In-situ analysis and genetic investigation of Li-bearing minerals in McDermitt clay-type lithium deposit,Nevada,USA

Clay-type Li deposits are poised to play a pivotal role in addressing the surging global demand for Li.The McDermitt clay-type Li deposit,located in Nevada,is the largest Li deposit in the United States,with Li hosted by a clay-rich sequence of smectite-dominated intervals and illite-dominated intervals,respectively.However,the occurrence of Li and the genesis of Li-bearing minerals within smectite-dominated intervals have not been thoroughly investigated in previous research.Here,we studied the mineralogy,the in-situ Li distribution,and the bonding environments of Li within the smectite intervals using a combination of instru-mental techniques including scanning electron microscope,transmission electron microscope,time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry,and nuclear magnetic resonance.Our results indicate that the smectite exhibits low crystallinity characteristics of lacustrine clay authigenesis and is com-monly found tofill the interstices among volcanic minerals or envelop them;Li is mainly hosted by Mg-smectite rather than the volcanic minerals.Within the tuffaceous sediment samples,the volcanic glass has undergone a transformation,resulting in its complete disappearance and alteration into clay minerals.Owing to the octahedral sites of Mg-smectite bounded in Li,it is referred to be hectorite.We interpret that the hectorite’s precipitation occurs in a high saline-alkaline water environment,a result of McDermitt tuffdissolution.This conclusion can be supported by the coexistence of spherulitic calcite and hectorite.Overall,this study confirms hectorite as the main Li-bearing mineral and increases the understanding of the genetic model of hectorite formation in intracontinental caldera basins.

Provenance and depositional setting of the Late MiocenePleistocene clastic sediments in the eastern Arabian Peninsula and western Iraq using rare earth elements geochemistry

The sandstones of the Late miocene–Pliocene Dibdibba Formation in the Najaf–Karbala Plateau and Basra were examined to determine their source rocks and origin. The rare earth elements(REE) and trace elements(Sc, Co, V, and Th) concentrations in these sandstones revealed that they likely derived from a single source. The steep light rare earth elements(LREE) and flat, heavy rare earth element(HREE) patterns, negative Eu anomaly, and high ΣREE contents in sandstones suggest its derivation from a suggests that a passive continental margin environment and originated from felsic source rocks. The average concentration of ΣREE is 93.5 ppm, which is lower than that of the average crustal compositions like Upper Continental Crust and Post Archean Australian Shale. The higher proportion of LREE compared to HREE implies that these sandstones were recycled and derived from a distal source. The Th/Co, Th/Sc, La/Sc, La/Co, Eu/Eu*and(La/Lu)cn elemental ratios indicated that these Late Miocene–Pliocene sandstones were derived from felsic rocks located in the marginal region of the Arabian Shield.

Volume-averaged modeling of multiphase solidification with equiaxed crystal sedimentation in a steel ingot

Macrosegregation is a critical factor that limits the mechanical properties of materials.The impact of equiaxed crystal sedimentation on macrosegregation has been extensively studied,as it plays a significant role in determining the distribution of alloying elements and impurities within a material.To improve macrosegregation in steel connecting shafts,a multiphase solidification model that couples melt flow,heat transfer,microstructure evolution,and solute transport was established based on the volume-averaged Eulerian-Eulerian approach.In this model,the effects of liquid phase,equiaxed crystals,columnar dendrites,and columnar-to-equiaxed transition(CET)during solidification and evolution of microstructure can be considered simultaneously.The sedimentation of equiaxed crystals contributes to negative macrosegregation,where regions between columnar dendrites and equiaxed crystals undergo significant A-type positive macrosegregation due to the CET.Additionally,noticeable positive macrosegregation occurs in the area of final solidification in the ingot.The improvement in macrosegregation is beneficial for enhancing the mechanical properties of connecting shafts.To mitigate the thermal convection of molten steel resulting from excessive superheating,reducing the superheating during casting without employing external fields or altering the design of the ingot mold is indeed an effective approach to control macrosegregation.

