Imaging soil moisture using GPR tomography and reflection field experiments

We performed GPR tomography and GPR reflection field experiments using a 500-MHz antenna to image relative soil moisture distribution around a poplar tree at the botanic garden of Kiel University, Kiel, Germany. The GPR tomography field experiment is carried out in two consecutive phases in order to obtain ray paths traveling from all directions and intensively covering the target. The radar tomographic data are inverted using the authors’ developed software code SeismoRad based on the finite difference technique. The attained Root-Mean-Square (RMS) errors after 200 iterations between the measured and calculated times range between 1.066 and 5.7 % in the two tomography experiments. The estimated GPR velocities range between 5.3 and 15.1 cm/ns. Two low-GPR velocity zones could be delineated coinciding with the locations of the tree root zone and a previously excavated sector. The high water saturation zone around the tree root system is found to be the main reason for such a decrease in GPR velocity. Interpretation of the two phases proved that the coverage of ray paths from all directions is important to delineate the effect of the poplar tree root system and hence to obtain accurate tomographic results. Furthermore, four GPR reflection lines are performed along the sides of the four trenches such that the antenna is moved longitudinally in the trenches and the radargrams are recorded along the horizontal xy-plane parallel to the ground surface. On the processed GPR reflection radargrams, relatively high-amplitude GPR anomalies could be outlined and are attributed to the boundary between the saturated and wet zones where different water contents affect the GPR velocity. Comparable results are obtained between the tomogram and the radar reflection results with respect to zones of increase in water content.     

Natural radioactivity in basement rocks and stream sediments, Sharm El Sheikh Area, South Sinai, Egypt: radiometric levels and their significant contributions

The present study examines the natural radioactivity in basements rocks including granites and associated dikes besides stream sediments in Sharm El Sheikh area. Two main rock units are concerned; granites pertaining to Younger Granites of Precambrian age and clastic sedimentary rocks related to Miocene and Pliocene ages. This area is traversed by two shear zones that were delineated as the master fractures trending NW and NNE and controlling uranium and thorium enrichment in granites and dikes. The field and laboratory radiometric measurements revealed radiometric anomalies, in particular, along shear zones. The results of radiometric analyses including concentrations of equivalent uranium (eU), equivalent thorium (eTh), Ra, and K radionuclides as well as the calculated ratios eTh/eU and eU/Ra for representative samples belonging to all rock varieties, revealed that the felsic dikes have the highest values of the average radionuclides potential followed by the alkali feldspar granites, while the mafic dikes display the lowest radioactivity potential. On the other hand, the trends defined in the variation of uranium and thorium reflects the amount of remobilization of uranium that has occurred within the plutons. The eTh and eU/eTh ratios shows a negative correlation, suggesting that distribution of uranium and thorium was at least controlled by magmatic differentiation, while, the positive correlation between eU and eU/eTh ratios indicates enrichment of uranium through post magmatic processes. Some precautions and recommendations are proposed to avoid any possible environmental impacts from shear zone areas with high intensity of natural radiation sources.     

Deciphering the interaction between quaternary and continental Sabkhas aquifers in Central Tunisia using hydrochemical and isotopic tools

Climate aridity and intensive exploitation due to uncontrolled pumping for irrigation have caused a drastic decrease in the piezometric level of the shallow aquifer of Chougafiya plain, central Tunisia, and have seriously degraded groundwater quality. According to the hydrochemical data (Cl^?, SO₄ ^2?, NO₃ ^?, HCO₃ ^?, Br^?, Na⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺) and the stable isotopes (¹⁸O and ²H content), groundwater salinization in the investigated aquifer is caused by four main processes: (1) evaporite dissolution (2) cation exchange reactions (3) evaporation processes and (4) mixing with Sabkhas salt water causing salinity to increase in the central and southern parts of the basin. The radiogenic (³H) isotope data provided insight into the presence of significant contemporaneous recharge waters in the western part of the shallow aquifer. The movement of the tritiated water may have occurred according to the general flow path (NW–SE). When tritium was used in conjunction with the stable isotopes and chloride, the mixing process could be clearly identified, especially in the central part of the study area.     

Dielectric screening in the nonextensive Thomas-Fermi model

The dielectric screening process is revisited within the theoretical framework of the nonextensive Thomas-Fermi model with thermal effects. The nonextensive counterpart of the Fermion distribution function is used. It is found that the nonextensive corrections (which vanish in the zero-temperature limit) are more noticeable as the nonextensive character of the electrons becomes important. Our results should assist in interpreting the screening in dense stellar medium.     

