Geothermal energy prospects in Brazil: A preliminary analysis

Results of geothermal gradient measurements in 44 localities in Brazil are presented. The Precambrian shield areas are found to be characterized by relatively low temperature gradients in the range 6 to 20°C/km while younger sedimentary basins are characterized by gradients in the range 15 to 35°C/km. An inverse correlation between geothermal gradient and tectonic age has been observed. This as well as the favourable hydrological conditions suggest that the best sites for extraction of geothermal energy in Brazil are the younger sedimentary basins. The Parana Basin is found to offer at present the best site for extraction of geothermal energy in Brazil. Preliminary examination of the temperature distributions in the major aquifer (Botucatu sandstone) suggest that this aquifer contains substantial quantities of warm waters in the temperature range 40 to 90°C. The water layer in this confined aquifer is in convective motion and can be considered as a low enthalphy geothermal system. Many of the routine uses to which geothermal waters are put, such as space heating and soil warming, are not applicable in Brazil mainly because of the favourable climatic conditions. Conversion of this geothermal energy into electrical energy is also unlikely to be economical. Hence we do not consider the Parana Basin geothermal system as an independent ec9nomically exploitable energy resource. However, a few other applications are pointed out where geothermal waters can be used as a supplementary or supporting energy source in increasing the efficiency of economically viable systems utilizing hot waters.     

A sediment fluxes investigation for the 2-D modelling of large river morphodynamics

A complete understanding of alluvial-bed dynamics is desirable for evaluating a variety of issues related to water resources.Sediment fluxes were investigated in a bifurcation of the large Parana River near Rosario, Argentina. The backscatter estimations from the Doppler profilers provided the suspended load of the sediment forming the riverbed. An echo-sounder was applied to track the dunes yielding the bed-load estimation.Aiming to show the usefulness of the recorded data, a 2-D numerical code was applied to the 10-km long and 2-km wide Rosario reach. The morphodynamic module was un-coupled from the hydrodynamics assessment, which enabled the long-term prediction of the river morphology accounting for the hydrological yearly variation with a quasi-steady approach.Numerical experiments were performed to test the sensitivity of the hydrodynamic model to the computational time-step and mesh size, to test the un-coupling scheme performance regarding the full-dynamic modelling, to test the accuracy of the sediment transport formulae based on the field evidence and, finally, to provide guidance to properly fix the model parameters.     

Vegetation and its relationship with geomorphologic units in the Parana River floodplain,Argentina

The Parana River is one of the most important fluvial systems of South America and its floodplain includes the most diverse subtropical ecosystem on the continent. However, the relationship between basic aspects, such as the vegetation and geomorphology of the river floodplain, has scarcely been investigated. In this paper, the annual dynamics of vegetation in relation to the geomorphologic and hydrological characteristics of a river floodplain around 31° 30′ S, are analyzed. The annual dynamics of vegetation was investigated using values of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) obtained from satellite images at two scales of spatial analysis: the first, at the geomorphologic unit level, through several transects crossing the total width of each unit and, the second, through some transects selected from each unit. Our analysis considered variables of different temporal stability (such as geomorphology, hydrology, vegetation, precipitation, and ground temperature), using scenes corresponding to two hydrological cycles of the system (2009 and 2010), which represented relatively “dry” and “humid” years. Five main geomorphologic units were identified in the floodplain of this anabranching system, which were named considering the predominant landforms and the most important (or typical) water course of each area: Bars and Islands of the Main Channel of the Parana River (BI-MCH), Scroll Bars of the Colastine Branch (SB-C), Scroll Bars of the San Javier River Channel (SB-SJ), Crevasse Splays and Levees of the Malo–Mendieta minor channels (CSL-MM), and Crevasse Splays and Levees of the Santa Fe–Coronda river channels (CSL-SFC). These major units are assembled at different general levels and with variable slopes, which partially control the permanence and other characteristics of the flood flow. The crevasse splays and river levees units were predominantly characterized by herbaceous–bushy marshy vegetation, with low mean NDVI values, while SB-C and BI-MCH units showed two types of forests. The latter showed the highest NDVI values. Unit SB-SJ showed mixed characteristics between the two above-mentioned groups. Mean NDVI values were different among the varying geomorphologic units and during the studied years, showing extreme values of 0.25 and 0.80 after both hydrological cycles. According to our results, the main variations in the seasonal dynamics of vegetation show a higher dependence on the dynamics of the hydrological cycle than on surface temperature or precipitation. The hydrological dynamics of the Parana River floodplain are in turn regulated by its geomorphological architecture, so the annual dynamics of vegetation activity in this system are finally influenced by the geomorphologic unit's level, rather than by the short duration modeling processes (i.e., hydrological cycles or drought–flood pulses).     