Numerical simulation on sand sedimentation and erosion characteristics around HDPE sheet sand barrier under different wind angles

For the safety of railroad operations,sand barriers are utilized to mitigate wind-sand disaster effects.These disasters,characterized by multi-directional wind patterns,result in diverse angles among the barriers.In this study,using numerical simulations,we examined the behavior of High Density Polyethylene(HDPE)sheet sand barriers under different wind angles,focusing on flow field distribution,windproof efficiency,and sedimentation erosion dynamics.This study discovered that at a steady wind speed,airflow velocity varies as the angle between the airflow and the HDPE barrier changes.Specifically,a 90°angle results in the widest low-speed airflow area on the barrier’s downwind side.If the airflow is not perpendicular to the barrier,it prompts a lateral airflow movement which decreases as the angle expands.The windproof efficiency correlates directly with this angle but inversely with the wind’s speed.Notably,with a wind angle of 90°,wind speed drops by 81%.The minimum wind speed is found at 5.1H(the sand barrier height)on the barrier’s downwind side.As the angle grows,the barrier’s windproof efficiency improves,extending its protective reach.Sedimentation is most prominent on the barrier’s downwind side,as the wind angle shifts from 30°to 90°,the sand sedimentation area on the barrier’s downwind side enlarges by 14.8H.As the angle grows,sedimentation intensifies,eventually overtakes the forward erosion and enlarges the sedimentation area.

Saturation Estimation with Complex Electrical Conductivity for Hydrate-Bearing Clayey Sediments:An Experimental Study

Clays have considerable influence on the electrical properties of hydrate-bearing sediments.It is desirable to understand the electrical properties of hydrate-bearing clayey sediments and to build hydrate saturation(S_(h))models for reservoir evaluation and monitoring.The electrical properties of tetrahydrofuran-hydrate-bearing sediments with montmorillonite are characterized by complex conductivity at frequencies from 0.01 Hz to 1 kHz.The effects of clay and Sh on the complex conductivity were analyzed.A decrease and increase in electrical conductance result from the clay-swelling-induced blockage and ion migration in the electrical double layer(EDL),respectively.The quadrature conductivity increases with the clay content up to 10%because of the increased surface site density of counterions in EDL.Both the in-phase conductivity and quadrature conductivity decrease consistently with increasing Sh from 0.50 to 0.90.Three sets of models for Sh evaluation were developed.The model based on the Simandoux equation outperforms Archie’s formula,with a root-mean-square error(E_(RMS))of 1.8%and 3.9%,respectively,highlighting the clay effects on the in-phase conductivity.The fre-quency effect correlations based on in-phase and quadrature conductivities exhibit inferior performance(E_(RMS)=11.6%and 13.2%,re-spectively)due to the challenge of choosing an appropriate pair of frequencies and intrinsic uncertainties from two measurements.The second-order Cole-Cole formula can be used to fit the complex-conductivity spectra.One pair of inverted Cole-Cole parameters,i.e.,characteristic time and chargeability,is employed to predict S_(h) with an E_(RMS) of 5.05%and 9.05%,respectively.

Effects of shore-normal coastal structure on medium-to long-term embayed shoreline evolution

Based on high-tide shoreline data extracted from 87 Landsat satellite images from 1986 to 2019 as well as using the linear regression rate and performing a Mann-Kendall(M–K)trend test,this study analyzes the linear characteristics and nonlinear behavior of the medium-to long-term shoreline evolution of Jinghai Bay,eastern Guangdong Province.In particular,shoreline rotation caused by a shore-normal coastal structure is emphasized.The results show that the overall shoreline evolution over the past 30 years is characterized by erosion on the southwest beach,with an average erosion rate of 3.1 m/a,and significant accretion on the northeast beach,with an average accretion rate of 5.6 m/a.Results of the M–K trend test indicate that significant shoreline changes occurred in early 2006,which can be attributed to shore-normal engineering.Prior to that engineering construction,the shorelines are slightly eroded,where the average erosion rate is 0.7 m/a.However,after shore-normal engineering is performed,the shoreline is characterized by significant erosion(3.2 m/a)on the southwest beach and significant accretion(8.5 m/a)on the northeast beach,thus indicating that the shore-normal engineering at the updrift headland contributes to clockwise shoreline rotation.Further analysis shows that the clockwise shoreline rotation is promoted not only by longshore sediment transport processes from southwest to northeast,but also by cross-shore sediment transport processes.These findings are crucial for beach erosion risk management,coastal disaster zoning,regional sediment budget assessments,and further observations and predictions of beach morphodynamics.

