischen Beziehungen zwischen andesitischen und rhyolitischen Schmelzen zu studieren, wurde ein einzelner, »bimodaler« Gang (composite dyke) untersucht.Der Gang besteht aus einem Rand von 1,5–2 m mÄchtigem Andesit auf beiden Seiten eines 5–6 m mÄchtigen Kernbereiches von Rhyolit. Die Kontaktbeziehungen zeigen, da\ Andesite und Rhyolite gleichzeitig als porphyritische Schmelzen existierten. »Whole-Rock« Rb-Sr Datierung ergab ein Alter von 591 Ma, jedoch mit einem erheblichen Fehler. Andesit und Rhyolith hatten Ähnliche initiale⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr VerhÄltnisse von 0.7032±2, die eine Herkunft aus Bereichen mit niedrigen Rb/Sr VerhÄltnissen erkennen lassen: Oberer Mantel, sehr junge obere Kruste, oder verarmte untere Kruste. Die Zusammensetzung der Andesite von den verschiedenen Seiten des Ganges ist nicht zu unterscheiden. Sie sind den Andesiten der Dokhan Vulkanite Ähnlich und etwa gleich alt. Entsprechend sind die Rhyolite den epizonalen rosa Graniten (»pink granite«) in der Zusammensetzung Ähnlich. Dieser Gang und andere gleich ihm stellen die Zufuhrspalten für die extrusiven und seichtintrusiven Magmatite der »North Eastern Desert« bimodalen Folge dar.Haupt- und Spurenelemente der Ganggesteine zeigen keine Anzeichen einer Mischung. Mit Ausnahme der Erdalkalien gibt es keinen Hinweis auf eine Diffusion der Elemente über den Rhyolit-Andesit Kontakt. Die Verteilung der Seltenen Erden deutet auf ein granatführendes Residuum bei der Petrogenese der Andesite: entweder10% Aufschmelzen von Granat-Lherzolit, angereichert an leichten Seltenen Erden, oder 25% Aufschmelzen von Eklogit, gefolgt von geringer Fraktionierung unter niedrigem Druck.Die Petrogenese der Rhyolite bleibt unklar. Die Verteilung der Spurenelemente und die unterschiedliche Plagioklas-Zusammensetzung in Andesit und Rhyolith sprechen gegen eine Entstehung aus unvermischbaren Schmelzen. Modelle basierend auf Haupt- und Spurenelementen deuten darauf hin, da\ der Rhyolit entweder durch fraktionierte Kristallisation des Andesits entstand oder durch Anatexis junger Kruste im Bereich der Amphibolit-Fazies.

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Résumé L'activité magmatique au Précambrien supérieur (575–600 Ma) dans le »North Eastern Desert« d'Egypte a engendré de grandes quantités de magmas bimodaux. De manière à préciser les relations entre fusions andésitiques et rhyolitiques, un dyke composite a été étudié.Ce dyke est constitué d'un coeur rhyolitique de 5 à 6 m, encadré de deux bordures andésitiques de 1,5 à 2 m. Les contacts indiquent que ces deux roches ont coexisté sous la forme de liquides porphyriques. Une datation Rb-Sr sur roche totale donne un âge de 591 Ma, mais avec une approximation importante. L'andésite et la rhyolite ont un mÊme rapport initial de 0,7032±2, indiquant une source à faible rapport Rb/Sr: manteau supérieur, croûte supérieure jeune ou croûte inférieure appauvrie. Les compositions des deux bordures andésitiques sont identiques et très semblables à celle des andésites de mÊme âge du complexe volcanique du Dokhan. De mÊme, la rhyolite a une composition semblable à celle des granites roses épizonaux. Ce dyke et d'autres du mÊme type représentent les voies d'alimentation des termes extrusifs et intrusifs superficiels de la série bimodale du »North Eastern Desert«.L'étude des éléments majeurs et en traces ne montre aucun mélange entre les roches du dyke. A l'exception des alcalino-terreux, il n'existe aucune indication de diffusion des éléments à travers le contact rhyolite — andésite. La distribution des terres rares montre que la genèse de l'andésite doit avoir laissé un résidu grenatifère: soit une lherzolite à grenat enrichie en terres rares légères et représentant moins de 10% de taux de fusion, soit une éclogite (jusqu'à 25% de taux de fusion) suivie d'un léger fractionnement à basse pression.La pétrogenèse de la rhyolite reste obscure. La répartition des éléments en traces et la différence de composition du plagioclase entre l'andésite et la rhyolite plaident contre une origine par immiscibilité. Les modèles tirés des éléments majeurs et en traces indiquent comme origine pour la rhyolite soit la cristallisation fractionnée de l'andésite, soit l'anatexie de matériaux crustaux jeunes dans les conditions du facies des amphibolites.

