Prospecting for Natural Gas Gydrate in the Orca & Choctaw Basins in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, A.; Hillman, J. I. T.; Sawyer, D.; Frye, M.; Palmes, S.; Shedd, W. W.

2016-12-01

The Orca and Choctaw salt bounded mini-basins, which occur in 1.5 to 2.5 km water depth on the northern Gulf of Mexico slope, are currently under consideration as an IODP scientific drilling location for coarse-grained natural gas hydrate systems. We use a 3D seismic dataset for gas hydrate prospecting that covers parts of eleven lease blocks ( 200 km2) in the Walker Ridge protraction area. The study area includes the southern section of the Orca Basin and a smaller section of the northern Choctaw Basin. We have mapped a discontinuous bottom-simulating reflection (BSR) over nearly 30% of our seismic dataset, which varies significantly in both amplitude and depth throughout the area. The southeastern section of our dataset contains three positive impedance amplitude horizons with possible phase reversals at the BSR. Detailed mapping in the area also reveals at the base of gas hydrate stability, a complicated intercalation of an east-west trending fault system and an amalgamated deepwater depositional system comprising channel levee deposits and turbidite sheet sands. Three industry wells drilled in the southwestern section of our study area indicate that the sedimentary sequence infilling the basins consists of predominantly mud rich units with interbedded turbidite sands, forming a 2 km thick supra-salt sequence of late Miocene to Pleistocene sediments. Two of the industry wells have strong evidence for natural gas hydrate in clay-rich sediment, with moderate resistivity (between 2-10 Ωm) increases above background resistivity in zones that exceed 60 m thick. Additionally, the electromagnetic resistivity curves in these wells separate suggesting that the gas hydrate occurs in high-angle fractures. We will present our seismic dataset, our continuing analysis and selected drill sites in the Orca and Choctaw basins. Furthermore, our analysis in the southeastern section of the study area underscores the importance of interpreting faults when considering phase reversals in hydrate systems.

Recharge and Groundwater Flow Within an Intracratonic Basin, Midwestern United States.

PubMed

Panno, Samuel V; Askari, Zohreh; Kelly, Walton R; Parris, Thomas M; Hackley, Keith C

2018-01-01

The conservative nature of chloride (Cl - ) in groundwater and the abundance of geochemical data from various sources (both published and unpublished) provided a means of developing, for the first time, a representation of the hydrogeology of the Illinois Basin on a basin-wide scale. The creation of Cl - isocons superimposed on plan view maps of selected formations and on cross sections across the Illinois Basin yielded a conceptual model on a basin-wide scale of recharge into, groundwater flow within and through the Illinois Basin. The maps and cross sections reveal the infiltration and movement of freshwater into the basin and dilution of brines within various geologic strata occurring at basin margins and along geologic structures. Cross-formational movement of brines is also seen in the northern part of the basin. The maps and cross sections also show barriers to groundwater movement created by aquitards resulting in areas of apparent isolation/stagnation of concentrated brines within the basin. The distribution of Cl - within the Illinois Basin suggests that the current chemical composition of groundwater and distribution of brines within the basin is dependent on five parameters: (1) presence of bedrock exposures along basin margins; (2) permeability of geologic strata and their distribution relative to one another; (3) presence or absence of major geologic structures; (4) intersection of major waterways with geologic structures, basin margins, and permeable bedrock exposures; and (5) isolation of brines within the basin due to aquitards, inhomogeneous permeability, and, in the case of the deepest part of the basin, brine density effects. © 2017, National Ground Water Association.

Significance of anoxic slope basins to occurrence of hydrocarbons along flexure trend, Gulf of Mexico: a reappraisal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dinkelman, M.G.; Curry, D.J.

1987-05-01

Recently, Tertiary anoxic slope basins have been proposed as the sources for much of the oil occurring along the Flexure Trend in the Gulf of Mexico. The intraslope basins are thought to have been formed in response to salt diapirism and concomitant salt withdrawal resulting from differential sediment loading between the basins and the diapirs, as well as due to associated faulting. Of the modern intraslope basins, the black, organic-rich muds accumulating in the Orca basin have especially attracted and are suggested to be modern analogs to late Tertiary source rocks accumulated and buried across the continental slope. Although themore » organic carbon content of the anoxic sediments in the Orca basin is generally high (2 to 3%), the concentration of preserved oil-generative organic matter in these sediments is low. Rock-Eval P2 yields are usually in the range of 340 to 1620 ppm, and hydrogen indices are generally less than 100. Pyrolysis-GC and 13C-NMR data show that up to 30 + % of the organic carbon is contained in carboxyl and other oxygenated groups, which are lost during diagenesis and early catagenesis of the sediments, and that much of the remainder is aromatized and degraded. The degradation was probably by oxidation during settling through the oxic water column. The geochemical data indicate, therefore, that the bulk of the organic carbon in the Orca basin is not capable of forming oil during catagenesis. Published regional cross sections across the Texas-Louisiana continental margin commonly show a thick (0.5-4 km), continuous salt sequence, sourcing salt diapirs and ridges, to underlie the Oligocene(.)/Miocene to Pleistocene sedimentary section of the outer continental shelf and slope.« less

Diatoms in late Quaternary sediment from the Orca Basin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klas, M.; Burckle, L.H.

1985-01-01

Diatoms and clays were studied in core EN32-PC6 from the Orca Basin. This core contains oxygen isotope evidence for increased melt-water outflow from the Mississippi River during the post-Wisconsin deglaciation. Diatoms are present in two intervals: the period of increased melt-water outflow at about 15,000 to 12,000 years BP and during the past 5000 years. The earlier interval (the melt-water spike) contains fresh and brackish water diatoms and open ocean forms that prefer lower salinities while the youngest interval is characterized by open ocean forms. The melt-water spike interval also contains fewer reworked Cretaceous and Paleogene coccoliths and has littlemore » or no quartz. A decrease in smectite in the core at about 22,000 years BP may be related to a similar decrease in the Morton loess due to the blocking and diversion of the ancient Mississippi by the advancing Woodfordian glacier of the Lake Michigan lobe. After this diversion, the Mississippi took its present-day course and continued to take outwash away from the receding glacier. In Orca Basin sediments, this is indicated by an increase in smectite. The interval of the melt-water spike seems to be characterized by increased rainfall and sheet flooding.« less

Metal-rich fluid inclusions provide new insights into unconformity-related U deposits (Athabasca Basin and Basement, Canada)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richard, Antonin; Cathelineau, Michel; Boiron, Marie-Christine; Mercadier, Julien; Banks, David A.; Cuney, Michel

2016-02-01

The Paleoproterozoic Athabasca Basin (Canada) hosts numerous giant unconformity-related uranium deposits. The scope of this study is to establish the pressure, temperature, and composition (P-T-X conditions) of the brines that circulated at the base of the Athabasca Basin and in its crystalline basement before, during and after UO2 deposition. These brines are commonly sampled as fluid inclusions in quartz- and dolomite-cementing veins and breccias associated with alteration and U mineralization. Microthermometry and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) data from five deposits (Rabbit Lake, P-Patch, Eagle Point, Millennium, and Shea Creek) complement previously published data for the McArthur River deposit. In all of the deposits investigated, fluid inclusion salinity is between 25 and 40 wt.% NaCl equiv., with compositions displaying a continuum between a "NaCl-rich brine" end-member (Cl > Na > Ca > Mg > K) and a "CaCl2-rich brine" end-member (Cl > Ca ≈ Mg > Na > K). The CaCl2-rich brine has the highest salinity and shows evidence for halite saturation at the time of trapping. The continuum of compositions between the NaCl-rich brine and the CaCl2-rich brine end-members combined with P-T reconstructions suggest anisothermal mixing of the two brines (NaCl-rich brine, 180 ± 30 °C and 800 ± 400 bars; CaCl2-rich brine, 120 ± 30 °C and 600 ± 300 bars) that occurred under fluctuating pressure conditions (hydrostatic to supra-hydrostatic). However, because the two brines were U bearing and therefore oxidized, brine mixing was probably not the driving force for UO2 deposition. Several scenarios are put forward to account for the Cl-Na-Ca-Mg-K composition of the brines, involving combinations of seawater evaporation, halite dissolution, mixing with a halite-dissolution brine, Mg/Ca exchange by dolomitization, Na/Ca exchange by albitization of plagioclase, Na/K exchange by albitization of K-feldspar, and Mg loss by Mg-rich alteration. Finally, the metal concentrations in the NaCl-rich and CaCl2-rich brines are among the highest recorded compared to present-day sedimentary formation waters and fluid inclusions from basin-hosted base metal deposits (up to 600 ppm U, 3000 ppm Mn, 4000 ppm Zn, 6000 ppm Cu, 8000 ppm Pb, and 10,000 ppm Fe). The CaCl2-rich brine carries up to one order of magnitude more metal than the NaCl-rich brine. Though the exact origin of major cations and metals of the two brines remains uncertain, their contrasting compositions indicate that the two brines had distinct flow paths and fluid-rock interactions. Large-scale circulation of the brines in the Athabasca Basin and Basement was therefore a key parameter for metal mobility (including U) and formation of unconformity-related U deposits.

Brine evolution and mineral deposition in hydrologically open evaporite basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sanford, W.E.; Wood, W.W.

1991-01-01

A lumped-parameter, solute mass-balance model is developed to define the role of water outflow from a well-mixed basin. A mass-balance model is analyzed with a geochemical model designed for waters with high ionic strengths. Two typical waters, seawater and a Na-HCO3 ground water, are analyzed to illustrate the control that the leakage ratio (or hydrologic openness of the basin) has on brine evolution and the suite and thicknesses of evaporite minerals deposited. The analysis suggests that brines evolve differently under different leakage conditions. -from Authors

Strontium isotopic study of subsurface brines from Illinois basin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

hetherington, E.A.; Stueber, A.M.; Pushkar, P.

1986-05-01

The abundance of the radiogenic isotope /sup 87/Sr in a subsurface brine can be used as a tracer of brine origin, evolution, and diagenetic effects. The authors have determined the /sup 87/Sr//sup 86/Sr ratios of over 60 oil-field waters from the Illinois basin, where brine origin is perplexing because of the absence of any significant evaporite strata. Initially, they analyzed brines from 15 petroleum-producing sandstone and carbonate units; waters from Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, and Mississippian strata have /sup 87/Sr//sup 86/Sr ratios in the range 0.7079-0.7108. All but those from the Ste. Genevieve Limestone (middle Mississippian) are more radiogenic in /supmore » 87/Sr//sup 86/Sr than seawater values for this interval of geologic time. The detrital source of the more radiogenic /sup 87/Sr may be the New Albany Shale group, considered to be a major petroleum source rock in the basin. The /sup 87/Sr//sup 86/Sr ratios of Ste. Genevieve brines apparently evolved without a contribution from fluid-shale interaction.« less

Potential Hydrogeomechanical Impacts of Geological CO2 Sequestration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McPherson, B. J.; Haerer, D.; Han, W.; Heath, J.; Morse, J.

2006-12-01

Long-term sequestration of anthropogenic "greenhouse gases" such as CO2 is a proposed approach to managing climate change. Deep brine reservoirs in sedimentary basins are possible sites for sequestration, given their ubiquitous nature. We used a mathematical sedimentary basin model, including coupling of multiphase CO2-groundwater flow and rock deformation, to evaluate residence times in possible brine reservoir storage sites, migration patterns and rates away from such sites, and effects of CO2 injection on fluid pressures and rock strain. Study areas include the Uinta and Paradox basins of Utah, the San Juan basin of New Mexico, and the Permian basin of west Texas. Regional-scale hydrologic and mechanical properties, including the presence of fracture zones, were calibrated using laboratory and field data. Our initial results suggest that, in general, long-term (~100 years or more) sequestration in deep brine reservoirs is possible, if guided by robust structural and hydrologic data. However, specific processes must be addressed to characterize and minimize risks. In addition to CO2 migration from target sequestration reservoirs into other reservoirs or to the land surface, another environmental issue is displacement of brines into freshwater aquifers. We evaluated the potential for such unintended aquifer contamination by displacement of brines out of adjacent sealing layers such as marine shales. Results suggest that sustained injection of CO2 may incur significant brine displacement out of adjacent sealing layers, depending on the injection history, initial brine composition, and hydrologic properties of both reservoirs and seals. Model simulations also suggest that as injection-induced overpressures migrate, effective stresses may follow this migration under some conditions, as will associated rock strain. Such "strain migration" may lead to induced or reactivated fractures or faults, but can be controlled through reservoir engineering.

Effects of tides, vertical discretization schemes and runoff variability on a pan-Arctic Ocean simulation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luneva, Maria; Holt, Jason; Harle, James; Liu, Hedong

2013-04-01

The results of a recently developed NEMO-shelf pan-Arctic Ocean model coupled with LIM2 ice model are presented. This pan Arctic model has a hybrid s-z vertical discretization with terrain following coordinates on the shelf, condensing towards the bottom and surface boundary layer, and partial step z-coordinates in the abyss. This allows (a) processes near the surface to be resolved (b) Cascading (shelf convection), which contributes to the formation of halocline and deep dense water, to be well reproduced; and (c) minimize pressure gradient errors peculiar to terrain following coordinates. Horizontal grid and topography corresponds to global NEMO -ORCA 0.25 model (which uses a tripolar grid) with seamed slit between the western and eastern parts. In the Arctic basin this horizontal resolution corresponds to 15-10km with 5-7 km in the Canadian Archipelago. The model uses the General Length Scale vertical turbulent mixing scheme with (K- ɛ) closure and Kantha and Clayson type structural functions. Smagorinsky type Laplacian diffusivity and viscosity are employed for the description of a horizontal mixing. Vertical Piecewise Parabolic Method has been implemented with the aim to reduce an artificial vertical mixing. Boundary conditions are taken from the 5-days mean output of NOCS version of the global ORCA-025 model and OTPS/tpxo7 for 9 tidal harmonics . For freshwater runoff we employed two different forcings: a climatic one, used in global ORCA-0.25 model, and a recently available data base from Dai and Trenberth (Feb2011) 1948-2007, which takes in account inter-annual variability and includes 1200 river guages for the Arctic ocean coast. The simulations have been performed for two intervals: 1978-1988 and 1997-2007. The model adequately reproduces the main features of dynamics, tides and ice volume/concentration. The analysis shows that the main effects of tides occur at the ice-water interface and bottom boundary layers due to mesoscale Ekman pumping , generated by nonlinear shear tidal stresses, acting as a 'tidal winds' on the surfaces. Harmonic analysis shows, that at least five harmonics should be taken in account: three semidiurnal M2, S2, N2 and two diurnal K1 and O1. We present results from the following experiments: (a) with tidal forcing and without tidal forcing; (b) with climatic runoff and with Dai and Trenberth database. To examine the effects of summer ice openings on the formation of brine rejection and dense water cascades, additional idealised experiments have been performed: (c) for initial conditions of hydrographic fields and fluxes for 1978 with initial summer ice concentration of 2000; (d) opposite case of initial ocean conditions for 2000 and ice concentration of 1978. The comparisons with global ORCA-025 simulations and available data are discussed.

The origin of brines and salts in Chilean salars: a hydrochemical review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Risacher, François; Alonso, Hugo; Salazar, Carlos

2003-11-01

Northern Chile is characterized by a succession of north-south-trending ranges and basins occupied by numerous saline lakes and salt crusts, collectively called salars. Fossil salt crusts are found to the west in the extremely arid Central Valley, while active salars receiving permanent inflows fill many intravolcanic basins to the east in the semiarid Cordillera. Sea salts and desert dust are blown eastward over the Cordillera, where they constitute an appreciable fraction of the solute load of very dilute waters (salt content<0.1 g/l). The weathering of volcanic rocks contributes most components to inflow waters with salt content ranging from 0.1 to 0.6 g/l. However, the average salt content of all inflows is much higher: about 3.2 g/l. Chemical composition, Cl/Br ratio, and 18O- 2H isotope contents point to the mixing of very dilute meteoric waters with present lake brines for the origin of saline inflows. Ancient gypsum in deep sedimentary formations seems to be the only evaporitic mineral recycled in present salars. Saline lakes and subsurface brines are under steady-state regime. The average residence time of conservative components ranges from a few years to some thousands years, which indicates a permanent leakage of the brines through bottom sediments. The infiltrating brines are recycled in the hydrologic system where they mix with dilute meteoric waters. High heat flow is the likely driving force that moves the deep waters in this magmatic arc region. Active Chilean salars cannot be considered as terminal lakes nor, strictly speaking, as closed basin lakes. Almost all incoming salts leave the basin and are transported elsewhere. Moreover, the dissolution of fossil salt crusts in some active salars also carries away important fluxes of components in percolating brines. Evaporative concentration of inflow waters leads to sulfate-rich or calcium-rich, near-neutral brines. Alkaline brines are almost completely lacking. The alkalinity/calcium ratio of inflow waters is lowered by the oxidation of native sulfur (reducing alkalinity) and the deposition of eolian gypsum (increasing Ca concentration). Theoretically, SO 4-rich inflow waters and their derived SO 4-rich brines should be found in the intravolcanic basins of the Cordillera because of the ubiquity of native sulfur, while Ca-rich brines should prevail in sedimentary basins where Ca-rich minerals are abundant. This relation is perfectly observed in the salar de Atacama, the largest in Chile. However, several salars located within the volcanic Cordillera belong to the Ca-rich group. Inflows and brines may have acquired their Ca-rich composition in Pleistocene time when their drainage basins were mainly sedimentary. Later on, recent lava flows and ignimbrites covered the sedimentary formations. Underground waters may have kept their early sedimentary signature by continuous recycling. However, the weathering of volcanic rocks tend to slowly shift the water compositions from the Ca-rich to the SO 4-rich type.

Origin and Evolution of Li-rich Brines at Clayton Valley, Nevada, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munk, L. A.; Bradley, D. C.; Hynek, S. A.; Chamberlain, C. P.

2011-12-01

Lithium is the key component in Li-ion batteries which are the primary energy storage for electric/hybrid cars and most electronics. Lithium is also an element of major importance on a global scale because of interest in increasing reliance on alternative energy sources. Lithium brines and pegmatites are the primary and secondary sources, respectively of all produced Li. The only Li-brine in the USA that is currently in production exists in Clayton Valley, NV. The groundwater brines at Clayton Valley are located in a closed basin with an average evaporation rate of 142 cm/yr. The brines are pumped from six aquifer units that are composed of varying amounts of volcanic ash, gravel, salt, tufa, and fine-grained sediments. Samples collected include spring water, fresh groundwater, groundwater brine, and meteoric water (snow). The brines are classified as Na-Cl waters and the springs and fresh groundwater have a mixed composition and are more dilute than the brines. The Li content of the waters in Clayton Valley ranges from less than 1 μg/L (snow) up to 406.9 mg/L in the lower ash aquifer system (one of six aquifers in the basin). The cold springs surrounding Clayton Valley have Li concentrations of about 1 mg/L. A hot spring located just east of Clayton Valley contains 1.6 mg/L Li. The Li concentration of the fresh groundwater is less than 1 mg/L. Hot groundwater collected in the basin contain 30-40 mg/L Li. Water collected from a geothermal drilling north of Silver Peak, NV, had water with 4.9 mg/L Li at a depth of >1000m. The δD and δ18O isotopic signatures of fresh groundwater and brine form an evaporation path that extends from the global meteoric water line toward the brine from the salt aquifer system (the most isotopically enriched brine with ave. δD = -3.5, ave. δ18O = -67.0). This suggests that mixing of inflow water with the salt aquifer brine could have played an important role in the evolution of the brines. Along with mixing, evaporation appears to be an important process in the brine evolution. This is evident because of the increase in Na concentration as a function of enrichment in δD for most brine samples. In contrast the non-brine waters flowing into the basin show an increase in Na at relatively constant δD indicating little evaporation. The δD of clays sampled throughout a sediment core extending to 354 m below the surface show fluctuations that likely indicate warmer and cooler periods through time. Further investigation of the relationship of past climate and Li accumulation is in progress.

Deep reaching fluid flow in the North East German Basin: origin and processes of groundwater salinisation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tesmer, M.; Möller, P.; Wieland, S.; Jahnke, C.; Voigt, H.; Pekdeger, A.

2007-11-01

Major element chemistry, rare-earth element distribution, and H and O isotopes are conjointly used to study the sources of salinisation and interaquifer flow of saline groundwater in the North East German Basin. Chemical analyses from hydrocarbon exploration campaigns showed evidence of the existence of two different groups of brines: halite and halite Ca-Cl brines. Residual brines and leachates are identified by Br-/Cl- ratios. Most of the brines are dissolution brines of Permian evaporites. New analyses show that the pattern of rare-earth elements and yttrium (REY) are closely linked to H and O isotope distribution. Thermal brines from deep wells and artesian wells indicate isotopically evaporated brines, which chemically interacted with their aquifer environment. Isotopes and rare-earth element patterns prove that cross flow exists, especially in the post-Rupelian aquifer. However, even at depths exceeding 2,000 m, interaquifer flow takes place. The rare-earth element pattern and H and O isotopes identify locally ascending brines. A large-scale lateral groundwater flow has to be assumed because all pre-Rupelian aquifer systems to a depth of at least 500 m are isotopically characterised by Recent or Pleistocene recharge conditions.

An X-ray spectroscopic perspective on Messinian evaporite from Sicily: Sedimentary fabrics, element distributions, and chemical environments of S and Mg

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshimura, Toshihiro; Kuroda, Junichiro; Lugli, Stefano; Tamenori, Yusuke; Ogawa, Nanako O.; Jiménez-Espejo, Francisco J.; Isaji, Yuta; Roveri, Marco; Manzi, Vinicio; Kawahata, Hodaka; Ohkouchi, Naohiko

2016-04-01

The Messinian salinity crisis is a dramatic hydrological and biological crisis that occurred in the Mediterranean basin at 5.97-5.33 Ma. The interpretation of the facies and stratigraphic associations of the Messinian salt deposits is still the object of active research because of the absence of modern depositional analogues of comparable scale. In this study, the spatial distributions of Na, Mg, S, O, Si, and Al in a potassic-magnesian salt and a halite layers of Messinian evaporites from the Realmonte mine on Sicily were determined using synchrotron based micro-X-ray fluorescence. The dominant molecular host site of Mg and S obtained by X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) is applied to specify the hydrochemistry of hypersaline brines and the presence of diagenetic minerals, thus shedding light on evaporative concentration processes in the Caltanissetta Basin of Sicily. Mg and S K-edge XANES spectra revealed the presence of highly soluble Mg-bearing sulfates. The massive halite layer "unit C," contains less soluble minerals, thus did not exceed the stage of halite crystallization. We infer that as evaporative concentration increased, the density of the brine at the shallow margin of the basin increased as salinity increased to concentrations over 70 times the starting values, creating brines that were oversaturated with Mg-sulfate. Density stratification of the deep basin caused heavy brines to sink to the bottom and become overlain by more dilute brines. We propose lateral advection of dense Mg-sulfate brines that certainly affected marine biota.

Chemical and isotopic changes in Williston Basin brines during long-term oil production: An example from the Poplar dome, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterman, Zell; Thamke, Joanna N.

2016-01-01

Brine samples were collected from 30 conventional oil wells producing mostly from the Charles Formation of the Madison Group in the East and Northwest Poplar oil fields on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana. Dissolved concentrations of major ions, trace metals, Sr isotopes, and stable isotopes (oxygen and hydrogen) were analyzed to compare with a brine contaminant that affected groundwater northeast of the town of Poplar. Two groups of brine compositions, designated group I and group II, are identified on the basis of chemistry and 87Sr/86Sr ratios. The solute chemistry and Sr isotopic composition of group I brines are consistent with long-term residency in Mississippian carbonate rocks, and brines similar to these contaminated the groundwater. Group II brines probably resided in clastic rocks younger than the Mississippian limestones before moving into the Poplar dome to replenish the long-term fluid extraction from the Charles Formation. Collapse of strata at the crest of the Poplar dome resulting from dissolution of Charles salt in the early Paleogene probably developed pathways for the ingress of group II brines from overlying clastic aquifers into the Charles reservoir. Such changes in brine chemistry associated with long-term oil production may be a widespread phenomenon in the Williston Basin.

Brine contamination to aquatic resources from oil and gas development in the Williston Basin, United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gleason, Robert A.; Contributions by Chesley-Preston, Tara L.; Coleman, James L.; Haines, Seth S.; Jenni, Karen E.; Nieman, Timothy L.; Peterman, Zell E.; van der Burg, Max Post; Preston, Todd M.; Smith, Bruce D.; Tangen, Brian A.; Thamke, Joanna N.; Gleason, Robert A.; Tangen, Brian A.

