Comparative major ion geochemistry of Piedmont streams in the Atlanta,Georgia region: possible effects of urbanization

. The major ion stream chemistry for an urbanized basin (Peachtree Creek) in the Atlanta (Georgia, USA) metropolitan region was analyzed and compared upon a time-series basis with the stream chemistry of a nearby, but far less developed basin (Sweetwater Creek). The major ion chemistry from both streams indicated that all parameters fell below safe drinking water standards as would be expected in watersheds underlain by low-solubility aluminosilicate bedrock. Base flow TDS concentrations for the urbanized basin (Peachtree Creek) were ~30% greater than Sweetwater Creek and were characterized by elevated concentrations of base cations (Ca, Mg, Na), alkalinity, sulfate, and chloride. The less-urbanized Sweetwater Creek basin is underlain by a higher percentage of more soluble amphibolite and, therefore, the higher concentration of solutes within the urban base flow can not readily be explained by differential mineral weathering. The increased inorganic solute loads might have resulted from pollution input (leaky underground sewer lines?) and/or evaporative concentration; however, these explanations are presently speculative. Major ion concentrations within the urban Peachtree Creek basin were diluted by an average of ~50% compared with only ~25% in the Sweetwater Creek basin as a result of the increased contribution of direct surface runoff. The regression correlation coefficients for the ions that evolve through mineral weathering (Ca, Mg, Na, and HCO3) are much higher in urban stream flow than in Sweetwater Creek waters. This might indicate that storm waters in the urban basin are more closely derived from a two end member mixture (groundwater and street runoff) than waters from Sweetwater Creek, which represent a more complex mixture.     

The sediment record of the past 200 years in a Swiss high-alpine lake: Hagelseewli (2339 m a.s.l.)

Sediment cores spanning the last two centuries were taken in Hagelseewli, a high-elevation lake in the Swiss Alps. Contiguous 0.5 cm samples were analysed for biological remains, including diatoms, chironomids, cladocera, chrysophyte cysts, and fossil pigments. In addition, sedimentological and geochemical variables such as loss-on-ignition, total carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, grain-size and magnetic mineralogy were determined. The results of these analyses were compared to a long instrumental air temperature record that was adapted to the elevation of Hagelseewli by applying mean monthly lapse rates.During much of the time, the lake is in the shadow of a high cliff to the south, so that the lake is ice-covered during much of the year and thus decoupled from climatic forcing. Lake biology is therefore influenced more by the duration of ice-cover than by direct temperature effects during the short open-water season. Long periods of ice-cover result in anoxic water conditions and dissolution of authigenic calcites, leading to carbonate-free sediments.The diversity of chironomid and cladoceran assemblages is extremely low, whereas that of diatom and chrysophyte cyst assemblages is much higher. Weak correlations were observed between the diatom and chrysophyte cyst assemblages on the one hand and summer or autumn air temperatures on the other, but the proportion of variance explained is low, so that air temperature alone cannot account for the degree of variation observed in the paleolimnological record.Analyses of mineral magnetic parameters, spheroidal carbonaceous particles and lead suggest that atmospheric pollution has had a significant effect on the sediments of Hagelseewli, but little effect on the water quality as reflected in the lake biota.     

Roughness coefficients and velocity estimation in well-inundated sheet and rilled overland flow without strongly eroding bed forms

Even with the flow of water over a soil surface in which roughness elements are well inundated, and in less erosive situations where erosional bed forms are not pronounced, the magnitude of resistance coefficients in equations such as those of Darcy–Weisbach, Chezy or Manning vary with flow velocity (at least). Using both original laboratory and field data, and data from the literature, the paper examines this question of the apparent variation of resistance coefficients in relation to flow velocity, even in the absence of interaction between hydraulics and resulting erosional bed forms. Resistance equations are first assessed as to their ability to describe overland flow velocity when tested against these data sources. The result is that Manning's equation received stronger support than the Darcy–Weisbach or Chezy equations, though all equations were useful. The second question addressed is how best to estimate velocity of overland flow from measurements of slope and unit discharge, recognizing that the apparent flow velocity variation in resistance coefficients is probably a result of shortcomings in all of the listed resistance equations. A new methodology is illustrated which gives good agreement between estimated and measured flow velocity for both well-inundated sheet and rill flow. Comments are given on the predictive use of this methodology. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An improved age framework for late Quaternary silicic eruptions in northern Central America