The actualization of neoliberal space and the loss of housing affordability in Santa Monica,California

This paper reveals the contingent aspect associated with the actualization of a neoliberal space. The paper examines the material, institutional, and economic conditions necessary for a neoliberal agenda to transform its urban policy objectives into a material reality. The study follows changes in housing conditions in Santa Monica, California from 1990 to 2008. During this period, the confluence of three sets of events led to the actualization of a neoliberal space. First, housing damage from the 1994 Northridge earthquake removed “dead capital” from the housing sector. Second, subsequent administrative actions at the local level and more importantly deregulation legislation at the state level eliminated rent control regulations and created market incentives that favored upscale development. Finally, the state’s economic recovery generated a substantial flow of private investments into the real estate market. These combined factors led not only to the dismantling of affordable housing in Santa Monica, but also to the erosion of residents’ and local authorities’ ability to manage housing choices and, consequently, to a historic restructuring of Santa Monica’s physical and social space. These changes had a disproportionately and negative effect on low-income and minority renters.     

Flow exchange between the deep and shallow groundwaters in the Sbeϊtla synclinal basin (Tunisia): an isotopic approach

Stable (¹⁸O, ² H) and radiogenic (³H, ¹⁴C) isotopes of water have been used to constrain the source, origin, age, migration pathway and mixing processes in the Sbeïtla (Tunisia) system. The system is composed of an upper unconfined Middle Miocene aquifer with a variable thickness from 10–300 m, an intermediate confined/unconfined Lower Miocene aquifer about 100 m thick and a deeper confined Lower Cretaceous aquifer about 150 m thick separated by a thin clay layer. A total of 53 groundwater samples from the three aquifers and spring samples were collected during February and March 2000 and isotopically analysed using conventional methods. The stable isotopes composition of waters establishes that the deep groundwater (depleted as compared to present corresponding local rainfall) is ancient water recharged probably during the late Pleistocene and the early Holocene periods. The relatively recent water in the superficial aquifer is composed of mixed waters resulting presumably from upward leakage from the deeper groundwater. The radiogenic (³H, ¹⁴C) isotopes data confirm that the recent water, with a tritium content between 6.5 and 19 TU, represents post-nuclear recharge and the ancient groundwater with low carbon-14 contents between 7 and 26 pmC infiltrated between 8,000 to 20,000 years ago. When used in conjunction with the stable isotopes data, the mixing process can be clearly identified, especially in the Sbeïtla sill area. Groundwater of the upper aquifer exhibits isotopic signatures of both the old and recent waters. By using isotopic mass balance, the computed contribution of the deep groundwater in recharging the upper aquifer is up to 94%.     

A second order Jupiter-Saturn planetary theory

We complete by this part II the establishment of a second order secular Jupiter-Saturn theory. This is achieved by taking into consideration the influence of the indirect part of the planetary disturbing function, and expressing the second order secular Hamiltonian in terms of Poincaré's canonical variables.     

Application of Hori's technique in general planetary theory

In this part we present the complete solution of the planetary canonical equations of motion by the method of G. Hori through successive changes of canonical variables using the Lie series. Thus, we can eliminate the long or critical terms of the planetary perturbing function, in our general planetary theory. In our formulas, we neglect perturbation terms of order higher than the third with respect to planetary masses.     

Application of Hori technique in general planetary theory

We explain how the first step of Hori-Lie procedure is applied in general planetary theory to eliminate short-period terms. We extend the investigation to the third-order planetary theory. We solved the canonical equations of motion for secular and periodic perturbations by this method, and obtained the first integrals of the system of canonical equations. Also we showed the relation between the determining function in the sense of Hori and the determining function in the sense of Von Zeipel.     

Painlevé Analysis and Nonlinear Periodic Solutions for Isothermal Magnetostatic Atmospheres

The equations of magnetohydrodynamic equilibria for a plasma in a gravitational field are investigated analytically. For equilibria with one ignorable spatial coordinate, the equations reduce to a single nonlinear elliptic equation for the magnetic potential , known as the Grad–Shafranov equation. Specifying the arbitrary functions in the latter equation, one gets a nonlinear elliptic equation. Analytical solutions of the elliptic equation are obtained for the case of a nonlinear isothermal atmosphere in a uniform gravitational field. The solutions are obtained by using the Painlevé analysis, and are adequate for describing parallel filaments of diffuse, magnetized plasma suspended horizontally in equilibrium in a uniform gravitational field.