Geologic and hydrologic settings for development of freshwater lenses in arid lands

Satellite observations were used to test the validity of previously identified favourable conditions for the formation of freshwater lenses, identify additional potential occurrences, and model modern potential recharge in the Raudhatain Watershed (3696) in northern Kuwait. Favourable conditions include infrequent yet intensive precipitation events, drainage depressions to collect the limited runoff, and presence of conditions (e.g. high infiltration capacity) that promote groundwater recharge and preservation (e.g. underlying saline aquifer) of infiltrating groundwater as freshwater lenses floating over saline aquifer water due to differences in density. Specifically, the following field and satellite‐based observations were noted for the Raudhatain Watershed: (1) Over ~30 precipitation events were identified from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission precipitation data (1998–2009); (2) slope is gentle (2 m/km), and the surface is largely (80%) covered by alluvial deposits with high infiltration capacities (up to 9 m/day); (3) no flows and long‐term ponding were reported at the watershed outlet or detected from Landsat thematic mapper images; (4) infiltration is high based on increases in soil moisture content (from an advanced microwave scanning radiometer) and vegetation index following large precipitation events; and (5) freshwater lenses that overlie highly saline [total dissolved solids (TDS): >35 000] unconfined aquifers underlying the watershed are absent in the southern regions, where infiltrating fresh water mixes with the less saline groundwater (TDS: <10 000). Twenty potential locations (size: 1 to 75 km²) for freshwater lens development were identified in northern Kuwait, and continuous rainfall–runoff models (Soil Water and Assessment Tool) were applied to provide a first‐order estimation of the average annual recharge in the watershed (127 × 10⁶ m³) and freshwater lenses (8.17 × 10⁶ m³). Results demonstrate the settings for enhanced opportunities for groundwater recharge, outline the amounts of and preservation conditions for the groundwater feeding the freshwater lenses, and highlight potential applications and locations of freshwater lenses in similar settings elsewhere in the Arabian Peninsula and beyond. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Combining TEM/resistivity joint inversion and magnetic data for groundwater exploration: application to the northeastern part of Greater Cairo,Egypt

This paper presents the combination of two complementary methods, magnetic and joint inversion of resistivity/TEM data, as an effective approach to characterize groundwater reservoirs. Twenty stations of transient electromagnetic (TEM) and vertical electrical soundings (VES) were measured and interpreted using a joint inversion technique to evaluate the subsurface low resistivity zones connected to the groundwater reservoir. A complementary survey including 871 land magnetic stations was carried out at the same area to detect the upper surface of the basaltic sheet, which represents the bottom of the Miocene aquifer in the study area. The geological log from one borehole drilled in the zone was used to partially calibrate the calculated models. The results revealed that the study area consists of five different geological units with ages ranging from Paleogene (Oligocene) to Quaternary. The methodology provides good results at a very low cost when compared with drilling boreholes.     

Hydraulic Conductivity of Fly Ash-Amended Mine Tailings

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of fly ash addition on hydraulic conductivity (k) of mine tailings. Mine tailings used in this study were categorized as synthetic tailings and natural tailings; two synthetic tailings were developed via blending commercially-available soils and natural tailings were collected from a garnet mine located in the U.S. Two fly ashes were used that had sufficient calcium oxide (CaO) content (17 and 18.9 %) to generate pozzolanic activity. Hydraulic conductivity was measured on pure tailings and fly ash-amended tailings in flexible-wall permeameters. Fly ash was added to mine tailings to constitute 10 % dry mass of the mixture, and specimens were cured for 7 and 28 days. The influence of fly ash-amendment on k of mine tailings was attributed to (1) molding water content and (2) plasticity of the mine tailings. Tailings that classified as low-plasticity silts with clay contents less than 15 % exhibited a decrease in k when amended with fly ash and prepared wet of optimum water content (w _opt ). Tailings that classified as low-plasticity clay exhibited a one-order magnitude increase in k with addition of fly ash for materials prepared dry or near w _opt . The decrease in k for silty tailings was attributed to formation of cementitious bonds that obstructed flow paths, whereas the increase in k for clayey tailings was attributed to agglomeration of clay particles and an overall increase in average pore size. The results also indicated that the effect of curing time on k is more pronounced during the early stages of curing (≤7 days), as there was negligible difference between k for 7 and 28-days cured specimens.     

Deep sea in situ excess pore pressure and sediment deformation off NW Sumatra and its relation with the December 26, 2004 Great Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake

The swath bathymetric data acquired during the “Sumatra Aftershocks” cruise from the Sunda trench in the Indian Ocean to the north of the Sumatra Island imaged several scars and deposits. In situ pore pressure measurements using the Ifremer piezometer and coring demonstrate that high excess pore pressure and sediment deformation was generated by a recent event in the scar of the slope failure zone identified by J.T. Henstock and co-authors. This excess pore pressure is localized in the upper sedimentary layers and is not related to an interplate subduction process. Numerical simulations of the hydrological system that take into account the hydro-mechanical properties of the upper sediment layer show that the excess pore pressure and sediment deformations could be generated at the time of the December 26, 2004 Great Sumatra Earthquake. The Sumatra Aftershocks team: J.-C. Sibuet, S. Singh, R. Apprioual, N.C. Aryanto, J. Begot, A. Cattaneo, A.P.S. Chauchan, R. Creach, J. Crozon, A. Domzig, N. Falleau, D. Graindorge, F. Harmegnies, Y. Haryadi, F. Klingelhoffer, S.K. Kolluru, J.-Y. Landuré, C. Le Lann, J. Malod, A. Normand, G. Oggian, C. Rangin, D. Restunin Galih, J.-L. Schneider, N. Sultan, M. Taufik, M. Umber and H. Yamaguchi.     

