Re-Purposing Groundwater Flow Models for Age Assessments: Important Characteristics     

Paul F. Juckem  J. Jeffery Starn 《Ground water》2021,59(5):710-727

Groundwater flow model construction is often time-consuming and costly, with development ideally focused on a specific purpose, such as quantifying well capture from water bodies or providing flow fields for simulating advective transport. As environmental challenges evolve, the incentive to re-purpose existing groundwater flow models may increase. However, few studies have evaluated which characteristics of groundwater flow models deserve greatest consideration when re-purposing models for groundwater age and advective transport simulations. In this paper, we compare simulated age metrics produced by three MODFLOW-MODPATH models of the same area but with differing levels of complexity (layering and heterogeneity). Comparisons are made at three watershed scales (HUC 8 to HUC 12). Groundwater age metrics, specifically the young fraction and median age of the young and old fractions, are used for evaluation because they relate to intrinsic susceptibility of aquifers and are simpler to interpret than full age distributions used for advective transport. Results indicate that: (1) the young fraction is less sensitive to model layering than the median age of young and old fractions, suggesting that simple models may suffice for basic intrinsic susceptibility assessments; (2) water table mounding and associated discharge into partially penetrating boundaries, such as head-water streams, is important for simulating both the young fraction and the median age of the young fraction; and (3) the influence of partially penetrating head-water streams is maintained regardless of the porosity distribution. Results of this work should aid modelers with evaluating the appropriateness of re-purposing existing groundwater flow models for age simulations.  相似文献   

Holocene lake-level trends in the Rocky Mountains, U.S.A.     

Bryan Shuman  Anna K. Henderson  Steven M. Colman  Jeffery R. Stone  Sherilyn C. Fritz  Lora R. Stevens  Mitchell J. Power  Cathy Whitlock   《Quaternary Science Reviews》2009,28(19-20):1861-1879

The availability of water shapes life in the western United States, and much of the water in the region originates in the Rocky Mountains. Few studies, however, have explicitly examined the history of water levels in the Rocky Mountains during the Holocene. Here, we examine the past levels of three lakes near the Continental Divide in Montana and Colorado to reconstruct Holocene moisture trends. Using transects of sediment cores and sub-surface geophysical profiles from each lake, we find that mid-Holocene shorelines in the small lakes (4–110 ha) were as much as 10 m below the modern lake surfaces. Our results are consistent with existing evidence from other lakes and show that a wide range of settings in the region were much drier than today before 3000–2000 years ago. We also discuss evidence for millennial-scale moisture variation, including an abruptly-initiated and -terminated wet period in Colorado from 4400 to 3700 cal yr BP, and find only limited evidence for low-lake stands during the past millennium. The extent of low-water levels during the mid-Holocene, which were most severe and widespread ca 7000–4500 cal yr BP, is consistent with the extent of insolation-induced aridity in previously published regional climate model simulations. Like the simulations, the lake data provide no evidence for enhanced zonal flow during the mid-Holocene, which has been invoked to explain enhanced mid-continent aridity at the time. The data, including widespread evidence for large changes on orbital time scales and for more limited changes during the last millennium, confirm the ability of large boundary-condition changes to push western water supplies beyond the range of recent natural variability.  相似文献   

The effects of introduced water hyacinth on habitat structure,invertebrate assemblages,and fish diets     

Jason?D.?ToftEmail author  Charles?A.?Simenstad  Jeffery?R.?Cordell  Lenny?F.?Grimaldo 《Estuaries and Coasts》2003,26(3):746-758

The South American floating aquatic plant water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) has a history of worldwide invasions, including a 1904 introduction into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California. The native pennywort (Hydrocotyle umbellata) occupies similar habitats in the Delta and is extensively used by resident invertebrates and fish. We sought to discover if an invader would be functionally equivalent to the native plant, by asking whether the encroadhing hyacinth modified the invertebrate assemblage structure and fish-invertebrate food web relative to pennywort. We sampled epiphytic, epibenthic, and benthic invertebrates, and plant canopy insects in patches of hyacinth and pennywort, and analyzed fish diets at three sites in the Delta during 1998. We also measured habitat structure (leaf density, root biomass, and surface area). In 1999, following control and absence of hyacinth, we again measured epiphytic invertebrates in pennywort. We found differences between hyacinth and pennywort in structure, associated invertebrates, and fish diets. Most measurements inferred functional non-equivalency between hyacinth and pennywort, although some functional equivalency and natural variation existed. Leaf and insect densities were significantly higher in pennywort and there were also significant differences in insect assemblage compositions. Hyacinth roots in the water column had significantly more surface area. Densities of epibenthic and benthic aquatic invertebrates were typically greater in pennywort and taxonomic compositions of aquatic invertebrate assemblages showed significant differences. Amphipods and isopods living epiphytically in the root masses were particularly abundant, including several newly discovered introduced species: the amphipodCrangonyx floridanus and the isopodsCaecidotea racovitai andAsellus hilgendorfii. The native amphipodHyalella azteca was more abundant in pennywort and heavily preyed upon by fish, while the non-indigenousC. floridanus was more abundant in hyacinth and not prevalent in fish diets. The introduction of hyacinth to the Delta has caused significant ecological alterations in the surrounding community, due to hyacinth being functionally different from native patches of pennywort.  相似文献   

