Characteristics of groundwater in karstic region in northeastern Vietnam

The groundwater in the karst region of northeastern Vietnam is found in various structural zones such as the Ha Lang, Song Hien, Hon Gai, Song Lo, Song Gam, and Hoang Lien Son Zones, etc. Results from this study show that groundwater in this region is at different depths: ~120 m deep at Quang Ninh, ~100 m at Lang Son, ~80 m at Cao Bang (The most water-abundant depth observed at Cao Bang varies from 40 to 45 m) while it varies from 18–25 to 80 m deep at Quan Ba (Ha Giang), especially at Meo Vac (Ha Giang), where groundwater is observed at 700–800 m deep (equivalent to local base level of the Nho Que River). Overall, groundwater in the region is fresh with total minerals varying from 250 to 400 mg/l; except for the coastal area of Quang Ninh, where groundwater is characterized by much higher total minerals (M = 3–18 g/l) due to the mixing with the saline sea water. The chemistry of water in the region demonstrates that the water is mainly bicarbonate with a [HCO₃ ^?] concentration varying from 150 to 265 mg/l, pH is of 6.5–8.1, and its hardness is of 3.7–6.0 meq/l.     

Active fault segmentation and seismic hazard in Hoa-Binh reservoir, Vietnam

Based on remote sensing, geological data, geomorphologic analysis, and field observations, we determine the fault system which is a potential source of earthquakes in Hoa-Binh reservoir. It is the sub-meridian fault system composed of fault segments located in the central part of the eastern and western flanks of the Quaternary Hoa-Binh Graben: the Hoa-Binh 1 fault is east-dipping (75–80°), N-S trending, 4 km long, situated in the west of the Hoa-Binh Graben, and the Hoa-Binh 2 is a west-dipping (75–80°), N-S trending; 8.4 km long fault, situated in the east of the Hoa-Binh Graben. The slip rate of normal fault in Hoa-Binh hydropower dam was estimated at 0.3–1.1 mm/yr. The Maximum Credible Earthquake (MCE) and Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) in the Hoa-Binh hydropower dam have been assessed. The estimated MCE of HB.1 and HB.2 is 5.6 and 6.1 respectively, and the maximum PGA at Hoa-Binh dam is 0.30 g and 0.40 g, respectively. The assessment of seismic hazard in Hoa-Binh reservoir is a typical example of seismic hazards of a large dam constructed in an area of low seismicity and lack of law of seismic attenuation.     

K-Ar Dating of Fault Gouges from the Red River Fault Zone of Vietnam

Constraining the timing of fault zone formation is fundamentally important in terms of geotectonics to understand structural evolution and brittle fault processes.This paper presents the first authigenic illite K-Ar age data from fault gouge samples collected from the Red River Shear Zone at Lao Cai province,Vietnam.The fault gouge samples were separated into three grain-size fractions(0.1 μm,0.1-0.4 μm and 0.4-1.0 μm).The results show that the K-Ar age values decrease from coarser to finer grain fractions(24.1 to 19.2 Ma),suggesting enrichment in finer fraction of morerecently grown authigenic illites.The timing of the fault movement are the lower intercept ages at 0%detrital illite(19.2 ± 0.92 Ma and 19.4 ± 0.49 Ma).In combination with previous geochronological data,this result indicates that the metamorphism of the Day Nui Con Voi(DNCV) metamorphic complex took place before ca.26.8 Ma.At about 26.8 Ma-25 Ma,the fault strongly acted to cause the rapid exhumation of the rocks along the Red River-Ailoa Shan Fault Zone(RR-ASFZ).During brittle deformation,the DNCV slowly uplifted,implying weak movement of the fault.This brittle deformation might have lasted for ca.5 Ma.     

越南西北部Pu Sam Cap高钾碱性岩LA-ICPMS锆石U-Pb年龄与Hf同位素组成及其区域构造意义

越南西北部Pu Sam Cap高钾碱性杂岩位于哀牢山剪切带南段西侧,由粗面岩、煌斑岩、碱性正长岩与碱性花岗岩组成。其中粗面岩不整合于晚白垩世陆相沉积岩之上,碱性侵入岩侵入到三叠纪陆源沉积岩、侏罗纪流纹岩及40～35Ma含角闪石二长岩-花岗岩中。该杂岩的岩石具有低TiO2(0.8%)、P2O5(0.64%)和FeO*(7.74%),高Na2O(1.41%～4.5%)和K2O(5.22%～9.4%)的地球化学属性,属于高钾碱性玄武质到高钾碱性长英质岩浆岩类型与钾质至超钾质岩浆系列。这套岩石富集大离子亲石元素LILE、轻稀土元素LREE和一组相容元素,具有明显的Ta、Nb和Ti异常,表明Pu Sam Cap高钾碱性杂岩形成于与俯冲带有关的大陆弧和后碰撞弧构造环境。锆石LA-ICPMS U-Pb年代学研究表明碱性正长岩与碱性花岗岩分别形成于32.70±0.24Ma、35.1±0.06Ma,上述年龄代表了Pu Sam Cap高钾碱性杂岩的侵入岩结晶年龄。两个样品中锆石的εHf(t)变化范围分别为-2.8～2.5和-4.9～0.1,在t-εHf(t)相关图上分析点落在下地壳和亏损地幔演化线之间,两阶段模式年龄变化范围为950～1286Ma和1107～1421Ma。该杂岩的εNd(t)变化范围-5.63～-3.26,具有低143Nd/144Nd比值(0.512336～0.512447)和高87Sr/86Sr比值(0.706254～0.707273),Sr-Nd同位素相关图上接近于EM2地幔端元趋势线,与大理地区新生代高钾岩浆岩十分相似,表明PuSamCap高钾碱性杂岩的岩浆是幔源岩浆和壳源岩浆的混合结果,同时可与大理地区新生代高钾岩浆岩对比,它们形成于哀牢山-红河左行走滑活动之前,墨江古特提斯洋盆的消减与印度-欧亚陆陆碰撞活动提供了宏观区域性构造背景。     

