Single-crystal EPR study of three radiation-induced defects (Al–O2 3?, Ti3+ and W5+) in stishovite

Single-crystal electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of electron-irradiated stishovite, measured at temperatures from 3.5 to 294?K, reveal three S?=?1/2 radiation-induced defects: an aluminum-associated oxygen hole center and two nd ¹ centers (Ti³⁺ and W⁵⁺). The aluminum-associated oxygen hole center, characterized by an orthorhombic site symmetry, coaxial matrices of the electronic Zeeman g, nuclear hyperfine A(²⁷Al) and nuclear quadrupole P(²⁷Al), and the orientation of the g-minimum axis along an O–O direction and those of the unique A(²⁷Al) and P(²⁷Al) axes perpendicular to the O–O direction, is an Al–O₂ ^3? center, with the unpaired electron equally distributed on two equatorial oxygen atoms of a substitutional Al³⁺ ion at the octahedral Si site. Fully optimized Al-doped structure, theoretical ²⁷Al nuclear hyperfine and quadrupole coupling constants and directions, and 3D spin densities from periodic hybrid density functional theory calculations provide further support for this structural model. Spin Hamiltonian parameters of the Ti³⁺ and W⁵⁺ centers, which are confirmed by their diagnostic ⁴⁷Ti, ⁴⁹Ti and ¹⁸³W hyperfine structures, arise from electron trapping on substitutional Ti⁴⁺ and W⁶⁺ ions at the octahedral Si site.     

Design of sediment detention basins: Scaled model experiments and application

Sediment detention basins are implemented on mountain rivers to trap solid material that may aggravate the flooding of downstream settlements.However,retention structures built in the past may unnecessarily retain sediment during non-hazardous flood events,resulting in high maintenance costs and sediment deficit downstream.In addition,the so-called spontaneous self-flushing of previously retained sediment during floods has occasionally been observed.Recent research suggests to design sediment detention basins for controlling sediment passage with a guiding channel across the deposition area upstream of a hybrid barrier.Such barriers consist of a check dam with a slot orifice and an upstream bar screen with a bottom clearance in order to benefit from a combined mechanical-hydraulic retention control.The present paper enhances this pioneering research with the help of new experimental data,including a wide range of sediment mixtures and large wood,as well as variable barrier heights.Improved design criteria are provided regarding the bar screen and the basin storage capacity.The functionality of the enhanced concept for sediment detention is illustrated by a case study on a physical model:the protection of the Villard-Bonnot village(France)against torrential hazards.     

Modelling mean annual sediment yield using a distributed approach

In this paper a spatially distributed model for the calculation of sediment delivery to river channels is presented (SEDEM: SEdiment DElivery Model). The model consists of two components: (1) the calculation of a spatial pattern of mean annual soil erosion rates in the catchment using a RUSLE (Revised Soil Erosion Equation) approach; and (2) the routing of the eroded sediment to the river channel network taking into account the transport capacity of each spatial unit. If the amount of routed sediment exceeds the local transport capacity, sediment deposition occurs. An existing dataset on sediment yield for 24 catchments in central Belgium was used to calibrate the transport capacity parameters of the model. A validation of the model results shows that the sediment yield for small and medium sized catchments (10–5000 ha) can be predicted with an average accuracy of 41 per cent. The predicted sediment yield values with SEDEM are significantly more accurate than the predictions using a lumped regression model. Moreover a spatially distributed approach allows simulation of the effect of different land use scenarios and soil conservation techniques. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

OH defects in forsterite

Polarized FTIR spectra of near endmember forsterite single crystals from Pamir, Tadzikistan show the existence of sharp strongly pleochroic absorption bands in the region of the OH stretching fundamental. Bands centered at 3674/3624, 3647/3598 and 3640/ 3592 cm^-1 are attributed to OH dipoles oriented parallel to [100]. An OH band doublet at 3570/3535 cm^-1 shows both, a strong absorption parallel to [100] and a strong component parallel to [001]. On the basis of the pleochroic scheme and under the assumption of vacancies on Si- and M-sites it is proposed that O1 is partially replaced by OH defects pointing to the vacant Si-site. O3 is donator oxygen of OH dipoles lying near the O3-O1 tetrahedral edge or roughly pointing to a vacant M2-site. Also O2 can act as donator oxygen of an OH group oriented along the O2-O3 edge of a vacant M1 octahedron. The splitting of the bands is explained by the presence of Fe²⁺ in cation sites surrounding the OH defects.     

