4051 research outputs found
Sort by
Sediment cores as archives of historical changes in floodplain lake hydrology
No full textAnthropogenic activities are contributing to the changing hydrology of rivers, often resulting in their degradation. Understanding the drivers and nature of these changes is critical for the design and implementation of effective mitigation strategies for these systems. However, this can be hindered by gaps in historical measured flow data. This study therefore aims to use sediment cores to identify historical hydrological changes within a river catchment. Sediment cores from two floodplain lakes (billabongs) in the urbanised Yarra River catchment (Melbourne, South-East Australia) were collected and high resolution images, trends in magnetic susceptibility and trends in elemental composition through the sedimentary records were obtained. These were used to infer historical changes in river hydrology to determine both average trends in hydrology (i.e., coarse temporal resolution) as well as discrete flood layers in the sediment cores (i.e., fine temporal resolution). Through the 20th century, both billabongs became increasingly disconnected from the river, as demonstrated by the decreasing trends in magnetic susceptibility, particle size and inorganic matter in the cores. Additionally the number of discrete flood layers decreased up the cores. These reconstructed trends correlate with measured flow records of the river through the 20th century, which validates the methodology that has been used in this study. Not only does this study provide evidence on how natural catchments can be affected by land-use intensification and urbanisation, but it also introduces a general analytical framework that could be applied to other river systems to assist in the design of hydrological management strategies. © 2015, Elsevier B.V
Hydrochemical assessment of a freshwater resource on Rottnest Island, Western Australia.
Get PDFThis project investigated the groundwater
hydrochemical processes within an Island aquifer system on Rottnest Island, located ~18 km west of Perth, WA. A freshwater lens on the Island supplies around 25% of the Island’s potable water requirements, however there is limited information regarding the dynamics of the lens and its resilience to ongoing abstraction and reduced recharge.
Understanding the hydrochemical processes and residence times of the groundwater is essential for making use of the system sustainable. Groundwater samples were collected quarterly from 12 production bores to obtain seasonal information and from 15 monitoring bores biannually to monitor the mixing zone. Rainfall samples were collected on a weekly basis. The chemical composition of water samples were analysed by ion chromatography and inductively coupled
plasma-mass spectrometry, while and stable water isotopes (SWIs) were analysed by
isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Tritium was analysed by liquid scintillation after being distilled and electrolytically enriched. hydrochemical analysis shows varied water types and suggests a mixing trend between a fresh and saline end-member. Samples range in composition from fresh Ca-Na-Mg-3-Cl to saline Na-Cl groundwaters with increasing electrical conductivity (EC). The mixing trend is also observed in the SWIs results, with the values becoming more enriched with
increasing EC. Fresh water within the lens was found to be ‘young’ and recharged within the last 10 to 30 years. While the fresh groundwater beneath Rottnest Island was found to be recently recharged and is arguably a sustainable resource, the hydrochemical results highlight the
importance of a long-term management strategy to ensure that the mixing zone below thefreshwater lens does not increase to a point where the freshwater source is no longer viable. The declining winter rainfall in the Perth region, resulting in reduced recharge to the lens, makes the management of this resource even more essential
Morphology and evolution of drowned carbonate terraces during the last two interglacial cycles, off Hilo, NE Hawaii
No full textThe eastern side of Hawaii Island is a rapidly subsiding margin dominated by drowned carbonate platforms. We present detailed bathymetric and backscatter data, remotely operated vehicle and submersible observations, sedimentological and 14C accelerator mass spectrometry and U/Th age data from seven submerged terraces (H7, H2a–d, H1a–b) in water depths between 1100 and 25 m off Hilo, north-eastern Hawaii. The main carbonate deposits on these terraces are coral deposits, rhodolith beds, coralline algal mounds, crusts, pavements and tabular sheets. We identified five previously described sedimentary shallow- to deep-water facies and one new facies type that are consistent with reef drowning on a rapidly subsiding margin. We used palaeobathymetric data derived from the sedimentary facies, age versus depth relationships, and published sea-level curves, to estimate a uniform long-term subsidence rate of 2.80 ± 0.36 m/ky for the eastern side of Hawaii over the last 150 ky. Terrace H7 developed about 380 ka based on data from the western side of the island. Active coral growth on terrace H2d occurred during the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 6 to 5 transition, and the terrace drowned during the peak of MIS 5e when sea level rose faster than reefs could grow. Favoured by the gentle platform gradient, reefs established progressively landwards with a backstepping pattern during MIS 5e to form the terraces H2c and H2b 122 ka. Final turn-off of shallow water carbonate production on terraces H2b–d coincided with the relative sea-level rise of the interstadial MIS 5a. Bathymetry and submersible data suggest that carbonate sediments on terraces H2a and H1b were deposited over an antecedent topography of local lava deltas emplaced during rising sea levels at ca. 85 and 65 ka, while terrace H1a established on lava delta substrates of the Mauna Loa volcano ca. 11 ka. We conclude that the initiation, growth and drowning of coral-reef terraces off Hilo differ in some ways from the pattern observed in the submerged terraces in the western side of Hawaii and that the platform evolution off Hilo is more strongly influenced by emplacement of offshore lava flows. © 2015, Elsevier B.
