Observations of particle movement in a monitoring well using the colloidal borescope

The colloidal borescope consists of a set of lenses and miniature video cameras capable of observing natural particles in monitoring wells. Based on field observations of these particles, it appears possible to measure in situ groundwater velocity in a well bore. Field observations have shown that directional measurements using the colloidal borescope are generally in good agreement with expected flow directions. However, the magnitude of flow velocity is higher compared with values based on conventional test methods. High relative flow velocities, even after correction factors have been applied to compensate for well bore effects, are believed to be due to preferential flow zones in the surrounding aquifer. Low flow zones exhibit swirling multidirectional flow that does not allow for a linear velocity measurement. Consequently, groundwater flow velocities measured by the colloidal borescope in heterogeneous aquifers will be biased toward the maximum velocity values present in the aquifer. A series of laboratory experiments was conducted to assess the reliability of the instrument. Based on this work, a seepage velocity correction factor ( ) of 1–4 was found for quantifying groundwater seepage velocity in the adjacent aquifer from observations in a well bore. Laboratory measurements also indicate that preferential flow in the surrounding aquifer dominates flow in the well. Results of this work suggest the possibility of quantifying higher-flow velocities associated with preferential flow zones in the subsurface.     

Methodical approach to distribution of epilithic and drifting algae communities in a French subalpine river: Inferences on water quality assessment

In a sub-alpine river, the Asse, with an unpredictable discharge regime, chlorophyll, density and taxonomic diversity of both drifting and periphytic communities were studied from a methodical approach. The investigations based on stamping two close cross-sections to know their spatial distributions in a heterogeneous bed substrate showed a heterogeneous pattern of colonization mainly influenced by hydrological variables as the current velocity, the size of the substrata (gravel-pebble-boulder). For the drifting algae, mainly composed with benthic species temporarily unhooked to the substrata, the heterogeneity of the distribution was reduced in fast flow which induced a mixing of the whole mass of water. For the periphyton, some results indicated that the greatest diversity and the highest chlorophyll concentration were found on pebble substratum where the current velocity was moderate. These results have also shown that the classical methods used to day for investigations were inadequate for most Mediterranean rivers. It was really difficult to estimate the water quality from classical index created for use in regular large plain rivers.     

Predisposition to Induced Seismicity in Some Czech Coal Mines

—Mining-induced seismicity associated with longwall face operations in the Ostrava- Karviná coal mines, Czech Republic, has been investigated in order to establish the conditions leading to a focal zone generation. The study, based on macroseismic and instrumental observations, proved that seismicity is influenced by natural as well as mining conditions. The first group includes the influence of faults, washouts and red beds, while the second one is represented by shaft and/or crosscut safety pillars and various types of remnant pillars. All the cases discussed show that many focal zones are generated in overstressed strata as a consequence of interaction of natural conditions and/or old workings with the active coal face. Received June 18, 1996, accepted March 10, 1997     

The color of pumice: case study on a trachytic fall deposit, Meidob volcanic field, Sudan

 This paper examines the cause of color variations of trachytic pumices which are essentially uniform in chemical composition and proposes a geological model for their formation. A pyroclastic sequence of distinct subunits with brown, buff, and black pumices was deposited during the 5000-B.P. eruption of a tuff ring in the central Meidob volcanic field (Sudan). Subunits of buff pumices locally contain minor amounts of streaky pumice with pale-gray and dark-gray domains. The combined evidence of petrographic studies, chemical analyses of whole pumices and groundmass separates, electron microprobe analyses, optical spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and magnetic susceptibility measurements show that color variations of the pumice clasts are related to the size and distribution of Fe³⁺-rich oxide microcrysts. Buff pumice and light-gray domains of streaky pumice have a colorless, transparent groundmass with very few microcrysts. Dark-gray domains of streaky pumice contain abundant hematite and/or magnetite microcrysts visible in thin section within a transparent, colorless glass groundmass. The groundmass of the black pumice clasts is brown in thin section which is most likely caused by submicroscopic magnetite microcrysts. Brown pumice clasts have a mixed groundmass consisting of brown domains and domains with opaque microcrysts in transparent glass. Variations in the eruption dynamics have been inferred from lithological observations. Subunits of black pumices are related to eruption pulses with low magma discharge and high water/magma mass ratio, whereas subunits of buff pumice were deposited during eruption pulses with high magma discharge and low water/magma mass ratio. Brown pumices represent the top part of the magma body, and the initial stage of the eruption probably had a low magma discharge. Streaky pumices are interpreted as the product of syn-eruptive mixing of Fe³⁺-rich oxide microcryst-bearing magma and microcryst-free magma. Received: 3 February 1997 / Accepted: 28 July 1997     

The law of dislocation between two sides of active faults in China and their geodynamic force

By contrasting and analyzing the characteristics of gravity field nearby some important active faults in the continent of China, it can be found that the crust blocks where Bouguer anomalies are regionally positive (or relatively positive) are moving towards the terrestrial poles and the blocks where Bouguer anomalies in a tremendous area are negative (or relatively negative) are moving towards the equator. By analysis of mechanics and mathematics calculation and based on lots of practical data, the authors hold that the change in density of a crust block is a decisive factor that causes the horizontal movement of the continental crust, while magma activity is an important factor that leads to the change in density of a crust block.     

1995年永登5.8级地震多种前兆异常特征

研究了１９９５年７月２２日甘肃永登５．８级地震地电、水化学、水动态、地应力、地形变等５种前兆的异常特征，得到如下结论：①该次地震中短期（１年尺度）和短临异常空间分布符合“异常震源地点发震机制主要活断层”之间的特定关系，近２～３年的中期异常集中分布在西秦岭北缘北西向断裂带和海原通渭武都南北向断裂带上；②震前约１年时间尺度震源区发育起来了北北西南南东向挤压变化突出的附加应力场，并引起断层错动；③源兆集中分布在本次地震震源周围，场兆集中分布在上述两条活动断裂带上．源兆占异常的大多数，场兆占少数．在时间上场兆出现在先，源兆在后．     

下辽河坳陷现代应力场特征

本文通过辽河油田的钻孔崩落资料及小地震震源机制解，推断出辽河坳陷地区现代构造应力场的特征。两种方法得到的结果基本一致，即区域应务场和局部应力场的结果一致，该地区处于走滑断层型应力状态。     

我国磁法勘探的研究与进展

简要概述了我国磁法勘探50年来的研究与进展，主要包括：地面、航空与海洋磁测工作，磁力仪研制与生产，磁异常处理与转换技术，磁异常解释理论与方法，岩石磁性研究，磁法勘探在基础地质研究、固体矿产勘查、油气勘查和其他领域中的应用．     

区域采样法测定水中硫酸根离子的研究

在分散度不同的区域内进行区域采样用于水中硫酸根离子的测定，结果令人满意。应用此方法测定硫酸根离子的线性范围为２００．０～３０００ｍｇ／Ｌ；进样频率为１２０次／ｈ；相对标准偏差为１．７０％