Assessing the impact of modern recharge on a sandstone aquifer beneath a suburb of Doncaster, UK

A major water quality issue in urban areas underlain by a productive aquifer is the impact of modern recharge. Using a variety of sample sources including multi-level boreholes, detectable concentrations of CFCs and SF₆ have been found throughout the upper 50 m of the saturated aquifer beneath a suburb of Doncaster, UK, indicating that modern (<50-year old) recharge has penetrated to at least this depth. Additional support for this deep penetration is provided by the detection of sulphite-reducing clostridia and faecal streptococci. Despite the upper aquifer being a poorly cemented sandstone, the residence time indicators suggest that some modern recharge is travelling via fracture systems in addition to that moving down by simple piston flow. However, the overall impact of 80 years of steady urbanisation on water quality in the aquifer beneath this suburb has in general been limited. This is attributed to a combination of factors including previous land use, dilution by direct recharge of rainfall through green-space areas including gardens, and locally high storage in the friable upper aquifer.     

Responses of differences in iron and manganese partitioning patterns within and among organs on legume biomass in limestone and sandstone areas

In consideration of the poor correlation between soil and plant nutrient levels, biogeochemists often focus on nutrient stoichiometry, which is mostly used in ecology to indicate the limitation of nutrients in environments. The previous work indicated that the studies of nutrient cycles must go beyond linkage between environmental conditions and plant nutrient concentrations to consider plant internal processes such as growth and nutrient stoichiometry. The plant species composition in calcareous soils with higher pH, generally to be considered P-limited conditions, is expected to differ from that in acidic soils. Many vascular plant species are unable to colonize limestone soils. Thus, floristic composition and soil properties of adjacent limestone and sandstone altitudinal gradients differ greatly in Southwest China. Until now, mechanisms regulating this differing ability of plants to colonize limestone sites have not been elucidated. It is reported that the inability of many plants to establish in limestone sites seems to be related to a low capacity of such plants to solubilize phosphate from these soils. It is reported that the toxicity of manganese and the deficiency of iron were also closely correlated with floristic compositions. We focus on whether similar trends of nutrient distributions occur across different experimental plots during legume growing,     

From Micro to Meso: an exercise in determining hydraulic conductivity of fractured sandstone cores from detailed characterization of the fractures

Hydraulic conductivities of fractured sandstone bore cores of 0.1 m in diameter are calculated using detailed characterization of the fracture geometry parameters determined using a resin casting technique. The accuracy of the measurements was about  0.25–1.25 μm  with the image size used. The values of the effective fracture apertures vary between 10 μm and 50 μm. For modelling purposes the samples are sectioned serially, perpendicular to the flow direction along the cylinder axis. The hydraulic conductivity of individual slices is estimated by summing the contribution of the matrix (assumed uniform) and each fracture (depending on its length and aperture). Finally, the hydraulic conductivity of the bulk sample is estimated by a harmonic average in series along the flow path. Results of this geometrical upscaling compare favourably with actual conductivity measured in hydraulic and pneumatic experiments carried out prior to sectioning. This study shows that the determination of larger-scale conductivity can be achieved, based on the evaluation of fracture geometry parameters (e.g. fracture aperture, fracture width and fracture length), measured using an optical method, at least at the laboratory scale.     

Experimental Investigation into the Scale Dependence of Fluid Transport in Heterogeneous Rocks

We investigated the dependence of hydraulic properties on the spatial scale of intrinsic and artificial heterogeneity, applying harmonic pore pressure testing to two varieties of Fontainebleau sandstone at various periods and effective pressures. Blocks with porosities of about 5 and 8% were chosen exhibiting a permeability of about 2·10⁻¹⁹ and 1·10⁻¹³ m², respectively. The permeability of the less permeable variety strongly depends on sample size. Artificial heterogeneous rock samples were prepared by stacking pieces of the two sandstone varieties perpendicular and parallel to the main flow direction. The perturbation of the fluid flow owing to the interfaces between pieces of the same variety is controlled by the orientation of and subordinately by the effective stress on the interfaces. Constraints on conduit geometry derived from the effect of interfaces indicate that interconnectivity is more important than pore radius at the lower porosity. The effective permeability of alternating stacks of the two varieties differs tremendously for the two interface orientations; arithmetic and harmonic averages coincide with the effective properties parallel and perpendicular to the main flow, respectively. When the oscillation period is varied two regimes are observed, one with constant permeability at long periods and a second with decreasing permeability for decreasing period at short periods. Order of magnitude considerations of penetration depth suggest that this period dependence may be related to heterogeneity.     

