Geochemical heterogeneity and isotope geochemistry of natural attenuation processes in a gasoline-contaminated aquifer at the Hnevice site,Czech Republic

The geochemical processes, water–rock interactions and stable isotopes distribution (δ¹³C of DIC and δ¹⁸O and δ³⁴S of \({\text{SO}}^{{{\text{2 - }}}}_{{\text{4}}} \)) were investigated in the gasoline-contaminated aquifer at the Hnevice site, 50  km northwest of Prague, Czech Republic. Diesel, gasoline and oil leaks originate from a large fuel storage area causing heavy contamination of the saturated and unsaturated zones in an area of about 0.7  km². Groundwater investigations were conducted using five multilevel sampler wells with emphasis on redox parameters and degradation by-products and a solid-phase study focused on iron speciation and determination of principal and secondary minerals. Based on the study of groundwater and solid-phase geochemistry, four different geochemical zones were described. Zone I is thought to be background consisting of an aerobic aquifer and the absence of reduced species in significant concentrations. Zone II is situated in the plume core with methanogenic, sulphate and iron-reducing conditions accompanied by ankerite and kutnahorite precipitates and significant depletion of the oxidation capacity of the aquifer. Zone III is a mixing (corona) zone, situated at the fringe of the plume with high biodegradation rates and Fe(III)-precipitants. In zone IV, reoxidation of Fe(II) minerals (with e.g. the occurrence of psilomelane and cornelite) is typical.     

A new Middle Pleistocene interglacial record from Denmark: Chronostratigraphic correlation,palaeovegetation and fire dynamics

Previously only three terrestrial interglacial periods were known from southern Scandinavia, all of which could be relatively easily correlated within the central European stratigraphical framework. Here, we present a new interglacial–interstadial pollen, plant macrofossil and charcoal record from Trelde Klint, Denmark, and analyse its biostratigraphy, correlation with other European records, vegetation development, fire dynamics and absolute dating. Except for a slight truncation of the early part of the record, the pollen stratigraphy exhibits a full interglacial succession, including temperate trees (Quercus, Ulmus and Tilia) during its mesocratic stage. Macrofossil analysis allowed identification to species level for Quercus robur, Picea abies and two mosses. Conifers (Pinus and Picea) dominate the pollen record of the interglacial sequence, and the occurrence of Larix pollen in the top part of the interglacial record as well as in the interstadial sediments is especially indicative of this interglacial. The overall diversity of tree genera is rather low. These biostratigraphical features suggest that Trelde Klint is unique among Danish records, but it is similar to records from northern Germany. Numerical analyses (REVEALS and DCA) indicate that forests during the temperate stage were dense and that vegetation openness increased only towards the end of the interglacial, accompanied by increased fire occurrence. A short interstadial sequence with a dominance of Pinus and Betula and the presence of Larix is present above the interglacial deposit. We argue that lack of attention to differences in fire regimes may hamper understanding of between‐site correlations of interglacial pollen records. OSL dating, using a novel feldspar technique, yields an average age of 350±20 ka for the sandy sediments above the interglacial layers at Trelde Klint, suggesting that the whole interglacial–interstadial succession belongs to Marine Isotope Stage 11.     

Palaeo- and rock-magnetic investigations across Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary at St Bertrand’s Spring,Drôme,France: applications to magnetostratigraphy

Palaeo- and rock-magnetic investigations of the St Bertrand’s Spring (Le Ravin de Font de St Bertrand) locality in France were carried out in order to contribute to, and improve, the stratigraphy of the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary interval. Magnetic susceptibility shows slightly diamagnetic behaviour in the lowermost part of the profile and an increase (paramagnetic) towards its middle and upper parts. Rock-magnetic measurements throughout the section show magnetite as the main magnetic fraction, together with traces of hematite. Additionally, thermal demagnetization indicates the presence of goethite. Our magnetostratigraphy indicates three normal/reversed polarity sequences; possibly encompassing the magnetozones M19r to the M17n. This suggests that the St Bertrand section straddles the Tithonian/Berriasian boundary and reaches the middle Berriasian sensu lato.     

Multistep inversion workflow for 3D long‐offset damped elastic waves in the Fourier domain

We present a new workflow for imaging damped three‐dimensional elastic wavefields in the Fourier domain. The workflow employs a multiscale imaging approach, in which offset lengths are laddered, where frequency content and damping of the data are changed cyclically. Thus, the inversion process is launched using short‐offset and low‐frequency data to recover the long spatial wavelength of the image at a shallow depth. Increasing frequency and offset length leads to the recovery of the fine‐scale features of the model at greater depths. For the fixed offset, we employ (in the imaging process) a few discrete frequencies with a set of Laplace damping parameters. The forward problem is solved with a finite‐difference frequency‐domain method based on a massively parallel iterative solver. The inversion code is based upon the solution of a least squares optimisation problem and is solved using a nonlinear gradient method. It is fully parallelised for distributed memory computational platforms. Our full‐waveform inversion workflow is applied to the 3D Marmousi‐2 and SEG/EAGE Salt models with long‐offset data. The maximum inverted frequencies are 6 Hz for the Marmousi model and 2 Hz for the SEG/EAGE Salt model. The detailed structures are imaged successfully up to the depth approximately equal to one‐third of the maximum offset length at a resolution consistent with the inverted frequencies.     

