The Genesis,Classification, Problems and Prospects of Microbial Carbonates:Implications from the Cambrian Carbonate of North China Platform

Currently, sedimentologists focus on the challenging issue of microbial carbonates, which are regarded as "one of the sedimentary rocks most difficult to study", having complicated sedimentary fabric. Their characteristic features closely related to microbial activity, distributed over a long period of geological time, and formed in diversified sedimentary environments. The main research concentrations are the calcified microbial mats and biofilms in geological records as the products of lithification and diagenesis. Starting from the origin, this paper systematically reviewed and explained the processes dwelling within two types of microbial communities, the thinner biofilm and the thicker microbial mat, which enabled them to convert into microbial carbonates through biomineralization and lithification. This study proposed that the existence of multiple microbial mats was another important cause for the diversification and complexity of microbial carbonates in addition to its complex depositional process. Moreover, the sedimentary characteristics and classification of different types of microbial carbonates were reviewed, exemplifying the Cambrian microbial carbonates in the North China Platform. These microbial carbonates are suggested to be placed under "bindstone" after Embry and Kloven, which can be further divided into 5 types, stromatolites, thrombolites, oncolites, laminites and leiolites. Dendrolite is not categorized as a separate class, instead attributed to thrombolites. The microbial carbonates may possess good source rock potential because of the enriched organic content, and may also serve as hydrocarbon reservoirs because of certain microbial textures and fabrics leading to significant porosity and permeability. Because of their biomineralization processes related to microbial activity, the microbial carbonates are not only an important window to understand the evolution of the earth's surface environment, but also capable of forming large-scale reservoirs, and their scientific and economic values are self-evident.     

An empirical theory for gravitationally unstable flow in porous media

In this paper, we follow a similar procedure as proposed by Koval (SPE J 3(2):145–154, 1963) to analytically model CO₂ transfer between the overriding carbon dioxide layer and the brine layer below it. We show that a very thin diffusive layer on top separates the interface from a gravitationally unstable convective flow layer below it. Flow in the gravitationally unstable layer is described by the theory of Koval, a theory that is widely used and which describes miscible displacement as a pseudo two-phase flow problem. The pseudo two-phase flow problem provides the average concentration of CO₂ in the brine as a function of distance. We find that downstream of the diffusive layer, the solution of the convective part of the model, is a rarefaction solution that starts at the saturation corresponding to the highest value of the fractional-flow function. The model uses two free parameters, viz., a dilution factor and a gravity fingering index. A comparison of the Koval model with the horizontally averaged concentrations obtained from 2-D numerical simulations provides a correlation for the two parameters with the Rayleigh number. The obtained scaling relations can be used in numerical simulators to account for the density-driven natural convection, which cannot be currently captured because the grid cells are typically orders of magnitude larger than the wavelength of the initial fingers. The method can be applied both for storage of greenhouse gases in aquifers and for EOR processes using carbon dioxide or other solvents.     

Circumstellar disk and the first generation of stars

Circumstellar disk (CD) around the first generation of stars have been numerically investigated here to see if the cooling regimes also play a role in the formation and evolution of the disk associated with the most massive protostars (MMPS). Also, an emphasis is given to exploring the effect of the initial turbulent motion of the metal-free gas on the resulting morphology of the CD. For this, a systematic range of Mach number $ℳ=0.1-1.0$ has been examined. It has been found that the disk-to-star mass ratio $M_{\text{disk}}$/ $M_{\text{star}}$ is larger when the model evolution is based on the first H ${}_2$ line cooling followed by subsequent cooling via collision-induced emission than in the model where only H ${}_2$ line cooling remains operative. Also, irrespective of the initial turbulence in the cloud, the former type of model yields a CD as massive as 7.66 M ${}_{\odot }$ while the latter type produces a disk as massive as 1.29 M ${}_{\odot }$. Moreover, the inner part of the CD is found dominated by higher subsonic turbulent motions in the case of the former type of models than in the latter type. CDs around MMPS in both types of models show stable disk structures.     

Traffic ‐and Industry‐Related Air Pollution Exposure Assessment in an Asian Megacity

Like other Asian countries, Pakistan is facing the issue of air pollution due to rapid urbanization, enormous transportation increases, and other related human activities. Moreover, continuously increasing emission sources have not only raised pollutant concentrations but also their types, thus damaging both human health and the environment. Faisalabad is the third largest megacity of Pakistan and its state of air quality is getting worse due to factors such as industrialization, high traffic volumes, and extensive fossil‐fuel‐burning activities. This review article aims to highlight the present status of air pollution in this city with special reference to particulate matter, elemental profiles, gaseous pollutants, organic–inorganic particulate contents as well as their sources. The concentration levels of these entities were also compared with other national and international cities, and related environmental standards. It is found that current levels of these pollutants are beyond safety limits as specified by various environment protection agencies and organizations. Several weak aspects and gaps are also identified along with suggestions for improvements of the present situation and directions for future research.     