MELIMEX,an experimental heavy metal pollution study: Effects of increased heavy metal loads on phytoplankton communities

Long-term impacts of increased metal loading (Hg, Cu, Cd, Zn and Pb) on phytoplankton communities of large limno-corrals (diameter 12 m, depth 10 m) were studied. Increased metal concentrations initially lowered phytoplankton biomass, as well as species number and photosynthetic activity of phytoplankton. They caused changes in metal speciation and shifts in phytoplankton community structure, favoring less susceptible species. Although adaptation was not sufficient to completely prevent the metal-induced depression of photosynthesis, due to depressed zooplankton grazing, at the end of the experiment even higher phytoplankton densities were observed in the metal-loaded corrals than in the control.     

Geochemistry of Karroo dolerite sills in the Calvinia district,Western Cape Province,South Africa

Two Karroo dolerite sills display chemical and mineralogical variation compatible with cumulus enrichment. The Blaauwkrans sill is an olivine tholeiite and contains a central zone slightly enriched in olivine, plagioclase and clinopyroxene. The thicker Hangnest sill is a quartz tholeiite and shows evidence of crystal settling and has a lower zone enriched in cumulus orthopyroxene and plagioclase.The two sills differ quite markedly in their trace element compositions, with the Hangnest magma enriched by a factor of two in LIL elements (Rb, Ba, Nb, Zr, Y) relative to the Blaauwkrans magma. The Hangnest magma contained extremely low Ni contents (3–5 ppm), whereas the Blaauwkrans magma contained higher but more normal Ni (100–110ppm). Such contrasting trace element compositions preclude any simple genetic relationship between the two Karroo magmas but they may be related either through a common parent or are derivatives from separate parental magmas.South African Contribution No. 24 to the International Geodynamics Project     

Summer flows in experimental catchments with different forest covers, Chile

Runoff and peak flows in four experimental catchments with different land uses are analyzed for summer periods. The catchments have a rainy temperate climate with annual precipitations between 2000 and 2500 mm, 70% of which is concentrated in the winter period between May and August. The final harvest of the forest plantation in one of these catchments generated increases in summer runoff. Also, differences between the maximum instantaneous discharge and the flow at the beginning of the storm then almost duplicated those registered in rainfall events of similar magnitude when the catchment was fully forested. Runoff analysis in this catchment is difficult because the two post-harvesting summer periods are much wetter than the two pre-harvesting ones but a double mass analysis shows the effect of harvesting clearly. In a paired catchment study, low cover in one of the two neighbour catchments explains higher direct runoff and base flows although lower maximum instantaneous specific discharge occurred in the less vegetated but larger catchment. Low vegetation cover explains increases in summer flows, although the size, topography, rainfall conditions, road density, extent of affected area and runoff generation processes play an important role in the hydrological effects of different land uses.     

Predicting catchment sediment yield in Mediterranean environments: the importance of sediment sources and connectivity in Italian drainage basins

Predicting sediment yield at the catchment scale is one of the main challenges in geomorphologic research. The application of both physics‐based models and regression models has until now not provided very satisfying results for prediction of sediment yield for medium to large sized catchments (c. >50 km²). The explanation for this lies in a combination of the large data requirements of most models and a lack of knowledge to describe all processes and process interactions at the catchment scale. In particular, point sources of sediment (e.g. gullies, mass movements), connectivity and sediment transport remain difficult to describe in most models. From reservoir sedimentation data of 44 Italian catchments, it appeared that there was a (non‐significant) positive relation between catchment area and sediment yield. This is in contrast to what is generally expected from the theory of decreasing sediment delivery rates with increasing catchment area. Furthermore, this positive relation suggests that processes other than upland erosion are responsible for catchment sediment yield. Here we explore the potential of the Factorial Scoring Model (FSM) and the Pacific Southwest Interagency Committee (PSIAC) model to predict sediment yield, and indicate the most important sediment sources. In these models different factors are used to characterize a drainage basin in terms of sensitivity to erosion and connectivity. In both models an index is calculated that is related to sediment yield. The FSM explained between 36 and 61 per cent of the variation in sediment yield, and the PSIAC model between 57 and 62 per cent, depending on the factors used to characterize the catchments. The FSM model performed best based on a factor to describe gullies, lithology, landslides, catchment shape and vegetation. Topography and catchment area did not explain additional variance. In particular, the addition of the landslide factor resulted in a significantly increased model performance. The FSM and PSIAC model both performed better than a spatially distributed model describing water erosion and sediment transport, which was applied to the same catchments but explained only between 20 and 51 per cent of the variation in sediment yield. Model results confirmed the hypothesis that processes other than upland erosion are probably responsible for sediment yield in the Italian catchments. A promising future development of the models is by the use of detailed spatially distributed data to determine the scores, decrease model subjectivity and provide spatially distributed output. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.