Spatiotemporal modelling of rainfall-induced landslides using machine learning

Landslides - Natural terrain landslides are mainly triggered by rainstorms in Hong Kong, which pose great threats to life and property. To mitigate landslide risk, building a prediction model which...     

Current runoff variations in the Macta catchment (Algeria): is climate the sole factor?

Abstract

The first objective of this paper is to analyse the trends and change points in the hydroclimatic time series of five representative sub-catchments of the Macta basin, which lies in western Algeria. The second objective is to quantify the role of climate on the trends observed in annual flow time series. This is achieved using hydrological modelling at the multi-annual time step using the Schreiber formulation. The results showed no significant trends on annual rainfall in the 1975–2005 period, a significant increase of temperature and different flow responses to the latter, depending on the catchment considered. Two out of five catchments considered presented a significant flow decrease in the 1975–2005 period with a change point at the beginning of the 1990s. Modelling results suggest that the increase of air temperature is not the sole factor explaining the decrease of annual flow time series in these two catchments.     

Modeling of PCB concentrations in water and biota (Mytilus edulis) in New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts

The water column concentration and bioaccumulation of the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener CB052 was modeled in New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts, using site-specific hydrodynamics and loading information. Equilibrium partitioning theory was used to estimate interstitial water CB052 concentrations from sediment concentrations in New Bedford Harbor and Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. The rate of CB052 vertical flux from the interstitial water to the overlying water column was calculated by multiplying the vertical concentration gradient at the sedimentwater interface by a flux coefficient. The vertical flux coefficient and the flux rate from model-generated water-column concentrations were calculated using an interative procedure. Movement of CB052 within New Bedford Harbor was simulated using calibrated two-dimensional, vertically-integrated, finite element hydrodynamic and transport models. Quasi-steady-state water column concentrations and a field-derived bioconcentration factor were used to predict the expected concentration of CB052 in blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) at two stations in New Bedford Harbor. The model was used to predict the effects of two remedial scenarios (i.e., reducing average sediment total PCB concentrations to 50 ppm or 10 ppm) on concentrations of CB052 in water and blue mussel tissue. Based on the model results, the CB052 concentration in blue mussels would be reduced by 33–53% for the 50 ppm option and by 67–84% for the 10 ppm option.     

Spatial distribution of regionalized variables on reservoirs and groundwater resources based on geostatistical analysis using GIS: case of Rmel-Oulad Ogbane aquifers (Larache,NW Morocco)

In many countries of the world, groundwater is the main source of water in arid and semiarid regions. The scarcity of water is one of the main issues in Morocco. The coastal aquifer system of Rmel-Oulad Ogbane is recognized as one of the most important aquifers in Morocco and is very well known for their role in industrial, economic, and social development. However, this role is confronted to climate change impacts and heavy abstraction rates leading to a major decline in the groundwater levels and may eventually cause a deficit water balance of the aquifer as well as a degradation of the freshwater quality by seawater intrusion. The objective of this research is to identify and evaluate the distribution and spatial changes of regionalized variables on reservoirs and groundwater resources using geostatistical analysis in Geographic Information System (GIS) software. The prediction of these variables was performed using an interpolation method: ordinary kriging in a GIS. The normality test and trend analysis were applied to each variable to select the appropriate semivariogram model (SVM) and check the results using cross-validation (CV). Hence, several kriged maps of reservoirs and water resources have been produced to be exploited by the decision maker. The studied variables related to reservoirs and hydrodynamic data have a strong spatial dependence, which show correlations in specific direction, while the hydrochemical data are mainly related to groundwater mechanisms, such as advective-diffusive transport, without any autocorrelation between data.     

Performance of real-time Precise Point Positioning using IGS real-time service

GPS Solutions - Until recently, the real-time IGS precise orbit and clock corrections were only available for the predicted part of the ultra-rapid solution. Whereas the accuracy of the ultra-rapid...     

Integrated remote sensing and GIS for surface water development. Case study: Ras El Hekma area, northwestern coast of Egypt

The surface water development can help to address the growing demand for water resources and the effects of stormwater flooding on the local environment. The study area was chosen according to its special conditions where it represents one of the main headlands along the southern Mediterranean coast and receives amount of rainfall during the winter season. The main objective of this paper is to monitor and record data about the current surface water status as well as to have a systematic understanding of the water resources base in the study area, and this assessment will contribute in the exploitation of the surface water. The current research is integration between geomorphology, geology, remote sensing, and the applications of geographical information system. The total amount of annual rainfall and surface runoff are estimated (annual rainfall is 23.345 million m³ and surface runoff is 1.167 million m³). On the other hand, the surface runoff which has been resulted from one event (storm) is also estimated to be 483,000 m³/day. The present study introduce some recommendations; the cisterns should be established in the vicinities of the watersheds and on the downstream of the drainage basins to store water before draining to the sea, the dug should be in oolitic limestone to reduce drilling costs, the water reservoirs should be established to store large amount of surface water (from 2,000 to 3,000 m³). Dams are necessary to protect the agriculture activities from any flash hazard which is expected any time.     

