Capture-zone design in an aquifer influenced by cyclic fluctuations in hydraulic gradients

Design of a groundwater pumping and treatment system for a wood-treatment facility adjacent to the tidally influenced Fraser River estuary required the development of methodologies to account for cyclic variations in hydraulic gradients. Design of such systems must consider the effects of these cyclic fluctuations on the capture of dissolved-phase contaminants. When the period of the cyclic fluctuation is much less than the travel time of the dissolved contaminant from the source to the discharge point, the hydraulic-gradient variations resulting from these cycles can be ignored. Capture zones are then designed based on the average hydraulic gradient determined using filter techniques on continuous groundwater-level measurements. When the period of cyclic fluctuation in hydraulic gradient is near to or greater than the contaminant travel time, the resulting hydraulic-gradient variations cannot be ignored. In these instances, procedures are developed to account for these fluctuations in the capture-zone design. These include proper characterization of the groundwater regime, assessment of the average travel time and period of the cyclic fluctuations, and numerical techniques which allow accounting for the cyclic fluctuations in the design of the capture zone. Electronic Publication     

Sorption of Eu(III)/Cm(III) on Ca-montmorillonite and Na-illite. Part 2: Surface complexation modelling

Sorption edges and isotherms for Eu(III) uptake on Ca-montmorillonite and Na-illite in 0.066 mol/L Ca(ClO₄)₂ and 0.1 mol/L NaClO₄ background electrolytes, respectively, were modelled using a quasi-mechanistic sorption model (the two site protolysis non electrostatic surface complexation and cation exchange (2SPNE SC/CE) model). For both clay minerals the Eu sorption edges could be quantitatively modelled in the pH range ∼3 to ∼10 using cation exchange reactions for Eu³⁺/Na⁺ and Eu³⁺/Ca²⁺ and three surface complexation reactions on the strong sorption sites forming ≡S^SOEu²⁺, ≡S^SOEuOH⁺ and ≡S^SOEu(OH)₂° inner sphere complexes which appear successively with increasing pH. Time resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) measurements of Cm(III) loaded Ca-montmorillonite and Na-illite were available from Part 1 of this work. De-convolution of the normalised fluorescence spectra measured at different pH values indicated three distinct Cm surface complexes, Cm complexes 1, 2 and 3 for both clay minerals, in agreement with model predictions, but with different distribution functions for the individual species. Under the assumption that Eu and Cm exhibit essentially the same hydrolysis and sorption behaviour, the Eu surface complexation constants were used to predict surface species distribution functions for Cm under the same experimental conditions used in the TRLFS measurements. Comparison of modelled and experimentally deduced species distributions indicated that for both clay minerals peak heights and widths of the three peaks did not correspond particularly well. It is shown that the calculated species distribution functions are sensitive to the values of the hydrolysis constants used in the calculations, whereas modelling the sorption edge measurements by applying the 2SPNE SC/CE approach is much less sensitive. By modifying the values of the hydrolysis constants within their uncertainty range and re-modelling the sorption edges, considerably better correspondence between the modelled and TRLFS species distribution functions was found. In particular, peak positions, heights and widths for the model predicted peaks for the ≡S^SOCm²⁺ and ≡S^SOCmOH⁺ species distribution, and those for Cm complexes 1 and 2 derived from TRLFS, were found to be very close for both clay minerals. However, discrepancies were still apparent between the profile for the calculated ≡S^SOEu(OH)₂° surface species and the Cm complex 3 species, especially in the case of Na-illite.     