2014-01-01

The Williston Basin, which includes parts of Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota in the United States and the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan in Canada, has been a leading domestic oil and gas producing region for more than one-half a century. Currently, there are renewed efforts to develop oil and gas resources from deep geologic formations, spurred by advances in recovery technologies and economic incentives associated with the price of oil. Domestic oil and gas production has many economic benefits and provides a means for the United States to fulfill a part of domestic energy demands; however, environmental hazards can be associated with this type of energy production in the Williston Basin, particularly to aquatic resources (surface water and shallow groundwater) by extremely saline water, or brine, which is produced with oil and gas. The primary source of concern is the migration of brine from buried reserve pits that were used to store produced water during recovery operations; however, there also are considerable risks of brine release from pipeline failures, poor infrastructure construction, and flow-back water from hydraulic fracturing associated with modern oilfield operations. During 2008, a multidisciplinary (biology, geology, water) team of U.S. Geological Survey researchers was assembled to investigate potential energy production effects in the Williston Basin. Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey participated in field tours and met with representatives from county, State, tribal, and Federal agencies to identify information needs and focus research objectives. Common questions from agency personnel, especially those from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, were “are the brine plumes (plumes of brine-contaminated groundwater) from abandoned oil wells affecting wetlands on Waterfowl Production Areas and National Wildlife Refuges?” and “are newer wells related to Bakken and Three Forks development different than the older, abandoned wells (in terms of potential for affecting aquatic resources)?” Of special concern were the wetland habitats of the ecologically important Prairie Pothole Region, which overlays a part of the Williston Basin and is recognized for the production of a majority of North America’s migratory waterfowl. On the basis of the concerns raised by on-the-ground land managers, as well as findings from previous research, a comprehensive study was developed with the following goals: summarize existing information pertaining to oil and gas production and aquatic resources in the Williston Basin; assess brine plume migration from new and previously studied sites in the Prairie Pothole Region; perform a regional, spatial evaluation of oil and gas production activities and aquatic resources; assess the potential for brine contamination to wetlands and streams; and hold a decision analysis workshop with key stakeholders to discuss issues pertaining to oil and gas production and environmental effects and to identify information gaps and research needs. This report represents an initial, multidisciplinary evaluation of measured and potential environmental effects associated with oil and gas production in the Williston Basin and Prairie Pothole Region. Throughout this report there are reviews of current knowledge, and discussions relating to data gaps and research needs. On the basis of the information presented, future research needs include: regional geophysical and water-quality assessments to establish baselines for current conditions and estimate the extent of previous brine contamination, investigations into the direct effects of brine to biotic communities, and evaluations to identify the most effective techniques to mitigate brine contamination.

Infiltration of late Palaeozoic evaporative brines in the reelfoot rift: A possible salt source for Illinois Basin formation waters and MVT mineralizing fluids

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rowan, E.L.; De Marsily, G.

2001-01-01

Salinities and homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions in Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) deposits provide important insights into the regional hydrology of the Illinois basin/Reelfoot rift system in late Palaeozoic time. Although the thermal regime of this basin system has been plausibly explained, the origin of high salinities in the basin fluids remains enigmatic. Topographically driven flow appears to have been essential in forming these MVT districts, as well as many other districts worldwide. However, this type of flow is recharged by fresh water making it difficult to account for the high salinities of the mineralizing fluids over extended time periods. Results of numerical experiments carried out in this study provide a possible solution to the salinity problem presented by the MVT zinc-lead and fluorite districts at the margins of the basin system. Evaporative concentration of surface water and subsequent infiltration into the subsurface are proposed to account for large volumes of brine that are ultimately responsible for mineralization of these districts. This study demonstrates that under a range of geologically reasonable conditions, brine infiltration into an aquifer in the deep subsurface can coexist with topographically driven flow. Infiltration combined with regional flow and local magmatic heat sources in the Reelfoot rift explain the brine concentrations as well as the temperatures observed in the Southern Illinois and Upper Mississippi Valley districts.

Lithium- and boron-bearing brines in the Central Andes: exploring hydrofacies on the eastern Puna plateau between 23° and 23°30'S

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinmetz, R. L. López

2017-01-01

Internally drained basins of the Andean Plateau are lithium- and boron-bearing systems. The exploration of ionic facies and parental links in a playa lake located in the eastern Puna (23°-23°30'S) was assessed by hydrochemical determinations of residual brines, feed waters and solutions from weathered rocks. Residual brines have been characterized by the Cl- (SO4 =)/Na+ (K+) ratio. Residual brines from the playa lake contain up to 450 mg/l of boron and up to 125 mg/l of lithium, and the Las Burras River supplies the most concentrated boron (20 mg/l) and lithium (3.75 mg/l) inflows of the basin. The hydro-geochemical assessment allowed for the identification of three simultaneous sources of boron: (1) inflow originating from granitic areas of the Aguilar and Tusaquillas ranges; (2) weathering of the Ordovician basement; and (3) boron-rich water from the Las Burras River. Most of the lithium input of the basin is likely generated by present geothermal sources rather than by weathering and leaching of ignimbrites and plutonic rocks. However, XRD analyses of playa lake sediments revealed the presence of lithian micas of clastic origin, including taeniolite and eucriptite. This study is the first to document these rare Li-micas from the Puna basin. Thus, both residual brines and lithian micas contribute to the total Li content in the studied hydrologic system.

Effects of energy development on wetland plants and macroinvertebrate communities in Prairie Pothole Region wetlands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Preston, Todd M.; Ray, Andrew M.

2016-01-01

Energy production in the Williston Basin, USA, results in the coproduction of highly saline, sodium chloride-dominated water (brine). The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) overlies the northeastern portion of the Williston Basin. Although PPR wetlands span a range of salinity, the dominant salt is sodium sulfate, and salinities are much lower than brine. Introduction of brine to wetlands can result in pronounced water-quality changes; however, the ecological effects of such contamination are poorly understood. We examined the effects of brine contamination on primary productivity, emergent macrophyte tissue chemistry, and invertebrate communities from 10 wetlands in the PPR. Based on a recognized Contamination Index (CI) used to identify brine contamination in the PPR, water-quality samples indicated that six wetlands were uncontaminated while four were contaminated. Across this gradient, we observed a significant decrease in above-ground biomass and a significant increase in tissue chloride concentrations of hardstem bulrush (Schoenoplectus acutus) with increased CI values. Additionally, a significant decrease in macroinvertebrate taxonomic richness with increased CI values was observed. These findings provide needed insight on the biological effects of brine contamination on PPR wetlands.

Hydrochemical and isotopes studies in a hypersaline wetland to define the hydrogeological conceptual model: Fuente de Piedra Lake (Malaga, Spain).

PubMed

Montalván, F J; Heredia, J; Ruiz, J M; Pardo-Igúzquiza, E; García de Domingo, A; Elorza, F J

2017-01-15

The Fuente de Piedra lake is a hypersaline wetland of great extension (13.5km 2 ) and rich in aquatic birds and other species. It became therefore the third Spanish wetland to be included in the Ramsar convention and has been a "nature reserve" since 1984. The lake has an endorheic basin (150km 2 ) with variable-density flows dominated by complex hydrogeological conditions. The traditional conceptualization of endorheic basins in semiarid climates considered that the brine in this hydric system was exclusively of evaporative origin and was placed only in the lake and its surrounding discharge area in the basin. Previous geophysical and hydrochemical studies identified different types of waters and brines. In this work, natural tracers (Cl - , Br - , Na + , Mg 2+ ) and environmental isotopes ( 18 O, 2 H, 14 C, 13 C and 3 H) were employed to a) discriminate different types of brines according to their degree of evaporation and genesis, and b) to estimate residence times of brine waters and identify recharge areas of the different flow subsystems. A conceptual model of the hydrogeological system of the lake basin and its links to a regional karst system is proposed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The circulation of the Dead Sea brine in the regional aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, Nurit; Yechieli, Yoseph; Stein, Mordechai; Yokochi, Reika; Gavrieli, Ittai; Zappala, Jake; Mueller, Peter; Lazar, Boaz

2018-07-01

Ca-chloride brines have circulated between the lakes and the adjacent aquifers throughout the history of the Dead Sea lacustrine-hydrology system. The Ein-Qedem (EQ) hydrothermal saline springs system discharging at the western shores of the modern Dead Sea is the modern manifestation of this essential and continuous process. The EQ springs comprise the most significant source of Ca-chloride brine that currently discharges into the lake. The chemical composition of EQ brine has remained virtually uniform during the past ca. 40 yr, indicating that the brine represents a large groundwater reservoir. The EQ brine evolved from ancient Ca-chloride brine that occupied the tectonic depression of the Dead Sea Basin during the Quaternary. During this period, the composition of lake's brine was affected by mixing with freshwater and formation of primary minerals. Based on chronological and geochemical data, we argue that the EQ brine comprises the epilimnetic solution of last glacial Lake Lisan that penetrated and circulated through the adjacent Judea Group aquifer. 14C and 81Kr dating indicates recharge ages spanning the time interval of ∼40-20 ka, coinciding with the period when the lake reached its highest stand (of ∼ 200 ± 30 m below msl, at ∼31-17.4 ka) and maintained a stable layered (stratified) configuration for a period of several ten thousand years. The presented evidence suggests that the circulation of the Ca-chloride brine involves penetration into the aquifer during high stands (EQ brine recharge) and its discharge back into the lake during the modern low stands (∼400 to 430 m below msl). Accordingly, the mechanism of brine circulation between the lake and the marginal aquifers is related to the long-term hydro-climate history of the Dead Sea basin and its vicinity.

Geologic Sequestration of CO2: Potential Permeability Changes in Host Formations of the San Juan Basin, New Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abel, A. P.; McPherson, B.; Lichtner, P.; Bond, G.; Stringer, J.; Grigg, R.

2002-12-01

Terrestrial sequestration through injection into geologic formations is one proposed method for the isolation of anthropogenic CO2 from the atmosphere. A variety of physical and chemical processes are known to occur both during and after geologic CO2 injection, including diagenetic chemical reactions and associated permeability changes. Although it is commonly assumed that CO2 sequestered in this way will ultimately become mineralized, the rates of these changes, including CO2 hydration in brines, are known to be relatively slow. Bond and others (this volume) have developed a biomimetic approach to CO2 sequestration, in which the rate of CO2 hydration is accelerated by the use of a biological catalyst. Together with the hydrated CO2, cations from produced brines may be used to form solid-state carbonate minerals at the earth's surface, or this bicarbonate solution may be reinjected for geologic sequestration. Chemical composition of produced brines will affect both the diagenetic reactions that occur within the host formation, and the precipitation reactions that will occur above ground. In a specific case study of the San Juan Basin, New Mexico, we are cataloging different brines present in that basin. We are using this information to facilitate evaluation of potential applications of the biomimetic process and geologic sequestration. In a separate collaborative study by Grigg and others (this volume), laboratory experiments have been conducted on multiphase CO2 and brine injection and flow through saturated rock cores. We are extending from that study to our specific case study of the San Juan basin, to examine and characterize potential permeability changes associated with accelerated diagenesis due to the presence of high concentrations of CO2 or bicarbonate solutions in situ. We are developing and conducting new laboratory experiments to evaluate relative permeability (to CO2 and brine) of selected strata from the Fruitland Formation and Pictured Cliffs Sandstone. In addition to relative permeability, we are conducting longer-term flow tests reflecting marked permeability changes, and documenting the changes by comparing detailed pre-test measurements of porosity and permeability to post-test measurements. We are using these experimental results to parameterize coupled-flow and reactive-chemistry models of a selected cross-section of the San Juan basin. Our flow and chemistry model is based on the Los Alamos National Laboratory reactive chemistry simulator, TRANS, coupled to the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory flow simulator, TOUGH2. The purpose of these simulation models is to evaluate potential CO2- and bicarbonate-induced diagenetic changes in permeability and flow at the basin-scale. In addition they will provide useful information in relation to brine extraction. We are also using these calibrated basin models to examine natural diagenesis and permeability evolution associated with changing brine properties and flow conditions over geologic time.

Deposit model for closed-basin potash-bearing brines

USGS Publications Warehouse

Orris, Greta J.

2011-01-01

Closed-basin potash-bearing brines are one of the types of potash deposits that are a source of potash production within the United States, as well as other countries. Though these deposits are of highly variable size, they are important sources of potash on a regional basis. In addition, these deposits have a high potential of co- and by-product production of one or more commodities such as lithium, boron, magnesium, and others.

New structural/tectonical model and its implication on hydrological thinking and groundwater management - the Lake Tiberias, Jordan Rift Valley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inbar, Nimrod; Magri, Fabien; Yellin-Dror, Annat; Rosenthal, Eliahu; Möller, Peter; Siebert, Christian; Guttman, Josef

2014-05-01

Lake Tiberias is a fresh water lake located at the Kinneret basin which is approximately 30 km long and 10 km wide. It comprises a link in the chain of pull-apart basins that characterizes the structure of the conspicuous Jordan Rift Valley (JRV). The basin surface is about 200 m below mean sea level (msl) and basin-fill attains a thickness of up to 8 km. Until recently, studies focused mainly on the upper strata of basin fill. Consequently, a complete three dimensional geological model, including clear view of the tectonic framework at the Kinneret Basin was incomplete. This situation imposes great difficulty in understanding the local hydrological system and as consequence enforce constrains on groundwater management of the regional aquifers that flows towards the lake. A recently proposed structural/tectonical model (Inbar, 2012) enables revaluation of several geohydrological aspects at Sea of Galilee and its surroundings and a new hydrological model based on those findings aims to clarify those aspects with relation to groundwater management. The deep-seated stratigraphical units were seismically studied at the Kinnarot Valley (southern part of Kinneret basin) where sufficient information is available (Inbar, 2012). This study shows the subsidence and northwestward tilting of the basin floor (pre-rift formations) and the flow of thick Late Miocene salt accumulation accordingly. Furthermore, shallower seismic data, collected at the lake itself, shows a suspected salt dome close to the western boundary fault of the basin (Resnikov et al., 2004). Salt flow is now suggested to be a substantial factor in the tectonic play. At the lake surroundings there are several springs and boreholes where brine immerges from an estimated depth of about 2-3 kilometers. Significant differences in brine characteristics raised questions regarding the location of brine traps, flow mechanism and the mixture process between the fresh water and the brine. However, the effect of the juxtaposing salt rock to the hydrological system was overlooked. Recent study reported an anomaly in groundwater chemistry at the western shore, indicating a possible contribution of halite dissolution into the ascending brine (Möller et al., 2011). This correlates to the results of the salt tectonic model and the suspected salt diapir above mentioned. Moreover, Arbel-1 borehole (drilled at 2003 at the same area) showed rapid salinity increase during pumping. Today the well is shut off. Based on the above findings, a numerical model is built. The studied profile crosses the rift from the Galilee at the west to the Golan and Ajlun at the east reaching a depth of 6 kilometers. The model indicates the possible brine flow paths across the rift and their interaction with fresh water aquifers and lake springs. References Inbar, N. (2012), The Evaporatic Subsurface Body in Kinnarot Basin: Stratigraphy, Structure, Geohydrology, 131 pp, Tel Aviv University. Möller, P., Siebert, C., Geyer, S., Inbar, N., Rosenthal, E., Flexer, A., and Zilberbrand, M. (2011), Relationships of Brines in the Kinnarot Basin, Jordan-Dead Sea Rift Valley, Geofluids (doi: 10.1111/j.1468-8123.2011.00353.x). Reznikov, M., Ben-Avraham, Z., Garfunkel, Z., Gvirtzman, H. and Rotstein, Y., 2004. Structural and stratigraphic framework of Lake Kinneret: Isr. J. Earth Sci., v. 53, p. 131-149.

Hydrothermal zebra dolomite in the Great Basin, Nevada--attributes and relation to Paleozoic stratigraphy, tectonics, and ore deposits

USGS Publications Warehouse

Diehl, S.F.; Hofstra, A.H.; Koenig, A.E.; Emsbo, P.; Christiansen, W.; Johnson, Chad

2010-01-01

In other parts of the world, previous workers have shown that sparry dolomite in carbonate rocks may be produced by the generation and movement of hot basinal brines in response to arid paleoclimates and tectonism, and that some of these brines served as the transport medium for metals fixed in Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) and sedimentary exhalative (Sedex) deposits of Zn, Pb, Ag, Au, or barite. Numerous occurrences of hydrothermal zebra dolomite (HZD), comprised of alternating layers of dark replacement and light void-filling sparry or saddle dolomite, are present in Paleozoic platform and slope carbonate rocks on the eastern side of the Great Basin physiographic province. Locally, it is associated with mineral deposits of barite, Ag-Pb-Zn, and Au. In this paper the spatial distribution of HZD occurrences, their stratigraphic position, morphological characteristics, textures and zoning, and chemical and stable isotopic compositions were determined to improve understanding of their age, origin, and relation to dolostone, ore deposits, and the tectonic evolution of the Great Basin. In northern and central Nevada, HZD is coeval and cogenetic with Late Devonian and Early Mississippian Sedex Au, Zn, and barite deposits and may be related to Late Ordovician Sedex barite deposits. In southern Nevada and southwest California, it is cogenetic with small MVT Ag-Pb-Zn deposits in rocks as young as Early Mississippian. Over Paleozoic time, the Great Basin was at equatorial paleolatitudes with episodes of arid paleoclimates. Several occurrences of HZD are crosscut by Mesozoic or Cenozoic intrusions, and some host younger pluton-related polymetallic replacement and Carlin-type gold deposits. The distribution of HZD in space (carbonate platform, margin, and slope) and stratigraphy (Late Neoproterozoic Ediacaran-Mississippian) roughly parallels that of dolostone and both are prevalent in Devonian strata. Stratabound HZD is best developed in Ediacaran and Cambrian units, whereas discordant HZD is proximal to high-angle structures at the carbonate platform margin, such as strike-slip and growth faults and dilational jogs. Fabric-selective replacement and dissolution features (e.g., collapse breccias, voids with geopetal textures) are common, with remaining void space lined with light-colored dolomite crystals that exhibit zoning under cathodoluminescence. Zoned crystals usually contain tiny ( ~70 degrees C. The oxygen isotopic compositions of HZD are consistent with formation temperatures of 50-150 degrees C requiring brine circulation to depths of 2-5 km, or more. The few HZD occurrences with the highest concentrations of metals (especially Fe, Mn, and Zn) and the largest isotopic shifts are closely associated with Sedex or MVT deposits known to have formed from hotter brines (e.g., Th > 150-250 degrees C). These relationships permit that HZD formed at about the same time as dolostone, from brines produced by the evaporation of seawater during arid paleoclimates at equatorial paleolatitudes. Both dolostone and HZD may have formed as basinal brines, which migrated seaward from evaporative pans on the platform, with dolostone forming at low temperatures along shallow migration pathways through permeable limestones, and HZD forming at high temperatures along deeper migration pathways through basal aquifers and dilatant high-angle faults. The small MVT deposits were chemical traps where hot brines encountered rocks or fluids containing reduced sulfur. The abundant Sedex deposits mark sites where hot brine discharged at the seafloor in adjacent basins. Thus the distribution of HZD may map deep migration pathways and upflow zones between eastern shallow marine facies, where evaporative brine could have been generated, and western Sedex deposits, where heated brines discharged along faults into platform margin, slope, and basin facies. The small size and scarcity of Pb-Zn depos

Silicate melt inclusion evidence for extreme pre-eruptive enrichment and post-eruptive depletion of lithium in silicic volcanic rocks of the western United States: implications for the origin of lithium-rich brines

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hofstra, Albert H.; Todorov, T.I.; Mercer, C.N.; Adams, D.T.; Marsh, E.E.

2013-01-01

To evaluate whether anatectic and/or highly fractionated lithophile element-enriched rhyolite tuffs deposited in arid lacustrine basins lose enough lithium during eruption, lithification, and weathering to generate significant Li brine resources, pre-eruptive melt compositions, preserved in inclusions, and the magnitude of post-eruptive Li depletions, evident in host rhyolites, were documented at six sites in the western United States. Each rhyolite is a member of the bimodal basalt-rhyolite assemblage associated with extensional tectonics that produced the Basin and Range province and Rio Grande rift, an evolving pattern of closed drainage basins, and geothermal energy or mineral resources. Results from the 0.8 Ma Bishop tuff (geothermal) in California, 1.3 to 1.6 Ma Cerro Toledo and Upper Bandelier tephra (geothermal) and 27.9 Ma Taylor Creek rhyolite (Sn) in New Mexico, 21.7 Ma Spor Mountain tuff (Be, U, F) and 24.6 Ma Pine Grove tuff (Mo) in Utah, and 27.6 Ma Hideaway Park tuff (Mo) in Colorado support the following conclusions. Melt inclusions in quartz phenocrysts from rhyolite tuffs associated with hydrothermal deposits of Sn, Mo, and Be are extremely enriched in Li (1,000s of ppm); those from Spor Mountain have the highest Li abundance yet recorded (max 5,200 ppm, median 3,750 ppm). Forty-five to 98% of the Li present in pre-eruptive magma was lost to the environment from these rhyolite tuffs. The amount of Li lost from the small volumes (1–10 km3) of Li-enriched rhyolite deposited in closed basins is sufficient to produce world-class Li brine resources. After each eruption, meteoric water leaches Li from tuff, which drains into playas, where it is concentrated by evaporation. The localized occurrence of Li-enriched rhyolites may explain why brines in arid lacustrine basins seldom have economic concentrations of Li. Considering that hydrothermal deposits of Sn, Mo, Be, U, and F may indicate potential for Li brines in nearby basins, we surmise that the world’s largest Li brine resource in the Salar de Uyuni (10 Mt) received Li from nearby rhyolite tuffs in the Bolivian tin belt.

Microbial Habitability and Pleistocene Aridification of the Asian Interior.

PubMed

Wang, Jiuyi; Lowenstein, Tim K; Fang, Xiaomin

2016-06-01

Fluid inclusions trapped in ancient halite can contain a community of halophilic prokaryotes and eukaryotes that inhabited the surface brines from which the halite formed. Long-term survival of bacteria and archaea and preservation of DNA have been reported from halite, but little is known about the distribution of microbes in buried evaporites. Here we report the discovery of prokaryotes and single-celled algae in fluid inclusions in Pleistocene halite, up to 2.26 Ma in age, from the Qaidam Basin, China. We show that water activity (aw), a measure of water availability and an environmental control on biological habitability in surface brines, is also related to microbe entrapment in fluid inclusions. The aw of Qaidam Basin brines progressively decreased over the last ∼1 million years, driven by aridification of the Asian interior, which led to decreased precipitation and water inflow and heightened evaporation rates. These changes in water balance produced highly concentrated brines, which reduced the habitability of surface lakes and decreased the number of microbes trapped in halite. By 0.13 Ma, the aw of surface brines approached the limits tolerated by halophilic prokaryotes and algae. These results show the response of microbial ecosystems to climate change in an extreme environment, which will guide future studies exploring deep life on Earth and elsewhere in the Solar System. Halite fluid inclusions-Ancient microbes-Water activity-Qaidam Basin-Pleistocene aridification. Astrobiology 16, 379-388.

Evidence for isolated evolution of deep-sea ciliate communities through geological separation and environmental selection.

PubMed

Stock, Alexandra; Edgcomb, Virginia; Orsi, William; Filker, Sabine; Breiner, Hans-Werner; Yakimov, Michail M; Stoeck, Thorsten

2013-07-08

Deep hypersaline anoxic basins (DHABs) are isolated habitats at the bottom of the eastern Mediterranean Sea, which originate from the ancient dissolution of Messinian evaporites. The different basins have recruited their original biota from the same source, but their geological evolution eventually constituted sharp environmental barriers, restricting genetic exchange between the individual basins. Therefore, DHABs are unique model systems to assess the effect of geological events and environmental conditions on the evolution and diversification of protistan plankton. Here, we examine evidence for isolated evolution of unicellular eukaryote protistan plankton communities driven by geological separation and environmental selection. We specifically focused on ciliated protists as a major component of protistan DHAB plankton by pyrosequencing the hypervariable V4 fragment of the small subunit ribosomal RNA. Geospatial distributions and responses of marine ciliates to differential hydrochemistries suggest strong physical and chemical barriers to dispersal that influence the evolution of this plankton group. Ciliate communities in the brines of four investigated DHABs are distinctively different from ciliate communities in the interfaces (haloclines) immediately above the brines. While the interface ciliate communities from different sites are relatively similar to each other, the brine ciliate communities are significantly different between sites. We found no distance-decay relationship, and canonical correspondence analyses identified oxygen and sodium as most important hydrochemical parameters explaining the partitioning of diversity between interface and brine ciliate communities. However, none of the analyzed hydrochemical parameters explained the significant differences between brine ciliate communities in different basins. Our data indicate a frequent genetic exchange in the deep-sea water above the brines. The "isolated island character" of the different brines, that resulted from geological events and contemporary environmental conditions, create selective pressures driving evolutionary processes, and with time, lead to speciation and shape protistan community composition. We conclude that community assembly in DHABs is a mixture of isolated evolution (as evidenced by small changes in V4 primary structure in some taxa) and species sorting (as indicated by the regional absence/presence of individual taxon groups on high levels in taxonomic hierarchy).

AmeriFlux US-MRf Mary's River (Fir) site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Law, Bev

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-MRf Mary's River (Fir) site. Site Description - The Marys River Fir site is part of the "Synthesis of Remote Sensing and Field Observations to Model and Understand Disturbance and Climate Effects on the Carbon Balance of Oregon and Northern California (ORCA)". Located in the western region of Oregon the Marys River site represents the western extent of the climate gradient that spans eastward into the semi-arid basin of central Oregon. The sites that make up the eastern extent of the ORCA climate gradient is the Metoliusmore » site network (US-Me1, US-ME2, US-ME4, US-Me5) all of which are part of the TERRA PNW project at Oregon State University.« less

Characterising flow regime and interrelation between surface-water and ground-water in the Fuente de Piedra salt lake basin by means of stable isotopes, hydrogeochemical and hydraulic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohfahl, Claus; Rodriguez, Miguel; Fenk, Cord; Menz, Christian; Benavente, Jose; Hubberten, Hans; Meyer, Hanno; Paul, Liisa; Knappe, Andrea; López-Geta, Juan Antonio; Pekdeger, Asaf

2008-03-01

SummaryThis research reports the characterisation of ground- and surface-water interaction in the Fuente de Piedra Salt lake basin in southern Spain by a combined approach using hydraulic, hydrogeochemical and stable isotope data. During three sampling campaigns (February 2004, 2005 and October 2005) ground- and surface-water samples were collected for stable isotope studies ( 18O, D) and for major and minor ion analysis. Hydraulic measurements at multilevel piezometers were carried out at four different locations around the lake edge. Conductivity logs were performed at four piezometers located along a profile at the northern lake border and at two deeper piezometers in the Miocene basin at a greater distance from the lake. To describe processes that control the brine evolution different hydrogeochemical simulations were performed. Hydrogeochemical data show a variety of brines related to thickness variations of lacustrine evaporites around the lake. Salinity profiles in combination with stable isotope and hydraulic data indicate the existence of convection cells and recycled brines. Furthermore restricted ground-water inflow into the lake was detected. Dedolomitisation processes were identified by hydrogeochemical simulations and different brine origins were reproduced by inverse modelling approaches.

