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At least 685 records · Page 38Linked to original sources

USGS2017

Influence of late Quaternary climatic changes on geomorphic and pedogenic processes on a desert piedmont, Eastern Mojave Desert, California

Radiocarbon dating of late Quaternary deposits and shorelines of Lake Mojave and cation-ratio numerical age dating of stone pavements (Dorn, 1984) on the adjacent Soda Mountains piedmont provide age constraints for alluvial and eolian deposits. These deposits are associated with climatically controlled stands of Lake Mojave during the past 15,000 yr. Six alluvial fan units and three eolian stratigraphic units were assigned ages based on field relations with dated shorelines and piedmont surfaces, as well as on soil-geomorphic data. All but one of these stratigraphic units were deposited in response to time-transgressive climatic changes beginning approximately 10,000 yr ago. Increased eolian flux rates occurred in response to the lowering of Lake Mojave and a consequent increase in fine-sediment availability. Increased rates of deposition of eolian fines and associated salts influenced pedogenesis, stone-pavement development, and runoff-infiltration relations by (1) enhancing mechanical weathering of fan surfaces and hillslopes and (2) forming clay- and silt-rich surface horizons which decrease infiltration. Changes in alluvial-fan source areas from hillslopes to piedmonts during the Holocene reflect runoff reduction on hillslopes caused by colluvial mantle development and runoff enhancement on piedmonts caused by the development of less-permeable soils. Inferred increased in early to middle Holocene monsoonal activity resulted in high-magnitude paleo-sheetflood events on older fan pavements; this runoff triggered piedmont dissection which, in turn, caused increased sediment availability along channel walls. Thus, runoff-infiltration changes during the late Quaternary have occurred in response to eolian deposition of fines, pedogenesis, increased sheetflood activity in the Holocene, and vegetational changes which are related to many complicated linkages among climatic change, lake fluctuations, and eolian, hillslope, and alluvial-fan processes. ?? 1987.

Quaternary Research↗

USGS1980

Computational methods for a three-dimensional model of the petroleum-discovery process

A discovery-process model devised by Drew, Schuenemeyer, and Root can be used to predict the amount of petroleum to be discovered in a basin from some future level of exploratory effort: the predictions are based on historical drilling and discovery data. Because marginal costs of discovery and production are a function of field size, the model can be used to make estimates of future discoveries within deposit size classes. The modeling approach is a geometric one in which the area searched is a function of the size and shape of the targets being sought. A high correlation is assumed between the surface-projection area of the fields and the volume of petroleum. To predict how much oil remains to be found, the area searched must be computed, and the basin size and discovery efficiency must be estimated. The basin is assumed to be explored randomly rather than by pattern drilling. The model may be used to compute independent estimates of future oil at different depth intervals for a play involving multiple producing horizons. We have written FORTRAN computer programs that are used with Drew, Schuenemeyer, and Root's model to merge the discovery and drilling information and perform the necessary computations to estimate undiscovered petroleum. These program may be modified easily for the estimation of remaining quantities of commodities other than petroleum. ?? 1980.

Computers & Geosciences↗

USGS1993

Factors affecting the geochemistry of a thick, subbituminous coal bed in the Powder River Basin: Volcanic, detrital, and peat-forming processes

The inorganic geochemistry and mineralogy of three cores from the Anderson-Dietz 1 coal bed, a 15.2-m-thick subbituminous coal bed in the Tongue River Member (Paleocene) of the Fort Union Formation, were examined (1) to determine if the cores could be correlated by geochemical composition alone over a total distance of 2 km and (2) to identify the major factors that influenced the geochemistry of the coal bed. Chemical data (46 elements on a coal-ash basis) for 81 coal samples and 4 carbonaceous rock samples, with most samples representing a 0.6-m-thick (2-ft) interval of core, were grouped into compositional clusters by means of cluster analysis. Seven major clusters were produced; two of these clusters can be used to correlate the coal bed throughout the study area. Data from scanning electron and optical microscope analyses indicate that several factors influenced the geochemistry of the Anderson-Dietz 1 coal bed. The majority of mineral grains in the coal bed are interpreted to be detrital (water borne); evidence includes the presence of rounded to subrounded quartz grains having two-phase, aqueous fluid inclusions characteristic of hydrothermal or low-to-moderate grade metamorphic quartz. These quartz grains are found throughout the coal bed but are most abundant in samples from the midpart of the bed, which was influenced by detrital input associated with the deposition of the clastic rocks that form the split between the Anderson and Dietz 1 coal beds 900 m to the east of the study area. In addition to the detrital minerals mentioned above, volcanic ash that was fluvially transported to the sites of peat deposition or possibly deposited as air-fall volcanic ash also affected the geochemistry of the coal bed. For example, crandallite(?), a mineral reported to form as an alteration product of volcanic ash, is found in seven samples from the coal bed. The presence of quartz grains containing silicate-melt inclusions in eight samples from the coal bed.provides further support for a volcanic ash component. Other factors that probably affected the geochemistry of the coal bed include (1) detrital input associated with the deposition of the roof rocks of the coal bed, (2) peat-forming processes and plant material, and (3) epigenetic ground-water flow.

