Material selection for the gas containment system of a compressed natural gas carrier fleet

In this work, the possible exploitation of fiber-reinforced composites in the context of maritime transportation of compressed natural gas (CNG) is investigated. In addition to a more conventional steel configuration, two different fiber materials, carbon and glass, are considered as construction materials for pressure vessels (PVs) to be stored on board ships, with thickness optimized by FEM analysis.The considered scenario is represented by the transportation of CNG from an offshore well to a terminal on shore. Fleets of ships carrying CNG in pressure vessels manufactured with the investigated materials are generated by means of a ship synthesis model (SSM) software and compared on the basis of technical and economical indicators.The choice of the construction material influences considerably the weight of the PVs, which represent a major item of total ship weight and reflects directly on the general transport performances in terms of resistance, seakeeping and reliability in the service. On the other hand, capital as well as operating expenditures are considerably affected by the choice. When exploring the design space, the ship synthesis model is able, at a preliminary stage of the design, to account for the various technical and economical aspects, their implications and relationships. Results are presented of computations carried out in a specific case, identified by the annual gas production and other characteristics of the well terminal and a cruising route for the ships. The comparison is carried out on the basis of the cost per transported unit of gas and of the percentage of success in the transportation process. The computations show that the choice of the PV material has a key influence on the results in terms of optimal number, dimensions and speed of the ships.     

Salinity and periodic inundation controls on the soil‐plant‐atmosphere continuum of gray mangroves

Salinity and periodic inundation are both known to have a major role in shaping the ecohydrology of mangroves through their controls on water uptake, photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, gas exchanges, and nutrient availability. Salinity, in particular, can be considered one of the main abiotic regulating factors for halophytes and salt‐tolerant species, due to its influence on water use patterns and growth rate. Ecohydrological literature has rarely focused on the effects of salinity on plant transpiration, based on the fact that the terrestrial plants mostly thrive in low‐saline, unsaturated soils where the role of osmotic potential can be considered negligible. However, the effect of salinity cannot be neglected in the case of tidal species like mangroves, which have to cope with hyperosmotic conditions and waterlogging. We introduce here a first‐order ecohydrological model of the soil/plant‐atmosphere continuum of Avicennia marina—also known as gray mangrove—a highly salt‐tolerant pioneer species able to adapt to hyperarid intertidal zones and characterized by unique morphological and ecophysiological traits. The A. marina's soil‐plant‐atmosphere continuum takes explicitly into account the role of water head, osmotic water potential, and water salinity in governing plant water fluxes. A. marina's transpiration is thus modeled as a function of salinity based on a simple parameterization of salt exclusion mechanisms at the root level and a modified Jarvis' expression accounting for the effects of salinity on stomatal conductance. Consistently with previous studies investigating the physiology of mangroves in response to different environmental drivers, our results highlight the major influence of salinity on mangrove transpiration when contrasted with other potential stressors such as waterlogging and water stress.     

Quantification of river water infiltration in shallow aquifers using acesulfame and anthropogenic gadolinium

