Ratios of stable carbon isotopes in some High Arctic plants and lake sediments

¹³C/¹²C ratios for a number of High Arctic vascular plants (51 determinations), mosses (11), and freshwater algae (11) show considerable variation, particularly among the freshwater algae (range from-6.9 to -36.3). In some cases the stable carbon ratios on modern and fossil materials provide guidance as to whether marine waters formerly occupied a given pond or lake basin. In other cases the ¹³C values for algae collected along the present-day shore of a pond or lake bear no relation to the values obtained on constituents preserved within the bottom sediments, suggesting that major changes have occurred in the last few thousand years.Geological Survey of Canada Contribution No. 17291. Contribution No. 41 from the Cape Herschel Project.     

弹性波的三维有限元模拟

本文讨论了弹性波瞬态传播问题的三维有限元计算方法及当前存在的实际困难.针对要求计算机内存大和计算时间长的问题,采取了改进措施.由于采用了集中质量矩阵和修正的中心差分时间积分显格式相结合的方法,可以使计算机内存和计算时间大为减少;由于采用结点定位法,最适合用于目前发展的并行计算机系统,可使计算速度大大增快;还采用了有效激发震源法,有效激发区是随时间步进的增加而逐步增大,这不仅能节省计算时间,而且使波场的传播过程一目了然,本文计算了由两种介质组成的三维楔形问题,得到若干典型剖面的瞬时波场图及随时间变化的合成地震图.     

The hydrogeochemistry of methane: Evidence from English groundwaters

The presence of methane (CH₄) in groundwater is usually only noticed when it rises to high concentrations; to date rather little is known about its production or natural ‘baseline’ conditions. Evidence from a range of non-polluted groundwater environments in England, including water supply aquifers, aquicludes and thermal waters, reveals that CH₄ is almost always detectable, even in aerobic conditions. Measurements of potable waters from Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic carbonate and sandstone aquifers reveal CH₄ concentrations of up to 500 μg/l, but a mean value of < 10 μg/l. However, aquiclude and thermal waters from the Carboniferous and Triassic typically contain in excess of 1500 μg/l. Such high concentrations have so far only been found at redox (Eh) potentials below 0 mV, but in general CH₄ concentration and Eh value are poorly correlated. This suggests a lack of thermodynamic equilibrium, which is confirmed by comparing pe values calculated from the redox couple C(4)/C(− 4) with those derived from Eh. Genesis of CH₄ appears to occur on two timescales: a rapid if low rate of production from labile carbon in anaerobic microsites in the soil, and a much longer, millennium scale of production from more refractory carbon. Methane is rarely measured in groundwater; there is no single ionic determinand which acts universally as a proxy, but a combination of high HCO₃ and low SO₄ concentrations, or the reverse, is an indication that high amounts of CH₄ may be present.     

Carbon, sulfur and O2 across the Permian–Triassic boundary

A model for the carbon and sulfur cycles across the Permian–Triassic boundary has been constructed from carbon and sulfur isotopic data. Results indicate a drop in global organic matter burial, the formation of an anoxic deep ocean, and a large drop in atmospheric oxygen over the time span 270 to 240 Ma. Much of these changes were probably due to a drop in terrestrial productivity and preservation and an increase in global aridity.     

Can stable isotopes be used to monitor landfill leachate impact on surface waters?

Bacterially mediated methanogenesis in municipal solid waste landfills has been shown to cause an enrichment of carbon stable isotope ratios of dissolved inorganic carbon and hydrogen stable isotope ratios of water in landfill leachate. In the present study, we investigate the universality of this enrichment in leachate obtained from four diverse landfill sites in New Zealand. At each site, surface water samples upstream and downstream of landfills were analysed to examine the applicability of stable isotope ratios as a tool for monitoring leachate contamination in landfill-associated streams. The design of leachate collection systems, operational history, and landfill location appeared to strongly influence leachate isotopic values and the effectiveness of isotope ratios as an environmental monitoring tool for surface water.     

