A hierarchical approach measures the aerial extent and concentration levels of PAH-contaminated shoreline sediments at historic industrial sites in Prince William Sound, Alaska

A field study was conducted in 2003 to estimate the areal distribution and concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in intertidal sediments at sites of past human and industrial activity (HA sites) in Prince William Sound (PWS), Alaska, the site of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. More than 50 HA sites, primarily in western PWS, were identified through analysis of historic records and prior field studies, and nine sites were selected for detailed surveys. The areal assessment process consisted of seven steps: (1) identify site from historic records and field surveys; (2) locate visual evidence of surface oil/tar at a site; (3) prepare a site map and lay out a sampling grid over the entire site with 10-m grid spacing; (4) excavate pits to 50 cm depth on the grid; (5) perform a field colorimetric test to estimate total PAH (TPAH) in sediments from the wall of each pit and record the results in the ranges <1 ppm; 1-10 ppm; >10 ppm TPAH; (6) expand grid size if necessary if elevated PAH levels are detected colorimetrically; (7) select 20 samples from each site for same-day shipboard PAH analysis by immunoassay (SDI RaPID PAH) and, based on these results, select sediment samples from each site for full PAH analysis in the laboratory to identify PAH sources. A total of 416 pits were dug at the nine sites. Nine acres of sediments with TPAH >2500 ppb dry wt. were mapped at the nine sites. TPAH concentrations obtained by immunochemical analysis of 181 samples from the nine sites ranged from 20 to 1,320,000 ppb (wet wt.). The contaminants are mixtures of petroleum products (2-3 ring PAH) and combustion products (4-6 ring PAH) unrelated to the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. Mussels and clams collected at these sites have elevated levels of PAH that are compositionally similar to the PAH in the sediments. These findings indicate that at least a portion of the sediment PAH is bioavailable. The PAH sources at these historic industrial sites are chronic. They include relict fuel oil tanks and works located above and within the intertidal zone, with contamination at some locations extending into nearshore sub-tidal sediments. This study shows how a hierarchical approach can be used to quickly and successfully map, quantify, and subsequently, identify sources of PAH in shoreline sediments.     

The role of fluvial geomorphic processes in the dispersal of heavy metals from mine sites

It is not uncommon for more than 90% of the total metal load in rivers to be transported in the solid phase, either sorbed onto particle surfaces and coatings, or incorporated into mineral grains. Fluvial geomorphic processes are therefore of fundamental importance in the transport and fate of heavy metals derived from mine sites. In this paper, the role of physical processes in the dispersal of heavy metals in river systems are reviewed for channels that have (1) remained relatively unchanged in terms of process and form following the introduction of mine wastes, and (2) exhibited a significant metamorphosis in channel form in response to the influx of mining and milling debris. In general, all processes responsible for the variations in metal concentrations within sediments moving through stable channels also operate in channels undergoing metamorphosis. However, downstream, lateral, and vertical patterns in metal values tend to be more complex where channel transformations have occurred. This complexity results, in part, because temporal and spatial changes in the types, rates, and magnitudes of erosional and depositional processes lead to highly variable stratigraphic sequences of post-mining age, and because greater quantities of contaminated debris is stored along the channel margins where it can be eroded and sporadically redistributed during times of flood.     

KRb ratios in Precambrian granulite terranes

Concentrations of potassium and rubidium are reported for 62 Precambrian shield whole-rock samples belonging to the pyroxene granulite facies of world-wide distribution. Compared with the Main Trend established by Shaw (1968) for igneous and quasi-igneous rocks of the upper crust, the high-grade metamorphic granulites exhibit a similar correlation but with a measurable depletion in Rb for a given K content. The Metamorphic Trend may be described by the equations: log₁₀ (ppm Rb) = 1.136 log₁₀ (per cent K) + 1.495 or ppm Rb = 31.28 (per cent K)^1.136. The square of the product moment correlation coefficient shows that 80 per cent of the variation in Rb is associated with variation in K.All suites studied have initial ${}^{87}\text{Sr}{}^{86}\text{Sr}$ ratios less than 0.707. This low value argues against repeated extraction of Rb and K through time on a regional scale. Rather, the major depletion in these lithophile elements occurred in the early stages of crustal evolution.     