This study has investigated the use of the artificial sweetener acesulfame and the magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent gadolinium as quantitative tracers for river water infiltration into shallow groundwater. The influence of a river on alluvial groundwater in a subalpine catchment in western Europe has been assessed using the ‘classical’ hydrochemical tracer chloride and the trace contaminants acesulfame and anthropogenic gadolinium. Mixing ratios for riverine bank filtrate with ambient groundwater and the uncertainties associated with the temporal and spatial tracer variability were calculated using acesulfame and gadolinium and compared with those obtained using chloride. The temporal variability of tracer concentrations in river water of gadolinium (standard deviation SD: 63%) and acesulfame (SD: 71%) both exceeded that of chloride (SD: 27%), and this was identified as the main source of uncertainty in the mixing analysis. Similar spatial distributions were detected in the groundwater for chloride and gadolinium, but not for acesulfame. Mixing analyses using acesulfame resulted in calculated mixing ratios that differed from those obtained using gadolinium and chloride by up to 83% and 92%, respectively. At the investigated site, which had oxic conditions and moderate temperatures, acesulfame was found to be a less reliable tracer than either gadolinium or chloride, probably because of natural attenuation and input from other sources. There was no statistically significant difference between the mixing ratios obtained using chloride or gadolinium, the mixing ratios obtained using gadolinium were 40–50% lower than those obtained using chloride. This is mainly due to a bias of the mean gadolinium concentration in river water towards higher values. In view of the uncertainties of the two tracers, neither could be preferred over the other for the quantification of bank filtrate in groundwater. At this specific site gadolinium was able to reliably identify river water infiltration and was a more precise tracer than chloride at low mixing ratios (<20%), because of the exclusive occurrence of gadolinium in river water and its high dynamic range. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Molí del Baró-1 site,a diverse fossil assemblage from the uppermost Maastrichtian of the southern Pyrenees (north-eastern Iberia)

The Molí del Baró-1 site (north-eastern Iberia) has yielded one of the richest fossil assemblages of the continental upper Maastrichtian from western Europe. It includes abundant plant (charophytes, sporomorphs, angiosperm leaves, seeds and logs), invertebrate (mollusc shells, partial insect exoskeletons and eggs) and vertebrate (teeth, bones, eggshells) fossils. The fossil assemblage is composed of both parautochthonous and allochthonous remains that mostly deposited in a pool formed at the edge of a meandering river. Plant megafossil evidence suggest that at least three angiosperm species (a willow-like dicot, palms and a likely typhacean monocot) formed the plant community growing in this fluvial environment. Tooth remains indicate that crocodylomorphs were diverse (including atoposaurids, ziphosuchians and eusuchians) which together with small theropod dinosaurs likely consumed prey carcasses or scavenged near the depositional setting. Prismatoolithid eggshells also suggest the presence of nearby nesting area of theropods. On the other hand, hadrosauroids apparently dominated phytophagous faunas including lambeosaurines as well as more basal forms. The taxonomic composition of the Molí del Baró-1 site matches the expected for the timespan and environment and represents a relevant locality to know the diversity of the latest Cretaceous terrestrial ecosystems in south western Europe.     

中国叠生型铁矿床成矿特征探讨

叠生成矿作用主要是指早期成矿作用被晚期成矿作用叠加、复合和改造。晚期成矿作用的性质常与早期成矿作用不同,也就是说,在早先己有矿床(或矿体、矿源层)的基础上,叠加复合了晚期成矿作用,即成矿时间上有先后、空间产出上有重叠、并对早先形成的矿床进行复杂的复合、叠加和改造,使成矿作用具有多样性、复杂性,并可形成大矿、富矿。铁矿床中叠生成矿作用广泛发育。按矿床或矿体产出和形成的地质特征,中国叠生型铁矿床可分为风化淋滤型、热液叠加改造型和热液叠加复合型3个亚类。风化淋滤型铁矿床在中国分布有限,规模不大,工业利用价值不大,因而中国的叠生型铁矿床主要是指热液叠加改造型和热液叠加复合型两个亚类。热液叠加改造型主要是指早期的铁矿床(或矿体、矿源层)经后期热液叠加改造,使早期的较贫铁矿床(或矿体、矿源层)成为较富铁矿床(或矿体),这是中国BIF型铁矿床中最重要的富铁矿类型,以鞍本地区弓长岭二矿区为典型代表。弓长岭二矿区铁矿,早期在新太古代形成条带状磁铁石英岩(2528 Ma,贫矿石),后期在古元古代,含矿热液交代改造贫铁矿形成富铁矿(1840 Ma)。热液叠加复合型主要是指后期脉型铁(或稀土元素等)矿床叠加在早期(沉积或其他成因)铁等矿床上而形成的矿床,如白云鄂博铁-铌-稀土元素矿床和黔西菱铁矿矿床。白云鄂博铁-铌-稀土元素矿床的形成与火成碳酸岩有关,在中元古代(1.3 Ga)左右,区内火成碳酸岩的侵位,在早期主要形成以岩浆熔离作用为主的铁-铌-稀土元素矿,晚期叠加了加里东期稀土-铌矿化热液脉。古陆边缘构造带或陆内活化带是形成叠生型铁矿床的有利构造空间,较大的地球化学块体,为形成多期、多成因的矿床提供物质来源,叠生型铁矿床的形成明显受构造的控制。叠生成矿是复杂地质过程的一种具体表现。热液叠加改造型和热液叠加复合型的叠生型铁矿床的形成是因中国独特的大地构造环境决定的。叠生成矿作用的研究,尚处在初步阶段。加强对叠生成矿作用的研究,了解其形成的地质背景、成矿机制、作用过程、控矿因素等,对发展矿床学研究,认识区域成矿特征和指导地质找矿具有重要的理论和实际意义。     

