Sediment density structure derived from textural analysis of cross-sectional X-radiographs

Two image texture analysis procedures, autocorrelation and binary run length, quantify the scales, orientation, and isotropy of density fluctuations imaged in X-radiographs of sediment cross sections from the Arafura Sea (Australia) and Eckernförde Bay (Germany). Image texture-based results agree with traditional bulk methods in some cases and disagree in others. Advantages of imagebased techniques over bulk methods are nonintrusiveness of the approach and the ability to produce more detailed characterizations of the spatial variability present in sediment structure. The image texture-based parameterizations of density structure are interpreted with respect to environmental processes.     

Fundamental response of pore-water pressure to microfabric and permeability characteristics: Eckernförde Bay

Ambient and dynamic in situ pore pressures were measured, and microfabric was examined in finegrained, shallow-water sediment in Eckernförde Bay, Germany. In situ permeabilities were calculated from piezometer data. Pore-water pressure decay times in sediments 0.5–1.0 m subbottom are indicative of clayey materials. Shallower sediments, although of similar classical grain size as the deeper sediments, have quicker decay times typical of silty marine sediment. Pore pressure response is a function of the microfabric, porometry, and sediment permeability. Aggregates (composed of fine-grained material, biota, and extracellular polymers) produce large pores and complex microstructure, resulting in effective permeabilities characteristic of silts.     

Acoustic backscattering experiments in a well characterized sand sediment: data/model comparisons using sediment fluid and Biot models

As part of the sediment acoustics experiment 1999 (SAX99), backscattering from a sand sediment was measured in the 20- to 300-kHz range for incident grazing angles from 10/spl deg/ to 40/spl deg/. Measured backscattering strengths are compared to three different scattering models: a fluid model that uses the mass density of the sediment in determining backscattering, a poroelastic model based on Biot theory and an "effective density" fluid model derived from Biot theory. These comparisons rely heavily on the extensive environmental characterization carried out during SAX99. This environmental characterization is most complete at spatial scales relevant to acoustic frequencies from 20 to 50 kHz. Model/data comparisons lead to the conclusions that rough surface scattering is the dominant scattering mechanism in the 20-50-kHz frequency range and that the Biot and effective density fluid models are more accurate than the fluid model in predicting the measured scattering strengths. For 50-150 kHz, rough surface scattering strengths predicted by the Biot and effective density fluid models agree well with the data for grazing angles below the critical angle of the sediment (about 30/spl deg/) but above the critical angle the trends of the models and the data differ. At 300 kHz, data/model comparisons indicate that the dominant scattering mechanism may no longer be rough surface scattering.     

Late Cenozoic tectonic activity and its significance in the Northern Junggar Basin,Northwestern China

The Dingshan area located in the northern part of the Junggar Basin of northwestern China is a significant prospect area for sandstone-type uranium deposits in China, where mainly Cenozoic rocks were deposited. The Cenozoic strata can be divided into four units according to the prior data and our own field observation. Sedimentary studies indicate that most Cenozoic strata were deposited under a hot and arid climate in a continental environment. The sedimentary facies are alluvial-fan, meandering-fluvial, and fluvio-lacustrine. Field investigation and interpretation of satellite images suggest that Cenozoic tectonics in the area is characterized by reactivation of early deep-seated thrusts, resulting in extensional fractures and formation of many small depressions in the shallow crustal level. Measurement of joint orientations suggests that regional shortening direction trends in north–south in the middle Pleistocene as indicated by the ESR (Electronic Spin Resonance) age of 0.1–0.4 Ma obtained from fault gouge and gypsum deposits. A four-stage sedimentation-tectonic evolution model of the northern Junggar Basin during the Late Cenozoic can be established based on reconstruction of sedimentary filling processes and Cenozoic tectonic movements. We suggest that landform evolution and groundwater movement are controlled by active tectonics, indicating that Late Cenozoic tectonic activities may also play important roles in the formation of sandstone-type uranium deposits. Therefore, a new metallogenic model for sandstone-type uranium deposits is proposed.     