Brine Flow Up a Borehole Caused by Pressure Perturbation From CO2 Storage: Static and Dynamic Evaluations

EPA Science Inventory

Industrial-scale storage of CO2 in saline sedimentary basins will cause zones of elevated pressure, larger than the CO2 plume itself. If permeable conduits (e.g., leaking wells) exist between the injection reservoir and overlying shallow aquifers, brine could be pushed upwards al...

The origin of fluids in the salt beds of the Delaware Basin, New Mexico and Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Neil, J.R.; Johnson, C.M.; White, L.D.; Roedder, E.

1986-01-01

Oxygen and hydrogen isotope analyses have been made of (1) brines from several wells in the salt deposits of the Delaware Basin, (2) inclusion fluids in halite crystals from the ERDA No. 9 site, and (3) local ground waters of meteoric origin. The isotopic compositions indicate that the brines are genetically related and that they probably originated from the evaporation of paleo-ocean waters. Although highly variable in solute contents, the brines have rather uniform isotopic compositions. The stable isotope compositions of brine from the ERDA No. 6 site (826.3 m depth) and fluid inclusions from the ERDA No. 9 site are variable but remarkably regular and show that (1) mixing with old or modern meteoric waters has occurred, the extent of mixing apparently decreasing with depth, and (2) water in the ERDA No. 6 brine may have originated from the dehydration of gypsum. Alternatively, the data may reflect simple evaporation of meteoric water on a previously dry marine flat. Stable isotope compositions of all the waters analyzed indicate that there has been fairly extensive mixing with ground water throughout the area, but that no significant circulation has occurred. The conclusions bear importantly on the suitability of these salt beds and others as repositories for nuclear waste. ?? 1986.

Microbial Habitability and Pleistocene Aridification of the Asian Interior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jiuyi; Lowenstein, Tim K.; Fang, Xiaomin

2016-06-01

Fluid inclusions trapped in ancient halite can contain a community of halophilic prokaryotes and eukaryotes that inhabited the surface brines from which the halite formed. Long-term survival of bacteria and archaea and preservation of DNA have been reported from halite, but little is known about the distribution of microbes in buried evaporites. Here we report the discovery of prokaryotes and single-celled algae in fluid inclusions in Pleistocene halite, up to 2.26 Ma in age, from the Qaidam Basin, China. We show that water activity (aw), a measure of water availability and an environmental control on biological habitability in surface brines, is also related to microbe entrapment in fluid inclusions. The aw of Qaidam Basin brines progressively decreased over the last ˜1 million years, driven by aridification of the Asian interior, which led to decreased precipitation and water inflow and heightened evaporation rates. These changes in water balance produced highly concentrated brines, which reduced the habitability of surface lakes and decreased the number of microbes trapped in halite. By 0.13 Ma, the aw of surface brines approached the limits tolerated by halophilic prokaryotes and algae. These results show the response of microbial ecosystems to climate change in an extreme environment, which will guide future studies exploring deep life on Earth and elsewhere in the Solar System.

A GIS-based vulnerability assessment of brine contamination to aquatic resources from oil and gas development in eastern Sheridan County, Montana.

PubMed

Preston, Todd M; Chesley-Preston, Tara L; Thamke, Joanna N

2014-02-15

Water (brine) co-produced with oil in the Williston Basin is some of the most saline in the nation. The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR), characterized by glacial sediments and numerous wetlands, covers the northern and eastern portion of the Williston Basin. Sheridan County, Montana, lies within the PPR and has a documented history of brine contamination. Surface water and shallow groundwater in the PPR are saline and sulfate dominated while the deeper brines are much more saline and chloride dominated. A Contamination Index (CI), defined as the ratio of chloride concentration to specific conductance in a water sample, was developed by the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology to delineate the magnitude of brine contamination in Sheridan County. Values >0.035 indicate contamination. Recently, the U.S. Geological Survey completed a county level geographic information system (GIS)-based vulnerability assessment of brine contamination to aquatic resources in the PPR of the Williston Basin based on the age and density of oil wells, number of wetlands, and stream length per county. To validate and better define this assessment, a similar approach was applied in eastern Sheridan County at a greater level of detail (the 2.59 km(2) Public Land Survey System section grid) and included surficial geology. Vulnerability assessment scores were calculated for the 780 modeled sections and these scores were divided into ten equal interval bins representing similar probabilities of contamination. Two surface water and two groundwater samples were collected from the section with the greatest acreage of Federal land in each bin. Nineteen of the forty water samples, and at least one water sample from seven of the ten selected sections, had CI values indicating contamination. Additionally, CI values generally increased with increasing vulnerability assessment score, with a stronger correlation for groundwater samples (R(2)=0.78) than surface water samples (R(2)=0.53). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A GIS-based vulnerability assessment of brine contamination to aquatic resources from oil and gas development in eastern Sheridan County, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Preston, Todd M.; Chesley-Preston, Tara L.; Thamke, Joanna N.

2014-01-01

Water (brine) co-produced with oil in the Williston Basin is some of the most saline in the nation. The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR), characterized by glacial sediments and numerous wetlands, covers the northern and eastern portion of the Williston Basin. Sheridan County, Montana, lies within the PPR and has a documented history of brine contamination. Surface water and shallow groundwater in the PPR are saline and sulfate dominated while the deeper brines are much more saline and chloride dominated. A Contamination Index (CI), defined as the ratio of chloride concentration to specific conductance in a water sample, was developed by the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology to delineate the magnitude of brine contamination in Sheridan County. Values > 0.035 indicate contamination. Recently, the U.S. Geological Survey completed a county level geographic information system (GIS)-based vulnerability assessment of brine contamination to aquatic resources in the PPR of the Williston Basin based on the age and density of oil wells, number of wetlands, and stream length per county. To validate and better define this assessment, a similar approach was applied in eastern Sheridan County at a greater level of detail (the 2.59 km2 Public Land Survey System section grid) and included surficial geology. Vulnerability assessment scores were calculated for the 780 modeled sections and these scores were divided into ten equal interval bins representing similar probabilities of contamination. Two surface water and two groundwater samples were collected from the section with the greatest acreage of Federal land in each bin. Nineteen of the forty water samples, and at least one water sample from seven of the ten selected sections, had CI values indicating contamination. Additionally, CI values generally increased with increasing vulnerability assessment score, with a stronger correlation for groundwater samples (R2 = 0.78) than surface water samples (R2 = 0.53).

The origin and evolution of saline formation water, Lower Cretaceous carbonates, south-central Texas, U.S.A.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Land, Lynton S.; Prezbindowski, Dennis R.

1981-12-01

Systematic chemical variation exists in formation water collected from a dip section through Lower Cretaceous rocks of south-central Texas. Chemical variation can be explained by an interactive water-rock diagenetic model. The cyclic Lower Cretaceous shelf carbonates of the Edwards Group dip into the Gulf of Mexico Coast "geosyncline", and can be considered, to a first approximation, as part of a complex aquifer contained by Paleozoic basement beneath, and by relatively impermeable Upper Cretaceous clay and chalk above. The hydrodynamic character of this carbonate system is strongly controlled by major fault systems. Major fault systems serve as pathways for vertical movement of basinal brines into the Lower Cretaceous section. Formation water movement in this sytem has strong upfault and updip components. The "parent" Na/1bCa/1bCl brine originates deep in the Gulf of Mexico basin, at temperatures between 200 and 250°C, by the reaction: halite + detrital plagioclase + quartz + water → albite + brine Other dissolved components originate by reaction of the fluid with the sedimentary phases, K-feldspar, calcite, dolomite, anhydrite, celestite, barite and fluorite. Significant quantities of Pb, Zn and Fe have been mobilized as well. As the brine moves updip out of the overpressured deep Gulf of Mexico basin, and encounters limestones of the Stuart City Reef Trend (the buried platform margin), small amounts of galena precipitate in late fractures. Continuing to rise upfault and updip, the brine becomes progressively diluted. On encountering significant quantities of dolomite in the backreef facies, the Ca-rich brine causes dedolomitization. Although thermochemical consideration suggests that small amounts of several authigenic phases should precipitate, most have yet to be found. Minor amounts of several kinds of calcite spar are present, however. As the brine evolves by dilution and by cooling, no systematic changes in any cation/Cl ratio occur, except for regular updip gain in Mg as a result of progressive dedolomitization. The formation water, highly diluted by meteoric water, eventually discharges along faults as hot mineral water.

Diversity of Bacillus-like organisms isolated from deep-sea hypersaline anoxic sediments

PubMed Central

Sass, Andrea M; McKew, Boyd A; Sass, Henrik; Fichtel, Jörg; Timmis, Kenneth N; McGenity, Terry J

2008-01-01

Background The deep-sea, hypersaline anoxic brine lakes in the Mediterranean are among the most extreme environments on earth, and in one of them, the MgCl2-rich Discovery basin, the presence of active microbes is equivocal. However, thriving microbial communities have been detected especially in the chemocline between deep seawater and three NaCl-rich brine lakes, l'Atalante, Bannock and Urania. By contrast, the microbiota of these brine-lake sediments remains largely unexplored. Results Eighty nine isolates were obtained from the sediments of four deep-sea, hypersaline anoxic brine lakes in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: l'Atalante, Bannock, Discovery and Urania basins. This culture collection was dominated by representatives of the genus Bacillus and close relatives (90% of all isolates) that were investigated further. Physiological characterization of representative strains revealed large versatility with respect to enzyme activities or substrate utilization. Two third of the isolates did not grow at in-situ salinities and were presumably present as endospores. This is supported by high numbers of endospores in Bannock, Discovery and Urania basins ranging from 3.8 × 105 to 1.2 × 106 g-1 dw sediment. However, the remaining isolates were highly halotolerant growing at salinities of up to 30% NaCl. Some of the novel isolates affiliating with the genus Pontibacillus grew well under anoxic conditions in sulfidic medium by fermentation or anaerobic respiration using dimethylsulfoxide or trimethylamine N-oxide as electron acceptor. Conclusion Some of the halophilic, facultatively anaerobic relatives of Bacillus appear well adapted to life in this hostile environment and suggest the presence of actively growing microbial communities in the NaCl-rich, deep-sea brine-lake sediments. PMID:18541011

Evidence for seasonal low salinity surface waters in the Gulf of Mexico over the last 16,000 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spero, Howard J.; Williams, Douglas F.

1990-12-01

Oxygen isotopic analyses of individual Orbulina universa from Orca Basin core EN32-PC6 document the presence of low salinity surface waters in the northern Gulf of Mexico over the past 16 kyr. Isotopic data from an interval immediately following the Younger Dryas Event indicate the rapid decrease in δ18O values at the conclusion of the Younger Dryas was due to a year-round return of meltwater to the Gulf of Mexico. Data indicate periodic or seasonal low-salinity waters existed over the region of the Orca Basin prior to the initiation of the meltwater spike. Estimates suggest O. universa grew its shell in salinities at least 4.5 ‰ below ambient. Since O. universa may have calcified deep in the mixed layer during periods of low salinity, surface salinities could have been even lower. Comparison of the average of individual O. universa oxygen isotopic values with data from multiple shell samples of white Gs. ruber from the same core samples demonstrates that the two species record similar values during the late Holocene. In contrast, O. universa records lower oxygen isotopic values during the late glacial/deglacial intervals, possibly due to differences in seasonal distribution or shell ontogeny between the two species.

Lithium brines: A global perspective: Chapter 14

USGS Publications Warehouse

Munk, LeeAnn; Hynek, Scott; Bradley, Dwight C.; Boutt, David; Labay, Keith A.; Jochens, Hillary; Verplanck, Philip L.; Hitzman, Murray W.

2016-01-01

Lithium is a critical and technologically important element that has widespread use, particularly in batteries for hybrid cars and portable electronic devices. Global demand for lithium has been on the rise since the mid-1900s and is projected to continue to increase. Lithium is found in three main deposit types: (1) pegmatites, (2) continental brines, and (3) hydrothermally altered clays. Continental brines provide approximately three-fourths of the world’s Li production due to their relatively low production cost. The Li-rich brine systems addressed here share six common characteristics that provide clues to deposit genesis while also serving as exploration guidelines. These are as follows: (1) arid climate; (2) closed basin containing a salar (salt crust), a salt lake, or both; (3) associated igneous and/or geothermal activity; (4) tectonically driven subsidence; (5) suitable lithium sources; and (6) sufficient time to concentrate brine. Two detailed case studies of Li-rich brines are presented; one on the longest produced lithium brine at Clayton Valley, Nevada, and the other on the world’s largest producing lithium brine at the Salar de Atacama, Chile.

Silica in alkaline brines

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, B.F.; Rettig, S.L.; Eugster, H.P.

1967-01-01

Analysis of sodium carbonate-bicarbonate brines from closed basins in volcanic terranes of Oregon and Kenya reveals silica contents of up to 2700 parts per million at pH's higher than 10. These high concentrations of SiO 2 can be attributed to reaction of waters with silicates, and subsequent evaporative concentration accompanied by a rise in pH. Supersaturation with respect to amorphous silica may occur and persist for brines that are out of contact with silicate muds and undersaturated with respect to trona; correlation of SiO2 with concentration of Na and total CO2 support this interpretation. Addition of moredilute waters to alkaline brines may lower the pH and cause inorganic precipitation of substantial amounts of silica.

Geochemical Modeling of Carbon Sequestration, MMV, and EOR in the Illinois Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Berger, P.M.; Roy, W.R.; Mehnert, E.

2009-01-01

The Illinois State Geologic Survey is conducting several ongoing CO2 sequestration projects that require geochemical models to gain an understanding of the processes occurring in the subsurface. The ISGS has collected brine and freshwater samples associated with an enhanced oil recovery project in the Loudon oil field. Geochemical modeling allows us to understand reactions with carbonate and silicate minerals in the reservoir, and the effects they have had on brine composition. For the Illinois Basin Decatur project, geochemical models should allow predictions of the reactions that will take place before CO2 injection begins. ?? 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parent brine of the castile evaporites (Upper Permian), Texas and New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kirkland, Douglas W.; Denison, Rodger E.; Dean, Walter E.

2000-01-01

The Upper Permian (lower Ochoan) Castile Formation is a major evaporite sequence (∼10,000 km3) of calcite, anhydrite, and halite in west Texas and southeastern New Mexico. Traditionally the Castile brine has been considered to have been derived from seawater. This tradition has recently been challenged by two versions of the closed-basin drawdown model. They call for deposition from a mixed brine, in part marine and in large part nonmarine. They propose drawdown of as much as 500 m to form a major sink for ground water issuing from the surrounding Capitan reef complex. A large fraction of the solute in the brine body is inferred to have been recycled from older Permian evaporites on the surrounding shelf. Strontium-isotope analyses show no evidence that meteoric ground water was contributed to the Castile brine. From a stratigraphic, geographic, and lithologic array of 65 samples of anhydrite, gypsum, and calcite, 59 have an 87Sr/86Sr ratio of 0.706923 (Δsw of -225.0), a ratio that is the same as that of strontium in early Ochoan ocean water. If considerable (>15%) influx of meteoric water had occurred, enough continental strontium would have been introduced to have resulted in higher ratios. Low bromide values (20-40 ppm) in Castile halite, which have been used to argue for meteoric influx and for recycled salt, probably resulted from diagenesis. During shallow burial by halite, centimeter-size, bottom-grown crystals of gypsum were altered to nodular anhydrite. The rising water of dehydration caused the halite to recrystallize. During the recrystallization, some bromide was expelled. Despite the large volume of water that evaporated annually from its surface (∼52 km3/yr, assuming an evaporation rate of 2 m/yr), the Castile brine body never completely desiccated. The surrounding shelf was flat, hot, and generally dry. It probably could not have supplied a significant volume of meteoric spring water to the basin over tens of thousands of years. More likely, during the entire history of the evaporite sequence, influx was dominantly marine. Marine ground water flowed through the Capitan Formation into the evaporite basin along its southern and possibly western margin probably with a rate of flow that was usually fast enough to prevent major drawdown of the brine surface.

Estimates of ground-water recharge from precipitation to glacial-deposit and bedrock aquifers on Lopez, San Juan, Orcas, and Shaw islands, San Juan County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Orr, Laura A.; Bauer, Henry H.; Wayenberg, Judith A.

2002-01-01

An important source of fresh water on Lopez, San Juan, Orcas, and Shaw Islands in San Juan County off the northwestern coast of Washington is glacial-deposit and bedrock aquifers. Two methods were used to estimate recharge from precipitation to the water tables on the islands. A daily near-surface water-balance method, the Deep Percolation Model (DPM), was used to simulate water budgets for the period October 1, 1996, through September 30, 1998 (water years 1997-98) for six small drainage basins?three on Lopez Island and one each on San Juan, Orcas, and Shaw Islands. The calibrated soil and subsoil parameters from the DPM for each small basin were then used in island-wide applications of the DPM where the direct runoff component (which is not available on an island-wide basis) was simulated, rather than input, and calibration was not required. A spatial distribution of annual recharge was simulated for each island, with island averages of: Lopez Island, 2.49 inches per year; San Juan Island, 1.99 inches per year; Orcas Island, 1.46 inches per year; and Shaw Island, 1.44 inches per year.A chloride mass-balance method that requires measurements of atmospheric chloride deposition, precipitation, streamflow, and chloride concentrations in ground water was used to estimate recharge to the glacial-deposit aquifers of Lopez Island. Only average recharge could be estimated using this method rather than area-specific recharge. Average recharge for Lopez Island estimated by this method was only 0.63 inch per year. The range of chloride concentrations in ground-water samples from selected wells indicates that the average recharge in areas of glacial deposits is between 0.29 and 1.95 inches per year. Recharge simulated using the DPM for two drainage basins on Lopez Island overlain by glacial deposits are 2.76 and 2.64 inches per year. Sources of chloride in ground water other than from the atmosphere would cause the recharge estimated by the chloride mass-balance method to be less than the actual recharge, therefore these estimates may represent lower limits which are, at least, consistent with the higher simulated recharge from the DPM. The average island-wide recharge is most closely related to the amount of area overlain by glacial deposits. Thus, even though Lopez Island receives the least precipitation, it has the most recharge per square mile because it proportionally has the largest area overlain by glacial deposits. Recharge simulated by the DPM for areas of shallow to outcropping bedrock generally were less than 1.5 inches per year, but recharge simulated in areas of glacial deposits ranged from less than 0.5 to 3 inches per year, with recharge as high as 9 inches per year in some small areas.

Oil source bed distribution in upper Tertiary of Gulf Coast

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dow, W.G.

1985-02-01

Effective oil source beds have not been reported in Miocene and younger Gulf Coast sediments and the organic matter present is invariably immature and oxidized. Crude oil composition, however, indicates origin from mature source beds containing reduced kerogen. Oil distribution suggests extensive vertical migration through fracture systems from localized sources in deeply buried, geopressured shales. A model is proposed in which oil source beds were deposited in intraslope basins that formed behind salt ridges. The combination of silled basin topography, rapid sedimentation, and enhanced oxygen-minimum zones during global warmups resulted in periodic anoxic environments and preservation of oil-generating organic matter.more » Anoxia was most widespread during the middle Miocene and Pliocene transgressions and rare during regressive cycles when anoxia occurred primarily in hypersaline conditions such as exist today in the Orca basin.« less

Formation waters from Mississippian-Pennsylvanian reservoirs, Illinois basin, USA: Chemical and isotopic constraints on evolution and migration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stueber, A.M.; Walter, L.M.; Huston, T.J.

1993-02-01

We have analyzed a suite of seventy-four formation-water samples from Mississippian and Pennsylvanian carbonate and siliciclastic strata in the Illinois basin for major, minor, and trace element concentrations and for strontium isotopic composition. A subset of these samples was also analyzed for boron isotopic composition. Data are used to interpret origin of salinity and chemical and Sr isotopic evolution of the brines and in comparison with a similar data set from an earlier study of basin formation waters from Silurian-Devonian reservoirs. Systematics of Cl-Br-Na show that present Mississippian-Pennsylvanian brine salinity can be explained by a combination of subaerial seawater evaporationmore » short of halite saturation and subsurface dissolution of halite from an evaporite zone in the middle Mississippian St. Louis Limestone, along with extensive dilution by mixing with meteoric waters. Additional diagenetic modifications in the subsurface interpreted from cation/Br ratios include K depletion through interaction with clay minerals, Ca enrichment, and Mg depletion by dolomitization, and Sr enrichment through CaCO[sub 3] recrystallization and dolomitization. Ste. Genevieve Limestone (middle Mississippian) formation waters show [sup 87]Sr/[sup 86]Sr ratios in the range 0.70782-0.70900, whereas waters from the siliciclastic reservoirs are in the rante 0.70900-0.71052. Inverse correlations between [sup 87]Sr/[sup 86]Sr and B,Li, and Mg concentrations suggest that the brines acquired radiogenic [sup 87]Sr through interaction with siliciclastic minerals. Completely unsystematic relations between [sup 87]Fr/[sup 86]Sr and 1/Sr are observed; Sr concentrations in Ste. Genevieve and Aux Vases (middle Mississippian) waters appear to be buffered by equilibrium with respect to SrSo[sub 4]. These formation waters are distinguished from Silurian-Devonian brines in the basin by elevated Cl/Br and Na/Br ratios and by unsystematic Sr isotope relationships.« less

Constraints on evaporation and dilution of terminal, hypersaline lakes under negative water balance: The Dead Sea, Israel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zilberman, Tami; Gavrieli, Ittai; Yechieli, Yoseph; Gertman, Isaac; Katz, Amitai

2017-11-01

The response of hypersaline terminal lakes to negative water balance was investigated by studying brines evaporating to extreme salinities in sinkholes along the western coast of the Dead Sea and during on-site evaporation experiments of the Dead Sea brine. Density and temperature were determined in the field and all samples were analyzed for their major and a few minor solutes. The activity of H2O (aH2O) in the brines was calculated, and the degree of evaporation (DE) was established using Sr2+as a conservative solute. The relations between density and water activity were obtained by polynomial regression, and the relation between the lake's volume and level was established using Hall's (1996) hypsographic model for the Dead Sea basin. Relating the results to the modern, long-term relative humidity (RH) over the basin shows that (a) The lowermost attainable level of a terminal lake undergoing evaporation with no inflow is dictated by the median RH; this level represents equilibrium between the brine's aH2O and RH; (b) Small, saline water bodies with high surface to volume ratios (A/V), such as the hypersaline brines in the sinkholes, are very sensitive to short term changes in RH; in these, the brines' aH2O closely follows the seasonal changes; (c) the level decline of the Dead Sea due to evaporation under present climatic conditions and assuming no inflow to the lake may continue down to 516-537 m below mean sea level (bmsl), corresponding to a water activity range of 0.46-0.39 in its brine, in equilibrium with the overlying relative air humidity; this suggests that the lake level cannot drop more than ∼100 m from its present level; and (d) The maximum RH values that existed over the precursor lake of the Dead Sea (Lake Lisan) during geologically reconstructed minima levels can be similarly calculated.

Hydrogeologic reconnaissance of the San Miguel River basin, southwestern Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ackerman, D.J.; Rush, F.E.

1984-01-01

The San Miguel River Basin encompasses 4,130 square kilometers of which about two-thirds is in the southeastern part of the Paradox Basin. The Paradox Basin is a part of the Colorado Plateaus that is underlain by a thick sequence of evaporite beds of Pennsylvanian age. The rock units that underlie the area have been grouped into hydrogeologic units based on their water-transmitting ability. Evaporite beds of mostly salt are both overlain and underlain by confining beds. Aquifers are present above and below the confining-bed sequence. The principal element of ground-water outflow from the upper aquifer is flow to the San Miguel River and its tributaries; this averages about 90 million cubic meters per year. A water budget for the lower aquifer has only two equal, unestimated elements, subsurface outflow and recharge from precipitation. The aquifers are generally isolated from the evaporite beds by the bounding confining beds; as a result, most ground water has little if any contact with the evaporites. No brines have been sampled and no brine discharges have been identified in the basin. Salt water has been reported for petroleum-exploration wells, but no active salt solution has been identified. (USGS)

Coupled heat and fluid flow modeling of the Carboniferous Kuna Basin, Alaska: Implications for the genesis of the Red Dog Pb-Zn-Ag-Ba ore district

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garven, G.; Raffensperger, Jeff P.; Dumoulin, Julie A.; Bradley, D.A.; Young, L.E.; Kelley, K.D.; Leach, D.L.