A discontinuous finite element suspended sediment transport model for water quality assessments in river networks

Suspended sediment plays an important role in the distribution and transport of many pollutants (such as radionuclides) in rivers. Pollutants may adsorb on fine suspended particles (e.g. clay) and spread according to the suspended sediment movement. Hence, the simulation of the suspended sediment mechanism is indispensable for realistic transport modelling. This paper presents and tests a simple mathematical model for predicting the suspended sediment transport in river networks. The model is based on the van Rijn suspended load formula and the advection–diffusion equation with a source or sink term that represents the erosion or deposition fluxes. The transport equation is solved numerically with the discontinuous finite element method. The model evaluation was performed in two steps, first by comparing model simulations with the measured suspended sediment concentrations in the Grote Nete–Molse Nete River in Belgium, and second by a model intercomparison with the sediment transport model NST MIKE 11. The simulations reflect the measurements with a Nash‐Sutcliffe model efficiency of 0.6, while the efficiency between the proposed model and the NST MIKE 11 simulations is 0.96. Both evaluations indicate that the proposed sediment transport model, that is sufficiently simple to be practical, is providing realistic results.     

The Barents Sea Ice Sheet — A model of its growth and decay during the last ice maximum

On the basis of geomorphological and sedimentological data, we believe that the entire Barents Sea was covered by grounded ice during the last glacial maximum. ¹⁴C dates on shells embedded in tills suggest marine conditions in the Barents Sea as late as 22 ka BP; and models of the deglaciation history based on uplift data from the northern Norwegian coast suggest that significant parts of the Barents Sea Ice Sheet calved off as early as 15 ka BP. The growth of the ice sheet is related to glacioeustatic fall and the exposure of shallow banks in the central Barents Sea, where ice caps may develop and expand to finally coalesce with the expanding ice masses from Svalbard and Fennoscandia.The outlined model for growth and decay of the Barents Sea Ice Sheet suggests a system which developed and existed under periods of maximum climatic deterioration, and where its growth and decay were strongly related to the fall and rise of sea level.     

Demonstration of sub-meter GPS orbit determination and 1.5 parts in 108 three-dimensional baseline accuracy

Differential tracking of theGPS satellites in high-earth orbit provides a powerful relative positioning capability, even when a relatively small continental U.S. fiducial tracking network is used with less than one-third of the fullGPS constellation. To demonstrate this capability, we have determined baselines of up to2000 km in North America by estimating high-accuracyGPS orbits and ground receiver positions simultaneously. The2000 km baselines agree with very long baseline interferometry(VLBI) solutions at the level of1.5 parts in10 ⁸ and showrms daily repeatability of0.3–2 parts in10 ⁸. The orbits determined for the most thoroughly trackedGPS satellites are accurate to better than1 m. GPS orbit accuracy was assessed from orbit predictions, comparisons with independent data sets, and the accuracy of the continental baselines determined along with the orbits. The bestGPS orbit strategies included data arcs of at least one week, process noise models for tropospheric fluctuations, estimation ofGPS solar pressure coefficients, and combined processing ofGPS carrier phase and pseudorange data. For data arcs of two weeks, constrained process noise models forGPS dynamic parameters significantly improved the solutions.     

Geophysikalische Einflüsse auf die Länge des Sterntages

Zusammenfassung Die Änderung der Sterntaglänge schwankt im Rhythmus des Luftdruckgefälles zwischen 45 und 65° Süd sowohl im mittleren Jahresgang als auch im Ablauf der sechzig Monate der Jahre 1957–1961. Dieser überzufällige Gleichgang in Phase und Amplitude läßt sich so erklären, daß die Schwankungen der Tageslänge direkt durch den Schub oder die Bremsung der Lithosphäre, auf welche die Atmosphäre mit ihren Monsunen oder Passaten wirkt, erzeugt werden. Die den schwankenden Tropenwinden parallel gehenden außertropischen Westwinde würden voll die schiebende oder bremsende Wirkung der Tropenwinde kompensieren, wenn sie auch direkt die Lithosphäre erfaßten. Da nun aber im Gebiet der braven Westwinde die Hydrosphäre den gesamten Drehimpuls übernimmt und ihn wohl erst mit großer Verzögerung an die Lithosphäre weiterreicht, tritt die Änderung der Tageslänge auf, die sich im wesentlichen harmonisch aus einer halbjährlichen und einer jährlichen Welle zusammensetzt.

