Correction to: Flood hazard assessment and mapping of River Swat using HEC-RAS 2D model and high-resolution 12-m TanDEM-X DEM (WorldDEM)

Natural Hazards - The original article was updated and corrected due to numbering errors in Figure 8’s subfigures and the placement of some of the article’s other figures. Additional...     

Performance of hemi-cylindrical and rectangular submerged breakwaters

A parametric experimental study is conducted to compare the reflection and transmission characteristics of submerged hemi-cylindrical and rectangular rigid and water-filled flexible breakwater models. The results show that, for the rigid breakwaters, rectangular models are more effective than hemi-cylindrical ones in terms of reduction of transmitted waves. As for the flexible breakwaters, the hemi-cylindrical models may give better wave reflection than rectangular ones. However, the energy loss induced by the rectangular breakwaters is much larger and more significant to result in an overall better efficiency in terms of reduction in wave transmission. The effects of internal pressure show that the lowest pressurized flexible models considered in this work are the most effective in the reduction of the transmitted wave height. Higher wave reflection, lower wave transmission and higher energy loss are obtained consistently at the lower submergence depth ratio.     

Risk-based decision-making for drilling waste discharges using a fuzzy synthetic evaluation technique

Offshore petroleum drilling wastes contain toxic substances that are potentially harmful to the marine ecosystem. Despite environmentally benign characteristics, wastes associated with synthetic-based fluids still contain a certain amount of pollutants due to contamination with formation oil and the presence of trace heavy metals in barite, which may pose risk when discharged into the marine environment. A framework is presented here for a decision support system for the selection of the best drilling waste discharge option. Uncertainties in the quantification of risk, cost and technical feasibility are expressed by fuzzy numbers. An analytical hierarchy process with a technique called fuzzy synthetic evaluation is employed to determine the best management alternative (discharge scenario).     

Hydrogeologic assessment of escalating groundwater exploitation in the Indus Basin, Pakistan

Groundwater development has contributed significantly to food security and reduction in poverty in Pakistan. Due to rapid population growth there has been a dramatic increase in the intensity of groundwater exploitation leading to declining water tables and deteriorating groundwater quality. In such prevailing conditions, the hydrogeological appraisal of escalating groundwater exploitation has become of paramount importance. Keeping this in view, a surface water–groundwater quantity and quality model was developed to assess future groundwater trends in the Rechna Doab (RD), a sub-catchment of the Indus River Basin. Scenario analysis shows that if dry conditions persist, there will be an overall decline in groundwater levels of around 10 m for the whole of RD during the next 25 years. The lower parts of RD with limited surface water supplies will undergo the highest decline in groundwater levels (10 to 20 m), which will make groundwater pumping very expensive for farmers. There is a high risk of groundwater salinization due to vertical upconing and lateral movement of highly saline groundwater into the fresh shallow aquifers in the upper parts of RD. If groundwater pumping is allowed to increase at the current rate, there will be an overall decline in groundwater salinity for the lower and middle parts of RD because of enhanced river leakage.     

Slow arsenic poisoning of the contaminated groundwater users

This paper gives impact of Arsenic contaminated water on human health as well as overview of the extent and severity of groundwater arsenic contamination in Bangladesh. Scalp hair is the most important part of the human body to monitor the accumulation of this type of poison. Therefore, an experiment has been carried out by Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) at Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE), Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh on human hair of corresponding tube well water users of these areas to determine the total accumulation of arsenic to their body. Hair samples collected from the region where the groundwater was found highly contaminated with arsenic. The obtained results of arsenic concentration in the lower age (Hb) categories of users (below 12 years of age users) is in the range of 0.33 to 3.29 /gmg/g (ppm) and that in the Hu categories (upper 12 years of age users) is 0.47 to 6.64 μg/g (ppm). Where as maximum permissible range is 1 ppm certified from WHO. Results show that the peoples are highly affected where the groundwater is highly contaminated with arsenic and acts as the primary source of arsenic poisoning among the peoples of those areas. The results indicate that human population is affected with arsenic locally using the contaminated water for a long time.     

Effect of salinity on chlorophyll concentration, leaf area, yield and yield components of rice genotypes grown under saline environment

Salt tolerance in eighteen advanced rice genotypes was studied under an artificially salinized (EC=8.5 dSm^?1) soil conditions after 90 days of transplanting. The results showed that the yield per plant, chlorophyll concentrations, fertility percentage, and number of productive tillers, panicle length and number of primary braches per panicle of all the genotypes were reduced by salinity. However, genotypes viz. Jhona-349 x Basmati-370, NR-1, DM-59418, DM-63275, DM-64198 and DM-38-88 showed better salinity tolerance than others.     

