Channel geometry,bed material,and inferred flow conditions in ephemeral stream systems,barrier range,western N.S.W. Australia

Streams draining the Barrier Range uplands in arid western N.S.W. are ephemeral and undergo rapid channel contraction away from the uplands as a consequence of transmission loss. These processes are documented on the basis of surveys of channel form and bed material at sequential sites located along the contracting lowland reaches of two representative streams. Channel width and depth display considerable fluctuation downstream, but cross-sectional area and maximum bed surface grain size decline in a very regular manner. Flood discharge, estimated from the channel capacity and predicted critical and mean flow velocities, also declines regularly. the trends are well fitted by log-linear models, and are reported in terms of a half-distance, the channel length in km over which the value of a morphometric parameter declines by 50 per cent. Rates of channel contraction and transmission loss are inferred to be inversely proportional to the volume of flow delivered from the upland section of the drainage basin. Unusual channel characteristics, including extensive tree growth in the bed, make application of ordinary flow equations difficult, because friction factors cannot be estimated with confidence. Systematic changes in the nature of the bed surface in contracting streams such as those studied here also have implications for the application of critical velocity equations, and highlight a need for further study of desert channels.     

BOOK REVIEWS

Book Reviewed in this article: Marine Resources of Kuwait: Their Role in the Development of Non-oil Resources . Fatimah H. Y. al -Abdul -Razzak Recollections of a Revolution: Geography as Spatial Science . Mark Billinge , Derek Gregory and Ron Martin Entre l'Eden et l'Utopie . Luc Bureau Developments in Political Geography . M. A. Busteed The Elements of Graphing Data . William S. Cleveland Rural Resource Management . Paul J. Cloke and Chris C. Park Third World Atlas . Ben Crow and Alan Thomas Exploitation, Conservation, Preservation: A Geographic Perspective on Natural Resource Use . Susan L. Cutter , Hilary Lambert Renwick, and William H. Renwick . Wine Regions of the Southern Hemisphere . Harm Jan de Blij Regional Development: Problems and Policies in Eastern and Western Europe . George Demko The Geographer at Work . Peter R. Gould Change in the Amazon Basin . John Hemming Geography Since the Second World War . R. J. Johnston and P. Claval Urbanization in China: Town and Countryside in a Developing Economy 1949–2000 A.D. , R. J. R. Kirkby Transport and Communications for Pacific Microstates: Issues in Organisation and Management . Christopher C. Kissling Fluvial Forms and Processes . David Knighton The Urban Millennium . Josef W. Konvitz Technological Transition in Cartography . Mark Stephen Monmonier Field Guide to Soils and the Environment: Applications of Soil Surveys . Gerald W. Olson Northern Australia: The Arenas of Life and Ecosystems on Half a Continent . Don Parkes A Killing Rain: The Global Threat of Acid Rain . Thomas Pawlick From the Family Farm to Agribusiness: The Irrigation Crusade in California and the West, 1850–1931 . Donald J. Pisani Hybrid Maize Diffusion in Kenya . Franz -Michael Rundquist Warning and Response to the Mount St. Helens Eruption . Thomas F. Saarinen and James L. Sell Coastal Geomorphology in Australia . B. G. Thom Tropical Rain Forests of the Far East , 2nd ed . T. C. Whitmore The Dark Side of the Earth . Robert Muir Wood Categorical Data Analysis for Geographers and Environmental Scientists , Neil Wrigley     

The distribution and natural degradation of cyanide in goldmine tailings and polluted soil in arid and semiarid areas

Farmlands and rivers have been seriously polluted by cyanide from a goldmine tailings dam that collapsed in early spring of 1995 in Yining County, Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. The cyanide distribution in the polluted farmland and the abandoned tailings dam was studied, three and 4 years after the accident occurred. The results indicated that natural degradation of cyanide in soils is slower than in natural water bodies. The cyanide transport in the soil section is similar to freely soluble salts. In arid and semiarid areas, cyanide can be highly enriched in the salt crust in which the concentration is even higher than the fresh tailings debris though cyanide has decomposed for 4 years. In the polluted farmland, the sticky layer in the soil section can highly adsorb and enrich cyanide so it can partly prevent cyanide transfer to groundwater. According to the characteristics of cyanide natural degradation in soil, the measures for prevention and cure of soil polluted by goldmine tailing dam collapse have been discussed.     

A very large scale GIS-based groundwater flow model for the Nubian sandstone aquifer in Eastern Sahara (Egypt,northern Sudan and eastern Libya)

A three-dimensional GIS-based groundwater flow model for the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer in the eastern Sahara was developed and calibrated under steady-state and transient conditions. The model was used to simulate the response of the aquifer to climatic changes that occurred during the last 25,000 years. The simulation results indicated that the groundwater in this aquifer was formed by infiltration during the wet periods 20,000 and 5,000 years b.p. The recharge of groundwater due to regional groundwater flow from more humid areas in the south was excluded. It also indicates that the Nubian Aquifer System is a fossil aquifer, which had been in an unsteady state condition for the last 3,000 years.

