Natural Radioactivity at the Sin Quyen Iron-Oxide-Copper-Gold Deposit in North Vietnam

The field radiometric and laboratory measurements were performed at the Sin Quyen copper deposit in North Vietnam. The field gamma-ray spectrometry indicated the concentration of uranium ranging from 5.5 to 87 ppm, thorium from 5.6 to 33.2 ppm, and potassium from 0.3 to 4.7%. The measured dose rates ranged from 115 to 582 nGy/h, the highest doses being at the copper ore. Concentrations in the solid samples were in the range of 20–1700 Bq/kg for uranium, 20–92.7 Bq/kg for thorium, and 7–1345 Bq/kg for potassium. The calculated doses were from 22 to 896 nGy/h; both measured and calculated dose rates are mostly related to uranium. Concentrations of radium in water samples were below 0.17 Bq/L. Uranium in water samples was significantly higher than the hydrogeological background; the maximum of 13 Bq/L was at the waste zone pool, but neither radium nor uranium were present in tap water. Radon concentration in the dwelling air was from 42 to 278 Bq/m³ for ²²²Rn and from 8 to 193 Bq/m³ for ²²⁰Rn. The estimated committed dose rates were principally related to ²²²Rn concentration and ranged from 1.1 to 8.1 mSv/y.     

Properties of unstable waves in the lower St Lawrence Estuary

Abstract

The lower St Lawrence Estuary is an interesting case amongst estuaries in that it is wide enough to accommodate the development of mesoscale unstable waves and eddies. These features are generated by the runoff‐driven jet along this body's south shore. We present data yielding estimates of the length, time and velocity scales of these unstable disturbances. To relate these quantities to the dynamics we employ a 2‐layer quasigeos‐trophic instability model featuring realistic lateral shear. All model runs show short time and length scales, e‐folding periods of less than 10 days and wavelengths less than 50 km.     

中国硫的供求现状和展望

从工业和农业两个方面供需现状分析，中国目前硫的供需基本平衡，且供略大于求。展望２０００年，中国硫的供求关系将出现缺口，需进一步开拓硫的潜在资源。从总体上看，目前中国土壤供硫情况尚好，但一些地区已开始出现缺硫和严重缺硫的状况，预测今后土壤缺硫状况将会加剧，希望各有关部门对此应给予充分注意     

Study of the air-sea interactions at the mesoscale: the SEMAPHORE experiment

The SEMAPHORE (Structure des Echanges Mer-Atmosphère, Propriétés des Hétérogénéités Océaniques: Recherche Expérimentale) experiment has been conducted from June to November 1993 in the Northeast Atlantic between the Azores and Madeira. It was centered on the study of the mesoscale ocean circulation and air-sea interactions. The experimental investigation was achieved at the mesoscale using moorings, floats, and ship hydrological survey, and at a smaller scale by one dedicated ship, two instrumented aircraft, and surface drifting buoys, for one and a half month in October-November (IOP: intense observing period). Observations from meteorological operational satellites as well as spaceborne microwave sensors were used in complement. The main studies undertaken concern the mesoscale ocean, the upper ocean, the atmospheric boundary layer, and the sea surface, and first results are presented for the various topics. From data analysis and model simulations, the main characteristics of the ocean circulation were deduced, showing the close relationship between the Azores front meander and the occurrence of Mediterranean water lenses (meddies), and the shift between the Azores current frontal signature at the surface and within the thermocline. Using drifting buoys and ship data in the upper ocean, the gap between the scales of the atmospheric forcing and the oceanic variability was made evident. A 2 °C decrease and a 40-m deepening of the mixed layer were measured within the IOP, associated with a heating loss of about 100 W m⁻². This evolution was shown to be strongly connected to the occurrence of storms at the beginning and the end of October. Above the surface, turbulent measurements from ship and aircraft were analyzed across the surface thermal front, showing a 30% difference in heat fluxes between both sides during a 4-day period, and the respective contributions of the wind and the surface temperature were evaluated. The classical momentum flux bulk parameterization was found to fail in low wind and unstable conditions. Finally, the sea surface was investigated using airborne and satellite radars and wave buoys. A wave model, operationally used, was found to get better results compared with radar and wave-buoy measurements, when initialized using an improved wind field, obtained by assimilating satellite and buoy wind data in a meteorological model. A detailed analysis of a 2-day period showed that the swell component, propagating from a far source area, is underestimated in the wave model. A data base has been created, containing all experimental measurements. It will allow us to pursue the interpretation of observations and to test model simulations in the ocean, at the surface and in the atmospheric boundary layer, and to investigate the ocean-atmosphere coupling at the local and mesoscales.     

