Behavior of a Small Pulsed River Plume in a Strong Tidal Cross-Flow in the Akashi Strait

We carried out a field study of a small river plume emptying into Osaka Bay near the Akashi Strait in western Japan, to understand the fate of its urban-runoff-laden waters. As the river is weak compared to tidal currents, we find that the behavior of the plume is strongly influenced by phasing between tidal stage and currents (a westward-traveling progressive tidal wave). When the tidal stage rises, sea water floods up the river, and concentrated river effluent cannot be seen in Osaka Bay. During most of the river’s ebb, a topographic eddy transports river effluent towards the energetic Akashi Strait, while strong vertical shear in the tidal flow mixes the effluent with seawater. However, there is a short interval of time during which the direction of tidal flow in the Strait changes direction and the magnitude of the current is weak. At this time, shear is weak enough to allow a stratified plume of concentrated river water to form, and this plume is driven offshore, and into Osaka Bay, by baroclinic circulation. A sewage outfall, which is located very close to the river mouth, is subjected to these same conditions and therefore exhibits similar behavior. Understanding the relation between tidal phase and plume behavior will be useful to Kobe City, as well as other cities in a similar environment, for minimizing the environmental effects of their wastewater and non-point-source runoff.     

Effects of the Resolution and Kinematics of Olfactory Appendages on the Interception of Chemical Signals in a Turbulent Odor Plume

A variety of animals use olfactory appendages bearing arrays of chemosensory neurons to detect chemical signatures in the water or air around them. This study investigates how particular aspects of the design and behavior of such olfactory appendages on benthic aquatic animals affect the patterns of intercepted chemical signals in a turbulent odor plume. We use virtual olfactory `sensors' and `antennules' (arrays of sensors on olfactory appendages) to interrogate the concentration field from an experimental dataset of a scalar plume developing in a turbulent boundary layer. The aspects of the sensors that we vary are: (1) The spatial and temporal scales over which chemical signals arriving at the receptors of a sensor are averaged (e.g., by subsequent neural processing), and (2) the shape and orientation of a sensor with respect to ambient water flow. Our results indicate that changes in the spatial and temporal resolution of a sensor can dramatically alter its interception of the intermittency and variability of the scalar field in a plume. By comparing stationary antennules with those sweeping through the flow (as during antennule flicking by the spiny lobster, Panulirus argus), we show that flicking alters the frequency content of the scalar signal, and increases the likelihood that the antennule encounters peak events. Flicking also enables a long, slender (i.e., one-dimensional) antennule to intercept two-dimensional scalar patterns.     

Formation of Nitrate and Sulfate in the Plume of Berlin (8 pp)

Background, Aims and Scope Secondary inorganic aerosol (SIA), i.e. particulate sulphate (S(VI)), ammonium and nitrate (N(V)) is formed from gaseous precursors i.e., sulfur dioxide (S(IV)), ammonia and nitrogen oxides, in polluted air on the time-scale of hours to days. Besides particulate ammonium and nitrate, the respective gaseous species ammonia and nitric acid can be formed, too. SIA contributes significantly to elevated levels of respirable particulate matter in urban areas and in strongly anthropogenically influenced air in general. Methods The near-ground aerosol chemical composition was studied at two stationary sites in the vicinity of Berlin during a field campaign in summer 1998. By means of analysis of the wind field, two episodes were identified which allow to study changes within individual air masses during transport i.e., a Lagrangian type of experiment, with one station being upwind and the other downwind of the city. By reference to a passive tracer (Na+) and estimates on dry depositional losses, the influences of dispersion and mixing on concentration changes can be eliminated from the data analysis. Results and Discussion Chemical changes in N(-III), N(V) and S(VI) species were observed. SIA i.e., N(V) and S(VI), was formed from emissions in the city within a few hours. The significance of emissions in the city was furthermore confirmed by missing SIA formation in the case of transport around the city. For the two episodes, SIA formation rates could be derived, albeit not more precise than by an order of magnitude. N(V) formation rates were between 1.4 and 20 and between 1.9 and 59 % h-1 on the two days, respectively, and S(VI) formation rates were > 17 and > 10 % h-1. The area south of the city was identified as a source of ammonia. Conclusion The probability of occurrence of situations during which the downwind site (50 km downwind of Berlin) would be hit by an urban plume is > 7.4%. Furthermore, for the general case of rural areas in Germany it is estimated that for more than half of these there is a significant probability to be hit by an urban plume (> 8%). The S(VI) formation rates are higher than explainable by homogeneous gas-phase chemistry and suggest the involvement of heterogeneous reactions of aerosol particles. Recommendation and Outlook The possible contribution of heterogeneous processes to S(VI) formation should be addressed in laboratory studies. Measurements at more than two sites could improve the potential of Lagrangian field experiments for the quantification of atmospheric chemical transformations, if a second downwind site is chosen in such a way that, at least under particular stability conditions, measurements there are representative for the source area.     