Montana, Wyoming↗

USGS1996

A top specified boundary layer (TSBL) approximation approach for the simulation of groundwater contamination processes

This paper presents improvements in the 'classical boundary layer' (CBL) approximation method to obtain simple but robust initial characterization of aquifer contamination processes. Contaminants are considered to penetrate into the groundwater through the free surface of the aquifer. The improved method developed in this study is termed the 'top specified boundary layer' (TSBL) approach. It involves the specification of the contaminant concentration at the top of the contaminated 'region of interest' (ROI), which is simulated as a boundary layer. the TSBL modification significantly improves the ability of the boundary layer method to predict the development of concentration profiles over both space and time. The TSBL method can be useful for the simulation of cases in which the contaminant concentration is prescribed at the aquifer's free surface as well as for cases in which the contaminant mass flux is prescribed at the surface.

Journal of Contaminant Hydrology↗

USGS1996

Mount St. Augustine volcano fumarole wall rock alteration: Mineralogy, zoning, composition and numerical models of its formation process

Intensely altered wall rock was collected from high-temperature (640 °C) and low-temperature (375 °C) vents at Augustine volcano in July 1989. The high-temperature altered rock exhibits distinct mineral zoning differentiated by color bands. In order of decreasing temperature, the color bands and their mineral assemblages are: (a) white to grey (tridymite-anhydrite); (b) pink to red (tridymite-hematite-Fe hydroxide-molysite (FeCl 3 ) with minor amounts of anhydrite and halite); and (c) dark green to green (anhydrite-halite-sylvite-tridymite with minor amounts of molysite, soda and potash alum, and other sodium and potassium sulfates). The alteration products around the low-temperature vents are dominantly cristobalite and amorphous silica with minor potash and soda alum, aphthitalite, alunogen and anhydrite. Compared to fresh 1986 Augustine lava, the altered rocks exhibit enrichments in silica, base metals, halogens and sulfur and show very strong depletions in Al in all alteration zones and in iron, alkali and alkaline earth elements in some of the alteration zones. To help understand the origins of the mineral assemblages in altered Augustine rocks, we applied the thermochemical modeling program, GASWORKS, in calculations of: (a) reaction of the 1987 and 1989 gases with wall rock at 640 and 375 °C; (b) cooling of the 1987 gas from 870 to 100 °C with and without mineral fractionation; (c) cooling of the 1989 gas from 757 to 100 °C with and without mineral fractionation; and (d) mixing of the 1987 and 1989 gases with air. The 640 °C gas-rock reaction produces an assemblage consisting of silicates (tridymite, albite, diopside, sanidine and andalusite), oxides (magnetite and hercynite) and sulfides (bornite, chalcocite, molybdenite and sphalerite). The 375 °C gas-rock reaction produces dominantly silicates (quartz, albite, andalusite, microcline, cordierite, anorthite and tremolite) and subordinate amounts of sulfides (pyrite, chalcocite and wurtzite), oxides (magnetite), sulfates (anhydrite) and halides (halite). The cooling calculations produce: (a) anhydrite, halite, sylvite; (b) Cu, Mo, Fe and Zn sulfides; (c) Mg fluoride at high temperature (> 370 °C); (d) chlorides, fluorides and sulfates of Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu and Al at intermediate temperature (170–370 °C); and (e) hydrated sulfates, liquid sulfur, crystalline sulfur, hydrated sulfuric acid and water at low temperature (< 170°C). The volcanic gas-air mixing calculation produces major amounts of Na and K sulfates, minor amounts of hematite and trace amounts (< 1%) of anhydrite at log gas/air (Ig/a) ratios > 0.41 (> 628°C). This is followed by precipitation of sulfates of Fe, Cu. Pb. Zn and Al at Ig/a ratios between 0.31 and -0.4 (>628-178°C). At a lg/r ratio of ≤ -0.4 (178°C). anhydrous sulfates are replaced by their hydrated forms and hygroscopic sulfuric acid forms. At these low g/a ratios. hydrated sulfuric acid becomes the dominant phase in the system. Comparison of the thermochemical modeling results with the natural samples suggests that the alteration assemblages include: (1) minerals that precipitate from direct cooling of the volcanic gas; (2) phases that form by volcanic gases mixing with air: and (3) phases that form by volcanic gas-air-rock reaction. A complex interplay of the three processes produces the observed mineral zoning. Another implication of the numerical simulation results is that most of the observed incrustation and sublimate minerals apparently formed below 700°C.

Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research↗

USGS1993

Selenium source identification and biogeochemical processes controlling selenium in surface water and biota, Kendrick Reclamation Project, Wyoming, U.S.A.

The major tributaries draining the Kendrick Reclamation Project (KRP) account for an average of 52% of the total Se load measured in the North Platte River downstream from Casper, Wyoming. The Casper Creek drainage basin contributed the largest Se load of the five tributary sites to the North Platte River. The 4-d average Se concentration in water samples from one site in the part of the North Platte River that receives irrigation return flows exceeded the 5 μg/l U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's aquatic life criterion five time during a 50-d monitoring period in 1989. In agreement with the water-quality data, muscle and liver tissue rom rainbow trout collected from the same part of the North Platte River had Se concentrations exceeding levels known to cause reproductive failure and chronic Se poisoning. On the basis of Se: Cl, 18 O/ 16 O and D/H ratios in water from Goose and Rasmus Lee Lakes (closed-basin systems), the large Se concentrations in those lakes were derived by natural evaporation of irrigation water without leaching of soluble forms of Se from soil or rocks. Water samples from Thirtythree Mile Reservoir and Illco Pond (flow-through systems) showed considerable enrichment in Se over evaporative concentration, presumably due to leaching and desorption of Se from soil and rock. The Se: Cl ratios of irrigation drain water collected from the KRP indicate that leaching and desorption of soluble forms of Se from soils and rocks are the dominant processes in drain water. Results of a Wilcoxon matched-pairs test for 43 paired drain-water samples collected during June and August 1988, indicated there is a statistically larger concentration of Se (0.01 significance level) during the June sampling period. The larger concentrations of Se and other chemical constitutents during the early part of the irrigation season probably were due to dissolution of seleniferous salts that have accumulated in soils within the KRP since the last irrigation season. The large Se concentrations in water samples from wetland sites in the KRP were reflected in the aquatic-bird food chain. Most waterfowl and shorebirds nesting at the KRP showed Se concentrations in livers and eggs greater than levels suspected of causing adverse reproductive effects.

Wyoming↗

USGS1994

Use of long-term tritium records from the Colorado River to determine timescales for hydrologic processes associated with irrigation in the Imperial Valley, California

Tritium records were used to study hydrologic processes associated with irrigation and drainage in the Imperial Valley, a 2000-km 2 agricultural area in the southeastern California desert. Tritium was analyzed in surface water, ground water, soil-pore water and drain water, and the results were compared to the historical record of tritium in the Colorado River. The Colorado River record was reconstructed using a simple reservoir model and precipitation data in the Colorado River Basin for the period prior to 1965, and from continuous measurements in the river for 1965–1988. This historical record is especially useful in the arid Imperial Valley because recent agricultural development has been entirely dependent on irrigation water diverted from the Colorado River and local recharge is negligible. Results indicate that it takes about 5 a for irrigation drainage to move through the soil to a depth of 2–3 m. Drainwaters have a wide range in tritium concentrations because of varying degrees of influence from ground-water intrusion, and from rapid percolation of irrigation through preferred pathways. The net result is that drainwater from about 40 fields had a range in tritium concentration similar to that of the Colorado River over the last 9 a (1980–1988), a period during which tritium concentration was declining about 15% annually in the river.

