Isotope tracing of submarine groundwater discharge offshore Ubatuba, Brazil: results of the IAEA–UNESCO SGD project

Results of groundwater and seawater analyses for radioactive (³H, ²²²Rn, ²²³Ra, ²²⁴Ra, ²²⁶Ra, and ²²⁸Ra) and stable (D and ¹⁸O) isotopes are presented together with in situ spatial mapping and time series ²²²Rn measurements in seawater, direct seepage measurements using manual and automated seepage meters, pore water investigations using different tracers and piezometric techniques, and geoelectric surveys probing the coast. This study represents first time that such a new complex arsenal of radioactive and non-radioactive tracer techniques and geophysical methods have been used for simultaneous submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) investigations. Large fluctuations of SGD fluxes were observed at sites situated only a few meters apart (from 0 cm d⁻¹ to 360 cm d⁻¹; the unit represents cm³/cm²/day), as well as during a few hours (from 0 cm d⁻¹ to 110 cm d⁻¹), strongly depending on the tidal fluctuations. The average SGD flux estimated from continuous ²²²Rn measurements is 17 ± 10 cm d⁻¹. Integrated coastal SGD flux estimated for the Ubatuba coast using radium isotopes is about 7 × 10³ m³ d⁻¹ per km of the coast. The isotopic composition (δD and δ¹⁸O) of submarine waters was characterised by significant variability and heavy isotope enrichment, indicating that the contribution of groundwater in submarine waters varied from a small percentage to 20%. However, this contribution with increasing offshore distance became negligible. Automated seepage meters and time series measurements of ²²²Rn activity concentration showed a negative correlation between the SGD rates and tidal stage. This is likely caused by sea level changes as tidal effects induce variations of hydraulic gradients. The geoelectric probing and piezometric measurements contributed to better understanding of the spatial distribution of different water masses present along the coast. The radium isotope data showed scattered distributions with offshore distance, which imply that seawater in a complex coast with many small bays and islands was influenced by local currents and groundwater/seawater mixing. This has also been confirmed by a relatively short residence time of 1–2 weeks for water within 25 km offshore, as obtained by short-lived radium isotopes. The irregular distribution of SGD seen at Ubatuba is a characteristic of fractured rock aquifers, fed by coastal groundwater and recirculated seawater with small admixtures of groundwater, which is of potential environmental concern and has implications on the management of freshwater resources in the region.     

活性炭法测量室内空气中氡浓度的影响因素研究

探讨了各种因素对活性炭法测量室内空气中氡浓度的影响,并提出既能保证检测质量,又能符合工程检测需要、提高检测效率的检测条件范围。     

Forest Area in Costa Rica: A Comparative Study of Tropical Forest Cover Estimates over Time

Forest area figures, at a given point in time and for a given region of interest, differ considerably, affecting the calculation of deforestation rates and thus confuse the political and scientific discussion on the state and change of the resource forest. This article discusses the variation of published forest cover figures, using Costa Rica as an example. A list of published figures on the forest cover of Costa Rica from 1940 onwards is analyzed. Reasons for the differences are hypothesized and discussed. These differences are mainly in the definition of forest and forest classes included, in the type of the studies conducted (mapping and/or sampling), in the precision of the estimates, and in the information sources used. It is concluded that part of the problem is inherent in the nature of the resource `forest'. Quality and completeness of the presentation of the forest cover estimates are a clue to their correct understanding and interpretation. The latter point being especially relevant, as forest cover data have both a technical-scientific and a political meaning and are used as relevant arguments in many discussions. In the example of Costa Rica, a general downward trend is observed up to about 1985/1990, whereas after that forest area figures are on the average at a markedly higher level. Some hypotheses for this change in the trend are discussed.     

