Automatic Delineation of Capture Zones for Pump and Treat Systems: A Case Study in Piedmont,Italy

The design of a pump and treat (P&T) system for the hydraulic control of a contaminated plume in a confined aquifer is presented here. Being the system designed for the emergency containment of a nonaqueous phase liquid plume, the evaluation of the system’s short-term efficiency was considered an important issue. For this reason, both time-related and ultimate capture zones were defined. They were traced using the automatic protection area (APA) model, a capture-zone delineation tool based on a hybrid forward-backward particle tracking algorithm, that provides an automatic post-processing encirclement of capture zones. Two simple indexes are here proposed for the evaluation of the performance of the hydraulic barrier, that is, the efficacy and efficiency indexes, calculated from the capture areas provided by APA. The discharge rates of the wells were dimensioned applying the APA algorithm, maximizing efficacy and efficiency of the barrier. Results proved both visually (via plotting of capture zones) and numerically (via calculation of the indexes) that the P&T system can provide a complete capture of the contaminated area and minimizes the volume of extracted water. Consequently, the APA algorithm was proved to be a useful tool in capture zone delineation. As a future perspective, it could be coupled with the real-time measurement of pumping rates and water levels and be implemented as a part of a tuning tool for the management of the hydraulic barrier.     

Aminostratigraphy and thermoluminescence dating of coastal aeolianites and the later Quaternary history of a failed delta: The River Murray mouth region,South Australia

A geochronological framework for the sequential development of coastal barrier aeolianite complexes in the mouth region of the River Murray, Australia's largest river system is presented based on amino acid racemization and thermoluminescence dating. The sedimentary successions represent a foreshortened and condensed sequence of coastal barriers compared with those of the Coorong Coastal Plain in southern South Australia where the barrier complexes are more widely separated in response to tectonic uplift. The barriers have formed during interglacial sea-level highstands and are correlatives of genetically equivalent landforms of the Coorong Coastal Plain. Thermoluminescence dating and the extent of amino acid racemization in aeolianite ‘whole-rock’ sediment samples, reveal a general increase in age of the barriers landwards from the modern coastline. In detail, however, the individual barriers represent composite structures having formed in more than one interglaciation, due to the reoccupation of Pleistocene shoreline positions during sea-level highstands of similar amplitude, in a zone of gradual basin subsidence. The most seaward Pleistocene aeolianite at Surfer Beach is of interstadial age (Marine Isotope Stage 5c, 105 ± 5 ka; MIS 5c), and correlates with the Robe Range of the Coorong Coastal Plain. The last interglacial shoreline (130 ± 15 ka; MIS 5e) is particularly well-defined in the River Murray mouth region. It is represented by a complex association of coastal parabolic dunes superimposed on a transverse dune system, which runs parallel with the former coastline, and also includes associated estuarine, lagoonal and open ocean beach facies. Landward of the last interglacial succession are distinct barriers relating to the penultimate interglaciation (215 ± 35 ka; MIS 7), as well as earlier interglaciations (350 ± 65 ka; MIS 9 or 11 and 470 ± 70 ka; MIS 11 or 13). The coastal barriers have been successively breached by the ancestral River Murray at times of lower sea level during glacial cycles. Former mouths of the River Murray during interglacial sea-level highstands are likely to have existed near Tauwitchere Island during MIS 7, and between Goolwa and Hindmarsh Island and near the southern-most part of Lake Albert during the last interglacial (MIS 5e). The River Murray mouth region represents a failed delta as the limited sediment brought to this area since late middle Pleistocene time has been either rapidly incorporated within aeolian deposits during sea-level highstands, or transported to the edge of the Lacepede Shelf during glacial maxima. The Holocene and modern River Murray has not established a marine delta, but deposits its load in the settling basins of the terminal lakes. Only a small digitate delta has formed where the river enters Lake Alexandrina.     

Surface dynamic deformation estimates from local seismicity: the Itoiz reservoir,Spain

We analyze the ground motion time histories due to the local seismicity near the Itoiz reservoir to estimate the near-source, surface 3D displacement gradients and dynamic deformations. The seismic data were obtained by a semipermanent broadband and accelerometric network located on surface and at underground sites. The dynamic deformation field was calculated by two different methodologies: first, by the seismo-geodetic method using the data from a three-station microarray located close to the dam, and second, by single station estimates of the displacement gradients. The dynamic deformations obtained from both methods were compared and analyzed in the context of the local free-field effects. The shallow 1D velocity structure was estimated from the seismic data by modeling the body wave travel times. Time histories obtained from both methods result quite similar in the time window of body wave arrivals. The strain misfits between methods vary from 1.4 to 35.0 % and rotational misfits vary from 2.5 to 36.0 %. Amplitudes of displacement gradients vary in the range of 10^?8 to 10^?7 strains. From these results, a new scaling analysis by numerical modeling is proposed in order to estimate the peak dynamic deformations for different magnitudes, up to the expected maximum M _w in the region (M5.5). Peak dynamic deformations due to local M _w5.5 earthquakes would reach amplitudes of 10^?5 strain and 10^?3 radians at the Itoiz dam. The single station method shows to be an adequate option for the analysis of local seismicity, where few three-component stations are available. The results obtained here could help to extend the applicability of these methodologies to other sites of engineering interest.     

