Urban impacts analysis on hydrochemical and hydrogeological evolution of groundwater in shallow aquifer Linares,Mexico

In northeast Mexico is Linares City, which has an extensive agricultural area and many industrial activities. Near this city is the Cerro-Prieto Dam (~12 km NE direction); this drinking water reservoir captures the water of the Pablillo River catchment area and constitutes an important source of potable water for the metropolitan area of Monterrey, the largest urban center of this region. Groundwater sources in this area provide drinking water to Linares inhabitants. A hydrogeological and hydrochemical study was conducted on the shallow aquifers surrounding the urban centers (Linares and Hualahuises) to determine the evolution of the water quality between 1981 and 2009. The hydrochemistry was assessed upgradient and downgradient from the potential contamination sources in Linares city. Groundwater showed a chemical evolution from calcium-bicarbonate type to calcium–sodium-sulfate type. The water qualities in the downstream area after Linares are inferior compared to the upstream area before the city. Nitrate concentrations in groundwater increased significantly after 28 years indicating an important pollutant process in this period of time over the study area. The possible pollution sources could be the agricultural and farm activities, industrial development, landfills leachate, septic tanks and wastewater of municipal and domestic consumption. If the present scenario continues, an aquifer vulnerability assessment would be important for the sustainable water management.     

Groundwater resources of Uzbekistan: an environmental and operational overview

As a result of the massive irrigation development during the Soviet Union era and intensive chemization of agriculture, the surface runoff quality has been degraded in this arid and endorheic region. Moreover hydraulically related groundwater has also been affected. Excessive irrigation has lead to land salinization, which now threatens the soil quality of significant areas where crop yields would be at risk in the future. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, institutional changes have been undertaken for the management of natural resources and water infrastructure. At present, underdeveloped and inadequate systems have been practiced with respect to groundwater use and management. This paper analyzes the present extent of groundwater resources with consideration to their reserves, quality evolution, and to technical, institutional and transboundary management practices in Uzbekistan.     

农地转用过程中土地增值收益分配研究综述

连续八年的中央＂一号文件＂均是关于＂三农＂问题,而处于其核心的农地增值收益分配问题研究,经过较长时间的演变与发展,取得了不少的成果,但仍在很多方面存在分歧,有必要对相关研究进行整理分析。本文从土地增值收益分配的理论依据、增值收益额的确定与分类、增值收益分配的现状研究以及分配方式方法等方面综述了国内外相关研究情况,并且从研究方法、土地增值收益分配理念等方面进行了总结,提出今后相关研究应当关注的农民绝对生活保障与相对满意度、区域内征地补偿的相对公平性、动态分配机制等问题。     

Hypsometry of Titan

Cassini RADAR topography data are used to evaluate Titan’s hypsometric profile, and to make comparisons with other planetary bodies. Titan’s hypsogram is unimodal and strikingly narrow compared with the terrestrial planets. To investigate topographic extremes, a novel variant on the classic hypsogram is introduced, with a logarithmic abscissa to highlight mountainous terrain. In such a plot, the top of the terrestrial hypsogram is quite distinct from those of Mars and Venus due to the ‘glacial buzz-saw’ that clips terrestrial topography above the snowline. In contrast to the positive skew seen in other hypsograms, with a long tail of positive relief due to mountains, there is an indication (weak, given the limited data for Titan so far) that the Titan hypsogram appears slightly negatively skewed, suggesting a significant population of unfilled depressions. Limited data permit only a simplistic comparison of Titan topography with other icy satellites but we find that the standard deviation of terrain height (albeit at different scales) is similar to those of Ganymede and Europa.     

Biochip for astrobiological applications: Investigation of low energy protons effects on antibody performances

Antibody-based micro-arrays instruments are very promising tools for the search for biomarkers in planetary exploration missions. Since such instruments have never been used in this context, it is important to test their resistance to space constraints. In particular, cosmic particles might be deleterious. In the present study, we have investigated the effect of low energy protons (2 MeV) on antibody performances with fluences levels much greater than expected for a typical mission to Mars. We show that these particles do not alter significantly the antibody recognition capability for both free (in solution) and grafted (covalently bound to the support) freeze–dried antibodies. Details of the freeze–dried drying process used to optimize antibody performances during our experiments are also presented.     

