Characterizing the dispersive state of convective boundary layers for applied dispersion modeling

Estimates from semiempirical models that characterize surface heat flux, mixing depth, and profiles of temperature, wind, and turbulence are compared with observations from atmospheric field studies conducted in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, and Minnesota. Sodar observations are compared with tower measurements at the Colorado site, for wind and turbulence profiles. The median surface heat flux, as calculated using surface-layer flux-profile relationships and an energy budget model, was consistently overestimated by 20 to 80%. Several mixing-depth models were evaluated: (1) integration of the hourly surface heat flux and friction velocity, (2) solving for the time rate of change of profiles of virtual potential temperature, and (3) an interpolation scheme used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in regulatory dispersion models. For the late afternoon, 80 to 90% of the estimates from the first and third models were within 40% of the observed values. For the morning hours after sunrise, all were less accurate. Temperature estimates from surface-layer flux-profile relationships compared well with observations within the mixed layer, but were too low for the inversion layer aloft. Wind profiles were derived using surface-layer flux-profile relationships, a windprofile power-law based on Pasquill stability category, and sodar measurements. The sodar measurements were superior to both types of model estimates. Turbulence profiles were derived from sodar measurements and from semiempirical similarity relationships based on mixing depth and Obukhov length. The scatter in the comparisons with the sodar observations is twice that seen in the comparisons with empirical profile relationships. Overall, it appears that uncertainty of as low as 20 to 30% in the characterization of the diffusion meteorology is the exception rather than the rule.On assignment from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U. S. Department of Commerce.Disclaimer: Although the research described in this article has been supported by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, it has not been subjected to Agency review and therefore does not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency and no official endorsement should be inferred. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.     

Factors Affecting Efficient Aquifer Restoration at In Situ Uranium Mine Sites

In situ mining of uranium typically requires the injection of a reactive leaching solution (lixiviant) such as sodium carbonate/bicarbonate, ammonium carbonate/bicarbonate, or sulfuric acid, and an oxidant such as hydrogen peroxide or oxygen into an ore-bearing, confined aquifer. It also requires the environmental restoration of the source aquifer. The stratigraphy of sandstone uranium deposits typically consists of interbedded layers of poorly consolidated sands and clays and gravels deposited in fluvial or coastal environments. The parameters that influence the migration of lixiviant during mining and restoration in these environments include induced hydraulic gradients, hydrodynamic dispersion, heterogeneity, anisotropy, physicochemical reactions, leakage into and/or through confining layers, and convergence of flow lines due to partial well penetration.
The effectiveness of the various methods of aquifer restoration is sit -specific and is dependent upon the site hydrogeology and hydrogeochemistry, and the chemistry of the lixiviant. Each method of aquifer restoration has advantages and disadvantages. Selection of the most effective and economically feasible method requires detailed knowledge of the site-specific hydrogeologic conditions.     

An example of slip instability resulting from displacement-varying strength

A rock cylinder, containing a clay-filled sawcut making an angle of 30° to the sample axis, was deformed at constant confining and pore pressures and constant remote shortening rate. The sawcut surfaces contained a series of regularly spaced ridges and grooves oriented perpendicular to the direction of shear. The interaction of these grooved surfaces resulted in a sliding strength which varied periodically with displacement. By varying the effective machine stiffness through the use of an electronic feedback circuit, a range of stable and unstable slip behavior was achieved. In this way, we examined fault slip behavior which was dominated by displacement-dependent strength.     

The characterization of axenic culture systems suitable for plant propagation and experimental studies of the submersed aquatic angiospermPotamogeton pectinatus (Sago Pondweed)

Clonal lines of the submersed aquatic angiospermPotamogeton pectinatus were grown in three culture systems. The first, which used sucrose as a carbon source in a liquid medium, supported vigorous vegetative growth and can be used to propagate large numbers of plants in axenic conditions. In this culture system, plants were responsive to increasings photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) photon flux density (PFD) and were photosynthetically competent. However, their growth was heterotrophic and root development was poor. When these plants were transferred to a second nonaxenic culture system, which used 16-1 buckets containing artificial sediments and tap water, growth was autotrophic and plants were morphologically identical to field-harvestedP. pectinatus. The last culture system which consisted of a sand substrate and inorganic nutrient bathing solution aerated with 135 ml min^?1 ambient air enhanced to 3.0% CO₂ was axenic and supported autotrophic growth by plants that were also morphologically normal.     

