Water movement within lac du bonnet batholith as revealed by detailed thermal studies of three closely-spaced boreholes

Successive temperature logs have been obtained over a period of two years in three closely-spaced boreholes in the Lac du Bonnet batholith of the Superior Province of the Canadian Shield. Two of the boreholes, of depth 450 m and 830 m, intersect a dipping fracture zone at 435–450 m. In both holes water is flowing from near the surface to the fracture zone at approximately 1.5–1.9·10⁻⁵ m³ s⁻¹, the flow being inferred from analysis of the temperature logs. Below 25 m, temperatures in these two holes are 0.22–0.28 K lower than those in the third, 145 m, hole.The temperature data have been combined with over 200 thermal conductivity measurements on core samples to produce heat flow values. In the deepest hole heat flow above the fracture zone is 16% higher than that below the zone. This indicates that water is flowing up the fracture zone. The flow rate is approximately 0.3 g s⁻¹ m⁻¹, and the flow has existed for thousands of years.Observation of thermal effects of water flow in massive, relatively unfractured plutons in a region having little topographic relief causes one to be concerned about the reliability of heat flow values measured in similar environments.The regional heat flow is taken to be 50 mW m⁻² after correction for glaciation effects. The average value of 24 determinations of radioactive heat generation in granitic core samples is 5.23 ± 1.11 μW m⁻³, which is more than three times higher than expected for such a heat flow in the Superior Province. This implies that the layer of high radioactive heat generation is thin, being not more than 4 km and probably about 1.3 km thick.     

Micellar-Enhanced Ultrafiltration and Air Stripping for Surfactant-Contaminant Separation and Surfactant Reuse

Micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration (MELT) and air stripping were evaluated for surfactant-contaminant separation and surfactant recovery. Two linear alkyl diphenyloxide disulfonate (DPDS) surfactants were evaluated with the contaminants naphthalene and trichloroethylene. A separation model developed from micellar partitioning principles showed a good correlation to batch MEUF studies, whereas flux analysis highlighted concentration polarization effects in relation to hydrophobe length. MEUF effectively concentrated the surfactant-contaminant system (93 to 99 percent retention); however, this did not result in surfactant-contaminant separation. Batch and continuous flow air stripping models were developed based upon air/water ratio, surfactant concentration, and Micellar partitioning; model predictions were validated by experimental data. Sensitivity analyses illustrated the decline in contaminant-surfactant separation with increasing surfactant concentration (e.g., TCE removal efficiency declines from 83 percent to 37 percent as C-16 DPDS concentration increases from 0 to 55 mM). This effect is greater for more hydrophobic contaminants (naphthalene vs. TCE) and surfactants with greater solubilization potential (C16-DPDS vs. C-12 DPDS). The resulting design equations can account for this effect and thus properly size air strippers to achieve the desired removal efficiency in the presence of surfactant micelles. Proper selection and design of surfactant-contaminant separation and surfactant recovery systems are integral to optimizing surfactant-enhanced subsurface remediation.     

The role of choke points in the ocean context

Choke points are narrow international waterways where three characteristics are present. The waterway should be narrow and capable of being closed off to both commercial and military snipping. There should be no readily available maritime route to utilize in the event of closure. Finally, the choke point should be of considerable significance to at least several States. This article identifies seven “primary” choke points which seem to satisfy these criteria. These are Gibraltar, Bab el Mandeb, Hormuz, the Danish and Turkish Straits, and the Suez and Panama Canals. It also identifies eleven “secondary” choke points, where at least one of the reouired characteristics is missing. The eleven include Dover, Bering and Magellan Straits, as well as Malacca-Singapore and a number of others in the Western Pacific. Turning to a consideration of the status of choke points in a Post-Cold War era, the article notes four basic assumptions: (1) the intense military rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union will be reduced in coming years; (2) for many countries marine-related environmental concerns may be increasing considerably; (3) as the Cold War recedes, regional contests and confrontations will grow more intense; and (4) the overall densities of water-borne traffic will undergo change as the relative economic growth of regional centers changes. The article then considers the potential impact of these trends on the future role of choke points.     

Thermal analysis in the laser-heated diamond anvil cell

A new technique actively controls thermal radiation and monitors sample properties during laser-heating in a diamond anvil cell. The technique can be described as a qualitative application of thermal analysis. Discontinuities in temperature, laser power, visible thermal radiation, or in their derivatives as functions of time can be associated with the enthalpy of phase transitions (such as melting) or with changes in maternal properties (such as emissivity).The technique is illustrated with melting experiments on iron-magnesium-silicate perovskite. Temperature corrections associated with these experiments are discussed and the results are briefly reviewed.