A three-phase model for evaluating the seismic resistance of soils reinforced by a network of symmetrically inclined piles

The stability analysis of a piled embankment under seismic loading is considered, with a special emphasis on the optimization of the reinforcement layout by splitting the initial group of vertical piles into two symmetrically inclined arrays of parallel inclusions. The bidirectionally-reinforced soil thus obtained is appropriately described, at the macroscopic scale, by a three-phase model, conceived as an extension of the two-phase model previously developed for unidirectionally-reinforced soils. The model is implemented in a finite element formulation and related numerical code, which is used for simulating the behavior of the piled embankment up to failure. The results of these simulations, which favourably compare with upper bound yield design calculations, clearly indicate that the seismic resistance of the embankment can be considerably increased from symmetrically inclining the piles, even without taking the potential benefits of their flexural resistance into account.     

A comparison of analytic and numerical results for a two-dimensional control model in electromagnetic induction – I. B-polarization calculations

Summary. A conducting slab of finite thickness divided into three segments of different conductivities and overlying a perfect conductor is proposed as a suitable two-dimensional 'control' model for testing the accuracy of the various numerical modelling programs that are available for calculating the fields induced in the Earth by an external, time-varying magnetic source. An analytic solution is obtained for this control model for the case of the magnetic field everywhere parallel to the conductivity boundaries ( B -polarization). Values of the field given by this solution for a particular set of model parameters are calculated at selected points on the surface and on a horizontal plane inside the conductor, and are tabulated to three figure accuracy for reference. They are used to check the accuracy of the results given by the finite difference program of Brewitt-Taylor & Weaver and the finite element program of Kisak & Silvester for the same model. Improved formulae for calculating the derived electric field components in B -polarization are first developed for incorporation in the finite difference program, and these give surface electric fields within 1 per cent of the analytic values, while all three field components inside the conductor are calculated to better than 96 per cent accuracy by the finite difference program. The results given by the finite element program are not quite so satisfactory. Errors somewhat greater than 10 per cent are present and although the program requires much less disk space it takes rather more CPU time to complete the calculations.     

A coastal acoustic tomography experiment in the Tokyo Bay

Eight sets of coastal acoustic tomography (CAT) systems were deployed during November 29 to December 10, 2002 at the coasts on both sides of Tokyo Bay to measure tidal current structures at 15-rain interval.Sound transmission across the Tokyo Bay (between Yokohama and Chiba)was successfillly traced,even under severe interference from ship generated wakes and bubbles.Tidal current fields changing from northward to southward flow are well reconstructed by the inverse analysis of travel-time difference data for a period with the best sound transmission condition. It is suggested that the CAT is the most powerful tool to continuously map tidal current fields in the coastal seas with heavy shipping traffic and fisheries activity.     

Recent climatic trends and linkages to river discharge in Central Vietnam

In this study, change in rainfall, temperature and river discharge are analysed over the last three decades in Central Vietnam. Trends and rainfall indices are evaluated using non‐parametric tests at different temporal levels. To overcome the sparse locally available network, the high resolution APHRODITE gridded dataset is used in addition to the existing rain gauges. Finally, existing linkages between discharge changes and trends in rainfall and temperature are explored. Results are indicative of an intensification of rainfall (+15%/decade), with more extreme and longer events. A significant increase in winter rainfall and a decrease in consecutive dry days provides strong evidence for a lengthening wet season in Central Vietnam. In addition, trends based on APHRODITE suggest a strong orographic signal in winter and annual trends. These results underline the local variability in the impacts of climatic change at the global scale. Consequently, it is important that change detection investigations are conducted at the local scale. A very weak signal is detected in the trend of minimum temperature (+0.2°C/decade). River discharge trends show an increase in mean discharge (31 to 35%/decade) over the last decades. Between 54 and 74% of this increase is explained by the increase in precipitation. The maximum discharge also responds significantly to precipitation changes leading to a lengthened wet season and an increase in extreme rainfall events. Such trends can be linked with a likely increase in floods in Central Vietnam, which is important for future adaptation planning and management and flood preparedness in the region. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Combined Effect of Plastic Particles Size and Concentration on Rotifers’ (Brachionus plicatilis) Performance

The presence of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems is of increasing global concern.Nano-sized plastics,in particular,can penetrate the cell membrane and cause biological death.Our study evaluated the combined impacts of several polystyrene mi-crospheres’sizes and nominal concentrations on the overall performance changes of Brachionus plicatilis.Experimental animals were exposed to three microplastic sizes(0.08,0.5 and 6μm)and five nominal concentrations(0,0.5,2,8,32μg mL?1)for 20 d.Our results showed that the toxicological effect of particle size on rotifers did not significantly depend on the nominal concentration.The interaction between the nominal concentration and size occurred only for body length and lorica width.Specifically,high nominal concentrations of microplastics that were close to nanometer size significantly impaired the overall vitality of rotifers,embodied in shortage of body type,delay in the arrival of maturity,reduction in the cumulative number of neonates,and the advance of the death process.In comparison,fair-sized size(0.5 and 6μm)displayed non-significant damage except for individual groups.Most notably,the net reproductive yield was only a third of what it was in the original environment,implying that there was not much fertility left.Besides,with the development of rotifers,the adverse effects of polystyrene microsphere drive had become more and more serious.