---

Geophysical effects on the length of the sideral day

Summary The variations in the length of the day are found to be equal in phase to the oscillation of the atmospheric pressure gradient occurring between 45 and 65 degrees south. This rhythm manifests itself in the annual mean as well as in the course of the 60 months of the years 1957 to 1961. The rhythm that seems to be overaccidental may be explained with regard to phase and amplitude in the following way:The variations in the length of the day are produced by the pushing or braking of the lithosphere on which the atmosphere is acting by its monsoons or trade winds. The outertropical westerlies that are blowing parallel to the tropical wind would be able to compensate the pushing and braking effects if they, too, were directly acting on the lithosphere. As, however, in the region of the westerlies the hydrosphere assumes all angular momentum and apparently passes it on to the lithosphere after considerable delay, the variations in the length of the day are caused which essentially consist of the second and first harmonics.

---

Effets géophysiques sur la longueur du jour sidéral

Résumé Les variations de la longueur du jour sidéral suivent le rythme du gradient de pression atmosphérique rencontré entre le 45^e et 65^e degré de latitude Sud. Elles se manifestent dans la moyenne annuelle aussi bien que dans la période des soixants mois des années de 1957 à 1961. Cette homogénéité super-aléatoire du rythme qui se montre également dans la phase et dans l'amplitude pourrait être expliquée par le fait que les variations de la longueur du jour sidéral sont directement produites par la poussée et le freinage de la lithosphère sur lequel agit l'atmosphère par ses moussons et ses vents alizés.Les vents extra-tropicaux d'ouest qui soufflent parallèlement aux vents tropicaux seraient à même de compenser les effets de la poussée et du freinage des vents tropicaux pourvu qu'ils agissent de même immédiatement sur la lithosphère. Comme, cependant, dans la région des braves vents d'ouest l'hydrosphère attire tout le moment angulaire et le passe, probablement après un long délai, au lithosphère, il se produit les variations de longueur du jour sidéral, qui se composent essentiellement d'une oscillation harmonique semestrielle et annuelle.

---

---

Nach einem Vortrag Über Erddrehung und atmosphärische Globalzirkulation vor dem Geophysikalischen Kolloquium der Universität Hamburg am 8. Juni 1961, erweitert um die neuen Daten der Tageslänge und des Luftdruckgefälles zwischen 45° und 65° S.     

Les Diatomées de la Tourbière du Cachot (Jura neuchâtelois)

By means of 18 traps, 124 species (including 4 fossil ones) with a total of 3.5×10⁵ cells/m² have been identified an determined as transported by wind. 119 species have been detected on the feet and bills of waterbirds (Gallinago gallinago). Large migratory insects are capable of transporting diatoms over long distances, whereas small insects partake in the microdistribution. An average of 13.5 diatoms per insect (43 diatom species) were found on 44 insects.     

Contrasting patterns of precipitation seasonality during the Holocene in the south‐ and north‐central Mediterranean

Pollen‐based quantitative estimates of seasonal precipitation from Lake Pergusa and lake‐level data from Lake Preola in Sicily (southern Italy) allow three successive periods to be distinguished within the Holocene: an early Holocene period before ca. 9800 cal a BP with rather dry climate conditions in winter and summer, a mid‐Holocene period between ca. 9800 and 4500 cal a BP with maximum winter and summer wetness, and a late Holocene period after 4500 cal a BP with declining winter and summer wetness. This evolution observed in the south‐central Mediterranean shows strong similarities to that recognized in the eastern Mediterranean. But, it contrasts with that reconstructed in north‐central Italy, where the mid‐Holocene appears to be characterized by a winter (summer) precipitation maximum (minimum), while the late Holocene coincided with a decrease (increase) in winter (summer) precipitation. Maximum precipitation at ca. 10 000–4500 cal a BP may have resulted from (i) increased local convection in response to a Holocene insolation maximum at 10 000 cal a BP and then (ii) the gradual weakening of the Hadley cell activity, which allowed the winter rainy westerlies to reach the Mediterranean area more frequently. After 4500 cal a BP, changes in precipitation seasonality may reflect non‐linear responses to orbitally driven insolation decrease in addition to seasonal and inter‐hemispheric changes of insolation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.