Structure of hydrated Zn at the rutile TiO₂ (110)-aqueous solution interface: Comparison of X-ray standing wave, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and density functional theory results     

Zhan Zhang  Paul Fenter  Jeffery G. Catalano  James D. Kubicki  David J. Wesolowski  Neil C. Sturchio 《Geochimica et cosmochimica acta》2006,70(16):4039-4056

Adsorption of Zn²⁺ at the rutile TiO₂ (110)-aqueous interface was studied with Bragg-reflection X-ray standing waves (XSW), polarization-dependent surface extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations to understand the interrelated issues of adsorption site, its occupancy, ion-oxygen coordination and hydrolysis. At pH 8, Zn²⁺ was found to adsorb as an inner-sphere complex at two different sites, i.e., monodentate above the bridging O site and bidentate between two neighboring terminal O sites. EXAFS results directly revealed a four or fivefold first shell coordination environment for adsorbed Zn²⁺ instead of the sixfold coordination found for aqueous species at this pH. DFT calculations confirmed the energetic stability of a lower coordination environment for the adsorbed species and revealed that the change to this coordination environment is correlated with the hydrolysis of adsorbed Zn²⁺. In addition, the derived adsorption locations and the occupancy factors of both sites from three methods agree well, with some quantitative discrepancies in the minor site location among the XSW, EXAFS, and DFT methods. Additional XSW measurements showed that the adsorption sites of Zn²⁺ were unchanged at pH 6. However, the Zn²⁺ partitioning between the two sites changed substantially, with an almost equal distribution between the two types of sites at pH 6 compared to predominantly monodentate occupation at pH 8.  相似文献   

Moisture source in the Hyblean Mountains region (south-eastern Sicily, Italy): Evidence from stable isotopes signature     

Fausto Grassa  Rocco Favara  Mariano Valenza 《Applied Geochemistry》2006,21(12):2082-2095

Here the authors present results of an isotope study on precipitation collected during a 2-a period from a rain-gauge network consisting of 6 stations located at different elevations in the Hyblean Mountains (HM) region, in south-eastern Sicily. The slope of the local meteoric water line (δD = 6.50 δ¹⁸O + 9.87) obtained for the region suggests that precipitation is affected by evaporation during rainfall events. The main variations in rainwater isotope composition are due to seasonal effects and elevation. An average ²H excess value of +21.2‰ was found for precipitation events less affected by evaporation (i.e. when the rainfall was >65 mm/month). The spatial distribution of O isotope composition of precipitation shows a negative gradient from east and south to the inner areas. The depositional rate of Cl, used as a tracer of the origin of air masses, is highest at the coastal rain-gauges (SR and MRG stations) and lowest on the northern flank of the HM region (SC station). Based on these findings, a model is proposed for the origin of precipitation in the HM region, which assumes that a Mediterranean-derived component is the main source of moisture in the studied area. D/H and ¹⁸O/¹⁶O ratios of inferred meteoric recharge waters were also compared with the isotope composition of waters collected from the main local springs and wells. The best linear fit of the δ¹⁸O vs δD relationship for Hyblean groundwater is δD = 4.85 δ¹⁸O–2.01. The enrichment of heavy isotopes in Hyblean groundwater is probably due to evaporation occurring after precipitation events or to a recharging contribution from surface waters (lakes or rivers) enriched in heavy isotopes.  相似文献   

Fault-controlled Soil CO2 Degassing and Shallow Magma Bodies: Summit and Lower East Rift of Kilauea Volcano (Hawaii), 1997     

Salvatore Giammanco  Sergio Gurrieri  Mariano Valenza 《Pure and Applied Geophysics》2006,163(4):853-867

Soil CO₂ flux measurements were carried out along traverses across mapped faults and eruptive fissures on the summit and the lower East Rift Zone of Kilauea volcano. Anomalous levels of soil degassing were found for 44 of the tectonic structures and 47 of the eruptive fissures intercepted by the surveyed profiles. This result contrasts with what was recently observed on Mt. Etna, where most of the surveyed faults were associated with anomalous soil degassing. The difference is probably related to the differences in the state of activity at the time when soil gas measurements were made: Kilauea was erupting, whereas Mt. Etna was quiescent although in a pre-eruptive stage. Unlike Mt. Etna, flank degassing on Kilauea is restricted to the tectonic and volcanic structures directly connected to the magma reservoir feeding the ongoing East Rift eruption or in areas of the Lower East Rift where other shallow, likely independent reservoirs are postulated. Anomalous soil degassing was also found in areas without surface evidence of faults, thus suggesting the possibility of previously unknown structures. Received: November 2003, revised: January 2005, accepted: January 2005  相似文献   

