Evaluation of distributed recharge in an upland semi-arid karst system: the West Bank Mountain Aquifer,Middle East

Assessment of recharge in a structurally complex upland karst limestone aquifer situated in a semi-arid environment is difficult. Resort to surrogate indicators such as measurement of spring outflow and borehole discharge, is a common alternative, and attempts to apply conventional soil moisture deficit analysis may not adequately account for the intermittent spate conditions that arise in such environments. A modelling approach has been made using the West Bank Mountain Aquifer system in the Middle East as a trial. The model uses object oriented software which allows various objects to be switched on and off. Each of the main recharge processes identified in the West Bank is incorporated. The model allows either conventional soil moisture deficit analysis calculations or wetting threshold calculations to be made as appropriate, and accommodates both direct recharge and secondary recharge. Daily time steps enable recharge and runoff routing to be calculated for each node. Model runs have enabled a series of simulations for each of the three aquifer basins in the West Bank and for the whole of the West Bank. These provide recharge estimates comparable to those prepared by earlier workers by conventional means. The model is adaptable and has been successfully used in other environments.     

Groundwater resources in the Jabal Al Hass region,northwest Syria: an assessment of past use and future potential

In many cases, the development of groundwater resources to boost agricultural production in dry areas has led to a continuous decline in groundwater levels; this has called into question the sustainability of such exploitation. In developing countries, limited budgets and scarce hydrological data often do not allow groundwater resources to be assessed through groundwater modeling. A case study is presented of a low-cost water-balance approach to groundwater resource assessments in a 1,550 km² semi-arid region in northwestern Syria. The past development of irrigated agriculture and its effect on the groundwater system were studied by analysis of Landsat images and long-term groundwater level changes, respectively. All components of the groundwater balance were determined. Groundwater recharge was estimated using the chloride mass balance method. Over the past three decades, groundwater levels have declined, on average, 23 m, coinciding with a two-fold increase in the groundwater-irrigated area. Groundwater resources are currently depleted by a value that lies between 9.5×10⁶ and 118×10⁶ m³ year^?1, which is larger than can be compensated for by a future decrease in natural discharge or changes in boundary conditions. However, groundwater resources are likely to be sufficient to supply domestic and livestock needs in the area.     

Lake bank filtration at Nainital,India: water-quality evaluation

There are different water-supply schemes in Uttarakhand, India to tap the water from streams, rivers and lakes. At Nainital, seven tube-wells (depths 22.6–36.7 m), located at a distance of <100 m from the lake, are being used to abstract (1) lake water after passage through the soil and (2) subsurface water/groundwater flowing towards the lake. Water samples from the lake and tube-wells were analyzed in monsoon and non-monsoon periods from 1997 to 2006. Total dissolved solids, EC, alkalinity and hardness were found to be marginally greater in tube-well waters. The difference in hydrochemistry of tube-well water was mainly due to variation in flow regimes during monsoon and non-monsoon periods. Results clearly indicate that lake water as such is not potable as it contains unacceptable levels of organic matter in terms of COD (~44 mg/L), coliforms (~15.6 × 10⁴ MPN/100 mL) and nutrients. Coliform bacteria and COD have not been detected in any of the tube-well water samples over the years. Lake water, treated by sand filters did not conform to drinking water standards. These investigations have led to the closure of the treatment facility and installation of two tube-wells in addition to the existing five tube-wells.

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Résumé  Il existe divers projets d’alimentation en eau dans l’état d’Uttarakhand, Inde, afin de capter l’eau de ruisseaux, de rivières et de lacs. A Nainital, sept puits tubés (profondeur de 22.6–36.7 m), situés à une distance < à 100 m du lac, sont utilisés pour prélever (1) de l’eau du lac après transit à travers le sol et (2) de l’eau de sub-surface/eau souterraine s’écoulant vers le lac. Des échantillons d’eau du lac et des puits tubés ont été analysés en périodes de mousson et de celles sans mousson 1997 à 2006. Résidu sec, C.E., alcalinité et dureté ont été trouvés marginalement supérieurs dans l’eau des puits tubés. La différence d’hydrochimie de l’eau des puits tubés était surtout due à la variation des régimes d’écoulement pendant les périodes de mousson et de celles sans mousson. Les résultats indiquent clairement que l’eau du lac en tant que telle n’est pas potable car elle contient des teneurs inacceptables de matière organique en termes de COD (~44 mg/L), de coliformes (~15.6 × 10⁴ MPN/100 mL) et d’éléments nutritifs. Des bactéries coliformes et du COD n’ont été détectés dans aucun des échantillons d’eau de puits tubés au fil des années. L’eau du lac traitée par des filtres à sable ne se conformait pas aux normes de l’eau potable. Ces recherches ont conduit à la fermeture de l’installation de traitement et à l’implantation de deux puits tubés en plus des cinq puits existants.