国内外前寒武纪条带状铁建造研究现状

条带状铁建造(BIFs)主要发育于早前寒武纪时期(3.8~1.8Ga),记录了早期地球演化的重要信息且蕴含丰富的铁矿石资源。本文梳理总结了国内外BIF相关领域的研究认识及存在问题:1统计对比显示,BIF沉积事件与地幔柱、地壳增生等重大地质事件相关;2稀土元素及Nd同位素示踪表明,Fe来源于海水与海底高温热液的混合溶液,其中高温热液与海水比例为1:1000;3 BIFs缺乏负Ce异常且富集重Fe同位素,暗示沉积时古海洋整体处于缺氧环境以避免Fe~(2+)发生氧化;4一些重要科学问题尚未解决,例如Si的主要来源、沉淀机制及条带成因等;5华北克拉通BIFs多形成于约2.54Ga,BIF类型、形成时代与富矿成因等问题有待深入研究。本文认为,加强国内外典型BIFs的对比研究并适当应用现代先进测试技术,有利于探索BIF沉积的精细过程及古老克拉通的早期演化。     

湖南省沉积型锰矿地质环境及成矿作用

湖南省沉积型锰成矿时代跨度大,最早由早元古代板溪群马底驿期至早二叠世孤峰期。其中,早南华纪大塘坡期、中奥陶世烟溪期及中二叠世孤峰期为三个最主要成锰集中期,并且大体呈现出朝东南方向成矿时代变新的趋势。成锰沉积盆地是锰矿床就位的重要场所,相应的岩相古地理环境为锰成矿创造了有利条件,即相对缺氧的、滞流的安静环境。这种环境在诸多古地理环境中都可以形成,导致了锰成矿岩相古地理环境的多样性,如浅海陆棚相、次深海棚缘盆地相、次深海台缘斜坡相及陆表次深海海盆相。三个主要成锰期锰成矿作用具有统一性,成矿作用与地壳拉张、海侵事件、缺氧事件等区域性重大地质事件关联密切。     