蓝细菌微生物席主导的芙蓉统均一石生物丘:以河北涞源祁家峪剖面为例

基于中等尺度的构造特征,常常将微生物碳酸盐岩划分为四个类型：纹层状的叠层石、凝块状的凝块石、贫乏构造的均一石、树枝状的树形石;在其中,均一石被定义为相对贫乏构造和非晶质的中等构造,而且作为“隐秘微生物”的同义语曾经与凝块石相混用。华北地台的芙蓉统,包括长山组和凤山组,可以进一步划分为3个淹没不整合面型三级沉积层序;在这些三级层序的强迫型海退体系域中,常常集中产出各种微生物碳酸盐岩所主导的生物丘,河北涞源祁家峪剖面的芙蓉统就是一个较为典型的实例。在该剖面,两套较为典型的均一石生物丘灰岩构成了较为壮观的沉积学现象,其内部特别的非均一组构与贫乏构造的宏观特征形成了强烈的反差,从而将这些均一石生物丘特征化,包括：① 钙化蓝细菌化石如基座菌、葛万菌,以及可以类比于第谷菌的丝状蓝细菌鞘化石;② 底栖鲕粒;③ 肾型菌状的钙化生物膜残余物;④ 海绵木乃伊;⑤底栖鲕粒填充的生物潜穴;⑥包覆着海绵木乃伊和生物潜穴的微叠层石。这些特征,表明了这些均一石生物丘可能形成于蓝细菌细胞外聚合物质（EPS）复杂的钙化作用,而且这样的EPS是蓝细菌微生物席及其内部的多重状生物膜的基本有机基质构成。由于均一石缺乏现代可以类比的典型实例,而且在其命名之后也很少描述在在古老的地层记录中,所以,河北涞源祁家峪剖面芙蓉统中的均一石生物丘为了解均一石形成的复杂机理提供了一个最为典型的实例。     

Threat of glacial lake outburst flood to Tehsil Gupis from Khukush Lake, District Ghizer, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan

Glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) is a powerful natural phenomenon that is very active in the Karakoram and Himalayas. This paper presents a case study from Gupis Tehsil in northern areas of Pakistan that is exposed to GLOFs from nine different glacial lakes in its upper catchment areas. Khukush Lake being the largest of all the glacial lakes has been studied and a flood attenuation model has been created for the whole Gupis Tehsil. This lake covers almost 2.2 km² of surface area, and its calculated volume is 2.6 × 10⁴ m³. In case of its outburst, the peak flow discharge is calculated to be 7,642 m³/s. The catchment area which contributes water and debris to the lake is 170 km². This lake is dammed by a glacial moraine, which is not strong enough to sustain the pressure for a longer period of time. Other factors that are reducing the reliability of the dam are the secondary hazards which are in direct contact with the lake, and in case of their reactivation, they can put severe impacts on the dam. There are eight potential sites of the snow avalanche activity where debris along with snow may fall directly into the lake producing a strong wave. This strong wave of water will increase the pressure on the dam and ultimately will increase the probability for its outburst. The presense of water springs towards the downstream side of the natural dam also indicate the presence of hidden channels passing through the dam which may weaken the shear strength of the dam. Almost 24 villages settled along either sides of the Gupis River are critically studied for the expected flood from Khukush Lake. With few exceptions, almost 20–25 % area of all the villages will be affected from this flood.     

Effect of $$\hbox {CO}_2$$ solubility on dissolution rate of calcite in saline aquifers for temperature range of 50–100 $$^{\circ } \hbox {C}$$∘C and pressures up to 600 bar: alterations of fractures geometry in carbonate rocks by $$\hbox {CO}_2$$-acidified brines

An empirical model is developed to predict the dissolution rate of calcite in saline solutions that are saturated with respect to dissolved \(\hbox {CO}_2\) over a broad range of both subcritical and supercritical conditions. The focus is on determining the rate of calcite dissolution within a temperature range of 50–100 \(^\circ \hbox {C}\) and pressures up to 600 bar, relevant for \(\hbox {CO}_2\) sequestration in saline aquifers. A general reaction kinetic model is used that is based on the extension of the standard Arrhenius equation with an added, solubility-dependent, pH term to account for the saturated concentration of dissolved \(\hbox {CO}_2\). On the basis of this kinetic model, a new rate equation is obtained using multi-parameter, nonlinear regression of experimental data to determine the dissolution of calcite as a function of temperature, pressure and salinity. Different models for the activity coefficient of \(\hbox {CO}_2\) dissolved in saline solutions are accounted for. The new rate equation helps us obtain good agreement with experimental data, and it is applied to study the geochemically induced alterations of fracture geometry due to calcite dissolution.     

Non-singular coordinates of some Kiselev space-times

In this article, non-singular Kruskal-like coordinates of some Kiselev space-times are presented. Also, non-singular Carter-like coordinates are constructed for the extreme case of Kiselev space-time.