Groundwater recharge and flow in the Lower Cretaceous Nubian Sandstone aquifer in the Sinai Peninsula, using isotopic techniques and hydrochemistry

The present work was conducted in the Sinai Peninsula (1) to identify the recharge and flow characteristics and to evaluate the continuity of the Lower Cretaceous Nubian Sandstone aquifer; and (2) to provide information for the aquifer's rational appraisal. Isotopic and hydrochemical compositions combined with the geological and hydrogeological settings were used for this purpose. A considerable depletion in isotopic content (oxygen-18 and deuterium) and low d-excess values exist in the studied groundwater, reflecting the contribution of old meteoric water that recharged the aquifer in pluvial times. Modern recharge also occurs from precipitation that falls on the aquifer outcrops. The wide scatter of the data points around the two meteoric lines, the global meteoric water line (GMWL) and Mediterranean meteoric water line (MMWL), in the δ¹⁸O–δD diagram indicates considerable variation in recharge conditions (amount, altitude, temperature, air masses, distances from catchment, overland flow, etc.). The isotopic composition in the El-Bruk area is minimum (¹⁸O=–9.53‰), very close to the average value of the Western Desert Nubian Sandstone (¹⁸O=–10‰), where the local structural and lithologic conditions retard groundwater flow and the main bulk of water becomes noncyclic. The continuity of the aquifer in northern and central Sinai is evidenced by the isotopic similarity between samples taken from above and below the central Sinai Ragabet El-Naam fault, the distribution of potentiometric head, and hydrogeological cross sections. The combination of isotopic composition in terms of ¹⁸O and chemical composition in terms of TDS and salt contents is the basis for separating the studied groundwater into groups that reflect the recharge sources and isotopic and chemical modifications during flow. Electronic Publication     

Earth Fissures Caused By Groundwater Withdrawal In Sarir South Agricultural Project Area,Libya

arir South agricultural well field consists of 157 production wells constructed in double rows running east to west. Each well was designed to pump 76 l/sec to irrigate 80 hectares of winter and summer crops. Large volumes of water have been pumped from the aquifer since 1975. By 1990, water levels in the most heavily pumped areas had declined more than 6 meters. These large water-level declines have caused compaction of compressible fine-grained deposits within the aquifers. Earth fissures were reported in the Sarir South agricultural project as early as 1982. These fissures were mainly caused by lowering of the piezometric heads due to the withdrawal of groundwater. The fissures range in width from 2.5 cm to 100 cm on the surface and, generally, become narrower with depth. However, the total depth is not known for any of the fissures. Development of new cracks or fissures near the old ones has also been observed. Most of the recent fissures occur parallel and immediately adjacent to the older fissures. It appears that these fissures tend to develop into a linear fissure system in a north-south direction. Résumé. Le champ captant du sud de Sarir, destiné à l'irrigation, est constitué de 157 puits d'exploitation, disposés en deux rangées orientées est-ouest. Chaque puits est équipé pour pomper 76 l/sec pour irriguer 80 ha de cultures d'hiver et d'été. Des volumes considérables d'eau ont ainsi été pompés dans l'aquifère principal depuis 1975. Depuis 1990, le niveau piézométrique dans les zones les plus sollicitées est descendu de plus de 6 m. Cet abaissement important a provoqué dans les aquifères une compaction des dépôts compressibles à grains fins. Dès 1982, le sol de cette région s'est fissuré. Ces fissures proviennent pour la plupart de l'abaissement de la surface piézométrique sous l'effet du pompage de l'eau souterraine. Ces fissures sont larges de 2.5 à 100 cm, en surface et se rétrécissent en profondeur. Leur profondeur totale n'est pas connue. De nouvelles fissures apparaissent au voisinage des anciennes. La plupart d'entre elles sont parallèles et adjacentes aux anciennes. Engin, les fissures tendent à former un ensemble linéaire orienté nord-sud.     