四川盆地西南部第三纪盆地原型及其演化

第三纪是四川盆地大范围陆相沉积历史的最后阶段, 同时又是四川盆地重要的构造定形期.探究该时期原型盆地沉积充填规律与构造演化特征, 是揭示四川盆地形成演化过程, 还原其古地理、古气候演变的关键.在综合利用古地磁、地震、野外露头等资料的基础之上, 从盆-山结合的角度出发, 以地质历史时间为主要线索, 对第三纪原型盆地分阶段、分区域地进行了动态化分析研究.重建了各沉积时期原型盆地构造-古地理格局, 分析了盆地沉积充填规律并复原了不同阶段沉积相带的空间展布特征.主要受周缘山系逆冲推覆作用产生的构造负载和盆地基底构造的影响, 第三纪时期四川盆地沉积范围局限于西南部、南部地区, 以河、湖沉积环境为主, 处于持续地挤压、充填过程而具有萎缩消亡的趋势.现今残余第三系地层由老到新, 主要由名山组、芦山组、大邑砾岩组等地层组成(先后经历了: 受造山带挤压推覆作用和温暖干旱气候等因素影响, 发育湖盆边缘冲积扇和沙漠沉积环境, 处于快速沉降阶段的名山组沉积时期; 以及构造活动相对稳定, 湖盆面积不断减小, 以沙泥质沉积互层为特征的芦山组沉积时期; 和沿山前带由南向北迁移, 以发育大型冲积扇为特征的大邑砾岩组沉积时期).纵观整个第三纪构造演化历史, 反映出四川盆地西南部地区在第三纪时期表现为典型的陆内坳陷沉积盆地性质.同期的大地构造活动和气候变化等因素对原型盆地的形成与演化起到了重要的控制作用, 同时也对该时期盆地古地理格局和沉积充填规律产生了重要影响.     

广西隆安下石炭统都结微生物岩微相特征与沉积环境研究

广西隆安县都结乡发育的微生物岩产于下石炭统都安组中—上部地层,分布广、厚度大,是中国南方早石炭世报道较少的碳酸盐岩建造类型,具有较高的研究价值。该微生物岩以颗粒灰岩和粘结岩为主,生物含量丰富,包括微生物、有孔虫、棘皮类、钙球、腕足等。通过岩相分析,可识别出以下8种微相类型:MF1含亮晶胶结物的泥晶包壳生屑灰岩、MF2含腕足似球粒灰岩、MF3无纹层似球粒颗粒灰岩、MF4集合颗粒灰岩、MF5细密纹层状粘结岩、MF6内碎屑鲕粒灰岩、MF7鲕粒灰岩、MF8白云质鲕粒灰岩。伴随海平面升降变化,都结微生物岩沉积环境先后经历了FZ1台地边缘浅滩相、FZ2开阔台地相与FZ3局限台地相这三种沉积相带之间往复变化的沉积相模式。结合前人基础地质资料,该沉积相模式表明该微生物岩发育于低纬度孤立碳酸盐岩台地浅水环境,并经历了初期、主体时期和消亡期3个发育阶段,海平面虽伴有小幅波动,但整体呈下降趋势。微生物岩发育于晚古生代冰期与谢尔普霍夫生物灭绝事件前夕,该时期南盘江盆地微生物岩的富集与后生动物礁的缺失相耦合,海洋生态系统中生物组成发生显著变化。在此基础上,本文从微生物岩的角度初步探讨了冈瓦纳大陆冰川作用对北半球低纬度地区的影响。     

一种简化的暴雨灾害风险及影响评估方法和应用研究 ——以京津冀“7·21”暴雨事件为例

文章综合考虑中国区域范围内降雨时空分布特征以及地理地貌等特征,将全国降雨区划分为4大类,在此基础上,得出不同降雨类区暴雨致灾因子的强度等级评定方法;同时,研究确定了与暴雨灾害密切相关的地形高程、高程标准差、河网密度、土壤类型等环境脆弱性影响要素,并对各类要素分别进行了分级评定;将各类环境脆弱性影响要素结合暴雨致灾因子要素,运用加权求和方法建立了暴雨灾害综合风险评估模型;并结合GIS技术,将城市、农村人口分布情况、用地等数据叠加到风险分布格局中,最终分析得出不同风险等级下影响的城市和农村人口数量、土地面积等内容。该评估模型相较于以往其他暴雨风险评估模型,其适用范围更广,可以适用于全国范围内的任意区域暴雨灾害风险评估;实时评估业务能力更强,将该模型结合降雨实况资料或预报资料可以对全国任意区域降雨灾害综合风险进行事后、跟踪评估或预评估;评估对象更有针对性,结合GIS技术,可以针对得出的风险分布结果分别给出不同风险等级范围内的承灾体受影响的定量评估结果。