Measurements of Flows Over Isolated Valleys

Wind-tunnel measurements of the flow over an isolated valley both normal and at an angle (45°) to a simulated neutrally stable atmospheric boundary layer are presented. Attention is concentrated on the nature of the flow within the valley itself. The work formed part of a wider study that included detailed field measurements around an African desert valley and some limited comparisons with that work are included. A scale of about 1:1000 was used for the laboratory work, in which an appropriate combination of hot wire and particle image velocimetry was employed. For a valley normal to the upwind flow, it is shown that the upstream influence of the valley extends to a distance of at least one half of the axial valley width upstream of the leading edge, whereas differences in mean flow and turbulence could be identified well beyond two valley widths from the downwind edge. Non-normal wind angles lead to significant along-valley flows within the valley and, even at two valley heights above the valley ridge level, there remains a significant spanwise flow component. Downwind turbulence levels are somewhat lower in this case, but are still considerably higher than in the undisturbed boundary layer. At both flow angles, there are significant recirculation regions within the valleys, starting from mean separation just beyond the leading edge, but the strong spanwise flow in the 45° case reduces the axial extent of the separated zone. The flow is shown to be in some ways analogous to flow over an isolated hill. Our results usefully enhance the field data and could be used to improve modelling of saltation processes in the field.     

Ferromanganese Nodules and Crusts from the Christmas Island Region,Indian Ocean

A sampling expedition has shown that largely hydrogenetic marine ferromanganese deposits occur in the Christmas Island region south of Java (~10°S), as small nodules on seamount slopes and abyssal plains (red clay), and as thick crusts on volcanic ridges and seamounts. Vernadite is dominant, with birnessite, jacobsite and todorokite common. Nodules were recovered in 25% of free-fall grab stations in water 4600-5900 m deep, and are not abundant where present. The nodules average 9.6% Fe, 19.7% Mn, 0.51% Ni, 0.49% Cu, and 0.12% Co. Crusts are common in water 1450-3700 m deep, with average deposition rates of 1-1.5 mm / m.y. The crusts average 13.9% Fe, 16.2% Mn, 0.35% Ni, 0.11% Cu, and 0.44% Co. Cobalt grades are higher (~0.8%) in shallower water ( < 2500 m), so future exploration should concentrate on depths of 500-1500 m near the oxygen minimum zone.     

The spatial and temporal patterns of aggradation in a temperate,upland, gravel‐bed river

Intensive field monitoring of a reach of upland gravel‐bed river illustrates the temporal and spatial variability of in‐channel sedimentation. Over the six‐year monitoring period, the mean bed level in the channel has risen by 0·17 m with a maximum bed level rise of 0·5 m noted at one location over a five month winter period. These rapid levels of aggradation have a profound impact on the number and duration of overbank flows with flood frequency increasing on average 2·6 times and overbank flow time increasing by 12·8 hours. This work raises the profile of coarse sediment transfer in the design and operation of river management, specifically engineering schemes. It emphasizes the need for the implementation of strategic monitoring programmes before engineering work occurs to identify zones where aggradation is likely to be problematic. Exploration of the sediment supply and transfer system can explain patterns of channel sedimentation. The complex spatial, seasonal and annual variability in sediment supply and transfer raise uncertainties into the system's response to potential changes in climate and land‐use. Thus, there is a demand for schemes that monitor coarse sediment transfer and channel response. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigation of Possible Contamination of Shallow Ground Water by Deeply Injected Liquid Industrial Wastes

The objective of this study was to assess the possible impact of deep well disposal operations, conducted between 1958 and 1974, on the ground water quality in a shallow fresh water aquifer beneath Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. Because of the breakout of formation fluids in Sarnia and Port Huron, Michigan, in the early 1970s, it had been hypothesized that liquid waste from the disposal zone in bedrock had leaked through numerous abandoned oil, gas, and salt wells in the area up to the shallow fresh water aquifer and from there to the surface.
A monitoring well network of 29 5cm (2 inch) diameter piezometers was established in the thin sand and shale aquifer system, which exists between 30 and 70m (100 and 230 feet) below ground surface. In addition, a 300m (1000 foot) deep borehole was drilled and instrumented with a Westbay multilevel casing, which permitted sampling of the disposal zone.
Ground water samples from the shallow monitoring wells and the Westbay multilevel casing were analyzed for volatiles by GC/MS. Those volatile aromatics that were conspicuously present in the deep disposal zone, e.g., ethyl toluenes and trimethyl benzene, were not detected in the shallow monitoring wells. Thus, if contaminants from the disposal zone did indeed migrate to the shallow aquifer, contamination was not widespread and probably consisted mostly of displaced chloride-rich formation waters.     