High-Resolution Keck Adaptive Optics Imaging of Violent Volcanic Activity on Io

Io, the innermost Galilean satellite of Jupiter, is a fascinating world. Data taken by Voyager and Galileo instruments have established that it is by far the most volcanic body in the Solar System and suggest that the nature of this volcanism could radically differ from volcanism on Earth. We report on near-IR observations taken in February 2001 from the Earth-based 10-m W. M. Keck II telescope using its adaptive optics system. After application of an appropriate deconvolution technique (MISTRAL), the resolution, ∼100 km on Io's disk, compares well with the best Galileo/NIMS resolution for global imaging and allows us for the first time to investigate the very nature of individual eruptions. On 19 February, we detected two volcanoes, Amirani and Tvashtar, with temperatures differing from the Galileo observations. On 20 February, we noticed a slight brightening near the Surt volcano. Two days later it had turned into an extremely bright volcanic outburst. The hot spot temperatures (>1400 K) are consistent with a basaltic eruption and, being lower limits, do not exclude an ultramafic eruption. These outburst data have been fitted with a silicate-cooling model, which indicates that this is a highly vigorous eruption with a highly dynamic emplacement mechanism, akin to fire-fountaining. Its integrated thermal output was close to the total estimated output of Io, making this the largest ionian thermal outburst yet witnessed.     

A novel approach for estimating karst groundwater recharge in mountainous regions and its application in Switzerland

A pragmatic and simple approach for estimating the groundwater recharge of karst aquifers in mountainous regions by extrapolation of the hydrological regimes of gauged and well‐documented systems is presented. Specific discharge rates are derived using annual precipitation and spring measurements by taking into account catchment size and elevation, which are assumed to be the dominant factors. Reference sites with high data reliability are used for calibration and regional extrapolation. This is performed with normalized values employing spatial precipitation deviations and correlation with the elevation of the catchment areas. A tiered step procedure provides minimum and maximum normalized gradients for the relationship between recharge quantity and elevation for karst regions. The normalized recharge can therefore be obtained and extrapolated for any location using the spatial precipitation variability to provide an estimate of annual groundwater recharge. The approach was applied to Switzerland (approximately 7500 km² of karst terrain situated between 200 and over 4000 m a.s.l.) using annual precipitation data from meteorological stations for the years 2000 to 2011. Results show that the average recharge rates of different Swiss karst domains range from 20 to 46 L/km²s, which corresponds to an infiltration ratio between 0.6 and 0.9 of total precipitation. Despite uncertainties inherent in the approach, these results provide a benchmark for renewable karst groundwater resources in Switzerland of about 8.4 km³/year. The approach can be applied to any other mountainous karst region, that is, where a clear relationship between elevation, precipitation and recharge can be assumed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

江西武功山花岗岩地貌特征与成因

江西武功山花岗岩穹窿构造地貌景观类型具有多样性、典型性,具有极高的美学价值、科学价值和旅游开发价值。武功山花岗岩地貌类型可划分为花岗岩风化壳高山草甸、花岗岩侵蚀构造地貌、花岗岩流水侵蚀地貌和花岗岩崩塌堆积地貌等,而且每一类型又有多种微地貌景观,具有显著的集聚性特征,主要集中在金顶、明月山和羊狮幕地区,空间上可分为4个梯度,分别为中心高山草甸带、中心边缘构造侵蚀地貌区、外围峡谷、孤峰、瀑布、温泉区、武功山主山体前缘区。花岗岩穹窿构造核部及外缘区域的花岗岩地貌发育模式和发育阶段具有明显差异,反映了武功山不同山体单元多期差异性隆升后,在亚热带气候环境下,流水溯源侵蚀、构造、岩体性质等内外营力对原始地貌面的差异性作用过程。本研究不仅可为花岗岩穹窿构造地貌景观空间展布规律和地貌特征的研究提供有效借鉴,而且可为武功山地区地学科普、地质遗迹保护等提供支撑。     

东营凹陷下第三系层序地层研究与隐蔽油气藏预测

应用层序地层学理论,利用地震、测井、岩心和分析化验资料,建立了东营凹陷下第三系层序界面识别标志,把东营凹陷下第三系划分为 1个超层序组,4个超层序,10个层序,进行体系域划分,建立了东营凹陷下第三系层序地层格架。构造坡折带是指由同沉积构造长期活动引起的沉积斜坡明显突变的地带,对盆地充填的可容纳空间和沉积作用可产生重要影响。通过层序地层格架与构造坡折带的研究,建立东营凹陷层序发育模式。受构造坡折带控制的层序低位域砂体和湖侵体系域砂体,成藏条件良好,最有利于形成隐蔽油气藏。