2003-01-01

The Red Dog deposit is a giant 175 Mton (16% Zn, 5% Pb), shale-hosted Pb-Zn-Ag-Ba ore district situated in the Carboniferous Kuna Basin, Western Brooks Range, Alaska. These SEDEX-type ores are thought to have formed in calcareous turbidites and black mudstone at elevated sub-seafloor temperatures (120-150??C) within a hydrogeologic framework of submarine convection that was structurally organized by large normal faults. The theory for modeling brine migration and heat transport in the Kuna Basin is discussed with application to evaluating flow patterns and heat transport in faulted rift basins and the effects of buoyancy-driven free convection on reactive flow and ore genesis. Finite element simulations show that hydrothermal fluid was discharged into the Red Dog subbasin during a period of basin-wide crustal heat flow of 150-160 mW/m2. Basinal brines circulated to depths as great as 1-3 km along multiple normal faults flowed laterally through thick clastic aquifers acquiring metals and heat, and then rapidly ascended a single discharge fault zone at rates ??? 5 m/year to mix with seafloor sulfur and precipitate massive sulfide ores. ?? 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Repair, Evaluation, Maintenance, and Rehabilitation Research Program. Case Histories of Corps Breakwater and Jetty Structures. Report 6. North Pacific Division

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-11-01

is located in southern Alaska on Orca Inlet at the south- eastern approach of Prince William Sound , 145 air miles east-southeast from Anchorage. The...Anacortes Harbor, Washington 113. Anacortes is located on Fidalgo Island on the east side of Puget Sound . The project includes a 2,850-ft-long channel... Puget Sound in northern Washington. The project includes three waterways maintained by dredging, a small-boat basin protected by two rubble-mound

Thermal impacts of magmatic intrusions on dolomitization processes in the Tiberias Basin, Jordan-Dead Sea Transform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koltzer, Nora; Möller, Peter; Inbar, Nimrod; Siebert, Christian; Rosenthal, Eliyahu; Al-Raggad, Marwan; Magri, Fabien

2017-04-01

The Tiberias Basin (TB) is located within the Jordan-Dead Sea Transform and is bordered to the west by the Lower Galilee (Israel), where Pliocene basalts cover an area of 35 km2. Hydrochemical analyses highlight that two types of brines exist around Lake Tiberias (LT) (Mandel 1965; Möller et al. 2009): (1) Along the eastern side of LT, brine is characterized by Mg/Ca>1, which resulted from evaporation of seawater during the Late Miocene, whereas (2) along the western side of the lake, brine is characterized by Mg/Ca<1, possibly formed out of the Mg-rich brine by dolomitization of limestones (Möller et al. 2012). Dolomitization of limestones occurs at temperatures of at least 100 °C. We suppose that basalts which erupted through numerous fissures, forming nowadays sills within the Cretaceous and Eocene limestones, sufficiently heated the formations, which build up the Lower Galilee, west of LT. As a result, the Cenomanian Formations, where the original brine is mostly buried, were only sufficiently heated in the eastern Galilee. In this study, we try to estimate to which extent and through which mechanisms fissure eruptions have induced heated brine to flow within the limestone aquifers. 2D simulations of coupled heat transport and fluid flow show that different aspects control the heat transport in the limestone aquifer. Preliminary results indicate that conductive heat transport generates sharp temperature fronts that extent 30 meters after 5 years of continuous magmatic intrusion from the fissures, ruling out heat conduction as a major mechanism for dolomitization. By contrast, convective cells in the Turonian and Cenomanian aquiferous formations have the potential to develop at different scales that depend on (a) hydraulic conductivity and porosity of the aquifer, (b) the orientation of the regional flow and (c) the topography of the aquifer. As a result of convective flow, brines surrounding a single fissure intrusion are heated more than 100 °C up to a width of 2 km in both directions. The thermally induced flow velocities are in the range of 2 m/year. In simulations with multiple intrusions, the thermal plume can stretch over 5.5 km. The simulations indicate that magmatic induced advective/convective heating may have generated temperature conditions favorable for dolomitization, which in turn may explain the existence of two different brines that are found around the LT. References Mandel S. (1965). Hydrogeological Investigations of the areas surrounding Lake Tiberias. Water Planning for Israel. Volumes 1-2 210 p. Möller P., Siebert C., Geyer S., Inbar N., Rosenthal E., Flexer A., Zilberbrand M. (2012). Relationship of brines in the Kinnarot Basin, Jordan-Dead Sea Rift Valley. Geofluids, 12(2), 166-181. Möller P., Rosenthal E., Geyer S. (2009). Characterization of aquifer environments by major and minor elements and stable isotopes of sulfate In: Hoetzel H., Möller P., Rosenthal E. (Eds) Water of the Jordan Balley. Pp. 83-122.

U-Pb Dating of Calcite to Constrain Basinal Brine Flux Events: An Example from the Upper Midwest USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasbury, T.; Luczaj, J.

2017-12-01

Calcite forms in a variety of settings and can be the product of surface to deep basinal fluids. As such, this mineral can uniquely record details of the fluids responsible for its formation. The forms of calcium carbonates and their stratigraphic relationships from the thin section to the regional scale give important insights on pulses of fluids. A fundamental question is the age of such fluid pulses. While calcite excludes uranium (U) from its crystal structure, some is incorporated and depending on the U/Pb ratio, this provides an opportunity for radiometric dating. Calcite crystals of various sizes and crystal habits are found in Paleozoic carbonate rocks throughout the region from the western Michigan basin to the upper Mississippi valley. These are typically associated with Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) mineralization, including galena, sphalerite, and iron sulfides, but typically post-date the main MVT event. We have analyzed a variety of these calcites and find multiple generations of calcite, separated by tens of millions of years. The initial Pb isotope ratios are similar to the isotope ratios of nearby galena, strongly suggesting a genetic relationship. Our oldest ages are 200 Ma, and we find ages ranging into the Cenozoic. Based on the Paleozoic-hosted galena Pb-isotope isoscapes from the region, the fluids may have been sourced from both the Michigan and Illinois basins. An important and unanswered question is what would cause significant fluid movement out of the basins substantially after Appalachian orogenesis. Noble gas data from brines in the Michigan Basin have a mantle component and have been suggested to be responsible for recognized elevated temperatures across the basin (Ma et al., 2009). Multiple thermal events during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras may have an internal heat source related to reactivation of faults of the Keweenawan Rift system below the Michigan Basin. Perhaps a mantle heat source from below episodically fluxes into the basins and displaces brines with important ore metals out of the basin. More work on the calcites will help to establish the geographic extent of the various fluid pulses in the region, which will lead to an improved understanding of the sources and paths of these fluids.

Lithium

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradley, Dwight C.; Stillings, Lisa L.; Jaskula, Brian W.; Munk, LeeAnn; McCauley, Andrew D.; Schulz, Klaus J.; DeYoung,, John H.; Seal, Robert R.; Bradley, Dwight C.

2017-12-19

Lithium, the lightest of all metals, is used in air treatment, batteries, ceramics, glass, metallurgy, pharmaceuticals, and polymers. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are particularly important in efforts to reduce global warming because they make it possible to power cars and trucks from renewable sources of energy (for example, hydroelectric, solar, or wind) instead of by burning fossil fuels. Today, lithium is extracted from brines that are pumped from beneath arid sedimentary basins and extracted from granitic pegmatite ores. The leading producer of lithium from brine is Chile, and the leading producer of lithium from pegmatites is Australia. Other potential sources of lithium include clays, geothermal brines, oilfield brines, and zeolites. Worldwide resources of lithium are estimated to be more than 39 million metric tons, which is enough to meet projected demand to the year 2100. The United States is not a major producer at present but has significant lithium resources.

Projected effects of proposed chloride-control projects on shallow ground water; preliminary results for the Wichita River basin, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garza, Sergio

1983-01-01

Two-dimensional mathematical computer models were developed for aquifer simulation of: (1) Steady-state conditions in a fresh-water system and (2) transient conditions in a brine- fresh-water system where the density effects of the brine are considered. The main results 'of projecting the effects of the proposed Truscott Brine Lake on the fresh-water aquifer are: (1) Hydraulic head rises of 5 to 40 feet would be confined to areas near the proposed dam and along the lake shoreline, and (2) migration of salt water downstream from the dam generally would be limited to less than 1 mile and apparently would not reach equilibrium during the 100-year duration of the project. The modeling efforts did not include possible effects related to hydrodynamic dispersion in the brine- fresh-water system. Possible changes in the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer, due to physical and chemical interactions in the brine and fresh-water environments, also were not considered.

Sulfate brines in fluid inclusions of hydrothermal veins: Compositional determinations in the system H2O-Na-Ca-Cl-SO4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, Benjamin F.; Steele-MacInnis, Matthew; Markl, Gregor

2017-07-01

Sulfate is among the most abundant ions in seawater and sulfate-bearing brines are common in sedimentary basins, among other environments. However, the properties of sulfate-bearing fluid inclusions during microthermometry are as yet poorly constrained, restricting the interpretation of fluid-inclusion compositions where sulfate is a major ion. The Schwarzwald mining district on the eastern shoulder of the Upper Rhinegraben rift is an example of a geologic system characterized by sulfate-bearing brines, and constraints on the anion abundances (chloride versus sulfate) would be desirable as a potential means to differentiate fluid sources in hydrothermal veins in these regions. Here, we use the Pitzer-type formalism to calculate equilibrium conditions along the vapor-saturated liquidus of the system H2O-Na-Ca-Cl-SO4, and construct phase diagrams displaying the predicted phase equilibria. We combine these predicted phase relations with microthermometric and crush-leach analyses of fluid inclusions from veins in the Schwarzwald and Upper Rhinegraben, to estimate the compositions of these brines in terms of bulk salinity as well as cation and anion loads (sodium versus calcium, and chloride versus sulfate). These data indicate systematic differences in fluid compositions recorded by fluid inclusions, and demonstrate the application of detailed low-temperature microthermometry to determine compositions of sulfate-bearing brines. Thus, these data provide new constraints on fluid sources and paleo-hydrology of these classic basin-hosted ore-forming systems. Moreover, the phase diagrams presented herein can be applied directly to compositional determinations in other systems.

Microbial ecology of deep-sea hypersaline anoxic basins.

PubMed

Merlino, Giuseppe; Barozzi, Alan; Michoud, Grégoire; Ngugi, David Kamanda; Daffonchio, Daniele

2018-07-01

Deep hypersaline anoxic basins (DHABs) are unique water bodies occurring within fractures at the bottom of the sea, where the dissolution of anciently buried evaporites created dense anoxic brines that are separated by a chemocline/pycnocline from the overlying oxygenated deep-seawater column. DHABs have been described in the Gulf of Mexico, the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea and the Red Sea. They are characterized by prolonged historical separation of the brines from the upper water column due to lack of mixing and by extreme conditions of salinity, anoxia, and relatively high hydrostatic pressure and temperatures. Due to these combined selection factors, unique microbial assemblages thrive in these polyextreme ecosystems. The topological localization of the different taxa in the brine-seawater transition zone coupled with the metabolic interactions and niche adaptations determine the metabolic functioning and biogeochemistry of DHABs. In particular, inherent metabolic strategies accompanied by genetic adaptations have provided insights on how prokaryotic communities can adapt to salt-saturated conditions. Here, we review the current knowledge of the diversity, genomics, metabolisms and ecology of prokaryotes in DHABs.

Permo Triassic unconformity-related Au-Pd mineralisation, South Devon, UK: new insights and the European perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shepherd, Tom J.; Bouch, Jon E.; Gunn, Andrew G.; McKervey, John A.; Naden, Jonathan; Scrivener, Richard C.; Styles, Michael T.; Large, Duncan E.

2005-07-01

An integrated mineralogical-geochemical study of unconformity-related Au-Pd occurrences within and around the Permo Triassic basins of southwest England, UK, has confirmed the importance of low temperature (86±13°C), hydrothermal carbonate veins as hosts for the mineralisation. Fluid inclusion data for the carbonate gangue, supported by stable isotope (13C and 18O) and radiogenic (87Sr/86Sr) data, have identified three principal fluids: (1) a reducing calcic brine [>25 wt% salinity, <0.5 NaCl/(NaCl+CaCl2)] originating in the sub-unconformity basement and an expression of advanced mineral fluid interaction; (2) an oxidising sodic brine [~16 wt% salinity, >0.9 NaCl/(NaCl+CaCl2)] originating in the post-unconformity red beds under evaporitic conditions, and (3) an oxygenated, low salinity groundwater (<3 wt% salinity). The sodic brine is reasoned to be the parent metalliferous fluid and to have acquired its enrichment in Au and Pd by the leaching of immature sediments and intra-rift volcanic rocks within the local Permo Triassic basins. Metal precipitation is linked to the destabilisation of Au and Pd chloride complexes by either mixing with calcic brines, dilution by groundwaters or interaction with reduced lithologies. This explains the diversity of mineralised settings below and above the unconformity and their affinity with red bed brines. The paucity of sulphide minerals, the development of selenides (as ore minerals and as mineral inclusion in gold grains), the presence of rhodochrosite and manganoan calcites (up to 2.5 wt% Mn in calcite) and the co-precipitation of hematite and manganese oxides are consistent with the overall high oxidation state of the ore fluids. A genetic model is proposed linking Permo Triassic red beds, the mixing of oxidising and reducing brines, and the development of unconformity-related precious metal mineralisation. Comparison with other European Permo Triassic basins reveals striking similarities in geological setting, mineralogy and geochemistry with Au, Au-Pd and selenide occurrences in Germany (Tilkerode, Korbach-Goldhausen), Poland (Lubin) and the Czech Republic (Svoboda nad Úpou and Stupná). Though the known Au-Pd occurrences are sub-economic, several predictive criteria are proposed for further exploration.

Saline water in the Little Arkansas River Basin area, south-central Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leonard, Robert B.; Kleinschmidt, Melvin K.

1976-01-01

Ground water in unconsolidated deposits of Pleistocene age in part of the Little Arkansas River basin has been polluted by the influx of saline water. The source of the saline water generally is oil-field brine that leaked from disposal ponds on the land surface. Locally, pollution by saline water also has been caused by upwelling of oil-field brine injected under pressure into the "lost-circulation zone" of the Lower Permian Wellington Formation and, possibly, by leakage of brine from corroded or improperly cased disposal wells. Anomalously high concentrations of chloride ion in some reaches of the Little Arkansas River probably can be attributed to pollution by municipal wastes rather than from inflow of saline ground water. Hydraulic connection exists between the "lost-circulation zone" and unconsolidated deposits, as evidenced by the continuing development of sinkholes, by the continuing discharge of saline water through springs and seeps along the Arkansas River south of the Little Arkansas River basin and by changes in the chloride concentration in water pumped from wells in the "lost-circulation zone." The hydraulic head in the "lost-circulation zone" is below the base of the unconsolidated deposits, and much below the potentiometric surface of the aquifer in those deposits. Any movement of water, therefore, would be downward from the "fresh-water" aquifer to the saline "lost-circulation zone."

Orca Behavior and Subsequent Aggression Associated with Oceanarium Confinement

PubMed Central

Anderson, Robert; Waayers, Robyn; Knight, Andrew

2016-01-01

Simple Summary Orca behaviors interacting with humans within apparent friendship bonds are reviewed, and some impediments to the human evaluation of delphinid intelligence are discussed. The subsequent involvement of these orcas and their offspring in aggressive incidents with humans is also documented and examined. This is particularly relevant given that the highest recorded rates of aggressive incidents have occurred among orcas who had previously established unstructured human friendship bonds prior to their inclusion within oceanaria performances. It is concluded that the confinement of orcas within aquaria, and their use in entertainment programs, is morally indefensible, given their high intelligence, complex behaviors, and the apparent adverse effects on orcas of such confinement and use. Abstract Based on neuroanatomical indices such as brain size and encephalization quotient, orcas are among the most intelligent animals on Earth. They display a range of complex behaviors indicative of social intelligence, but these are difficult to study in the open ocean where protective laws may apply, or in captivity, where access is constrained for commercial and safety reasons. From 1979 to 1980, however, we were able to interact with juvenile orcas in an unstructured way at San Diego’s SeaWorld facility. We observed in the animals what appeared to be pranks, tests of trust, limited use of tactical deception, emotional self-control, and empathetic behaviors. Our observations were consistent with those of a former Seaworld trainer, and provide important insights into orca cognition, communication, and social intelligence. However, after being trained as performers within Seaworld’s commercial entertainment program, a number of orcas began to exhibit aggressive behaviors. The orcas who previously established apparent friendships with humans were most affected, although significant aggression also occurred in some of their descendants, and among the orcas they lived with. Such oceanaria confinement and commercial use can no longer be considered ethically defensible, given the current understanding of orcas’ advanced cognitive, social, and communicative capacities, and of their behavioral needs. PMID:27548232

Mediterranean salt giants beyond the evaporite model: The Sicily perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carmelo Manuella, Fabio; Scribano, Vittorio; Carbone, Serafina; Hovland, Martin; Johnsen, Hans-Konrad; Rueslåtten, Håkon

2017-04-01

Mediterranean salt giants, occurring both in sub-seafloor and in onshore settings (the "Gessoso Solfifera Group"), are traditionally explained by repeated cycles of desiccation and replenishment of the entire basin. However, such hypotheses are strongly biased by mass balance calculations and geodynamic considerations. In addition, any hypothesis without full desiccation, still based on the evaporite model, should consider that seawater brines start to precipitate halite when 2/3 of the seawater has evaporated, and hence the level of the basin cannot be the same as the adjacent ocean. On the other hand, hydrothermal venting of hot saline brines onto the seafloor can precipitate salt in a deep marine basin if a layer of heavy brine exists along the seafloor. This process, likely related to sub-surface boiling or supercritical out-salting (Hovland et al., 2006), is consistent with geological evidence in the Red Sea "Deeps" (Hovland et al., 2015). Although supercritical out-salting and phase separation can sufficiently explain the formation of several marine salt deposits, even in deep marine settings, the Mediterranean salt giant formations can also be explained by the serpentinization model (Scribano et al., 2016). Serpentinization of abyssal peridotites does not involve seawater salts, and large quantities of saline brines accumulate in pores and fractures of the sub-seafloor serpentinites. If these rocks undergo thermal dehydration, for example, due to igneous intrusions, brines and salt slurries can migrate upwards as hydrothermal plumes, eventually venting at the seafloor, giving rise to giant salt deposits over time. These hydrothermal processes can take place in a temporal sequence, as it occurred in the "Caltanissetta Basin" (Sicily). There, salt accumulation associated with serpentinization started during Triassic times (and even earlier), and venting of heavy brines onto the seafloor eventually occurred in the Messinian via the hydrothermal plume mechanism (Scribano et al, 2016). This innovative model arises from the study of xenoliths in the Hyblean diatremes (southeastern Sicily), suggesting that a widely serpentinized Tethyan basement lies beneath the entire Sicily island and its offshore areas (Scribano et al., 2006; Manuella et al., 2015), according to geophysical, geological and petrological aspects. In conclusion, our viewpoint represents a plausible explanation for the origin of giant salt deposits in the Mediterranean area and elsewhere, albeit this hypothesis should be constrained by further studies. Hovland et al. (2006), Mar. Petrol. Geol., 23, 855-869. Hovland et al. (2015), In: Rasul, N.M.A., and Stewart, I.C.F., eds., The Red Sea. Springer, 187-203. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-662-45201-1_11 Manuella et al. (2015), Int. J. Earth Sci., 104, 1317-1336. Scribano et al. (2006), Mineral. Petrol., 86, 63-88. Scribano et al. (2016), Int. J. Earth Sci., submitted.

Chemical quality of surface waters in the Brazos River basin in Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Irelan, Burdge; Mendieta, H.B.

1964-01-01

The quality of water in the lower main stem can be improved by control and disposal of brines in the upper basin. Also, the maximum concentrations in the water of the lower main stem can be lowered by dilution with water stored in reservoirs on tributaries that yield water of good quality.

Danburite in evaporites of the Paradox basin, Utah.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Raup, O.B.; Madsen, B.M.

1986-01-01

Danburite (CaB2Si2O8) has been found as nodules in Pennsylvanian age marine evaporites. The occurrence of danburite and its relation to the host rock in the Paradox basin evaporites indicates that it most likely formed by diagenetic reaction of boron-rich, high-salinity brines with constituents in the anhydrite host rock.-from Authors

Assessment of Brine Management for Geologic Carbon Sequestration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Breunig, Hanna M.; Birkholzer, Jens T.; Borgia, Andrea

2013-06-13

Geologic carbon sequestration (GCS) is the injection of carbon dioxide (CO 2), typically captured from stationary emission sources, into deep geologic formations to prevent its entry into the atmosphere. Active pilot facilities run by regional United States (US) carbon sequestration partnerships inject on the order of one million metric tonnes (mt) CO 2 annually while the US electric power sector emits over 2000 million mt-CO 2 annually. GCS is likely to play an increasing role in US carbon mitigation initiatives, but scaling up GCS poses several challenges. Injecting CO 2 into sedimentary basins raises fluid pressure in the pore space,more » which is typically already occupied by naturally occurring, or native, brine. The resulting elevated pore pressures increase the likelihood of induced seismicity, of brine or CO 2 escaping into potable groundwater resources, and of CO 2 escaping into the atmosphere. Brine extraction is one method for pressure management, in which brine in the injection formation is brought to the surface through extraction wells. Removal of the brine makes room for the CO 2 and decreases pressurization. Although the technology required for brine extraction is mature, this form of pressure management will only be applicable if there are cost-­effective and sustainable methods of disposing of the extracted brine. Brine extraction, treatment, and disposal may increase the already substantial capital, energy, and water demands of Carbon dioxide Capture and Sequestration (CCS). But, regionally specific brine management strategies may be able to treat the extracted water as a source of revenue, energy, and water to subsidize CCS costs, while minimizing environmental impacts. By this approach, value from the extracted water would be recovered before disposing of any resulting byproducts. Until a price is placed on carbon, we expect that utilities and other CO 2 sources will be reluctant to invest in capital intensive, high risk GCS projects; early technical, economic, and environmental assessments of brine management are extremely valuable for determining the potential role of GCS in the US. We performed a first order feasibility and economic assessment, at three different locations in the US, of twelve GCS extracted-­water management options, including: geothermal energy extraction, desalination, salt and mineral harvesting, rare-­earth element harvesting, aquaculture, algae biodiesel production, road de-­icing, enhanced geothermal system (EGS) recharge, underground reinjection, landfill disposal, ocean disposal, and evaporation pond disposal. Three saline aquifers from different regions of the US were selected as hypothetical GCS project sites to encompass variation in parameters that are relevant to the feasibility and economics of brine disposal. The three aquifers are the southern Mt. Simon Sandstone Formation in the Illinois Basin, IL; the Vedder Formation in the southern San Joaquin Basin, CA; and the Jasper Interval in the eastern Texas Gulf Basin, TX. These aquifers are candidates for GCS due to their physical characteristics and their close proximity to large CO 2 emission sources. Feasibility and impacts were calculated using one mt-­CO 2 injected as the functional unit of brine management. Scenarios were performed for typical 1000MW coal-­fired power plants (CFPP) that incurred an assumed 24 percent carbon capture energy penalty (EP), injected 90 percent of CO 2 emissions (~9 million mt-­ CO 2 injected annually), and treated extracted water onsite. Net present value (NPV), land requirements, laws and regulations, and technological limits were determined for each stage of disposal, and used to estimate feasibility. The boundary of the assessment began once extracted water was brought to the surface, and ended once the water evaporated, was injected underground, or was discharged into surface water bodies. Results of the assessment were generated, stored, and analyzed using Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and ESRI Geographical Information System (GIS) maps. Conclusions about the relative benefits and impacts of alternative brine-­management strategies were highly sensitive to local climate and weather, and aquifer water chemistry. The NPV of certain scenarios ranged from -­$50/mt-­CO 2 (a cost) to +$10/mt-­CO 2 (revenue). The land footprint of the scenarios in this study ranged from <1 km 2 to 100 km 2. Brine extraction as a pressure management tool for GCS has potential for improving the economics and for minimizing the environmental impacts of CCS. In order to maximize this potential, careful analysis of each saline aquifer and region must be conducted to determine a regionally appropriate brine use sequence (BUS) at the time of site selection. Models that use GIS will be essential tools in determining such sequences for individual CFPP. Future studies that perform risk and life cycle assessments (LCA) of BUS scenarios, incorporate additional impact metrics into the BUS model, and enhance the temporal sensitivity of the model would improve the robustness of this regional assessment method.« less

Two-brine model of the genesis of strata-bound Zechstein deposits (Kupferschiefer type), Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kucha, H.; Pawlikowski, M.

1986-01-01

These Kupferschiefer deposits were probably formed as a result of a mixing of two brines. The upper cold brine (UCB) is an unmineralized brine rich in Na, Ca, Cl and SO4, with a pH>7 and originating from evaporites overlying the metal-bearing Zechstein rocks. The lower hot brine (LHB) rich in Mg, K, Cl, SO4 and CO3 with a pH<=7 formed in sediments in the central part of the Zechstein basin at a depth of 7,000 m. This brine was subjected to heating and upward convection toward the Fore-Sudetic monocline along the bottom of the Z1 carbonates. During its migration, it caused albitization, serpentinization and leaching of the primary metal deposits in rocks underlying the Zechstein becoming enriched in heavy metals. The mineralization process, being a result of the mixing of the two brines (UCB and LHB), and catalytic oxidation of the organic matter of the black shale were initiated at shallow depths in the area of the Fore-Sudetic monocline. The boundary of the two brines generally overlapped the strike of the black shale. Parts of the deposit with shale-free host rock suggest that the action of two brines alone was capable of producing economic concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn. Where the boundary of the two brines overlaps the autooxidation zone (the black shale bottom) and also coincides with γ radiation of thucholite, concentrations of noble metals result. The characteristic vertical distribution of the triplet Cu→Pb→Zn from the bottom upward is universal in the Kupferschiefer environment.

Tooth damage in captive orcas (Orcinus orca).

PubMed

Jett, John; Visser, Ingrid N; Ventre, Jeffrey; Waltz, Jordan; Loch, Carolina

2017-12-01

Tooth damage as a result of oral stereotypies is evident in captive orca, yet little research on the topic exists. This study examines the associations between dental pathology, sex, facility, duration of captivity and other factors in captive orca. We evaluated mandibular and maxillary teeth from dental images of 29 captive orca owned by a US-based theme park. Each tooth was scored for coronal wear, wear at or below gum line and bore holes. Fractured and missing teeth were also noted. Summary statistics described the distribution and severity of pathologies; inferential statistics examined how pathologies differed between sexes, between wild-captured and captive-born orcas and between captive orca at four facilities. We also evaluated how dental pathology and duration of captivity were related. Approximately 24% of whales exhibited "major" to "extreme" mandibular coronal tooth wear, with coronal wear and wear at or below gum line highly correlated. More than 60% of mandibular teeth 2 and 3 exhibited fractures. Bore holes were observed primarily among anterior mandibular teeth, with more than 61% of teeth 2 and 3 bearing evidence of having been drilled. Four of five orca with the highest age-adjusted tooth pathology indices were captive-born. Various dental pathologies were observed across all whales, with pathologies beginning at a young age. Oral stereotypies exhibited by captive orca contributed to the observed dental damage. By making dental and health records of captive whales publicly available, the theme park industry is uniquely positioned to provide further insight into dental pathology and resultant health consequences in captive orca. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Orca Behavior and Subsequent Aggression Associated with Oceanarium Confinement.

