Tephra Fallout Models: The Effect of Different Source Shapes on Isomass Maps

Numerous tephra dispersion and sedimentation models rely on some abstraction of the volcanic plume to simplify forecasts of tephra accumulation as a function of the distance from the volcano. Here we present solutions to the commonly used advection–dispersion equation using a variety of source shapes: a point, horizontal and vertical lines, and a circular disk. These may be related to some volcanic plume structure, such as a strong plume (vertical line), umbrella cloud (circular disk), or co-ignimbrite plume (horizontal line), or can be used to build a more complex plume structure such as a series of circular disks to represent a buoyant weak plume. Basing parameters upon eruption data, we find that depositions for the horizontal source shapes are very similar but differ from the vertical line source deposition. We also compare the deposition from a series of stacked circular disk sources of increasing radius above the volcanic vent with that from a vertical line source.     

Failure to protect beaches under slowly rising sea level

The increase in population and the improvement of life standards are stretching the boundaries between water-energy-land management, and demanding innovative and holistic solutions. This article proposes an approach for increasing the water availability of two or more water basins taking into consideration land use and wind patterns, and was named Land, Water, and Wind Watershed Cycle (L3WC). This approach can be applied to one watershed or a combination of watersheds. In the first case, if wind patterns blow mainly in the opposite direction of the main river flow, plantations with high water demand should be focused on the lowest part of the basin. The transpired moisture would then return to the basin with the wind and possibly increase the water availability of the basin. Applying this method to a series of basins, water is transposed from one basin to another, used for irrigated agriculture, returned to the atmosphere with evapotranspiration and pushed back to the basin where the water was extracted by the wind. Case studies of this methodology are presented in the São Francisco basin and between the Tocantins, Amazonas, and Paraná basins and the São Francisco basin in Brazil. The São Francisco basin was selected because it is located in a dry region, its flow has considerably reduced in the past decade and because the trade winds blow constantly from the ocean into the continent all year around. L3WC is a strategy to plan the allocation of water consumption in a watershed, taking into account wind patterns to support the sustainable development of a region. It has the potential of increasing water availability and creating a climate change adaptation mechanism to control the climate and reduce vulnerability to climatic variations.     

A Web-based system enabling the integration,analysis, and 3D sub-surface visualization of groundwater monitoring data and geological models

The 3D Water Chemistry Atlas is an intuitive, open source, Web-based system that enables the three-dimensional (3D) sub-surface visualization of ground water monitoring data, overlaid on the local geological model (formation and aquifer strata). This paper firstly describes the results of evaluating existing virtual globe technologies, which led to the decision to use the Cesium open source WebGL Virtual Globe and Map Engine as the underlying platform. Next it describes the backend database and search, filtering, browse and analysis tools that were developed to enable users to interactively explore the groundwater monitoring data and interpret it spatially and temporally relative to the local geological formations and aquifers via the Cesium interface. The result is an integrated 3D visualization system that enables environmental managers and regulators to assess groundwater conditions, identify inconsistencies in the data, manage impacts and risks and make more informed decisions about coal seam gas extraction, waste water extraction, and water reuse.     

Peripheral communities of the Eastern Lau Spreading Center and Valu Fa Ridge: community composition,temporal change and comparison to near‐vent communities

Western Pacific hydrothermal vents will soon be subjected to deep‐sea mining and peripheral sites are considered the most practical targets. The limited information on community dynamics and temporal change in these communities makes it difficult to anticipate the impact of mining activities and recovery trajectories. We studied community composition of peripheral communities along a cline in hydrothermal chemistry on the Eastern Lau Spreading Center and Valu Fa Ridge (ELSC‐VFR) and also studied patterns of temporal change. Peripheral communities located in the northern vent fields of the ELSC‐VFR are significantly different from those in the southern vent fields. Higher abundances of zoanthids and anemones were found in northern peripheral sites and the symbiont‐containing mussel Bathymodiolus brevior, brisingid seastars and polynoids were only present in the northern peripheral sites. By contrast, certain faunal groups were seen only in the southern peripheral sites, such as lollipop sponges, pycnogonids and ophiuroids. Taxonomic richness of the peripheral communities was similar to that of active vent communities, due to the presence of non‐vent endemic species that balanced the absence of species found in areas of active venting. The communities present at waning active sites resemble those of peripheral sites, indicating that peripheral species can colonize previously active vent sites in addition to settling in the periphery of areas of venting. Growth and mortality were observed in a number of the normally slow‐growing cladorhizid stick sponges, indicating that these animals may exhibit life history strategies in the vicinity of vents that differ from those previously recorded. A novel facultative association between polynoids and anemones is proposed based on their correlated distributions.     

