Groundwater geochemistry of the Chihuahua City region in the Rio Conchos Basin (northern Mexico) and implications for water resources management

The Chihuahua City region, located in the semiarid-arid northern highlands of Mexico, has experienced intensive groundwater abstraction during the last 40 years to meet water demands in the region. A geochemical survey was carried out to investigate the evolution from baseline to modern conditions of a 130-km flow path including the El Sauz–Chihuahua–Aldama–San Diego de Alcalá regions. The research approach included the use of major chemical elements, chlorofluorocarbons and environmental isotope (¹⁸O, ²H, ¹³C and ¹⁴C) tracers. Stable isotopes indicate that groundwater evolves from the evaporation of local rainfall and surface water. Groundwater located at the lower end of the flow section is up to 6000 years old and older groundwater in the order of 9000 years BP was found in a deep well located in the upper part of the flow system, implying contribution from a neighbour basin. The background groundwater chemistry upstream of Chihuahua City results from feldspar weathering. Beyond Chihuahua City the chemical conditions are strongly modified owing to disposal of sewage from public and industrial water supplies into the Rio Chuviscar, subsequent allocation of this water to agricultural irrigation areas and direct infiltration under the river bed. As a consequence, anions like chloride and sulphate are mainly related to surface sources. Nitrate is controlled in part by sewage from public supply and industry and in part by agricultural practices. Arsenic and fluoride are related to weathering of rock formations of local mineralized ranges and subsequent enrichment of the basin-fill by magmatic processes. The results of this study have implications for groundwater management in an arid region that depends entirely on groundwater for domestic, industrial and agricultural water consumption. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sensitivity of CFCs and Anthropogenic CO2 Uptake in a North Pacific GCM to Mixing Parameterization and Surface Forcing

Distributions and characteristics of water mass and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the North Pacific are investigated by using a General Circulation Model (GCM). The anthropogenic CO₂ uptake by the ocean is estimated with velocity fields derived from the GCM experiments. The sensitivity of the uptake to different diffusion parameterizations and different surface forcing used in the GCM is investigated by conducting the three GCM experiments; the diffusive processes are parameterized by horizontal and vertical eddy diffusion which is used in many previous models (RUN1), parameterized by isopycnal diffusion (RUN2), and isopycnal diffusion and perpetual winter forcing for surface temperature and salinity (RUN3). Realistic features for water masses and CFCs can be simulated by the isopycnal diffusion models. The horizontal and vertical diffusion model fails to simulate the salinity minimum and realistic penetration of CFCs into the ocean. The depth of the salinity minimum layer is better simulated under the winter forcing. The results suggest that both isopycnal parameterization and winter forcing are crucial for the model water masses and CFCs simulations. The oceanic uptake of anthropogenic CO₂ in RUN3 is about 19.8 GtC in 1990, which is larger by about 10% than that in RUN1 with horizontal and vertical diffusive parameterization. RUN3 well simulates the realistic water mass structure of the intermediate layer considered as a candidate of oceanic sink for anthropogenic CO₂. The results suggest that the previous models with horizontal and vertical diffusive parameterization may give the oceanic uptake of anthropogenic CO₂ underestimated. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Atmospheric trace gas measurements at Palmer Station,Antarctica: 1982–83

In early 1982 a station capable of sampling atmospheric trace gas constituents on a continuous basis was established at Palmer Station, Anvers Island, adjacent to the Antarctic Peninsula (64° 46S 64° 04W). Sampling operations began about 1 February 1982. This is an initial report on this station, its location, equipment and general research objectives along with some initial sampling results. The constituents being measured and recorded were: ozone, methane, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, CCl₃F (fluorocarbon-11), CCl₂F₂ (fluorocarbon-12), carbontetrachloride, methylchloroform, nitrous oxide, and Aitken nuclei (CN). Data storage, data processing, and sampling system control is handled by a Hewlett-Packard 85 system. Preliminary analyses of about the first 20–22 months of data are presented and show not only the expected long-term trends but also shorter period concentration cycles that seem to be related to synoptic meteorology.     

Study of Dissolved Chlorofluorocarbons in Lake Washington

Measurements of three chlorofluorocarbons(CFCs) :trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11),dichlorodifluoromethane (CFC-12) and trichlorotrifluoroethane (CFC-113), along with methyl chloroform (CH3CCl3) and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) were made in water samples from Lake Washington,using Electron Capture-Gas Chromatography (EC-GC).The samples were collected in mid-autumn, a period when the lake‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘s upper layer undergoes rapid cooling,At the time of sam-pling,a strong vertical temperature gradient was present in the lake,with surface temperatures of -14℃,and near bottom(50 meters) temperatures of -8℃ ,The concentrations of dissolved CFC-12 and CFC-11 increased with depht ,as expected from the higher solubilities of these gases at lower temperatures ,Atmospheric measurements made at the sampling site at the time of the cruise ,showed that CFC-11 and CFC-12 saturations in the near surface samples were 100% and 106%,respectively,For the deepest sample (52 meters)CFC-11 and CFC-12 saturations were 102% and 126%,Because the surface layer of the lake respondes to changes in atmospheric CFCs on a time scale of several weeks ,the highere than equilibrium concentrations of CFC-12 observed at the time of sampling may reflect earlier episodes of elevated levels of atmospheric CFC-12 in this urban area.High concentrations of dissolved CFCs in runoff or industrial effluent might also lead to elevated CFC levels in the lake. The cold ,deep water of Lake Wahington is realtively isolated from the effects of surface gas exchange except during winter ,and the supersaturations observed in the deep layer may reflect pe-riods of elevated atmospheric CFC-12 levels from the previous winter season.These results were compared to summertime profiles of CFC-11 and CFC-12 made in 1994.     