Hillslope groundwater discharges provide localized stream ecosystem buffers from regional per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances contamination

Emerging groundwater contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may impact surface-water quality and groundwater-dependent ecosystems of gaining streams. Although complex near-surface hydrogeology of stream corridors challenges sampling efforts, recent advances in heat tracing of discharge zones enable efficient and informed data collection. For this study, we used a combination of streambed temperature push-probe and thermal infrared methods to guide a discharge-zone-oriented sample collection along approximately 6 km of a coastal trout stream on Cape Cod, MA. Eight surface-water locations and discharging groundwater from 24 streambed and bank seepages were analysed for dissolved oxygen (DO), specific conductance, stable water isotopes, and a range of PFAS compounds, which are contaminants of emerging concern in aquatic environments. The results indicate a complex system of groundwater discharge source flowpaths, where the sum of concentrations of six PFAS compounds (corresponding to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule “UCMR 3”) showed a median concentration of 52 ± 331 (SD) ng/L with two higher outliers and three discharges with PFAS concentrations below the quantification limit. Higher PFAS concentration was related (− 0.66 Spearman rank, p < .001) to discharging groundwater that showed an evaporative signature (deuterium excess), indicating flow through at least one upgradient kettle lake. Therefore, more regional groundwater flowpaths originating from outside the local river corridor tended to show higher PFAS concentrations as evaluated at their respective discharge zones. Conversely, PFAS concentrations were typically low at discharges that did not indicate evaporation and were adjacent to steep hillslopes and, therefore, were classified as locally recharged groundwater. Previous research at this stream found that the native brook trout spawn at discharge points of groundwater recharged on local hillslopes, likely in response to generally higher levels of DO. Our study shows that by targeting high oxygen discharges the trout may thereby be avoiding emerging contaminants such as PFAS in groundwater recharged farther from the stream.     

Porometric properties of siliciclastic marine sand: a comparison of traditional laboratory measurements with image analysis and effective medium modeling

During the 1999 sediment acoustics experiment (SAX99), porometric properties were measured and predicted for a well sorted, medium sand using standard laboratory geotechnical methods and image analysis of resin-impregnated sediments. Sediment porosity measured by laboratory water-weight-loss methods (0.372 /spl plusmn/ 0.0073 for mean /spl plusmn/1 standard deviation) is 0.026 lower than determined by microscopic image analysis of resin-impregnated sediments (0.398 /spl plusmn/ 0.029). Values of intrinsic permeability (m/sup 2/) determined from constant-head permeameter measurements (3.29 /spl times/ 10/sup -11/ /spl plusmn/ 0.60 /spl times/ 10/sup -11/) and by microscopic image analysis coupled with effective medium theory modeling (2.78 /spl times/ 10/sup -11/ /spl plusmn/ 1.01 /spl times/ 10/sup -11/) are nearly identical within measurement error. The mean value of tortuosity factor measured from images is 1.49 /spl plusmn/ 0.09, which is in agreement with tortuosity factor determined from electrical resistivity measurements. Slight heterogeneity and anisotropy are apparent in the top three centimeters of sediment as determined by image-based porometric property measurements. However, the overall similarity for both measured and predicted values of porosity and permeability among and within SAX99 sites indicates sediments are primarily homogeneous and isotropic and pore size distributions are fairly uniform. The results indicate that an effective medium theory technique and two-dimensional image analysis accurately predicts bulk permeability in resin-impregnated sands.     

Microtopographical roughness of shallow-water continental shelves

High-resolution (<1 cm) roughness height measurements were made of the seafloor at seven locations on continental-shelf sediments on water depths ranging from 18 to 50 m. Roughness profiles of the sediment-water interface were digitized primarily from stereo photogrammetric measurements of varying pathlengths and increments. The data show that the root-mean-square roughness height varies from 0.3 cm for flat, featureless bottoms to 2.3 cm for rippled bottoms. Slopes of the roughness power spectra were calculated to be -1.5 to near -3.0 and depended to a large extent on contributions in higher spatial frequencies due to coarse sediments. Correlation lengths of different bottom types were estimated by using the Weiner-Khintchine theorem and examining the low-frequency behavior of the roughness spectra derived from the longest roughness profiles