Microplastics in sediment of the Three Gorges Reservoir:abundance and characteristics under different environmental conditions

Freshwater microplastic pollution is an urgent issue of global concern,and research on the distribution in reservoirs is lacking.We investigated the microplastic pollution levels in wet sediments collected from the Three Gorges Reservoir,the largest reservoir of China.Results show that microplastics were ubiquitous in the sediments of the Three Gorges Reservoir,and their abundance ranged from 59 to 276 pp/kg(plastic particles per kg,dry weight).Economic development and total population were important factors affecting the spatial heterogeneity of microplastic abundance,and the contribution of large cities along the reservoir to microplastic pollution should be paid with more attention.Fibrous microplastics were the most abundant type of microplastic particles in reservoir sediments,whereas polystyrene,polypropylene,and polyamide were the main types of polymers.The apparent spatial heterogeneity in morphology and color of microplastics is attributed to different anthropogenic or landbased pollution sources.Moreover,the accumulation of microplastics near the inlet of tributaries reflects the role of potential contributors of tributaries.More importantly,multiple bisphenols(BPs)and heavy metals detected at the microplastic surfaces indicate that microplastics can act as carriers of these pollutants in the environment in the same way as sediments did,which may alter the environmental fate and toxicity of these pollutants.Therefore,we conclude that the Three Gorges Reservoir had been contaminated with microplastics,which posed a stress risk for organisms who ingest them along with their associated pollutants(BPs,heavy metals).

Response of phytoplankton functional group to spring drought in a large subtropical reservoir

Global warming has caused an increase in the frequency and duration of droughts worldwide.Droughts could trigger large changes in physico-chemical conditions and phytoplankton community in waterbodies,resulting in a shift in the phytoplankton community.Spring diatom blooms in reservoirs have been increasingly observed in the past decade in the Taihu Lake basin.The aim of the present study is to elucidate the impacts of droughts on aquatic environment and to determine the driving factors for the succession of the phytoplankton functional groups based on the analysis of data collected during spring from 2009 to 2020 in the Daxi Reservoir.The unimodal relationship between 1-month aggregated precipitation index and phytoplankton species richness indicated the competitive exclusion occurred in extremely drought period.The structural equation modeling indicated that drought-related low water level conditions intensified sediment resuspension,and increased the phosphorus-enriched nonalgal turbidity in the Daxi Reservoir.Concurrently,a steady shift in the Reynolds phytoplankton functional groups from L 0,TD,J,X 2,and A(phytoplankton taxa preferring low turbidity and nutrient conditions)to TB(pennate diatoms being adapt to turbid and nutrient-rich conditions)was observed.The increased TP and non-algal turbidity in addition to the lowered disturbance contribute to the prevalence of Group TB.Considering the difficulties in nutrient control,timely water replenishment is often a feasible method of controlling the dominance of harmful algae for reservoir management.Finally,alternative water sources are in high demand for ensuring ecological safety and water availability when dealing with drought.

MXene Sediment-Based Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Sodium Alginate Aerogel Evaporator with Vertically Aligned Channels for Highly Efficient Solar Steam Generation

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation from seawater is considered an effective way to alleviate the emerging freshwater crisis because of its green and environmentally friendly characteristics.However,developing an evaporator with high efficiency,stability,and salt resistance remains a key challenge.MXene,with an internal photothermal conversion efficiency of 100%,has received tremendous research interest as a photothermal material.However,the process to prepare the MXene with monolayer is inefficient and generates a large amount of“waste”MXene sediments(MS).Here,MXene sediments is selected as the photothermal material,and a three-dimensional MXene sediments/poly(vinyl alcohol)/sodium alginate aerogel evaporator with vertically aligned pores by directional freezing method is innovatively designed.The vertical porous structure enables the evaporator to improve water transport,light capture,and high evaporation rate.Cotton swabs and polypropylene are used as the water channel and support,respectively,thus fabricating a self-floating evaporator.The evaporator exhibits an evaporation rate of 3.6 kg m^(-2)h^(-1)under one-sun illumination,and 18.37 kg m^(-2)of freshwater is collected in the condensation collection device after 7 h of outdoor sun irradiation.The evaporator also displays excellent oil and salt resistance.This research fully utilizes“waste”MS,enabling a self-floating evaporation device for freshwater collection.