访问频率场模型在大连黑石礁湾污水排海工程环境评价中的应用

利用污染羽流浓度模拟法，采用连续释放质点拉格朗日追踪法计算污染羽流的运动路径。选用大肠杆菌作为污染指标生物，考虑了大肠杆菌衰减率随时间的变化关系。针对黑石礁湾风景旅游区的特点，提出了黄金时间污染羽流文章频率场的概念，对大连市黑石礁湾污水排海工程和黄金时间污染羽流的访问频率场进行了计算。计算结果表明，用访问频率场模型能够直观显示黑石礁湾排海污水中大肠杆菌影响的水域面积和时间，对于黑石礁湾污水排海工程     

海底管道泄漏油气扩散规律数值仿真与对比分析

为研究海底原油与天然气单相泄漏扩散规律的差异性,合理制定应急响应策略,减小事故损失,针对海底管道失效所致的原油与天然气泄漏问题,基于计算流体动力学CFD方法,建立海底油气管道泄漏事故后果预测与评估模型,对特定事故场景下的海底原油与天然气泄漏扩散过程进行模拟与分析,从泄漏扩散过程、工况因素影响、泄漏后果及应对策略4个方面对比原油与天然气的泄漏扩散特性。结果表明:相同工况下,海底原油与天然气在泄漏速率、扩散时间、扩散形态及水平最大扩散距离方面存在显著差别;与天然气相比,原油泄漏扩散行为对工况因素具有更高的敏感性;原油泄漏会引发严重的环境灾害,天然气泄漏则会影响海上结构物的稳定性及引发火灾爆炸事故,据此需合理制定具有针对性的应对策略。     

喷淋对大空间喷头上方羽流特性的影响

基于经典羽流模型,通过全尺寸试验测量大空间喷头上方羽流中心线不同高度处的温度和速度,分析羽流中心线温度和速度的变化规律,并与经典羽流模型做比较,得出喷淋对大空间喷头上方羽流特性的影响。结果表明:喷淋启动前,羽流温度和速度随高度增加的变化趋势与经典羽流模型基本一致;喷淋启动后,各高度处温度显著降低,速度显著减小,温度随时间的变化趋势与喷淋压力有关,且温度和速度随高度增加的变化趋势发生明显改变。     

核电厂大型自然通风冷却塔对气载流出物扩散的影响

为深入研究大型自然通风冷却塔及其湿热羽对内陆核电厂气载流出物扩散影响,应用计算流体力学软件STAR-CCM+提供的k-ε湍流模型模拟了单一冷却塔的运行和停机对不同位置、不同释放高度污染物扩散的影响,结果表明：当释放高度为10m,释放点位于停机冷却塔迎风侧时,释放点下风向的地面轴线弥散因子相比于没有冷却塔时普遍降低1/3~1/2.当释放高度为75m,冷却塔运行时,若释放点位于冷却塔迎风侧时,轴线弥散因子相比于没有冷却塔时普遍增大1~2倍;若释放点位于冷却塔背风侧,则相比于没有冷却塔时普遍降低约1/2.当冷却塔停机时,无论75m高度释放点位于迎风侧还是背风侧,其轴线弥散因子均高于没有冷却塔时.当迎风侧释放高度达到150m时,在释放点下风向约800m的范围内,冷却塔湿热羽使得轴线弥散因子显著增大,但到了800m范围以外,冷却塔湿热羽使得轴线弥散因子减小.     

Identification of a reactive degradation zone at a landfill leachate plume fringe using high resolution sampling and incubation techniques

Vertical small-scale variation in phenoxy acid herbicide degradation across a landfill leachate plume fringe was studied using laboratory degradation experiments. Sediment cores (subdivided into 5 cm segments) were collected in the aquifer and the sediment and porewater were used for microcosm experiments (50 experiments) and for determination of solid organic carbon, solid-water partitioning coefficients, specific phenoxy acid degraders and porewater chemistry. Results from a multi-level sampler installed next to the cores provided information on the plume position and oxygen concentration in the groundwater. Oxygen concentration was controlled individually in each microcosm to mimic the conditions at their corresponding depths. A highly increased degradation potential existed at the narrow plume fringe (37.7 to 38.6 masl), governed by the presence of phenoxy acids and oxygen. This resulted in the proliferation of a microbial population of specific phenoxy acid degraders, which further enhanced the degradation potential for phenoxy acids at the fringe. The results illustrate the importance of fringe degradation processes in contaminant plumes. Furthermore, they highlight the relevance of using high-resolution sampling techniques as well as controlled microcosm experiments in the assessment of the natural attenuation capacity of contaminant plumes in groundwater.     

Effect of Setback Distance on Ability of Gravel Trenches to Intercept Contaminated Groundwater

Computer simulations tested the ability of gravel interceptor trenches to capture a plume of contaminated groundwater. The plume had a maximum length and width of 87 and 19 m, respectively. In alternate simulations, one-meter wide trenches were located 5, 10, 20, and 50 m downgradient of the plume. A minimum trench length and time required to capture the plume was determined for each location (setback). The plume was considered captured if it passed entirely through a trench. A 21 m-long trench captured the plume at setbacks of 5 and 10 m. Minimum trench length increased to 23 and 25 m at setbacks of 20 and 50 m, respectively. Increased contaminant spreading with distance traveled dictated longer trenches at larger setbacks. Results of this study suggest that, at settings where contaminant plumes are carefully monitored and spatially defined, passive interceptor trenches should be close to a plumes leading tip and slightly longer than the maximum width of the plume.     

大气环境质量预测模型研究

为适应青岛和贵阳地区地形和大气流场复杂的特点,吸收高斯烟云模式和烟团模式的优点,建立高斯轨迹烟云模式,模式同时考虑静风条件下的扩散。应用青岛和贵阳的实测数据对模式的性能进行检验,结果证明,该模式可适用于地形和流场复杂的地区。该模式是环境决策支持系统的一部分。