Fractionation characteristics of rare earth elements (REEs) linked with secondary Fe,Mn, and Al minerals in soils

Soil secondary minerals are important scavengers of rare earth elements (REEs) in soils and thus affect geochemical behavior and occurrence of REEs. The fractionation of REEs is a common geochemical phenomenon in soils but has received little attention, especially fractionation induced by secondary minerals. In this study, REEs (La to Lu and Y) associated with soil-abundant secondary minerals Fe-, Al-, and Mn-oxides in 196 soil samples were investigated to explore the fractionation and anomalies of REEs related to the minerals. The results show right-inclined chondrite-normalized REE patterns for La–Lu in soils subjected to total soil digestion and partial soil extraction. Light REEs (LREEs) enrichment features were negatively correlated with a Eu anomaly and positively correlated with a Ce anomaly. The fractionation between LREEs and heavy REEs (HREEs) was attributed to the high adsorption affinity of LREEs to secondary minerals and the preferred activation/leaching of HREEs. The substantial fractions of REEs in soils extracted by oxalate and Dithionite-Citrate-Bicarbonate buffer solutions were labile (10 %–30 %), which were similar to the mass fraction of Fe (10 %–20 %). Furthermore, Eu was found to be more mobile than the other REEs in the soils, whereas Ce was less mobile. These results add to our understanding of the distribution and geochemical behavior of REEs in soils, and also help to deduce the conditions of soil formation from REE fractionation.     

Comparative Analysis of International Energy Consumption Characteristics and China's Countermeasures

With the rise of low carbon economy and the deterioration of the international energy situation, most countries in the world pay more attention to energy issues. In this paper, based on a comparison with several countries of large energy consumption, we used long sequence statistics to analyze the energy consumption characteristics from the world and the history, including energy consumption, energy consumption structure and energy efficiency, and then summed up the characteristics of energy consumption in developed countries, analyzed China's energy consumption process and the current stage, and found out the main problems of energy consumption in China. At last, countermeasures for the healthy development of China's energy were proposed, including actively promoting scientific and technological progress, upgrading energy structure, developing low carbon economy, rationalizing energy prices, improving the proportion of clean energy consumption and emphasizing synergistic effect on environment protection.     

大兴规划新城地下空间开发地质环境质量研究

地下空间是城市重要的空间资源,城市的地质环境条件制约和影响着地下空间的开发利用。通过对大兴规划新城地质载体、地下水环境及不良地质作用等影响地下空间开发因素的分析,采用层次分析模糊综合评判方法(AHP-Fuzzy法),将研究区浅层、次浅层地下空间开发地质环境适宜性分为4个区,为新城的地下空间利用提供了地质技术支持。研究表明:Ⅰ级区基本不受地质灾害危害,较适宜地下空间开发利用,岩土层是较好的天然地基持力层;Ⅳ级区受活动断裂危害,需加强抗震设防;而其余2个区均有不同的工程地质特征,在地下空间的开发利用中需针对其不良工程地质特性,采取相应的工程加固防治措施。     

Rainfall over Oman and its teleconnection with El Niño Southern Oscillation

The Sultanate of Oman is located in the south-eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula and covers the larger part of the southern coasts of the Arabian Peninsula in both arid and semi-arid environments except for the southern part which is swept by the monsoon affecting the Arabian Sea during the period from June to September. The summer rainfall over Oman shows year-to-year variability, and this is caused by oceanic and atmospheric influences. In the present study, we tried to explore the influence of El Niño on the rainfall over Oman using different data sets. The empirical orthogonal function (EOF) technique employed to the zonal wind at 850 hPa for the 30-year period shows that the second and third modes of EOF are showing high variability over the Oman regions. The corresponding PCs were subjected to FFT analysis, and it showed a peak about 5–6 years. In addition to this, the zonal wind over the Oman regions is correlated with the global zonal wind and found a significant correlation (1 % significant level). It has already been proved that the wind and rainfall during summer monsoon is in phase. Moreover, the spectral analysis of rainfall at Masirah station and the Niño3.4 index show the similar mode of variability indicating a direct relationship. The correlation between rainfall and the Niño3.4 index is also showing a positive significant value, and therefore, it can be concluded that the El Niño in the Pacific favours rainfall over the Oman region.     

Multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) for seismic site characterization using 2D genetic algorithm at Bahrah area,Wadi Fatima,Saudi Arabia

The present study deals with the seismic site classification of Bahrah area, Wadi Fatima, to characterize the local site conditions. The dynamic behavior of sediments was studied by the application of surface wave inversion. The multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) shallow geophysical technique was utilized for site classification. MASW survey was carried out at 66 sites along with 13 seismic refraction profiles at suitable localities. MASW and seismic refraction profiles were processed and compared with the available borehole data. The integration of MASW techniques with seismic refraction and borehole data progressively enhanced the subsurface visualization and reliability of the shear wave velocity estimation in the subsurface in the study area. The subsurface shear-wave velocity model was achieved by the solution of an inverse problem-based dispersion of surface waves and propagation in a vertically heterogeneous medium. The 2D genetic algorithm was employed for the inversion of dispersion curves to obtain velocity and thickness of subsurface layers. The depth to engineering bedrock and velocity of shear waves in the first 30 m was deciphered and mapped. The depth of bedrock in study area varies from 4 to 30 m, and V _{S 30} ranges from 320 to 800 m/s. The most of study area falls in B and C class categories in addition to few sites of D class according to the NEHRP guidelines.     