Tracing suspended and bed sediments during high and low water periods using geochemical characteristics-Case study:Vazrood watershed,northern Iran

Complete and comprehensive information about sediment dynamic and identification of hotspots of sediment production and transport are necessary for understanding the erosion processes and increasing the efficiency of soil and water conservation practices.Numerous studies used the sediment fingerprint techniques to investigate the contribution of different sources in suspended and bed sediment yield of the watersheds.However,the contribution of various land use/land covers in suspended and bed sediment yield for the great Caspian Sea basin is in an aura of ambiguity and the present study was conducted to gather information about an important part of this area in northern Iran,where rangelands are located upstream of Hyrcanian forests and dense agricultural lands are located downstream.The surface soil of different land use/land covers including forest,rangeland,agriculture and streambank lands were sampled in 30 points.Suspended and bed sediments were sampled in the watershed outlet in two high and low water periods.Geochemical characteristics of soil and sediment samples containing 59 elements were measured using ICP-OES GBC Integra.The reliable and suitable tracers from 59 elements were then selected using Range test,Kruskal-Wallis and Discriminant Function Analysis,respectively,in FingerPro package of R software.The results showed that for suspended sediment,streambank and rangeland had the highest contributions of 86.2%and 47.5%,respectively,in two high and low water periods.For bed sediment,in two high and low water periods,rangeland and streambank had the highest contributions of 73.8%and 84.4%,respectively.Land use change and especially human activities such as agriculture,road construction and development of residential areas along the main river riparian zone has led to a significant increase in suspended and bed sediments.

Microplastic and Heavy Metals Distributions in Urban Rivers Sediments,China

This study investigated the distribution of microplastics and heavy metals,along with the interaction between the two in the sediments of urban rivers in China.Results showed that the abundance of microplastics ranged from 2412±187.5 to 7638±1312items kg^(-1)dry sediment across different survey stations,with an average abundance at(4388±713)items kg^(-1)dry sediment.Upon further categorization,it was found that transparent fragments were the primary color and type of microplastics present.The potential ecological risk index(RI)of heavy metals in sediments suggested a low level of ecological risk within a majority of the urban rivers studied.Cd was identified as the main potential ecological risk factor in the sediments of the studied areas.There was a relatively good significant linear relationship between the RI of heavy metals and the abundance of microplastics,bolstering the linkage between these two environmental pollutants.However,the concentrations of heavy metals in microplastics were not dependent on their corresponding contents in sediments.In fact,the concentration of Cu,Cd,and As in microplastics were higher than those in the sediments.This finding confirmed that microplastics could serve as carriers of heavy metals and introduce potential risks to aquatic wildlife and human through the food chain.

Thermal conductivity of hydrate and effective thermal conductivity of hydrate-bearing sediment

The research on the thermal property of the hydrate has recently made great progress,including the understanding of hydrate thermal conductivity and effective thermal conductivity(ETC)of hydratebearing sediment.The thermal conductivity of hydrate is of great significance for the hydrate-related field,such as the natural gas hydrate exploitation and prevention of the hydrate plugging in oil or gas pipelines.In order to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the research progress of the hydrate thermal conductivity and the ETC of hydrate-bearing sediment,the literature on the studies of the thermal conductivity of hydrate and the ETC of hydrate-bearing sediment were summarized and reviewed in this study.Firstly,experimental studies of the reported measured values and the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity of hydrate were discussed and reviewed.Secondly,the studies of the experimental measurements of the ETC of hydrate-bearing sediment and the effects of temperature,porosity,hydrate saturation,water saturation,thermal conductivity of porous medium,phase change,and other factors on the ETC of hydrate-bearing sediment were discussed and reviewed.Thirdly,the research progress of modeling on the ETC of the hydrate-bearing sediment was reviewed.The thermal conductivity determines the heat transfer capacity of the hydrate reservoir and directly affects the hydrate exploitation efficiency.Future efforts need to be devoted to obtain experimental data of the ETC of hydrate reservoirs and establish models to accurately predict the ETC of hydrate-bearing sediment.

