Variability in the vertical hyporheic water exchange affected by hydraulic conductivity and river morphology at a natural confluent meander bend

River confluences and their associated tributaries are key morphodynamic nodes that play important roles in controlling hydraulic geometry and hyporheic water exchange in fluvial networks. However, the existing knowledge regarding hyporheic water exchange associated with river confluence morphology is relatively scarce. On January 14 and 15, 2016, the general hydraulic and morphological characteristics of the confluent meander bend (CMB) between the Juehe River and the Haohe River in the southern region of Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, China, were investigated. The patterns and magnitudes of vertical hyporheic water exchange (VHWE) were estimated based on a one‐dimensional heat steady‐state model, whereas the sediment vertical hydraulic conductivity (K_v) was calculated via in situ permeameter tests. The results demonstrated that 6 hydrodynamic zones and their extensions were observed at the CMB during the test period. These zones were likely controlled by the obtuse junction angle and low momentum flux ratio, influencing the sediment grain size distribution of the CMB. The VHWE patterns at the test site during the test period mostly showed upwelling flow dominated by regional groundwater discharging into the river. The occurrence of longitudinal downwelling and upwelling patterns along the meander bend at the CMB was likely subjected to the comprehensive influences of the local sinuosity of the meander bend and regional groundwater discharge and finally formed regional and local flow paths. Additionally, in dominated upwelling areas, the change in VHWE magnitudes was nearly consistent with that in K_v values, and higher values of both variables generally occurred in erosional zones near the thalweg paths of the CMB, which were mostly made up of sand and gravel. This was potentially caused by the erosional and depositional processes subjected to confluence morphology. Furthermore, lower K_v values observed in downwelling areas at the CMB were attributed to sediment clogging caused by local downwelling flow. The confluence morphology and sediment K_v are thus likely the driving factors that cause local variations in the VHWE of fluvial systems.     

Weakness and mechanical anisotropy of phyllosilicate-rich cataclasites developed after mylonites of a low-angle normal fault (Simplon Line,Western Alps)

The Simplon Fault Zone is a late-collisional low-angle normal fault (LANF) of the Western Alps. The hanging wall shows evidence of brittle deformation only, while the footwall is characterized by a c. 1 km-thick shear zone (the Simplon Fault Zone), which continuously evolved, during exhumation and cooling, from amphibolite facies conditions to brittle-cataclastic deformations. Due to progressive localization of the active section of the shear zone, the thermal-rheological evolution of the footwall resulted in a layered structure, with higher temperature mylonites preserved at the periphery of the shear zone, and cataclasites occurring at the core (indicated as the Simplon Line). In order to investigate the weakness of the Simplon Line, we studied the evolution of brittle/cataclastic fault rocks, from nucleation to the most mature ones. Cataclasites are superposed on greenschist facies mylonites, and their nucleation can be studied at the periphery of the brittle fault zone. This is characterized by fractures, micro-faults and foliated ultracataclasite seams that develop along the mylonitic SCC′ fabric, exploiting the weak phases mainly represented by muscovite and chlorite. Approaching the fault core, both the thickness and frequency of cataclasite horizons increase, and, as their thickness increases, they become less and less foliated. The fault core itself is represented by a thicker non-foliated cataclasite horizon. No Andersonian faults or fractures can be found in the footwall damage zone and core zone, whilst they are present in the hanging wall and in the footwall further from the fault. Applying a stress model based on slip tendency, we have been able to calculate that the friction coefficient of the Simplon Line cataclasites was <0.25, hence this fault zone is absolutely weak. In contrast with other fault zones, the weakening effect of fluids was of secondary importance, since they accessed the fault zone only after an interconnected fracture network developed exploiting the cataclasite network.     