Weathering and climate change since l820 AD in Hoh Xil, Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, China——Evidence from element geochemistry of lake sediments of Gulug Co Lake

Element geochemistry of lake sediments has been widely used to detect climate change because element composition and ratios can reflect the weathering degree in the source area. Given the dement composition of lake sediments from Gulug Co Lake, Hoh Xil, Qing- hai-Xizang Plateau, chemical index of alteration （CIA）, index of composition variability （ICV） and other element ratios have been used to establish the weathering sequence of this area since 1820 AD. The weathering is so weak that the element composition change is more sensitive to climate change and autochthonous processes. From 1820 to 1984 AD, there were two drier periods with a wetter interval from 1870 to 1945 AD. After 1984 the weather showed a tendency of becoming wet.     

Determination of potential hazardous elements in Can coals （Canakkale- Turkey）-I

It is known that the increasing use of coal as an energy source led to the growing environmental and health problems. But comprehensive knowledge of coal quality parameters may help to reduce some of these problems. The Canakkale-Can coalfield is located in the western part of Turkey, whose reserves are estimated at 69.3 billion tons, mainly used in the industry in the neighboring areas, specifically for the Can Thermal Power Plant. The aim of this study is to determine the coal quality parameters and examine the origin and distributions of potentially toxic trace elements in lignite which may produce environmental and health hazards in the area. The coal samples were collected from different parts of the coalfield in Can. Proximate and ultimate analyses, sulfur form analyses, X-ray powder diffraction （XRD）, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry （ICP-MS）, and scanning electron microscopy （SEM） were performed on those samples to determine the geochemical profile of hazardous elements.     

Elements pollution in the extremely high tumor risk residents in Chaoshan littoral, southern China

Background ＆ aim： To investigate and analyze the elements pollution in the extremely high tumor risks residents in the Chaoshan littoral, southern China. Methods： 19 elements including Cr, Mn, Ni, Sr, Pb, Zn, Co, Sn, Th, Tl, Se, Hg, Cu, Mo, Cd, Sb, U, Ge, As, and Al were measured from 145 hair samples of residents from the high-risk Nanao Island （mortality of cancer 173-156/106 in recent 30 years）, Shantou high-risk village （mortality of cancer 230.4/106 in recent three years）, and two controls Shanwei （mortality of cancer 32/106 in 1970s） and Meizhou Hakka （incidence of cancer 103/106 ） using AAS, AFS, ICP-MS methods collaborated with Beijing University. And 21 samples of water, 18 samples office from the Nanao Island, Shantou high-risk village, and other low-risk controls were measured using the same methods. Results： The element analysis showed that levels of CD, PB in the Shantou high-risk village were the highest, Hg, MN, SR, SB, TH, U on the Nanao Island were the highest in hairs. Conclusions： It is indicated that there occurred elements pollution among the local high-risk population.     

用于砾石夹层钻进的新型PDC钻头的研制与使用

无压浸渍工艺生产的PDC石油钻头钻遇砾石夹层不适应。根据砾石夹层砾石坚硬、软硬互层、非均质、研磨性强的特点，研究了新型PDC钻头，在钻头结构上主要采取外抛内锥带辅助切削齿的结构形式，在复合片上主要采用非平面结合方式，即采用双向多条直槽非平面结合。按此方案设计与生产了3只钻头，分别在3口井试用，直接钻穿砾石夹层馆陶组地层井段，钻井效率提高26%，突破了砾石夹层钻进不能使用PDC钻头的禁区。     

Discrete numerical modelling of rockfill dams

The aim of this study is to obtain quantitative information on the behaviour of rockfill used in embankment dams, and particularly on the influence of block breakage on the displacement field, from a numerical analysis using the Distinct element method. A methodology is set up to define the resistance of the 2D particles so that the same probability of breaking blocks may be reproduced as in a 3D material. The model uses the discrete element code PFC^2D (Itasca Consulting Group Inc., PFC2D (Particle Flow Code in Two Dimensions), Version 3.0, 2002) and considers breakable clusters of 2D balls. The different parameters are determined from experimental data obtained from laboratory tests performed on rock blocks. The model is validated by comparing the results of the simulation of shearing tests with actual triaxial tests on rockfill material published in the literature. The numerical analysis of block crushing in an actual dam is proposed in the last part of this paper. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.