Insights into the Structure and Surface Geology of Isla Socorro,Mexico, from Airborne Magnetic and Gamma-Ray Surveys

The island of Socorro is located in the eastern Pacific Ocean, 650 km off the coast of Mexico. It is a rare example of an oceanic volcanic island whose above sea level volume is made up mostly of peralkaline trachytes and rhyolites, with subordinate mafic rocks. Subaerial volcanism started several hundred thousand years ago and continues until recent times. We present an investigation of surface and subsurface geology of the island, based on the first detailed extensive geophysical survey on the island. Acquired airborne magnetic and gamma-ray data were compared to existing geological information and supplemented with field investigations and satellite imagery. Magnetic data show a wide minimum in the central part of the island, possibly connected to a high-temperature zone in the deeper central portion of the volcano, likely to be due to a still hot magma body. The data also depict two parallel edges possibly suggesting the existence of a nested caldera. Analysis on upward continued magnetic data by recent imaging techniques highlighted two deep sources located around 5 km b.s.l., interpreted as feeding structures that are now filled with crystalline rocks. Gamma-ray data have been interpreted through integration with the geological survey results. Several previously known volcanic deposits have been identified based on radioelement distribution, and others have been redefined based on field evidence. A new succession of volcanic members is proposed, to be verified through more detailed geological mapping, geochemical analyses of rock samples and radiometric dating.     

Application of Multivariate Statistical Techniques for Characterization of Groundwater Quality in the Coastal Aquifer of Nador,Tipaza (Algeria)

The study focuses on the characterization of the groundwater salinity on the Nador coastal aquifer (Algeria). The groundwater quality has undergone serious deterioration due to overexploitation. Groundwater samplings were carried out in high and low waters in 2013, in order to study the evolution of groundwater hydrochemistry from the recharge to the coastal area. Different kinds of statistical analysis were made in order to identify the main hydrogeochemical processes occurring in the aquifer and to discriminate between different groups of groundwater. These statistical methods provide a better understanding of the aquifer hydrochem-istry, and put in evidence a hydrochemical classification of wells, showing that the area with higher salinity is located close to the coast, in the first two kilometers, where the salinity gradually increases as one approaches the seaside and suggests the groundwater salinization by sea-water intrusion.     

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.     

Strategic groundwater resources in the Tagliamento River basin (northern Italy): hydrogeological investigation integrated with geophysical exploration

The western sector of the Tagliamento River basin (Friuli Venezia-Giulia Region; northern Italy) is characterized by important water resources, both superficial and underground. In particular, in the Quaternary deposits of the plain, up to a depth of 500 m, six artesian aquifer systems exist. A large amount of lithological, geomorphological, and hydrogeological data is presented, allowing for definition of (a) the principal aquifer system of the area to a depth of about 500 m; (b) geometrical characteristics of the aquifers (thickness, lateral extension, etc); (c) the hydraulic parameters (hydraulic conductivity, transmissivity); (d) chemico-physical characteristics of the water; and (e) vulnerability to pollution of the aquifer systems. In a test area, where many boreholes were drilled for fresh water supply, the conceptual hydrogeological model was integrated by a detailed and repeated three-dimensional (3D) resistivity survey using combined electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and time-domain electromagnetic (TDEM) soundings. ERT investigation was mainly used to get detailed information about geometry and porosity of the overburden and to calibrate the shallowest TDEM information.     

Calculating Intraurban Agglomeration of Economic Units with Planar and Network K-Functions: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

According to recent research, one of the most promising strategies for intraurban job growth lies promoting localized clusters that produce goods and services which are primarily sold within a single city, metropolitan area, or urban region. However, in order to design urban policies to create or reinforce local clusters, the first challenge is to measure in a reliable way the clustering tendencies of different kinds of economic units in intraurban space. The aim is to compare the similarities and differences in results obtained from two methods designed to measure global clustering tendencies (the planar and network K-functions) in terms of characterization, scale, and intensity of intraurban localization patterns for tertiary economic units in a Latin American metropolis. It is concluded that the network K-function is a more appropriate method for measuring agglomeration patterns, scale, and intensity at the intra-urban level.