DEM simulations of methane hydrate exploitation by thermal recovery and depressurization methods

Methane hydrate (MH, also called fiery ice) exists in forms of pore filling, cementing and load-bearing skeleton in the methane hydrate bearing sediment (MHBS) and affects its mechanical behavior greatly. To study the changes of macro-scale and micro-scale mechanical behaviors of MHBS during exploitation by thermal recovery and depressurization methods, a novel 2D thermo-hydro-mechanical bonded contact model was proposed and implemented into a platform of distinct element method (DEM), PFC2D. MHBS samples were first biaxially compressed to different deviator stress levels to model different in-situ stress conditions. With the deviator stress maintained at constant, the temperature was then raised to simulate the thermal recovery process or the pore water pressure (i.e. confining pressure for MH bond) was decreased to simulate the depressurization process. DEM simulation results showed that: during exploitation, the axial strain increased with the increase of temperature (in the thermal recovery method) or decrease of pore water pressure (in the depressurization method); sample collapsed during MH dissociation if the deviator stress applied was larger than the compression strength of a pure host sand sample; sample experienced volume contraction but its void ratio was slightly larger than the pure host sand sample at the same axial strain throughout the test. By comparison with the laboratory test results, the new model was validated to be capable of reproducing the exploitation process by thermal recovery and depressurization methods. In addition, some micro-scale parameters, such as contact distribution, bond distribution, and averaged pure rotation rate, were also analyzed to investigate their relationships with the macroscopic responses.     

含AgI焰剂成冰性能与物化特征的实验研究

利用CAMS的1 m~3等温云室系统筛选出新型高效AgI焰剂WMC-IN-001和WMG-IN-002。检测结果表明,它们具有较高的成核率,在-15℃时达到10~(15)g~(-1)AgI量级,尤其在-7℃时WMC-IN-001的成核率仍可达到10~(14)g~(-1)AgI量级。同时给出对节银剂配方和2011年市场上主要的几种催化剂的检测结果进行对比。WMC-IN-001和WMC-IN-002的成冰速率较慢,在各检测温度的成冰速率差异较小,均在40~55 min。利用冷场发射扫描电镜和能谱仪对WMC-IN-001燃烧产生的气溶胶粒子作了物化特征分析,粒子分布在0.02~0.60μm,具有两个典型的模态:0.02~0.10μm的较小的粒子和0.20~0.55μm的较大的粒子,均立方直径为0.2472μm。WMC-IN-001气溶胶粒子明显偏大,小粒子相对较少,这可能是其成冰速率偏慢的原因之一。     

从平衡-封闭-静态转向非平衡-开放-动力学研究-热液矿床成因的若干新概念概述

热液金属矿床成因研究过程中,观测与实验始终是密切结合的。上世纪70年代,平衡热力学的实验数据的快速积累,使人们用热力学理论计算可以预测和反演矿石和岩石的成因。但是,没有矿物-水溶液的反应速率数据,又没有与流体力学的结合,搞清楚矿石成因是困难的。七、八十年代,开始研究矿物与水溶液的反应动力学实验。科学家们开始瞄准了从平衡-封闭-静态转向非平衡-开放-动力学研究的这个大方向。1992年我们建立地球化学动力学开放研究实验室。研究高温高压矿物与水反应速率,发现固液的开放体系的自组织现象。实验发现温度影响矿物的各个元素反应速率改变,发现在跨越水临界态时矿物与水反应速率涨落、在近临界的气-液两相不混溶区一些金属进入气相、超临界流体的氧化作用及特别的溶剂性能影响矿物溶解性质。实验证实:临界态区流体与矿石成因有关。水岩相互作用的反应动力学实验温度从低温到550度,揭示矿石的金属来源、迁移、金属与蚀变分带机制。一大批大于300度的矿物与水反应动力学实验在国际界是少有报道的。九十年代,超高压的科学发展,与同步辐射光源的技术进步的结合,使固体地球科学又迈向了地球深内部。我们发展了高温高压流体性质的原位直测(测量850℃水溶液)红外谱,发现深部流体的新性质:气液两相流体的新结构,在临界温度区(300~400℃),水分子氢键网络的破坏受压力影响不大(23MPa~3GPa),同时,出现水的高电导率。研发新仪器为开放-流动-非平衡的反应动力学实验与极端条件下物质性质的直接观测结合,在科学前沿领域开辟了创新道路。     

Determination of the factors governing soil erodibility using hyperspectral visible and near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy

Soil erodibility, which is difficult to estimate and upscaling, was determined in this study using multiple spectral models of soil properties (soil organic matter (SOM), water-stable aggregates (WSA) > 0.25 mm, the geometric mean radius (D_g)). Herein, the soil erodibility indicators were calculated, and soil properties were quantitatively analyzed based on laboratory simulation experiments involving two selected contrasting soils. In addition, continuous wavelet transformation was applied to the reflectance spectra (350–2500 nm) of 65 soil samples from the study area. To build the relationship, the soil properties that control erodibility were identified prior to the spectral analysis. In this study, the SOM, D_g and WSA >0.25 mm were selected to represent the most significant soil properties controlling erodibility and describe the erodibility indicator based on a logarithmic regression model as a function of SOM or WSA > 0.25 mm. Five, six and three wavelet features were observed to calibrate the estimated soil properties model, and the best performance was obtained with a combination feature regression model for SOM (R² = 0.86, p < 0.01), D_g (R² = 0.79, p < 0.01) and WSA >0.25 mm (R² = 0.61, p < 0.01), respectively. One part of the wavelet features captured amplitude variations in the broad shape of the reflectance spectra, and another part captured variations in the shape and depth of the soil dry substances. The wavelet features for the validated dataset used to predict the SOM, WSA >0.25 mm and D_g were not significantly different compared with the calibrated dataset. The synthesized spectral models of soil properties, and the formation of a new equation for soil erodibility transformed from the spectral models of soil properties are presented in this study. These results show that a spectral analytical approach can be applied to complex datasets and provide new insights into emerging dynamic variation with erodibility estimation.     

Re-parameterization of a quasi-analytical algorithm for colored dissolved organic matter dominant inland waters

Quasi-Analytical Algorithms (QAAs) are based on radiative transfer equations and have been used to derive inherent optical properties (IOPs) from the above surface remote sensing reflectance (R_rs) in aquatic systems in which phytoplankton is the dominant optically active constituents (OACs). However, Colored Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) and Non Algal Particles (NAP) can also be dominant OACs in water bodies and till now a QAA has not been parametrized for these aquatic systems. In this study, we compared the performance of three widely used QAAs in two CDOM dominated aquatic systems which were unsuccessful in retrieving the spectral shape of IOPS and produced minimum errors of 350% for the total absorption coefficient (a), 39% for colored dissolved matter absorption coefficient (a_CDM) and 7566.33% for phytoplankton absorption coefficient (a_phy). We re-parameterized a QAA for CDOM dominated (hereafter QAA_CDOM) waters which was able to not only achieve the spectral shape of the OACs absorption coefficients but also brought the error magnitude to a reasonable level. The average errors found for the 400–750 nm range were 30.71 and 14.51 for a, 14.89 and 8.95 for a_CDM and 25.90 and 29.76 for a_phy in Funil and Itumbiara Reservoirs, Brazil respectively. Although QAA_CDOM showed significant promise for retrieving IOPs in CDOM dominated waters, results indicated further tuning is needed in the estimation of a(λ) and a_phy(λ). Successful retrieval of the absorption coefficients by QAA_CDOM would be very useful in monitoring the spatio-temporal variability of IOPS in CDOM dominated waters.     

