Mineralogical profiling of alluvial sediments from arsenic-affected Ganges-Brahmaputra floodplain in central Bangladesh

Mineral assemblages (heavy and light fractions) and sedimentological characteristics of the Quaternary alluvial aquifers were examined in the central Bengal Basin where As concentrations in groundwater are highly variable in space but generally decrease downward. Chemical compositions of sediment samples from two vertical core profiles (2-150 m below ground level, bgl) were analyzed along with groundwater in moderately As-enriched aquifers in central Bangladesh (Manikganj district), and the As mobilization process in the alluvial aquifer is described. Heavy minerals such as biotite, magnetite, amphibole, apatite and authigenic goethite are abundant at shallow (<100 m below ground level (mbgl)) depths but less abundant at greater depths. It is interpreted that principal As-bearing minerals were derived from multiple sources, primarily from ophiolitic belts in the Indus-Tsangpo suture in the northeastern Himalayan and Indo-Burman Mountain ranges. Authigenic and amorphous Fe-(oxy)hydroxide minerals that are generally formed in river channels in the aerobic environment are the major secondary As-carriers in alluvial sediments. Reductive dissolution (mediated by Fe-reducing bacteria) of Fe-(oxy)hydroxide minerals under anoxic chemical conditions is the primary mechanism responsible for releasing As into groundwater. Authigenic siderite that precipitates under reducing environment at greater depths decreases Fe and possibly As concentrations in groundwater. Presence of Fe(III) minerals in aquifers shows that reduction of these minerals is incomplete and this can release more As if further Fe-reduction takes place with increased supplies of organic matter (reactive C). Absence of authigenic pyrite suggests that SO₄ reduction (mediated by SO₄-reducing bacteria) in Manikganj groundwater is limited in contrast to the southeastern Bengal Basin where precipitation of arsenian pyrite is thought to sequester As from groundwater.     

A simple and inexpensive method for muddy shore profiling

There are several well-established methods for obtaining beach profiles, and more accurate and precise high-tech methods are emerging. Traditional low-cost methods requiring minimal user skill or training are still popular among professionals, scientists, and coastal zone management practitioners. Simple methods are being developed with a primary focus on sand and gravel beaches. This paper describes a simple, low-cost, manual field method for measuring profiles of beaches, which is particularly suitable for muddy shores. The equipment is a type of flexible U-tube manometer that uses liquid columns in vertical tubes to measure differences in elevation; the supporting frame is constructed from wooden poles with base disks, which hold measuring scales and a PVC tube. The structure was trialed on a mudflat characterized by a 20~0-cm-thick surface layer of silt and clay, located at the Kutubdia Island, Bangladesh. The study results are discussed with notes on the method＇s applicability, advantages and limitations, and several optional modifications for different scenarios for routine profiling of muddy shores. The equipment can be used by one person or two people, and the accuracy of the method is comparable to those in other methods. The equipment can also be used on sandy or gravel beaches.     

Implicit structural inversion of gravity data using linear programming,a validation study*

In this study, a regional scale gravity data set has been inverted to infer the structure (topography) of the top of the basement underlying sub‐horizontal strata. We apply our method to this real data set for further proof of concept, validation and benchmarking against results from an earlier forward modelling done elsewhere. Our aim is to carry out implicit structural inversion, i.e., to obtain a geologically reasonable model, without specifically solving for structure. The 2.5D volume of interest is parametrized with homogeneous horizontal prisms and a two‐lithology medium is assumed. A possible regional linear trend and a general floating reference are also inverted for. Using a gridded parametrization, linear programming is used to minimize the L₁ ‐norm of the data misfit, relative to a floating reference. Given a known density contrast between the lithologies, an inversion using linear programming has the intrinsic advantage that a relatively sharp image of the sub‐surface is retrieved instead of a smooth one. The model recovered is almost bi‐modal and its general features seem to be robust with respect to several parametrization scenarios investigated. The floating reference and a linear trend in the data were also retrieved simultaneously. The inversion results, indicating two depressions in the basement, are robust and agree with those obtained earlier based upon detailed 2D forward modelling using many narrow, near‐vertical prisms.     

