Dissolved and labile concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in the South Fork Coeur d’Alene River, Idaho: Comparisons among chemical equilibrium models and implications for biotic ligand models

In order to evaluate thermodynamic speciation calculations inherent in biotic ligand models, the speciation of dissolved Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in aquatic systems influenced by historical mining activities is examined using equilibrium computer models and the diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique. Several metal/organic-matter complexation models, including WHAM VI, NICA-Donnan, and Stockholm Humic model (SHM), are used in combination with inorganic speciation models to calculate the thermodynamic speciation of dissolved metals and concentrations of metal associated with biotic ligands (e.g., fish gills). Maximum dynamic metal concentrations, determined from total dissolved metal concentrations and thermodynamic speciation calculations, are compared with labile metal concentrations measured by DGT to assess which metal/organic-matter complexation model best describes metal speciation and, thereby, biotic ligand speciation, in the studied systems. Results indicate that the choice of model that defines metal/organic-matter interactions does not affect calculated concentrations of Cd and Zn associated with biotic ligands for geochemical conditions in the study area, whereas concentrations of Cu and Pb associated with biotic ligands depend on whether the speciation calculations use WHAM VI, NICA-Donnan, or SHM. Agreement between labile metal concentrations and dynamic metal concentrations occurs when WHAM VI is used to calculate Cu speciation and SHM is used to calculate Pb speciation. Additional work in systems that contain wide ranges in concentrations of multiple metals should incorporate analytical speciation methods, such as DGT, to constrain the speciation component of biotic ligand models.     

An operational multiscale system for hazards prediction, mapping, and response

By definition, a crisis is a situation that requires assistance to be managed. Hence, response to a crisis involves the merging of local and non-local emergency response personnel. In this situation, it is critical that each participant: (1) know the roles and responsibilities of each of the other participants; (2) know the capabilities of each of the participants; and (3) have a common basis for action. For many types of natural disasters, this entails having a common operational picture of the unfolding events, including detailed information on the weather, both current and forecasted, that may impact on either the emergency itself or on response activities. The Consequences Assessment Tool Set (CATS) is a comprehensive package of hazard prediction models and casualty and damage assessment tools that provides a linkage between a modeled or observed effect and the attendant consequences for populations, infrastructure, and resources, and, hence, provides the common operational picture for emergency response. The Operational Multiscale Environment model with Grid Adaptivity (OMEGA) is an atmospheric simulation system that links the latest methods in computational fluid dynamics and high-resolution gridding technologies with numerical weather prediction to provide specific weather analysis and forecast capability that can be merged into the geographic information system framework of CATS. This paper documents the problem of emergency response as an end-to-end system and presents the integrated CATS–OMEGA system as a prototype of such a system that has been used successfully in a number of different situations.     

Stability at high-pressure,elastic behaviour and pressure-induced structural evolution of CsAlSi<Subscript>5</Subscript>O<Subscript>12</Subscript>, a potential host for nuclear waste

The elastic and structural behaviour of the synthetic zeolite CsAlSi₅O₁₂ (a = 16.753(4), b = 13.797(3) and c = 5.0235(17) Å, space group Ama2, Z = 2) were investigated up to 8.5 GPa by in situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction with a diamond anvil cell under hydrostatic conditions. No phase-transition occurs within the P-range investigated. Fitting the volume data with a third-order Birch–Murnaghan equation-of-state gives: V ₀ = 1,155(4) ų, K _T0 = 20(1) GPa and K′ = 6.5(7). The “axial moduli” were calculated with a third-order “linearized” BM-EoS, substituting the cube of the individual lattice parameter (a ³, b ³, c ³) for the volume. The refined axial-EoS parameters are: a ₀ = 16.701(44) Å, K _T0a = 14(2) GPa (β_a = 0.024(3) GPa^?1), K′ _a = 6.2(8) for the a-axis; b ₀ = 13.778(20) Å, K _T0b = 21(3) GPa (β_b = 0.016(2) GPa^?1), K′ _b = 10(2) for the b-axis; c ₀ = 5.018(7) Å, K _T0c = 33(3) GPa (β_c = 0.010(1) GPa^?1), K′ _c = 3.2(8) for the c-axis (K _T0a:K _T0b:K _T0c = 1:1.50:2.36). The HP-crystal structure evolution was studied on the basis of several structural refinements at different pressures: 0.0001 GPa (with crystal in DAC without any pressure medium), 1.58(3), 1.75(4), 1.94(6), 3.25(4), 4.69(5), 7.36(6), 8.45(5) and 0.0001 GPa (after decompression). The main deformation mechanisms at high-pressure are basically driven by tetrahedral tilting, the tetrahedra behaving as rigid-units. A change in the compressional mechanisms was observed at P ≤ 2 GPa. The P-induced structural rearrangement up to 8.5 GPa is completely reversible. The high thermo-elastic stability of CsAlSi₅O_12, the immobility of Cs at HT/HP-conditions, the preservation of crystallinity at least up to 8.5 GPa and 1,000°C in elastic regime and the extremely low leaching rate of Cs from CsAlSi₅O₁₂ allow to consider this open-framework silicate as functional material potentially usable for fixation and deposition of Cs radioisotopes.     

