An experimental study of the partitioning of a rare earth element (Gd) in the system diopside—aqueous vapour

The partitioning of Gd in the experimental system diopside-aqueous vapor as a function of temperature, pressure, composition of the phases, time, grain size, solid-liquid ratio and Gd concentration has been investigated. A radioactive tracer measurement was used to determine Gd concentration in the separated phases. Diposides were reacted with aqueous vapor containing tracer Gd and reversibility was tested by reacting Gd-doped diopsides with pure aqueous vapor. Equilibration of Gd between the bulk of the diopside and the liquid was found to be limited by the slow rate of Gd diffusion in diopside, maximum value of D = 2 × 10^?15cm²sec^?1 at 800°C and 1 kb. Depending on whether the diopside was previously synthesized or synthesized from an oxide mix during the experiment, Gd concentrations were zoned in the crystal such that higher concentrations existed at the edges or center, respectively. Equilibrium is difficult to achieve in these experiments, but at the optimum experimental conditions for equilibration, the Gd diopside-aqueous vapor distribution coefficient is 20 ± 6 (800°C, 1 kb) in approximate agreement with previous results of 55 ± 23. Changing the composition of the aqueous vapor indicated that possible mechanisms for Gd substitution included coupling of Gd³⁺ with H⁺ or Na⁺ replacing 2Ca²⁺, or substitution of 2Gd³⁺ for 3Ca²⁺ with formation of a cation vacancy.     

Distribution and mode of occurrence of radionuclides in phosphogypsum derived from Aqaba and Eshidiya Fertilizer Industry,South Jordan

Phosphogypsum (PG) is a by-product of the chemical reaction called the "wet process" whereby sul-phuric acid reacts with phosphate rock (PR) to produce phosphoric acid, needed for fertilizer production. Through the wet process, some impurities naturally present in the PR become incorporated in PG, including U decay-series radionuclides, are the main important concern which could have an effect on the surrounding environment and pre-vent its safe utilization. In order to determine the distribution and bioavailability of radionuclides to the surrounding environment, we used a sequential leaching of PG samples from Aqaba and Eshidiya fertilizer industry. The results showed that the percentages of 226Ra and 210Pb in PG are over those in the corresponding phosphate rocks (PG/PR), where 85% of the 226Ra and 85% of the 210Pb fractionate to PG. The sequential extraction results exhibited that most of 226Ra and 210Pb are bound in the residual phase (non-CaSO4) fraction ranging from 45%–65% and 55%–75%, respectively, whereas only 10%–15% and 10%–20% respectively of these radionuclides are distributed in the most labile fraction. The results obtained from this study showed that radionuclides are not incorporated with gypsum itself and may not form a threat to the surrounding environment.     

Solution of the downward continuation problem by collocation

Summary The modern satellite techniques enable to measure the gravity acceleration in space. The downward continuation of this measurements to the earth's surface is by the closed theory practically impossible. Using the method of collocation we can estimate the values of Δ g in the limited region underneath the observation with a little loss of accuracy. Results of some numerical tests for elevation of 300 km are presented.     

Computation of nitrate concentrations in turbid coastal waters using an in situ ultraviolet spectrophotometer

In order to investigate biogeochemical cycling and dynamics of nutrients, measurement capabilities with sufficient spatial and temporal resolution are required. New ultraviolet-based methods and instrumentation for in situ determination of nitrate provide a powerful tool for these purposes. Here, we present a full dataset obtained by an UV-based process spectrophotometer (ProPS) during a cruise in 2008 in the south-eastern North Sea. Due to highly turbid conditions and mixing water masses, an improved calculation algorithm was performed on the UV absorption data. Nitrate concentrations ranged from 0 to 9 μmol/L on very short timescales, mainly due to tidal effects. Comparison of continuous optical nitrate measurements was performed against conventional wet-chemical analyses of discrete water samples which lead to a standard deviation of 1.7 μmol/L NO₃^?. High resolution measurements performed at a tidal inlet demonstrated the capability to map nitrate dynamics in turbid coastal environments.     

Gough Island: Evaluation of a fractional crystallization model

Gough Island is composed of an alkaline olivine basalt-trachyte series. A fractional crystallization model for the development of these rocks has been evaluated by correlating the geochemical trends of major and trace elements. Beginning with an alkali olivine basalt parent the major element abundances were used to determine the varying proportions of crystallizing minerals required to generate the various residual liquids. A least-squares computer model was used for this calculation. The modal proportions of cumulative minerals and trace element distribution coefficients were used to predict the trace element abundances in each rock type.Three significant trace element trends are observed in Gough Island rocks: (1) increasing rare earth (RE) abundance and relative light RE enrichment with increasing major element differentiation, (2) marked Eu, Sr, and Ba depletions in late stage trachytes, (3) Cr and M enrichment in picrite basalt.The trace element abundances predicted by the fractional crystallization model are in good agreement with these observed trends. A fractional crystallization process involving olivine, pyroxene, feldspar, and apatite accounts for all the significant major and trace element trends observed in Gough Island rocks.     

