Influence of high-pressure processing on the structure and memory effect of synthetic layered double hydroxides

We investigate the structural evolution of synthetic layered double hydroxides (LDH) samples, processed at room temperature and high-pressure (up to 7.7 GPa) in a toroidal chamber with two pressure-transmitting media, lead and graphite, using X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry and N₂-adsorption isotherms techniques. The X-ray patterns of compacted samples show a decrease in the peak intensities. For both pressure-transmitting media, our samples revealed a reduction of the basal d-spacing for the (003) plane when processed at 7.7 GPa. The expected high-pressure-induced amorphization was not observed. Surprisingly, we find high-pressure processing to have a strong influence on the memory effect of the LDH, due essentially to the reduction of the surface area and pore closing. Even when immersed in water, our samples did not recover the LDH structure, when either calcined at 450°C and compacted at 7.7 GPa, or calcined at 700°C and immediately compacted at 2.5 and 7.7 GPa.     

Channel response to a dam-removal sediment pulse captured at high-temporal resolution using routine gage data

In this study, we captured how a river channel responds to a sediment pulse originating from a dam removal using multiple lines of evidence derived from streamflow gages along the Patapsco River, Maryland, USA. Gages captured characteristics of the sediment pulse, including travel times of its leading edge (~7.8 km yr⁻¹) and peak (~2.6 km yr⁻¹) and suggest both translation and increasing dispersion. The pulse also changed local hydraulics and energy conditions, increasing flow velocities and Froude number, due to bed fining, homogenization and/or slope adjustment. Immediately downstream of the dam, recovery to pre-pulse conditions occurred within the year, but farther downstream recovery was slower, with the tail of the sediment pulse working through the lower river by the end of the study 7 years later. The patterns and timing of channel change associated with the sediment pulse were not driven by large flow or suspended sediment-transporting events, with change mostly occurring during lower flows. This suggests pulse mobility was controlled by process-factors largely independent of high flow. In contrast, persistent changes occurred to out-of-channel flooding dynamics. Stage associated with flooding increased during the arrival of the sediment pulse, 1 to 2 years after dam removal, suggesting persistent sediment deposition at the channel margins and nearby floodplain. This resulted in National Weather Service-indicated flood stages being attained by 3–43% smaller discharges compared to earlier in the study period. This study captured a two-signal response from the sediment pulse: (1) short- to medium-term (weeks to months) translation and dispersion within the channel, resulting in aggradation and recovery of bed elevations and changing local hydraulics; and (2) dispersion and persistent longer-term (years) effects of sediment deposition on overbank surfaces. This study further demonstrated the utility of US Geological Survey gage data to quantify geomorphic change, increase temporal resolution, and provide insights into trajectories of change over varying spatial and temporal scales.     

Detecting multi-scale riverine topographic variability and its influence on Chinook salmon habitat selection

Quantifying geomorphic conditions that impact riverine ecosystems is critical in river management due to degraded riverine habitat, changing flow and thermal conditions, and increasing anthropogenic pressure. Geomorphic complexity at different scales directly impacts habitat heterogeneity and affects aquatic biodiversity resilience. Here we showed that the combination of continuous spatial survey at high resolution, topobathymetric light detection and ranging (LiDAR), and continuous wavelet analysis can help identify and characterize that complexity. We used a continuous wavelet analysis on 1-m resolution topobathymetry in three rivers in the Salmon River Basin, Idaho (USA), to identify different scales of topographic variability and the potential effects of this variability on salmonid redd site selection. On each river, wavelet scales characterized the topographic variability by portraying repeating patterns in the longitudinal profile. We found three major representative spatial wavelet scales of topographic variability in each river: a small wavelet scale associated with local morphology such as pools and riffles, a mid-wavelet scale that identified larger channel unit features, and a large wavelet scale related to valley-scale controls. The small wavelet scale was used to identify pools and riffles along the entire lengths of each river as well as areas with differing riffle-pool development. Areas along the rivers with high local topographic variability (high wavelet power) at all wavelet scales contained the largest features (i.e., deepest or longest pools) in the systems. By comparing the wavelet power for each wavelet scale to Chinook salmon redd locations, we found that higher small-scale wavelet power, which is related to pool-riffle topography, is important for redd site selection. The continuous wavelet methodology objectively identified scales of topographic variability present in these rivers, performed efficient channel-unit identification, and provided geomorphic assessment without laborious field surveys.     