Dynamics of iron and aluminum storages in a subtropical forest headwater stream

The forest headwater streams are important hubs for connecting terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems,with plant litter and sediments as the major carriers for material migrations;however,until now we knew little about the dynamics of trace elements such as iron(Fe)and aluminum(Al)in forest headwater streams.Here,we quantitatively identified the spatiotemporal dynamics of Fe and Al storages in plant litter and sediments and their influencing factors in a subtropical forest headwater stream,and assessed the potential pollution risk.The results showed that:(1)the mean concentrations of Fe and Al in plant litter(sediments)were 5.48 and 8.46(7.39 and 47.47)g·kg^(-1),and the mean storages of Fe and Al in plant litter(sediments)were 0.26 and 0.43(749.04 and 5030.90)g·m^(-2),respectively;(2)the storages of Fe and Al in plant litter and sediments significantly fluctuated from January to December,and showed a decreasing pattern from the source to mouth;and(3)storages of Fe and Al had no significant correlation with riparian forest type and the present of tributary and the Fe and Al storages in plant litter were mainly affected by water temperature and water alkalinity,and their storages in sediments were mainly affected by water temperature and frequency of rainfall;and(4)there were no anthropogenic pollution in Fe and Al in the forest headwater stream.Our study revealed the primary factors of concentrations and storages of Fe and Al in plant litter and sediments in a forest headwater stream,which will improve our understanding of the role of headwater streams in forest nutrient storage and cycling along with hydrological processes.

Reasonable grazing may balance the conflict between grassland utilization and soil conservation in the semi-arid hilly areas, China

Soil erosion caused by unsustainable grazing is a major driver of grassland ecosystem degradation in many semi-arid hilly areas in China.Thus,grazing exclusion is considered as an effective method for solving this issue in such areas.However,some ecological and economic problems,such as slow grassland rejuvenation and limited economic conditions,have become obstacles for the sustainable utilization of grassland ecosystem.Accordingly,we hypothesized that the conflict between grassland use and soil conservation may be balanced by a reasonable grazing intensity.In this study,a two-year grazing fence experiment with five grazing intensity gradients was conducted in a typical grassland of the Loess Plateau in China to evaluate the responses of vegetation characteristics and soil and water losses to grazing intensity.The five grazing intensity gradients were 2.2,3.0,4.2,6.7,and 16.7 goats/hm2,which were represented by G1-G5,respectively,and no grazing was used as control.The results showed that a reasonable grazing intensity was conducive to the sustainable utilization of grassland resources.Vegetation biomass under G1-G4 grazing intensity significantly increased by 51.9%,42.1%,36.9%,and 36.7%,respectively,compared with control.In addition,vegetation coverage increased by 19.6%under G1 grazing intensity.Species diversity showed a single peak trend with increasing grazing intensity.The Shannon-Wiener diversity index under G1-G4 grazing intensities significantly increased by 22.8%,22.5%,13.3%,and 8.3%,respectively,compared with control.Furthermore,grazing increased the risk of soil erosion.Compared with control,runoff yields under G1-G5 grazing intensities increased by 1.4,2.6,2.8,4.3,and 3.9 times,respectively,and sediment yields under G1-G5 grazing intensities were 3.0,13.0,20.8,34.3,and 37.7 times greater,respectively,than those under control.This result was mainly attributed to a visible decrease in litter biomass after grazing,which decreased by 50.5%,72.6%,79.0%,80.0%,and 76.9%,respectively,under G1-G5 grazing intensities.By weighing the grassland productivity and soil conservation function,we found that both two aims were achieved at a low grazing intensity of less than 3.5 goats/hm2.Therefore,it is recommended that grassland should be moderately utilized with grazing intensity below 3.5 goats/hm2 in semi-arid hilly areas to achieve the dual goals of ecological and economic benefits.The results provide a scientific basis for grassland utilization and health management in semi-arid hilly areas from the perspective of determining reasonable grazing intensity to maintain both grassland production and soil conservation functions.

Enhancing Geological Understanding and Identifying Gold Anomalies in the Ailaoshan Orogen