Evapotranspiration and canopy resistance of grass in a Mediterranean region

Summary A simple method for estimating actual evapotranspiration (ET) could become a suitable tool for irrigation scheduling. Resistance models can be useful if data on canopy resistance to water vapor flow (rc) and on aerodynamic resistance (ra) are available. These parameters are complex and hard to obtain. In this studyrc is analysed for a reference crop (grass meadow). Canopy resistance is dependent on climate, weather (radiation, atmospheric vapor pressure deficit, aerodynamic resistance), agronomic practices (irrigation, grass cutting) and time scale (hour, day). Anrc model, proposed by Katerji and Perrier (KP model), using some meteorological parameters as inputs, is presented. Canopy resistance calculated according to the KP model was used to estimate a referenceET _ref on hourly and daily time scales.TheET _ref estimated using the KP model on a daily time scale was compared with a model proposed by Allen, Jensen, Wright and Burman (AJWB model) — in whichrc depends on leaf area index only — and with direct measurements from a weighing lysimeter. The results show an underestimation of 18% for the AJWB model against an underestimation of 2% for the KP model. Since the hypotheses are the same for both models and aerodynamic resistance plays a secondary role, the better results obtained by the KP model are due torc modelling.With 11 Figures     

The mobility spectrum and the ion concentration of large ions in air mixed with N2O gas

Summary Using the divided electrode condenser it was possible to detect the large ion groups formed when small amounts of N₂O gas were mixed with atmospheric air. Eight groups appeared with mobilities ranging from 12.50×10^–4 to 0.60×10^–4 cm/sec: volt/cm. When using the whole electrode condenser the results showed an increase in the total ion concentration of these large ions when small amounts of N₂O gas were mixed with air. The results obtained in this work confirm that N₂O gas acts as a nucleus for condensation which is changed into a large ion by appropriating an electrical charge.     

Migration: Causes and effects —

Drought, desertification and lack of development have been the main causes of migration in the rural areas of Western Sudan. The author tackles the different migration patterns followed in the area of Omodiat Burush and the factors influencing these migrations. It is found that high preference is given to rural-rural migration either on a seasonal basis or a permanent one. The latter is directed towards Burush village which attracts the inhabitants of the surrounding villages by the relative availability of educational, health and marketing services. Seasonal migration, on the other hand, is an important coping strategy against crop failure and famine risks.     

Analysis of continuous buried pipelines for seismic wave effects

An analysis procedure for seismic wave propagation effects on straight continuous buried pipelines is proposed. It shown that ground strain due to surface waves can be substantially larger than that due to body waves. An elastic model a buried pipeline surrounded by equivalent soil springs indicates that frictional slip between the pipeline and the surrounding soil springs is likely for high ground strains. A method for estimating ground strain due to surface waves, based on data from the 1971 San Fernando earthquake, reviewed. An analysis procedure, which utilizes frictional forces near the soil-pipeline interface, is proposed for surfae wave effects on straight buried continuous pipelines. The proposed procedure is illustrated with an example.     

A contribution to the geology of the Bahariya Oasis,Western Desert,Egypt

Size and mineral analysis of the Upper Cretaceous clastics of the Bahariya Oasis indicate moderately well sorted, coarse skeewed and mesokurtic sediments. These sediments were most probably derived from mixed igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary sources, under conditions of low rainfall and poor drainage interfered by high rainfall periods.The shape of quartz grains and occurrence of stable and less stable minerals prove a short distance, saltation to graded suspension transportation of these sediments.Probably coastal plain, interfered by fresh water conditions had prevailed during the accumulation of these sediments, i.e. fluviomarine environment.     

