New information on radionuclides concentration in phosphorites originating from Tunisia and Algeria     

Jaloul Bejaoui  Mohamed Samaali  Souad Baccouche  Nafaa Regugui  Mohamed Fethi Ben Hamouda  Zohra Azzouz  Adel Trabelsi  Salah Bouhlel  Boulamia Salim 《Arabian Journal of Geosciences》2013,6(7):2685-2689

In this study we investigate the radiological hazard of naturally occurring radioactive material in Tunisian and Algerian phosphorite deposits. Eight samples of phosphorite were collected from the phosphorite mines. The Tunisian and Algerian phosphorites occur in the Late Paleocene and Lower Eocene (Ypresian-Lutetian) in age (Béji Sassi 1984 and Zaïer 1999). Activity concentrations in all the samples were measured by alpha spectrometry and gamma spectrometry. Alpha spectrometry analyses show that the specific activity values of ²³⁸U, ²³⁴U and ²³⁵U in the samples of Tunisian phosphorite were 327?±?7 (321–327), 326?±?6 (325–331) and 14.50?±?0.72 (13.90–15.57) Bq kg^?1, respectively. Specific activity measured by gamma spectrometry in the samples of the Tunisian and Algerian phosphorite shows a small difference. Specific activity levels of ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ²³⁵U and ²³⁸U in the phosphorite samples from Tunisia were, respectively, 71.10?±?3.80, 391.54?±?9.39, 60.38?±?3.74, 12.72?±?0.54 and 527.42?±?49.57 Bq kg^?1 and Algeria were 15.72?±?1.73, 989.65?±?12.52, 12.08?±?1.20, 47.50?±?1.52 and 1,148.78?±?7.30 Bq kg^?1, respectively. The measured value of specific activity of ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in the Tunisian phosphorite samples is relatively higher than that found in the samples of Algerian phosphorite. The measured activity of uranium (²³⁸U) in the Tunisian phosphorite (527?±?49) Bq kg^?1 is lower than in Algerian phosphorite. The measured activity of ²³⁸U in the Tunisian phosphorite samples was (527–1,315?±?65) ²³⁸U Bq kg^?1 which is higher than its maximum background value of 110 Bq kg^?1 in soils of the various countries of the world (Tufail et al. Radiat Meas 41:443–451, 2006). Different geological origins of phosphorites deposits are the main reason for the large spread in worldwide specific activities. The obtained results of uranium concentrations in phosphorites of different types (Algerian and Tunisian) demonstrate that the uranium concentrations are mainly governed by the phosphatic material. The present study reveals that phosphorite deposits contain natural radioactivity higher than background level.  相似文献   

The use of tracers to assess drill-mud penetration depth into sandstone cores during deep drilling: method development and application     

Linda Pellizzari  Dominik Neumann  Mashal Alawi  Dieter Voigt  Ben Norden  Hilke Würdemann 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2013,70(8):3727-3738

For the utilization of deep saline aquifers in the frame of geotechnical use, such as geological sequestration of CO₂, H₂ or energy storage, a baseline characterization of pristine reservoir rock cores is required to monitor changes in the indigenous microbial communities and pore fluids, and to study alterations in rock characteristics resulting from interaction with geological storage technologies. However, drilling procedures and technical fluids, particularly drill mud, are sources of core contamination. To measure the penetration of drill mud into the cores, three tracers (fluorescein, microspheres, and 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole stained bacteria) were tested under laboratory conditions. The flow of drill mud into core samples was induced by applying uniaxial pressure differentials to the core, and the penetration depth was microscopically determined for each tracer. Fluorescein was extracted from the rock samples and quantified fluorometrically. The results indicate that all tested tracers are suitable for tracking drill-mud penetration. The actual penetration depth seems to be related to differences in mineral composition and texture as well as microfractures. Among all tested tracers, fluorescein labelling is the simplest, cheapest and most accurate method for analyzing the contamination of rock cores by technical fluids. The application of this tracer was successfully applied during two deep drilling campaigns at the CO₂ storage pilot site in Ketzin, Germany. The results highlight that the use of tracers is indispensable to ensure the quality of core samples for microbiological and biogeochemical analysis.  相似文献   

Early Bartonian orthophragminids (Foraminiferida) from Reineche Limestone,north African platform,Tunisia: taxonomy and paleobiogeographic implications     

Kmar Ben İsmail-Lattrache  Kamel Boukhalfa  Pratul Kumar Saraswati  Mohamed Soussi  Luigi Jovane 《Geodinamica Acta》2013,26(1-2):94-121

