Imaging spectroscopy as a tool to study sediment characteristics on a tidal sandbank in the Westerschelde

This paper focuses on the use of imaging spectroscopy for the mapping of sediment characteristics on a tidal sandbank in the Westerschelde, called the Molenplaat. On June 8, 2004, during low tide, a HyMap™ scanner recorded the Molenplaat at 4 m pixel resolution. The hyperspectral data were radiometrically calibrated, geometrically corrected, and atmospherically corrected to give apparent surface reflectance data. On the calibrated and corrected dataset a supervised binary classification was performed, based on linear discriminant analysis. Simultaneous to the flight, 25 sediment samples were collected in the field and analysed in the lab to define the median grain size, the water content, the total organic matter content and the chlorophyll-a concentration. These four parameters play a crucial role in sediment stability and macrofaunal habitat definition. Prior to the classification, a feature selection, based on sequential floating forward search (SFFS), was performed. For each of the four parameters two to three bands were retained for the classification. These bands were most frequently selected in the visible and near infrared parts of the spectrum, except for the organic matter content where also SWIR bands were used. The overall classification accuracy was highest for the water content (88%), the median grain size (88%) and the chlorophyll-a concentration (84%). The organic matter content, for which three instead of two classes were distinguished, scored somewhat lower but still reached 80%. The classifications were limited to a small number of classes in order to obtain reliable statistics with a small number of training samples. The spatial patterns in the classified images indicated that the four parameters under study are highly correlated. In most cases coarse sediment coincided with dry conditions, low organic matter and low concentrations of chlorophyll-a. The wet and muddy parts of the Molenplaat were in general characterised by a notably higher amount of organic matter and chlorophyll-a. The individual classification results for the median grain size, the water content and the chlorophyll-a concentration were combined to generate a sediment ecotope map. The presented study illustrates how airborne hyperspectral data can be used to achieve accurate classified maps of intertidal sediment ecotope types, applying feature selection and a binary classification approach.     

Microbial ecology and geochemistry of soils containing iron pans

Soils in New Zealand, and elsewhere, often contain substantial zones of ferro-manganese concretions and pans (laterally continuous layers) that can affect soil quality and management. Soils containing concretions and pans from Southland, New Zealand, were investigated to determine links between microbial ecology and geochemistry. Three soil profiles were sampled at 100-mm intervals to a depth of 1 m and then assayed for nine different populations of bacteria using selective media. Geochemical analysis was performed on the soils at the same intervals, and on shallow groundwater from nearby wells. The largest concentrations of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) coincide with concretions. Nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) are not correlated with Fe and Mn but may be depleted due to bacterial metabolism. Fe and Mn concentrations in groundwater are low, suggesting that the source of these elements in the concretions and pans is in situ weathering rather than groundwater. Numbers of iron oxidising organisms increase where concretions and pans are encountered, but manganese-oxidising organisms decrease. Heterotrophic, sulphur-oxidising, and anaerobic populations have relatively consistent numbers at all depths within the profiles. Fifty organisms were selected for phylogenetic characterisation, of which only Pseudomonas sp. is known to have significant interactions with Fe and Mn. These results suggest a link between concretion development and iron-oxidising microbial populations.     

Hydrogeological investigation of mud-mound springs developed over a weathered basalt aquifer on the Liverpool Plains,New South Wales,Australia

The growth and collapse of mud mounds at a site on the Liverpool Plains in northern New South Wales, Australia has been observed over a 12-year period. The mud mounds appeared in a flat field for the first time in living memory in 1989, but their prior existence in the early Holocene is indicated by archaeological data. The piezometric head in bores drilled through a 7-m bed of clayey silt and screened in weathered basalt at a depth of 8 m was more than 2 m above ground level. Clay has been carried in suspension by water seeping to the ground surface where it has accumulated and formed a mound. Approximately eight years after their initial appearance, the growth of the mounds stopped and within a further three years they had almost completely disappeared.Mechanisms for the growth and decay of the mounds are reviewed. The chemistry of the shallow bore water and the water seeping from the surface of the mounds was dominated by sodium bicarbonate with a 4 mEq/l increase between the weathered basalt and the surface of the mound. Inverse modelling (PHREEQC) is used to determine possible chemical reactions that can account for this increase.

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Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10040-003-0278-0.

