The attenuation of chemical elements in acidic leachates from coal mineral wastes by soils

The chemical attenuation of acidity and selected elements (aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, fluorine, iron, manganese, nickel, and zinc) in acidic leachates from coal mineral wastes by four natural subsurface soils has been investigated using laboratory column methods Leachate solutions were allowed to percolate through the soils under simulated natural flow conditions, and the elemental concentrations in the influents and effluents were measured periodically Elemental retentions were substantial for all species except managanese, which was eluted in excess from all soils except the most calcareous Two processes appeared to operate in decreasing influent concentrations: (1) precipitation of solid phases caused by increased pH of the leachate as it percolated through the soil, and (2) adsorption of elements onto exchange and sorption sites naturally present in the soil and on iron and aluminum oxide precipitates formed in situ from leachate components because of the increased pH The soil property most important in retention was its alkalinity Thus, carbonaceous soils provide the best control material for acidic leachates from coal mineral wastes. Results show that natural soils can substantially reduce pollutant fluxes to the environment from acidic coal waste dumps and should be considered when selecting waste disposal sites Performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy     

Tectonometamorphic Evolution of the Eastern Tibet Plateau: Evidence from the Central Songpan-Garze Orogenic Belt, Western China

The Songpan–Garzê Orogenic Belt (northeastern TibetPlateau) experienced polyphase deformation and metamorphismthat is best developed in the Danba Domal Metamorphic Terrane(DDMT), in which three tectonometamorphic events can be identified.The first event (D₁–M₁) is characterized by prograde sericite-to kyanite-grade Barrovian metamorphism during late Indosinian(     

Variations in plasma parameters and magnetic field upon magnetopause crossing at the main phase maximum of the magnetic storm of November 14, 2012

Measurements of the plasma parameters and magnetic field upon magnetopause crossings by the THEMIS-А satellite during the large magnetic storm of November 14, 2012, are analyzed. The main specific feature of this event is the magnetopause crossing at the time of the magnetic-storm maximum. An imbalance of total pressure on the magnetopause reaching up to ~40% has been observed. An abrupt turn of the magnetic field immediately on the magnetopause is recorded. Inside the magnetosphere, plasma motions have been observed, both along the magnetopause and inward, at velocities of ~100–300 km/s. Variations in geomagnetic parameters are analyzed before and after the crossing. It is shown that specific features of the observed crossing may be associated with a sharp change in the magnetospheric current systems during the magnetospheric substorm.     

Observations of the Ushant tidal front in September 2007

The Ushant tidal front is the dominant feature of the summer season hydrological structure of the Iroise Sea. It separates tidally mixed coastal waters from thermally stratified open Celtic Sea waters. This article reports on observations made in September 2007 during two short cruises that took place aboard R/V “Côtes de la Manche”, and gives a general account of the physical structure of the front along one cross-frontal transect. The data set comprises data from a 4 month ADCP mooring, short CTD/fluorescence/nutrients transects, Lagrangian drifter trajectories, and HF radar surface current measurements. One finding is that the surface and bottom fronts, being affected by different dynamical influences, are not necessarily coincident in the vertical. This entails that the opposite density gradients located above and below the thermocline depth do not necessarily compensate, and can each be associated with a significant surface geostrophic expression. A second finding is that mixing effects bear a very strong influence on the thermal structure of the warm-water intrusions associated with frontal cyclonic eddies of the kind described by Pingree [1978. Cyclonic eddies and cross-frontal mixing. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 58 (4), 955–963].     

Coseismic and other short-term strain changes recorded with Sacks-Evertson strainmeters in a deep mine, South Africa

Summary. During 1977 March and April, three Sacks-Evertson borehole dilatometers were installed at the ends of boreholes drilled into the sidewall of an experimental tunnel at a depth of 3.1 km in the ERPM gold mine near Johannesburg. In the following year coseismic strain changes ranging from 5 ± 10⁻¹⁰ to values exceeding 5 ± 10⁻⁶ were recorded for hundreds of mine tremors in the magnitude range -1 to 3.7 and at hypocentral distances of 50 m to about 2 km. Hypocentral coordinates and magnitudes were determined from seismograms recorded from an underground array of geophones. Amplitudes and polarities of the coseismic strain steps are generally in excellent agreement with theoretical expectations based on point-source dislocation theory; specifically, the strain steps are proportional to the seismic moment divided by the cube of hypocentral distance. At a strain level of 5 ± 10⁻⁹ or greater the tremors do not appear to be preceded by any short-term indications of instability even for tremors producing coseismic steps greater than 5 ± 10⁻⁶ and for which the strainmeters were within a source radius of the hypocentre. Continuous strain changes observed at the times when the mine excavation, at a distance of about 100 m, is extended are in good agreement with calculated changes based on the theory of elasticity. A similar calculation is consistent with post-seismic strain changes observed to follow some of the closer tremors. These post-seismic strains show a logarithmic dependence on time following the tremor and appear to be due to the interaction of a tremor with the adjacent mine excavation rather than to deformation within the actual seismic source region.     

Shock wave propagation in non-ideal fluids

Expressions for the variation of shock strength and its propagation in non-ideal fluids are presented by using the method developed by Whitham. The effects of the presence of rotation, rotation and magnetic field on the strength and propagation velocity of shock waves have been discussed separately. Finally, the effects of the presence of gravitation on the shock strength and on propagation velocity have been studied.     

Influence of North Atlantic Oscillation on Moscow Climate Continentality

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - The natural variability of regional climatic conditions poses certain difficulties in detecting global climate change at a local scale. The question...     

Atmospheric temperature sounding with the Fourier spectrometer

Preliminary results of a space experiment using the IKFS-2 infrared sounder (Meteor-M2 satellite) showed high-quality of measurements of spectra of the outgoing thermal radiation of the atmosphere–surface system and the adequacy of developed IR radiation atmospheric models in the 15-μm carbon gas absorption band used to recover the vertical profiles of the atmospheric temperature. Outgoing radiation spectra measured by IKFS-2 instruments make it possible to restore vertical temperature profiles with errors close to 1K in most of the 0–30 km high-altitude region, except for the lower troposphere and altitudes above 30 km, where these errors are close to 2–3K.     

Cosmogenic and bomb-produced7Be in stratospheric air

Concentration of⁷Be has been measured in 15 air filters flown at 18·3 km in the latitudes 10 to 25°N and longitudes 80 to 96°W. Testing of nuclear weapons in atmosphere increased⁷Be considerably, on two occasions, above the expected cosmic-ray production level in the stratosphere. This provides evidence for the existence of interhemispheric mixing,via stratosphere.