On the equilibrium of suction and pressure plate tests

Acta Geotechnica - Pressure and suction plate tests are among the most common techniques for determining the soil–water characteristic curve. The required testing period depends on many...     

The geomagnetic dynamo-elementary energetics and thermodynamics

This paper is a non-mathematical review, summarising the work in this field.Estimates are made of the power needed to maintain the electric currents which give the main geomagnetic field. The observed surface field needs at least 2×10⁸ W, but unobservable fields may need much more; a toroidal field of peak value 10 or 50nT would need 10¹⁰ or 2.5×10¹¹ W.Ways of obtaining this power from the Earth's rotation, particularly through precession, are considered and rejected.Thermal power sources have the disadvantages that there is inherent thermodynamic inefficiency in driving the dynamo, and that a significant fraction of the heat input will be carried away by conduction rather than convection. Radioactivity will only be important if there is a substantial amount of potassium in the core. If this is not the case the core might be cooling; cooling at 20K per 10⁹ yr would release specific heat at a rate of 10¹² W. If the cooling causes the inner core to grow by freezing from the liquid core, then an additional 10¹² W would be released from the latent heat of freezing. These heat fluxes might support a dynamo having a small toroidal field.If, as seems likely, the solid inner core is significantly denser than the liquid, such cooling would also release 0.6×10¹² W of gravitational energy, giving compositional convection which would drive the dynamo very efficiently and give a large toroidal field.     

Climate change and infectious diseases: Can we meet the needs for better prediction?

The next generation of climate-driven, disease prediction models will most likely require a mechanistically based, dynamical framework that parameterizes key processes at a variety of locations. Over the next two decades, consensus climate predictions make it possible to produce forecasts for a number of important infectious diseases that are largely independent of the uncertainty of longer-term emissions scenarios. In particular, the role of climate in the modulation of seasonal disease transmission needs to be unravelled from the complex dynamics resulting from the interaction of transmission with herd immunity and intervention measures that depend upon previous burdens of infection. Progress is also needed to solve the mismatch between climate projections and disease projections at the scale of public health interventions. In the time horizon of seasons to years, early warning systems should benefit from current developments on multi-model ensemble climate prediction systems, particularly in areas where high skill levels of climate models coincide with regions where large epidemics take place. A better understanding of the role of climate extremes on infectious diseases is urgently needed.     

Thermochronology and exhumation rates of granitic intrusions at Mesa Central,Mexico

ABSTRACT

The Mesa Central of Mexico (MC) is an elevated plateau located 2000 m above sea level in central Mexico, where intrusions outcrop that register the history of exhumation-erosion occurring during the Late Cretaceous-Paleogene. The tectonic history of the region records formation of the Late Cretaceous-Paleogene ‘Mexican orogen’; this was followed by extension of the entire region and several plutons were then exhumed. The age and magnitude of the crustal uplift and erosion occurring during exhumation has not been addressed to date. Therefore, this study reports the crystallization and cooling ages of two plutons, the Tesorera Granodiorite and the Comanja Granite, and estimates their emplacement depths. Based on these data, the exhumation age of the Tesorera Granodiorite is estimated to be between ~73 Ma and ~63 Ma at an exhumation rate of ~528 m/m. y. and that of the Comanja Granite is 52 Ma and 48 Ma at an exhumation rate of ~2500 m/m. y. Exhumation-erosion event of the Tesorera Granodiorite was located on the trace of the San Luis-Tepehuanes Fault System and that of the Comanja Granite on the a trace of the El Bajío Fault System. Furthermore, the high exhumation rate in the Comanja Granite suggests that gravitational collapse played an important role during exhumation.     

Field Demonstration of the Horizontal Treatment Well (HRX Well®) for Passive In Situ Remediation

The horizontal reactive media treatment well (HRX Well®) uses directionally drilled horizontal wells filled with a treatment media to induce flow-focusing behavior created by the well-to-aquifer permeability contrast to passively capture proportionally large volumes of groundwater. Groundwater is treated in situ as it flows through the HRX Well and downgradient portions of the aquifer are cleaned via elution as these zones are flushed with clean water discharging from the HRX Well. The HRX Well concept is particularly well suited for sites where long-term mass discharge control is a primary performance objective. This concept is appropriate for recalcitrant and difficult-to-treat constituents, including chlorinated solvents, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), 1,4-dioxane, and metals. A full-scale HRX Well was installed and operated to treat trichloroethene (TCE) with zero valent iron (ZVI). The model-predicted enhanced flow through the HRX Well (compared to the flow in and equivalent cross-sectional area orthogonal to flow in the natural formation before HRX Well installation) and treatment zone width was consistent with flows and widths estimated independently by point velocity probe (PVP) testing, HRX Well tracer testing, and observed treatment in downgradient monitoring wells. The actual average capture zone width was estimated to be between 45 and 69 feet. Total TCE mass discharge reduction was maintained through the duration of the performance monitoring period and exceeded 99.99% (%). Decreases in TCE concentrations were observed at all four downgradient monitoring wells within the treatment zone (ranging from 50 to 74% at day 436), and the first arrival of treated water was consistent with model predictions. The field demonstration confirmed the HRX Well technology is best suited for long-term mass discharge control, can be installed under active infrastructure, requires limited ongoing operation and maintenance, and has low life cycle energy and water requirements.     

On sweeping frequency impedance measurements

Summary The current spectral density I() dependence on the width of the frequency band and sweep period is studied. The relation between the required accuracy of measurement an the optional parameters of the sweeping process is formulated.