Ray tracing and geodesic deviation of the SH and SV reference rays in a heterogeneous generally anisotropic medium which is approximately uniaxial

The coupling ray theory is usually applied to anisotropic common reference rays, but it is more accurate if it is applied to reference rays which are closer to the actual wave paths. If we know that a medium is close to uniaxial (transversely isotropic), it may be advantageous to trace reference rays which resemble the SH–wave and SV–wave rays. This paper is devoted to defining and tracing these SH and SV reference rays of elastic S waves in a heterogeneous generally anisotropic medium which is approximately uniaxial (approximately transversely isotropic), and to the corresponding equations of geodesic deviation (dynamic ray tracing). All presented equations are simultaneously applicable to ordinary and extraordinary reference rays of electromagnetic waves in a generally bianisotropic medium which is approximately uniaxially anisotropic. The improvement of the coupling–ray–theory seismograms calculated along the proposed SH and SV reference rays, compared to the coupling–ray–theory seismograms calculated along the anisotropic common reference rays, has already been numerically demonstrated by the authors in four approximately uniaxial velocity models.     

Study of the filamentary infrared dark cloud G192.76+00.10 in the S254–S258 OB complex

We present results of a high resolution study of the filamentary infrared dark cloud G192.76+00.10 in the S254-S258 OB complex in several molecular species tracing different physical conditions. These include three isotopologues of carbon monoxide(CO), ammonia(NH3) and carbon monosulfide(CS). The aim of this work is to study the general structure and kinematics of the filamentary cloud, and its fragmentation and physical parameters. The gas temperature is derived from the NH3(J, K) =(1,1),(2, 2) and ~(12)CO(2-1) lines, and the ~(13)CO(1-0), ~(13)CO(2-1) emission is used to investigate the overall gas distribution and kinematics. Several dense clumps are identified from the CS(2-1)data. Values of the gas temperature lie in the range 10-35 K, and column density N(H2) reaches the value 5.1 x 10~(22) cm~(-2). The width of the filament is of order 1 pc. The masses of the dense clumps range from ～ 30 M_☉ to ～ 160 M_☉. They appear to be gravitationally unstable. The molecular emission shows a gas dynamical coherence along the filament. The velocity pattern may indicate longitudinal collapse.     

Landslide-dammed lake sediment volume calculation using waterborne ERT and SONAR profiling

Lake sediment volume calculation is a challenging task, namely in cases when detailed drilling is complicated, expensive, or impossible, information on the pre-sedimentation surface unavailable, and record of siltation rate non-existent or too short. This study shows how waterborne, non-invasive geophysical survey, such as electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) can be very effective in acquiring the missing data, namely when combined with sound navigation ranging (SONAR) water depth measurements and supported by information from auxiliary sources. However, ERT surveying in water environment requires specific approaches, as we illustrate on the case of the Mladotice lake study. The lake was created after a landslide in May 1872, and since its formation, the depth has gradually decreased due to sedimentation. We have reconstructed the original surface, calculated the sediment volume, and compiled information on sedimentation to estimate its remaining life span. To achieve this, we measured nine waterborne ERT profiles across the lake. To reach the necessary depth, all ERT profiles were extended on land and crossed the lake using custom-built flotation pads. ERT profiling was combined with SONAR depth measurements, historical bathymetric surveys, borehole core analysis, sediment flux measurements, volumetric calculations, and water conductivity probing. The study has achieved three main results. First, practical applicability and advantages of stationary waterborne ERT profiling in combination with bathymetric sounding were demonstrated. Second, the original lake volume and accumulated sediment was calculated. We estimate that the volume of lake sediment is 187 000 m³, two-thirds of the original lake volume (over 275 000 m³). Finally, based on three volumetric data sets from 1972, 2003, and 2017, and recent monitoring of the sediment inflow, we propose scenarios of lake filling and its future development. Most interestingly, the sedimentation rate has decreased significantly in the last 20 years, suggesting that the lake may survive much longer than hitherto expected. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Western Bohemia/Vogtland Region in the Light of the Webnet Network

The local network of digital seismic stations WEBNET monitors the seismic activitv of practically the whole region of Western Bohemia/Vogtland swarms. The network consists of ten short-period stations and one very broadband station. The paper describes the configuration of the network, instrumental equipment and the basic parameters of the stations. The method of and formula for computing the local magnitudes from the WEBNET and KRASLICE seismograms are also given. Based on continuous WEBNET observations in the period 1995-1999, we were able to improve the model of temporal and spatial energy release in the region, the principal characteristics of which are summarised in the paper. Apart from direct P and S waves, the WEBNET seismograms also contain other significant P- and S-type waves, provisionally interpreted as reflected PxP, SxS and SxP waves. The fundamental characteristics of these waves are given in the paper, and tentative mechanisms of their origination are discussed. The large residua in the travel times of the P and S waves, and the discrepancies in the seismograms recorded at stations located east of the principal focal zone are pointed out.