Changes in Hydrology of the Ganges Delta of Bangladesh and Corresponding Impacts on Water Resources

The Ganges Delta in Bangladesh is an example of water‐related catastrophes in a major rural river basin where limitations in quantity, quality, and timing of available water are producing disastrous conditions. Water availability limitations are modifying the hydrologic characteristics especially when water allocation is controlled from the upstream Farakka Barrage. This study presents the changes and consequences in the hydrologic regime due to climate‐ and human‐induced stresses. Flow duration curves (FDCs), rainfall elasticity, and temperature sensitivity were used to assess the pre‐ and post‐barrage water flow patterns. Hydrologic and climate indices were computed to provide insight on hydro‐climatic variability and trend. Significant increases in temperature, evapotranspiration, hot days, heating, and cooling degree days indicate the region is heading toward a warmer climate. Moreover, increase in high‐intensity rainfall of short duration is making the region prone to extreme floods. FDCs depict a large reduction in river flows between pre‐ and post‐barrage periods, resulting in lower water storage capacity. The reduction in freshwater flow increased the extent and intensity of salinity intrusion. This freshwater scarcity is reducing livelihood options considerably and indirectly forcing population migration from the delta region. Understanding the causes and directions of hydrologic changes is essential to formulate improve water resources management in the region.     

Efficient Delineation of Nested Depression Hierarchy in Digital Elevation Models for Hydrological Analysis Using Level‐Set Method

In terrain analysis and hydrological modeling, surface depressions (or sinks) in a digital elevation model (DEM) are commonly treated as artifacts and thus filled and removed to create a depressionless DEM. Various algorithms have been developed to identify and fill depressions in DEMs during the past decades. However, few studies have attempted to delineate and quantify the nested hierarchy of actual depressions, which can provide crucial information for characterizing surface hydrologic connectivity and simulating the fill‐merge‐spill hydrological process. In this paper, we present an innovative and efficient algorithm for delineating and quantifying nested depressions in DEMs using the level‐set method based on graph theory. The proposed level‐set method emulates water level decreasing from the spill point along the depression boundary to the lowest point at the bottom of a depression. By tracing the dynamic topological changes (i.e., depression splitting/merging) within a compound depression, the level‐set method can construct topological graphs and derive geometric properties of the nested depressions. The experimental results of two fine‐resolution Light Detection and Ranging‐derived DEMs show that the raster‐based level‐set algorithm is much more efficient (~150 times faster) than the vector‐based contour tree method. The proposed level‐set algorithm has great potential for being applied to large‐scale ecohydrological analysis and watershed modeling.     

Application of response surface methodology for the optimization of biodiesel production from yellow mustard (Sinapis alba L.) seed oil

In the present study, response surface methodology (RSM) involving central composite design (CCD) was applied to optimize the reaction parameters of biodiesel production from yellow mustard (Sinapis alba L.) seed oil during the single-step transesterification process. A total of 30 experiments were designed and performed to determine under the effects of variables on the biodiesel yield such as methanol to oil molar ratio (2:1–10:1), catalyst concentration (0.2–1.0 wt.% NaOH), reaction temperature (50–70°C), and reaction time (30–90 min). The second order polynomial model was used to predict the biodiesel yield and coefficient of determination (R²) was found to be at 0.9818. The optimum biodiesel yield was calculated as 96.695% from the model with the following reaction conditions: 7.41:1 of methanol to oil molar ratio, 0.63 wt. % NaOH of catalyst concentration, 61.84°C of reaction temperature, and 62.12 min of reaction time. It is seen that the regression model results were in agreement with the experimental data. The results showed that RSM is a suitable statistical technique for optimizing the reaction parameters in the transesterification process in order to maximize the biodiesel yield.     

Southwestern Intermittent and Ephemeral Stream Connectivity

Ephemeral and intermittent streams are abundant in the arid and semiarid landscapes of the Western and Southwestern United States (U.S.). Connectivity of ephemeral and intermittent streams to the relatively few perennial reaches through runoff is a major driver of the ecohydrology of the region. These streams supply water, sediment, nutrients, and biota to downstream reaches and rivers. In addition, they provide runoff to recharge alluvial and regional groundwater aquifers that support baseflow in perennial mainstem stream reaches over extended periods when little or no precipitation occurs. Episodic runoff, as well as groundwater inflow to surface water in streams support limited naturally occurring riparian communities. This paper provides an overview and comprehensive examination of factors affecting the hydrologic, chemical, and ecological connectivity of ephemeral and intermittent streams on perennial or intermittent rivers in the arid and semiarid Southwestern U.S. Connectivity as influenced and moderated through the physical landscape, climate, and human impacts to downstream waters or rivers is presented first at the broader Southwestern scale, and secondly drawing on a specific and more detailed example of the San Pedro Basin due to its history of extensive observations and research in the basin. A wide array of evidence clearly illustrates hydrologic, chemical, and ecological connectivity of ephemeral and intermittent streams throughout stream networks.     

