U–U–Th disequilibria and timescale of sedimentary transfers in rivers: Clues from the Gangetic plain rivers

This study uses ²³⁸U–²³⁴U–²³⁰Th disequilibria in river sediments in order to constrain the transfer times of sediments in alluvial plains of rivers from Himalaya and the Gangetic plain. From the observed distributions we infer sediment transfer times of about 100 ka in the Gangetic plain for rivers taking their source in the Himalayan chain, and longer transfer of about 160–250 ka for foothill-fed rivers. This difference is probably related to the difference in the sediment transport dynamics of these two types of rivers.     

Deformation of a modern alluvial plain

The alluvial plain of the Waal River (The Netherlands), over 4000 m², showed large flow-lobe like structures after it had fallen dry following floodings. The upstream-directed parabola-shaped folds had mutual distances from < 1 m to about 10 m and amplitudes of up to a few decimeters. The deformation is ascribed to a rare coincidence of hydrological, topographic, and weather conditions. Local high-energy currents developed opposite to the main river current direction, dragging the top layer along over several meters. A drilled section indicates that no true detachment plane but rather a detachment zone is present. Similar structures formed under comparable conditions have not been described previously in the literature.     

Petrogenesis of the Sabongari alkaline complex,cameroon line (central Africa): Preliminary petrological and geochemical constraints

The petrography, mineral chemistry and geochemical features of the Sabongari alkaline complex are presented and discussed in this paper with the aim of constraining its petrogenesis and comparing it with other alkaline complexes of the Cameroon Line. The complex is mainly made up of felsic rocks: (i) granites predominate and include pyroxene–amphibole (the most abundant), amphibole–biotite, biotite and pyroxene types; (ii) syenites are subordinate and comprise amphibole–pyroxene and amphibole–biotite quartz syenites; (iii) pyroxene–amphibole–biotite trachyte and (iv) relatively abundant rhyolite. The minor basic and intermediate terms associated with felsic rocks consist of basanites, microdiorite and monzodioites. Two groups of pyroxene bearing rocks are distinguished: a basanite–trachyte–granite (Group 1) bimodal series (SiO₂ gap: 44 and 63 wt.%) and a basanite–microdiorite–monzodiorite–syenite–granite (Group 2) less pronounced bimodal series (reduced SiO₂ gap: 56–67 wt.%). Both are metaluminous to peralkaline whereas felsic rocks bare of pyroxene (Group 3) are metaluminous to peraluminous. The Group 1 basanite is SiO₂-undersaturated (modal analcite in the groundmass and 11.04 wt.% normative nepheline); its Ni (240 ppm) and Cr (450 ppm) contents, near mantle values, indicate its most primitive character. The Group 2 basanite is rather slightly SiO₂-saturated (1.56 wt.% normative hypersthene), a marker of its high crustal contamination (low Nb/Y-high Rb/Y). The La/Yb and Gd/Yb values of both basanites (1: 19.47 and 2.92; 2: 9.09 and 2.23) suggest their common parental magma composition, and their crystallization through two episodes of partial melting (2% and 3% respectively) of a lherzolite mantle source with <4% residual garnet. The effects of crustal contamination were selectively felt in the values of HFSE/LREE, LREE/LILE and LREE/HFSE ratios, known as indicators. Similar features have been recently obtained in the felsic lavas of the Cameroon Volcanic Line.     

华北冬小麦—夏玉米两熟区干旱特征分析

研究华北冬小麦—夏玉米主要生长季的干旱时空特征,可为全球气候变暖背景下制定抗旱减灾对策提供理论依据。利用华北5省（市）64个气象台站1961——2010年逐日降水资料,以降水负距平或降水量表征的干旱指标,通过经验正交分解法提取了冬小麦、夏玉米全生育期和关键生长阶段的特征向量和时间系数,分析了干旱频率、站次比及干旱强度的变化特征,并通过构建冬小麦夏玉米轮作期综合干旱指数,探讨了华北地区农业干旱的总体状况。结果表明：EOF分解的前4个模态提取了60%以上作物干旱的主要时空分布信息,冬小麦主要生长季收敛效果优于夏玉米;冬小麦全生育期、苗期及拔节—抽穗期干旱的高强度中心主要分布在冀中南、豫北及鲁西北地区,而灌浆—成熟期干旱则以豫东为中心;夏玉米全生育期干旱的高强度中心主要位于冀南和鲁北地区,初夏旱以冀北大部为高强度区,而卡脖旱以豫西和鲁南为高强度区。从时间系数和区域干旱强度及站次比的时间变化趋势看,冬小麦全生育期干旱、灌浆—成熟期干旱及夏玉米初夏旱、卡脖旱均表现为递减趋势,但未通过显著性检验,而冬小麦播种期、拔节—抽穗期干旱,以及夏玉米全生育期干旱为不显著的递增趋势。整个冬小麦—夏玉米轮作期干旱威胁较高的地区主要位于京津局部、冀中南、豫北和鲁北等地区。     