PubMed

Anderson, Robert; Waayers, Robyn; Knight, Andrew

2016-08-18

Based on neuroanatomical indices such as brain size and encephalization quotient, orcas are among the most intelligent animals on Earth. They display a range of complex behaviors indicative of social intelligence, but these are difficult to study in the open ocean where protective laws may apply, or in captivity, where access is constrained for commercial and safety reasons. From 1979 to 1980, however, we were able to interact with juvenile orcas in an unstructured way at San Diego's SeaWorld facility. We observed in the animals what appeared to be pranks, tests of trust, limited use of tactical deception, emotional self-control, and empathetic behaviors. Our observations were consistent with those of a former Seaworld trainer, and provide important insights into orca cognition, communication, and social intelligence. However, after being trained as performers within Seaworld's commercial entertainment program, a number of orcas began to exhibit aggressive behaviors. The orcas who previously established apparent friendships with humans were most affected, although significant aggression also occurred in some of their descendants, and among the orcas they lived with. Such oceanaria confinement and commercial use can no longer be considered ethically defensible, given the current understanding of orcas' advanced cognitive, social, and communicative capacities, and of their behavioral needs.

Hydrology and surface morphology of the Bonneville Salt Flats and Pilot Valley Playa, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lines, Gregory C.

1979-01-01

The Bonneville Salt Flats and Pilot Valley are in the western part of the Great Salt Lake Desert in northwest Utah. The areas are separate, though similar, hydrologic basins, and both contain a salt crust. The Bonneville salt crust covered about 40 square miles in the fall of 1976, and the salt crust in Pilot Valley covered 7 square miles. Both areas lack any noticeable surface relief (in 1976, 1.3 feet on the Bonneville salt crust and 0.3 foot on the Pilot Valley salt crust).The salt crust on the Salt Flats has been used for many years for automobile racing, and brines from shallow lacustrine deposits have been used for the production of potash. In recent years, there has been an apparent conflict between these two major uses of the area as the salt crust has diminished in both thickness and extent. Much of the Bonneville Racetrack has become rougher, and there has also been an increase in the amount of sediment on the south end of the racetrack. The Pilot Valley salt crust and surrounding playa have been largely unused.Evaporite minerals on the Salt Flats and the Pilot Valley playa are concentrated in three zones: (1) a carbonate zone composed mainly of authigenic clay-size carbonate minerals, (2) a sulfate zone composed mainly of authigenic gypsum, and (3) a chloride zone composed of crystalline halite (the salt crust). Five major types of salt crust were recognized on the Salt Flats, but only one type was observed in Pilot Valley. Geomorphic differences in the salt crust are caused by differences in their hydrologic environments. The salt crusts are dynamic features that are subject to change because of climatic factors and man's activities.Ground water occurs in three distinct aquifers in much of the western Great Salt Lake Desert: (1) the basin-fill aquifer, which yields water from conglomerate in the lower part of the basin fill, (2) the alluvial-fan aquifer, which yields water from sand and gravel along the western margins of both playas, and (3) the shallow-brine aquifer, which yields water from near-surface carbonate muds and crystalline halite and gypsum. The shallow-brine aquifer is the main source of brine used for the production of potash on the Salt Flats.Recharge to that part of the shallow-brine aquifer north of Interstate Highway 80 on the Salt Flats is mainly by infiltration of precipitation and wind-driven floods of surface brine. Discharge was mainly by evaporation at the playa surface and withdrawals from brine-collection ditches. Some water was transpired by phreatophytes, and some leaked into the alluvial fan along the western edge of the playa.Salt-scraping studies indicate that the amount of halite on the Salt Flats is directly related to the amount of recharge through the surface (which causes re-solution of halite) and the amount of evaporation at the surface (which causes crystallization of halite). Evaporation rates through sediment-covered salt crust and the gypsum surface were estimated at between 3x10-4 and 4x10-3 inches per day during the summer and fall of 1976. Evaporation rates through the surface of thick perennial salt crust were much higher.The concentration of dissolved solids in brine in the shallow-brine aquifer varies, but it generally increases from the edges of the playas toward areas of salt crust. Dissolved-solids concentration in the shallow brine ranges from less than 100,000 to more than 300,000 milligrams per liter on both playas. The increase in salinity toward areas of salt crust reflects the natural direction of brine movement through the aquifer toward the natural discharge area.On the Salt Flats, the percentages of dissolved potassium chloride and magnesium chloride in the shallow-brine aquifer generally increase from the edge of the playa to- ward the salt crust. The relative enrichment in potassium and magnesium reflects the many years of subsurface drainage toward the main discharge area (the salt crust) prior to man's withdrawal of brine. By artificially extracting brines from the carbonate muds, the percentages of potassium and magnesium have decreased while brine salinity has been maintained by re-solution of the salt crust.The configuration of the density-corrected potentiometric surface in the fall of 1976 indicates that brine in the shallow-brine aquifer under the Bonneville Racetrack was draining toward brine-collection ditches or a well field to the west. Ground-water divides have no effect on the movement of dissolved salt across the surface in wind-driven floods, and salt in surface brine was carried from the racetrack into the area of influence of the ditches by such surface movement. During 1976 on the Salt Flats, some brine was moving through the shallow-brine aquifer across lease and property boundaries.An evaluation of suggested remedial measures indicates that none will completely eliminate the conflict between uses or transform the Bonneville Salt Flats to its original state prior to man's activities in the area.

Using 81Kr and noble gases to characterize and date groundwater and brines in the Baltic Artesian Basin on the one-million-year timescale

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gerber, Christoph; Vaikmae, Rein; Aeschbach, Werner

Analyses for 81Kr and noble gases on groundwater from the deepest aquifer system of the Baltic Artesian Basin (BAB) were performed to determine groundwater ages and uncover the flow dynamics of the system on a timescale of several hundred thousand years. We find that the system is controlled by mixing of three distinct water masses: Interglacial or recent meteoric water (δ 18O ≈ –10.4‰) with a poorly evolved chemical and noble gas signature, glacial meltwater (δ 18O ≤ –18‰) with elevated noble gas concentrations, and an old, high-salinity brine component (δ 18O ≥ –4.5‰, ≥ 90 g Cl –/L) withmore » strongly depleted atmospheric noble gas concentrations. The 81Kr measurements are interpreted within this mixing framework to estimate the age of the end-members. Deconvoluted 81Kr ages range from 300 ka to 1.3 Ma for interglacial or recent meteoric water and glacial meltwater. For the brine component, ages exceed the dating range of the ATTA-3 instrument of 1.3 Ma. The radiogenic noble gas components 4He* and 40Ar* are less conclusive but also support an age of > 1 Ma for the brine. Based on the chemical and noble gas concentrations and the dating results, we conclude that the brine originates from evaporated seawater that has been modified by later water–rock interaction. Furthermore, as the obtained tracer ages cover several glacial cycles, we discuss the impact of the glacial cycles on flow patterns in the studied aquifer system.« less

Using 81Kr and noble gases to characterize and date groundwater and brines in the Baltic Artesian Basin on the one-million-year timescale

DOE PAGES

Gerber, Christoph; Vaikmae, Rein; Aeschbach, Werner; ...

2017-01-31

Analyses for 81Kr and noble gases on groundwater from the deepest aquifer system of the Baltic Artesian Basin (BAB) were performed to determine groundwater ages and uncover the flow dynamics of the system on a timescale of several hundred thousand years. We find that the system is controlled by mixing of three distinct water masses: Interglacial or recent meteoric water (δ 18O ≈ –10.4‰) with a poorly evolved chemical and noble gas signature, glacial meltwater (δ 18O ≤ –18‰) with elevated noble gas concentrations, and an old, high-salinity brine component (δ 18O ≥ –4.5‰, ≥ 90 g Cl –/L) withmore » strongly depleted atmospheric noble gas concentrations. The 81Kr measurements are interpreted within this mixing framework to estimate the age of the end-members. Deconvoluted 81Kr ages range from 300 ka to 1.3 Ma for interglacial or recent meteoric water and glacial meltwater. For the brine component, ages exceed the dating range of the ATTA-3 instrument of 1.3 Ma. The radiogenic noble gas components 4He* and 40Ar* are less conclusive but also support an age of > 1 Ma for the brine. Based on the chemical and noble gas concentrations and the dating results, we conclude that the brine originates from evaporated seawater that has been modified by later water–rock interaction. Furthermore, as the obtained tracer ages cover several glacial cycles, we discuss the impact of the glacial cycles on flow patterns in the studied aquifer system.« less

Freshwater and polynya components of the shelf-derived Arctic Ocean halocline in summer 2007 identified by stable oxygen isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauch, D.; Rutgers van der Loeff, M.; Andersen, N.; Torres-Valdes, S.; Bakker, K.; Abrahamsen, E.

2011-12-01

With the aim of determining the origin of freshwater in the halocline, fractions of river water and sea-ice meltwater (or brine influence from sea-ice formation) in the upper 150 m were quantified by a combination of salinity and δ18O and nutrients in the Eurasian basins and the Makarov Basin. Our study indicates which layers of the Arctic Ocean halocline are primarily influenced by sea-ice formation in coastal polynyas and which are primarily influenced by sea-ice formation over the open ocean. With the ongoing changes in sea-ice coverage in the Arctic Ocean it can be expected that these processes will change in the immediate future and that the relative contributions to the halocline will change accordingly. Within the Eurasian Basin a west to east oriented front between net melting and production of sea-ice is observed. Outside the Atlantic regime dominated by net sea-ice melting, a pronounced layer influenced by brines released during sea-ice formation is present at about 30 to 50 m water depth with a maximum over the Lomonosov Ridge. The geographically distinct definition of this maximum demonstrates the rapid release and transport of signals from the shelf regions in discrete pulses within the Transpolar Drift. We use the ratio of sea-ice derived brine influence and river water to link the maximum in brine influence within the Transpolar Drift with a pulse of shelf waters from the Laptev Sea likely released in summer 2005. For a distinction of Atlantic and Pacific-derived contributions the initial phosphate corrected for mineralization with oxygen (PO*) and alternatively the nitrate to phosphate ratio (N/P) in each sample were used. While PO*-based assessments systematically underestimate the contribution of Pacific-derived waters, N/P-based calculations overestimate Pacific-derived waters within the Transpolar Drift due to denitrification in bottom sediments of the Laptev Sea. The extent of Pacific-derived water in the Arctic Ocean was approximately limited by the position of the Lomonosov Ridge in 2007. The ratio of sea-ice derived brine influence and river water is roughly constant within each layer of the Arctic Ocean halocline. The correlation between brine influence and river water reveals two clusters that can be assigned to the two main mechanisms of sea-ice formation within the Arctic Ocean. Over the open ocean or in polynyas at the continental slope sea-ice formation results in a linear correlation between brine influence and river water at salinities of ~ 32 to 34. In coastal polynyas in the shallow regions of the Laptev Sea and southern Kara Sea, sea-ice formation transports river water into the shelf's bottom layer due to the close proximity to the river mouths. This process results in a second linear correlation between brine influence and river water at salinities of ~ 30 to 32.

Hydrothermal dolomitization of the Bekhme formation (Upper Cretaceous), Zagros Basin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Record of oil migration and degradation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansurbeg, Howri; Morad, Daniel; Othman, Rushdy; Morad, Sadoon; Ceriani, Andrea; Al-Aasm, Ihsan; Kolo, Kamal; Spirov, Pavel; Proust, Jean Noel; Preat, Alain; Koyi, Hemin

2016-07-01

The common presence of oil seepages in dolostones is widespread in Cretaceous carbonate successions of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. This integrated field, petrographic, chemical, stable C, O and Sr isotopes, and fluid inclusion study aims to link dolomitization to the origin and geochemical evolution of fluids and oil migration in the Upper Cretaceous Bekhme carbonates. Flux of hot basinal (hydrothermal) brines, which is suggested to have occurred during the Zagros Orogeny, resulted in dolomitization and cementation of vugs and fractures by coarse-crystalline saddle dolomite, equant calcite and anhydrite. The saddle dolomite and host dolostones have similar stable isotopic composition and formed prior to oil migration from hot (81-115 °C) basinal NaCl-MgCl2-H2O brines with salinities of 18-22 wt.% NaCl eq. The equant calcite cement, which surrounds and hence postdates saddle dolomite, has precipitated during oil migration from cooler (60-110 °C) NaCl-CaCl2-H2O brines (14-18 wt.% NaCl eq). The yellowish fluorescence color of oil inclusions in the equant calcite indicates that the oil had API gravity of 15-25° composition, which is lighter than present-day oil in the reservoirs (API of 10-17°). This difference in oil composition is attributed to oil degradation by the flux of meteoric water, which is evidenced by the low δ13C values (- 8.5‰ to - 3.9‰ VPDB) as well as by nil salinity and low temperature in fluid inclusions of late columnar calcite cement. This study demonstrates that linking fluid flux history and related diagenesis to the tectonic evolution of the basin provides important clues to the timing of oil migration, degradation and reservoir evolution.

48 CFR 252.204-7007 - Alternate A, Annual Representations and Certifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., Economic Price Adjustment-Wage Rates or Material Prices Controlled by a Foreign Government. Applies to... Certifications Application (ORCA) Web site at https://orca.bpn.gov/. After reviewing the ORCA database...

A summary of data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey at Dasht-e-Nawar, Afghanistan, in support of lithium exploration, June-September 2014

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stillings, Lisa L.; Mack, Thomas J.; Chornack, Michael P.; Kalaly, Siddiq S.; Ahmadi, M. Idrees; Akbar, A. Qasim

2015-01-01

Interpretation of the data from the passive seismic survey suggests that the maximum sediment thickness in the northern lobe of the basin is 107 m, and in the southern lobe of the basin it is 173 m. Although the boreholes did not extend to the basin floor, the low Li concentration observed in pore waters does not suggest the presence of a viable Li brine resource at Dasht-e-Nawar.

Transient groundwater-lake interactions in a continental rift: Sea of Galilee, Israel

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hurwitz, S.; Stanislavsky, E.; Lyakhovsky, V.; Gvirtzman, H.

2000-01-01

The Sea of Galilee, located in the northern part of the Dead Sea rift, is currently an intermediate fresh-water lake. It is postulated that during a short highstand phase of former Lake Lisan in the late Pleistocene, saline water percolated into the subsurface. Since its recession from the Kinarot basin and the instantaneous formation of the fresh-water lake (the Sea of Galilee), the previously intruded brine has been flushed backward toward the lake. Numerical simulations solving the coupled equations of fluid flow and of solute and heat transport are applied to examine the feasibility of this hypothesis. A sensitivity analysis shows that the major parameters controlling basin hydrodynamics are lake-water salinity, aquifer permeability, and aquifer anisotropy. Results show that a highstand period of 3000 yr in Lake Lisan was sufficient for saline water to percolate deep into the subsurface. Because of different aquifer permeabilities on both sides of the rift, brine percolated into a aquifers on the western margin, whereas percolation was negligible on the eastern side. In the simulation, after the occupation of the basin by the Sea of Galilee, the invading saline water was leached backward by a topography-driven flow. It is suggested that the percolating brine on the western side reacted with limestone at depth to form epigenetic dolomite at elevated temperatures. Therefore, groundwater discharging along the western shores of the Sea of Galilee has a higher calcium to magnesium ratio than groundwater on the eastern side.

Numerical investigation of coupled density-driven flow and hydrogeochemical processes below playas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamann, Enrico; Post, Vincent; Kohfahl, Claus; Prommer, Henning; Simmons, Craig T.

2015-11-01

Numerical modeling approaches with varying complexity were explored to investigate coupled groundwater flow and geochemical processes in saline basins. Long-term model simulations of a playa system gain insights into the complex feedback mechanisms between density-driven flow and the spatiotemporal patterns of precipitating evaporites and evolving brines. Using a reactive multicomponent transport model approach, the simulations reproduced, for the first time in a numerical study, the evaporite precipitation sequences frequently observed in saline basins ("bull's eyes"). Playa-specific flow, evapoconcentration, and chemical divides were found to be the primary controls for the location of evaporites formed, and the resulting brine chemistry. Comparative simulations with the computationally far less demanding surrogate single-species transport models showed that these were still able to replicate the major flow patterns obtained by the more complex reactive transport simulations. However, the simulated degree of salinization was clearly lower than in reactive multicomponent transport simulations. For example, in the late stages of the simulations, when the brine becomes halite-saturated, the nonreactive simulation overestimated the solute mass by almost 20%. The simulations highlight the importance of the consideration of reactive transport processes for understanding and quantifying geochemical patterns, concentrations of individual dissolved solutes, and evaporite evolution.

Brine flow up a borehole caused by pressure perturbation from CO2 storage: Static and dynamic evaluations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Birkholzer, J.T.; Nicot, J.-P.; Oldenburg, C.M.

Industrial-scale storage of CO{sub 2} in saline sedimentary basins will cause zones of elevated pressure, larger than the CO{sub 2} plume itself. If permeable conduits (e.g., leaking wells) exist between the injection reservoir and overlying shallow aquifers, brine could be pushed upwards along these conduits and mix with groundwater resources. This paper discusses the potential for such brine leakage to occur in temperature- and salinity-stratified systems. Using static mass-balance calculations as well as dynamic well flow simulations, we evaluate the minimum reservoir pressure that would generate continuous migration of brine up a leaking wellbore into a freshwater aquifer. Since themore » brine invading the well is denser than the initial fluid in the wellbore, continuous flow only occurs if the pressure perturbation in the reservoir is large enough to overcome the increased fluid column weight after full invasion of brine into the well. If the threshold pressure is exceeded, brine flow rates are dependent on various hydraulic (and other) properties, in particular the effective permeability of the wellbore and the magnitude of pressure increase. If brine flow occurs outside of the well casing, e.g., in a permeable fracture zone between the well cement and the formation, the fluid/solute transfer between the migrating fluid and the surrounding rock units can strongly retard brine flow. At the same time, the threshold pressure for continuous flow to occur decreases compared to a case with no fluid/solute transfer.« less

FIELD IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR A WILLISTON BASIN BRINE EXTRACTION AND STORAGE TEST

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hamling, John; Klapperich, Ryan; Stepan, Daniel

2016-03-31

The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) successfully completed all technical work of Phase I, including development of a field implementation plan (FIP) for a brine extraction and storage test (BEST) in the North Dakota portion of the Williston Basin. This implementation plan was commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) as a proxy for managing formation pressure plumes and measuring/monitoring the movement of differential pressure and CO2 plumes in the subsurface for future saline CO2 storage projects. BEST comprises the demonstration and validation of active reservoir management (ARM) strategies and extracted brine treatmentmore » technologies. Two prospective commercial brine injection sites were evaluated for BEST to satisfy DOE’s goals. Ultimately, an active saltwater disposal (SWD) site, Johnsons Corner, was selected because it possesses an ideal combination of key factors making it uniquely suited to host BEST. This site is located in western North Dakota and operated by Nuverra Environmental Solutions (Nuverra), a national leader in brine handling, treatment, and injection. An integrated management approach was used to incorporate local and regional geologic characterization activities with geologic and simulation models, inform a monitoring, verification, and accounting (MVA) plan, and to conduct a risk assessment. This approach was used to design a FIP for an ARM schema and an extracted brine treatment technology test bed facility. The FIP leverages an existing pressure plume generated by two commercial SWD wells. These wells, in conjunction with a new brine extraction well, will be used to conduct the ARM schema. Results of these tests will be quantified based on their impact on the performance of the existing SWD wells and the surrounding reservoir system. Extracted brine will be injected into an underlying deep saline formation through a new injection well. The locations of proposed extraction and injection wells were selected during the Phase I efforts. These wells will be permitted as North Dakota Administrative Code Underground Injection Control Class II wells and will yield additional characterization data which will further refine the FIP in Phase II. An array of surface and downhole monitoring techniques will validate ARM performance against predictive simulation results. Infrastructure will be constructed to manage extracted fluids at the surface and provide brine to a treatment test bed facility. Treatment of extracted brine can provide a means of reducing extracted brine disposal volumes, an alternate source of water, and/or salable products for beneficial use. A test bed facility will be constructed to provide a means of demonstrating these technologies on a wide range of brine concentrations. Screening criteria based on a techno-economic and life cycle assessment were developed to select high-salinity brine treatment technologies for extended duration treatment (30–60 days) in Phase II. A detailed cost assessment determined total implementation costs for BEST of $19,901,065 million (DOE share $15,680,505). These costs are inclusive of all necessary equipment, infrastructure construction, operations and project closeout costs required to implement BEST. An ideal combination of key factors makes the Johnsons Corner site uniquely suited to be the BEST demonstration.« less

The ORCA2 transcription factor plays a key role in regulation of the terpenoid indole alkaloid pathway

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The terpenoid indole alkaloid (TIA) pathway leads to the production of pharmaceutically important drugs, such as the anticancer compounds vinblastine and vincristine. Unfortunately, these drugs are produced in trace amounts, causing them to be very costly. To increase production of these drugs, an improved understanding of the TIA regulatory pathway is needed. Towards this end, transgenic Catharanthus roseus hairy roots that overexpress the ORCA2 TIA transcriptional activator were generated and characterized. Results Transcriptional profiling experiments revealed that overexpression of ORCA2 results in altered expression of key genes from the indole and terpenoid pathways, which produce precursors for the TIA pathway, and from the TIA pathway itself. In addition, metabolite-profiling experiments revealed that overexpression of ORCA2 significantly affects the levels of several TIA metabolites. ORCA2 overexpression also causes significant increases in transcript levels of several TIA regulators, including TIA transcriptional repressors. Conclusions Results presented here indicate that ORCA2 plays a critical role in regulation of TIA metabolism. ORCA2 regulates expression of key genes from both feeder pathways, as well as the genes (STR and SGD) encoding the enzymes that catalyze the first two steps in TIA biosynthesis. ORCA2 may play an especially important role in regulation of the downstream branches of the TIA pathway, as it regulates four out of five genes characterized from this part of the pathway. Regulation of TIA transcriptional repressors by ORCA2 may provide a mechanism whereby increases in TIA metabolite levels in response to external stimuli are transient and limited in magnitude. PMID:24099172

Groundwater residence time and paleohydrology in the Baltic Artesian basin:isotope geochemical data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaikmae, R.; Gerber, C.; Purtschert, R.; Aeschbach, W.; Raidla, V., Sr.; Lu, Z. T.; Zappala, J. C.; Mueller, P.; Mokrik, R., Sr.; Jiang, W.

2016-12-01

In this study of the Cambrian aquifer system(CAS) in the Baltic Artesian Basin(BAS) (, chemistry, stable isotopes, noble gas measurements, and dating tracers were combined for study the flow and recharge dynamics of the system over the last million years We find that the variability in chemical composition, stable isotopes and noble gas content in the basin is predominately controlled by mixing of three distinct water masses: Holocene and Pleistocene interglacial water, glacial meltwater, and brine. 81Kr is a nearly ideal dating tracer for such old systems. The radiogenic 4He and 40Ar provide additional information, but are more difficult to interpret in terms of groundwater age. In this study, we did not consider diffusive loss of 81Kr to stagnant water, which might result in an overestimation of groundwater ages ). However, the relatively high porosity and large thickness of the CAS, together with the presumed high salinity and low Kr content of the stagnant water all diminish the effect of diffusive 81Kr loss on age estimates. Our results confirm that under normal conditions, underground production of 81Kr is not affecting the dating results. 81Kr, 4He, and 40Ar all indicate a residence time of the brine of more than 1-3 Ma. Some uncertainty about the brine formation process remains, but the combination of chemical and stable isotope composition of the brine, noble gas concentrations and dating results favors evaporative enrichment of seawater. Tracer ages of interglacial water and glacial meltwater are on the order of several hundred thousand years, which means that several reversals of the flow direction in the CAS as a result of the paleoclimatology of the area have to be taken into account. Under such conditions, small vertical leakage, through fracture zones for example, might considerably impact the net flow pattern. Due to the cyclic flow direction reversals, the aquifer was probably in a transient state over most of the last 1 Ma period.

Evaporitic sedimentation in the Southeastern Anatolian Foreland Basin: New insights on the Neotethys closure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeşilova, Çetin; Helvacı, Cahit; Carrillo, Emilio

2018-07-01

We integrate stratigraphic, petrographic and geochemical analysis of subsurface data (wells) together with field surveys to study the sedimentation of a marginal Miocene sub-basin of the Southeastern Anatolian Foreland Basin (SEAFB; SE Turkey). This sub-basin, located in the Batman-Siirt region, is characterized by the existence of evaporites (carbonates, sulphates and chlorides) and alluvial detritus which were divided in the following five lithostratigraphic members, from older to younger: Lower and Upper Yapılar; and Lower, Middle and Upper Sulha. These members deposited in an epicontinental mudflat during the Early Miocene. Both the bromine content and the sulphur and oxygen isotope composition (δ34SV-CDT and δ18OV-SMOW) of halite and sulphates samples, respectively, also suggest a marine origin of the precipitation brines. However, influence of geothermal fluids and dissolution-and-re-precipitation of evaporites from uplifted areas in these brines, such as the Early Miocene members and/or Triassic units, is interpreted. Comparing and integrating our results with data documented in previous works, it is here recognized that the depositional model of the studied sub-basin differs from that which explain the coeval sedimentation of units situated in the western part of the SEAFB. Moreover, our model shows some depositional and paleoenvironmental similarities with Miocene evaporites located in the Mesopotamian Foreland Basin. This work provides valuable insights on the Middle Miocene Salinity Crisis which is related to the evolution of the Neotethys closure.