Stratal composition and stratigraphic organization of stratal elements in an ancient deep‐marine basin‐floor succession,Neoproterozoic Windermere Supergroup,British Columbia,Canada

Despite a globally growing seismic and outcrop analogue data set, the detailed (centimetre to decametre) internal stratal make up of deep‐marine basin‐floor ‘channelized‐lobe’ strata remain poorly known. An ancient analogue for modern, mixed‐sediment, passive margin, deep‐marine basin‐floor fans is the well‐preserved Neoproterozoic Upper and Middle Kaza groups in the southern Canadian Cordillera. This succession is a few kilometres thick and comprises six sedimentary facies representing deposition from different kinds of sediment‐gravity flows. Representative lateral and vertical assemblages of one or more of these facies comprise six stratal elements, including: isolated scours, avulsion splays, feeder channels, distributary channels, terminal splays, and distal and off‐axis fine‐grained turbidite units. The internal characteristics of the various stratal elements do not differ from more distal to more proximal settings, but the relative abundance of the various stratal elements does. The difference in relative abundance of stratal elements in the kilometre‐scale stratigraphy of the Kaza Group results in a systematic upward change in architecture. The systematic arrangement of the stratal elements within the interpreted larger bodies, or lobes, and then lobes within the basin‐floor fan, suggests a hierarchical organization. In this article a hierarchy is proposed that is based on avulsion but, also importantly, the location of avulsion. The proposed avulsion‐based hierarchical scheme will be a useful tool to bridge the scalar gap between outcrop and seismic studies by providing a single stratigraphic framework and terminology for basin‐floor stratal elements.     

The role of porous matrix in water flow regulation within a karst unsaturated zone: an integrated hydrogeophysical approach

Some portions of the porous rock matrix in the karst unsaturated zone (UZ) can contain large volumes of water and play a major role in water flow regulation. The essential results are presented of a local-scale study conducted in 2011 and 2012 above the Low Noise Underground Laboratory (LSBB – Laboratoire Souterrain à Bas Bruit) at Rustrel, southeastern France. Previous research revealed the geological structure and water-related features of the study site and illustrated the feasibility of specific hydrogeophysical measurements. In this study, the focus is on hydrodynamics at the seasonal and event timescales. Magnetic resonance sounding (MRS) measured a high water content (more than 10 %) in a large volume of rock. This large volume of water cannot be stored in fractures and conduits within the UZ. MRS was also used to measure the seasonal variation of water stored in the karst UZ. A process-based model was developed to simulate the effect of vegetation on groundwater recharge dynamics. In addition, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) monitoring was used to assess preferential water pathways during a rain event. This study demonstrates the major influence of water flow within the porous rock matrix on the UZ hydrogeological functioning at both the local (LSBB) and regional (Fontaine de Vaucluse) scales. By taking into account the role of the porous matrix in water flow regulation, these findings may significantly improve karst groundwater hydrodynamic modelling, exploitation, and sustainable management.     

Antimony deposits in the Variscan Armorican belt,a link with mafic intrusives?

The Variscan Armorican belt was the World leading producer of antimony at the beginning of the twentieth century. However, geological controls on the deposits remain unconstrained. Here, we illustrate the field setting of mineralisations and perform a statistical analysis using Geographical Information System software, geophysical and geological data. The analysis shows that Sb deposits are spatially correlated with high‐density and magnetic zones. This may reflect the presence of mafic/ultramafic bodies at depth – a suggestion that is further supported by numerous occurrences of doleritic dykes throughout the region. Future antimony prospecting should focus on the high‐density and high‐magnetic zones which comprise about 18% of the Armorican massif. Links between Sb deposits and mafic intrusions are recognised elsewhere in the West European Variscan belt, emphasising that these may be key for antimony prospecting in deformation belts.     

The application of electrical conductivity as a tracer for hydrograph separation in urban catchments

Two‐component hydrograph separation was performed on 19 low‐to‐moderate intensity rainfall events in a 4·1‐km² urban watershed to infer the relative and absolute contribution of surface runoff (e.g. new water) to stormflow generation between 2001 and 2003. The electrical conductivity (EC) of water was used as a continuous and inexpensive tracer, with order of magnitude differences in precipitation (12–46 µS/cm) and pre‐event streamwater EC values (520–1297 µS/cm). While new water accounted for most of the increased discharge during storms (61–117%), the contribution of new water to total discharge during events was typically lower (18–78%) and negatively correlated with antecedent stream discharge (r² = 0·55, p < 0·01). The amount of new water was positively correlated with total rainfall (r² = 0·77), but hydrograph separation results suggest that less than half (9–46%) of the total rainfall on impervious surfaces is rapidly routed to the stream channel as new water. Comparison of hydrograph separation results using non‐conservative tracers (EC and Si) and a conservative isotopic tracer (δD) for two events showed similar results and highlighted the potential application of EC as an inexpensive, high frequency tracer for hydrograph separation studies in urban catchments. The use of a simple tracer‐based approach may help hydrologists and watershed managers to better understand impervious surface runoff, stormflow generation and non‐point‐source pollutant loading to urban streams. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.