贵州遵义牛蹄塘组黑色岩系的硒同位素变化及其环境指示初探

西南早寒武世牛蹄塘组是分布在中国南方扬子地台的一套黑色岩系,区域上发育有典型富集多金属元素的硫化物矿化层.选取遵义松林小竹牛蹄塘组下部富硒、钼、镍等元素的黑色岩系剖面,利用Se同位素初步探讨了该剖面岩石的沉积环境和硒的可能来源.结果表明,小竹牛蹄塘组下部剖面黑色岩系的δ82/76SeSRM3149比值变化较大,下部底层含碳斑脱岩与磷块岩的变化范围在-4.35‰～ 4.11‰之间;中间镍钼层及碳质页岩、碳质碳酸盐岩的δ82/76SeSRM3149变化范围窄,平均值为0.9‰±0.23‰(n=4);上层碳质页岩为-1.24‰.结合已发表的钼同位素数据,认为中间岩石沉积于缺氧/无氧环境,但存在盆地海水与热液或充氧水团的混合;下层的岩石曾一度位于充氧与贫氧环境的边界面,局部岩石曾暴露地表经历了较强的风化和蚀变作用,海水中硒有可能来自底部富硒斑脱岩的氧化淋滤或海底热液.据此推测遵义松林小竹牛蹄塘组下部岩石的沉积环境极可能处在局限盆地靠近陆地的边缘部分,经历了充氧→贫氧→缺氧/无氧→贫氧的演化阶段.     

Acoustic-gravity wave propagation in an atmosphere with two sound channels

Summary In order to interpret the observed features of pressure records produced by waves from large explosions in the earth's atmosphere, the writers have obtained numerical solutions of the homogeneous equations governing acoustic-gravity wave propagation in a stratified compressible fluid. Theoretical dispersion curves and variations of perturbation kinetic energy with altitude are presented for 11 normal modes. It is shown that the step-like character of the phase velocity curves in the velocity-period plane can be interpreted as being the result of interference between two families of normal modes-«quasi-horizontal modes» representing energy propagation in the lower atmosphere (below the ozonosphere) and «quasi-vertical modes» representing energy propagation in the upper atmosphere (above the ozonosphere). The theoretical prediction that several normal modes contribute to the observed barogram traces is verified by Fourier analysis of a number of wave records.Lamont Geological Observatory Contribution No. 611. — This research was supported by National Science Foundation Grant NSF-G-11997, Office of Naval Research Contract Nonr 266 (70), and National Science Foundation Grant NSF-GP-550. — Part of this research was done at the NASA Institute for Space Studies, New York, N. Y.     

Basalt from Louisiana continental shelf

A basalt outcrop was discovered on Alderdice Bank on the outer Louisiana continental shelf. The basalt shows an age of 76.8 ± 3.3 × 10⁶ years. Textural, mineralogical, and chemical characteristics indicate that it is an alkali basalt of shallow intrusive origin. It was probably brought to the seafloor by salt tectonics and exposed due to salt dissolution.An accurate account of the Mesozoic geologic history of the Gulf of Mexico must consider the apparent consanguinity of all magmatic rocks of the region, including the Alderdice Bank basalt, and the apparent basinward decrease in age of magmatic activities.