The 2019 Brumadinho tailings dam collapse: Possible cause and impacts of the worst human and environmental disaster in Brazil     

《International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation》2020

On 25th January 2019, the tailings dam of the Brumadinho iron mine operated by Vale S/A failed catastrophically. The death toll stood at 259 and 11 people remained missing as of January 2020. This tragedy occurred three years after Mariana’s tailings dam rupture – the most significant tailing dam disaster in Brazilian history. Thus far, a systematic investigation on the cause and effect of the failure has yet to be conducted. Here, we use satellite-driven soil moisture index, multispectral high-resolution imagery and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) products to assess pre-disaster scenarios and the direct causes of the tailings dam collapse. A decreasing trend in the moisture content at the surface and the full evanescence of pond water through time (2011–2019) suggest that the water was gradually penetrating the fill downwards and caused the seepage erosion, saturating the tailings dam. Large-scale slumping of the dam (extensional failure) upon the rupture indicates that the materials of the fill were already saturated. InSAR measurements reveal a dramatic, up to 30 cm subsidence in the dam (at the rear part) within the past 12 months before the dam collapse, signifying that the sediments had been removed from the fill. Although the information on the resistance level of the tailings dam to infiltrations is not available, these pieces of evidence collectively indicate that the seepage erosion (piping) is the primary cause for the chronic weakening of the structure and, hence, the internal “liquefaction” condition. Upon the collapse, the fully saturated mud tailings flowed down the gentle slope area (3.13 × 10⁶ m²), where 73 % were originally covered by tree, grass or agricultural tracts. The toxic mud eventually reached the Paraopeba River after travelling 10 km, abruptly increasing the suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentration and the toxic chemical elements in the river, immediately affecting the local livelihoods that depend on its water. The Paraopeba River is a major tributary of the San Francisco River, the second-longest river in Brazil reaching the Atlantic Ocean. We anticipate that the environmental repercussions of this toxic seepage will be felt throughout the entire basin, especially riverine communities located downstream.  相似文献   

基于GF-1号的舟山近岸悬浮泥沙浓度反演研究          下载免费PDF全文

章敏超  郭碧云 《海洋开发与管理》2018,35(1):126-131

文章利用舟山近岸实测光谱数据和国产卫星GF-1号宽视场成像仪(WFV)遥感数据,反演该海域悬浮泥沙浓度。结果表明:(1)线性模型和二次模型相比,二次模型的精确度略高于线性模型,但对于悬沙低浓度区,反演误差过大,故线性模型更适用于舟山近岸水体悬浮泥沙浓度反演;(2)GF-1号B2和B3是悬沙浓度变化的敏感波段,B3/B2波段组合的线性模型反演效果较好;(3)GF-1号遥感数据能够较理想地实现定量反演近岸水体的悬浮物。  相似文献   

阿拉尔河悬浮物对铀的吸附影响研究          下载免费PDF全文

钟翼  许建新  韩积斌  徐凯 《盐湖研究》2020,28(1):112-122

为了解阿拉尔河悬浮物对铀的吸附特性,通过静态吸附实验,研究了吸附时间、pH值、温度和铀初始浓度等因素对模拟含铀水中U(VI)去除率的影响,并从热力学和动力学方面对吸附过程进行了分析。结果表明,在T=25℃,溶液初始pH=7,接触时间为16 h时,悬浮物对铀的平衡吸附率最佳,为95.48%。随着铀初始浓度的增加,吸附量增加,但吸附率随之下降,升高温度有利于铀的吸附。铀在悬浮物上的吸附过程符合Langmuir等温吸附方程,说明悬浮物对铀为单分子层吸附,且化学吸附占主导地位。吸附动力学过程可用准二级吸附动力学模型描述,表明吸附主要受动力学控制,由两个以上步骤共同控制。FTIR和EDS分析结果表明,吸附过程中铀主要与悬浮物表面活性基团螯合并以表面络合吸附为主。吸附前后的能谱对比分析表明,吸附过程中存在离子交换行为。因此,悬浮物对铀的吸附机理是以表面络合吸附和离子交换为主、物理吸附为辅的混合吸附过程。  相似文献   

Clogging of saturated porous media by silt‐sized suspended solids under varying physical conditions during managed aquifer recharge          下载免费PDF全文