Effects of sediment grain size and channel slope on the stability of river bifurcations

Channel bifurcations can be found in river network systems from high gradient gravel-bed rivers to fine-grained low gradient deltas. In these systems, bifurcations often evolve asymmetrically such that one downstream channel silts up and the other deepens and, in most cases, they eventually avulse. Past analytical and numerical studies showed that symmetric bifurcations are unstable in high and low Shields stress conditions resulting in asymmetric bifurcations and avulsion, while they can be stable in the mid-Shields range, but this range is smaller for larger width-to-depth ratio. Here, using a one-dimensional (1D) numerical model, we show that effects of sediment grain size and of channel slope are much larger than expected for low-gradient systems when a sediment transport relation is used that separates between bedload and suspended load transport. We found that the range of Shields stress conditions with unstable symmetric bifurcations expanded for lower channel slopes and for finer sediment. In high sediment mobility, suspended load increasingly dominates the sediment transport, which increases the sediment transport nonlinearity and lowers the relative influence of the stabilizing transverse bedslope-driven flux. Contrary to previous works, we found another stable symmetric solution in high Shields stress, but this only occurs in the systems with small width-to-depth ratio. This indicates that suspended load-dominated bifurcations of lowland rivers are more likely to develop into highly asymmetric channels than previously thought. This explains the tendency of channel avulsion observed in many systems.     

The Armagh Observatory Meteor Camera Cluster: Overview and Status

Armagh Observatory installed a sky monitoring system consisting of two wide angle (90° × 52°) and one medium angle (52° × 35°) cameras in July 2005. The medium angle camera is part of a double station setup with a similar camera in Bangor, ∼73 km ENE of Armagh. All cameras use UFOCapture to record meteors automatically; software for off-line photometry, astrometry and double station calculations is currently being developed. The specifications of the cameras and cluster configuration are described in detail. 2425 single station meteors (1167, 861 and 806 by the medium-angle and the wide-angle cameras respectively) and 547 double station meteors were recorded during the months July 2005 to Dec 2006. About 212 double station meteors were recorded by more than one camera in the cluster. The effects of weather conditions on camera productivity are discussed. The distribution of single and double station meteor counts observed for the years 2005 and 2006 and calibrated for weather conditions are presented.     

近直立煤储层裂隙系统及优势渗流通道特征研究

为系统研究近直立煤储层裂隙系统发育特征,利用新疆库拜煤田中部近直立煤储层地表出露良好和生产矿井煤储层裂隙便于观测的有利条件,采用地表高精度构造裂隙填图和矿井煤储层裂隙观测技术,结合实验室扫描电镜和偏光显微镜观测方法,研究了近直立煤储层宏观和微观裂隙系统的发育特征。研究发现该区层面裂隙和外生裂隙延伸长、宽度大,是煤层气运移的优势渗流通道。同时分析了不同埋深条件下地应力场状态,阐明了研究区3种优势渗流通道分布特征为:(1)670 m以浅,优势渗流方向为NNW、NNE向;(2)670 m左右,优势渗流方向为近EW、NNW和NNE向;(3)670 m以深,优势渗流方向为近EW向。解释了层面裂隙、外生裂隙、内生裂隙和微裂隙的形成原因,揭示了渗流通道的形成模式,为研究区煤层气的勘探开发提供了地质依据。     

对福建李坊重晶石矿床成因的新认识——来自矿石构造、矿物学和流体包裹体的证据

福建李坊重晶石矿床是东南沿海地区发现的一个大型独立重晶石矿床,已有30余年的开采历史,在沉积重晶石矿床中占有重要地位,然而对该矿床的成因和成矿时代仍众说纷纭。本文通过对福建李坊重晶石矿床中矿石组构的野外调查、电子探针分析和重晶石的流体包裹体测温,取得如下发现和认识:①首次在重晶石矿石中发现了管孔状构造、角砾状构造、蜂窝状构造等热水喷流通道相沉积构造;②首次在重晶石矿石中发现具有热水成因指示意义的同生钡冰长石矿物;③140个重晶石的流体包裹体均一温度值为89.3～208.5℃,均值为162.7℃,表明李坊重晶石矿床属于低温热水沉积矿床;综合矿石构造、矿物学和流体包裹体测温等证据,提出李坊重晶石矿床为"白烟囱型"热水沉积矿床的新认识,为华南地区早古生代热水沉积矿床的研究和找矿勘探提供了重要新资料。     