California↗

USGS2014

Bioavailability and bioaccumulation of metal-based engineered nanomaterials in aquatic environments: Concepts and processes

Bioavailability of Me-ENMs to aquatic organisms links their release into the environment to ecological implications. Close examination shows some important differences in the conceptual models that define bioavailability for metals and Me-ENMs. Metals are delivered to aquatic animals from Me-ENMs via water, ingestion, and incidental surface exposure. Both metal released from the Me-ENM and uptake of the nanoparticle itself contribute to bioaccumulation. Some mechanisms of toxicity and some of the metrics describing exposure may differ from metals alone. Bioavailability is driven by complex interaction of particle attributes, environmental transformations, and biological traits. Characterization of Me-ENMs is an essential part of understanding bioavailability and requires novel methodologies. The relative importance of the array of processes that could affect Me-ENM bioavailability remains poorly known, but new approaches and models are developing rapidly. Enough is known, however, to conclude that traditional approaches to exposure assessment for metals would not be adequate to assess risks from Me-ENMs.

Book chapter↗

USGS2008

Investigation of flow and transport processes at the MADE site using ensemble Kalman filter

In this work the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) is applied to investigate the flow and transport processes at the macro-dispersion experiment (MADE) site in Columbus, MS. The EnKF is a sequential data assimilation approach that adjusts the unknown model parameter values based on the observed data with time. The classic advection-dispersion (AD) and the dual-domain mass transfer (DDMT) models are employed to analyze the tritium plume during the second MADE tracer experiment. The hydraulic conductivity (K), longitudinal dispersivity in the AD model, and mass transfer rate coefficient and mobile porosity ratio in the DDMT model, are estimated in this investigation. Because of its sequential feature, the EnKF allows for the temporal scaling of transport parameters during the tritium concentration analysis. Inverse simulation results indicate that for the AD model to reproduce the extensive spatial spreading of the tritium observed in the field, the K in the downgradient area needs to be increased significantly. The estimated K in the AD model becomes an order of magnitude higher than the in situ flowmeter measurements over a large portion of media. On the other hand, the DDMT model gives an estimation of K that is much more comparable with the flowmeter values. In addition, the simulated concentrations by the DDMT model show a better agreement with the observed values. The root mean square (RMS) between the observed and simulated tritium plumes is 0.77 for the AD model and 0.45 for the DDMT model at 328 days. Unlike the AD model, which gives inconsistent K estimates at different times, the DDMT model is able to invert the K values that consistently reproduce the observed tritium concentrations through all times. ?? 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advances in Water Resources↗

USGS2010

An approach to quantify sources, seasonal change, and biogeochemical processes affecting metal loading in streams: Facilitating decisions for remediation of mine drainage

Historical mining has left complex problems in catchments throughout the world. Land managers are faced with making cost-effective plans to remediate mine influences. Remediation plans are facilitated by spatial mass-loading profiles that indicate the locations of metal mass-loading, seasonal changes, and the extent of biogeochemical processes. Field-scale experiments during both low- and high-flow conditions and time-series data over diel cycles illustrate how this can be accomplished. A low-flow experiment provided spatially detailed loading profiles to indicate where loading occurred. For example, SO 4 2 - was principally derived from sources upstream from the study reach, but three principal locations also were important for SO 4 2 - loading within the reach. During high-flow conditions, Lagrangian sampling provided data to interpret seasonal changes and indicated locations where snowmelt runoff flushed metals to the stream. Comparison of metal concentrations between the low- and high-flow experiments indicated substantial increases in metal loading at high flow, but little change in metal concentrations, showing that toxicity at the most downstream sampling site was not substantially greater during snowmelt runoff. During high-flow conditions, a detailed temporal sampling at fixed sites indicated that Zn concentration more than doubled during the diel cycle. Monitoring programs must account for diel variation to provide meaningful results. Mass-loading studies during different flow conditions and detailed time-series over diel cycles provide useful scientific support for stream management decisions.