Atmospheric stability effects on potential radiological releases at a nuclear research facility in Romania: characterising the atmospheric mixing state
No full textA radon-based nocturnal stability classification scheme is developed for a flat inland site near Bucharest, Romania, characterised by significant local surface roughness heterogeneity, and compared with traditional meteorologically-based techniques. Eight months of hourly meteorological and atmospheric radon observations from a 60 m tower at the IFIN-HH nuclear research facility are analysed. Heterogeneous surface roughness conditions in the 1 km radius exclusion zone around the site hinder accurate characterisation of nocturnal atmospheric mixing conditions using conventional meteorological techniques, so a radon-based scheme is trialled. When the nocturnal boundary layer is very stable, the Pasquill–Gifford “radiation” scheme overestimates the atmosphere's capacity to dilute pollutants with near-surface sources (such as tritiated water vapour) by 20% compared to the radon-based scheme. Under these conditions, near-surface wind speeds drop well below 1 m s−1 and nocturnal mixing depths vary from ∼25 m to less than 10 m above ground level (a.g.l.). Combining nocturnal radon with daytime ceilometer data, we were able to reconstruct the full diurnal cycle of mixing depths. Average daytime mixing depths at this flat inland site range from 1200 to 1800 m a.g.l. in summer, and 500–900 m a.g.l. in winter. Using tower observations to constrain the nocturnal radon-derived effective mixing depth, we were able to estimate the seasonal range in the Bucharest regional radon flux as: 12 mBq m−2 s−1 in winter to 14 mBq m−2 s−1 in summer. © 2016, Elsevier Ltd
Vacancy-related defects in n-type Si implanted with a rarefied microbeam of accelerated heavy ions in the MeV range
No full textDeep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) has been used to study vacancy-related defects formed in bulk n-type Czochralski-grown silicon after implantation of accelerated heavy ions: 6.5 MeV O, 10.5 MeV Si, 10.5 MeV Ge, and 11 MeV Er in the single ion regime with fluences from 109 cm−2 to 1010 cm−2 and a direct comparison made with defects formed in the same material irradiated with 0.7 MeV fast neutron fluences up to 1012 cm−2. A scanning ion microprobe was used as the ion implantation tool of n-Cz:Si samples prepared as Schottky diodes, while the ion beam induced current (IBIC) technique was utilized for direct ion counting. The single acceptor state of the divacancy V2(−/0) is the most prominent defect state observed in DLTS spectra of n-CZ:Si samples implanted by selected ions and the sample irradiated by neutrons. The complete suppression of the DLTS signal related to the double acceptor state of divacancy, V2(=/−) has been observed in all samples irradiated by ions and neutrons. Moreover, the DLTS peak associated with formation of the vacancy-oxygen complex VO in the neutron irradiated sample was also completely suppressed in DLTS spectra of samples implanted with the raster scanned ion microbeam. The reason for such behaviour is twofold, (i) the local depletion of the carrier concentration in the highly disordered regions, and (ii) the effect of the microprobe-assisted single ion implantation. The activation energy for electron emission for states assigned to the V2(−/0) defect formed in samples implanted by single ions follows the Meyer–Neldel rule. An increase of the activation energy is strongly correlated with increasing ion mass. © 2016, Elsevier B.V
Electrical properties and defect chemistry of indium-doped TiO2, Thermoelectric power
No full textThis work studied the effect of indium on the semiconducting properties of TiO2 (rutile) at elevated temperatures (1023-1273 K) in the gas phase of controlled oxygen activity in the range of 10(-16) Pa< p(O-2)< 10(5) Pa. The studies were performed using the measurements of thermoelectric power of In-doped TiO2 (0.4 at.% In) as a function of oxygen activity and temperature. The obtained data indicates that indium is incorporated into the TiO2 lattice according to the dual mechanism leading to the formation of donors and acceptors in the interface (surface and grain boundary) layer and the bulk phase, respectively. This effect is considered in terms of a quasi-isolated surface layer that differs from the bulk phase in terms of semiconducting properties and the related defect disorder
Radon-based assessment of stability effects on potential radiological releases