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Field sampling in estuaries: The relationship of scale to variability

The spatial/temporal scaling problem (i.e., fitting a given research question to the dimensions of variability of the study area) is particularly pronounced in highly variable systems such as estuaries. Long-term, multidisciplinary studies in the Apalachicola Bay system were used to evaluate variation of different physical, chemical, and biological factors. Specific limitations of weekly, monthly, and quarterly sampling intervals were directly related to the efficiency of the sampling gear, the range of variation in the study parameters, and specific biological features (motility, recruitment, natural history) of infaunal macroinvertebrates and epibenthic organisms. There are families of spatial and temporal scaling phenomena that should be considered when establishing a given field sampling program. The dimensions of variation change along spatial/temporal gradients of salinity, habitat complexity, and productivity and among different levels of biological organization. The limits of variation define the needed sampling effort for a given level of estimation. Without an adequate evaluation of such variation, representative samples cannot be taken; the resulting inadequate sampling effort often precludes reliable comparisons and robust generalization. There is a continuum of scaling dimensions (and sampling problems) that ranges from small-scale experimental approaches to system-wide analyses. Misapplication of such scaling estimates has led to overgeneralization of experimental results. Currently, there is widespread misapplication of combinations of unrelated, limited sampling efforts to broad-scale resource problems. The loss of valuable estuarine resources is favored by the lack of adequate scientific databases that are consistent with the dimensions of the individual study areas. Unless experimental studies and field sampling programs are scaled to the dimensions of the research problem and the study area in question there will be a continued proliferation of trivial studies at one end of the continuum and the progressive deterioration of estuarine resources at the other.     

Feeding ecology of the northern pipefish,Syngnathus fuscus,in a seagrass community of the lower Chesapeake Bay

Examination of gut contents of the northern pipefish,Syngnathus fuscus, revealed that gammarid amphipods, caprellid amphipods, isopods, and calanoid copepods were the dominant food items during the sevenmonth study period.Gammarus mucronatus, calanoid copepods, andErichsonella attenuata were the seasonally dominant prey items in the spring, summer, and fall, respectively.G. mucronatus and calanoid copepods were consumed in approximate proportion to their numerical abundance in the environment, whileE. attenuata, present in rather uniform densities throughout the study period, was extensively consumed only in the late summer and fall. An ontogenetic pattern of prey consumption was evident, in addition to the seasonal pattern. Comparison ofG. mucronatus andE. attenuata size ranges from the field and in pipefish guts revealed thatS. fuscus preyed upon the smaller size classes of each species, and that mean size of prey consumed was positively related to fish size.     

Occurrence and distribution of shortnose sturgeon,Acipenser brevirostrum,in the upper tidal Delaware River

Sampling in the upper tidal Delaware River between Trenton, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from July 1981 through December 1984 demonstrated the existence of a significant population of shortnose sturgeon. The sturgeon aggregate in the river channel during daylight hours, especially in the area between Trenton and Florence, New Jersey (river km 211.8 to 198.8). Occurrence in the river downstream of Florence appears to be restricted by poor water quality during summer months. Sturgeon were present in the study area throughout the year, but largest numbers were collected from May though November. No spawning was observed during this study, but presence of males with milt suggests that spawning possibly occurs in the Trenton area. Preliminary population estimates (Peterson, Schnabel and Seber-Jolly) indicate an adult population of approximately 6,000–14,000 shortnose sturgeon occupying the upper tidal Delaware River.     

A model of thermo-diffusive mass transport in geothermal systems using a stability theory formalism

The coexistence of chemical potential gradients of solute species in a hydrothermal solution, and a temperature gradient imposed by a heat source may lead to complex coupled transport of matter and heat. If the geological material is permeable to solutes, thermal diffusion (Soret effect) may constitute an important transport mechanism that could redistribute ionic species in the fluid phase. An attempt is made to explain, by stability theory, the non-steady-state behaviour of the system and the temperature oscillations within a thin convective layer adjacent to the walls of the heat source.