The effect of diapycnal mixing on the ventilation and CFC-11 uptake in the Southern Ocean

1. Introduction Ocean General Circulation Models (OGCMs) arekey tools in the assessment of the future ocean up-take of atmospheric greenhouse gases and heat. Fur-thermore, whereas nature experiences one realisationof the climate state, climate models can be used as alaboratory to produce a multitude of climate realisa-tions, and by that contribute to the understanding ofthe variability and stability properties of the system.It is, in this respect, crucial to evaluate the climatemodels ag…     

Oxygen Utilization and Organic Carbon Remineralization in the Upper Water Column of the Pacific Ocean

As a part of the JGOFS synthesis and modeling project, researchers have been working to synthesize the WOCE/JGOFS/DOE/NOAA global CO₂ survey data to better understand carbon cycling processes in the oceans. Working with international investigators we have compiled a Pacific Ocean data set with over 35,000 unique samples analyzed for at least two carbon species, oxygen, nutrients, chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) tracers, and hydrographic parameters. We use these data here to estimate in-situ oxygen utilization rates (OUR) and organic carbon remineralization rates within the upper water column of the Pacific Ocean. OURs are derived from the observed apparent oxygen utilization (AOU) and the water age estimates based on CFCs in the upper water and natural radiocarbon in deep waters. The rates are generally highest just below the euphotic zone and decrease with depth to values that are much lower and nearly constant in water deeper than 1200 m. OURs ranged from about 0.02–10 μmol kg⁻¹yr⁻¹ in the upper water masses from about 100–1000 m, and averaged = 0.10 μmol kg⁻¹yr⁻¹ in deep waters below 1200 m. The OUR data can be used to directly estimate organic carbon remineralization rates using the C:O Redfield ratio given in Anderson and Sarmiento (1994). When these rates are integrated we obtain an estimate of 5.3 ± 1 Pg C yr⁻¹ for the remineralization of organic carbon in the upper water column of the Pacific Ocean. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

河南平原浅层地下水年龄

利用³H法和CFCs法对河南平原第四系浅层地下水年龄进行计算,为河南平原浅层地下水可更新能力评价和水循环的研究提供依据。结果表明：2种方法计算出的年龄拟合误差较小（2 a）,均可代表河南平原浅层地下水年龄。总体上,河南平原浅层地下水主要为近50 a以来补给的现代水。太行山、伏牛山、大别山山前地区以及开封西部的黄河两岸等地区浅层地下水年龄均小于30 a,并且顺着地下水流向年龄逐渐增大。从山前地区和黄河两岸至平原区,浅层地下水开采潜力逐渐减小。总体上:平原北部地下水系统地下水年龄较小,地下水循环交替较快;平原南部地下水系统次之;平原中部地下水系统地下水年龄最大,地下水循环交替最慢。     

Trace gas measurements at the monitoring station cape point,South Africa,between 1978 and 1988

Since 1978, a measuring station has been operated at Cape Point (34°21 S, 18°29 E). In this article, results of measurements of CO, CFCl₃, CCl₄, O₃, N₂O and CH₄ are presented as monthly means and analyzed with respect to long-term trends and seasonal variations. For CO and CH₄, very similar seasonal variations have been observed, indicating strong interrelations between these two gases. For CO and O₃, no significant changes of the mean annual concentrations can be established for the observation periods of 10 and 5 years, respectively. The measurements yield a growth rate of 9.1 pptv yr^-1 for CFCl₃ (1980–1987) and 0.6 ppbv yr^-1 for N₂O (1983–1987). The concentration increases of CH₄ (10.3 ppbv yr^-1 for 1983–1987) and of CCl₄ (2.1 pptv yr^-1 for 1980–1988) are analyzed for temporal changes during the last years.Presented at the Second Conference on Baseline Observations in Atmospheric Chemistry (SABOAC II) in Melbourne, Australia, November 1988.     

穆兴平原北部地下水年龄及更新性

地下水年龄结构是了解一个地区地下水资源开采可持续性的重要基础。穆兴平原地下水开采量增加以及地下水环境恶化,对该地区可持续发展有一定制约,为此在2016年采集CFCs样品31组和3H样品60组,估算了研究区地下水年龄。结果表明,穆兴平原北部地下水年龄为21年到大于65年,由西北部和穆棱河向平原中部及乌苏里江逐渐变老,更新性变差,主要受到大气降水和地表河水补给,但是由于地表覆盖一层黏性土,地下水中缺失小于10年的水;不同井深样品中二者及NO_3~-浓度的变化,表明在60 m以上地下水的防污性能较差,而在100 m以下则较好,饮用水源井深需超过100 m。     

加拿大海盆氟氯烃的分布及其示踪研究

中国第二次北极科学考察期间(2003年7-9月)于加拿大海盆采集了9个站位的水样,用于氟氯烃(CFCs)的分析。结果表明加拿大海盆表层水中的CFC-11浓度最高为6.70pmol/kg,CCl4浓度最高为9.62pmol/kg,但均未达到饱和状态。二者在表层水中的饱和度分别在70.54%-84.70%和76.54%-91.53%之间,这可能与海冰覆盖和低CFCs浓度的太平洋水的入侵有关。在2000m深度仍存在相当浓度的氟氯烃,这表明加拿大海盆深层水与外界水体存在交换更新。氟氯烃的垂直分布进一步证实了加拿大海盆水团呈层状的垂直分布结构。同时采用pCFC-11、pCCl4测年法对各水团年龄进行了估算。