The Ailaoshan Orogen in the southeastern Tibet Plateau,situated between the Yangtze and Simao blocks,underwent a complex structural,magmatic,and metamorphic evolution resulting in different tectonic subzones with varying structural lineaments and elemental concentrations.These elements can conceal or reduce anomalies due to the mutual effect between different anomaly areas.Dividing the whole zone into subzones based on tectonic settings,ore cluster areas,or sample catchment basins(Scb),geochemical and structural anomalies associated with gold(Au)mineralization have been identified utilizing mean plus twice standard deviations(Mean+2STD),factor analysis(FA),concentration-area(CA)modeling of stream sediment geochemical data,and lineament density in both the Ailaoshan Orogen and the individual subzones.The FA in the divided 98 Scbs with 6 Scbs containing Au deposits can roughly ascertain unknown rock types,identify specific element associations of known rocks and discern the porphyry or skarn-type Au mineralization.Compared with methods of Mean+2STD and C-A model of data in the whole orogen,which mistake the anomalies as background or act the background as anomalies,the combined methods of FA and C-A in the separate subzones or Scbs works well in regional metallogenic potential analysis.Mapping of lineament densities with a 10-km circle diameter is not suitable to locate Au deposits because of the delineated large areas of medium-high lineament density.In contrast,the use of circle diameters of 1.3 km or 1.7 km in the ore cluster scale delineates areas with a higher concentration of lineament density,consistent with the locations of known Au deposits.By analyzing the map of faults and Au anomalies,two potential prospecting targets,Scbs 1 and 63 with a sandstone as a potential host rock for Au,have been identified in the Ailaoshan Orogen.The use of combined methods in the divided subzones proved to be more effective in improving geological understanding and identifying mineralization anomalies associated with Au,rather than analyzing the entire large area.

Particle size characterization and sources of sediments in the Uzhumqin sand dunes

Sediment constitutes the fundamental basis for forming and evolving aeolian geomorphology.The characteristics of sediment particle size offer insights into the development and evolution of sandy terrain,making their study critical to understanding aeolian geomorphology and sand control.In this study,we combined high-density collection of surface sediments in the Uzhumqin sand dunes and GIS spatial analysis to analyze the particle size parameters and changes in the spatial distribution of surface sediments in this region.In addition,we used an end-member analysis to identify the potential sources of the sediments.The results showed that surface sediments in the Uzhumqin sand dunes had distinct spatial distributions.Medium and coarse grain sands dominated the sediments in the dunes,and the mean grain size and the sorting coefficient generally increased along the prevailing wind direction,with high values in individual areas related to factors such as material sources and vegetation cover.Skewness was strongly influenced by factors such as landform change and human activity,and spatial variability became more complex.Kurtosis and the soil fractal dimension showed generally decreasing trends along the prevailing wind direction.With dune fixation,the contents of clay and powder particles in the soil increased;the mean particle size,the sorting coefficient,and the fractal dimension of the soil gradually increased,and the skewness and kurtosis gradually decreased.The end-member analysis results indicated the existence of five end-members(EM)in the dune sediments.EM 1 was a mixed component of wind-deposited fine sands and nearby fluvial sediments.EM 2 was the main component of sediments in the study area and was the result of sorting lake sediments by wind action and by the local topography.EM 3 may be a product of river flood deposition.EM 4 and EM 5 had coarser grain sizes.EM 4 was a lake-phase sediment product influenced by topographic and vegetation cover factors,and EM 5 was primarily a river and lake sediment product modified by weathering.The sediment particle size results from the study area indicate that the sediment in the sandy region is generally coarse due to multiple factors,including topography,climate,hydrology,and human activity.Sandy material in the study area originated from nearby,with very little sand being transported from long distances.

Application of Ice Pigging in a Drinking Water Distribution System:Impacts on Pipes and Bulk Water Quality

Ice pigging is an emerging technique for pipe cleaning in drinking water distribution systems.However,substantial confusion and controversy exist on the potential impacts of ice pigging on bulk water quality.This study monitored the microstructural features and composition of sediments and microbial community structures in bulk water in eight multimaterial Chinese networks.Chloride concentration analysis demonstrated that separate cleaning of pipes with different materials in complex networks could mitigate the risk of losing ice pigs and degrading water quality.The microstructural and trace element characterization results showed that ice pigs would scarcely disturb the inner surfaces of long-used pipes.The bacterial richness and diversity of bulk water decreased significantly after ice pigging.Furthermore,correlations were established between pipe service age,temperature,and chloride and total iron concentrations,and the 15 most abundant taxa in bulk water,which could be used to guide practical ice pigging operations.