Geochemical Exploration on the Stream Sediments of Gabal El Mueilha Area, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt: An Overview on the Rare Metals

Abstract: El Mueilha area consists of post-collision granitic rocks intruding Pan-African metasediments, metavolcanics and granodiorites. Tin mineralization in Gabal El Mueilha is either of vein type or disseminated in the greisenized and albitized parts of the granitic rocks. Cassiterite and wolframite-bearing quartz veins also characterize a small intrusion of muscovite granite at El Mueilha tin mine area. Detailed geochemical prospecting for the rare metals Sn, Nb, Be, Li, U, Th and some other trace elements was carried out at Gabal El Mueilha area using stream sediments survey. Sixty-seven stream sediment samples were collected from the main drainage patterns of the study area. Statistical parameters were calculated for the analyzed elements. The sought elements Sn, Nb, Be and Li have relatively high background values in the studied sediments. This may reflect the role of the pathfinder elements (Nb, Be and Li) during secondary dispersion survey for Sn mineralization.
Geochemical maps were constructed to delineate anomalous areas with abnormally high rare metal contents. The anomalous Sn, Nb and Be areas are mainly encountered in the main stream draining the mineralized zones of El Mueilha tin mine and near the SW albitized parts of the post-collision granite. Correlation coefficient matrices show significant positive relation between Sn and the rare metals group (Nb, Rb and Li) at 99 % significant level. R-mode factor analysis for the concerned elements yields five factor–model.     

Origin of Neoproterozoic ophiolitic peridotites in south Eastern Desert, Egypt, constrained from primary mantle mineral chemistry

The ophiolitic peridotites in the Wadi Arais area, south Eastern Desert of Egypt, represent a part of Neoproterozoic ophiolites of the Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS). We found relics of fresh dunites enveloped by serpentinites that show abundances of bastite after orthopyroxene, reflecting harzburgite protoliths. The bulk-rock chemistry confirmed the harzburgites as the main protoliths. The primary mantle minerals such as orthopyroxene, olivine and chromian spinel in Arais serpentinites are still preserved. The orthopyroxene has high Mg# [=Mg/(Mg + Fe²⁺)], ~0.923 on average. It shows intra-grain chemical homogeneity and contains, on average, 2.28 wt.% A1₂O₃, 0.88 wt.% Cr₂O₃ and 0.53 wt.% CaO, similar to primary orthopyroxenes in modern forearc peridotites. The olivine in harzburgites has lower Fo (93?94.5) than that in dunites (Fo_94.3?Fo_95.9). The Arais olivine is similar in NiO (0.47 wt.% on average) and MnO (0.08 wt.% on average) contents to the mantle olivine in primary peridotites. This olivine is high in Fo content, similar to Mg-rich olivines in ANS ophiolitic harzburgites, because of its residual origin. The chromian spinel, found in harzburgites, shows wide ranges of Cr#s [=Cr/(Cr + Al)], 0.46?0.81 and Mg#s, 0.34?0.67. The chromian spinel in dunites shows an intra-grain chemical homogeneity with high Cr#s (0.82?0.86). The chromian spinels in Arais peridotites are low in TiO₂, 0.05 wt.% and Y_Fe [= Fe³⁺/(Cr + Al + Fe³⁺)], ~0.06 on average. They are similar in chemistry to spinels in forearc peridotites. Their compositions associated with olivine’s Fo suggest that the harzburgites are refractory residues after high-degree partial melting (mainly ~25?30 % partial melting) and dunites are more depleted, similar to highly refractory peridotites recovered from forearcs. This is in accordance with the partial melting (>20 % melt) obtained by the whole-rock Al₂O₃ composition. The Arais peridotites have been possibly formed in a sub-arc setting (mantle wedge), where high degrees of partial melting were available during subduction and closing of the Mozambique Ocean, and emplaced in a forearc basin. Their equilibrium temperature based on olivine?spinel thermometry ranges from 650 to 780 °C, and their oxygen fugacity is high (Δlog ?O₂?=?2.3 to 2.8), which is characteristic of mantle-wedge peridotites. The Arais peridotites are affected by secondary processes forming microinclusions inside the dunitic olivine, abundances of carbonates and talc flakes in serpentinites. These microinclusions have been formed by reaction between trapped fluids and host olivine in a closed system. Lizardite and chrysotile, based on Raman analyses, are the main serpentine minerals with lesser antigorite, indicating that serpentines were possibly formed under retrograde metamorphism during exhumation and near the surface at low T (<400 °C).