210Po法在东胜地区砂岩型铀矿探测中的应用

东胜地区是当前地浸砂岩型铀矿找矿的热点地区之一,该地区覆盖层较厚,适宜于开展攻深能力较强的氡及其子体方法,本文扼要介绍了210Po法测量原理、工作方法和应用效果。通过对东胜地区地浸砂岩型铀矿探测中的应用研究,得出210Po测量结果形成的曲线在矿体上为低值异常,而在矿体两端呈高值异常。通过U-Ra平衡系数、氡的运移、粒子的反冲、团簇效应等对其进行了解释,说明了该方法应用的有效性。     

砂岩的主量元素特征与盆地物源分析

一定的砂岩地球化学特征对应于特定的源区和构造环境,利用主量元素图解可以进行盆地物源分析。在前人大量研究的基础上,笔者选择性收集了不同构造背景的569个主量元素数据,共分为70套平均值,根据来源文献划分出克拉通内部、陆缘弧、碰撞造山带、大陆岛弧和大洋岛弧5种源区和构造环境。综合分析砂岩主量元素之间的相关性,利用整体及不同源区构造背景下元素间相关系数,得到5个主元素氧化物组合:SiO2、Al2O3 FeOT、K2O Na2O、MnO TiO2和MgO CaO;且建立了应用于5种源区判别的(Al2O3 FeOT)/(Na2O K2O)—SiO2/(MnO TiO2)/100—MgO CaO三角图解。对收集的数据进行判别方程分析得到与SiO2、CaO、MgO、FeOT、K2O、MnO、Al2O3、Na2O和TiO2相关的判别方程F1和F2,并进行F1-F2双变量物源构造环境图解判别。根据主元素对砂岩碎屑组分的反映,利用主元素摩尔含量分析石英、长石和基性岩屑矿物在砂岩中的含量,进而对源区进行约束。所建立的Qel—Fel—Lel图解既反映了主量元素对砂岩物源和构造背景的判别,也近似地表现出相应环境下砂岩的碎屑组成。     

Provenance of Jurassic accretionary complex: Mino terrane, inner zone of south-west Japan – implications for palaeogeography of eastern Asia

Provenance and tectonic history of the Jurassic accretionary complex, Mino terrane, located in the Inner Zone of south‐west Japan, were studied using sandstone framework composition and mudrock geochemistry. Modal analysis of sandstones shows that the tectonic setting of the source area for the studied Mino terrane clastic rocks was uplifted basement, largely dominated by high‐grade metamorphic terrain composed of quartz and feldspar, especially plagioclase. The textural and mineralogical immaturity, extent of alkali and alkaline earth element leaching, low chemical index of alteration values and depleted rare earth element (REE) contents suggest rapid uplift and erosion within the source terrain and a relatively weak weathering intensity. Factor analysis revealed that grain‐size effects governed compositional heterogeneity in the studied sediments. Provenance of the sediments is interpreted as being plagioclase‐enriched felsic basement rock, such as granodiorite, within a continental margin and evolved arc tectonic setting rather than active volcanic arc. Lack of a contribution from active volcanic arcs may have resulted from the cessation of volcanism during the reorganization of the subducting plate system and/or erosion of arc volcanics and exposure of basement. Considering the previous studies on palaeogeography and palaeocurrent reconstruction, the north‐eastern part of the Yeongnam massif in the Korean Peninsula is interpreted as the most probable source area for the studied turbidites. The results of mixing calculation for Mino terrane sediments suggest that Precambrian leucocratic granite and the basement rock of the Cretaceous Gyeongsang Basin shed large amounts of sediments to the Mino trench, whilst Precambrian granitic gneiss and the Triassic pluton supplied lesser amounts. The results of this study reveal that, although active subduction–accretion processes were occurring, the Mino trench was bordered by continental basement rocks. This knowledge contributes to enhanced understanding of the Jurassic palaeogeography of the east Asia continental margin.     

油层出砂机理研究综述

油藏开发中出砂问题是影响产能的重要因素,了解油藏出砂机理对有效控制出砂以及选择合理的防砂方法具有重要意义.综合国内外文献及大量实例认为,地质因素和油田开发工程因素是影响油层出砂的2大因素.进一步分析油层出砂的力学机理,将油层出砂的力学机理分为剪切破坏和拉伸破坏两类.研究成果对进一步研究油层出砂机理及改善防砂工艺措施具有重要的意义.     

四种地化方法在一座可地浸砂岩铀矿床上的初试

铀是一种能源矿产,寻找低成本、可以用原地浸出工艺开发的砂岩型铀矿则更具重要意义.笔者采用氡测量、伴生元素测量、金属活动态测量、大地气态水铀测量4种找铀地化方法,在北方1座已知地浸砂岩铀矿上开展了试验.结果表明:氡测量、伴生元素测量方法依然有效;金属活动态测量方法的引进需理智和深化;大地气态水铀测量方法的研发取得一定进展.     

鄂尔多斯盆地三叠系延长组砂岩墙（脉）特征及其地质意义

笔者详细分析了鄂尔多斯盆地三叠系延长组野外砂岩墙和岩心砂岩脉的特征,初步阐明了砂岩墙(脉)的形成机制和演化过程:早期沉积的未固结细粒砂岩在后期地震诱发下液化,同时砂体内压力迅速增加,在围岩层的裂隙处闪电般贯入,形成砂岩墙(脉)。结合区域构造背景,认为砂岩墙具有构造指示意义,同时对油藏的形成和破坏具有一定的影响。