Overpressure within upper continental slope sediments from CPTU data,Gulf of Lion,NW Mediterranean Sea

Data from in situ piezocone tests (CPTU) and laboratory analyses are utilized for the interpretation of the stress history of Quaternary sedimentary sequences in the upper continental slope of the Gulf of Lion, northwestern Mediterranean Sea. A CPTU based preconsolidation pressure profile referenced to the current effective stress indicates that the deposit is underconsolidated from 12 meters below the seafloor (mbsf) down to at least 150 mbsf. Excess pore pressure below 12 mbsf is further supported by results from oedometer and dissipation tests. Subseafloor pockmarks and indications of free gas in seismic reflection profiles reveal four main overpressure sources (SI–SIV) with overpressure ratios >0.3 at subseafloor depths coinciding with levels where the dominantly silty-clayey sediment contains increased proportions of sand. We relate the excess pore pressure related to free gas due to gas exsolution processes and sea level variations driven by Pleistocene sea level changes.     

A review of undulated sediment features on Mediterranean prodeltas: distinguishing sediment transport structures from sediment deformation

Most Mediterranean prodeltas show undulated sediment features on the foresets of their Holocene wedges. These features have been described all along the Mediterranean for the last 30 years and interpreted as either soft sediment deformation and incipient landsliding, and more recently, as sediment transport structures. We perform a review and detailed analysis of these undulated sediment features using ultrahigh-resolution seismic and bathymetric data as well as geotechnical information and hydrodynamic time series and hydrographic transects. In this study we show that the characteristics of the sediment undulations (configuration of the reflections down section and between adjacent undulations and overall morphologic characteristics) are incompatible with a genesis by sediment deformation alone and do not show evidence of sediment deformation in most cases. Various processes in the benthic boundary layer can be invoked to explain the variety of features observed in the numerous areas displaying sediment undulations.     

Integral assessment of air pollution dispersion regimes in the main industrialized and urban areas in Oman

This paper presents a rather complete picture of conditions of stagnation, recirculation and ventilation factors in the main industrialized and urban areas in Oman, developed along the coastal area. This study focuses on four sites; Sohar, Muscat, Sur, and Salalah. Each site has a local emission sources from transportation, industry and energy production activities. For the calculation of the integral quantities of the ability of the atmosphere dilution, hourly data of the wind velocity measured at a height of 10 m during 5 years (2000–2005) were used in the analysis. The results show that in the northern coast of Oman, along the bay of Sea of Oman, where 56% of the total population is concentrated and the main heavy industries of the country are amassed, the atmosphere is prone to stagnations in 74.4% of the time, while in the southern and east part of Oman, they occur only 23% and 51%, respectively. The bay of sea of Oman is high affected by land–sea breeze circulation that plays a substantial role in the simultaneous occurrence of recirculation equally to stagnation. This meso-scale effect is altered gradually during the passage of the synoptic-scale flow of the southeasterly summer monsoon that enhances the occurrence of the ventilation in Salalah (24.6% of time) and Sur (15.5%). In the northern coast of Oman, where the Hajir mountains suppressed the effect of the summer monsoon, a very weak tendency towards ventilation is observed (less than 6%). The southern summer monsoon over Oman is a source of life in this arid area and as well a source of clean air.     

The planetary spin and rotation period: a modern approach

Using a new approach, we have obtained a formula for calculating the rotation period and radius of planets. In the ordinary gravitomagnetism the gravitational spin (S) orbit (L) coupling, $\vec{L}\cdot\vec{S}\propto L^{2}$ , while our model predicts that $\vec{L}\cdot\vec{S}\propto\frac{m}{M}L^{2}$ , where M and m are the central and orbiting masses, respectively. Hence, planets during their evolution exchange L and S until they reach a final stability at which MS∝mL, or $S\propto\frac{m^{2}}{v}$ , where v is the orbital velocity of the planet. Rotational properties of our planetary system and exoplanets are in agreement with our predictions. The radius (R) and rotational period (D) of tidally locked planet at a distance a from its star, are related by, $D^{2}\propto\sqrt{\frac{M}{m^{3}}}R^{3}$ and that $R\propto\sqrt{\frac {m}{M}}a$ .     

Temporal relationship between Holocene human occupation and vegetation change along the northwestern margin of the Central African rainforest

This paper discusses the relationship between patterns of human settlements and environmental change during the Holocene along the northwestern margins of the equatorial rain forest of central Africa. Palaeoenvironmental data from high-resolution sediment cores from lacustrine deposits, plant macro-remains from forest soils, and archaeological data are harnessed to discuss the differential impact of climate and/or humans on the central African rain forest. It is shown that climate change impacted the rain forest well before the widespread expansion of human settlements all over the study area.