A Water Allocation Decision‐Support Model and Tool for Predictions in Ungauged Basins in Northeast British Columbia,Canada

Pressures on water resources due to changing climate, increasing demands, and enhanced recognition of environmental flow needs result in the need for hydrology information to support informed water allocation decisions. However, the absence of hydrometric measurements and limited access to hydrology information in many areas impairs water allocation decision‐making. This paper describes a water balance‐based modeling approach and an innovative web‐based decision‐support hydrology tool developed to address this need. Using high‐resolution climate, vegetation, and watershed data, a simple gridded water balance model, adjusted to account for locational variability, was developed and calibrated against gauged watersheds, to model mean annual runoff. Mean monthly runoff was modeled empirically, using multivariate regression. The modeled annual runoff results are within 20% of the observed mean annual discharge for 78% of the calibration watersheds, with a mean absolute error of 16%. Modeled monthly runoff corresponds well to observed monthly runoff, with a median Nash–Sutcliffe statistic of 0.92 and a median Spearman rank correlation statistic of 0.98. Monthly and annual flow estimates produced from the model are incorporated into a map‐ and watershed‐based decision‐support system referred to as the Northeast Water Tool, to provide critical information to decision makers and others on natural water supply, existing allocations, and the needs of the environment.     

厌氧发酵产沼气过程中脱氢酶活性检测工艺及其优化

为了优化脱氢酶活性这一指标在厌氧发酵产沼气系统中的检测方法,分别以小麦秸秆、羊粪及其混合原料(质量比1∶1)为发酵底物,通过Box-Behnken试验及响应面分析法确定并优化了沼气发酵系统中碘硝基四唑紫法脱氢酶活性的检测工艺,并对脱氢酶活性与甲烷产量进行了相关性分析.结果表明,3种底物均以乙醇作为萃取剂,以甲醛作为终止剂时显色效果最好.分别以秸秆、粪便及其混合为发酵底物时,脱氢酶检测在pH值分别为6.5、7.2、7.7,反应温度均在37℃下,碘硝基四唑紫质量分数均为0.15%,反应时间均为50 min时比色效果最好.相关性分析显示,厌氧发酵产沼气系统中脱氢酶活性与甲烷产量相关性显著.     

兰州冬季城市烟雾层辐射效应的观测分析研究

冬季兰州城市上空形成浓厚的烟雾层。利用1990年11月兰州大学和离城市地面625m高南山顶的辐射和探空资料,分析和计算了烟雾层的辐射效应。兰州城市烟雾层具有浑浊度系数大波长指数小的特点。对到达地面的太阳辐射有很强的削弱。浑浊度系数最大时,烟雾层内的平均加热率为6.16℃/d,。大气层对各波段的消光强弱不同,对可见光削减最大。同时烟雾层使到达兰州地面的大气逆辐射比南山顶增加5.2％,总的入射辐射比南山顶小5.6％,地面辐射差额比南山顶小67.8％。烟雾层的存在增加了城市边界层的稳定性。     

搅拌槽液相吸附过程的数学模拟研究——粒内表面扩散控制

分别利用Langmuir、Freundlich和Fritz－Schlunder三种等温吸附平衡关系,对粒内表面扩散控制时的搅拌槽液相吸附动力学过程进行数学模拟研究,同时指出日本《化学工学便览》第四版和第五版中关于求取粒内表面扩散系数部分内容所存在的问题。若按上述《便览》中的公式或图去求粒内有效表面扩散系数Ds,则其平均误差将可能达到340％左右,这是因为铃木基之和河添帮太朗等人在利用“单点拟合法”确定有效表面扩散系数Ds时,错误地将无因次吸附时间等于1.0视为吸附平衡时间所致。文中还对《便览》中存在的上述问题提出了相应的修正意见     

东寨港流域地表水水化学组成特征及其成因

为研究滨海地区地表水资源和红树林生态系统的水环境,利用水化学分析、数理统计和Gibbs水-岩分析模型等方法对东寨港流域内演丰西河和三江河两条河流水体的水化学组成和氢氧稳定同位素特征进行分析,揭示了演丰西河和三江河河流地表水的水化学组成特征,讨论了该区域地表水的水化学组分变化及其控制因素.结果 表明:演丰西河地表水的水化...     

三株产甲烷细菌表面层研究

用电子显微镜的负染色技术,对史氏甲烷短杆菌Ｈ１３（ Ｍｅｔｈａｎｏｂｒｅｖｉｂａｃｔｅｒｓｍｉｔｈｉｉ Ｈ１３）、嗜热甲酸甲烷杆菌ＣＢ１２（ Ｍｅｔｈａｎｏｂａｃｔｅｒｉｕｍ ｔｈｅｒｍｏｆｏｒｍｉｃｉｃｕｍ ＣＢ１２） 、拉布雷甲烷粒菌Ｚ（ Ｍｅｔｈａｎｏｃｏｒｐｕｓｃｕｌｕｍ ｌａｂｒｅａｎｕｍ Ｚ） 的表面结构观察比较结果表明：史氏甲烷短杆菌Ｈ１３ 和嗜热甲酸甲烷杆菌ＣＢ１２ 的表面层由规则排列的四边形亚单位组成;前者每个亚单位直径为５～７ ｎｍ ,亚单位之间的中心距离为５ ～８ ｎｍ ,后者亚单位直径为９～１２ ｎｍ ,亚单位之间的中心距离为１１～１４ ｎｍ ．拉布雷甲烷粒菌Ｚ的表面层是条纹和颗粒状或丝状组成的网状结构．每根条纹宽３～４ ｎｍ ,条纹之间的距离为６～８ ｎｍ ．３ 株产甲烷细菌的表面层各不相同,其中嗜热甲酸甲烷杆菌ＣＢ１２ 和拉布雷甲烷粒菌Ｚ的表面层结构十分独特,明显不同于已报道的产甲烷细菌和古细菌的表面层结构．