Hydrological characteristics of groundwater in a subtropical coastal plain with large variations in salinity: Pimpama,Queensland, Australia

Abstract

The Pimpama coastal plain is situated in southern Moreton Bay, in subtropical eastern Australia. The plain is low lying and tidal and is situated behind a large sand barrier island. Largely due to recent (30 years) drainage networks within the flood plain, surface water quality has declined. Groundwater hydrographs have enabled the determination of different flow systems: a deeper system responding to seasonal weather patterns and a shallower flow system more responsive to individual rainfall events. Elevated potentiometric heads in semi-confined aquifers reflect upward movement of saline to hypersaline groundwaters. However, interaction of this deeper groundwater with shallower groundwater and the surface drains is yet to be determined. Recharge to the shallower system is by direct infiltration while recharge to the deeper system includes a component from landward ranges or bedrock outcrops within the plain. Discrimination between groundwater bodies is possible using salinity, ionic ratios and stable isotopes. Features of groundwater hydrology, the distribution of salinity and variations in water chemistry all suggest that under current conditions infiltration has increased, plus there is a greater landward migration of groundwaters of marine origin.     

Deciphering groundwater flow between the Complex Terminal and Plio-Quaternary aquifers in Chott Gharsa plain (southwestern Tunisia) using isotopic and chemical tools

Abstract

The Complex Terminal (CT) and Plio-Quaternary (P-Q) aquifers in the Chott Gharsa plain in southwestern Tunisia have been investigated with the aid of chemical and isotopic tools. It has been demonstrated that groundwater from the CT is mainly of palaeo-origin, especially in the western and central parts of the plain where the most negative values of δ¹⁸O and δ²H were observed (between??8.1 and??7.6‰ for δ¹⁸O, and??60 to??57‰ for δ²H), combined with low concentrations of radiocarbon (6.8–7.5 pmc) and absence of tritium. Modern recharge of the aquifer occurs only in the eastern part of the system where younger waters were observed, as indicated by their stable isotope composition, relatively high radiocarbon content and presence of tritium. Groundwater from the P-Q multi-layer aquifer represents mixtures of ascending deep CT waters and modern water recharging the P-Q aquifer system. Isotope mass balance was used to quantify mixing proportions. The calculations showed that the contribution of deep CT groundwater to the P-Q aquifer system reaches about 75% in the western and central parts of the plain where the CT aquifer remains strongly artesian. This contribution decreases to about 15% towards the eastern part of the plain, as a consequence of significant reduction of artesian pressure in this area of the CT aquifer. Chemical data suggest that mineralization of the studied groundwater systems is controlled mainly by dissolution of evaporative minerals (halite, anhydrite and gypsum) and cation exchange reactions with the matrix, possibly enhanced by recent anthropogenic disturbance of the system caused by lowering of the water table due to heavy exploitation and return flow of saline irrigation water into the P-Q aquifer.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor E. Custodio

Citation Yangui, H., Abidi, I., Zouari, K., and Rozanski, K., 2012. Deciphering groundwater flow between the Complex Terminal and Plio-Quaternary aquifers in Chott Gharsa plain (southwestern Tunisia) using isotopic and chemical tools. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 57 (5), 967–984.     