Iron content variations in sphalerite and their effects on reflectance and internal reflections under reflected light

Reflectance (R%) and internal reflections (IR) in the iron variant, sphalerite, are investigated by using the scanning electron microprobe and reflected light microscope. Iron contents in sphalerite positively affect reflectance and can be considered as a control factor of internal reflections color. Internal reflections of sphalerite grains that contain less than 10% Fe appear to be whitish yellow color but are with reddish brown color when Fe rises to 10% to 17%. This work is an effort for developing ore microscopy and ore petrography technique by using the optical properties as a geochemical tool for fast preliminary estimating iron content in sphalerite by using reflected light microscope.     

Petrology and geochemistry of Jura granite and granite gneiss in the Neelum Valley,Lesser Himalayas (Kashmir,Pakistan)

Late Proterozoic rocks of Tanol Formation in the Lesser Himalayas of Neelum Valley area are largely green schist to amphibolite facies rocks intruded by early Cambrian Jura granite gneiss and Jura granite representing Pan-African orogeny event in the area. These rocks are further intruded by pegmatites of acidic composition, aplites, and dolerite dykes. Based on field observations, texture, and petrographic character, three different categories of granite gneiss (i.e., highly porphyritic, coarse-grained two micas granite gneiss, medium-grained two micas granite gneiss, and leucocratic tourmaline-bearing muscovite granite gneiss), and granites (i.e., highly porphyritic coarse-grained two micas granite, medium-grained two micas granite, and leucocratic tourmaline-bearing coarse-grained muscovite granite) were classified. Thin section studies show that granite gneiss and granite are formed due to fractional crystallization, as revealed by zoning in plagioclase. The Al saturation index indicates that granite gneiss and granite are strongly peraluminous and S-type. Geochemical analysis shows that all granite gneisses are magnesian except one which is ferroan whereas all granites are ferroan except one which is magnesian. The CaO/Na₂O ratio (>0.3) indicates that granitic melt of Jura granite gneiss and granite is pelite-psammite derived peraluminous granitic melt formed due to partial melting of Tanol Formation. The rare earth element (REE) patterns of the Jura granite and Jura granite gneiss indicate that granitic magma of Jura granite and Jura granite gneiss is formed due to partial melting of rocks that are similar in composition to that of upper continental crust.     

Shigar valley gemstones,their chemical composition and origin,Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan,Pakistan

A variety of gemstones is being mined in the Shigar valley, Skardu, Pakistan. These include beryl (goshenite and aquamarine), tourmaline (schorl), garnet (almandine–spessartine), apatite, topaz, fluorite, zoisite, clinozoisite, and axinite, mostly occurring in complex or zoned pegmatites and metamorphic rocks. These have been analyzed using electron probe micro-analyzer and X-ray diffractometer. The mineral chemistry of each gemstone is similar to its respective typical gemstone variety with homogenous chemical composition. Field and chemical characteristics suggest that beryl, tourmaline, garnet, apatite, topaz, and fluorite are occurring in zoned pegmatites which are largely formed by magmatic hydrothermal fluids in the cavities and vugs within the intermediate zone. However, zoisite, clinozoisite, and axinite may have a metamorphic and/or metasomatic origin.     

基于热模拟实验的富有机质泥页岩成岩作用及演化特征

富有机质泥页岩蕴含丰富的油气资源,但成岩研究基础薄弱,已成为制约页岩油气勘探开发进程的重要因素。通过开展成岩热模拟实验,结合扫描电镜观察、流体成分测试及有机酸测试等实验测试手段,全面描述实验过程中所发生的水-岩化学反应,试图揭示泥页岩成岩过程及成岩演化规律。研究结果显示,有机质热演化过程中存在一个较宽的有机酸生成窗口,对孔隙流体性质具有重要影响;长石和方解石存在接力溶蚀现象,长石溶蚀高峰过后紧接着出现方解石溶蚀高峰,但方解石溶蚀窗较窄,此后出现方解石重新沉淀结晶;黏土矿物转化及长石的溶蚀过程中会产生大量自生微晶石英,成链状或簇状胶结泥页岩骨架。泥页岩地层作为一个相对封闭体系,各类成岩作用之间相互关联,相互影响,构成错综复杂的成岩体系,进一步增加其成岩作用研究难度。