巴西Paraná和Bahia地区滑石矿床的地质特征与成因模式(英文)

本文总结了巴西两个最重要的滑石产地,Parana和Bahia区中滑石矿床的地质特征,并探讨了这些矿床的可能成因。巴西的滑石在世界滑石储量与产量中占有十分重要的地位。巴西Parana和Bahia区的滑石矿主要产于前寒武纪地体中。尽管该区的滑石具有不同的地质产状,与变质火山岩和变质沉积岩共生的滑石最为重要。其他类型的滑石,如与镁铁质-超镁铁质岩共生的、在花岗岩与白云质大理岩接触带的、在花岗岩体中呈包体或顶垂体状的、则相对不重要。在巴西与岩浆活动有关的滑石矿化主要发生在前寒武纪(Bahia区)和白垩纪(Parana区)。滑石的成因模式主要有两类:一为与岩浆热液有关的热液交代成矿模式,另一是起源于盆地热卤水的变质流体交代成矿模式。其中后一种成因模式可用来解释巴西的大多数大型滑石矿床,同时也适用于其他地区,如中国辽宁和乌拉尔南部的滑石成矿。     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987113000868

Current palaeoclimatic reconstructions for the R＆#237;o de la Plata region during the latest Pleistocene （30,000 e10,000 yr BP） propose dry conditions, with rainfall at the Last Glacial Maximum amounting to one-third of today＇s precipitation. Despite the consequential low primary productivity inferred, an impressive megafauna existed in the area at that time. Here we explore the influence of the flooding from a huge extinct system of water bodies in the Andean Altiplano as a likely source for wet regimes that might have increased the primary productivity and, hence, the vast number of megaherbivores. The system was reconstructed using specifically combined software resources, including Insola, Global Mapper v13, Surfer and Matlab. Changes in water volume and area covered were related to climatic change, assessed through a model of astronomical forcing that describes the changes in insolation at the top of the at-mosphere in the last 50,000 yr BP. The model was validated by comparing its results with several proxies （CH4, CO2, D, 18O） from dated cores taken from the ice covering Antarctic lakes Vostok and EPICA Dome C. It is concluded that the Altiplano Lake system drained towards the southeast in the rainy seasons and that it must have been a major source of water for the Paran＆#225;-Plata Basin, consequently enhancing primary productivity within it.     

Multipurpose geochemical maps produced by integration of geochemical exploration data sets in The Paraná Shield, Brazil

Old geochemical datasets from the Paraná Shield of southern Brazil have been integrated into a new geochemical database and the results are presented as a series of multipurpose geochemical maps. Although the 24 datasets retrieved were analysed by three different laboratories, the maps produced correlate surprisingly well with bedrock geological features.The retrieval of old geochemical exploration data sets for the purpose of generating maps showing element depletions and enrichments is a powerful tool with a wide range of applications: trace elements such as Zn, Cu and Mo can significantly affect crop productivity; areas with high abundances of harmful elements such as As and F can be delineated in order to identify public health hazards; heavy metals such as Cd, Pb and Hg can be measured in order to better constrain knowledge of chemical background levels for environmental monitoring. The integration and manipulation of different data sets can however be complicated by the heterogeneity in sampling and analytical procedures.     

HYDRAULIC ANALYSES FOR A NEW BRIDGE OVER THE PARANA RIVER, ARGENTINA

1 INTRODUCTION The Parana River in South America ranks as the sixth largest in the world in terms of average discharge (22 x 103 m3/s according to Schumm and Winkley, 1994), and its Argentinean reach stretches from Puerto Iguazu on the north to the Rio de la Plata estuary in the south (Fig. 1). Its estimated average suspended load, bed load, and total load are 23 x 106, 2.2 x 106, and 25.2 x 106 metric tons per year, respectively (Paoli and Schreider, 2001.) The economic developmen…     

Geomorphic analysis of large alluvial rivers

Geomorphic analysis of a large river presents particular challenges and requires a systematic and organised approach because of the spatial scale and system complexity involved. This paper presents a framework and blueprint for geomorphic studies of large rivers developed in the course of basic, strategic and project-related investigations of a number of large rivers. The framework demonstrates the need to begin geomorphic studies early in the pre-feasibility stage of a river project and carry them through to implementation and post-project appraisal. The blueprint breaks down the multi-layered and multi-scaled complexity of a comprehensive geomorphic study into a number of well-defined and semi-independent topics, each of which can be performed separately to produce a clearly defined, deliverable product. Geomorphology increasingly plays a central role in multi-disciplinary river research and the importance of effective quality assurance makes it essential that audit trails and quality checks are hard-wired into study design. The structured approach presented here provides output products and production trails that can be rigorously audited, ensuring that the results of a geomorphic study can stand up to the closest scrutiny.     

Suspended sediment transport and deposition over a dune: Río Paraná, Argentina

Field data from the Rio Paraná, Argentina, are used to examine patterns of suspended sediment transport over a sand dune. Measurements of three‐dimensional velocity are made with an acoustic Doppler current profiler whilst suspended sediment concentration and particle size have been quantified using a laser in situ sediment scattering transmissometer. Suspended sediment concentration and streamwise and vertical sediment flux are highest close to the bed, with an upward vertical flux over the stoss side of the dune and downward flux over the lee side. Suspended sediment concentrations are higher over the crest compared with the trough and suspended sediment is coarsest near the bed. About 17% of the suspended‐load transported over the crest is deposited in the lee side before it reaches the trough. Most of this deposited sand is coarser sediment that originates close to the bed over the crest, a result consistent with simulations based on the model of Mohrig and Smith (Water Resources Research 1996; 32: 3207–3217) for the excursion lengths of sediment dispersed in the lee side of a dune. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.