Application of the water table fluctuation method to characterize groundwater recharge in the Pampa plain,Argentina

Abstract

The water table fluctuation (WTF) method is based on accepting that rises of a water table are due to recharge water reaching the groundwater. To apply the method, an estimate of the specific yield of the zone of fluctuation of the groundwater level is required. In this paper, a method for estimation of the specific yield (S_y) is proposed; it consists of a graphical procedure which relates rises in groundwater level to the precipitation from which they originated. The method presents more reliable S_y values as the number of events measured increases. Eighteen years of daily measurements were analysed to obtain a S_y value of 0.09, which was used to apply the WTF method. The obtained recharge values show consistency with values calculated by other authors for the same region.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis

Citation Varni, M., Comas, R., Weinzettel, P., and Dietrich, S., 2013. Application of water table fluctuation method to characterize the groundwater recharge in the Pampa plain, Argentina. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (7), 1445–1455.     

黄河银川平原段河床沉积速率变化特征

黄河银川平原河段近几十年来面临较大的洪灾威胁,几次大洪水造成了很大的经济损失,人们常常将这归结为黄河上游修建大坝导致该河段河床沉积增强所引起的结果。为了分析该河段河床的沉积速率的历史变化特征,用地质尺度时段平均方法、90万年以来不同时段的相关性分析方法以及当前河道断面实测方法分别对其沉积速率进行了估算。结果表明,相关性分析方法中的脉冲函数关系可以很好地估算其历史沉积速率的变化趋势,并且自距今90万年以来其沉积速率大致具有增大的趋势,在2万年左右达到峰值3.43 cm/a;自距今2万年以来其沉积速率有减小的趋势;根据该关系式估算的目前河床沉积速率数值为0.51 cm/a,这与河道断面实测方法估算的该河段河床的平均沉积速率为0.3 cm/a比较接近。显然,该河段的现代河床沉积速率远小于历史上最高的沉积速率,近年来水土保持、大坝建设等人类活动使得进入银川平原河段的粗泥沙明显减少,从而降低了该河段的河床沉积速率。     

Controls on large‐scale patterns of fluvial sandbody distribution in alluvial to coastal plain strata: Upper Cretaceous Blackhawk Formation,Wasatch Plateau,Central Utah,USA

Current models of alluvial to coastal plain stratigraphy are concept‐driven and focus on relative sea‐level as an allogenic control. These models are tested herein using data from a large (ca 100 km long and 300 m thick), continuous outcrop belt (Upper Cretaceous Blackhawk Formation, central Utah, USA). Many channelized fluvial sandbodies in the Blackhawk Formation have a multilateral and multistorey internal character, and they generally increase in size and abundance (from ca 10% to ca 30% of the strata) from base to top of the formation. These regional, low‐resolution trends exhibit much local variation, but are interpreted to reflect progressively decreasing tectonic subsidence in the upper Blackhawk Formation and overlying Castlegate Sandstone. The trend may also incorporate progressively more frequent channel avulsion during deposition of the lower Blackhawk Formation. Laterally extensive coal zones formed on the coastal plain during shallow‐marine transgressions, and define the high‐resolution stratigraphic framework of the lower Blackhawk Formation. Large (up to 25 m thick and 1 to 6 km wide), multistorey, multilateral, fluvial channel‐complex sandbodies that overlie composite erosion surfaces occur at distinct stratigraphic levels, and are interpreted as fluvial incised valley fills. Low amplitude (<30 m) relative sea‐level variations are interpreted as the dominant control on stratigraphic architecture in the lower Blackhawk Formation, which was deposited up to 50 km inland from the coeval shoreline. In contrast, the high‐resolution stratigraphy of the upper Blackhawk Formation is poorly defined, and channelized fluvial sandbodies are poorly organized. Vertical and laterally offset stacking of a small proportion (<10%) of sandbodies produced ‘clusters’ that are not confined by ‘master’ erosion surfaces. Avulsion is interpreted to dominate the stratigraphic architecture of the upper Blackhawk Formation. This data‐driven analysis indicates that alluvial to coastal plain stratigraphic architecture reflects a combination of various allogenic controls and autogenic behaviours. The relative sea‐level control emphasized in sequence stratigraphic models is only rarely dominant.     

Assessment of Groundwater Source of Piedmont Plain Area of China Northwest Arid Region Based On Numerical Modeling

正After the middle of 1960s,along with the appearance and extensive utilization of computer featured in large capacity and rapid speed,numerical method(mainly include finite difference method and finite element