Applied Geochemistry↗

USGS2011

The role of critical zone processes in the evolution of the Prairie Pothole Region wetlands

The Prairie Pothole Region, which occupies 900,000 km2 of the north central USA and south central Canada, is one of the most important ecosystems in North America. It is characterized by millions of small wetlands whose chemistry is highly variable over short distances. The study involved the geochemistry of surface sediments, wetland water, and groundwater in the Cottonwood Lakes area of North Dakota, USA, whose 92 ha includes the dominant wetland hydrologic settings. The data show that oxygenated groundwater interacting with pyrite resident in a component of surficial glacial till derived from the marine Pierre Shale Formation has, over long periods of time, focused SO 4 2 - -bearing fluids from upland areas to topographically low areas. In these low areas, SO 4 2 - -enriched groundwater and wetlands have evolved, as has the CaSO4 mineral gypsum. Sulfur isotope data support the conclusion that isotopically light pyrite from marine shale is the source of SO 4 2 - . Literature data on wetland water composition suggests that this process has taken place over a large area in North Dakota.

North Dakota↗

USGS2011

Using stable isotopes to understand hydrochemical processes in and around a Prairie Pothole wetland in the Northern Great Plains, USA

Millions of internally drained wetland systems in the Prairie Potholes region of the northern Great Plains (USA and Canada) provide indispensable habitat for waterfowl and a host of other ecosystem services. The hydrochemistry of these systems is complex and a crucial control on wetland function, flora and fauna. Wetland waters can have high concentrations of SO 2- 4 due to the oxidation of large amounts of pyrite in glacial till that is in part derived from the Pierre shale. Water chemistry including δ 18 O H2O , δ 2 H H2O , and δ 34 S SO4 values, was determined for groundwater, soil pore water, and wetland surface water in and around a discharge wetland in North Dakota. The isotopic data for the first time trace the interaction of processes that affect wetland chemistry, including open water evaporation, plant transpiration, and microbial SO 4 reduction.

Applied Geochemistry↗

USGS2014

Contaminants from Cretaceous black shale: I. Natural weathering processes controlling contaminant cycling in Mancos Shale, southwestern United States, with emphasis on salinity and selenium

Soils derived from black shale can accumulate high concentrations of elements of environmental concern, especially in regions with semiarid to arid climates. One such region is the Colorado River basin in the southwestern United States where contaminants pose a threat to agriculture, municipal water supplies, endangered aquatic species, and water-quality commitments to Mexico. Exposures of Cretaceous Mancos Shale (MS) in the upper basin are a major contributor of salinity and selenium in the Colorado River. Here, we examine the roles of geology, climate, and alluviation on contaminant cycling (emphasis on salinity and Se) during weathering of MS in a Colorado River tributary watershed. Stage I (incipient weathering) began perhaps as long ago as 20 ka when lowering of groundwater resulted in oxidation of pyrite and organic matter. This process formed gypsum and soluble organic matter that persist in the unsaturated, weathered shale today. Enrichment of Se observed in laterally persistent ferric oxide layers likely is due to selenite adsorption onto the oxides that formed during fluctuating redox conditions at the water table. Stage II weathering (pedogenesis) is marked by a significant decrease in bulk density and increase in porosity as shale disaggregates to soil. Rainfall dissolves calcite and thenardite (Na 2 SO 4 ) at the surface, infiltrates to about 1 m, and precipitates gypsum during evaporation. Gypsum formation (estimated 390 kg m −2 ) enriches soil moisture in Na and residual SO 4 . Transpiration of this moisture to the surface or exposure of subsurface soil (slumping) produces more thenardite. Most Se remains in the soil as selenite adsorbed to ferric oxides, however, some oxidizes to selenate and, during wetter conditions is transported with soil moisture to depths below 3 m. Coupled with little rainfall, relatively insoluble gypsum, and the translocation of soluble Se downward, MS landscapes will be a significant nonpoint source of salinity and Se to the Colorado River well into the future. Other trace elements weathering from MS that are often of environmental concern include U and Mo, which mimic Se in their behavior; As, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb, which show little redistribution; and Cd, Sb, V, and Zn, which accumulate in Stage I shale, but are lost to varying degrees from upper soil intervals. None of these trace elements have been reported previously as contaminants in the study area.