Don Juan Pond, Antarctica: Near-surface CaCl2-brine feeding Earth's most saline lake and implications for Mars

PubMed Central

Dickson, James L.; Head, James W.; Levy, Joseph S.; Marchant, David R.

2013-01-01

The discovery on Mars of recurring slope lineae (RSL), thought to represent seasonal brines, has sparked interest in analogous environments on Earth. We report on new studies of Don Juan Pond (DJP), which exists at the upper limit of ephemeral water in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) of Antarctica, and is adjacent to several steep-sloped water tracks, the closest analog for RSL. The source of DJP has been interpreted to be deep groundwater. We present time-lapse data and meteorological measurements that confirm deliquescence within the DJP watershed and show that this, together with small amounts of meltwater, are capable of generating brines that control summertime water levels. Groundwater input was not observed. In addition to providing an analog for RSL formation, CaCl2 brines and chloride deposits in basins may provide clues to the origin of ancient chloride deposits on Mars dating from the transition period from “warm/wet” to “cold/dry” climates. PMID:23378901

Don Juan Pond, Antarctica: near-surface CaCl(2)-brine feeding Earth's most saline lake and implications for Mars.

PubMed

Dickson, James L; Head, James W; Levy, Joseph S; Marchant, David R

2013-01-01

The discovery on Mars of recurring slope lineae (RSL), thought to represent seasonal brines, has sparked interest in analogous environments on Earth. We report on new studies of Don Juan Pond (DJP), which exists at the upper limit of ephemeral water in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) of Antarctica, and is adjacent to several steep-sloped water tracks, the closest analog for RSL. The source of DJP has been interpreted to be deep groundwater. We present time-lapse data and meteorological measurements that confirm deliquescence within the DJP watershed and show that this, together with small amounts of meltwater, are capable of generating brines that control summertime water levels. Groundwater input was not observed. In addition to providing an analog for RSL formation, CaCl(2) brines and chloride deposits in basins may provide clues to the origin of ancient chloride deposits on Mars dating from the transition period from "warm/wet" to "cold/dry" climates.

Effects of brine contamination from energy development on wetland macroinvertebrate community structure in the Prairie Pothole Region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Preston, Todd M.; Borgreen, Michael J.; Ray, Andrew M.

2018-01-01

Wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North America support macroinvertebrate communities that are integral to local food webs and important to breeding waterfowl. Macroinvertebrates in PPR wetlands are primarily generalists and well adapted to within and among year changes in water permanence and salinity. The Williston Basin, a major source of U.S. energy production, underlies the southwest portion of the PPR. Development of oil and gas results in the coproduction of large volumes of highly saline, sodium chloride dominated water (brine) and the introduction of brine can alter wetland salinity. To assess potential effects of brine contamination on macroinvertebrate communities, 155 PPR wetlands spanning a range of hydroperiods and salinities were sampled between 2014 and 2016. Brine contamination was documented in 34 wetlands with contaminated wetlands having significantly higher chloride concentrations, specific conductance and percent dominant taxa, and significantly lower taxonomic richness, Shannon diversity, and Pielou evenness scores compared to uncontaminated wetlands. Non-metric multidimensional scaling found significant correlations between several water quality parameters and macroinvertebrate communities. Chloride concentration and specific conductance, which can be elevated in naturally saline wetlands, but are also associated with brine contamination, had the strongest correlations. Five wetland groups were identified from cluster analysis with many of the highly contaminated wetlands located in a single cluster. Low or moderately contaminated wetlands were distributed among the remaining clusters and had macroinvertebrate communities similar to uncontaminated wetlands. While aggregate changes in macroinvertebrate community structure were observed with brine contamination, systematic changes were not evident, likely due to the strong and potentially confounding influence of hydroperiod and natural salinity. Therefore, despite the observed negative response of macroinvertebrate communities to brine contamination, macroinvertebrate community structure alone is likely not the most sensitive indicator of brine contamination in PPR wetlands.

78 FR 18349 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Information Collection; Commercial Item Acquisitions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-26

... Certification Application (ORCA) function of the System for Award Management (SAM) database. Because an offeror..., use of the ORCA function by prospective contractors decreases the number of responses per respondent per year for purposes of this information collection. ORCA was developed to eliminate the...

78 FR 37659 - Requested Administrative Waiver of the Coastwise Trade Laws: Vessel ORCA; Invitation for Public...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-21

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Maritime Administration [Docket No. MARAD-2013 0075] Requested Administrative Waiver of the Coastwise Trade Laws: Vessel ORCA; Invitation for Public Comments AGENCY: Maritime... . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As described by the applicant the intended service of the vessel ORCA is: Intended...

75 FR 71646 - Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Annual Representations and Certifications...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-24

...), which indicates the applicable representations and certifications in ORCA. The representations and certifications in ORCA are those provisions and clauses listed in the prescribing language contained in FAR 4.1202. The change also requires the DFARS representations and certifications in ORCA to be listed in...

75 FR 51177 - Revocation of Class E Airspace; Eastsound, WA

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-19

... airspace at Orcas Island Airport, Eastsound, WA. Controlled airspace already exists in the Eastsound, WA area that accommodates the safety and management of aircraft operations at Orcas Island Airport. DATES... Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 by removing Class E surface airspace at Orcas Island Airport, Eastsound, WA...

Closed-form and Numerical Reverberation and Propagation: Inclusion of Convergence Effects

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-30

mode model Orca . In the second part of this work the theory is extended to range-dependnet environments and to include reverberation. The final...refracting environment by comparing results with the wave model Orca . 3 Fig. 1: Comparison with Orca of range-averaged propagation loss vs

75 FR 29963 - Proposed Revocation of Class E Airspace; Eastsound, WA

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-28

... action proposes to remove Class E surface airspace at Orcas Island Airport, Eastsound, WA. Controlled... operations at Orcas Island Airport. DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 12, 2010. ADDRESSES... at Orcas Island Airport, Eastsound, WA. The controlled airspace is unnecessary because existing...

76 FR 58491 - Combined Notice of Filings #2

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-21

... tariff filing per 35.12: BPA Interconnection Agreement--Orcas Island to be effective 10/ 1/2011. Filed... Sound Energy, Inc. submits tariff filing per 35.12: BPA Network Integratn TX Service Agreemt for Orcas...: BPA Network Operating Agreement for Orcas, Original Service Agreemt No 527 to be effective 10/1/2011...

Ultrasonic whistles of killer whales (Orcinus orca) recorded in the North Pacific (L).

PubMed

Filatova, Olga A; Ford, John K B; Matkin, Craig O; Barrett-Lennard, Lance G; Burdin, Alexander M; Hoyt, Erich

2012-12-01

Ultrasonic whistles were previously found in North Atlantic killer whales and were suggested to occur in eastern North Pacific killer whales based on the data from autonomous recorders. In this study ultrasonic whistles were found in the recordings from two encounters with the eastern North Pacific offshore ecotype killer whales and one encounter with the western North Pacific killer whales of unknown ecotype. All ultrasonic whistles were highly stereotyped and all but two had downsweep contours. These results demonstrate that specific sound categories can be shared by killer whales from different ocean basins.

Hydrologic environment of the Silurian salt deposits in parts of Michigan, Ohio, and New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Norris, Stanley E.

1978-01-01

The aggregate thickness of evaporites (salt, gypsum, and anhydrite) in the Silurian Salina sequence in Michigan exceeds 1200 feet in areas near the periphery of the Michigan basin, where the salt beds are less than 3000 feet below land surface. In northeast Ohio the aggregate thickness of salt beds is as much as 200 feet in places, and in western New York it is more than 500 feet, where th beds are less than 3000 feet deep. The salt-bearing rocks dip regionally on the order of 50 feet per mile; those in Michigan dip toward the center of the Michigan basin, and those in Ohio and New York, in the Appalachian basin, dip generally southward. The rocks in both basins thicken downdip. Minor folds and faults occur in the salt-bearing rocks in all three states. Some of this defrmation has been attenuated or absorbed bo the salt beds. Occuring near the middle of thick sedimentary sequences, the salt beds are bounded aboe and below by beds containing water having dissolved-solids concentrations several times that seawter. The brines occur commonly in discrete zones of high permeability at specific places in the stratigraphic sequence. In northeast Ohio two prominent brine zones are recognized by the driller, the Devonian Oriskany Sandstone, or 'first water' zone, above the Salina Formation, and the Newburg or 'second water' zone below the Salina. In each aquifer there is a vertical component of hydraulic head, but little brine probably moves through the salt beds because their permeability is extremely low. Also, ther is little evidence of dissolution of the salt in areas distant from the outcrop, suggesting that if brine does move through the salt, movement is at a slow enough rate so that, in combination with the saturated or near-saturated condition of the water, it precludes significant dissolution. Principal brine movement is probably in the permeable zones in the direction of the hydraulic gradient. Two areas in Michigan and one area each in Ohio and New York appear suitable for additional investigation of salt beds for purposes radioactive waste disposal. One of the Michigan areas is in the northern part of the southern peninsula, in Presque Isle and Alpena Counties; the other is in the southern part of the southern peninsula, in Oakland, Macomb, and St. Clair Counties (fig. 3). In northeast Ohio the area that appears to be suitable for investigation includes most of the eastern half of Lake County and extends eastward into Ashtabula County and southward into Geauga County. In western New York conditions may warrant additional investigation in Schuyler, Tompkins, and western Cortland Counties.

Chemical quality of water in the Walnut River basin, south-central Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leonard, Robert B.

1972-01-01

Improper disposal of oil-field brine and other wastes has adversely affected the naturally diverse chemical quality of much of the water in the Walnut River basin, south-central Kansas. The basin is an area of about 2,000 square miles in the shape of a rough triangle with its apex toward the south. The Whitewater River, a principal tributary, and the Walnut River below its junction with the Whitewater River flow southward toward the Arkansas River along courses nearly coincident with the contact of the Chase and overlying Sumner Groups of Permian age. The courses of many minor tributaries are parallel to a well-developed joint system in the Permian rock. Thick interbedded limestone and shale of the Chase Group underlie the more extensive, eastern part of the basin. Natural waters are dominantly of the calcium bicarbonate type. Shale and subordinate strata of limestone, gypsum, and dolomite of the Sumner Group underlie the western part of the basin. Natural waters are dominantly of the calcium sulfate type. Inflow from most east-bank tributaries dilutes streamflow of the Walnut River; west-bank tributaries, including the Whitewater River, contribute most of the sulfate. Terrace deposits and alluvial fill along the stream channels are assigned to the Pleistocene and Holocene Series. Calcium bicarbonate waters are common as a result of the dissolution of nearly ubiquitous fragments of calcareous rock, but the chemical quality of the water in the discontinuous aquifers depends mainly on the quality of local recharge. Concentrations of dissolved solids and of one or more ions in most well waters exceeded recommended maximums for drinking water. Nearly all the ground water is hard to very hard. High concentrations of sulfate characterize waters from gypsiferous aquifers; high concentrations of chloride characterize ground waters affected by drainage from oil fields. Extensive fracture and dissolution of the Permian limestones facilitated pollution of ground water by oil-field brine and migration of the polluted water into adjacent areas. Ground water containing more than 1,000 mg/o=l (milligrams per liter) dissolved solids .and more than 100 mg/o=l chloride is common near oil fields but is exceptional elsewhere. The concentration of nitrate in about 25 percent of the sampled well waters exceeded the recommended maximum for drinking water. High concentrations of nitrate generally were associated with shallow aquifers, local sources of organic pollution, and stagnation. Sodium and chloride are the principle ionic constituents of oil-field brine but are minor constituents of natural surface waters or shallow ground water in the basin. The ratios of the concentrations of sodium to chloride in brine from different oil fields varied within a narrow range from a mean of 0.52. Concentrations of chloride exceeding 50 mg/o=l in streamflow and 100 mg/l in ground water generally signified the presence of oil-field brine if the sodium-chloride ratios were less than 0.60. Higher sodium-chloride ratios characterized relatively rare occurrences of high concentrations of the ions that might have originated in evaporite minerals or in sewage. The concentration of chloride during low flow of the major streams generally increased, and the sodium-chloride ratio decreased, in a downstream direction from about 0.65 near the headwaters to about 0.51, which is characteristic of oil-field brine. The changes were most abrupt where polluted ground-water effluent augmented low streamflow adjacent to old oil fields. With increased direct runoff, the sodium-chloride ratio normally increased, and these ions constituted a smaller percentage of the dissolved-solids load. Annual runoff .decreased progressively from above normal to below normal during water years 1962-64. Higher concentrations .of the ions in streamflow persisted for longer periods during the periods of low runoff

Geochemical Evidence for Possible Natural Migration of Marcellus Formation Brine to Shallow Aquifers in Pennsylvania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warner, N. R.; Darrah, T. H.; Jackson, R. B.; Osborn, S.; Down, A.; Vengosh, A.

2012-12-01

The acceleration in production of natural gas from shale formations through horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing has altered the landscape of domestic energy production in the USA. Yet shale gas exploration has generated an increased awareness of risks to drinking water quality amid concerns for the possible migration of stray gas or hydraulic fracturing fluid and/or flowback brine to shallow drinking water aquifers. The degree to which shallow drinking water is at risk from hydraulic fracturing could depend upon the hydraulic connectivity between the shale gas formations and the surface. In this study, we analyzed the geochemistry of over 400 water samples located across six counties of northeastern Pennsylvania in the three principle aquifers, two Upper Devonian Age bedrock aquifers (Catskill and Lock Haven) and one Quaternary Age (Alluvium) that overlie the Marcellus Formation. Based on a detailed analysis of major (Br, Cl, Na, Mg, Ba, and Sr) and trace (Li) element geochemistry, coupled with utilization of a specific spectrum of isotopic tracers (87Sr/86Sr, 228Ra/ 226Ra, 2H/H, 18O/16O), we identify a salinized (Cl> 20 mg/L) shallow groundwater type which suggests conservative mixing relationships between fresh shallow groundwater and an underlying brine. Identification of the brine source is complicated as many of the brines in the northern Appalachian Basin likely share a common origin as the expelled remnants of the formation of the Silurian Salina evaporate deposits. To determine the ultimate source of the diluted brine we compared the observed geochemistry to over 80 brines produced from northern Appalachian Basin formations. The shallow salinized groundwater most closely resembles diluted produced water from the Middle Devonian Marcellus Formation. The 18O/16O and 2H/H of the salinized groundwater indicate that the brine is likely diluted with post-glacial (<10,000 ybp) meteoric water. Combined, these data indicate that hydraulic connections allowed cross formational migration of brine from deeper formations (1-2 kilometers below ground surface) and subsequent dilution. The occurrence of the saline water does not appear to be correlated with the location of shale-gas wells. Also, salinized groundwater with similar major element chemistry was reported prior to the most recent shale-gas development in the region. The source of the salinized water is likely not the recent drilling and hydraulic fracturing; instead brine migrated into the shallow aquifers and was recently diluted through natural pathways and processes. However, the presence of natural hydraulic connections to deeper formations suggests specific structural and hydrodynamic regimes in northeastern Pennsylvania where shallow drinking water resources are at greater risk of contamination, particularly with fugitive gases, during drilling and hydraulic fracturing of shale gas. The severity of the risk could depend upon the presence of pathways that allow the migration of fluids into the shallow aquifers on human time scales.

Relationships between water and gas chemistry in mature coalbed methane reservoirs of the Black Warrior Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pashin, Jack C.; McIntyre-Redden, Marcella R.; Mann, Steven D.; Kopaska-Merkel, David C.; Varonka, Matthew S.; Orem, William H.

2014-01-01

Water and gas chemistry in coalbed methane reservoirs of the Black Warrior Basin reflects a complex interplay among burial processes, basin hydrodynamics, thermogenesis, and late-stage microbial methanogenesis. These factors are all important considerations for developing production and water management strategies. Produced water ranges from nearly potable sodium-bicarbonate water to hypersaline sodium-chloride brine. The hydrodynamic framework of the basin is dominated by structurally controlled fresh-water plumes that formed by meteoric recharge along the southeastern margin of the basin. The produced water contains significant quantities of hydrocarbons and nitrogen compounds, and the produced gas appears to be of mixed thermogenic-biogenic origin.Late-stage microbial methanogenesis began following unroofing of the basin, and stable isotopes in the produced gas and in mineral cements indicate that late-stage methanogenesis occurred along a CO2-reduction metabolic pathway. Hydrocarbons, as well as small amounts of nitrate in the formation water, probably helped nourish the microbial consortia, which were apparently active in fresh to hypersaline water. The produced water contains NH4+ and NH3, which correlate strongly with brine concentration and are interpreted to be derived from silicate minerals. Denitrification reactions may have generated some N2, which is the only major impurity in the coalbed gas. Carbon dioxide is a minor component of the produced gas, but significant quantities are dissolved in the formation water. Degradation of organic compounds, augmented by deionization of NH4+, may have been the principal sources of hydrogen facilitating late-stage CO2 reduction.

50 CFR 226.206 - Critical habitat for the Southern Resident killer whale (Orcinus orca).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Resident killer whale (Orcinus orca). 226.206 Section 226.206 Wildlife and Fisheries NATIONAL MARINE... DESIGNATED CRITICAL HABITAT § 226.206 Critical habitat for the Southern Resident killer whale (Orcinus orca). Critical habitat is designated for the Southern Resident killer whale as described in this section. The...

50 CFR 226.206 - Critical habitat for the Southern Resident killer whale (Orcinus orca).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Resident killer whale (Orcinus orca). 226.206 Section 226.206 Wildlife and Fisheries NATIONAL MARINE... DESIGNATED CRITICAL HABITAT § 226.206 Critical habitat for the Southern Resident killer whale (Orcinus orca). Critical habitat is designated for the Southern Resident killer whale as described in this section. The...

50 CFR 226.206 - Critical habitat for the Southern Resident killer whale (Orcinus orca).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Resident killer whale (Orcinus orca). 226.206 Section 226.206 Wildlife and Fisheries NATIONAL MARINE... DESIGNATED CRITICAL HABITAT § 226.206 Critical habitat for the Southern Resident killer whale (Orcinus orca). Critical habitat is designated for the Southern Resident killer whale as described in this section. The...

Evaluating Mantle-to-Surface Hydrologic Connections in the Rio Grande Rift using Mathematical Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woolsey, E. E.; Person, M. A.; Crossey, L. J.; Phillips, F. M.; Karlstrom, K. E.; Williams, A. J.

2012-12-01

The southern terminus of the Albuquerque Basin along the Rio Grande Rift (RGR) is characterized by high river salinity (200-700 mg/L), temperature (29°C at 155 m depth), and mantle helium (0.26-0.37 RC/A) anomalies, which are clear indications of complex mixing of mantle and crustal fluids. The zone of maximum uplift of the Socorro Magma Body (SMB) is also localized at the southern end of the Albuquerque Basin. Two end member hypotheses have been proposed to account for salt loading in the Rio Grande: 1) basin constriction forcing brines and warm water to the surface and 2) fault-controlled fluid flow from deep mantle/magmatic sources. A better understanding of the hydrologic controls is necessary to assess the degradation of water quality along the Rio Grande. The role of basin constriction and fault-controlled fluid flow in explaining observed fluxes of salinity, enthalpy and primordial helium is examined in this study using mathematical modeling. A basin-scale, cross-sectional hydrologic model was constructed along the RGR in the Albuquerque and Socorro Basins drawn to a depth of 19 km to incorporate deeply derived inputs related to the SMB. The finite element model used is capable of representing heat, brine and noble gas transport. Geologic maps, well bore lithologic logs, as well as gravity and seismic-surveys were used to construct the general N-S cross-section on which the model is based. The model follows the longitudinal profile of the Rio Grande through the Albuquerque Basin and into the Socorro Basin. Multiple versions of the model were created based on two working hypotheses to better understand the structural and hydrologic controls at the basin boundary. One model assumes that the Tertiary dike exposed at the boundary acts as a conduit for deeply sourced fluids and primordial 3He related to the SMB. An alternate version assumes all the units down to the Precambrian basement rock decrease in depth significantly at the basin boundary due to the southward constriction of the Albuquerque Basin at the transition to the Socorro Basin. New and existing groundwater salinity, temperature, 3He/4He, and 14C data provide the ground truth for model calibration and sensitivity analysis. The model results illustrate the importance of deeply penetrating, moderately permeable fault zones (10-12 to 10-15 m2) in advective transport of groundwater, primordial 3He and mantle volatiles through the ductile boundary to shallow crustal levels. The simulated 3He/4He ratios at the surface conduit exposures are within the published values measured at the basin boundary and within the RGR. Thermal expansion of the magma body is being used to estimate the age of emplacement (≤ 30,000 years) based on 3He, temperature, and Rio Grande terrace deflection data. Both regional and local flow systems are evident in the model and likely account for the salinity increase in the Rio Grande at the basin boundary constriction where the upwelling deep sedimentary basin brines mix with the shallow groundwater system.

13 CFR 127.300 - How is a concern certified as an EDWOSB or WOSB?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... posted on the Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA) that it qualifies as an EDWOSB... certifications at http://orca.bpn.gov, that it is a qualified EDWOSB or WOSB. The self-certification must include...-certification on ORCA as necessary, but at least annually, to ensure they are kept current, accurate, and...

Geochemistry of formation waters from the Wolfcamp and “Cline” shales: Insights into brine origin, reservoir connectivity, and fluid flow in the Permian Basin, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Engle, Mark A.; Reyes, Francisco R.; Varonka, Matthew S.; Orem, William H.; Lin, Ma; Ianno, Adam J.; Westphal, Tiffani M.; Xu, Pei; Carroll, Kenneth C.

2016-01-01

Despite being one of the most important oil producing provinces in the United States, information on basinal hydrogeology and fluid flow in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico is lacking. The source and geochemistry of brines from the basin were investigated (Ordovician- to Guadalupian-age reservoirs) by combining previously published data from conventional reservoirs with geochemical results for 39 new produced water samples, with a focus on those from shales. Salinity of the Ca–Cl-type brines in the basin generally increases with depth reaching a maximum in Devonian (median = 154 g/L) reservoirs, followed by decreases in salinity in the Silurian (median = 77 g/L) and Ordovician (median = 70 g/L) reservoirs. Isotopic data for B, O, H, and Sr and ion chemistry indicate three major types of water. Lower salinity fluids (<70 g/L) of meteoric origin in the middle and upper Permian hydrocarbon reservoirs (1.2–2.5 km depth; Guadalupian and Leonardian age) likely represent meteoric waters that infiltrated through and dissolved halite and anhydrite in the overlying evaporite layer. Saline (>100 g/L), isotopically heavy (O and H) water in Leonardian [Permian] to Pennsylvanian reservoirs (2–3.2 km depth) is evaporated, Late Permian seawater. Water from the Permian Wolfcamp and Pennsylvanian “Cline” shales, which are isotopically similar but lower in salinity and enriched in alkalis, appear to have developed their composition due to post-illitization diffusion into the shales. Samples from the “Cline” shale are further enriched with NH4, Br, I and isotopically light B, sourced from the breakdown of marine kerogen in the unit. Lower salinity waters (<100 g/L) in Devonian and deeper reservoirs (>3 km depth), which plot near the modern local meteoric water line, are distinct from the water in overlying reservoirs. We propose that these deep meteoric waters are part of a newly identified hydrogeologic unit: the Deep Basin Meteoric Aquifer System. Chemical, isotopic, and pressure data suggest that despite over-pressuring in the Wolfcamp shale, there is little potential for vertical fluid migration to the surface environment via natural conduits.

Geochemistry and hydrodynamics of the Paradox Basin region, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hanshaw, B.B.; Hill, G.A.

1969-01-01

The Paradox Basin region is approximately bounded by the south flank of the Uinta Basin to the north, the Uncompahgre uplift and San Juan Mountains to the east, the Four Corners structural platform to the southeast, the north rim of the Black Mesa Basin and the Grand Canyon to the south and southwest, and the Wasatch Plateau and Hurricane fault system to the west. Some of these geologic features are areas of ground-water recharge or discharge whereas others such as the Four Corners platform do not directly influence fluid movement. The aquifer systems studied were: (1) Mississippian rocks; (2) Pinkerton Trail Limestone of Wengerd and Strickland, 1954; (3) Paradox Member of the Hermosa Formation; (4) Honaker Trail Formation of Wengerd and Matheny, 1958; (5) Permian rocks. Recharge in the Paradox Basin occurs on the west flank of the San Juan Mountains and along the west side of the Uncompahgre uplift. The direction of ground-water movement in each analyzed unit is principally southwest-ward toward the topographically low outcrop areas along the Colorado River in Arizona. However, at any point in the basin, flow may be in some other direction owing to the influence of intrabasin recharge areas or local obstructions to flow, such as faults or dikes. A series of potentiometric surface maps was prepared for the five systems studied. Material used in construction of the maps included outcrop altitudes of springs and streams, drill-stem tests, water-well records, and an electric analog model of the entire basin. Many structurally and topographically high areas within the basin are above the regional potentiometric surface; recharge in these areas will drain rapidly off the high areas and adjust to the regional water level. With a few exceptions, most wells in formations above the Pennsylvanian contain fresh ( 35,000 mg/l T.D.S.) reported. Most water samples from strata below the Permian are brines of the sodium chloride type but with large amounts of calcium sulfate or calcium chloride type water commonly occurring. Because evaporite facies occur in the Paradox Member, this unit has brines with as much as 400,000 mg/l dissolved solids content. Previous analysis of the San Juan Basin has indicated the presence of an osmotic membrane system. The highly permeable Jurassic formations were postulated to be the outflow side of the membrane. It is also possible that the Upper Paleozoic units with known brines and with an otherwise inexplicably high potentiometric surface in the Four Corners area of New Mexico could be the outflow receptors of the San Juan membrane system. ?? 1969.

Summary of data on the age of the Orca Group, Alaska: A section in The United States Geological Survey in Alaska: Accomplishments during 1984

USGS Publications Warehouse

Plafker, George; Keller, Gerta; Nelson, Steven W.; Dumoulin, Julie A.; Miller, Marti L.

