A study of the chemistry of pore fluids and authigenic carbonates in methane seep environments: Kodiak Trench, Hydrate Ridge, Monterey Bay, and Eel River Basin

Analyses of the chemical and isotopic composition of carbonates rocks recovered from methane seepage areas of the Kodiak Trench, Hydrate Ridge, Monterey Bay Clam Flats, and the Eel River Basin, coupled with the studies of the chemistry of the pore fluids, have shown that these carbonates have grown within the sediment column. Geochemical profiles of pore fluids show that, in deep water seeps (Kodiak Trench—4450 m; Monterey Bay—1000 m; Hydrate Ridge—650 m), δ¹³C (DIC) values are low (isotopically light), whereas in the Eel River area ( 350–500 m), δ¹³C (DIC) values are much higher (isotopically heavier). In all cases, the δ¹³C values indicate that processes of methane oxidation, associated with sulfate reduction, are dominant in the shallow sediments. Data on the isotopic composition of authigenic carbonates found at sites in Kodiak Trench, Eel River Basin South, and Eel River Basin North indicate a variable composition and origin in different geochemical environments. Some of the authigenic carbonates from the study sites show a trend in their δ¹³C values similar to those of the pore fluids obtained in their vicinity, suggesting formation at relatively shallow depths, but others indicate formation at greater sediment depths. The latter usually consist of high magnesium calcite or dolomite, which, from their high values of δ¹³C (up to 23‰;) and δ¹⁸O (up to 7.5‰), suggest formation in the deeper horizons of the sediments, in the zone of methanogenesis. These observations are in agreement with observations by other workers at Hydrate Ridge, in Monterey Bay, and in the Eel River Basin.     

Paleoenvironment of the Folsom archaeological site, New Mexico, USA, approximately 10,500 C yr B.P. as inferred from the stable isotope composition of fossil land snail shells

Well-preserved aragonitic land snail shells (Vallonia) from late Pleistocene Eolian sediment in the Folsom archaeological site in New Mexico exhibit an overall decrease of δ¹⁸O_PDB from maximum values of +2.7‰ (more positive than modern) to younger samples with lower average values of about −3.6‰ (within the modern range). The age of the samples (approximately 10,500 ¹⁴C yr B.P.) suggests that the decrease in δ¹⁸O may manifest climatic changes associated with the Younger Dryas. Some combination of increased relative humidity and cooler temperatures with decreased δ¹⁸O of precipitation during the times of snail activity can explain the decrease in shell δ¹⁸O. A well-known Paleoindian bison kill occurred at the Folsom site during this inferred environmental transition.Average δ¹³C values of the aragonite shells of the fossil Vallonia range from −7.3 to −6.0‰ among different archaeological levels and are not as negative as modern values. This suggests that the proportion of C₄ vegetation at the Folsom site approximately 10,500 ¹⁴C yr B.P. was greater than at present; a result which is consistent with other evidence for higher proportions of C₄ plants in the region at that time.     

TOXICITY OF TWO HERBICIDES 2,4 -D DIMETHYLAMINE AND BENSULFURON METHYL TO RICE FIELD CHIRONOMUS KIIENSIS (TOKUNAGA) ( DIPTERA: CHIRONOMIDAE)

1 INTRODUCTIONRice field is a unique man -made wetland envi-ronment where many varieties of aquatic insects oc-curred ( Ali, Ahmad, 1988; Yamazaki,et al,2001a; Che Salmah, Abu Hassan, 2002). Duringrice cultivation in Malaysia, herbicides are used in-tensi…     

EH4电导率连续成像系统在银厂坡地质勘查中的应用

通过EH4电磁方法在贵州威宁银厂坡地质勘查中的应用实例，并经过勘查、成矿靶位的确定、工程验证三个阶段工作后，认为EH4电磁方法在地质勘查中具有较好的应用效果。特别是在深部地球物理信息上优于其它常规物探方法，而它相对其它常规物探方法又更具有设备轻、速度快、费用低、精度较高等优点。     

浅谈"数字城市"在城市建设中的重要性

数字城市是信息社会重要的组成部分。利用3S（GPS、GIS、RS）技术、4D（DEM、DOM、DRG、DLG）产品、多媒体技术等，进行电子商务、城市规划、建设和管理。是测绘工作的发展模式和生存方式     

Mercury emission from the indigenous mercury smelting in Wuchuan mercury mining areas, Guizhou Province, China

Mercury smelting is one of the important anthropogenic atmospheric mercury emission sources. Small-scale mercury smelting activities with indigenous method which is considered illegal and forbidden by local government always extensively existed in the Wuchuan area, northeastern Guizhou Province, China. Because of the simple processes without any environmental protection, a large amount of mercury vapor released to the ambient air during the processing of cinnabar roasting. By determining mercury concentrations in mercury ore and smelting slag samples, a mass balance method was used to calculate mercury emission factors and annual mercury emission from indigenous mercury smelting in Wuchuan mercury mining areas, Guizhou Province, China. The mercury emission factors ranged from 6.9% to 32.1% with the recovery from 78.4% to 93.6% and the annual mercury emission was up to 3.7-9.6 metric tons. The results highlighted that the indigenous mercury smelting was one of the most important anthropogenic atmospheric mercury emission sources in this region.     