Colorado↗

USGS2015

Priority pollutants and associated constituents in untreated and treated discharges from coal mining or processing facilities in Pennsylvania, USA

Clean sampling and analysis procedures were used to quantify more than 70 inorganic constituents, including 35 potentially toxic or hazardous constituents, organic carbon, and other characteristics of untreated (influent) and treated (effluent) coal-mine discharges (CMD) at 38 permitted coal-mining or coal-processing facilities in the bituminous coalfield and 4 facilities in the anthracite coalfield of Pennsylvania. Of the 42 facilities sampled during 2011, 26 were surface mines, 11 were underground mines, and 5 were coal refuse disposal operations. Treatment of CMD with caustic soda (NaOH), lime (CaO or Ca(OH) 2 ), flocculent, or limestone was ongoing at 21%, 40%, 6%, and 4% of the facilities, respectively; no chemicals were added at the remaining facilities. All facilities with CMD treatment incorporated structures for active or passive aeration and settling of metal-rich precipitate. The untreated influent samples had wide ranges of pH (2.8–7.6), hot acidity (−600 to 8000 mg/L as CaCO 3 ), specific conductance (SC; 253–13,000 μS/cm), total dissolved solids (TDS; 168–18,100 mg/L), and associated dissolved (<0.45-μm pore-size filter) constituents, including SO 4 (14.7–10,700 mg/L), Fe (<0.01 to 4100 mg/L), Mn (0.02–136 mg/L), Al (<0.01 to 128 mg/L), and Zn (<0.003 to 18.8 mg/L). Concentrations of Ag (<1 μg/L), Hg (<1 μg/L), Sn (<0.5 μg/L), and CN (<0.01 mg/L) were below detection limits. Only one influent sample met permitted mine effluent (PME) limits plus dissolved-constituent criteria maximum concentration (CMC) thresholds for the protection of freshwater aquatic organisms. The pH of the treated effluent samples ranged from 5.5 to 11.9 and was greater than or equal to the pH of the corresponding influent at all sites. All the effluent samples met CMC levels for dissolved concentrations of Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Cl, Cr, Pb, Ni, Sb, Se, Tl, V, NH 3 , NO 2 , NO 3 , and CN; however, nine violated one or more of the PME limits for pH (<6, n = 1), net acidity (>0, n = 3), Fe (>7 mg/L, n = 1), or Mn (>5 mg/L, n = 8), plus one or more exceeded CMC levels for Al (>0.75 mg/L, n = 2), Co (>95 μg/L, n = 5), Zn (>307 μg/L, n = 1), Cu (>7.4 μg/L, n = 1), or Se (>12.8 μg/L, n = 3). Although CMC exceedances for Co and Zn were attributed to samples also violating the PME limit for pH or Mn, the samples that exceeded the CMC for Al, Cu, or Se met applicable PME limits for pH, Fe, and Mn. Furthermore, many of the pH-compliant effluents did not meet reference criteria for SO 4 and related measures of ionic strength, including TDS, SC, and osmotic pressure. The Wilcoxon matched-pair signed-ranks statistic was used to test if the overall difference between the effluent and influent pairs was equal to zero. Constituents that statistically were the same for effluent and influent ( p > 0.05) included flow rate, SC, osmotic pressure, hardness, alkalinity, total organic carbon (TOC), K, Cl, NO 3 , PO 4 , Sb, Sr, Br, Se, Mo, and V. Although temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, Ca, and Na were greater in the effluent than the influent, most constituents decreased as a result of treatment, including TDS, acidity, SO 4 , Al, Fe, Mn, Mg, As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, F, Pb, Ni, NH 3 , Tl, Ti, U, Zn, Zr, total phenols, total inorganic carbon (TIC), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Nevertheless, some constituents that decreased, such as SO 4 , still did not meet reference criteria. Findings from this study suggest that typical chemical or aerobic treatment of CMD to pH > 6 with removal of Fe to <7 mg/L and Mn to <5 mg/L may provide a reasonable measure of protection for aquatic life from priority pollutant metals and other toxic or hazardous constituents in effluent but may not be effective for achieving permissible or background levels for TDS, SC, osmotic pressure, or concentrations of SO 4 and some other pollutants, including Se, Br, and Cl, if present.

