Compounding effects of human activities and climatic changes on surface water availability in Iran

Climatic Change - By combining long-term ground-based data on water withdrawal with climate model projections, this study quantifies the compounding effects of human activities and climate change...     

Mobilized side and tip resistances of piles in clay

This paper presents a procedure to assess the mobilized pile side and tip resistance versus pile head and tip settlement under axial load in clay soil. The load transfer (t–z) curve is evaluated at any point on the loaded pile based on the combined pile tip/side resistance–displacement mechanisms along the length of the pile. Unlike current methods that assume the pile settlements as a percentage of the pile/shaft diameter, the presented technique determines the side and tip resistance of the pile and the associated pile settlement under existing load based on the current stress/strain level in the surrounding soil up to failure (excessive settlement). The technique employs the concepts of the elastic theory and Ramberg–Osgood characterization of the stress–strain behavior of the clay soil. Case studies are also presented to exhibit the capabilities of the proposed procedure. The good agreement between measured and calculated load transfer curves along the pile and pile tip resistance versus pile head, side, and tip displacements shows the consistency of the proposed procedure. A computer code is developed to employ the presented technique.     

ADCP观测得到的2008年4月吕宋海峡流速剖面结构

基于2008年4月22—26日吕宋海峡调查航次的下放式声学多普勒流速剖面仪(LADCP)和船载ADCP(SADCP)等观测资料,并采用潮波模式模拟结果去除潮流对观测资料的影响,观测结果表明:调查期间黑潮入侵南海的位置与1992年春季比较接近,其分支位于调查海区中部C2、C7、C8和C9站,表层黑潮在C8站分离为两支,分别流向C9和C2站,C9站北向流明显比C8站减弱。在C2站,黑潮分支位于400m层以浅,其最大西向流速为77cm/s,而在C7、C8和C9站黑潮分支位于500m层以浅,黑潮在入侵南海的过程中其核心深度逐渐变浅。上层黑潮明显作反气旋弯曲。本调查航次的观测结果在定性上支持吕宋海峡水交换有"三明治"垂直结构的特性。     

Impact of desalination plants brine injection wells on coastal aquifers

A new methodology is developed in assessing environmental impacts of desalination plants discharging brine into the ground. The main environmental problem of the desalination of seawater is the brine disposal. The brine is commonly discharged into the sea or injected into a saline aquifer. In the case of injection into the ground, it is necessary to design a disposal system in a way that respects the environment and is sustainable. Laboratory and computational methods have been utilized to simulate the unsteady three-dimensional (3D) phenomena of subsurface brine disposal. The computational software used is SEAWAT, which is a 3D unsteady variable-density flow simulation model. The model is first used to simulate the laboratory results, and good agreement is achieved. Then, hypothetical problems are designed and simulated of groundwater extraction and brine disposal by desalination stations. The major purpose of these hypothetical problems is to delineate a methodology and to create design charts for design and management of production and injection well fields for coastal desalination plants. Several design charts have been developed with 36 scenarios for two well configurations created by four design parameters: relative salt concentration (RSC), production and injection rates (Q _d , Q _r ), well spacing (S), and simulation period (T).     

Evidences of Holocene transgression on Domingos Petrolini Swamp, southern coastal plain, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

The Domingos Petrolini Swamp, located on the Southern Coastal Plain of Rio Grande do Sul, near the town of Rio Grande, constitutes an ample holocene lagoonal deposit. Events related to the holocene transgression and their diverse phases of glacial-eustatic ocillations were found through palynological analysis. Bases on these palynological data, four distinct phases to the paleoenvironmental evolution of the ecosystem were identified. It has also shown a transgressive restricted marine sequence on the base , which suggests the existence of a coastal brackish lagoon or a marisme type of environment. Later, there was a gradation for continentality conditions along with a scarce pollinical record. The third phase is characterized by the presence of marine components and halophyte vegetation, showing another transgressive event in that place. Lastly, the end of direct marine influence over the swamp was recorded and also the vegetation development as it appears these days.     

Dietary effects of A zolla pinnata combined with exogenous digestive enzyme(Digestin~(TM)) on growth and nutrients utilization of freshwater prawn,Macrobrachium rosenbergii(de Man 1879)

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of either individual or combined wheat bran(WB) replacement with Azolla pinnata supplemented with Digestin~(TM) in the diet of freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii Postlarvae(PL) on growth performance, nutrient utilization, chemical body composition and survival(%). Experimental diets were a wheat bran-soybean based diet with no Azolla and Digestin~(TM)(control, T_1), and diets containing 17% Azolla supplemented with Digestin~(TM) 0%(T_2), 1%(T_3), 2%(T_4) and 3%(T 5). Each experimental diet was allocated into three tanks(6 m~3/tank) fed for 12 wks. Each tank was subdivided into three equal pens by nets(2 m~3) and stoked with 84 PL/m~2. The experimental diets were readily consumed by prawns PLs where both high growth and good feed efficiency were achieved for all diets. The results showed that the diets containing A. pinnata supplemented with Digestin? at the level up to 3% have the higher growth and better nutrient utilization than the control diet. No differences were observed for moisture and protein content among the experimental diets. However, the highest protein content was observed on prawns fed on diets T_1 and T 5 respectively, while the lowest value was recorded for T_4 diet. The results also show that prawn PLs fed the diets contain A. pinnata and supplemented with Digestin~(TM) recorded the highest values of body lipid content compared to the control diet. Feed efficiency and economic conversion rate(ECR) values show that economic performance and the cost-effectiveness of the A. pinnata supplemented with up to 3% Digestin~(TM) recorded the highest net return, and therefore it is recommended for prawn, M. rosenbergii PL's. These results are clearly indicating that A. pinnata have a good potential for use in prawn diets at reasonable levels than other conventional diets.     

Gypsum and dolomite biomineralization in endoevaporitic microbial niche,EMISAL, Fayium,Egypt

Biogenic gypsum in the form of microbialite and potential domal stromatolite as well as endoevaporitic dolomite are deposited in a perennial saline basin characterized by microbial bloom. Deposition environment, mode of occurrence, and microscopic investigation including SEM of these precipitates are discussed in conjunction with XRD, XRF, and FTIR data. Combined effects of salinity gradient and the wind action on the maturity of gypsum outcrop are evident. A characteristic multi-color vertical gypsum profile reflects steep gradient of oxi-anoxic microenvironments and encodes diverse seasonal microbial communities. Direct impact of microbial signature in gypsum crystal habit is conspicuous. Endoevaporitic authigenic dolomite is recorded in specific horizons in interstices of selenite layers.