Get PDFIt is a requirement of nuclear energy and research facilities to conduct continuous and comprehensive atmospheric monitoring in order to better forecast public or environmental exposure to routine or accidental releases of radioactive substances to the atmosphere. A key aspect of such monitoring programs is the assessment of the atmospheric mixing state (or “stability”). Whether these facilities are in dense urban areas, or surrounded by heavily vegetated exclusion zones, local roughness heterogeneity can hamper attempts to accurately categorise stability by conventional meteorological techniques. Based on an analysis of 8 months of hourly climatology and atmospheric radon observations from a 60 m tower at the IFIN-HH nuclear research facility (Bucharest, Romania), we develop and apply a continuous (i.e. not categorical) radon-based scheme for the classification of the nocturnal atmospheric stability state. We demonstrate the superior performance of the radon-based technique to Pasquill-Gifford or bulk Richardson number stability typing at this site where heterogeneous roughness elements reach to 15 m a.g.l. Under stable nocturnal conditions the Pasquill-Gifford scheme overestimates the atmosphere’s capacity to dilute pollutants with near-surface sources by 20% compared to the radon-based scheme. Under these conditions, near-surface wind speeds drop well below 1 m s-1 and nocturnal mixing depths vary from ~25 m to less than 10 m a.g.l. Climatological parameters are characterised by season and 4 arbitrarily-defined nocturnal stability categories. Benchmarks (based on 10/50/90th percentile distributions) of 30-60 m wind and temperature gradients are devised for each stability category for evaluation of model performance. Lastly, nocturnal radon-derived effective mixing depth estimates constrained by tower observations are used to better-constrain the seasonal variability in the Bucharest regional radon flux: 13 mBq m-2 s-1 (winter), 18 mBq m-2 s-1 (summer)
Inherent variation in carbon and nitrogen isotopic assimilation in the freshwater macro-invertebrate Cherax destructor
No full textIndividual variability in diet source selection has often been cited as the main factor for intra-specific variation of isotopic signatures among food-web consumers. We conducted a laboratory study to test how well the individual variability of the δ13C and δ15N ratios in the muscle of an omnivore consumer (yabby: Cherax destructor) corresponded to the variability of various diet types and diet combinations. We found that C. destructor muscle isotope signatures varied in concert with the composition of single-source diets, and that this variability was low. However, when fed the same proportional mixture of multiple diet sources, comparatively high isotopic variability was observed among specimens. Results suggest that a substantial component of isotopic variability in wild populations may be owing to inherent differences in uptake, absorption, and sequestration among individuals, which is distinct from behaviourally driven individualised diet selection. Considering the potential of such individual variability in assimilation to be present in many different consumer populations, we suggest further testing for a range of species and inclusion of this source of variation, for interpretation of isotopic data for trophic ecology
Anomalous thermal expansion in orthorhombic perovskite SrIrO3: Interplay between spin-orbit coupling and the crystal lattice
No full textThe structure of the orthorhombic (Pbnm) polytype of SrIrO3 has been investigated between 3 and 1100 K using a combination of synchrotron and neutron diffraction methods. The orthorhombic structure persists to 1100 K, the highest temperature available in this work. This is a consequence of the larger than expected octahedral tilting estimated from the neutron diffraction studies. We postulate that the strong spin-orbit coupling of the Ir4+ cation, which splits the t2g band, introduces additional strain on the lattice. This introduces unusual thermal expansion of the cell. SrIrO3 was characterized by resistivity, magnetization, and specific heat measurements. Metallic conductivity was observed between 2 and 300 K without indication of the previously reported metal-insulator transition. The Sommerfeld constant γ was 3.12(2) mJ mol−1 K−2, and a Fermi-liquid behavior was observed between 2 and 30 K with positive magnetoresistence of up to 2% (at 70 kOe and between 2 and 50 K).© 2014, American Physical Society
An unconventional method for measuring the Tc L3-edge of technetium compounds
No full textTc L3-edge XANES spectra have been collected on powder samples of SrTcO3 (octahedral Tc4+) and NH4TcO4 (tetrahedral Tc7+) immobilized in an epoxy resin. Features in the Tc L3-edge XANES spectra are compared with the pre-edge feature of the Tc K-edge as well as other 4d transition metal L3-edges. Evidence of crystal field splitting is obvious in the Tc L3-edge, which is sensitive to the coordination number and oxidation state of the Tc cation. The Tc L3 absorption edge energy difference between SrTcO3 (Tc4+) and NH4TcO4 (Tc7+) shows that the energy shift at the Tc L3-edge is an effective tool for studying changes in the oxidation states of technetium compounds. The Tc L3-edge spectra are compared with those obtained from Mo and Ru oxide standards with various oxidation states and coordination environments. Most importantly, fitting the Tc L3-edge to component peaks can provide direct evidence of crystal field splitting that cannot be obtained from the Tc K-edge. © International Union of Crystallography