The orthophragminids in lower Bartonian Reineche Limestone member, a fossiliferous shallow-marine unit exposed in Cap Bon peninsula in Tunisia, are represented by 17 species assigned to Discocyclinidae Galloway 1928 and Orbitoclypeidae Brönnimann 1946. These taxa, associated with nummulitids and alveolinids, belong to the lineages of Discocyclina Gümbel 1870, Nemkovella, 1987, Orbitoclypeus Silvestri 1907, and Asterocyclina Gümbel 1870, described for the first time from north Africa lying at the southern margin of Tethyan ocean during Paleogene. We identified Nemkovella evae, previously not recorded in upper Lutetian/lower Bartonian and younger Eocene deposits of northern Tethyan platforms, and erected a new subspecies, N. evae reinechensis n. ssp. A comparison of Reineche orthophraminids, assigned to orthophragmines zone (OZ) 12 and shallow benthic zone (SBZ 17), to the well-described coeval assemblages at northern Tethyan platforms in Italy, Hungary, Turkey, and to those in Kutch Basin in the Indian subcontinent suggests that some species are confined to certain paleogeographic domains. Orbitoclypeus haynesi, the only orbitoclypeid and the most abundant orthophragminid in lower Bartonian deposits in Kutch, appears to be the most common orbitoclypeid in Reineche Limestone. In Europe, this species is not known and is replaced by Orbitoclypeus varians, the most common orbitoclypeid in middle Eocene of central Europe. Both species occur in varying proportions in marine successions in Turkey. Asterocyclina sireli, identified so far only in Turkey, occurs in Reineche Limestone and in lower Bartonian deposits in Kutch. This species is recorded for the first time in the Indian subcontinent. Relying on present study, as well as our recent studies in Kutch Basin, we conclude that the generic and specific diversity of orthophragminids decreases eastward from the peri-Mediterranean region to Indian subcontinent and to the western Pacific.  相似文献   

Estimation of surface roughness (z0) over a stabilizing coastal dune field based on vegetation and topography     

Noam Levin  Eyal Ben‐Dor  Giora J. Kidron  Yaron Yaakov 《地球表面变化过程与地形》2008,33(10):1520-1541

Accurate knowledge of the surface roughness and the resultant wind speed are important for many applications, such as climatic models, wind power meteorology, agriculture and erosion hazards, especially on sand dunes in arid and semi‐arid environments, where vegetation cover is scarce. In this study we aimed at quantifying the effects of vegetation cover and topography on surface roughness over a stabilizing dune field on the southern coast of Israel. Forty‐six wind measurements were made at various distances from the coastline, ranging from 10 to 2800 m, and z₀ values were calculated from the wind measurements based on the ratio between the wind gust and the average wind speed. We estimated vegetation cover using the soil adjusted vegetation index (SAVI) from Landsat satellite images for the upwind sector at various lengths, ranging from 15 to 400 m, and based on digital elevation models and differential GPS field measurements we calculated the topographic variable of the relative heights of the stations. z₀ values were positively correlated with the winter SAVI values (r = 0·87 at an upwind length of 200 m) and negatively correlated with the relative height (r = ?0·68 at an upwind length of 200–400 m for the inland dune stations). Using these variables we were able to create a map of estimated z₀ values having an accuracy of over 64%. Such maps provide a better understanding of the spatial variability in both wind speed and sand movement over coastal dune areas. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.  相似文献   

Seed germination of wild,in situ-managed,and cultivated populations of columnar cacti in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley,Mexico     

S. Guillén  J. Benítez  M. Martínez-Ramos  A. Casas 《Journal of Arid Environments》2009,73(4-5):407-413

Seed germination was compared among wild, in situ-managed (wild plants let standing in areas cleared for agriculture), and cultivated populations of the columnar cacti Stenocereus pruinosus, Polaskia chichipe, Myrtillocactus schenckii, and Polaskia chende, species representing a gradient from higher to lower management intensity, respectively. We hypothesized that seeds from cultivated populations have higher water requirements to germinate than seeds of other populations, and that such difference is stronger in species more intensely managed. Germination was evaluated under water potential treatments at 0.0, ?0.2, and ?0.4 MPa. Interspecific differences were identified; germination rates markedly decreased in S. pruinosus and P. chichipe as water potential reduced. M. schenckii seeds germinated better at ?0.2 MPa, and seeds of P. chende in all treatments. Seed germination of wild and cultivated populations was similar in all cases and, therefore, at the population level domestication does not appear to have influenced variations in germination of the studied cacti species. However, experiments to test whether germination of seeds from plants with clear signs of domestication differs with seeds from other plants and their differential germination and seedling survival in wild, in situ-managed and cultivated environments could help to precise the influence of domestication on these plants.  相似文献   

The structure and fluid mechanics of turbidity currents: a review of some recent studies and their geological implications   总被引：17，自引：1，他引：16  