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Resumen Fue desarrollado un modelo de flujo de agua subterránea en tres dimensiones, basado en un SIG, para el Acuífero Arenisca Nubian en el Sahara Oriental, el cual fue calibrado para condiciones de estado estacionario y transitorio. El modelo se usó para simular la respuesta del acuífero a los cambios climáticos que ocurrieron durante los últimos 25000 años. Los resultados de esta simulación indicaron que el agua subterránea en este acuífero, se formó por infiltración, durante los períodos húmedos que hubo hace 20000 y 5000 años, antes del presente. Fue excluida la recarga del acuífero debida a un flujo regional de agua subterránea proveniente de áreas con un clima más húmedo en el sur. El modelo también muestra, que el Sistema Acuífero Nubian es un acuífero fósil, el cual ha permanecido en una condición de estado no estacionario, durante los últimos tres mil años.

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Résumé Pour laquifère gréseux Nubien de Sahara -Est on a mis au points un modèle tridimensionnel, basé sur GIS. Le modèle a été calibré tant pour lécoulement stationnaire que pour lécoulement transitoire. On a simulé après la réponse de laquifère aux changements climatiques des derniers 25000 ans. Les résultats des simulations indiquent que la nappe a été rechargée par des infiltrations pendant une période humide qui sétend 5000 et 20000 ans, dès temps actuel. On na pas pris en compte la recharge de laquifère par la zone plus humide située dans sa partie sud. Le modèle indique aussi que leau de laquifère Nubien est une eau fossile qui a eu un écoulement transitoire pendant les derniers 3000 ans.

     

Recharge areas and geochemical evolution of groundwater in an alluvial aquifer system in the Sultanate of Oman

A regional hydrogeochemical model was developed to evaluate the geochemical evolution of different groundwaters in an alluvial aquifer system in the Interior of Oman. In combination with environmental isotopes the model is able to extract qualitative and quantitative information about recharge, groundwater flow paths and hydraulic connections between different aquifers. The main source of water to the alluvial aquifer along the flow paths of Wadi Abyadh and Wadi Muaydin in the piedmont is groundwater from the high-altitude areas of the Jabal Akhdar and local infiltration along the wadi channels. In contrast, the piedmont alluvial aquifer along Wadi Halfayn is primarily replenished by lateral recharge from the ophiolite foothills to the east besides smaller contributions from the Jabal Akhdar and local infiltration. Further down gradient in the Southern Alluvial Plain aquifer a significant source of recharge is direct infiltration of rain and surface runoff, originating from a moisture source that approaches Oman from the south. The model shows that the main geochemical evolution of the alluvial groundwaters occurs along the flow path from the piedmont to the Southern Alluvial Plain, where dedolomitization is responsible for the observed changes in the chemical and carbon isotope composition in these waters.

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Resumen Un modelo hidrogeoquímico regional fue desarrollado, para evaluar la evolución geoquímica de diferentes aguas subterráneas en un sistema acuífero aluvial ubicado en el interior de Omán. El modelo, en combinación con isótopos ambientales, es capaz de obtener información cualitativa y cuantitativa sobre recarga, direcciones de flujo de agua subterránea y sobre las conexiones hidráulicas entre diferentes acuíferos. La fuente principal de agua para el acuífero aluvial en el piedemonte son las aguas subterráneas, a lo largo de las direcciones de flujo del Wadi Abyadh y del Wadi Muaydin, desde las áreas de gran altura de Jabal Akhdar y como infiltración local a lo largo de los canales del wadi. En contraste, el acuífero aluvial del piedemonte a lo largo del Wadi Halfayn, esta alimentado principalmente por recarga lateral desde las partes bajas de las montañas de ofiolitas hacia el Este, además por pequeñas contribuciones desde el Jabal Akhdar e infiltración local. Siguiendo gradiente abajo en el acuífero de la Llanura Aluvial del Sur, allí tanto la infiltración directa de lluvia, como la escorrentía superficial constituyen fuentes significativas de recarga, las cuales se originan en una fuente de humedad que llega a Omán proveniente del Sur. El modelo muestra, que la evolución geoquímica principal de las aguas subterráneas en el aluvión, sucede a lo largo de la dirección de flujo, que va desde el piedemonte hacia la Llanura Aluvial Sur, en donde el proceso de des-dolomitización es el responsable de los cambios observados en la composición química y también del contenido de isótopos de carbono en estas aguas.