Identifying and Preventing Biopiracy in Australia: patent landscapes and legal geographies for plants with Indigenous Australian uses

There are legal and moral imperatives to protect biological resources and the ‘traditional knowledge’ associated with them. These imperatives derive from complex legal geographies: international law (such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol), State and federal laws, Indigenous customary law, codes of ethics and research protocols. This paper reports on a ‘patent landscape’ analysis of patents that refer to Australian plant species for which there is Indigenous Australian knowledge. We have identified several patents of potential new biopiracy concern. The paper highlights the way in which actors can gain private property monopolies over biological resources and associated traditional knowledge, even though there are overlapping sovereign rights and Indigenous rights claims. Regulatory gaps need to be closed nationally to fully govern the diverse human–plant bio-geographies in Australia. Further, Indigenous laws and governance have largely been ignored by these actors. We suggest that the introduction of ‘disclosure of origin’ requirements in patent applications, sui generis Indigenous knowledge protections, the development of biocultural protocols, and a more nationally consistent system for ‘access and benefit-sharing’ are required to ensure more ‘fair and equitable’ use of plants and Indigenous knowledge in/from Australia, and to ensure the recognition of Indigenous rights to knowledge.     

东秦岭南洛河中游地区发现的旧石器和黄土堆积

对2006～2007年在东秦岭南洛河中游地区河南省卢氏和洛宁两县发现的8处旷野类型旧石器地点的160余件石制品进行了初步研究,并对产出石制品的黄土堆积剖面进行了地层学分析和光释光测年。初步结果表明,南洛河中游地区的旧石器工业很丰富,石制品的加工技术与上游洛南盆地一致,同样采取硬锤直接打击法;加工石制品的原料来自于河流堆积物中的石英岩和石英砾石等;石制品中有相当数量的小型石片和由小型石片二次加工修理而成的工具,还有直接由砾石加工而成的重型工具,如手镐等;除此之外,大型石片以及以大型石片加工而成的重型工具,如重型刮削器也多有所见。由于工作范围和力度的局限,南洛河中游地区目前尚未发现上游洛南盆地旧石器遗址中广泛存在的手斧、三棱手镐、薄刃斧和大型石刀等Acheulian类型两面加工技术生产的工具。新发现的南洛河中游旧石器地点分布在不同时期形成的河流阶地和黄土地层中。地层分析和光释光年代测试表明,南洛河中游地区的黄土堆积至少从中更新世便已经开始,并一直持续到全新世,至少在黄土剖面中S₁,S₃和S₄的3个层位有石器分布;其黄土-古土壤旋回不仅可以用于石制品产出层位的准确定年,还指示了早期人类石器工业演化和人类生存环境变化的过程。     

Economic anatomy of the Bennett's wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus): Implications for understanding human hunting strategies in late Pleistocene Tasmania

Humans in late Pleistocene southwest Tasmania focused on the medium-sized macropod, the Bennett's wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus), with recent skeletochronological (dental growth-increment) analysis of wallaby teeth suggesting that hunting occurred in upland and lowland valleys on a coordinated seasonal basis. The frequencies of wallaby body parts and elements in the zooarchaeological assemblages, in particular the dominance of hindlimbs and metatarsals, implies that humans were selectively targeting these elements as part of their high latitude economic strategy despite the relatively small size of the prey. To help understand the economic potential of this prey species a meat utility index based on the associated flesh weight per skeletal element was derived for the Bennett's wallaby. It was found the posterior parts of the animal, especially the femur, tibia/fibula, sacral vertebrate and pelvis were the highest ranked body parts, while the cranium, pectoral girdle, forelimbs and manus were of little economic value. These results were then compared to the distribution of wallaby body parts found in the zooarchaeological record from Kutikina Cave to help better understand human adaptation and decision-making in late Pleistocene southwest Tasmania.