Use of mineral/solution equilibrium calculations to assess the potential for carnotite precipitation from groundwater in the Texas Panhandle,USA

This study investigated the potential for the uranium mineral carnotite (K₂(UO₂)₂(VO₄)₂·3H₂O) to precipitate from evaporating groundwater in the Texas Panhandle region of the United States. The evolution of groundwater chemistry during evaporation was modeled with the USGS geochemical code PHREEQC using water-quality data from 100 groundwater wells downloaded from the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) database. While most modeled groundwater compositions precipitated calcite upon evaporation, not all groundwater became saturated with respect to carnotite with the system open to CO₂. Thus, the formation of calcite is not a necessary condition for carnotite to form. Rather, the determining factor in achieving carnotite saturation was the evolution of groundwater chemistry during evaporation following calcite precipitation. Modeling in this study showed that if the initial major-ion groundwater composition was dominated by calcium-magnesium-sulfate (>70 precent Ca + Mg and >50 percent SO₄ + Cl) or calcium-magnesium-bicarbonate (>70 percent Ca + Mg and <70 percent HCO₃ + CO₃) and following the precipitation of calcite, the concentration of calcium was greater than the carbonate alkalinity (2mCa⁺² > mHCO₃⁻ + 2mCO₃⁻²) carnotite saturation was achieved. If, however, the initial major-ion groundwater composition is sodium-bicarbonate (varying amounts of Na, 40–100 percent Na), calcium-sodium-sulfate, or calcium-magnesium-bicarbonate composition (>70 percent HCO₃ + CO₃) and following the precipitation of calcite, the concentration of calcium was less than the carbonate alkalinity (2mCa⁺² < mHCO₃^- + 2mCO₃⁻²) carnotite saturation was not achieved. In systems open to CO_2, carnotite saturation occurred in most samples in evaporation amounts ranging from 95 percent to 99 percent with the partial pressure of CO₂ ranging from 10^−3.5 to 10^−2.5 atm. Carnotite saturation occurred in a few samples in evaporation amounts ranging from 98 percent to 99 percent with the partial pressure of CO₂ equal to 10^−2.0 atm. Carnotite saturation did not occur in any groundwater with the system closed to CO₂.     

昆明盐矿三维建模及溶通性分析

针对地下盐矿在开采过程中,随时可能会因为溶通状况的改变而发生坍塌地质灾害,本文利用矿山数字管理软件Quanty Mine,确定昆明盐矿的三维模型,以期监控盐矿开采不同阶段溶通的变化规律,为避免盐矿过度开采导致地质灾害的发生。     

三维高密度电阻率法在堤坝工程中的模拟试验

为检测堤坝中裂隙、洞穴及渗漏层等隐患的存在,利用三维高密度电阻率法对数字模型和物理模型建立的裂隙隐患进行探测,结果表明室内建立的物理模型在立体图和分层切片图中裂隙的形态有些变化,但其分布范围、位置与相对各自模型中实际的比例尺寸相差不大,说明数值模拟得出的结论可以为实际工程进行理论指导,具有一定的参考价值。     

层状边坡滑动边界强度参数取值方法研究

滑坡滑带土强度参数取值的准确性,决定了滑坡稳定性计算的可靠程度。因此获得准确、可靠的滑动边界强度参数至关重要。然而在实际情况中,由于取样位置试样的代表性,以及试样转运过程中保存条件的限制,现场所取得的滑带土在室内试验得到的强度参数已经不能完全反映真实环境下的抗剪强度。因此考虑软弱夹层、滑带土各种物理和力学指标间存在必然联系,并表现出特定的规律性,尝试通过试验,揭示指标间的关联规律,并建立了相关性好的关系式,据此评价滑动边界的抗剪强度参数。     

构造物理模拟和PIV有限应变分析对构造裂缝预测的启示

油气储层中构造裂缝发育与有限应变状态关系密切,为了探索有限应变分析与构造裂缝预测的新技术方法,此次研究设计完成了一组单侧挤压收敛模型的物理模拟实验,并引入粒子图像测速(PIV,Particle Image Velocimetry)技术对实验过程进行了定量化分析。实验模型在垂向上为含粘性层的多层结构,实验结果形成了一个肉眼可见的箱状褶皱。通过PIV技术可以获取实验模型变形演化过程中各阶段的位移场数据,计算出各阶段的增量应变,实现从初始状态到褶皱形成之后整个变形过程的有限应变分析,探讨构造裂缝成因机制和分布规律,进行定量化裂缝预测。挤压变形过程初期,应变分布范围很广,有限应变较弱(约4%~8%),在挤压方向上的线应变表现为弱压应变,在垂向上的线应变表现为弱张应变,这种现象是褶皱和断层产生前平行层缩短和层增厚的纯剪变形结果,也是区域型张裂缝和剪裂缝形成的主要机制。褶皱和断层即将发育之时至发育之后,应变局限在断层发育的剪切带及附近区域,有限应变表现为较强(达20%)的剪切应变和剪切张应变,是断层面附近简单剪切变形作用的结果,也是局部型剪裂缝和张剪裂缝形成的主要机制。     

Hydrographic Vertical Separation Surfaces (HyVSEPs) for the Tidal Waters of Canada