Influence of late Holocene hillslope processes and landforms on modern channel dynamics in upland watersheds of central Nevada

Stratigraphic, geomorphic, and paleoecological data were collected from upland watersheds in the Great Basin of central Nevada to assess the relationships between late Holocene climate change, hillslope processes and landforms, and modern channel dynamics. These data indicate that a shift to drier, warmer climatic conditions from approximately 2500 to 1300 YPB led to a complex set of geomorphic responses. The initial response was massive hillslope erosion and the simultaneous aggradation of both side-valley alluvial fans and the axial valley system. The final response was fan stabilization and axial channel incision as fine-grained sediments were winnowed from the hillslope sediment reservoirs, and sediment yield and runoff processes were altered. The primary geomorphic response to disturbance for approximately the past 1900 years has been channel entrenchment, suggesting that the evolutionary history of hillslopes has produced watersheds that are prone to incision. The magnitude of the most recent phase of channel entrenchment varies along the valley floor as a function of geomorphic position relative to side-valley alluvial fans. Radial fan profiles suggest that during fan building, fan deposits temporarily blocked the flow of sediment down the main stem of the valley, commonly creating a stepped longitudinal valley profile. Stream reaches located immediately upvalley of these fans are characterized by low gradients and alternating episodes of erosion and deposition. In contrast, reaches coincident with or immediately downstream of the fans exhibit higher gradients and limited valley floor deposition. Thus, modern channel dynamics and associated riparian ecosystems are strongly influenced by landforms created by depositional events that occurred approximately 2000 years ago.     

Numerical evaluation of pumping well transmissivity estimates in laterally heterogeneous formations

Transmissivity estimates derived from non-steady-state, single well, constant discharge, aquifer tests in laterally heterogeneous environments generally are questioned relative to their representativeness of aquifer conditions. Drawdown in pumping wells reflects the removal of water from storage in the aquifer and transient refraction of groundwater path-lines during the evolution of a non-symmetrical cone of depression. Simulations of single-well aquifer tests in aquifers with simple, arbitrary distributions of block heterogeneities suggest that transmissivity (T) values derived by the Cooper–Jacob (1946) method generally reflect volumetric, weighted mean T values of all of the heterogeneities contacted by the cone of depression at a particular time. This finding suggests that early-time drawdown data for single well aquifer tests reflect rapidly changing, volumetric, weighted mean T values proximal to the pumping well while late-time drawdown data reflect stabilized conditions and spatially averaged, volumetric weighted mean T out to a considerable distance from the pumping well.

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Resume Los estimados de transmisividad derivados de estados no estables, pozos individuales, descarga constante, pruebas de acuíferos en ambientes heterogéneos laterales generalmente se cuestionan en cuanto a su representatividad de las conidiones de los acuíferos. La extracción de agua en pozos de bombeo refleja la extracción de agua del depósito en el acuífero y la refracción transitoria de líneas de trayectoria del agua subterránea durante la evolución de un cono no simétrico de depresión. Las simulaciones de pozos individuales, pruebas de acuíferos en acuíferos con distribuciones simples, arbitrarias de heterogeneidades de bloque sugieren que los valores de transmisividad (T) derivados por el método Cooper–Jacob (1946) generalmente reflejan valores medios volumétricos potenciales (weighted) de todas las heterogeneidades en contaco con el cono de la depresión en un momento particular. Este descubrimiento sugiere que los datos de extracción tempranos de pruebas de pozos individuales reflejan valores medios potenciales volumétricos que cambian rápidamente en la proximidad del pozo de bombeo mientras que los valores de extracción tardíos reflejan condiciones estabilizadas y medias potenciales volumétricas a una distancia considerable del pozo de bombeo.

