GPR, TDR, and geochemistry measurements above an active gas vent to study near-surface gas-migration pathways

Geophysics ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. A11-A15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Pettinelli ◽  
Stan E. Beaubien ◽  
Salvatore Lombardi ◽  
A. Peter Annan

The migration of deep gas to the atmosphere along faults and associated structures is important in many fields, from studying the natural contribution of atmospheric greenhouse gases leaking from geothermal areas to ensuring the safety of man-made natural gas and carbon dioxide [Formula: see text] geologic-storage sites. Near-surface geophysical and geochemical techniques were applied to a naturally occurring gas vent located along a deep terrestrial fault to better understand the structure and geophysical response of this gas-migration pathway. A number of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) profiles were first conducted across the vent. Spot samples were then measured along one of these profiles for in situ apparent permittivity (using time-domain reflectometry — TDR), complex permittivity on dried samples (using a capacitivecell), soil-gas composition, and clay and bulk mineralogy. Results show how the migrating gas induces secondary effects that modify the signature of the vent as seen in the GPR profiles. In particular, high flux rates across the vent core (i.e., the central portion of the vent) result in a total lack of vegetation, which in turn leads to high water content that is likely responsible, together with increased bulk conductivity, for GPR signal blanking. In the transition zone surrounding the core, a water-content minimum and other changes contribute to a deeper GPR signal penetration that highlights dipping events. Data show that the structure itself is slightly asymmetrical, which may indicate more fracturing to one side of the feature. This study shows that GPR surveys are capable of imaging secondary effects induced by gas migration in soils above a structural discontinuity, even if the structure itself cannot be imaged.

HortScience ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 599-605 ◽  
Author(s):  
Onil Bergeron ◽  
Mohammed S. Lamhamedi ◽  
Hank A. Margolis ◽  
Pierre Y. Bernier ◽  
Debra C. Stowe

Air-slit containerized (IPL 25-350A) black spruce [Picea mariana (Mill) BSP; 1+0] seedlings, were subjected to four irrigation regimes (IR-15%, IR-30%, IR-45%, and IR-60%, by volume, cm3 water/cm3 substrate) under tunnel conditions in a forest nursery. Irrigation regimes were controlled by time-domain reflectometry during the first growing season. With exception of midday water potential, water relation and gas exchange variables were unaffected by substrate water content. There were no significant differences in height, diameter or number of needle primordia of the seedlings grown under IR-15%, IR-30%, and IR-45%. Seedlings grown in a substrate with a high water content (IR-60%) had lower oven-dry biomass and higher cuticular transpiration rates than seedlings grown under the three other irrigation regimes. Root hydraulic conductivity was not affected by irrigation regime, but showed a general decrease towards the end of the growing season. Variation in root hydraulic conductivity was most likely related to root growth and degree of lignification. Seedlings that had been exposed to IR-60% during the first growing season remained smaller than the other seedlings throughout the second growing season. Results of this study indicate that nursery managers can reduce the quantity of irrigation water used without significantly affecting the growth or physiology of air-slit containerized black spruce seedlings (1+0) grown under tunnel conditions.


2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (8) ◽  
pp. 843-854 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weiguo Xu ◽  
Shujun Dong ◽  
Yuping Han ◽  
Shuqiang Li ◽  
Yang Liu

Hydrogels, as a class of materials for tissue engineering and drug delivery, have high water content and solid-like mechanical properties. Currently, hydrogels with an antibacterial function are a research hotspot in biomedical field. Many advanced antibacterial hydrogels have been developed, each possessing unique qualities, namely high water swellability, high oxygen permeability, improved biocompatibility, ease of loading and releasing drugs and structural diversity. In this article, an overview is provided on the preparation and applications of various antibacterial hydrogels. Furthermore, the prospects in biomedical researches and clinical applications are predicted.