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Resumen Se ha observado durante 12 años el crecimiento y el colapso de montículos de lodo en un emplazamiento ubicado en las Llanuras de Liverpool, en el estado australiano de Nueva Gales del Sur. Según la memoria existente, los montículos de lodo aparecieron en un campo llano por vez primera en 1989, pero, por datos arqueológicos, se conoce de su existencia a comienzos del Holoceno. Los niveles piezométricos en sondeos perforados a través de 7 m de limos arcillosos y ranurados en el basalto meteorizado a 8 m son superiores en más de 2 m a la superficie del terreno. La arcilla es portada en suspensión por el agua que descarga hacia la superficie del terreno, donde se acumula y forma el montículo. Unos 8 años después de su aparición, el crecimiento de los montículos se detiene y éstos acaban prácticamente desapareciendo en otros 3 años.Se revisa los mecanismos que originan el crecimiento y desaparición de los montículos. La química de las aguas someras de los sondeos y del agua que se filtra desde la superficie de los montículos está dominada por bicarbonato sódico, con un incremento de 4 meq/L entre el basalto meteorizado y la superficie del montículo. Se utiliza la modelación inversa (PHREEQC) para determinar las reacciones químicas que pueden explicar dicho aumento.

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Résumé La croissance et l'effondrement de monticules de vase situés dans les plaines de Liverpool, dans le nord des Nouvelles Galles du Sud, ont été observés pendant 12 ans. Les monticules de vase sont apparus en terrain plat pour la première fois de mémoire d'homme en 1989; mais leur existence antérieure dès le début de l'Holocène est attesté par des données archéologiques. Le niveau piézométrique dans des forages traversant 7 m de silt argileux et recouvrant un basalte altéré à 8 m était de plus de 2 m au-dessus de la surface du sol. L'argile a été apportée en suspension par l'eau suintant à la surface du sol où elle s'est accumulée pour former un monticule. Environ 8 ans après leur première apparition, la croissance des monticules s'est arrêtée et ils ont presque complètement disparu dans les 3 ans qui ont suivi.Les mécanismes de croissance et de régression de ces monticules sont passés en revue. La chimie de l'eau des forages à proximité de la surface et de l'eau filtrant à la surface des monticules était dominée par le bicarbonate de sodium, avec une augmentation de 4 meq/l entre le basalte altéré et la surface du monticule. Une modélisation inverse (PHREEQC) a été mise en uvre pour déterminer les réactions possibles pouvant rendre compte de cet accroissement.

     

Observation and analysis of frequency-dependent anisotropy from a multicomponent VSP at Bluebell-Altamont field, Utah

In this paper, we present results from the analysis of a multicomponent VSP from a fractured gas reservoir in the Bluebell-Altamont Field, Utah. Our analysis is focused on frequency-dependent anisotropy. The four-component shear-wave data are first band-pass filtered into different frequency bands and then rotated to the natural coordinates so that the fast and slow shear-waves are effectively separated. We find that the polarisations of the fast shear-waves are almost constant over the whole depth interval, and show no apparent variation with frequency. In contrast, the time delays between the split shear-waves decrease as the frequency increases. A linear regression is then applied to fit the time-delay variations in the target and we find that the gradients of linear fits to time delays show a decrease as frequency increases. Finally, we apply a time-frequency analysis method based on the wavelet transform with a Morlet wavelet to the data. The variation of shear-wave time delays with frequency is highlighted in the time-delay and frequency spectra. We also discuss two mechanisms giving rise to dispersion and frequency-dependent anisotropy, which are likely to explain the observation. These are scattering of seismic waves by preferentially aligned inhomogeneneities, such as fractures or fine layers, and fluid flow in porous rocks with micro-cracks and macro-fractures.     

Geochemical and stable isotopic evolution of the Guarani Aquifer System in the state of São Paulo, Brazil

The purpose of this report is to explain geochemical and stable isotopes trends in the Brazilian unit of the Guarani Aquifer System (Botucatu and Piramboia aquifers) in S?o Paulo State, Brazil. Trends of dissolved species concentrations and geochemical modeling indicated a significant role of cation exchange and dissolution of carbonates in downgradient evolution of groundwater chemistry. Loss of calcium by the exchange for sodium drives dissolution of carbonates and results in Na–HCO₃ type of groundwater. The cation-exchange front moves downgradient at probably much slower rate compared to the velocity of groundwater flow and at present is located near to the cities of Sert?ozinho and águas de Santa Barbara (wells PZ-34 and PZ-148, respectively) in a shallow confined area, 50–70 km from the recharge zone. Part of the sodium probably enters the Guarani Aquifer System. together with chloride and sulfate from the underlying Piramboia Formation by diffusion related to the dissolution of evaporates like halite and gypsum. High concentrations of fluorine (up to 13.3 mg/L) can be explained by dissolution of mineral fluoride also driven by cation exchange. However, it is unclear if the dissolution takes place directly in the Guarani Aquifer System or in the overlying basaltic Serra Geral Formation. There is depletion in δ ²H and δ ¹⁸O values in groundwater downgradient. Values of δ ¹³C(DIC) are enriched downgradient, indicating dissolution of calcite under closed system conditions. Values of δ ¹³C(DIC) in deep geothermal wells are very high (>–6.0‰) and probably indicate isotopic exchange with carbonates with δ ¹³C about –3.0‰. Future work should be based on evaluation of vertical fluxes and potential for penetration of contamination to the Guarani Aquifer System. Electronic Publication     