Xinqiang Du  Xueyan Ye  Xiaowan Zhang 《水文研究》2018,32(14):2254-2262

Managed aquifer recharge is an effective method for utilizing excess flood flows, but clogging of porous media is a limiting factor in the implementation of this water storage technique. In recent years, much research on the physical clogging of porous media during artificial recharge has been conducted. However, the understanding of clogging due to silt‐sized suspended solids (SS) is still inadequate, especially under varying physical conditions. Here, we subjected sand columns to controlled rates of flow and SS suspensions to investigate the influence of media size, SS size, SS concentration, and flow velocity on the clogging of porous media by silt‐sized SS. The results show that the diameter ratio of SS particles to sand grains is the dominant factor influencing the position of physical clogging. As pore velocity increased, the mobility of silt‐sized SS was enhanced and retention in the porous media decreased noticeably. The spatial retention profiles in the porous media were found to vary greatly at different flow velocities. The SS concentration of the infiltrating suspension also dramatically influenced the mobility and deposition of silt‐sized SS particles, such that high concentrations accelerated the clogging process. As the different physical factors changed, the breakthrough curves and retention profiles of silt‐sized SS particles changed obviously and the mechanisms of retention differed. On the whole, clogging position is mainly determined by particle size ratio, but clogging rate is dominated by a variety of factors including particle size ratio, SS concentration, and flow velocity.  相似文献   

江西兴国县溶解性总固体分布规律初探     

龚磊  王新峰  宋绵  张涛  吴玺 《地球学报》2018,39(5):587-592

本文聚焦于反映地下水宏量离子组分总量的溶解性总固体,应用统计描述、相关分析法、离子比例法分析了其在兴国县全境的分布演化规律。结果表明,兴国县89.8%采样点的溶解性总固体含量都处于200 mg/L以内,但存在空间分布差异显著,在松散岩类孔隙水、碎屑岩类孔隙裂隙水、变质岩类裂隙水和花岗岩类裂隙水中溶解性总固体的变异系数分别为0.37、0.77、0.56和0.59。对1977—2018年两期地下水水质数据分析,兴国县地下水中溶解性总固体不论是单点极值还是均值,均呈现大幅增加的趋势,其含量增幅在24.23%~458.13%之间。在空间分布上,溶解性总固体分布与高程具有较好的相关性,高溶解性总固体的地下水普遍分布在400 m高程以下。兴国县对地下水开发的增加,改变了地下水的补径排条件,加速了地下水与围岩和岩石矿物风化组分间的溶滤和离子交换,使Na+浓度减少,Ca~(2+)和Mg~(2+)含量增加。  相似文献   

The relationship between groundwater and natural vegetation in Qaidam Basin          下载免费PDF全文

Dang Xue-ya  Lu Na  Gu Xiao-fan  Jin Xiao-mei 《地下水科学与工程》2021,9(4):341-349

To accurately evaluate ecological risks trigged by groundwater exploitation, it must be clarified the relationship between vegetation and groundwater. Based on remote sensing data sets MOD13Q1, groundwater table depth (WTD) and total dissolved solids (TDS), the relationship between groundwater and natural vegetation was analyzed statistically in the main plain areas of Qaidam Basin. The results indicate that natural vegetation is groundwater-dependent in areas where WTD is less than 5.5 m and TDS is less than 7.5 g/L. Aquatic vegetation, hygrophytic vegetation and hygrophytic saline-alkali tolerant vegetation are mainly distributed in areas with WTD <1.1 m. Salt-tolerant and mesophytic vegetation mainly occur in areas with WTD of 1.4-3.5 m, while the xerophytic vegetation isprimarily present in areas where WTD ranges from 1.4 m to 5.5 m. Natural vegetation does not necessarily depend on groundwater in areas with WTD >5.5 m. For natural vegetation, the most suitable water TDS is less than 1.5 g/L, the moderately suitable TDS is 1.5-5.0 g/L, the basically suitable TDS is 5.0-7.5 g/L, and the unsuitable TDS is more than 7.5 g/L.  相似文献   

Artificial neural network simulation for prediction of suspended sediment concentration in the River Ramganga,Ganges Basin,India     

Mohd Yawar Ali Khan  Fuqiang Tian  Faisal Hasan  Govind Joseph Chakrapani 《国际泥沙研究》2019,34(2):95-107

The relation between the water discharge (Q) and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) of the River Ramganga at Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, in the Himalayas, has been modeled using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). The current study validates the practical capability and usefulness of this tool for simulating complex nonlinear, real world, river system processes in the Himalayan scenario. The modeling approach is based on the time series data collected from January to December (2008–2010) for Q and SSC. Three ANNs (T1-T3) with different network configurations have been developed and trained using the Levenberg Marquardt Back Propagation Algorithm in the Matlab routines. Networks were optimized using the enumeration technique, and, finally, the best network is used to predict the SSC values for the year 2011. The values thus obtained through the ANN model are compared with the observed values of SSC. The coefficient of determination (R²), for the optimal network was found to be 0.99. The study not only provides insight into ANN modeling in the Himalayan river scenario, but it also focuses on the importance of understanding a river basin and the factors that affect the SSC, before attempting to model it. Despite the temporal variations in the study area, it is possible to model and successfully predict the SSC values with very simplistic ANN models.  相似文献   