2019 ◽  
Vol 67 (7) ◽  
pp. 4803-4810 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiong Wang ◽  
Tao Qin ◽  
Yexian Qin ◽  
Ahmed H. Abdelrahman ◽  
Russell S. Witte ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shun-ichiro Karato ◽  
Bijaya Karki ◽  
Jeffrey Park

AbstractOceans on Earth are present as a result of dynamic equilibrium between degassing and regassing through the interaction with Earth’s interior. We review mineral physics, geophysical, and geochemical studies related to the global water circulation and conclude that the water content has a peak in the mantle transition zone (MTZ) with a value of 0.1–1 wt% (with large regional variations). When water-rich MTZ materials are transported out of the MTZ, partial melting occurs. Vertical direction of melt migration is determined by the density contrast between the melts and coexisting minerals. Because a density change associated with a phase transformation occurs sharply for a solid but more gradually for a melt, melts formed above the phase transformation depth are generally heavier than solids, whereas melts formed below the transformation depth are lighter than solids. Consequently, hydrous melts formed either above or below the MTZ return to the MTZ, maintaining its high water content. However, the MTZ water content cannot increase without limit. The melt-solid density contrast above the 410 km depends on the temperature. In cooler regions, melting will occur only in the presence of very water-rich materials. Melts produced in these regions have high water content and hence can be buoyant above the 410 km, removing water from the MTZ. Consequently, cooler regions of melting act as a water valve to maintain the water content of the MTZ near its threshold level (~ 0.1–1.0 wt%). Mass-balance considerations explain the observed near-constant sea-level despite large fluctuations over Earth history. Observations suggesting deep-mantle melting are reviewed including the presence of low-velocity anomalies just above and below the MTZ and geochemical evidence for hydrous melts formed in the MTZ. However, the interpretation of long-term sea-level change and the role of deep mantle melting in the global water circulation are non-unique and alternative models are reviewed. Possible future directions of studies on the global water circulation are proposed including geodynamic modeling, mineral physics and observational studies, and studies integrating results from different disciplines.


Processes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
María González Martínez ◽  
Estéban Hélias ◽  
Gilles Ratel ◽  
Sébastien Thiéry ◽  
Thierry Melkior

Biomass preheating in torrefaction at an industrial scale is possible through a direct contact with the hot gases released. However, their high water-content implies introducing moisture (around 20% v/v) in the torrefaction atmosphere, which may impact biomass thermochemical transformation. In this work, this situation was investigated for wheat straw, beech wood and pine forest residue in torrefaction in two complementary experimental devices. Firstly, experiments in chemical regime carried out in a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) showed that biomass degradation started from lower temperatures and was faster under a moist atmosphere (20% v/v water content) for all biomass samples. This suggests that moisture might promote biomass components’ degradation reactions from lower temperatures than those observed under a dry atmosphere. Furthermore, biomass inorganic composition might play a role in the extent of biomass degradation in torrefaction in the presence of moisture. Secondly, torrefaction experiments on a lab-scale device made possible to assess the influence of temperature and residence time under dry and 100% moist atmosphere. In this case, the difference in solid mass loss between dry and moist torrefaction was only significant for wheat straw. Globally, an effect of water vapor on biomass transformation through torrefaction was observed (maximum 10%db), which appeared to be dependent on the biomass type and composition.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1015 ◽  
pp. 655-658
Author(s):  
Shu Zhen Yu ◽  
Guang Jun Xu ◽  
Han Hua Song ◽  
Xun Zhu ◽  
Wen We Lu ◽  
...  

The electrochemical corrosion of X80 pipeline steel in Xinzhou’s soil with different water content is tested and analyzed. The corrosion signal time and frequency domain figure show that the corrosion signal fluctuates all the time in 30 days’ test with low water content (14%). The slope of high-frequency linear segment in the potential PSD is smaller than it is at the beginning. In the soil with the middle water content (18%), the intense wave motion lasts for 15 days. The noise fluctuation only exists before the third days when in the high water content soil (22%). After the third day, linear drift can be observed but no transient peak. The slope of high-frequency linear segment changes obviously compared with the situation in the beginning. And the high-frequency white noise appears.


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