Assessing groundwater storage changes in the Nubian aquifer using GRACE data

Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) level two (L2) data is used in estimating the groundwater storage changes (GWSC) in the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System (NSAS). This set of data consists of spherical harmonics coefficients with specific degree and order. The GRACE data is de-correlated using a sixth degree polynomial in order to reduce the effect of the noise error resulting from the correlation between the spherical harmonics coefficients with the same degree parity. The GRACE estimates of GWSC are smoothed using Gaussian filter with half width of 1000 km. This half width is chosen in order to maximize the correlation between the GRACE estimates of GWSC and previous modeling results of the NSAS. The loss in groundwater storage occurring in each of the four countries sharing the NSAS is calculated to assess the sustainability of using the NSAS as a water resource in each country. The overarching finding in this study is that NSAS is losing its groundwater storage at a very high rate. Also, it is found that Egypt is the fastest in losing its groundwater storage from the NSAS. This loss of groundwater storage in Egypt may not necessarily be resulting from in-country extractions because of the trans-boundary nature of this aquifer. The GRACE-based estimates are found to be close to available data and previous modeling results of the NSAS.     

Detachment folding in a Lower Cambrian–Upper Permian karst reservoir: 3D model of the Yubei 3D area (eastern Markit Slope,Tarim Basin,Northwest China)

A three-dimensional (3D) structural modeling of the Lower Cambrian–Upper Permian Yubei 3D area was performed to understand its structural evolution. This model reproduces the present-day structure of the basin and comprises 11 horizons within Lower Cambrian to Upper Permian rocks. The analysis is based on 3D depth views and faults. The results image salt movements due to tectonics and/or burial. From these observations, this paper deduces that salt structures are correlated to the main faults and tectonic events. From the model analysis, we interpret the timing and geometry of Tarim Basin tectonics. The fault geometry can be resolved based on the strike of the fault, the morphology of hanging wall strata, and the stratigraphic distribution. Emphasis is placed on gypsum rock detachment, considering its movements during the Middle Caledonian event and decoupling effects during tectonic evolution. Moreover, we point to the structural control of the Paleozoic basement and the crustal architecture (Yubei 3D Zone) on the geometry of the Tarim Basin.     

A GIS-index integration approach to groundwater suitability zoning for irrigation purposes

In recent decades, the high population growth has increased the demand for agricultural lands and products. Groundwater offers reliability and flexibility in access to water for irrigation purposes, especially in arid and semi-arid areas, such as Amol-Babol Plain, Iran. However, the quality and quantity of groundwater may not be suitable for irrigation purposes in all areas due to urbanizations, and intensive agricultural and industrial activities. Groundwater suitability zoning for irrigation purposes could be useful to improve water resources and land use planning, mostly in areas with water scarcity. Therefore, a GIS-based indices method is proposed to assess suitable zones for agricultural activities, integrating the irrigation water quality (IWQ) index and hydrogeological factors. IWQ index was utilized to assess groundwater quality based on salinity hazard, infiltration hazard, specific ions, and trace elements hazards, and miscellaneous effects such as pH, bicarbonate, and nitrate. The potential of the aquifer for irrigation water abstraction was investigated using hydrogeological surveys such as slope angle of the plain, hydraulic conductivity, and aquifer thickness. The groundwater suitability index classified most of the study area (more than 90 %) as “excellent” or “good” suitability zones for irrigation purposes. A limited area of around 5.6 % of the total area has moderate suitability for irrigation purposes due to the Caspian Seawater intrusion and the presence of fossil saline water. The proposed methodology provides useful information in order to allow irrigation management to prevent water and soil deterioration.     

Groundwater potential assessment in a sedimentary terrain,southwestern Nigeria

Geoelectrical resistivity techniques are increasingly being applied in addressing a wide range of hydrological, environmental, and geotechnical problems. This is due to their effectiveness in near-surface characterization. In the present study, a suite of vertical electrical soundings (VESs) was integrated with 2D geoelectrical resistivity and time-domain induced polarization (IP) imaging to characterize the near-surface and delineate the underlying aquifer in a sedimentary terrain. The geophysical survey was conducted as part of preliminary studies to evaluate the potential of groundwater resource in Iyana-Iyesi and Canaan Land area of Ota, southwestern Nigeria. A high-yield confined sandy aquifer overlain by a low-yield aquitard was delineated; overlying the aquitard is a very resistive and thick layer that is predominantly composed of kaolinitic swelling clay intercalated with phosphate mineral.     

Coal-measure source rock characteristics and burial evolution history in the Shisanjianfang Area,Tuha Basin

Shisanjianfang Area in the eastern margin of Taibei Sag, Tuha Basin, is an important region for oil and gas exploration. In this study, a large number of source rock geochemical data were used to analyze the geochemical characteristics of coal-measure source rocks in the Shisanjianfang Area, Tuha Basin, from three aspects, i.e., organic matter abundance, organic matter type, and organic maturity. The results show that the Jurassic Xishanyao Formation (J₂x) in the study area has great thickness, continuous distribution, and high source rock maturity, and is the major source rock horizon in the study area. The seismic data are used in combination with 1D and 2D basin simulation technology to study the distribution characteristics of the source rocks in Shisanjianfang Area. The results of the simulation research on the source rock maturity history in the study area indicate the following: (1) The source rocks in the Xishanyao Formation (J₂x) have a hydrocarbon generation threshold depth of 1800 m, threshold temperature of 95 °C, and hydrocarbon generation threshold time of about 162 Ma. (2) The Xishanyao Formation (J₂x) has a current formation temperature of 50~110 °C and Ro of 0.6~1.1 % in the peak oil generation stage. (3) The source rock maturity in the study area is shown as being higher in the west while lower in the east, and higher in the north while lower in the south, and the favorable exploration area mainly lies in the northwest of the study area. The results of this study could have important implications for the oil and gas exploration in the margins of Xiaocaohu Sag, Tuha Basin.