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Resumen  En el estado de Uttarakhand, India, existen diferentes esquemas de abastecimiento de agua que explotan agua de arroyos, ríos y lagos. En Nainital, siete pozos (profundidades entre 22.6–36.7 m), ubicados a una distancia de <100 m del lago, se usan para extraer (1) agua del lago luego de su pasaje a través del suelo y (2) agua superficial y subterránea que fluye hacia el lago. En períodos de monzón y de no monzón de 1997 a 2006 se han analizado muestras de agua del lago y de las captaciones. Se halló que el agua de los pozos es ligeramente mayor en términos del total de sólidos disueltos, la conductividad eléctrica, la alcalinidad y la dureza. La diferencia en la hidroquímica del agua de las perforaciones se debe principalmente a la variación de los regímenes de flujo durante los períodos de monzón y de no monzón. Los resultados claramente indican que el agua del lago no es potable por su contenido inaceptable de materia orgánica medida como demanda de carbono orgánico/oxígeno –DCO- (~44 mg/L), coliformes (~15.6 × 10⁴ NMP/100 mL) y nutrientes. En el período, no se han detectado bacterias coliformes ni DCO en las muestras de agua de las captaciones. El agua del lago, tratada con filtros de arena, no conformó los estándares de agua para bebida. Estas investigaciones han demostrado la necesidad de clausurar las instalaciones de tratamiento y la adición de dos captaciones a las cinco ya existentes.

     

New age constraints on emplacement of the Cévenol granitoids, South French Massif Central

During the development of the Variscan orogeny, large amounts of granitic melt were produced, giving rise to the intrusion of granitoids at different structural levels. Despite numerous studies, ages available from previous work on the Cévennes granites remain largely imprecise. In order to better constrain the age and emplacement mode of these granites, we have combined U–Pb dating on monazites and zircons and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating on biotites with petrological observations, major element chemical analysis and SEM zircon imaging on five samples from the Aigoual–St Guiral–Liron and Mont Lozère granitic massifs. The results revealed that granitic intrusions and cooling in Southern Cévennes occurred in a short time span at ∼306 Ma after the main episode of regional metamorphism. Petrological and chemical data suggest that they result from a mixing between mantle-derived basic magmas (lamprophyres) and lower crust acid magmas. At a regional scale the production of these melts occurred at the end of crustal thickening induced by nappe stacking, at the same time as the late anatectic events recorded further north in the Velay dome and the granulite facies metamorphism recorded in metasedimentary granulite enclaves brought up by Tertiary volcanoes of the Velay area (Bournac).     

陕西小秦岭华阳川韧性剪切带的特征 及其区域构造意义

陕西小秦岭华阳川韧性剪切带发育在新太古界太华群之中,野外调研和显微构造观察结果表明,该韧性剪切带是由构造片岩、眼球状片麻岩组成的深层次韧性剪切带,具有逆冲兼左行走滑的斜冲特征。对韧性剪切带构造片岩黑云母进行^40Ar／^39Ar同位素定年,获得坪年龄为419M&#177;0．6Ma,反等时线年龄为417Ma&#177;0．8Ma。认为华阳川韧性剪切带及其相应的小秦岭区域主导构造变形是发生于419Ma左右的秦岭加里东事件的结果。     

Rate constants for the reactions of the NO3 radical with HCOOH/HCOO− and CH3COOH/CH3COO− in aqueous solution between 278 and 328 K