Multi-level screening of a proposed hazardous waste treatment and disposal facility site--a case study

A comprehensive environmental assessment (EA) is a pre-requisite before the site for developing a hazardous waste treatment and disposal facility (HWTDF) is selected. However, the resource limitations, especially for developing countries, often dictatethat the detailed EA be restricted to those sites, which are constraint free and have low hazard potentials. Thus, a preliminary screening exercise for assessing the suitability ofsite for developing the HWTDF needs to be carried out to avoid huge costs involved in detailed EA. While screening a HWTDF site,various factors such as present land use, ecologically sensitiveareas, geology and hydrogeology of the area, the quality and quantity of wastes, engineered safeguards, and the operationalprocedures that need to be adopted, are required to be addressed. In this paper, a multi-level screening criteria employing RemoteSensing, Constraint Mapping, Groundwater Pollution Potential Index (DRASTIC Index), and the Site Ranking was used to assess the suitability of a proposed site for the development of HWTDF.The study helped to identify various constraints at the proposedsite and their significance on the development of the HWTDF.     

Geostatistical Uncertainty Modelling for the Environmental Hazard Assessment During Single Erosive Rainstorm Events

This paper presents an environmental hazard assessment to account the impacts of single rainstorm variability on river-torrential landscape identified as potentially vulnerable mainly to erosional soil degradation processes. An algorithm for the characterisation of this impact, called Erosive Hazard Index (EHI), is developed with a less expensive methodology. In EHI modelling, we assume that the river-torrential system has adapted to the natural hydrological regime, and a sudden fluctuation in this regime, especially those exceeding thresholds for an acceptable range of flexibility, may have disastrous consequences for the mountain environment. The hazard analysis links key rainstorm energy variables expressed as a single-storm erosion index (EI_sto), with impact thresholds identified using an intensity pattern model. Afterwards, the conditional probabilities of exceeding these thresholds are spatially assessed using non-parametric geostatistical techinques, known as indicator kriging. The approach was applied to a test site in river-torrential landscape of the Southern Italy (Benevento province) for 13 November 1997 rainstorm event.     

关于华南前震旦纪浅变质岩区地质填图中某些问题的思考

华南前震旦纪浅变质岩是一种岩性单调、变形强烈，既不同于中深变质岩又有别于沉积岩的特殊岩类。这种岩类区的填图单位与构造样式的确立不能彼此独立，而是互为前提、互相依存的。因此，选择什么样的填图方法已成为建全区域地层序列、构造格架的关键。由于对这种特殊性缺乏充分的认识，在利用常规填图方法完成的多比例尺地质图编制1：25万地质图时应予以慎重对待。实践证明，华南前震旦纪至少存在2－3个世代的叠加褶皱，这是现今区调中应当引起注意的问题。本文对“构造岩带”、“韧性剪切带”、“非史密斯”以及有关前震旦纪基础地质问题的研究思路进行了探讨。     

现代测绘技术在解决矿区资源与环境问题中的应用探讨

以“３Ｓ”技术及其集成为代表的现代测绘技术在解决我国矿区存在的资源浪费及环境污染问题中具有重要的应用,本文对此进行了探讨。     

厚覆盖区1：25万区域地质调查工作方法研究

通过1：25万杭州市幅厚覆盖区第四纪研究和填图实践，初步总结出“以气候旋回及基准面旋回等时性理论为基础，从古气候旋回宏观识别标志研究人手，以标准孔为基准点外延扩展，在反复认识与验证的基础上，进行层序地层划分，建立剖面等时格架，制作高精度对比的剖面图及准瞬时岩相古地理图”的研究方法，以及“从古岸线沉积物研究人手，充分运用非正式岩石地层单位的表示方法，结合考古及地方志，填绘出具岩石空间分布、海平面升降信息、古文化遗址、浅表含水层展布及河流与海岸线变迁”的非常规填图方法。提高了本区第四纪地层研究精度，使地质图具有强烈的地区特色。拓宽了区调工作的服务领域。并为沿海厚覆盖区的区域地质调查另辟了一条新思路。     

抽水蓄能电站建设中注意防止氡污染

针对某抽水蓄能电站地下勘探平洞检测氡气浓度超标问题,分析氡污染危害,提出防止氡污染的措施。     

土氡测量在地质灾害勘测中的干扰实验研究

对土氡勘测中来自测量过程、勘测场地条件、气象因素方面的常见干扰进行了实验研究，探讨了干扰机理，指出了定性及部分定量排除干扰的方法。