Ben Kneller  Clare Buckee 《Sedimentology》2000,47(S1):62-94

  相似文献   

Selection of the wavenumbers k using an optimization method for the inverse Fourier transform in 2.5D electrical modelling   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

Shi‐zhe Xu  Ben‐chun Duan  Da‐hai Zhang 《Geophysical Prospecting》2000,48(5):789-796

An optimization method is used to select the wavenumbers k for the inverse Fourier transform in 2.5D electrical modelling. The model tests show that with the wavenumbers k selected in this way the inverse Fourier transform performs with satisfactory accuracy.  相似文献   

Galaxy destruction and diffuse light in clusters     

Carlos Calcáneo-Roldán  Ben Moore  Joss Bland-Hawthorn  David Malin  Elaine M. Sadler 《Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society》2000,314(2):324-333

Deep images of the Centaurus and Coma clusters reveal two spectacular arcs of diffuse light that stretch for over 100 kpc, yet are just a few kiloparsecs wide. At a surface brightness of m _b ∼27–28 mag arcsec⁻² , the Centaurus arc is the most striking example known of structure in the diffuse light component of a rich galaxy cluster. We use numerical simulations to show that the Centaurus feature can be reproduced by the tidal debris of a spiral galaxy that has been tidally disrupted by the gravitational potential of NGC 4709. The surface brightness and narrow dimensions of the diffuse light suggest that the disc was corotating with its orbital path past pericentre. Features this prominent in clusters will be relatively rare, although at fainter surface brightness levels the diffuse light will reveal a wealth of structure. Deeper imaging surveys may be able to trace this feature for several times its presently observed extent, and somewhere along the tidal debris, a fraction of the original stellar component of the disc will remain bound, but transformed into a faint spheroidal galaxy. It should be possible to confirm the galactic origin of the Centaurus arc by observing planetary nebulae along its length with redshifts close to that of NGC 4709.  相似文献   

鄂尔多斯盆地构造应力场特征及其构造背景   总被引：29，自引：9，他引：20  

徐黎明  周立发  张义楷  党犇 《大地构造与成矿学》2006,30(4):455-462

通过大量断层和褶皱的野外观测以及构造形成序列的确定,同时考虑盆地形成演化过程中板块动力学背景,并结合前人的研究成果,开展了鄂尔多斯盆地古构造应力场的研究。研究表明盆地区域主压应力场方向在加里东期呈NNE-SSW向和近SN向,主要是晚奥陶世以来秦岭洋盆向北俯冲并与华北板块碰撞的结果;印支期主要呈NW-SE向和NNE-SSW向、SN向,主要受中特提斯构造动力体系中羌塘地块与欧亚大陆碰撞拼贴产生的远程构造效应影响;燕山期主要呈NW-SE向,主要受古太平洋大陆板块与欧亚大陆板块碰撞远程构造效应影响,盆地西南缘呈NE-SW向;喜马拉雅期呈NNE-SSW向,主要受新特提斯构造动力体系和今太平洋构造动力体系联合作用影响,即今太平洋板块和印度板块与欧亚板块俯冲碰撞有关。  相似文献   

Impact of Grazing Exclusion on the Surface Heat Balance in North Tibet     

FENG Yunfei  DI Yingwei  ZHANG Jing  ZHANG Xianzhou  SHI Peili  Niu Ben 《资源与生态学报(英文版)》2020,11(3):283-289

The grazing exclusion program used by the Tibetan government to protect the ecological environment has changed the vegetation and impacted the surface heat balance in North Tibet. However, little information is available to describe the in?uences of the current grazing exclusion program on local surface heat balance. This study uses the records of fenced grassland patch locations to identify the impact of grazing exclusion on surface heat balance in North Tibet. The records of fenced grassland patch locations, including the longitude, latitude, and elevation of the vertices of each fenced patch (polygon shapes), were provided by the agriculture and animal husbandry bureaus of the counties where the patches were located. ArcGIS 10.2 was used to create polygon shapes based on patch location records. Based on satellite data and the surface heat balance system determined by the model, values for changes in land surface temperature (LST), albedo and evapotranspiration (ET) induced by grazing exclusion were obtained. All of these can influence surface heat balance and alter the fluctuation of LST in the northern Tibetan Plateau. The LST trends for day and night showed an asymmetric diurnal variation, with a larger magnitude of warming in the day than cooling at night. The maximum decrease in absorbed shortwave of LST (-0.5 - -0.4 ℃ per decade) occurred in the central region, while the minimum decrease (-0.2 - -0.1 ℃ per decade) occurred in the eastern region. The decreased latent heat lead to the LST increased maximum (>1 ℃ per decade) occurred in the central region, The eastern region increased at a rate of 0.2-0.5 ℃ per decade, while the minimum increase (0-0.1 ℃ per decade) occurred in the northwestern region.  相似文献