Computational radiation hydrodynamics

This paper deals about pure hydrodynamic and radiation hydrodynamic codes developed at LUTH, dedicated to astrophysical simulations. The studied phenomena in this area are often encountered at high Mach number and in a radiation regime where no a priori assumption can be made on the radiation transfer. The radiative hydrodynamic code HADES has to can perform simulations as well as any optical depths, from smallest to highest. Validation of numerical schemes or physical assumptions will be made by laboratory astrophysical experiments. Therefore a very wide domain of initial conditions has to be accepted for computing. A succinct presentation of three codes is done, accompanied with some astrophysical applications.     

Large-Scale Variation of Solar Wind Electron Properties from Quasi-Thermal Noise Spectroscopy: Ulysses Measurements

The transport of energy in space plasmas, especially in the solar wind, is far from being understood. Measuring the temperature of the electrons and their non-thermal properties is essential to understand the transport properties in collisionless plasmas. Quasi-thermal noise spectroscopy is a reliable tool for measuring the electron temperature accurately since it is less sensitive to the spacecraft perturbations than particle detectors. We apply this method to Ulysses radio data obtained during the first pole-to-pole fast latitude scan in the high-speed solar wind, using a kappa function to describe the electron velocity distribution. We deduce the variations with heliocentric distance between 1.5 and 2.3 AU in the fast solar wind at high latitude in terms of three fitting parameters: the electron density varies as n _e??R ^?1.96±0.08, the electron temperature as T _e??R ^?0.53±0.15, and the kappa index of the distribution remains constant at ??=2.0±0.2. These observations agree with the predictions of the exospheric theory.     

Tracking flux melting and melt percolation in supra-subduction peridotites (Josephine ophiolite,USA)

Here, we investigate the scale and nature of melting and melt percolation processes recorded by 17 supra-subduction peridotites collected in a ~70 km² area in the northern portion of the Josephine ophiolite (Western USA). We present major and trace element variations in whole rocks; major elements in olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene and spinel; and trace elements [including rare earth element (REE)] in clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene. In the Josephine peridotites, compositional variability occurs at different scales. On the one hand, large systematic changes from depleted to fertile peridotites occur on large kilometer scales. Field, petrological and geochemical data can be consistently explained if the Josephine mantle experienced variable degrees of hydrous flux melting (10 to >20–23 %), and we argue that small fractions of subduction-derived fluids (0.015–0.1 wt%) were pervasive in the ~70 km² studied area, and continuously supplied during wedge melting. Fluid localization probably led to increased extent of flux melting in the harzburgitic areas. On the other hand, in single outcrops, sharp transitions from dunite to harzburgite to lherzolite and olivine websterite can be found on meter to centimeter scales. Thus, some fertile samples may reflect limited degrees of refertilization at the outcrop scale. In addition, clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene in ultra-depleted harzburgites (Spinel Cr# > 58) show variable degrees of LREE enrichment, which reflect percolation of and partial re-equilibration with, small fractions of boninite melt. Because the enriched samples also show the highest spinel Cr#, we argue that these enrichments are local features connected to the presence of dunite channels nearby. Lastly, trace element concentrations of pyroxenes in Josephine harzburgites show that they are one of the most depleted harzburgites among worldwide ophiolitic peridotites, indicating particularly high degrees of melting, potentially past the exhaustion of clinopyroxene.     

Bolla Bollana boulder beds: A Neoproterozoic trough mouth fan in South Australia?