Thorite versus huttonite: stability, electronic properties and X-ray emission spectra from first-principle calculations

The structural, electronic properties and stability of thorium orthosilicate ThSiO₄ polymorphs: thorite and huttonite are investigated by means of the full-potential linearized augmented-plane-wave method with the generalized gradient approximation for the exchange-correlation potential (FLAPW-GGA). The forbidden gaps of thorite and huttonite are estimated at about 7.8 and 7.6 eV, respectively. It is found that Th5f states in ThSiO₄ partially overlap with occupied O2p bands. The data obtained showed that thorite is more stable than huttonite; in turn both ThSiO₄ polymorphs are unstable with respect to their constituent binary oxides (thorianite ThO₂ and α-quartz SiO₂) in agreement with the experiments. The theoretical shapes of X-ray emission (XES) (Si,O)Kα,β spectra for thorite, huttonite as well as for SiO₂ and ThO₂ are calculated and discussed. We show that the XES spectroscopy near the (Si,O)K edge may be very useful technique not only for detailed investigation of the bulk-electronic structure of Th silicates but also for the phase analysis of complex mineral samples containing these species.     

Open burning of wastes as the source of environmental contamination by POPs

In the paper the procedure for and results of a test study of a few persistent organic pollutants - polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon （PAH）, polychlorinated biphenyls （PCB） and hexachlorobenzene （HCB） emission from the open burning of different types of wastes （domestic wastes, agricultural debris, landscape cleating debris, etc.） are discussed. The open burning of agricultural debris and landscape-clearing debris is widely applied in rural areas and small towns and in allotment gardens for the recovery of that part of wastes that can not be utilized for compost preparation. This process is most typical during the autumn season and to a lesser degree during spring. Burning occurs usually in bon fires. Burning modes differ depending on the volume of material burnt, the waste moisture content, the weather conditions, etc. During this process part of domestic wastes （polluted wood, paper, chipboard, films, plastics, etc.） are burned also. Investigations included the collection and preparation of combustible material, the simulation of open burning processes, particulate and gas emission sampling, chemical analysis of sample and data processing. Sampling procedures and sample preparation were agreeable to the emission sampling standards. The aerosol and vapour phases of POPs were collected by ordinary sampling train with pumping of waste gases through filter and solid sorbent （polyurethane foam）. For the measurements of PAH in emission, gas chromatography and mass spectrometry were used which make it possible to identify and determine 16 PAH compounds in the samples; this method was used for HCB determination also. Gas chromatography with ECD detector was used for PCB measurement. It was detected that the levels of PAH emission from wastes uncontrolled burning of wastes vary greatly. Influencing factors are composition and properties of refuse, temperature and mode of burning, level air supply. Generally, the increase of content of wood leads to the increase of PAH in emission. PAH emission also increased with increasing temperature of burning. The highest PAH values are characteristic of emissions from domestic refuse burning. Practically, all naphthalene, acenaphthylene, acenaphthene （from 60% to 100% of their total mass） and fluorene （14%-99%） were emitted in gaseous form.     

基于GIS的城市警务决策支持系统的设计和开发

地理信息系统(G IS)应用于警务工作是当今警务信息化的重要内容之一。本文以实际的警用地理信息决策支持系统为基础,详细阐述了基于G IS的警务决策支持系统的设计原理和实现过程,为G IS在警务工作中的应用提供了一种解决思路和实现方法。     

Fracture Toughness Measurements and Acoustic Emission Activity in Brittle Rocks

Fracture toughness measurements under static loading conditions have been carried out in Barre and Lac du Bonnet granites. An advanced AE technique has been adopted to monitor real-time crack initiation and propagation around the principal crack in these tests to understand the processes of brittle failure under tension and related characteristics of the resulting fracture process zone. The anisotropy of Mode I fracture toughness has been investigated along specific directions. Microcrack density and orientation analysis from thin section studies have shown these characteristics to be the primary cause of the observed variation in fracture toughness, which is seen to vary between 1.14 MPa.(m)^1/2 and 1.89 MPa.(m)^1/2 in Barre granite. The latter value represents the case in which the crack is propagated at right angles to the main set of microcracks. The creation of a significant fracture process zone surrounding the propagating main crack has been confirmed. Real-time imaging of the fracture process and formation of fracture process zone by AE techniques yielded results in very good agreement with those obtained by direct optical analysis.