F~-作为特征离子的条件分析

本文从F- 的物质来源及影响F- 活性的各个化学指标入手 ,对全省 7个水文地球化学观测井进行分析并作出总体评价 ,指出ZⅢ - 6钻孔、华安汰内井、安溪魁斗井的F-在理论上可作为前兆特征离子     

柴达木盆地西部狮子沟背斜构造区深部卤水水化学特征及演化分析

近年来的调查工作发现,柴达木盆地西部的一些背斜构造区油田卤水具有储量大、品位高的特点,表现出良好的开发和利用前景。在狮子沟背斜构造区深部有含卤层甚至盐岩层的发现。以狮子沟背斜构造区深层卤水为研究对象,采样测试其离子含量,进而分析卤水的离子比例系数,对其水化学特征、物质来源、演化过程进行分析,研究认为深部卤水主要是盐岩溶解作用形成的,其中不乏有沉积卤水的加入;其演化主要受控于蒸发和溶解的双重作用,同时白云岩化、酸性斜长石的溶解以及中酸性热液的淋滤作用也可能对该区卤水有某种程度的影响。     

山西省4口井(泉)水化学特征与水氡映震效能研究

对山西4口水化学观测井（泉）及周边地表水进行水化学和氢氧同位素分析,利用Piper图、durov图、Na-K-Mg三角图等方法研究其水化学特征及成因,得出井（泉）水岩平衡程度、热储温度、地下水循环深度及地下水补给来源详情;分析了井（泉）水氡测项映震特征,应用水氡映震效果与水岩平衡程度、地下水循环深度表现出的特征,评价了地震监测效能。评价结果显示夏县井、奇村井优于临猗井,适于开展地震水化学观测;定襄泉应用该水化学方法评价尚存不足之处,需要探索适用于该类观测泉点的物理与化学相结合的评价方法。     

Hydrochemical models of the sulphidic tailings dumps at Matchless (Namibia) and Selebi-Phikwe (Botswana)

The sulphidic tailings dumps at Matchless (Namibia) and Selebi-Phikwe (Botswana) are located in a similar semiarid environment but have a contrasting mineralogical composition. The Matchless tailings are pyrite-rich, whereas the Selebi-Phikwe tailings are dominated by pyrrhotite. Hydrochemical models are established with computer codes for water-balance, sulphide oxidation rate and hydrochemical equilibrium calculations. The data input is based on detailed mineralogical, chemical and kinetic investigations carried out on the core of boreholes drilled in 2000 and 2003. The oxidation of pyrrhotite proceeds at a much faster rate than the oxidation of pyrite. The PYROX code, which is used for kinetic calculations, can take these differences into account by applying different oxide-coating diffusion coefficients (D₂) for pyrrhotite and pyrite. Humidity-cell testing is widely used to predict the post-mining composition of drainage water in humid climates. However, the semiarid conditions at Matchless and Selebi-Phikwe only allow a minimal water flux within the dump. Under such conditions, humidity-cell testing is likely to overestimate the seepage-water pH. This is suggested by the hydrochemical equilibrium calculations for the post-mining period at Selebi-Phikwe, which predict a seepage-water pH about one unit lower than the pH at the end of the 26-weeks humidity-cell testing period. The acidity of the seepage water can be reduced by about half a pH unit, if an oxygen barrier below the evaporation zone is installed. A clay layer 0.5 m thick covered by >1.5 m tailings represents the optimal design for a wet barrier. All three computer codes used for water-balance calculations (HELP3, UNSAT-H and HYDRUS-1D), predict >85% average water saturation for such a layer, which diminishes the diffusion of oxygen into the pile and production of SO₄⁻² and H⁺. The alternative design for a dry barrier consists of a vegetated silt layer 1 m thick on top of the tailings. This barrier does not significantly influence the diffusion of oxygen although it reduces the net infiltration to ≤11 mm/year.