An iterative method for array pattern synthesis

The authors propose a novel iterative method for synthesizing radiation patterns of linear arrays with arbitrary sidelobe envelopes, with nonisotropic elements, and with nonuniform spacing between elements. Various design examples are presented and compared with other methods. It is shown that the proposed iterative method converges rapidly and yields superior results over other methods     

An approach for the geophysical assessment of fissuring of estuary and river flood embankments: validation against two case studies in England and Scotland

This paper proposes a two-stage geophysical approach to map the vertical cracking and the structural integrity of flood embankments made up of clay geomaterials susceptible to fissuring. The first stage is based on a ‘coarse-resolution’ investigation using conventional electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) equipment to identify the fissured zones in the embankment. This step is complemented by an additional geophysical technique, electromagnetic, to verify the ERT measurements. The second stage is based on a ‘high-resolution’ investigation using a miniature ERT system previously developed at the laboratory scale for detailed mapping of the fissure patterns. The ‘coarse-resolution’ stage is the major focus of this paper and was validated against two case studies in England and Scotland. Longitudinal ERT survey provided a tomographic picture of the upper desiccated zones of the embankments and fissured areas in 2-D, validating the range of resistivity results obtained previously on a fissured clay model in the laboratory. A transversal embankment resistivity tomography was also completed to show the positions of fissured zones in detail in the field. The electromagnetic technique as a fast screening tool allowed cross checking the ERT results and was also efficient in detecting high and low conductivity zones, indicating areas of potential weakness during flash floods and heavy rain. The southern embankment in England showed more fluctuations in the conductivity and resistivity than the north embankment in Scotland, likely to be due to the differences in climate, vegetation and location characteristics between the two sites. Conclusions were also drawn on the potential weaknesses for both embankments and the effect of vegetation on conductivity measurements.     

Clay fine fissuring monitoring using miniature geo-electrical resistivity arrays

This article describes a miniaturised electrical imaging (resistivity tomography) technique to map the cracking pattern of a clay model. The clay used was taken from a scaled flood embankment built to study the fine fissuring due to desiccation and breaching process in flooding conditions. The potential of using a miniature array of electrodes to follow the evolution of the vertical cracks and number them during the drying process was explored. The imaging technique generated two-dimensional contoured plots of the resistivity distribution within the model before and at different stages of the desiccation process. The change in resistivity associated with the widening of the cracks were monitored as a function of time. Experiments were also carried out using a selected conductive gel to slow down the transport process into the cracks to improve the scanning capabilities of the equipment. The main vertical clay fissuring network was obtained after inversion of the experimental resistivity measurements and validated by direct observations.     

Catastrophic flood effects in alpine/foothill fluvial system (a case study from the Sudetes Mts, SW Poland)

Depositional effects of two great floods in the Nysa drainage basin have been studied: the alluvial forms and deposits of channels and floodplains. Three types of bars and one overbank form were found in the mountain streams, and four types of bars and three types of overbank forms have been distinguished in main rivers. A specific spatial succession of depositional forms was recognized along the mountain streams, however, no analogous phenomena were noted within the main river valleys. Several types of bars and alluvial lithofacies have been regarded as characteristic effects of the catastrophic flood. The study indicates that the Nysa river is close to the threshold of metamorphosis to a typical braided fluvial system.     

U-Pb ages of uraniferous opals and implications for the history of beryllium,fluorine, and uranium mineralization at Spor Mountain,Utah

The U-Pb isotope systematics of uraniferous opals from Spor Mountain, Utah, were investigated to determine the suitability of such material for geochronologic purposes, and to estimate the timing of uranium and associated beryllium and fluorine mineralization. The results indicate that uraniferous opals can approximate a closed system for uranium and uranium daughters, so that dating samples as young as ～1 m.y. should be possible. In addition, the expected lack of initial²³⁰Th and²³¹Pa in opals permits valuable information on the initial²³⁴U/²³⁸U to be obtained on suitable samples of ?10 m.y. age. The oldest²⁰⁷Pb/²³⁵U apparent age observed, 20.8 ± 1m.y., was that of the opal-fluorite core of a nodule from a beryllium deposit in the Spor Mountain Formation. This age is indistinguishable from that of fission-track and K-Ar ages from the host rhyolite, and links the mineralization to the first episode of alkali rhyolite magmatism and related hydrothermal activity at Spor Mountain. Successively younger ages of 13 m.y. and 8–9 m.y. on concentric outer zones of the same nodule indicate that opal formed either episodically or continuously for over 10 m.y. Several samples of both fracture-filling and massive-nodule opal associated with beryllium deposits gave²⁰⁷Pb/²³⁵U apparent ages of 13–16 m.y., which may reflect a restricted period of mineralization or perhaps an averaging of 21?and<13?m.y. periods of opal growth. Several samples of fracture-filling opal in volcanic rocks as young as 6 m.y. gave²⁰⁷Pb/²³⁵U ages of 3.4–4.8 m.y. These ages may reflect hot-spring activity after the last major eruption of alkali rhyolite.