Maximum temperatures for radiation from plasma waves

We derive upper limits to the radiation temperaturesT ^t(k) for emission near the fundamental and second harmonic of the electron plasma frequency in terms of the effective temperature for plasma wavesT ^l(k). We findT ^t(k)(c/(3)^1/2 V _e)³ T ^l(k) for emission near the fundamental which differs from the result of Melrose (1970b) by the factor in parentheses. This factor can exceed 4×10⁴ in some plasmas. The conditions under which this limit could be reached are delinated. For emission near the second harmonicT ^t(k)T ^l(k) since the absorption coefficient in this case can only be positive.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

Solute transport through a deforming porous medium

Solute transport through a porous medium is typically modelled assuming the porous medium is rigid. However, many applications exist where the porous medium is deforming, including, municipal landfill liners, mine tailings dams, and land subsidence. In this paper, mass balance laws are used to derive the flow and transport equations for a deforming porous medium. The equations are derived in both spatial and material co‐ordinate systems. Solute transport through an engineered landfill liner is used as an illustrative example to show the differences between the theory for a rigid porous medium, and small and large deformation analysis of a deforming porous medium. It is found that the large deformation model produces shorter solute breakthrough times, followed by the small deformation model, and then the rigid porous medium model. It is also found that it is important to include spatial and temporal void ratio variations in the large deformation analysis. It is shown that a non‐linear large deformation model may greatly reduce the solute breakthrough time, compared to a standard transport analysis typically employed by environmental engineers. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A material model for inelastic rock deformation with spatial variation of pore pressure

This paper sets forth the theoretical background and basic numerical expressions for the incorporation of elastic-plastic constitutive equations for ductile rock into a finite element computer code. The derivation of an expression for the total strain rate is performed both for a total stress formulation and for a formulation that employs the concept of effective stress for inelastic behaviour. Specific expressions for the incremental strain rate are presented for the case of a porous material having a quadratic initial yield surface and observing the associated flow rule with a special hardening law for subsequent plastic deformation. A final section of the paper summarizes the expressions required to insert the quadratic yield surface model into a finite element code.     

Net primary productivity of forest stands in New Hampshire estimated from Landsat and MODIS satellite data

Background

A simulation model that relies on satellite observations of vegetation cover from the Landsat 7 sensor and from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) was used to estimate net primary productivity (NPP) of forest stands at the Bartlett Experiment Forest (BEF) in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Results

Net primary production (NPP) predicted from the NASA-CASA model using 30-meter resolution Landsat inputs showed variations related to both vegetation cover type and elevational effects on mean air temperatures. Overall, the highest predicted NPP from the NASA-CASA model was for deciduous forest cover at low to mid-elevation locations over the landscape. Comparison of the model-predicted annual NPP to the plot-estimated values showed a significant correlation of R² = 0.5. Stepwise addition of 30-meter resolution elevation data values explained no more than 20% of the residual variation in measured NPP patterns at BEF. Both the Landsat 7 and the 250-meter resolution MODIS derived mean annual NPP predictions for the BEF plot locations were within ± 2.5% of the mean of plot estimates for annual NPP.

Conclusion

Although MODIS imagery cannot capture the spatial details of NPP across the network of closely spaced plot locations as well as Landsat, the MODIS satellite data as inputs to the NASA-CASA model does accurately predict the average annual productivity of a site like the BEF.     

Artificial Sweeteners Identify Spatial Patterns of Historic Landfill Contaminated Groundwater Discharge in an Urban Stream

Leachate-contaminated groundwater from historical municipal landfills, typically lacking engineered liners and leachate collection systems, poses a threat to nearby urban streams, particularly to benthic ecosystems. Effective monitoring and assessment of such sites requires understanding of the spatial patterns (i.e., two-dimensional footprint) of contaminated groundwater discharge and associated controlling factors. However, discharges from groundwater contaminated by modern wastewater can complicate site assessments. The objectives of this study were to (1) demonstrate the use of artificial sweeteners (AS): saccharin (SAC), cyclamate (CYC), acesulfame (ACE), and sucralose (SUC), to distinguish groundwater discharge areas influenced by historic landfill leachate (elevated SAC and sometimes CYC; low ACE and SUC concentrations) from those influenced by wastewater (high ACE and SUC concentrations), and (2) investigate contaminant discharge patterns for two gaining urban stream reaches adjacent historic landfills at base flows. Contaminant discharge patterns revealed by the AS were strongly controlled by hyporheic flow (low AS concentrations), particularly for the straight reach, and stream sinuosity, particularly for the meandering reach. These patterns were different and the contaminant footprint coverage (<25% of streambed area) much less than most past studies (typically >50% coverage), likely due to the homogeneous streambed-aquifer conditions and shallow, narrow landfill plume in this setting.     

Apportioning deformation among depth intervals in an aquifer system using InSAR and head data

Land surface subsidence due to excessive groundwater pumping is an increasing concern in California, USA. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) is a remote sensing technique for measuring centimeter-to-millimeter surface deformation at 10–100 m spatial resolution. Here, a data-driven approach that attributes deformation to individual depth intervals within an aquifer system by integrating head data acquired from each of three screened intervals in a monitoring well with InSAR surface deformation measurements was developed. The study area was the Colusa Basin in northern Central Valley. To reconstruct the surface deformation history over the study area, 13 ALOS-PALSAR scenes acquired between 2006 and 2010 were processed. Up to ~3-cm year^?1 long-term subsidence and up to ~6 cm seasonal subsidence were observed using the InSAR technique. The technique developed in this paper integrates the InSAR-observed seasonal deformation rate and the co-located head measurements in multiple depth intervals to estimate the elastic skeletal storage coefficient, the time delay between the head change and the observed deformation, and subsequently the deformation of each depth interval. This technique can be implemented when hydraulic head measurements within each depth interval are not correlated with each other. Using this approach, the depth interval that contributed the most to the total subsidence, as well as storage parameters for all intervals, are estimated. The technique can be used for identification of the depth interval within the aquifer system responsible for deformation.

     

藏南邛多江地堑的晚新生代沉积地层及对南北向裂谷形成时代的初步限定

邛多江地堑构成了藏南近南北向裂谷带最东侧的错那-沃卡裂谷中段,是由地堑西缘高角度正断层主控的半地堑式断陷盆地。详细的地质、地貌调查表明,该地堑内主要充填有晚新生代以来的多套河湖相、冰碛及冰水沉积地层。河湖相地层底部以黏土和粉砂为主,上部以砾石层为主,向上砾石砾径逐渐变大,顶部为早更新世冲积砾石层;冰碛主要发育于地堑中部山前地带,构成宽缓的冰碛台地或者终碛垄、侧碛堤。地层的测年结果表明,该区主要发育两套晚新生代河湖相地层,早期沉积时代早于5Ma,晚期为晚第四纪;而冰碛及冰水沉积的时代主要为中更新世。综合该区地质地貌、沉积和构造等分析结果表明,早期的河湖相沉积与盆地发生初始裂陷后的主边界正断层发生强烈垂直活动有关,而晚期的河湖相沉积主要形成于盆地后期萎缩过程中,成因可能与中更新世以来的冰川堰塞湖有关。由于邛多江地堑受控于西侧主边界正断层,早期沉积应晚于其初始裂陷时代。因此,进一步综合现有年龄数据资料认为,藏南近南北裂谷的初始裂陷时代应早于5~10Ma,但晚于约15Ma。