Mineralogy,parageneses, and phase relations of copper-iron sulfides in the Atlantis II deep,red sea

New investigations are carried out on the mineralogy and mineral chemistry of sulfide assemblages obtained in samples from one core in the hydrothermally active, southwest basin of the Atlantis II deep, Red Sea. The most abundant sulfide phases are the exsolved intermediate solid solution (ISS) and chalcopyrite. Sphalerite, pyrrhotite, marcasite, mackinawite, and presumably wurtzite are also observed. Two distinct groups of paragenesis were encountered: (a) Intermediate solid solution with sphalerite incrustations and intergrowths, and (b) intermediate solid solution barren of sphalerite intergrowths. The first group is confined to the upper part of the Co zone and the SOAN zone (Bäcker and Richter 1973), and the second is present in the entire core 100-3-7. An optically isotropic chalcopyrite is found for the first time as a natural mineral in Atlantis II, Red Sea. Yet its existence as a novel phase needs x-ray confirmation. It exhibits a lower reflectivity than normal chalcopyrite and is isotropic. Chalcopyrite occurs either as a single phase or in association with tetragonal chalcopyrite. Our investigations indicate that the formation of Atlantis II deposits is a result of complex processes. These processes are characterized by compositional changes in the ore-bearing fluids and the change in sulfur fugacity (especially with depth). The presence of exsolved chalcopyrite lamellae in ISS indicates slow cooling below 450°C. However, it is difficult to understand why the cubic chalcopyrite is not converted to the tetragonal form even though the temperature of transformation lies above 450°C (470° – 500°C, Cabri 1973). The Cu/Fe ratio changes in the exsolved chalcopyrite lamellae from core to rim of the composite grains. The ratio is higher in the rims. This suggests that primary inhomogenous ISS grains formed from solutions with a continuous increase in the Cu/Fe ratio. Slow cooling is also required to account for the exsolution of chalcopyrite lamellae in ISS. The low sulfur content in isotropic chalcopyrite is also suggestive of low fs₂. The low S content in the chalcopyrite may be the controlling factor for the sluggish conversion from cubic to tetragonal chalcopyrite. Mackinawite lamellae show the same orientation in ISS and exsolved isotropic chalcopyrite indicating that mackinawite exsolved before the breakdown of ISS. This strongly suggests that mackinawite is stable above 300°C (contrary to experimental results by Zoka et al. 1973). Pyrrhotite was probably formed by the sulfurization of ilvaite. The pyrrhotite grains with several complex successive zones show the sequence of the sulfurization episodes.Metalliferous sediments related to hot brines were discovered in the Red Sea in 1964 (Miller et al. 1966). Since then, several papers have been published on this subject (Degens and Ross 1969, Bäcker and Schoell 1972, Bäcker and Richter 1973, Bignell et al. 1976, Shanks and Bishoff 1977, Weber-Diefenbach 1977, Nöltner 1979, Pottorf 1980, Pottorf and Barnes 1983, Oudin et al. 1984).Complex sulfide phases including intermediate solid solution (ISS), chalcopyrite, and a chalcopyritelike mineral (which exhibits a lower reflectivity than normal chalcopyrite and appears to be isotropic occur in the metalliferous sediments. These phases were found in association with several minerals in different parageneses. In an attempt to understand the origin of the formation of the sulfide-bearing sediments in the Atlantis II deep of the Red Sea, a detailed study of the phase relations of the Cu-Fe sulfide ores of this locality was carried out.     

A contribution to the geology of the Bahariya Oasis,Western Desert,Egypt

Detailed petrographic investigations of the Upper Cretaceous-Eocene succession exposed at Bahariya Oasis resulted in the recognition of different litho- and biofacies associations, mostly of the carbonate rock type.The litho- and biofacies characters of the Eocene strata reveal comparatively shallow, quiet marine conditions, interrupted by agitated, high energy intervals.During the Maastrichtian age, deeper quiet marine conditions prevailed. The Upper and Lower members of the Campanian strata were deposited under deep quiet marine conditions, relative to shallower agitated conditions that prevailed during the deposition of the middle member.The Lower Cenomanian sediments were deposited under an alternating high and low energy fresh water environment, interrupted with saline (fluviomarine) periods, relative to the comparatively deeper marine conditions that prevailed during the Upper Cenomanian age.The main diagenetic processes recorded are: cementation, aggrading neomorphism, silicification and dolomitization.