Arsenic and lead mobility: From tailing materials to the aqueous compartment

This study concerns the mineralogy of the tailings of a former Ag–Pb mine (Auzelles district, France) and the contribution of the waste materials to the heavy metal dissemination in the environment. Accumulation of metals in fish flesh was reported and this pollution is attributed to past mining activities. Tailings were studied to establish the major transfer schemes of As and Pb in order to understand their mobility that leads to contamination of a whole ecosystem. Mineralogical investigation, solubility and compliance tests were performed to assess the stability of the metal-bearing phases. Among the various metallic elements measured, As and Pb show the highest bulk concentrations (up to 0.7% and 6.3% respectively) especially for samples presenting near neutral pH values. According to X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM-EDX), Electron Probe Micro-Analysis (EPMA) and micro-Raman spectrometry (μRS), tailings mineralogy still contain primary minerals such as sulfides (e.g., galena, pyrite), phosphates (monazite, apatite) and/or carbonates (e.g., (hydro-)cerussite, dolomite, siderite). Sulfates (e.g., anglesite, lanarkite, plumbojarosite and beudantite) are the main secondary metal-bearing phases with other interesting phases accounting for metals mobility such as Fe and/or Pb and/or Mn oxides (e.g., lepidocrocite, goethite -up to 15 wt% of Pb was measured-, plumboferrite-type phase, mimetite). The lowest Pb solubilities were obtained at pH 8–9 and at a larger range than for As for which the lowest solubilities are reached around pH 6–7. At this minimum solubility pH value, Pb concentrations released still over exceed the National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS), whatever the samples. The highest solubility is reached at pH 2 for both elements whatever the considered sample. This represents up to 51% of total Pb and up to 46% of total As remobilized and concentrations exceeding the NEQS. As and Pb released mainly depends on the Fe/Mn oxides (e.g., goethite, lepidocrocite) and carbonates (cerussite) which are the less stable phases. Compliance tests also show that Pb concentrations released are higher than the upper limit for hazardous waste landfills. Determination of the mineralogy allows understanding both the solubility and leaching test experiments results, as well as to forecast the impact of the residues on the water quality at a mid-term scale.     

The variation of crustal stretching and different modes of rifting along the Australian southern continental margin

The southern margin of Australia is a passive continental margin, formed during a Late Jurassic–Cretaceous rifting phase. The development of this passive margin is mainly associated with extensional processes that caused crustal thinning. In this work, we have measured the amount of extension and the stretching factor (β factor) across seven transect profiles approximately evenly distributed across the margin. The obtained results show that the amount of extension and the β factor along the margin vary from west to east. The lowest amount of extension, low–intermediate β factors and a very narrow margin are observed in the western part with 80 km of extension and is underlain mostly by the Archean Yilgarn Craton and the Albany–Fraser Orogen. The Gawler Craton in the centre of the south Australian margin is another region of low extension and low–intermediate β factor. The largest amount of extension (384 km) and the largest β factor (β = 1.88) are found in the eastern part of the passive margin in an area underlain by Phanerozoic Tasman Orogen units. Our results imply that there is a strong control of the age and thickness of the continental lithosphere on the style of rifting along the Australian passive margin. Rifting of old and cold lithosphere results in a narrow passive margin, with the formation of relatively few faults with relatively wide spacing, while rifting of younger, warmer lithosphere leads to wide rifting that is accommodated by a large number of faults with small spacing.     

Magnetic properties of the remagnetized Middle-Ordovician limestones of the Ponón Trehué Formation (San Rafael Block,central-western Argentina): Insights into the Permian widespread Sanrafaelic overprint

The widespread Sanrafaelic remagnetization reset most of the early Cambrian to mid-Ordovician carbonate platform of the Argentine Precordillera and the calcareous units of the San Rafael Block. We conducted a detailed rock-magnetic study on the Middle-Ordovician limestones of the Ponón Trehué Formation at both limbs of a tight anticline exposed in the San Rafael Block (Mendoza province, central-western Argentina) that are carriers of a syntectonic magnetization of Permian age. We found that the magnetic overprint in the Ponón Trehué Formation is carried by both pyrrhotite and magnetite, with goethite and subordinate haematite likely related to weathering. Hysteresis parameters, frequency dependence of magnetic susceptibility, Cisowski and modified Lowrie-Fuller tests suggest the presence of ultrafine particles of chemical origin. Demagnetization of natural remanent magnetization and of three-axis isothermal remanence confirm pyrrhotite and magnetite as important contributors to the remanence. Both minerals carry the same magnetic syntectonic component suggesting a coeval or nearly coeval remanence acquisition and therefore mineral formation. This and the results of the magnetic fabric analyses indicate an authigenic origin of the magnetic minerals during folding associated with the Sanrafaelic tectonic phase (ca. 280 Ma). Although the chemically active (oxidizing?) fluids expelled from the orogen as it developed in the early Permian is a viable explanation for the Sanrafaelic remagnetization, the role of the nearly coeval magmatism in Precordillera and the San Rafael Block remains to be properly evaluated.