Insight from large-scale observational studies of land/atmosphere interactions

This paper overviews major international studies of the land/atmosphere interaction during the 1980s and previews those proposed for the 1990s. Selective results, either particular to individual studies or common to several, are interpreted to provide insight on the value and reliability of experimental data and field systems. This is used to provide guidance for future experiments. Progress in addressing the need to provide area-average, aggregate values for surface energy fluxes is assessed, and a recommendation made for enhanced attention to the use of planetary boundary development as an indirect measure of these.     

Spatter-rich pyroclastic flow deposits on Santorini,Greece

Pyroclastic deposits exposed in the caldera walls of Santorini Volcano (Greece), contain several prominent horizons of coarse-grained andesitic spatter and cauliform volcanic bombs. These deposits can be traced around most of the caldera wall. They thicken in depressions and are intimately associated with ignimbrite and co-ignimbrite lithic lag breccias. They are interpreted as a proximal facies of pyroclastic flow deposits. Evidence for a flow origin includes the presence of a fine-grained pumiceous matrix, flow deformation of ductile spatter clasts, exceedingly coarse grain sizes several kilometres from any plausible vent, imbrication of flattened spatter clasts, intimate interbedding with normal pyroclastic flow deposits and the presence of inversely graded basal layers. The deposits contain hydrothermally altered, rounded lithic ejecta including gabbro nodules. The andesitic ejecta and the fine matrix are typically moderately to poorly vesicular indicating that magmatic gas had a subordinate role in the eruptive process. The andesitic clasts contain abundant angular lithic inclusions and some clasts are themselves formed of pre-existing agglutinate. We propose that these eruptions occurred when external water gained access to the vents, causing large-scale explosions which formed pyroclastic flows rich in coarse, semifluid but poorly vesicular ejecta. We postulate that large volumes of coarse pyroclastic ejecta and degassed lava accumulated in a deep crater prior to being disrupted by these large explosions to form pyroclastic flows.     

Atrazine Used as a Tracer of Induced Recharge

The city of Lincoln draws water from a well field along the banks of the Platte River in east-central Nebraska. We have been able to follow the infusion of atrazine into this well field under induced recharge. Samples of water from the river, several monitoring wells and a production well were analyzed by GC/MS and solid phase extraction and found to change in concentration over the range 0.1 and 5.0 ppb of atrazine through the spring, summer, and fall 1989. Increases in the concentration of atrazine relating to precipitation events in the Platte River Basin were observable in the well water samples and ultimately in Lincoln municipal tap water. Atrazine from the river was seen to move via induced recharge and into well field ground water and away from the river at an observable rate. The concentration of atrazine in the river is dependent upon time of year and precipitation in the river basin.     

Tropical deforestation: Albedo and the surface-energy balance

Recent micrometeorological measurements for Amazonian rainforest are reviewed, emphasising those aspects of the radiation and heat balance which are likely to change with deforestation. The possible consequences of such deforestation are considered by examining the sensitivity of the surface energy balance to changes in those parameters which would be most drastically altered.     

Changes and patterns of origin regions of international tourism

The dramatic political and economic changes in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East during the early 1990s have had a dramatic impact on international tourism. Between 1974 and 1990 there have been significant shifts in international tourist originations. The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze the changing patterns and to compare the two time periods. A key component of the study is the construction of a Population-Adjusted Travel Index which assesses the capability of a country to generate tourists relative to population characteristics. Findings indicate that Europe is still the leader in trips generated, even though the proportion from this region is declining over time. Asian countries exhibited the most marked improvement due primarily to the tremendous economic expansion taking place on the Pacific Rim. In contrast countries of the Middle East have declined in importance relative to international tourism. This is due to political and economic instability in the region.