Regional landslide-hazard assessment for Seattle, Washington, USA   总被引：13，自引：6，他引：13  

Rex L. Baum  Jeffery A. Coe  Jonathan W. Godt  Edwin L. Harp  Mark E. Reid  William Z. Savage  William H. Schulz  Dianne L. Brien  Alan F. Chleborad  Jonathan P. McKenna  John A. Michael 《Landslides》2005,2(4):266-279

Landslides are a widespread, frequent, and costly hazard in Seattle and the Puget Sound area of Washington State, USA. Shallow earth slides triggered by heavy rainfall are the most common type of landslide in the area; many transform into debris flows and cause significant property damage or disrupt transportation. Large rotational and translational slides, though less common, also cause serious property damage. The hundreds of landslides that occurred during the winters of 1995–96 and 1996–97 stimulated renewed interest by Puget Sound communities in identifying landslide-prone areas and taking actions to reduce future landslide losses. Informal partnerships between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the City of Seattle, and private consultants are focusing on the problem of identifying and mapping areas of landslide hazard as well as characterizing temporal aspects of the hazard. We have developed GIS-based methods to map the probability of landslide occurrence as well as empirical rainfall thresholds and physically based methods to forecast times of landslide occurrence. Our methods for mapping landslide hazard zones began with field studies and physically based models to assess relative slope stability, including the effects of material properties, seasonal groundwater levels, and rainfall infiltration. We have analyzed the correlation between historic landslide occurrence and relative slope stability to map the degree of landslide hazard. The City of Seattle is using results of the USGS studies in storm preparedness planning for emergency access and response, planning for development or redevelopment of hillsides, and municipal facility planning and prioritization. Methods we have developed could be applied elsewhere to suit local needs and available data.  相似文献   

Prediction of diffusion coefficients in porous media using tortuosity factors based on interfacial areas   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

Saripall KP  Serne RJ  Meyer PD  McGrail BP 《Ground water》2002,40(4):346-352

Determination of aqueous phase diffusion coefficients of solutes through porous media is essential for understanding and modeling contaminant transport. Prediction of diffusion coefficients in both saturated and unsaturated zones requires knowledge of tortuosity and constrictivity factors. No methods are available for the direct measurement of these factors, which are empirical in their definition. In this paper, a new definition for the tortuosity factor is proposed, as the real to ideal interfacial area ratio. We define the tortuosity factor for saturated porous media (tau5) as the ratio S/S(o) (specific surface of real porous medium to that of an idealized capillary bundle). For unsaturated media, tortuosity factor (tau(a)) is defined as a(aw)/a(aw),o (ratio of the specific air-water interfacial area of real and the corresponding idealized porous medium). This tortuosity factor is suitably measured using sorptive tracers (e.g., nitrogen adsorption method) for saturated media and interfacial tracers for unsaturated media. A model based on this new definition of tortuosity factors, termed the interfacial area ratio (IAR) model, is presented for the prediction of diffusion coefficients as a function of the degree of water saturation. Diffusion coefficients and diffusive resistances measured in a number of saturated and unsaturated granular porous media, for solutes in dilute aqueous solutions, agree well with the predictions of the IAR model. A comparison of permeability of saturated sands estimated based on tau(s) and the same based on the Kozeny-Carman equation confirm the usefulness of the tau(s) parameter as a measure of tortuosity.  相似文献   

'Glacial incisions indicating Middle and Upper Pleistocene ice limits off Britain'—two comments and a reply     

R.J.O. Hamblin  D. Jeffery  R.T.R Wingfield 《地学学报》1990,2(4):382-388

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Deflagration of white dwarfs as a model for type-I supernovae     

David Jeffery  Peter Sutherland 《Astrophysics and Space Science》1985,109(2):277-285

Carbon-oxygen white dwarfs may be the progenitors of type-I supernovae. Spherically-symmetric models of such dwarfs have been evolved from an artificial core incineration. The convectively unstable incinerated region was allowed to grow at a velocity prescribed by the mixing-length theory of convection. The mixing length can be varied to give different cases. In all the cases considered the dwarfs exploded and were totally disrupted. The calculations were stopped after the dwarf matter had gone into homologous expansion. The model with the best estimated mixing length incinerated 0.8M . The energy released in burning this amount of carbon-oxygen to⁵⁶Ni provides a disrupted dwarf with velocities suitable for type-I supernovae.Research supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.  相似文献