Topographical controls on small‐volume pyroclastic flows

Emplacement of small‐volume (<0·1 km³) pyroclastic flows is significantly influenced by topography. The Arico ignimbrite on Tenerife (Canary Islands) is a characteristic small‐volume pyroclastic flow deposit emplaced on high relief topography. The pyroclastic flow flowed down pre‐existing valleys on the southern slopes of the island. In proximal areas deep (up to 100 m) valleys acted as efficient conduits for the pyroclastic flow, which was mostly channelled; in this particular area the ignimbrite corresponds to a homogeneous, moderately welded deposit, consisting of flattened pumices in an abundant ashy matrix with a relatively low lithic fragment content. In intermediate zones significant changes occur in the steepness of the slope and, although still channelled, here the pyroclastic flow was influenced by hydraulic jumps. In this area, two different units can be clearly distinguished in the ignimbrite: the lower unit is composed of a lithic‐rich ground‐layer deposit that formed at the turbulent, highly concentrated head of the flow; the upper unit consists of a well welded pumice‐rich deposit that occasionally reveals a basal layer formed by shearing with the lower part. This division into two units is maintained as far as distal areas near the present‐day coastline, where the slope is very gentle or null and the ignimbrite is not channelled. The ground layer is not found in distal areas. The ignimbrite here only consists of the upper unit, which is occasionally repeated due to a surging process provoked by the lower flow speed, as the pyroclastic flow spread out of the channelled zone. A theoretical model on how topography controlled the deposition of the Arico ignimbrite is derived by interpreting the observed lithological and sedimentological variations in terms of changes in topography and bedrock morphology. This new model is of general applicability and will help to explain other deposits of similar characteristics.     

山坡表层关键带结构与水文连通性研究进展

山丘区是洪水的"策源地",山丘区坡地、沟谷及间歇性河道为洪水的形成提供了通道,同时也是水文连通时空变化最为强烈的地带。然而,对流域表层关键带结构特征及其水文连通机制等的认识尚存不足,限制了产汇流理论及模型方法的发展和应用。通过对比国内外山坡水文实验,发现山坡物理结构连通性控制并深刻影响着水流的连通过程,现有水文连通实验侧重孔隙等微观尺度的规律研究,与水文模型理论存在尺度上的巨大偏差。为此,提出水文连通性应侧重揭示水流在山坡地表、地下的宏观表象通道及分布特征,探索径流连通的动力学机制,即山坡水文连通性研究重在剖析其结构特征的水文累积效应,应保持关键带结构特征合理概化与产汇流理论适度复杂之间的平衡。     

基于正演模拟的复合曲流带砂体内部构型解剖研究及应用

Q油田是渤海大型河流相沉积的稠油油田,其北区NmⅣ1主力含油砂体为复合曲流带沉积,经过16年的注水开发,油水关系复杂,平面注水受效不均的问题日益严重,如何优化注釆结构来改善开发效果已成为急需解决的问题。优化现有注釆井网的关键是认识复合曲流带砂体内部不同单河道砂体的切叠关系及展布特征,即对目标砂体开展内部不同单河道的构型单元分布特征研究。首先,依据岩电标定的测井曲线特征、局部发育的薄夹层以及曲流河纵向下切模式,对复合砂体内部不同单河道砂进行划分与对比;然后基于单井沉积微相划分结果,开展井间剖面相对比分析,表明复合砂体内部存在5种不同单河道砂体切叠模式;建立5种正演概念模型,利用地震正演模拟合成地震记录,总结了不同单河道砂体间顶面高程差异、点坝边界、废弃河道等曲流河砂体构型边界的波形特征;利用地震属性提取及多种地质构型方法,综合分析,最终实现了海上大井距条件下复合曲流带砂体内部不同单一曲流河砂体构型边界的精细识别;最后由注采动态资料的响应关系评估不同的切叠模式对注水效果的侧向遮挡程度,并以此为依据,优化现有的注釆井网并取得了非常好的生产效果。