DEVELOPMENT OF EARTH SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE TELEMETRY OF HYDROLOGIC DATA1

ABSTRACT The use of satellite telemetry is playing a major role in the collection of hydrologic data. Advancing technology and availability of government satellites have permitted many agencies to take advantage of new procedures for acquiring data from automated remote data collection stations. Experiments with Earth satellite technology started in the 1960's and 1970's, with the polar-orbiting National Aeronautics and Space Administration Nimbus and Landsat satellites. Subsequent advancements took place through the development phase to operational systems using the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This satellite system supports more than 2,500 active telemetry sites, of which approximately 1,200 are Geological Survey stream-gaging stations for the collection of hydrologic data. A satellite data collection system is made up of three primary components; a small battery-operated radio, and Earth-orbiting satellite, and an Earth receive and data processing station. The data relay satellites' vast aerial view of the Earth's surface gives satellite telemetry a large advantage over ground-based systems for the collection of real-time hydrologic data for flood warning, reservoir management, irrigation water control, hydropower generation, and the operation of hydrologic stations.     

Environmental application of aerial reconnaissance to search for open dumps

Three approaches to using aerial photography are evaluated for searching for open dumps in the state of Indiana. Photography with hand-held cameras from a small airplane proved more effective and flexible than either photo-interpretation of existing air photos or subcontracting to a federal agency for new aerial photography. The rationale for our choice of aerial reconnaissance, other uses of low-level aerial surveillance, the utility of small-format camera aerial photography for environmental analysis, and methods used for locating open dumps are discussed.     

Chemical Changes in Sediment Pore-Waters of an Acidic Mining Lake After Addition of Organic Substrate and Lime for Stimulating Lake Remediation

In the past five years, enclosures have beeninstalled in an acidic mining lake in Lusatia to investigate insitu remediation processes. They were treated with straw, withstraw and Carbokalk, or with Carbokalk alone, where Carbokalkis a by-product of the sugar industry (solid precipitate ofnon-sugars after lime clarification of extracted sugar beetjuice). Sediment samples were taken as cores to get informationabout the behaviour of organic and inorganic components insediment pore-water with depth. Vertical distributions of pH,soluble reactive phosphate, nitrate, ammonium, silica,aluminium, iron, manganese, calcium, magnesium, sodium,potassium, sulphate, and DOC were measured. The resultingprofiles, each consisting of 15 data points at differentdepths, were compared by cluster analysis. The similarities ofsediment cores from different treated enclosures relating toprofiles of chemical components were discussed. Increasedconcentrations of potassium and sulphate were found in pore-water after substrate treatment. The data imply dissolution ofpotassium iron sulphate hydroxide minerals (jarosite) after anincrease of pH caused by dissolution of lime and by sulphatereducing processes which were stimulated by organic substrateaddition.     

Fish bioassay monitoring of waste effluents

Spills of toxic materials into bodies of water receiving industrial waste discharges can be prevented only if frequent or continuous assessments of effluent quality can be made. Currently available methods can automatically measure individual physical or chemical waste components but cannot assess toxicity caused by the interaction of components or the presence of an unsuspected material. Aquatic organisms, in contrast, respond to their total environment and in this way integrate the effects of all the various chemical and physical waste parameters.This study evaluates the possibility of using the continuously and automatically recorded responses of fish to monitor the toxicity of industrial waste effluents. A review of previously developed toxicity monitoring systems is followed by a field evaluation of a method that uses the computer-monitored ventilatory patterns of 12 bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque) to monitor the toxicity of an industrial waste effluent as it flows into a river. No known toxic spills occurred in the effluent during the operation of this system, but acetone added to the effluent waste caused responses from the fish at concentrations which peaked near the 96-hr LC₅₀ level. Some responses were also noted when no known toxicant was present; these were related to environmental disturbances and system design problems. Recommendations are made for the design of future biologic monitoring units.     

Rhythms in larval release of the sublittoral crab Neopanope sayi and the supralittoral crab Sesarma cinereum (Decapoda: Brachyura)

Ovigerous females of the subtidal xanthid crab Neopanope sayi (Smith) and the high intertidal grapsid crab Sesarma cinereum (Bosc) were collected during the summers of 1986 and 1987 in the Beaufort, North Carolina (USA), area and brought into the laboratory, where rhythms in larval release were monitored. When crabs with late-stage embryos were put under a 14 h light:10 h dark cycle in an otherwise constant-environment room, an apparent tidal rhythm in release of larvae was observed for both species, with N. sayi releasing near the time of day and night high tides, and S. cinereum releasing around the time of night high tides. The time of sunset relative to high tide was a complicating factor, since larval release for both species was often concentrated around sunset when evening high tides fell several hours before sunset. When a group of N. sayi and S. cinereum were brought into the laboratory and placed under constant lowlevel light for 5 d, the release rhythm of the population persisted, thus implying that the rhythm is endogenous. Larval release near the time of high tide and often at night is common among brachyurans living in tidal areas, regardless of specific adult habitat, suggesting a common functional advantage. Possibilities include transport of larvae from areas where predation and the likelihood of stranding and exposure to low-salinity waters are high, as well as a reduced probability of predation on adult females. Results of the present study suggest that the importance of release after darkness may increase with increasing tidal height of the adult.     

Defensive secretion of a flightless grasshopper: Failure to prevent lizard attack

Summary We tested the role of a grasshopper defensive secretion in deterring lizard predation. Adults, but not young larvae, of the chemically defended lubber grasshopperRomalea guttata (=microptera) froth a volatile secretion when attacked by predators. The lizardAnolis carolinensis failed to strike juvenile lubbers (which lack secretion) in laboratory trials. Survivorship of palatable crickets loaded with secretion offered toA. carolinensis was not significantly different from survivorship of control crickets. In experiments designed to investigate if lizards learn an aversion to the secretion, striking times forSceloporus undulatus fed wax worms coated with secretion were not significantly different over three days of trials. Three primary conclusions are drawn from these data. First, the secretion may not be necessary for lubber protection from lizards. Second, lubber secretion does not appear to deter lizards from attacking or eating prey items. Third, lizards do not appear to develop an aversion to the secretion.     

Effects of the polychlorinated biphenyl Aroclor® 1254 on the American oyster Crassostrea virginica

Young oysters (Crassostrea virginica) were continuously exposed to Aroclor^® 1254, a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), in flowing, unfiltered seawater. Growth rate (height and in-water weight) was significantly reduced (=0.05) in oysters exposed to 5 g/l (ppb) for 24 weeks. Growth rate was not affected in oysters exposed to 1 ppb for 30 weeks. Mortality was not significant in exposed and control groups. In oysters exposed to 5 ppb, greatest PCB residue (whole body) was 425 mg/kg (ppm), 85,000x the concentration in the water, and less than 0.3 ppm was retained after 28 weeks depuration in PCB-free water. In oysters exposed to 1 ppb, greatest residue was 101 ppm, 101,000x the concentration in the water, and less than 0.2 ppm was retained after 12 weeks depuration. Examination of oysters exposed to 5 ppb of this PCB for pathogenesis revealed atrophy of digestive diverticular epithelium and degeneration of vesicular connective tissues concomitant with leukocytic infiltration, but tissue recovery seemed excellent after 12 weeks depuration.Registered trademark, Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Mention of commercial products or trade names does not constitute endorsement by the Environmental Protection Agency.Contribution No. 146, Gulf Breeze Laboratory.