Potential morphological responses of an artificial beach to a flood in extreme events: field observation and numerical modelling

Conch Island is a typical artificial island at the Tanghe Estuary in Bohai Sea,China.To improve natural environment and boost local tourism,beach nourishment will be applied to its north-western shore.The projected beach is landward and opposite to the Jinmeng Bay Beach.Nowadays,with climate changes,frequent heavy rainfalls in Hebei Province rise flood hazards at the Tanghe Estuary.Under this circumstance,potential influences on the projected beach of a flood are investigated for sustainable managements.A multi-coupled model is established and based on the data from field observations,where wave model,flow model and multifraction sediment transport model are included.In addition,the impacts on the projected beach of different components in extreme events are discussed,including the spring tides,storm winds,storm waves,and sediment inputs.The numerical results indicate the following result.(1)Artificial islands protect the coasts from erosion by obstructing landward waves,but rise the deposition risks along the target shore.(2)Flood brings massive sediment inputs and leads to scours at the estuary,but the currents with high sediment concentration contribute to the accretions along the target shore.(3)The projected beach mitigates flood actions and reduces the maximum mean sediment concentration along the target shore by 20%.(4)The storm winds restrict the flood and decrease the maximum mean sediment concentration by 21%.With the combined actions of storm winds and waves,the maximum value further declines by 38%.(5)A quadratic polynomial relationship between the deposition depths and the maximum sediment inputs with flood is established for estimations on the potential morphological changes after the flood process in extreme events.For the uncertainty of estuarine floods,continuous monitoring on local hydrodynamic variations and sediment characteristics at Tanghe Estuary is necessary.

Features of sampling stream sediments of large river valleys under cryolithogenesis conditions in the Balygychan-Sugoy trough,North-East of Russia

Comprehensive research has been implemented to raise the efficiency of the geochemical survey of stream sediments(SSs)that formed under the cryolithogenesis conditions.The authors analysed the composition,structure and specific features of the formation of exogenous anomalous geochemical fields(AGFs)identified through SSs of large river valleys of IV order.In our case,these were the valleys of Maly Ken,Ken and Tap Rivers.These rivers are located in the central and southern parts of the Balygychan-Sugoy trough enclosed in the Magadan region,North-East of Russia.The authors proposed a new technique to sample loose alluvium of SSs in the large river valleys along the profiles.The profiles were located across the valleys.The AGFs of Au,Ag,Pb,Zn,Sn,Bi,Mo and W were studied.Correlations between elements have been established.These elements are the main indicator elements of Au-Ag,Ag-Pb,Sn-Ag,Mo-W and Sn-W mineralization occurring on the sites under study.The results obtained were compared with the results of geochemical surveys of SSs.It is concluded that the AGFs recognized along the profiles reflect the composition and structure of eroded and drained ore zones,uncover completely and precisely the pattern of element distribution in loose sediments of large water flows.The alluvium fraction<0.25 mm seems to be most significant in a practical sense,as it concentrated numerous ore elements.Sampling of this fraction in the river valleys of IV order does not cause any difficulty,for this kind of material is plentiful.The developed technique of alluvium sampling within large river valleys is efficient in searching for diverse mineralization at all stages of prognostic prospecting.It is applicable for geochemical survey of SSs performed at different scales both in the North-East of Russia,as well as other regions with similar climatic conditions,where the SSs are formed under the cryolithogenesis conditions.

Numerical simulation of flow field deposition and erosion characteristics around bridge-road transition section

Wind-sand flow generates erosion and deposition around obstacles such as bridges and roadbeds, resulting in sand damage and endangering railway systems in sandy regions. Previous studies have mainly focused on the flow field around roadbeds, overlooking detailed examinations of sand particle erosion and deposition patterns near bridges and roadbeds. This study employs numerical simulations to analyze the influence of varying heights and wind speeds on sand deposition and erosion characteristics at different locations: the bridge-road transition section(side piers), middle piers, and roadbeds. The results show that the side piers, experience greater accumulation than the middle piers. Similarly, the leeward side of the roadbed witnesses more deposition compared to the windward side. Another finding reveals a reduced sand deposition length as the vertical profile, in alignment with the wind direction, moves further from the bridge abutments at the same clearance height. As wind speeds rise, there’s a decline in sand deposition and a marked increase in erosion around the side piers, middle piers and roadbeds. In conclusion, a bridge clearance that’s too low can cause intense sand damage near the side piers, while an extremely high roadbed may lead to extensive surface sand deposition. Hence, railway bridges in areas prone to sandy winds should strike a balance in clearance height. This research provides valuable guidelines for determining the most suitable bridge and roadbed heights in regions affected by wind and sand.