1985-01-01

The Orca Group is a widespread, thick, complexly deformed accretionary sequence of flysch and tholeiitic basalt in the Prince William Sound area (Winkler, 1976; Winkler and Plafker, 1981) (fig. 49). Despite a number of extensive field studies of the Orca Group, reliable data on the age of the unit have been elusive. On the basis of sparse paleontologic and radiometric data, the sequence was regarded as Paleocene and early Eocene(?) age (Winkler and Plafker, 1981). New paleontologic data from fossil localities shown in figure 49 suggest that some strata assigned to the Orca Group are of middle Eocene age and possibly as young as late Eocene or Oligocene. However, data suggesting an age younger than about 50 Ma appear to be incompatible with radiometrically determined ages for plutons that intrude the Orca Group.

Lithium in sediments and brines--how, why and where to search

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vine, James D.

1975-01-01

The possibility of using lithium in batteries to power electric vehicles and as fuel for thermonuclear power has focused attention on the limited resources of lithium other than in pegmatite minerals. The Clayton Valley, Nev., subsurface lithium brine has been the major source of lithium carbonate since about 1967, but the life of this brine field is probably limited to several more decades at the present rate of production. Lithium is so highly soluble during weathering and in sedimentary environments that no lithium-rich sedimentary minerals other than clays have been identified to date. The known deposits of lithium, such as the clay mineral hectorite and the lithium-rich brines, occur in closed desert basins of the Southwest in association with nonmarine evaporites. However, the ultimate source for the lithium in these deposits may be from hydrothermal solutions. The search for previously unreported deposits of nonpegmatitic lithium should consider its probable association, not only with nonmarine evaporite minerals, but also with recent volcanic and tectonic activity, as well as with deposits of boron, beryllium, fluorine, manganese, and possibly phosphate.

Cryogenic brines as diagenetic fluids: Reconstructing the diagenetic history of the Victoria Land Basin using clumped isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staudigel, Philip T.; Murray, Sean; Dunham, Daniel P.; Frank, Tracy D.; Fielding, Christopher R.; Swart, Peter K.

2018-03-01

The isotopic analyses (δ13C, δ18O, and Δ47) of carbonate phases recovered from a core in McMurdo Sound by ANtarctic geologic DRILLing (ANDRILL-2A) indicate that the majority of secondary carbonate mineral formation occurred at cooler temperatures than the modern burial temperature, and in the presence of fluids with δ18Owater values ranging between -11 and -6‰ VSMOW. These fluids are interpreted as being derived from a cryogenic brine formed during the freezing of seawater. The Δ47 values were converted to temperature using an in-house calibration presented in this paper. Measurements of the Δ47 values in the cements indicate increasingly warmer crystallization temperatures with depth and, while roughly parallel to the observed geothermal gradient, consistently translate to temperatures that are cooler than the current burial temperature. The difference in temperature suggests that cements formed when they were ∼260 ± 100 m shallower than at the present day. This depth range corresponds to a period of minimal sediment accumulation from 3 to 11 Myr; it is therefore interpreted that the majority of cements formed during this time. This behavior is also predicted by time-integrated modeling of cementation at this site. If this cementation had occurred in the presence of these fluids, then the cryogenic brines have been a longstanding feature in the Victoria Land Basin. Brines such as those found at this site have been described in numerous modern high-latitude settings, and analogous fluids could have played a role in the diagenetic history of other ice-proximal sediments and basins during glacial intervals throughout geologic history. The agreement between the calculated δ18Owater value and the measured values in the pore fluids shows how the Δ47 proxy can be used to identify the origin of negative δ18O values in carbonate rocks and that extremely negative values do not necessarily need to be a result of the influence of meteoric fluids or reaction at high temperature.

Simulating the impact of brine from desalination plants on the salinity of the Persian/Arabian Gulf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eltahir, E. A. B.; Ibrahim, H. D.

2016-12-01

The Middle East has an arid climate and very little freshwater from river runoff, which has forced a rapid expansion of desalination plants in the region in order to meet current and future freshwater demand due to rising population. The Gulf is the source of feedwater and sink of concentrated discharge (brine) for plants producing more than half of the world's desalination capacity. Moreover, the Gulf is one of the most saline water bodies in the world due to large evaporation that far exceeds the input of freshwater from precipitation and river runoff. An increase in salinity at the regional scale due to brine discharge may reduce the quality of feedwater to plants and efficiency of desalination, and at the basin scale, a rise in salinity may change the dynamics of water circulation and adversely impact the marine biota. Here we present modeling results from simulating the impact of desalination on the natural Gulf environment using a coupled Gulf-atmosphere regional model (GARM). GARM is the first two-way coupled model developed for the Gulf system. The hydrodynamic component of GARM is the unstructured grid finite volume coastal ocean model (FVCOM) and the atmosphere component of GARM is the MIT regional climate model (MRCM), both of which have been widely used in simulating regional ocean and atmospheric dynamics. Desalination activity is incorporated into GARM as a boundary condition and the Gulf system is simulated for a ten-year time period in order to quantify the impact of brine discharge both at regional and basin scales. These results will be useful for desalination plant design and planning for current and future water security in the region.

Effects of brine contamination from energy development on wetland macroinvertebrate community structure in the Prairie Pothole Region.

PubMed

Preston, Todd M; Borgreen, Michael J; Ray, Andrew M

2018-08-01

Wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North America support macroinvertebrate communities that are integral to local food webs and important to breeding waterfowl. Macroinvertebrates in PPR wetlands are primarily generalists and well adapted to within and among year changes in water permanence and salinity. The Williston Basin, a major source of U.S. energy production, underlies the southwest portion of the PPR. Development of oil and gas results in the coproduction of large volumes of highly saline, sodium chloride dominated water (brine) and the introduction of brine can alter wetland salinity. To assess potential effects of brine contamination on macroinvertebrate communities, 155 PPR wetlands spanning a range of hydroperiods and salinities were sampled between 2014 and 2016. Brine contamination was documented in 34 wetlands with contaminated wetlands having significantly higher chloride concentrations, specific conductance and percent dominant taxa, and significantly lower taxonomic richness, Shannon diversity, and Pielou evenness scores compared to uncontaminated wetlands. Non-metric multidimensional scaling found significant correlations between several water quality parameters and macroinvertebrate communities. Chloride concentration and specific conductance, which can be elevated in naturally saline wetlands, but are also associated with brine contamination, had the strongest correlations. Five wetland groups were identified from cluster analysis with many of the highly contaminated wetlands located in a single cluster. Low or moderately contaminated wetlands were distributed among the remaining clusters and had macroinvertebrate communities similar to uncontaminated wetlands. While aggregate changes in macroinvertebrate community structure were observed with brine contamination, systematic changes were not evident, likely due to the strong and potentially confounding influence of hydroperiod and natural salinity. Therefore, despite the observed negative response of macroinvertebrate communities to brine contamination, macroinvertebrate community structure alone is likely not the most sensitive indicator of brine contamination in PPR wetlands. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Percolation of diagenetic fluids in the Archaean basement of the Franceville basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mouélé, Idalina Moubiya; Dudoignon, Patrick; Albani, Abderrazak El; Cuney, Michel; Boiron, Marie-Christine; Gauthier-Lafaye, François

2014-01-01

The Palaeoproterozoic Franceville basin, Gabon, is mainly known for its high-grade uranium deposits, which are the only ones known to act as natural nuclear fission reactors. Previous work in the Kiéné region investigated the nature of the fluids responsible for these natural nuclear reactors. The present work focuses on the top of the Archaean granitic basement, specifically, to identify and date the successive alteration events that affected this basement just below the unconformity separating it from the Palaeoproterozoic basin. Core from four drill holes crosscutting the basin-basement unconformity have been studied. Dating is based on U-Pb isotopic analyses performed on monazite. The origin of fluids is discussed from the study of fluid inclusion planes (FIP) in quartz from basement granitoids. From the deepest part of the drill holes to the unconformable boundary with the basin, propylitic alteration assemblages are progressively replaced by illite and locally by a phengite + Fe chlorite ± Fe oxide assemblage. Illitic alteration is particularly strong along the sediment-granitoid contact and is associated with quartz dissolution. It was followed by calcite and anhydrite precipitation as fracture fillings. U-Pb isotopic dating outlines three successive events: a 3.0-2.9-Ga primary magmatic event, a 2.6-Ga propylitic alteration and a late 1.9-Ga diagenetic event. Fluid inclusion microthermometry suggests the circulation of three types of fluids: (1) a Na-Ca-rich diagenetic brine, (2) a moderately saline (diagenetic + meteoric) fluid, and (3) a low-salinity fluid of probable meteoric origin. These fluids are similar to those previously identified within the overlying sedimentary rocks of the Franceville basin. Overall, the data collected in this study show that the Proterozoic-Archaean unconformity has operated as a major flow corridor for fluids circulation, around 1.9 Ga. highly saline diagenetic brines; hydrocarbon-rich fluids derived from organic matter-rich formations; a low-salinity fluid likely of meteoric origin migrating through the granitic basement; mineralizing fluids resulting from the mixing of fluids 1 and 3; high-temperature fluids resulting from the natural nuclear reactor environment (Mathieu et al., 2000). The present paper attempts to characterize the succession of alteration events that have affected the top of the basement below the Palaeoproterozoic sediment unconformity. Are these alterations related to early post-magmatic to hydrothermal events, to palaeoweathering, or to late infiltration of diagenetic brines from the overlying basin? Our study, carried out on drill core samples from Kiéné, is supported by petrographic investigation, new fluid inclusion data and U-Pb geochronology on monazite.

Lithium: for harnessing renewable energy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradley, Dwight; Jaskula, Brian W.

2014-01-01

Lithium, which has the chemical symbol Li and an atomic number of 3, is the first metal in the periodic table. Lithium has many uses, the most prominent being in batteries for cell phones, laptops, and electric and hybrid vehicles. Worldwide sources of lithium are broken down by ore-deposit type as follows: closed-basin brines, 58%; pegmatites and related granites, 26%; lithium-enriched clays, 7%; oilfield brines, 3%; geothermal brines, 3%; and lithium-enriched zeolites, 3% (2013 statistics). There are over 39 million tons of lithium resources worldwide. Of this resource, the USGS estimates there to be approximately 13 million tons of current economically recoverable lithium reserves. To help predict where future lithium supplies might be located, USGS scientists study how and where identified resources are concentrated in the Earth’s crust, and they use that knowledge to assess the likelihood that undiscovered resources also exist.

Regional hydrogeology and hydrochemistry of deep formation waters in the Williston Basin (Canada-USA): implications for fluid migration in the basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rostron, B. J.

2010-12-01

The regional groundwater flow-system in the Williston Basin (Canada-USA) is one of the best examples of a mega-scale confined aquifer-system in the world. With its well-defined recharge and discharge areas separated by approximately 1000 km horizontal and 1 km vertical distance, the basin is an ideal natural laboratory to study regional groundwater flow and hydrochemistry. Springs and shallow water wells in the recharge and discharge areas, along with deeper oil and gas wells, allow for detailed mapping of formation-pressures. Further, these wells provide access for sampling and geochemical analyses of formation waters along flow paths. Basin-scale hydrogeological and hydrochemical mapping combined with newly obtained geochemical and isotopic data from more than 2000 wells across the basin provide new insights into the present and paleohydrogeology of the basin. Results indicate: 1) the hydrogeology and hydrochemistry of the basin must be mapped on hydrogeological (not political) boundaries; 2) many aquifers have similar water chemistries, yet unique isotopic fingerprints; 3) stable isotope distributions provide insight(s) into regional fluid flow patterns; 4) analysis of bromine concentrations and stable isotopic compositions provide evidence that at least some of the brine in the basin owes its origin to evaporated seawater and not just dissolved evaporites as previously thought; 5) regional patterns of stable isotopes and halogens can be used to trace different flow "events" in the basin's history; 6) calcium-rich brines in the center of the basin may be associated with relict calcium-rich seawaters; 7) hydrocarbon migration pathways have been variably impacted by evolving hydrodynamic conditions; and 8) there is strong evidence of past glacially-driven recharge in the current discharge area of the basin. These observations show that the hydrogeology and hydrochemistry of the basin is more complex than previously thought. Portions of the basin appear to respond rapidly to changes in boundary conditions including: the recharge areas; midline areas that have experienced extensive salt dissolution; and present discharge areas that appear to show evidence of glacially-driven recharge. Other portions of the basin appear to have had little to no fluid-flow despite being continuous and highly-permeable. Mixing, and not depth, appears to control water compositions. Insights gained from regional hydrogeology and hydrochemical provide an improved understanding the present and past mega-scale fluid migration in the Williston Basin.

Red sea drillings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ross, D.A.; Whitmarsh, R.B.; Ali, S.A.; Boudreaux, J.E.; Coleman, R.; Fleisher, R.L.; Girdler, R.; Manheim, F.; Matter, A.; Nigrini, C.; Stoffers, P.; Supko, P.R.

1973-01-01

Recent drilling in the Red Sea has shown that much of the basin is underlain by evaporites of a similar age to that of evaporites found in the Mediterranean Sea. These evaporites and their structural positions indicate that other brine areas are present - and, indeed, several others have been discovered.

Benthic protists and fungi of Mediterranean deep hypsersaline anoxic basin redoxcline sediments.

PubMed

Bernhard, Joan M; Kormas, Konstantinos; Pachiadaki, Maria G; Rocke, Emma; Beaudoin, David J; Morrison, Colin; Visscher, Pieter T; Cobban, Alec; Starczak, Victoria R; Edgcomb, Virginia P

2014-01-01

Some of the most extreme marine habitats known are the Mediterranean deep hypersaline anoxic basins (DHABs; water depth ∼3500 m). Brines of DHABs are nearly saturated with salt, leading many to suspect they are uninhabitable for eukaryotes. While diverse bacterial and protistan communities are reported from some DHAB water-column haloclines and brines, the existence and activity of benthic DHAB protists have rarely been explored. Here, we report findings regarding protists and fungi recovered from sediments of three DHAB (Discovery, Urania, L' Atalante) haloclines, and compare these to communities from sediments underlying normoxic waters of typical Mediterranean salinity. Halocline sediments, where the redoxcline impinges the seafloor, were studied from all three DHABs. Microscopic cell counts suggested that halocline sediments supported denser protist populations than those in adjacent control sediments. Pyrosequencing analysis based on ribosomal RNA detected eukaryotic ribotypes in the halocline sediments from each of the three DHABs, most of which were fungi. Sequences affiliated with Ustilaginomycotina Basidiomycota were the most abundant eukaryotic signatures detected. Benthic communities in these DHABs appeared to differ, as expected, due to differing brine chemistries. Microscopy indicated that only a low proportion of protists appeared to bear associated putative symbionts. In a considerable number of cases, when prokaryotes were associated with a protist, DAPI staining did not reveal presence of any nuclei, suggesting that at least some protists were carcasses inhabited by prokaryotic scavengers.

Benthic protists and fungi of Mediterranean deep hypsersaline anoxic basin redoxcline sediments

PubMed Central

Bernhard, Joan M.; Kormas, Konstantinos; Pachiadaki, Maria G.; Rocke, Emma; Beaudoin, David J.; Morrison, Colin; Visscher, Pieter T.; Cobban, Alec; Starczak, Victoria R.; Edgcomb, Virginia P.

2014-01-01

Some of the most extreme marine habitats known are the Mediterranean deep hypersaline anoxic basins (DHABs; water depth ∼3500 m). Brines of DHABs are nearly saturated with salt, leading many to suspect they are uninhabitable for eukaryotes. While diverse bacterial and protistan communities are reported from some DHAB water-column haloclines and brines, the existence and activity of benthic DHAB protists have rarely been explored. Here, we report findings regarding protists and fungi recovered from sediments of three DHAB (Discovery, Urania, L’ Atalante) haloclines, and compare these to communities from sediments underlying normoxic waters of typical Mediterranean salinity. Halocline sediments, where the redoxcline impinges the seafloor, were studied from all three DHABs. Microscopic cell counts suggested that halocline sediments supported denser protist populations than those in adjacent control sediments. Pyrosequencing analysis based on ribosomal RNA detected eukaryotic ribotypes in the halocline sediments from each of the three DHABs, most of which were fungi. Sequences affiliated with Ustilaginomycotina Basidiomycota were the most abundant eukaryotic signatures detected. Benthic communities in these DHABs appeared to differ, as expected, due to differing brine chemistries. Microscopy indicated that only a low proportion of protists appeared to bear associated putative symbionts. In a considerable number of cases, when prokaryotes were associated with a protist, DAPI staining did not reveal presence of any nuclei, suggesting that at least some protists were carcasses inhabited by prokaryotic scavengers. PMID:25452749

Saline systems of the Great Plains of western Canada: an overview of the limnogeology and paleolimnology

PubMed Central

Last, William M; Ginn, Fawn M

2005-01-01

In much of the northern Great Plains, saline and hypersaline lacustrine brines are the only surface waters present. As a group, the lakes of this region are unique: there is no other area in the world that can match the concentration and diversity of saline lake environments exhibited in the prairie region of Canada and northern United States. The immense number of individual salt lakes and saline wetlands in this region of North America is staggering. Estimates vary from about one million to greater than 10 million, with densities in some areas being as high as 120 lakes/km2. Despite over a century of scientific investigation of these salt lakes, we have only in the last twenty years advanced far enough to appreciate the wide spectrum of lake types, water chemistries, and limnological processes that are operating in the modern settings. Hydrochemical data are available for about 800 of the lake brines in the region. Composition, textural, and geochemical information on the modern bottom sediments has been collected for just over 150 of these lakes. Characterization of the biological and ecological features of these lakes is based on even fewer investigations, and the stratigraphic records of only twenty basins have been examined. The lake waters show a considerable range in ionic composition and concentration. Early investigators, concentrating on the most saline brines, emphasized a strong predominance of Na+ and SO4-2 in the lakes. It is now realized, however, that not only is there a complete spectrum of salinities from less than 1 ppt TDS to nearly 400 ppt, but also virtually every water chemistry type is represented in lakes of the region. With such a vast array of compositions, it is difficult to generalize. Nonetheless, the paucity of Cl-rich lakes makes the northern Great Plains basins somewhat unusual compared with salt lakes in many other areas of the world (e.g., Australia, western United States). Compilations of the lake water chemistries show distinct spatial trends and regional variations controlled by groundwater input, climate, and geomorphology. Short-term temporal variations in the brine composition, which can have significant effects on the composition of the modern sediments, have also been well documented in several individual basins. From a sedimentological and mineralogical perspective, the wide range of water chemistries exhibited by the lakes leads to an unusually large diversity of modern sediment composition. Over 40 species of endogenic precipitates and authigenic minerals have been identified in the lacustrine sediments. The most common non-detrital components of the modern sediments include: calcium and calcium-magnesium carbonates (magnesian calcite, aragonite, dolomite), and sodium, magnesium, and sodium-magnesium sulfates (mirabilite, thenardite, bloedite, epsomite). Many of the basins whose brines have very high Mg/Ca ratios also have hydromagnesite, magnesite, and nesquehonite. Unlike salt lakes in many other areas of the world, halite, gypsum, and calcite are relatively rare endogenic precipitates in the Great Plains lakes. The detrital fraction of the lacustrine sediments is normally dominated by clay minerals, carbonate minerals, quartz, and feldspars. Sediment accumulation in these salt lakes is controlled and modified by a wide variety of physical, chemical, and biological processes. Although the details of these modern sedimentary processes can be exceedingly complex and difficult to discuss in isolation, in broad terms, the processes operating in the salt lakes of the Great Plains are ultimately controlled by three basic factors or conditions of the basin: (a) basin morphology; (b) basin hydrology; and (c) water salinity and composition. Combinations of these parameters interact to control nearly all aspects of modern sedimentation in these salt lakes and give rise to four 'end member' types of modern saline lacustrine settings in the Great Plains: (a) clastics-dominated playas; (b) salt-dominated playas; (c) deep water, non-stratified lakes; and (d) deep water, "permanently" stratified lakes. PMID:16297237

Verification and Validation of Multisegmented Mooring Capabilities in FAST v8

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andersen, Morten T.; Wendt, Fabian F.; Robertson, Amy N.

2016-07-01

The quasi-static and dynamic mooring modules of the open-source aero-hydro-servo-elastic wind turbine simulation software, FAST v8, have previously been verified and validated, but only for mooring arrangements consisting of single lines connecting each fairlead and anchor. This paper extends the previous verification and validation efforts to focus on the multisegmented mooring capability of the FAST v8 modules: MAP++, MoorDyn, and the OrcaFlex interface. The OC3-Hywind spar buoy system tested by the DeepCwind consortium at the MARIN ocean basin, which includes a multisegmented bridle layout of the mooring system, was used for the verification and validation activities.

Organic-rich source beds and hydrocarbon production in Gulf Coast region

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Williams, D.F.; Lerche, I.

1988-09-01

Two models (I and II) are presented that relate the production of hydrocarbons in the Gulf Coast region to organic-rich source beds of ancient intraslope basins. Model I is empirical, based on present-day depositional environments like the anoxic Orca basin of the northern Gulf of Mexico and the Bannock basin of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Model I proposed that low oxygen levels in intraslope basins of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) have been a common mechanism for the accumulation of sediments with significantly increased amounts of marine organic carbon. In Model I progradation of the shelf-slope and regional saltmore » tectonics control the occurrence and stratigraphic distribution of source beds throughout the Tertiary of the GOM. In turn, the maturation history of these organic-rich sediments is influenced by the high thermal conductivity of the underlying salt structures. Model II is statistical; it uses random number theory to suggest that the occurrence of organic-rich black muds in intraslope basins of the northwestern GOM had sufficient capacity to account for a dynamic range estimate of 30 to 500 billion bbl oil total and 30 to 300 bcf/million years per ephemeral basin of gas. These estimates, while approximate, clearly indicate the enormous hydrocarbon potential for generating oil and gas reserves in the Gulf Coast geosyncline. Such estimates underscore the need for a better understanding of intraslope basins of the northwestern GOM.« less

The role of features and configural processing in face-race classification

PubMed Central

Zhao, Lun; Bentin, Shlomo

2011-01-01

We explored perceptual factors that might account for the other-race classification advantage (ORCA) in classifying faces by race. Testing Chinese participants in China and Israeli participants in Israel we show that: (a) The distinction between Chinese and Israeli faces is highly accurate even on the basis of isolated eyes or faces with eyes concealed, but full faces are categorized faster. (b) The ORCA is similarly robust for full faces and for face parts. (c) The ORCA was larger when the configuration of the inner-face components was distorted, reflecting delayed categorization of own-race distorted faces relative to own-race normally configured faces but no conspicuous distortion effect on other-race faces. These data demonstrate that perceptual factors can account for the ORCA independently of social bias. We suggest that one source of the ORCA in race categorization is the configural analysis applied by default while processing own-race but not other-race faces. PMID:22008980

An Approach to Analyze Personnel Injury of Reflective Spall from Small-Arms Protective Body Armor

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-01

2  Figure 2. Protective plate system on the ORCA human anatomy . .................................................2  Figure 3...stature and is fitted with a medium size protective plate. Representation of the ORCA human anatomy wearing the protective plate system is shown in...Figure 1. Gelatin block placement for experimental testing. Figure 2. Protective plate system on the ORCA human anatomy . Ballistic Gelatin Test

Gas-water-rock interactions in Frio Formation following CO2 injection: Implications for the storage of greenhouse gases in sedimentary basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kharaka, Yousif K.; Cole, David R.; Hovorka, Susan D.; Gunter, W.D.; Knauss, Kevin G.; Freifeild, Barry M.

2006-01-01

To investigate the potential for the geologic storage of CO2 in saline sedimentary aquifers, 1600 t of CO2 were injected at 1500 m depth into a 24-m-thick sandstone section of the Frio Formation, a regional brine and oil reservoir in the U.S. Gulf Coast. Fluid samples obtained from the injection and observation wells before CO2 injection showed a Na-Ca-Cl–type brine with 93,000 mg/L total dissolved solids (TDS) at near saturation with CH4 at reservoir conditions. Following CO2 breakthrough, samples showed sharp drops in pH (6.5–5.7), pronounced increases in alkalinity (100–3000 mg/L as HCO3) and Fe (30–1100 mg/L), and significant shifts in the isotopic compositions of H2O, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and CH4. Geochemical modeling indicates that brine pH would have dropped lower but for the buffering by dissolution of carbonate and iron oxyhydroxides. This rapid dissolution of carbonate and other minerals could ultimately create pathways in the rock seals or well cements for CO2 and brine leakage. Dissolution of minerals, especially iron oxyhydroxides, could mobilize toxic trace metals and, where residual oil or suitable organics are present, the injected CO2 could also mobilize toxic organic compounds. Environmental impacts could be major if large brine volumes with mobilized toxic metals and organics migrated into potable groundwater. The δ18O values for brine and CO2 samples indicate that supercritical CO2 comprises ∼50% of pore-fluid volume ∼6 mo after the end of injection. Postinjection sampling, coupled with geochemical modeling, indicates that the brine gradually will return to its preinjection composition.