The kinetics of the aqueous phase reactions of NO₃ radicals with HCOOH/HCOO^– and CH₃COOH/CH₃COO^– have been investigated using a laser photolysis/long-path laser absorption technique. NO₃ was produced via excimer laser photolysis of peroxodisulfate anions (S₂O ₈ ^2– ) at 351 nm followed by the reactions of sulfate radicals (SO ₄ ^– ) with excess nitrate. The time-resolved detection of NO₃ was achieved by long-path laser absorption at 632.8 nm. For the reactions of NO₃ with formic acid (1) and formate (2) rate coefficients ofk ₁=(3.3±1.0)×10⁵ l mol^–1 s^–1 andk ₂=(5.0±0.4)×10⁷ l mol^–1 s^–1 were found atT=298 K andI=0.19 mol/l. The following Arrhenius expressions were derived:k ₁(T)=(3.4±0.3)×10¹⁰ exp[–(3400±600)/T] l mol^–1 s^–1 andk ₂(T)=(8.2±0.8)×10¹⁰ exp[–(2200±700)/T] l mol^–1 s^–1. The rate coefficients for the reactions of NO₃ with acetic acid (3) and acetate (4) atT=298 K andI=0.19 mol/l were determined as:k ₃=(1.3±0.3)×10⁴ l mol^–1 s^–1 andk ₄=(2.3±0.4)×10⁶ l mol^–1 s^–1. The temperature dependences for these reactions are described by:k ₃(T)=(4.9±0.5)×10⁹ exp[–(3800±700)/T] l mol^–1 s^–1 andk ₄(T)=(1.0±0.2)×10¹² exp[–(3800±1200)/T] l mol^–1 s^–1. The differences in reactivity of the anions HCOO^– and CH₃COO^– compared to their corresponding acids HCOOH and CH₃COOH are explained by the higher reactivity of NO₃ in charge transfer processes compared to H atom abstraction. From a comparison of NO₃ reactions with various droplets constituents it is concluded that the reaction of NO₃ with HCOO^– may present a dominant loss reaction of NO₃ in atmospheric droplets.     

Subarcsec 10μm imaging of bipolar flow sources

We have started a program of high-resolution (0.4/pixel) 10m imaging of bipolar outflow sources using the 10m camera CAMIRAS. We present recent results obtained at the Canada France Hawaii Telescope which reveal extended emission or IR companions in several luminous objects. The extended emission we detected probably arises from transiently heated very small grains, while the newly discovered companions could contribute significantly to the outflow activity and extended far-IR emission usually attributed to the main optical source.     

Sub-arcsec 10 μm imaging of β pictoris and other star disk candidates

We have used the ESO 10 m camera, TIMMI, to image with a very high angular resolution (PFoV: 0.3; FWHM:0.9) several main-sequence star disk candidates. Information on the -Pictoris dust disk has been obtained in a region largely inaccessible to previous observations: 0–80 AU, with a resolution of about 5 AU after deconvolution. Another promising target for 10 m imaging, 51 Ophiuchi, appears point-like.based on data collected at the European Southern Observatory (ESO), La Silla, Chile     

洪涝灾害遥感监测研究

本文讨论了利用陆地卫星、气象卫星和航空侧视雷达等遥感技术进行洪涝灾情监测的技术方法,并应用于1991年江淮地区特大洪涝灾害的快速调查与分析。     

Environmental geology problems in the Tyrrhenian coastal area of Santa Marinella, province of Rome, central Italy

 The Tyrrhenian resort of S. Marinella (central Italy) is subjected to significant anthropogenic pressures during the summer vacation period, a common situation all along the Italian coast. Located 65 km NW of Rome on the southern slopes of the Tolfa Mountains, S. Marinella is built on a gently sloping, E–W trending belt which is cut by 14 N–S oriented ephemeral streams that discharge into the Tyrrhenian Sea. The low to medium permeability turbiditic sandstones which outcrop along this belt belong to the Late Cretaceous Pietraforte unit. Three environmental problems are addressed in this study. The first problem is related to the high water supply demand during the summer months which has forced local residents to dig a large number of wells. Extensive pumping from these wells has caused salt-water intrusion into the Pietraforte, thus compromising the domestic use of the groundwater. The second problem consists of the illegal dumping of urban solid waste, material that represents a hazard during significant rain events as well as a possible cause of groundwater contamination. The final issue addressed concerns the flooding potential of the 14 ephemeral streams that cross the inhabited area of S. Marinella, a risk which is highlighted by the disastrous flood which occurred on 2 October 1981 and during the period of the Roman Emperor Settimio Severo (205 A.D.). Some suggestions are proposed to mitigate and contain the effects of these problems. Received: 7 November 1995 / Accepted: 5 December 1996