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Résumé On a développé un modèle régional hydrogéochimique pour évaluer lévolution géochimique des différentes eaux souterraines dans le système aquifère de lintérieur dOman. Avec la contribution des isotopes denvironnement, le modèle est capable de fournir des informations qualitatives et quantitatives sur la recharge, les directions découlement et sur les connections hydrauliques entre les différents aquifères du système. La source principale pour laquifère situé au long de la direction découlement des oueds de Abdyah et de Muaydin dans le piémont est leau souterraine provenant des zones de haute altitude de Jabal Akhbar ainsi que linfiltration locale au long des canaux de loued. Par contre, à part dune petite contribution provenant des infiltrations locaux et de Jabal Akhbar, l aquifère alluvial de Wadi Halfayan est en principal alimenté par la recharge latérale provenant des ophiolites situées dans la partie est. Les plus importantes sources de recharge dans laval de laquifère de la Plaine Alluviale sont linfiltration directe et le ruissellement provenant dune source dhumidité qui sapproche dOman par le sud. Le modèle montre que la principale évolution géochimique se produise au long de la direction découlement qui part de piémont de la Plaine Alluviale du Sud, où le procès de dédolomisation est responsable pour les changements observés dans la composition géochimique et en carbone des eaux.

     

罗布泊地区凝结水对潜卤水资源量评价的影响分析

新疆罗布泊地区属于极端干旱气候地区,大气降水对地下水的补给极其有限,长期以来,众多学者认为凝结水量是罗布泊干盐湖潜卤水的重要补给来源之一。本次通过在罗北凹地地区开展的凝结水试验,较准确地计算了其补给资源量,指出尽管研究区凝结水总生成量较大,但真正能入渗补给到潜卤水饱水带的量却极少,绝大多数凝结水都以难以开发利用的土壤水形式短暂保存,被蒸发散失到大气中,对潜卤水资源量评价影响较小。     

我国高原干旱气候区作物种植区划综合指标体系研究

在高原地区建立以气象、地理位置、经济效益等不同指标类型和权重系数的干旱气候作物生态适生种植区划综合指标体系,并以定量标准进行5级作物生态适生种植区划等级的划分。该综合指标体系具有实践性、经验性、客观性和应用性的特点。     

青藏高原主要生态系统净初级生产力的估算

利用青藏高原贡嘎山、海北、五道梁、拉萨等4个野外台站2000~2002年的观测数据、陆地生态系统模型与2001年MODIS遥感数据相结合的方法来估算青藏高原区域的净初级生产力。结果表明:青藏高原区域的净初级生产力空间分布趋势表现出由东南向西北逐渐递减的梯度,该趋势也与水热梯度表现基本一致;整个青藏高原的净初级生产力为302.44×1012 gC yr-1,其中森林的净初级生产力最高,120.11×1012 gC yr-1,占整个高原净初级生产力的39.7%;全年中夏季(6~8月) 的净初级生产力最高,246.7×1012 gC yr-1,约占全年总净初级生产力的80%。用实测数据验证模拟结果表明,二者非常相符。     

准噶尔盆地浅覆盖区浅钻化探找矿方法探索

通过拉伊克勒克典型浅覆盖区浅钻化探成果,介绍了浅钻化探工作方法和取得的试验研究成果,显示该方法有效,经济可行,效率较高,操作简便,充分证明了浅钻化探技术在准噶尔干旱荒漠浅覆盖区是有效的找矿手段。     

The cumulative characteristics of PAEs in PM2.5 in Changji,Northwest China

ABSTRACT

This paper discusses characteristics of the seasonal variation in phthalate acid esters (PAEs) in the PM_2.5 in the city of Changji, which is located an arid area of Xinjiang Province, northwest China. Samples were collected using a Laoying 2030 median discharge intelligent total suspended particulate (TSP) sampler and analyzed by a Shimadzu GC-2010 gas chromatograph. The results showed that PAEs in PM_2.5 were mainly composed of phthalic acid dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and phthalic acid (2-)ethyl hexyl ester (DEHP). DBP and DEHP are the most commonly used plasticizers, accounting for the majority of plasticizers used, and have large environmental emissions. Compared with the proportions of TSPs, proportions of DBP and DEHP in the PM_2.5 were lower, while the proportions of DMP and DEP were higher. A correlation exists between the distribution of PAEs and the particle size and concentration of atmospheric particulates. Seasonal variations in DBP and DEHP were the same, with lowest concentrations in the summer. Although seasonal variation in DMP was not the same as those of DBP and DEHP, the general trend was similar. Seasonal variation in DEP was different from those of other PAEs. This pattern is related to PAE characteristics and seasonal variations in their sources.