Pennsylvania↗

USGS2012

A graphical method to evaluate predominant geochemical processes occurring in groundwater systems for radiocarbon dating

A graphical method is described for identifying geochemical reactions needed in the interpretation of radiocarbon age in groundwater systems. Graphs are constructed by plotting the measured 14 C, δ 13 C, and concentration of dissolved inorganic carbon and are interpreted according to specific criteria to recognize water samples that are consistent with a wide range of processes, including geochemical reactions, carbon isotopic exchange, 14 C decay, and mixing of waters. The graphs are used to provide a qualitative estimate of radiocarbon age, to deduce the hydrochemical complexity of a groundwater system, and to compare samples from different groundwater systems. Graphs of chemical and isotopic data from a series of previously-published groundwater studies are used to demonstrate the utility of the approach. Ultimately, the information derived from the graphs is used to improve geochemical models for adjustment of radiocarbon ages in groundwater systems.

Chemical Geology↗

USGS2009

Integrated treatment process using a natural Wyoming clinoptilolite for remediating produced waters from coalbed natural gas operations

Coalbed natural gas (CBNG) development in western U.S. states has resulted in an increase in an essential energy resource, but has also resulted in environmental impacts and additional regulatory needs. A concern associated with CBNG development relates to the production of the copious quantities of potentially saline-sodic groundwater required to recover the natural gas, hereafter referred to as CBNG water. Management of CBNG water is a major environmental challenge because of its quantity and quality. In this study, a locally available Na-rich natural zeolite (clinoptilolite) from Wyoming (WY) was examined for its potential to treat CBNG water to remove Na+ and lower the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR, mmol1/2 L- 1/2). The zeolite material was Ca-modified before being used in column experiments. Column breakthrough studies indicated that a metric tonne (1000??kg) of Ca-WY-zeolite could be used to treat 60,000??L of CBNG water in order to lower SAR of the CBNG water from 30 to an acceptable level of 10??mmol1/2 L- 1/2. An integrated treatment process using Na-WY-zeolite for alternately treating hard water and CBNG water was also examined for its potential to treat problematic waters in the region. Based on the results of this study, use of WY-zeolite appears to be a cost-effective water treatment technology for maximizing the beneficial use of poor-quality CBNG water. Ongoing studies are evaluating water treatment techniques involving infiltration ponds lined with zeolite. ?? 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Applied Clay Science↗

USGS2011

Prediction and assimilation of surf-zone processes using a Bayesian network: Part II: Inverse models

A Bayesian network model has been developed to simulate a relatively simple problem of wave propagation in the surf zone (detailed in Part I). Here, we demonstrate that this Bayesian model can provide both inverse modeling and data-assimilation solutions for predicting offshore wave heights and depth estimates given limited wave-height and depth information from an onshore location. The inverse method is extended to allow data assimilation using observational inputs that are not compatible with deterministic solutions of the problem. These inputs include sand bar positions (instead of bathymetry) and estimates of the intensity of wave breaking (instead of wave-height observations). Our results indicate that wave breaking information is essential to reduce prediction errors. In many practical situations, this information could be provided from a shore-based observer or from remote-sensing systems. We show that various combinations of the assimilated inputs significantly reduce the uncertainty in the estimates of water depths and wave heights in the model domain. Application of the Bayesian network model to new field data demonstrated significant predictive skill (R 2 = 0.7) for the inverse estimate of a month-long time series of offshore wave heights. The Bayesian inverse results include uncertainty estimates that were shown to be most accurate when given uncertainty in the inputs (e.g., depth and tuning parameters). Furthermore, the inverse modeling was extended to directly estimate tuning parameters associated with the underlying wave-process model. The inverse estimates of the model parameters not only showed an offshore wave height dependence consistent with results of previous studies but the uncertainty estimates of the tuning parameters also explain previously reported variations in the model parameters.

Coastal Engineering↗

USGS2011

Development of a carbonate absorption-based process for post-combustion CO2 capture: The role of biocatalyst to promote CO2 absorption rate

An Integrated Vacuum Carbonate Absorption Process (IVCAP) for post-combustion carbon dioxide (CO2) capture is described. IVCAP employs potassium carbonate (PC) as a solvent, uses waste or low quality steam from the power plant for CO2 stripping, and employs a biocatalyst, carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzyme, for promoting the CO2 absorption into PC solution. A series of experiments were performed to evaluate the activity of CA enzyme mixed in PC solutions in a stirred tank reactor system under various temperatures, CA dosages, CO2 loadings, CO2 partial pressures, and the presence of major flue gas contaminants. It was demonstrated that CA enzyme is an effective biocatalyst for CO2 absorption under IVCAP conditions. ?? 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Conference Paper↗