Since the advent of Global Navigation Satellite Systems, it has been possible to perform hydrographic survey reductions through the ellipsoid, which has the potential to simplify operations and improve bathymetric products. This technique requires a spatially continuous separation surface connecting chart datum (CD) to a geodetic ellipsoid. The Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS), with support from the Canadian Geodetic Survey, has developed a new suite of such surfaces, termed Hydrographic Vertical Separations Surfaces, or HyVSEPs, for CD and seven tidal levels. They capture the spatial variability of the tidal datum and levels between tide gauges and offshore using semiempirical models coupling observations at tide stations with relative sea-level rise estimates, dynamic ocean model solutions, satellite altimetry, and a geoid model. HyVSEPs are available for all tidal waters of Canada, covering over seven million square kilometers of ocean and more than 200,000 kilometers of shoreline. This document provides an overview of the CHS's modeling approach, tools, methods, and procedures.

The HyVSEP for CD defines the new hydrographic datum for the tidal waters of Canada. HyVSEPs for other tidal levels are fundamental for coastal studies, climate change adaptation and the definition of the Canadian shoreline and offshore boundaries. HyVSEPs for inland waters are not discussed.     

Ocean currents determine functional connectivity in an Antarctic deep‐sea shrimp

The coherency among larval stages of marine taxa, ocean currents and population connectivity is still subject to discussion. A common view is that organisms with pelagic larval stages have higher dispersal abilities and therefore show a relatively homogeneous population genetic structure. Contrary to this, local genetic differentiation is assumed for many benthic direct developers. Specific larval or adult migratory behavior and hydrographic effects may significantly influence distribution patterns, rather than passive drifting abilities alone. The Southern Ocean is an ideal environment to test for the effects of ocean currents on population connectivity as it is characterized by several well‐defined and strong isolating current systems. In this study we studied the genetic structure of the decapod deep‐sea shrimp Nematocarcinus lanceopes, which has planktotrophic larval stages. We analysed 194 individuals from different sample localities around the Antarctic continent using nine microsatellite markers. Consistent with a previous study based on mitochondrial DNA markers, primarily weak genetic patterns among N. lanceopes populations around the continent were found. Using ocean resistance modeling approaches we were able to show that subtle genetic differences among populations are more likely explained by ocean currents rather than by geographic distance for the Atlantic Sector of the Southern Ocean.     

Numerical simulation of groundwater and early warnings from the simulated dynamic evolution trend in the plain area of Shenyang,Liaoning Province (P.R. China)

Groundwater level is the most direct factor reflecting whether groundwater is in a virtuous cycle. It is the most important benchmark for deciding whether a balance can be struck between groundwater discharge and recharge and whether groundwater exploitation will trigger problems pertinent to environment, ecology and environmental geology. According to the borehole and long-term monitoring wells data in the plain area of Shenyang, a numerical groundwater model is established and used to identify and verify the hydrogeological parameters and balanced items of groundwater. Then the concept of red line levels, the control levels of groundwater is proposed, the dynamic evolution trend of groundwater under different scenarios is analyzed and predicted and groundwater alerts are given when groundwater tables are not between the lower limit and the upper limit. Results indicated: (1) The results of identification and verification period fitted well, and the calculation accuracy of balanced items was high; (2) with the implementation of shutting wells, groundwater levels in urban areas of Shenyang would exceed the upper limit water level after 2020 and incur some secondary disasters; (3) under the recommended scenario of water resources allocation, early-warnings for groundwater tables outside the range would occur in the year of 2020, 2023, 2025 respectively for successive wet, normal and dry years. It was imperative to reopen some groundwater sources and enhance real-time supervision and early-warning to prevent the occurrence of potential problems.     

Land-surface segmentation as a method to create strata for spatial sampling and its potential for digital soil mapping

Sampling efforts are constrained by limited availability of resources. Therefore, methods to reduce the number of samples, while still achieving reasonable accuracy are needed. Land-surface segmentation (LSS) has proven a powerful technique to partition digital elevation models (DEMs) and their derivatives into relatively homogeneous areas, which can be further employed as support in soil sampling. Though topography is one of the main soil forming factors, a robust assessment of the potential of this technique to digital soil mapping (DSM) is still missing. In this study, we aimed at evaluating the potential of LSS in stratifying a landscape into relatively homogeneous areas, which can be used as strata for guiding the selection of sampling points in DSM. The experiments were carried out in two study areas where soil samples were available. Land-surface derivatives were derived from DEMs and segmented with a tool based on the multiresolution segmentation algorithm, into objects considered as homogeneous soil-landscape divisions. Thus, one sample was randomly selected within each segment from the existing sample data, based on which predictions of soil classes/sub-orders and properties, i.e. soil texture and A-horizon thickness, were made. Results were compared with predictions based on simple random sampling (SRS) and conditioned Latin hypercube (cLHS). The segmentation-based sampling (SBS) scheme performed better than SRS and cLHS schemes in predicting the A-horizon thickness, soil texture fractions and soil classes, showing a high potential of LSS in stratifying a landscape for the purposes of DSM. The novelty of this study is in the way strata are constructed, rather than in the sampling design itself. Further research is needed to demonstrate the value of a SBS design for practical use. The analyses presented here further highlight the importance of considering locally adaptive techniques in optimization of sampling schemes and predictions of soil properties.