The Bolla Bollana Formation is an exceptionally thick (ca 1500 m), rift‐related sedimentary succession cropping out in the northern Flinders Ranges, South Australia, which was deposited during the Sturtian (mid Cryogenian) glaciation. Lithofacies analysis reveals three distinct facies associations which chart changing depositional styles on an ice‐sourced subaqueous fan system. The diamictite facies association is dominant, and comprises both massive and stratified varieties with a range of clast compositions and textures, arranged into thick beds (1 to 20 m), representing stacked, ice‐proximal glaciogenic debris‐flow deposits. A channel belt facies association, most commonly consisting of normally graded conglomerates and sandstones, displays scour and fill structure of ca 10 m width and 1 to 3 m depth: these strata are interpreted as channelized turbidites. Rare mud‐filled channels in this facies association bear glacially striated lonestones. Finally, a sheet heterolithics facies association contains a range of conglomerates through sandstones to silty shales arranged into clear, normally graded cycles from the lamina to bed scale. These record a variety of non‐channelized turbidites, probably occupying distal and/or inter‐channel locations on the subaqueous fan. Coarsening and thickening‐up cycles, capped by dolomicrites or mudstones, are indicative of lobe build out and abandonment, potentially as a result of ice lobe advance and stagnation. Dropstones, recognized by downwarped and punctured laminae beneath pebbles to boulders in shale, or in delicate climbing ripple cross‐laminated siltstones, are clearly indicative of ice rafting. The co‐occurrence of ice‐rafted debris and striated lonestones strongly supports a glaciogenic sediment source for the diamictites. Comparison to Pleistocene analogues enables an interpretation as a trough mouth fan, most probably deposited leeward of a palaeo‐ice stream. Beyond emphasizing the highly dynamic nature of Sturtian ice sheets, these interpretations testify to the oldest trough mouth fan recorded to date.     

微钻取样-TIMS/MC-ICPMS和LA-MC-ICPMS分析矿物岩石87Sr/86Sr比值的技术比较

微区Sr同位素体系相对于传统全岩Sr同位素研究,可以揭示样品自身存在的不均一性,更好地反映样品经历的地质过程,已被广泛应用于各种地质研究领域,如研究壳幔相互作用、岩浆起源和演化,岩浆体系开放性研究,沉积盆地物源示踪及气候环境研究。准确测定Rb-Sr同位素比值是应用该同位素体系的前提。微钻取样-热电离质谱/多接收电感耦合等离子体质谱(TIMS/MC-ICPMS)和激光剥蚀多接收电感耦合等离子体质谱(LA-MC-ICPMS)作为分析地质样品微区Sr同位素组成的有效手段,已经得到了较为广泛的应用。两种技术在样品制备、干扰校正和质谱测试等方面各具优势和不足。微钻取样-TIMS/MC-ICPMS的最大优势是可获得高精度的Sr同位素数据(外精度优于100×10-6,2SD);但由于需要进行化学处理,流程繁琐耗时(约10天),实验周期较长,同时需要严格控制化学流程空白,且取样直径(200~2000μm)和取样深度(100~2000μm)较大,空间分辨率较低,但是该方法可以对高Rb样品(如钾长石)进行有效分析。LA-MC-ICPMS的最大优势是样品制备简单,数小时即可完成,且分析效率高,根据样品Sr含量的大小激光束斑直径多在60~300μm之间变化,其空间分辨率较前一种方法高,可在短时间内对大量样品进行分析。但由于不能进行化学分离,分析过程中存在多种干扰(如Rb、Ca、Kr和REEs等),影响了测试的精度(约200×10-6,2SD)和准确度(约150×10-6)。该方法目前只能对高Sr低Rb的样品(如斜长石、磷灰石等)进行有效分析,而对于干扰元素含量较高的样品目前无法应用。本文认为,对于微钻取样法,应将改进化学流程作为重点研究方向,提高化学处理效率,同时改善微钻取样法的取样技术,减小取样直径和深度以提高空间分辨率;对于激光剥蚀法,重点突破Kr、Rb和二价REEs等干扰校正问题,提高干扰元素含量较高的样品的分析精度和准确度,同时需要提高仪器灵敏度以满足低Sr含量样品的分析要求。