 Five new stepwise-heating ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages and one new high-sensitivity ¹⁴C date of ash-fall and ash-flow deposits from late Quaternary silicic volcanoes in northern Central America document the eruption rates and frequencies of five major rhyodacite and rhyolite calderas (Atitlán, Amatitlán, Ayarza, Coatepeque, and Ilopango) located north of the basalt, andesite, and dacite stratovolcanoes of the Central American volcanic front. These deposits form extensive time-stratigraphic horizons that intercalate regionally, and knowledge of dates and stratigraphy provides a valuable framework for age determinations of more localized volcanic and nonvolcanic events. The new data, especially when integrated with previous stratigraphic and dating work, show that all five calderas erupted several times in the past 200 ka and, despite a lack of historic activity, should be considered as active centers that could produce highly explosive eruptions again. Because of their locations near the highly vulnerable economic hearts of Guatemala and El Salvador, the risks of eruptions from these calderas should be carefully considered along with risks of major earthquakes and volcanic front volcanoes, which are much more frequent but inflict less severe and extensive damage. This investigation also includes some examples of dating efforts that failed to produce reasonable results. Received: 15 May 1998 / Accepted: 18 January 1999     

Interaction between cladding and structural frame observed in a full‐scale steel building test

Interaction between the external wall cladding and the seismic load resisting frame was examined in a full‐scale cyclic loading test of a three‐storey steel building structure. The building specimen had Autoclaved Lightweight Concrete (ALC, also designated as Autoclaved Aerated Concrete) panels installed and anchored to the structural frame as external wall cladding, using a standard Japanese method developed following the 1995 Kobe earthquake. ALC panelling is among the most widely used material for claddings in Japan. In the test, the ALC panel cladding contributed little to the stiffness and strength of the overall structure, even under a very large storey drift of 0.04 rad. No visible damage was noted in the ALC panels other than minor cracks and spalling of the bottom of the panels in the first storey. Consequently, in a Japanese steel building with properly installed ALC panel cladding, the structural frame is likely to be little affected by its cladding, and the ALC panels are capable of accommodating the maximum storey drift generally considered in structural design without sustaining discernible damage. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Role of superoxide in the photochemical reduction of iron in seawater

We have conducted a series of laboratory studies to investigate the generation of ferrous iron and reactive oxygen species when solutions of seawater containing natural organic matter (NOM) and ferric iron are exposed to simulated sunlight. Total ferrous iron and hydrogen peroxide were measured at nanomolar concentrations with high temporal resolution using chemiluminescence-based methods. In all cases, ferrous iron concentrations rapidly peaked at several nanomoles per litre after a few minutes, and then declined over time, while hydrogen peroxide concentrations increased in a non-linear manner. Although concentrations of both species depended on the concentration of NOM, hydrogen peroxide concentrations were only minimally affected by the presence of iron. Increasing the NOM concentration while the total iron concentration was maintained constant led to an increase in the maximum ferrous iron concentration, suggesting that superoxide-mediated reduction of iron may be a major pathway for ferrous iron formation. This was supported by measurements of superoxide production from irradiation of NOM in the absence of iron and kinetic calculations, as well as an experiment in which superoxide dismutase was added. Further analysis of the data suggested that dissolved oxygen and photo-produced hydrogen peroxide were the primary oxidants of the Fe(II) formed. Thus we propose that superoxide and ferrous iron may be intricately coupled in the system, and that their generation is determined by the supply of NOM available to harvest light and donate electrons.