Comparison of ordinary kriging and artificial neural network for spatial mapping of arsenic contamination of groundwater

In this technical note, we investigate the hypothesis that ‘non-linearity matters in the spatial mapping of complex patterns of groundwater arsenic contamination’. The spatial mapping pertained to data-driven techniques of spatial interpolation based on sampling data at finite locations. Using the well known example of extensive groundwater contamination by arsenic in Bangladesh, we find that the use of a highly non-linear pattern learning technique in the form of an artificial neural network (ANN) can yield more accurate results under the same set of constraints when compared to the ordinary kriging method. One ANN and a variogram model were used to represent the spatial structure of arsenic contamination for the whole country. The probability for successful detection of a well as safe or unsafe was found to be atleast 15% larger than that by kriging under the country-wide scenario. The probability of false hopes, which is a serious issue in public health monitoring was found to be significantly lower (by more than 10%) than that by kriging.     

Hurricane Wind Power Spectra, Cospectra, and Integral Length Scales

Atmospheric turbulence is an important factor in the modelling of wind forces on structures and the losses they produce in extreme wind events. However, while turbulence in non-hurricane winds has been thoroughly researched, turbulence in tropical cyclones and hurricanes that affect the Gulf and Atlantic coasts has only recently been the object of systematic study. In this paper, Florida Coastal Monitoring Program surface wind measurements over the sea surface and open flat terrain are used to estimate tropical cyclone and hurricane wind spectra and cospectra as well as integral length scales. From the analyses of wind speeds obtained from five towers in four hurricanes it can be concluded with high confidence that the turbulent energy at lower frequencies is considerably higher in hurricane than in non-hurricane winds. Estimates of turbulence spectra, cospectra, and integral turbulence scales presented can be used for the development in experimental facilities of hurricane wind flows and the forces they induce on structures.     

Near surface lithology and spatial variation of arsenic in the shallow groundwater: southeastern Bangladesh

This study investigated the relationship between near-surface lithology and the spatial variability of As concentrations using sediment grain-size analysis and electromagnetic induction survey in the southeast Bangladesh. It has been observed that the aquifers overlain by finer sediments have higher concentrations of As in groundwater, whereas As concentrations are remarkably low in aquifers having permeable sandy materials or thinner silt/clay layer at the surface. The near-surface lithology acts as a controlling factor for spatial distributions of groundwater As within the very shallow depths (<15 m). Shallow alluvial aquifers can provide low-As drinking water in many areas of the country when tube wells are properly installed after investigation of the overlying near-surface sediment attributes and hydraulic properties.     

Atmospheric surface layer characteristics with MONTBLEX data

Data obtained from the 30m high MONTBLEX tower installed at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur are described. Data on wind speed and direction, temperature and humidity were recorded during the first week of July 1989 at six levels on the tower. They indicate some of the atmospheric surface layer characteristics. Using two levels of tower data involving wind speed and temperature a profile method was used for computing the surface fluxes of heat and momentum. A method for calculating the surface roughness length using the data was also used to obtain the vertical windspeed profile. The computed wind profile was compared with observations, while the surface roughness length was compared with values obtained by a least square fit. The computed surface fluxes were compared with theoretical values obtained by an energy budget method which uses only wind data at one level. The agreement was reasonably good.     

Effects of mining-induced seismic events on a deep underground mine

The performance of an underground excavation at the Lucky Friday Mine that was subjected to repetitive episodes of mining-induced seismic activities is assessed. Field measurements indicate that an underground excavation may respond to mining-induced seismicity with step changes in displacement of the rock mass around the excavation or step changes in excavation closures. However, step changes in displacement or closure were also observed without the presence of mine seismic events. This behavior may be explained using the concept of stick-slip on joints or bedding planes within the rock mass. The stick-slip mechanism is believed to be controlled by the state of stresses at a joint or bedding plane. Through this mechanism, joint displacement is accumulated in a progressive fashion leading to a weakening of rock mass around an excavation. As a result, the excavation becomes less stable and therefore is more susceptible to seismic impacts. The concept of using peak particle velocity to assess damage threshold for underground excavations may not be conservative when considering the effect of rock mass fatigue.