S. E. M. analysis of quartz sand grains from selected Hong Kong and Chinese littoral environments

This pilot study attempts to demonstrate some underlying scanning electron microscopy themes of quartz grain surface textures. A variety of textural patterns and individual features are described for grains selected from various littoral environments. An attempt was made to differentiate samples on surface textures alone, but limitations of using this technique in sedimentological isolation were apparent. Statistical analysis of checklist data and photographic evidence revealed some of the more important feature combinations used in environmental diagnosis. The use of discriminant analysis provided quantitative sample separation.

THE LOSS OF STABILITY OF LAMINAR FLOW IN OPEN CHANNEL AND THE MECHANISM OF SAND RIPPLE FORMATION

In the flow on a mobile bed in an open channel, sand ripple often appears after the sediment begins to move. Different scholars have different views on the formation of sand ripples. This paper holds that as the ripple in general is very small, its formation is due to the instability of the laminar flow or the evolution of the small-scale coherent structures in the sublayer adjacent to the wall of the open channel. When the shear stresses caused by the disturbing waves or the coherent structure near the bed surface boundary and the water flow itself are greater than the shields stresses, responses on the bed surface appear and the sand ripple forms. If the frequency of the shear stress caused by the disturbance is close to the natural frequency of the sand grains that produced resonance, such a phenomenon is called the 'detection property' of the sediment. It is at this point that the maximum resonance appears and the sand ripple develops rapidly.

Sand Grain Size and Organic Matter Concentration in the Intertidal Zones on the Southwest Coast of Taiwan

From April 2013 to April 2014, the average pH and water temperature of the Taisi oyster cultivation area (TS, Yunlin County, Taiwan) were 8.05 (7.35 - 8.45) and 24.7˚C (13.7˚C - 32.8˚C) (N = 8226) The average organic matter (OM) concentration at sites TS-A and TS-B were 6.9% ± 1.3% and 6.9% ± 1.2%, and the weight of drift sand was 40.3 ± 19.1 g/d/m2 and 28.5 ± 34.3 g/d/m2 (N = 27). Considerable sand drifting typically occurs during the southwest monsoon season in summer. The average OM concentration at five dunes from Zhuoshui estuary to Zengwun estuary was 23.9 ± 4.5 g/kg. The percentage of sand grain weight of 0.15 - 0.25 mm and 0.25 - 0.60 mm was 82.5% ± 14.2% and 10.5% ± 12.0%. In the spring and autumn of 2015, the average OM concentration at the eight intertidal zones from Hanbao to Cigu was 49.8 ± 34.1 g/kg (N = 177), and the OM concentrations at Huwei estuary and Hanbao and Fangyuan intertidal zones were relatively high. The OM concentration (95.3 ± 75.7 g/kg) of the low tide zone of Huwei estuary was the highest among all tidal zones. The OM concentration during spring (59.4 ± 41.7 g/kg, N = 95) was higher than that in autumn (39.1 ± 17.8 g/kg, N = 84). For sand grain size ranges 0.15 - 0.25 and 0.063 - 0.15 mm, the weight ratio of intertidal sediment was 39.4% ± 26.9% and 27.6% ± 20.1%, respectively. The broad and flat intertidal zone was marked by fine sand and long intertidal zone;the weight ratio of SGSs < 0.25 mm exceeded 65%, and the OM concentration was between 20 and 30 g/kg. Coastal habitat diversity creates differences in biological communities, especially among crabs and benthic organisms. A greater understanding of coastal environments can aid in the management of coastal wetlands.

The Probable Cause for Nesting Pattern of Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) at Ramnagar Beach, North East Coast of Andaman Island, India

The nesting behaviour of sea turtles remains a subject to study, due to their enigmatic pattern of seasonal breeding activities. Over a period of time, several reports have been made in this context associated with the nesting behaviour of the Olive Ridley turtles. In the present study, characteristics of the breeding beach and nesting pattern of Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) at Ramnagar along N-E coast of Andaman Islands were investigated, during the nesting periods 2016-2017. The study area hosts Olive Ridley, the dominant sea turtles with more than 300 individuals nesting each year. For this study, the number of sea turtles visited, nested, the sediment characters, salinity, and temperature were taken. The exposed sandy nesting beach characteristics are prone to varying degrees of morphological changes every day. The results depict that even though similar grain size (Coarse Sand to Fine Sand and Very well sorted to Poorly Sorted), with an ambient incubating temperature, pH and salinity with wide nesting area, the selective nesting in the particular location of the beach identified because of comfortable energy conditions in the waters (1.5 m/s) favours the female turtles to reach the beach at the preferable site of Ramnagar and nest.

Nesting Biology and Site Selection of Olive Ridley—A Coherence of Nature

Nesting behaviour of sea turtles remains a subject to study, due to their enigmatic pattern of seasonal breeding activities. In the present study, characteristics of the breeding turtle, Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) at Ramnagar along N-E coast of North Andaman Islands were investigated, for the nesting periods 2016-2017. Olive Ridley is the dominant sea turtles, with more than 300 individuals nesting every season with at least a 75% hatching success rate. It is one of the conducive, highly protective and undisturbed nesting sites for Olive Ridley on North Andaman coast. In the present study an initiative is made, to identify nature’s cues and the biological characteristics of Olive Ridley, which leads it to nest at Ramnagar beach, with a high hatchling success rate.

Influence of Gating System,Sand Grain Size,and Mould Coating on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Thin-Wall Ductile Iron

Two gating systems namely stepped and tapered runners were used to cast strip samples with different thicknesses by CO2/silicate process using sand grain sizes of AFS 151 and 171. To assess the effect of mould coating on the properties of thin wall ductile iron, half of the moulds were coated whilst the rest were not coated. Molten metal with the carbon equivalent of 4.29% was prepared and poured at 1 450 ℃. Microstructure of the specimens was analyzed by optical and scanning electron microscopes. Count, area fraction, roundness and diameter of the graphite nodules of the samples were measured by image analyzer. Brinell hardness and tensile tests of all the samples were also conducted. The results show that by using stepped runner gating system with uncoated and coarse sand mould, roundness and count of the graphite nodules decrease whereas diameter and area fraction increase. Although fine sand and coated mould cause longer distance of molten metal travel, hardness and strength of the samples decrease.

Relationships and Mechanisms of Sand Grain Promotion on Nozzle Cavitation Flow Evolution: A Numerical Simulation Investigation

The objective of this study was to primarily investigate the effects of sand grains with different mean diameters and concentrations on cavitation flow development in a nozzle. One new solid-liquid-vapor three-phase coupling numerical method was presented and a cavitation model was changed to perform numerical simulations. Results indicated that sand grain-pure water-cavitation flow(SG-PW-CF) vapor contents were greater than in pure water-cavitation flow(PW-CF). Sand grains were found to promote cavitation flow development, with the concentration promotion range becoming smaller with increased mean diameter. The mechanisms for these effects were explored and revealed as well. In SG-PW-CF, cavitation nuclei number was greater and tensile stress was also greater than in PW-CF. The maximum and absolute minimum slip velocities and maximum and minimum turbulent kinetic energies of SG-PW-CF were greater than in PW-CF. These effects on SG-PW-CF evolution were large, involving primary factors. The calculated magnitude of the Saffman lift force in SG-PW-CF was small(10^(-2)), with its effects relatively weak and it was thus a secondary factor. Effects of variations of flow fields were more significant than force changes. In SG-PW-CF, variations of a single parameter with the concentration could not reflect the alternating relationships of vapor content with the concentration. Indeed, it was a combination of variations of all parameters.