Small river basin and estuarine sediment fluxes: The magnitude necessary for coastal dispersion and siltation effects on a coral reef     

《国际泥沙研究》2019,34(6):591-599

Increasing continental suspended sediment influx to coral reefs is an example of land-sea coupling that requires the identification of sources, magnitude of transport, and controlling processes. In Brazil, a small coastal basin (Macaé River) was identified as a source of suspended sediment to a coral reef on the coast of Cape Armação dos Búzios. Biannual suspended sediment loads were measured at the basin as were fluxes within the estuary and towards the coast during eight tidal cycles. Particle load and yield from this basin were typical of small coastal basins, showing high to moderate slopes and transitional land management. However, the magnitude of the river loads was lower than the sediment transport within the estuary, indicating that the estuary amplifies river fluxes and sustains the transference of suspended sediment alongshore to the coral reef. Nonetheless, the estuary displays both suspended particle retention and export capacity and, therefore, fluxes to the coast and the coral reef occur as episodic events.  相似文献   

The role of baseflow in dissolved solids delivery to streams in the Upper Colorado River Basin          下载免费PDF全文

Christine A. Rumsey  Matthew P. Miller  Gregory E. Schwarz  Robert M. Hirsch  David D. Susong 《水文研究》2017,31(26):4705-4718

Salinity has a major effect on water users in the Colorado River Basin, estimated to cause almost $300 million per year in economic damages. The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program implements and manages projects to reduce salinity loads, investing millions of dollars per year in irrigation upgrades, canal projects, and other mitigation strategies. To inform and improve mitigation efforts, there is a need to better understand sources of salinity to streams and how salinity has changed over time. This study explores salinity in the baseflow fraction of streamflow, assessing whether groundwater is a significant contributor of dissolved solids to streams in the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB). Chemical hydrograph separation was used to estimate baseflow discharge and baseflow dissolved solids loads at stream gages (n = 69) across the UCRB. On average, it is estimated that 89% of dissolved solids loads originate from the baseflow fraction of streamflow, indicating that subsurface transport processes play a dominant role in delivering dissolved solids to streams in the UCRB. A statistical trend analysis using weighted regressions on time, discharge, and season was used to evaluate changes in baseflow dissolved solids loads in streams (n = 27) from 1986 to 2011. Decreasing trends in baseflow dissolved solids loads were observed at 63% of streams. At the three most downstream sites, Green River at Green River, UT, Colorado River at Cisco, UT, and the San Juan River near Bluff, UT, baseflow dissolved solids loads decreased by a combined 823,000 metric tons (mT), which is approximately 69% of projected basin‐scale decreases in total dissolved solids loads as a result of salinity control efforts. Decreasing trends in baseflow dissolved solids loads suggest that salinity mitigation projects, landscape changes, and/or climate are reducing dissolved solids transported to streams through the subsurface. Notably, the pace and extent of decreases in baseflow dissolved solids loads declined during the most recent decade; average decreasing loads during the 2000s (28,200 mT) were only 54% of average decreasing loads in the 1990s (51,700 mT).  相似文献   

太湖五里湖水体悬浮物中水溶性有机质(WSOM)的荧光光谱组分鉴别及其与氮形态的关系   总被引：2，自引：2，他引：0  

张博  王书航  姜霞  黄晓峰  王雯雯 《湖泊科学》2018,30(1):102-111

采用三维荧光光谱-平行因子法(EEMs-PARAFAC)分析太湖五里湖水体悬浮物中水溶性有机质(WSOM)的荧光光谱特征,研究其组分类型、分布规律以及来源,进一步探讨悬浮物中水溶性有机氮和无机氮含量与WSOM荧光组分之间的关系.结果表明,悬浮物中WSOM荧光组分主要由2个类腐殖质(C1、C2)和1个类色氨酸类蛋白质(C3)组成.总荧光强度在57.56~200.01 R.U./g之间,平均为115.42 R.U./g,其中C1、C2、C3的相对比例分别为35.55%、34.05%和30.40%;空间上由西向东逐渐增强,东五里湖高于西五里湖,沿岸区高于湖心区.荧光指数和生物源指数变化范围分别在1.48~2.34和0.65~0.87之间,反映了悬浮物中WSOM主要来源于微生物、藻类的自生生物源.多元回归统计分析结果表明,悬浮物WSOM与氮元素的迁移转化密切相关,且有机氮与WSOM荧光组分的相关系数大于无机氮.  相似文献