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Resumé Les estimés de transmissivité dérivés dessais de pompage en régime transitoire dans un seul puits contenu dans une formation latéralement hétérogène sont généralement questionable en ce qui concerne la représentativité des conditions de laquifère. Le rabattement dans les puits de pompage reflète lextraction deau provenant de lemmagasinement de laquifère et la réfraction en régime transitoire des lignes découlement durant lévolution dun cone de dépression non symétrique. Des simulations dessai de pompage dans un seul puits contenu dans un domaine avec des blocs hétérogènes distribués arbitrairement suggèrent que les valeurs de transmissivité obtenus avec la méthode dinterprétation de Cooper–Jacob (1946) sont généralement représentatifs du volume moyen pondéré de toutes les hétérogénéités en contact avec le cone de dépression à un temps particulier. Cette découverte suggère que les données de rabattement au début dun essai pour un seul puits reflètent un changement rapide des valeurs moyennes proximales pondérées tandis que le rabattement à un temps tardif reflète les conditions stabilisées et la moyenne spatiale jusquà une distance considérable du puits de pompage.

     

Hurricane Katrina storm surge delineation: implications for future storm surge forecasts and warnings

The storm surge in coastal Mississippi caused by Hurricane Katrina was unprecedented in the region. The height and geographic extent of the storm surge came as a surprise to many and exceeded pre-impact surge scenarios based on SLOSH models that were the basis for emergency preparedness and local land use decision-making. This paper explores the spatial accuracy of three interpolated storm surge surfaces derived from post-event reconnaissance data by comparing the interpolation results to a specific SLOSH run. The findings are used to suggest improvements in the calibration of existing pre-event storm surge models such as SLOSH. Finally, the paper provides some suggestions on an optimal surge forecast map that could enhance the communication of storm surge risks to the public.     

Forecast of Natural Aquifer Discharge Using a Data‐Driven,Statistical Approach

In the Western United States, demand for water is often out of balance with limited water supplies. This has led to extensive water rights conflict and litigation. A tool that can reliably forecast natural aquifer discharge months ahead of peak water demand could help water practitioners and managers by providing advanced knowledge of potential water‐right mitigation requirements. The timing and magnitude of natural aquifer discharge from the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer (ESPA) in southern Idaho is accurately forecast 4 months ahead of the peak water demand, which occurs annually in July. An ARIMA time‐series model with exogenous predictors (ARIMAX model) was used to develop the forecast. The ARIMAX model fit to a set of training data was assessed using Akaike's information criterion to select the optimal model that forecasts aquifer discharge, given the previous year's discharge and values of the predictor variables. Model performance was assessed by application of the model to a validation subset of data. The Nash‐Sutcliffe efficiency for model predictions made on the validation set was 0.57. The predictor variables used in our forecast represent the major recharge and discharge components of the ESPA water budget, including variables that reflect overall water supply and important aspects of water administration and management. Coefficients of variation on the regression coefficients for streamflow and irrigation diversions were all much less than 0.5, indicating that these variables are strong predictors. The model with the highest AIC weight included streamflow, two irrigation diversion variables, and storage.     

美国内华达Goldstrike矿区卡林型贝茨金矿同变形的富矿分带(续)

(接第 1期第 1 6页 )3　富矿分带与控制因素贝茨金矿中不同矿石矿物组合和蚀变类型的分布与构造背景、围岩岩石及在矿体中的位置有关。根据形态、矿物组成和地质背景可分出几种空间形式截然不同的矿石类型 ,彼此之间由废石或低含金量的岩石所分隔。富矿体的地球化学、矿物学、地质及冶金方面的分带在三维空间上是连续的。富矿体的形状和定位与 Peters向斜构造的特征 ,沉积岩的岩石组成以及闪长岩接触带的几何形态和厚度有关 (图 6 A,B)。根据对不同的矿石类型和围岩类型的研究结果 ,对不同的富矿体进行了分类和判别。 Pe-ters( 1 996 ,1 9…