Fluid mixing and ore deposition during the geodynamic evolution of the Sierra Almagrera (Betics, Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dyja, Vanessa; Tarantola, Alexandre; Hibsch, Christian; Boiron, Marie-Christine; Cathelineau, Michel

2013-04-01

Marine and continental intramountaineous basins developed during the Neogene orographic evolution of the Betico-rifan orogenic wedge, as well as the related uplifted ranges within the Sierra Almagrera Metamorphic Core Complexes (MCC). The NNE-SSW striking trans-Alboran transcurrent fault system crosscuts the MCC post-dating the extensional exhumation stages recorded in the metamorphic fabric. Iron ores (± Pb, Cu, Zn) are encountered either as stratabound ore deposits in the Neogene basins or as vein networks crosscutting the metamorphic fabric of graphitic phyllites from the Sierra Almagrera. These Late Miocene ore deposits are related to the activity of the N-S striking Palomares fault segment of the Trans-Alboran fault system. Three sets of quartz veins (Vα, Vαβ and Vβ) and one set of mineralized vein (Vγ, siderite, barite) are distinguished. The Vα and Vαβ respectively are totally or partially transposed into the foliation. The Vβ and Vγ veins are discordant to the foliation. The problem addressed in this study concerns the nature of the fluids involved in the metal deposits and their relationships with the main reservoir fluids, e.g. the deep metamorphic fluids, the basinal fluids, and eventually the recharge meteoric fluids. This study focuses thus on the evolution of the fluids at different stages of ductile-brittle exhumation of the metamorphic ranges (Sierras) and their role during the exhumation and later on in relation with the hydrothermalism and metal deposition at a regional scale. Paleofluids were studied as inclusions in quartz, siderite and barite from veins by microthermometry and Raman spectroscopy, and a stable isotope study is in progress. Earliest fluids recorded in (Vαβ) quartz veins are H2O- NaCl + CaCl2 (17 wt. %) - (traces of CO2, CH4, N2) metamorphic brines trapped at the ductile brittle transition at a minimum trapping temperatures (Th) of 340 °C. Older metamorphic fluids in (Vα) veins were lost during the complete recrystallization of the original quartz grains during transposition. The second fluid type is characterized by very low salinity inclusions (1.2 wt.% NaCl) found in veins discordant to the foliation (Vβ), and precedes brines (23 wt. % NaCl + CaCl2 with Th of 320 °C) trapped in transgranular fluid inclusion planes (FIP). The NW-SE to N-S directions of these FIP appears coherent with shortening directions related to Tortonian and Messinian basin development (Montenat, 1990). The halogen signatures of the latest brines confirm that they derive from primary brines issued from sea water evaporation. Fluid inclusions in barites and siderites from (Vγ) veins display a Br/Cl ratio more typical of secondary brines and a rather large range of salinities, this indicating distinct fluid movements and the dissolution of evaporates by dilute fluids may be of meteoric origin. Fluids in siderites show the lowest trapping temperature conditions around 190 °C. The existence of a sea water component in fluids was previously mentioned by Morales Ruano et al. (1995) indicate a δ34S of 22,1-23.9 ‰ for barite from Sierra Almagrera. In conclusion, during the Neogene multistage evolution of the Almagrera MCC, fluids of different origins e.g. basinal, meteoric and metamorphic fluids have circulated within the crust, and locally interacted with evaporites. The resulting brines formed Fe-(Ba, Pb, Cu) ores in discontinuities affecting both the metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. Morales Ruano, S., Both, R., and Fenoll Hach-Ali, P., 1995, Fluid evolution and mineral deposition in the Aguilas - Sierra Almagrera base metal ores, southeastern Spain.: Mineral Deposits, p. 365-368. Montenat, C., 1990, Les Bassins néogènes du domaine bétique oriental (Espagne), Documents et Travaux IGAL n°12-13, 392 p.

Dissolution of salt on the east flank of the Permian Basin in the southwestern U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, K.S.

1981-01-01

Hydrogeologic studies prove that natural dissolution of bedded salt occurs at shallow depths in many parts of the Permian Basin of the southwestern U.S.A. This is especially well-documented on the east side of the basin in study areas on the Cimarron River and Elm Fork in western Oklahoma, and on the Red River in the southeastern part of the Texas Panhandle. Four requirements for salt dissolution are: (1) a deposit of salt; (2) a supply of water unsaturated with respect to NaCl; (3) an outlet for removal of brine; and (4) energy to cause water to flow through the system. The supply of fresh groundwater in the region is recharged through permeable rocks, alluvium, terrace deposits, karstic features and fractures. Groundwater dissolves salt at depths of 10-250 m, and the resulting brine moves laterally and upward under hydrostatic pressure through caverns, fractures in disrupted rock, and clastic or carbonate aquifers until it reaches the land surface, where it forms salt plains and salt springs. In many areas, salt dissolution produces a self-perpetuating cycle: dissolution causes cavern development, followed by collapse and subsidence of overlying rock; then the resulting disrupted rock has a greater vertical permeability that allows increased water percolation and additional salt dissolution. ?? 1981.

Sources of dissolved salts in the central Murray Basin, Australia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, B.F.; Hanor, J.S.; Evans, W.R.

1994-01-01

Large areas of the Australian continent contain scattered saline lakes underlain by shallow saline groundwaters of regional extent and debated origin. The normative salt composition of subsurface pore fluids extracted by squeezing cores collected during deep drilling at Piangil West 2 in the central Murray Basin in southeastern Australia, and of surface and shallow subsurface brines produced by subaerial evaporation in the nearby Lake Tyrrell systems, helps constrain interpretation of the origin of dissolved solutes in the groundwaters of this part of the continent. Although regional sedimentation in the Murray Basin has been dominantly continental except for a marine transgression in Oligocene-Pliocene time, most of the solutes in saline surface and subsurface waters in the central Murray Basin have a distinctly marine character. Some of the Tyrrell waters, to the southwest of Piangil West 2, show the increase in NaCl and decrease in sulfate salts expected with evaporative concentration and gypsum precipitation in an ephemeral saline lake or playa environment. The salt norms for most of the subsurface saline waters at Piangil West 2 are compatible with the dilution of variably fractionated marine bitterns slightly depleted in sodium salts, similar to the more evolved brines at Lake Tyrrell, which have recharged downward after evaporation at the surface and then dissolved a variable amount of gypsum at depth. Apparently over the last 0.5 Ma significant quantities of marine salt have been blown into the Murray Basin as aerosols which have subsequently been leached into shallow regional groundwater systems basin-wide, and have been transported laterally into areas of large evaporative loss in the central part of the basin. This origin for the solutes helps explain why the isotopic compositions of most of the subsurface saline waters at Piangil West 2 have a strong meteoric signature, whereas the dissolved salts in these waters appear similar to a marine assemblage. ?? 1994.

Origin of salt giants in abyssal serpentinite systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scribano, Vittorio; Carbone, Serafina; Manuella, Fabio C.; Hovland, Martin; Rueslåtten, Håkon; Johnsen, Hans-K.

2017-10-01

Worldwide marine salt deposits ranging over the entire geological record are generally considered climate-related evaporites, derived from the precipitation of salts (mainly chlorides and sulfates) from saturated solutions driven by solar evaporation of seawater. This explanation may be realistic for a salt thickness ≤100 m, being therefore inadequate for thicker (>1 km) deposits. Moreover, sub-seafloor salt deposits in deep marine basins are difficult to reconcile with a surface evaporation model. Marine geology reports on abyssal serpentinite systems provide an alternative explanation for some salt deposits. Seawater-driven serpentinization consumes water and increases the salinity of the associated aqueous brines. Brines can be trapped in fractures and cavities in serpentinites and the surrounding `country' rocks. Successive thermal dehydration of buried serpentinites can mobilize and accumulate the brines, forming highly saline hydrothermal solutions. These can migrate upwards and erupt onto the seafloor as saline geysers, which may form salt-saturated water pools, as are currently observed in numerous deeps in the Red Sea and elsewhere. The drainage of deep-seated saline brines to seafloor may be a long-lasting, effective process, mainly occurring in areas characterized by strong tectonic stresses and/or igneous intrusions. Alternatively, brines could be slowly expelled from fractured serpentinites by buoyancy gradients and, hence, separated salts/brines could intrude vertically into surrounding rocks, forming salt diapirs. Serpentinization is an ubiquitous, exothermic, long-lasting process which can modify large volumes of oceanic lithosphere over geological times. Therefore, buried salt deposits in many areas of the world can be reasonably related to serpentinites.

Organic geochemistry of sediments of deep Gulf of Mexico basin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fang, J.; Sassen, R.; Nunn, J.

1989-09-01

An analysis of 716 core samples from DSDP (Deep Sea Drilling Project) Leg 96 in the Mississippi submarine fan and the Orca and Pigmy basins in the Louisiana continental slope was done using a Rock-Eval pyrolysis unit with TOC (total organic carbon) module. The analysis allows computation of the hydrogen index (HI), TOC, and kerogen type, and assessment of the oil-generative capacity of the sediments in the Louisiana continental slope. No samples are obviously oil prone. TOC content ranges from 0.12 to 2.29%, with an overall average of 0.82%. HI values are generally less than 150 mg HC/g TOC. T{submore » max} (temperature of the maximum of the S{sub 2} peak) values (425{degree}C average) show the sediments are immature throughout the study area. Hydrocarbon-generative potential of the sediments ranges from 492 to 1,107 ppm, with an average of 854 ppm. Because of organic lean, thermally immature, and gas-prone terrestrial organic matter, there is little reason to assume that the sediments from the Mississippi fan can provide oil source rock for the Gulf Coast basin, and that sediments of anoxic basins in the Louisiana continental slope are analogs to the past environments where source rocks for crude oil have been deposited.« less

Neuroanatomy of the killer whale (Orcinus orca): a magnetic resonance imaging investigation of structure with insights on function and evolution.

PubMed

Wright, Alexandra; Scadeng, Miriam; Stec, Dominik; Dubowitz, Rebecca; Ridgway, Sam; Leger, Judy St

2017-01-01

The evolutionary process of adaptation to an obligatory aquatic existence dramatically modified cetacean brain structure and function. The brain of the killer whale (Orcinus orca) may be the largest of all taxa supporting a panoply of cognitive, sensory, and sensorimotor abilities. Despite this, examination of the O. orca brain has been limited in scope resulting in significant deficits in knowledge concerning its structure and function. The present study aims to describe the neural organization and potential function of the O. orca brain while linking these traits to potential evolutionary drivers. Magnetic resonance imaging was used for volumetric analysis and three-dimensional reconstruction of an in situ postmortem O. orca brain. Measurements were determined for cortical gray and cerebral white matter, subcortical nuclei, cerebellar gray and white matter, corpus callosum, hippocampi, superior and inferior colliculi, and neuroendocrine structures. With cerebral volume comprising 81.51 % of the total brain volume, this O. orca brain is one of the most corticalized mammalian brains studied to date. O. orca and other delphinoid cetaceans exhibit isometric scaling of cerebral white matter with increasing brain size, a trait that violates an otherwise evolutionarily conserved cerebral scaling law. Using comparative neurobiology, it is argued that the divergent cerebral morphology of delphinoid cetaceans compared to other mammalian taxa may have evolved in response to the sensorimotor demands of the aquatic environment. Furthermore, selective pressures associated with the evolution of echolocation and unihemispheric sleep are implicated in substructure morphology and function. This neuroanatomical dataset, heretofore absent from the literature, provides important quantitative data to test hypotheses regarding brain structure, function, and evolution within Cetacea and across Mammalia.

The accessible predator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baird, Robin W.

2018-06-01

Killer whales, also known as orcas, are idolized, loved, and even revered. Such sentiments, however, have not always been held toward this species, as historian Jason Colby reveals in his new book, Orca.

Sedimentological and diagenetic patterns of anhydrite deposits in the Badenian evaporite basin of the Carpathian Foredeep, southern Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasprzyk, Alicja

2003-05-01

Anhydrite deposits are widely distributed in the Middle Miocene Badenian evaporite basin of Poland, including the marginal sulphate platform and adjacent salt depocenter. Particular sedimentological, petrographic and geochemical characteristics of these anhydrite deposits and especially common pseudomorphic features, inherited from the precursor gypsum deposits, allow the interpretation of the original sedimentary facies. The observed facies distribution and succession (lower and upper members) reveal three distinct facies associations that record a range of depositional environments from nearshore to deeper basinal settings. Platform sulphates were deposited in subaerial and shallow-marine environments (shoreline and inner platform-lagoon system) mainly as autochthonous selenitic gypsum. This was reworked and redistributed into deeper waters (outer platform-lagoon, slope and the proximal basin floor system) to form resedimented facies composed mostly of allochthonous clastic gypsum and minor anhydrite. The general variation in petrographic and geochemical compositions of anhydrite lithofacies of the lower and upper members reflects the brine evolution, as the result of interactions between seawater, meteoric runoff and highly saline, residual pore fluids. The results indicate the importance of synsedimentary and diagenetic anhydritisation processes in formation of the Badenian anhydrite lithofacies, all of which preserve the original depositional features of the former gypsum. This also applies to the basinal anhydrite previously interpreted to have a depositional genesis. Two different genetic patterns of anhydrite have been reinforced by this study: (1) synsedimentary anhydritisation of gypsum deposits by highly concentrated brines or elevated temperatures in surficial to shallow-burial environments (lower member), and (2) successive phases (syndepositional de novo growth, early diagenetic to late diagenetic replacement of former gypsum) of anhydrite formation during progressive burial (upper member).

Reconstruction of Acoustic Exposure on Orcas in Haro Strait

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

Resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) (J pod).1 The class shadowed the J pod from their boat, recording its behavior, the GPS loca- tion of the...one of the resident pods of orcas, raising the question of the sonar’s impact on them. Due to two coincidental activities, this question can be...addressed in detail. Coinciding with Shoup’s transit, a marine mammal class from Friday Harbor Labs led by Dr. David Bain was observing a pod of Southern

Verification and Validation of Multisegmented Mooring Capabilities in FAST v8: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andersen, Morten T.; Wendt, Fabian; Robertson, Amy

2016-08-01

The quasi-static and dynamic mooring modules of the open-source aero-hydro-servo-elastic wind turbine simulation software, FAST v8, have previously been verified and validated, but only for mooring arrangements consisting of single lines connecting each fairlead and anchor. This paper extends the previous verification and validation efforts to focus on the multisegmented mooring capability of the FAST v8 modules: MAP++, MoorDyn, and the OrcaFlex interface. The OC3-Hywind spar buoy system tested by the DeepCwind consortium at the MARIN ocean basin, which includes a multisegmented bridle layout of the mooring system, was used for the verification and validation activities.

A Closed Loop System Using a Brine Reservoir to Replace Fresh Water as the Frac Fluid Source

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A non-fresh water source, the Debolt formation, has been proposed and tested in the laboratory and field for application as a fracturing fluid in shale gas formations, with potential to replace much of the fresh water used in the Horn River Basin.

Geochemical variations of rare earth elements in Marcellus shale flowback waters and multiple-source cores in the Appalachian Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noack, C.; Jain, J.; Hakala, A.; Schroeder, K.; Dzombak, D. A.; Karamalidis, A.

2013-12-01

Rare earth elements (REE) - encompassing the naturally occurring lanthanides, yttrium, and scandium - are potential tracers for subsurface groundwater-brine flows and geochemical processes. Application of these elements as naturally occurring tracers during shale gas development is reliant on accurate quantitation of trace metals in hypersaline brines. We have modified and validated a liquid-liquid technique for extraction and pre-concentration of REE from saline produced waters from shale gas extraction wells with quantitative analysis by ICP-MS. This method was used to analyze time-series samples of Marcellus shale flowback and produced waters. Additionally, the total REE content of core samples of various strata throughout the Appalachian Basin were determined using HF/HNO3 digestion and ICP-MS analysis. A primary goal of the study is to elucidate systematic geochemical variations as a function of location or shale characteristics. Statistical testing will be performed to study temporal variability of inter-element relationships and explore associations between REE abundance and major solution chemistry. The results of these analyses and discussion of their significance will be presented.

Deep-sea fan deposition of the lower Tertiary Orca Group, eastern Prince William Sound, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winkler, Gary R.

1976-01-01

The Orca Group is a thick, complexly deformed, sparsely fossiliferous sequence of flysch-like sedimentary and tholeiitic volcanic rocks of middle or late Paleocene age that crops out over an area of. roughly 21,000 km2 in the Prince William Sound region and the adjacent Chugach Mountains. The Orca Group also probably underlies a large part of the Gulf of Alaska Tertiary province and the continental shelf south of the outcrop belt; coextensive rocks to the southwest on Kodiak Island are called the Ghost Rocks and Sitkalidak Formations. The Orca Group was pervasively faulted, tightly folded, and metamorphosed regionally to laumontite and prehnite-pumpellyite facies prior to, and perhaps concurrently with, intrusion of early Eocene granodiorite and quartz monzonite plutons. In eastern Prince William Sound, 95% of the Orca sedimentary rocks are interbedded feldspathic and lithofeldspathic sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone turbidites. Lithic components vary widely in abundance and composition, but labile sedimentary and volcanic grains dominate. A widespread yet minor amount of the mudstone is hemipelagic or pelagic, with scattered foraminifers. Pebbly mudstone with rounded clasts of exotic lithologies and locally conglomerate with angular blocks of deformed sandstone identical to the enclosing matrix are interbedded with the turbidites. Thick and thin tabular bodies of altered tholeiitic basalt are locally and regionally conformable with the sedimentary rocks, and constitute 15-20% of Orca outcrops in eastern Prince William Sound. The basalt consists chiefly of pillowed and nonpillowed flows, but also includes minor pillow breccia, tuff, and intrusive rocks. Nonvolcanic turbidites are interbedded with the basalt; lenticular bioclastic limestone, red and green mudstone, chert, and conglomerate locally overlie the basalt, but are supplanted upward by turbidites. From west to east, basalts within the Orca Group become increasingly fragmental and amygdaloidal. Such textural changes probably indicate shallower water to the east. A radial distribution of paleocurrents and distinctive associations of turbidite facies within the sedimentary rocks suggest that the Orca Group in eastern Prince William Sound was deposited on a westward-sloping, complex deep-sea fan. Detritus was derived primarily from 'tectonized' sedimentary, volcanic, and plutonic rocks. Coeval submarine volcanism resulted in intercalation of basalt within prisms of terrigenous sediment.

The relationship between baseline Organizational Readiness to Change Assessment subscale scores and implementation of hepatitis prevention services in substance use disorders treatment clinics: a case study

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The Organizational Readiness to Change Assessment (ORCA) is a measure of organizational readiness for implementing practice change in healthcare settings that is organized based on the core elements and sub-elements of the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) framework. General support for the reliability and factor structure of the ORCA has been reported. However, no published study has examined the utility of the ORCA in a clinical setting. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between baseline ORCA scores and implementation of hepatitis prevention services in substance use disorders (SUD) clinics. Methods Nine clinic teams from Veterans Health Administration SUD clinics across the United States participated in a six-month training program to promote evidence-based practices for hepatitis prevention. A representative from each team completed the ORCA evidence and context subscales at baseline. Results Eight of nine clinics reported implementation of at least one new hepatitis prevention practice after completing the six-month training program. Clinic teams were categorized by level of implementation-high (n = 4) versus low (n = 5)-based on how many hepatitis prevention practices were integrated into their clinics after completing the training program. High implementation teams had significantly higher scores on the patient experience and leadership culture subscales of the ORCA compared to low implementation teams. While not reaching significance in this small sample, high implementation clinics also had higher scores on the research, clinical experience, staff culture, leadership behavior, and measurement subscales as compared to low implementation clinics. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that the ORCA was able to measure differences in organizational factors at baseline between clinics that reported high and low implementation of practice recommendations at follow-up. This supports the use of the ORCA to describe factors related to implementing practice recommendations in clinical settings. Future research utilizing larger sample sizes will be essential to support these preliminary findings. PMID:20546584

48 CFR 252.204-7007 - Alternate A, Annual Representations and Certifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA) Web site at https://orca.bpn.gov/. After... months, are current, accurate, complete, and applicable to this solicitation (including the business size...

Assessment of brine migration along vertical pathways due to CO2 injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kissinger, Alexander; Class, Holger

2016-04-01

Global climate change, shortage of resources and the growing usage of renewable energy sources has lead to a growing demand for the utilization of subsurface systems which may create conflicts with essential public interests such as water supply from aquifers. For example, brine migration into potential drinking water aquifers due to the injection of CO2 into deep saline aquifers is perceived as a potential threat resulting from the Carbon Capture and Storage Technology (CCS). In this work, we focus on the large scale impacts of CO2 storage on brine migration but the methodology and the obtained results may also apply to other fields like waste water disposal, where large amounts of fluid are injected into the subsurface. We consider a realistic (but not real) on-shore site in the North German Basin with characteristic geological features. In contrast to modeling on the reservoir scale, the spatial scale in this work is much larger in both vertical and lateral direction, since the regional hydrogeology is considered as well. Structures such as fault zones, hydrogeological windows in the Rupelian clay or salt wall flanks are considered as potential pathways for displaced fluids into shallow systems and their influence needs to be taken into account. Simulations on this scale always require a compromise between the accuracy of the description of the relevant physical processes, data availability and computational resources. Therefore, we test different model simplifications and discuss them with respect to the relevant physical processes and the expected data availability. The simplifications in the models are concerned with the role of salt-induced density differences on the flow, with injection of brine (into brine) instead of CO2 into brine, and with simplifying the geometry of the site.

Geochemical effects of CO2 injection on produced water chemistry at an enhanced oil recovery site in the Permian Basin of northwest Texas, USA: Preliminary geochemical and Li isotope results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfister, S.; Gardiner, J.; Phan, T. T.; Macpherson, G. L.; Diehl, J. R.; Lopano, C. L.; Stewart, B. W.; Capo, R. C.

2014-12-01

Injection of supercritical CO2 for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) presents an opportunity to evaluate the effects of CO2 on reservoir properties and formation waters during geologic carbon sequestration. Produced water from oil wells tapping a carbonate-hosted reservoir at an active EOR site in the Permian Basin of Texas both before and after injection were sampled to evaluate geochemical and isotopic changes associated with water-rock-CO2 interaction. Produced waters from the carbonate reservoir rock are Na-Cl brines with TDS levels of 16.5-34 g/L and detectable H2S. These brines are potentially diluted with shallow groundwater from earlier EOR water flooding. Initial lithium isotope data (δ7Li) from pre-injection produced water in the EOR field fall within the range of Gulf of Mexico Coastal sedimentary basin and Appalachian basin values (Macpherson et al., 2014, Geofluids, doi: 10.1111/gfl.12084). Pre-injection produced water 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.70788-0.70795) are consistent with mid-late Permian seawater/carbonate. CO2 injection took place in October 2013, and four of the wells sampled in May 2014 showed CO2 breakthrough. Preliminary comparison of pre- and post-injection produced waters indicates no significant changes in the major inorganic constituents following breakthrough, other than a possible drop in K concentration. Trace element and isotope data from pre- and post-breakthrough wells are currently being evaluated and will be presented.

Basin-Scale Hydrologic Impacts of CO2 Storage: Regulatory and Capacity Implications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Birkholzer, J.T.; Zhou, Q.

Industrial-scale injection of CO{sub 2} into saline sedimentary basins will cause large-scale fluid pressurization and migration of native brines, which may affect valuable groundwater resources overlying the deep sequestration reservoirs. In this paper, we discuss how such basin-scale hydrologic impacts can (1) affect regulation of CO{sub 2} storage projects and (2) may reduce current storage capacity estimates. Our assessment arises from a hypothetical future carbon sequestration scenario in the Illinois Basin, which involves twenty individual CO{sub 2} storage projects in a core injection area suitable for long-term storage. Each project is assumed to inject five million tonnes of CO{sub 2}more » per year for 50 years. A regional-scale three-dimensional simulation model was developed for the Illinois Basin that captures both the local-scale CO{sub 2}-brine flow processes and the large-scale groundwater flow patterns in response to CO{sub 2} storage. The far-field pressure buildup predicted for this selected sequestration scenario suggests that (1) the area that needs to be characterized in a permitting process may comprise a very large region within the basin if reservoir pressurization is considered, and (2) permits cannot be granted on a single-site basis alone because the near- and far-field hydrologic response may be affected by interference between individual sites. Our results also support recent studies in that environmental concerns related to near-field and far-field pressure buildup may be a limiting factor on CO{sub 2} storage capacity. In other words, estimates of storage capacity, if solely based on the effective pore volume available for safe trapping of CO{sub 2}, may have to be revised based on assessments of pressure perturbations and their potential impact on caprock integrity and groundwater resources, respectively. We finally discuss some of the challenges in making reliable predictions of large-scale hydrologic impacts related to CO{sub 2} sequestration projects.« less

Widespread legacy brine contamination from oil production reduces survival of chorus frog larvae

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hossack, Blake R.; Puglis, Holly J.; Battaglin, William A.; Anderson, Chauncey; Honeycutt, Richard; Smalling, Kelly

2017-01-01

Advances in drilling techniques have facilitated a rapid increase in hydrocarbon extraction from energy shales, including the Williston Basin in central North America. This area overlaps with the Prairie Pothole Region, a region densely populated with wetlands that provide numerous ecosystem services. Historical (legacy) disposal practices often released saline co-produced waters (brines) with high chloride concentrations, affecting wetland water quality directly or persisting in sediments. Despite the potential threat of brine contamination to aquatic habitats, there has been little research into its ecological effects. We capitalized on a gradient of legacy brine-contaminated wetlands in northeast Montana to conduct laboratory experiments to assess variation in survival of larval Boreal Chorus Frogs (Pseudacris maculata) reared on sediments from 3 local wetlands and a control source. To help provide environmental context for the experiment, we also measured chloride concentrations in 6 brine-contaminated wetlands in our study area, including the 2 contaminated sites used for sediment exposures. Survival of frog larvae during 46- and 55-day experiments differed by up to 88% among sediment sources (Site Model) and was negatively correlated with potential chloride exposure (Chloride Model). Five of the 6 contaminated wetlands exceeded the U.S. EPA acute benchmark for chloride in freshwater (860 mg/L) and all exceeded the chronic benchmark (230 mg/L). However, the Wetland Site model explained more variation in survival than the Chloride Model, suggesting that chloride concentration alone does not fully reflect the threat of contamination to aquatic species. Because the profiles of brine-contaminated sediments are complex, further surveys and experiments are needed across a broad range of conditions, especially where restoration or remediation actions have reduced brine-contamination. Information provided by this study can help quantify potential ecological threats and help land managers prioritize conservation strategies as part of responsible and sustainable energy development.

From evaporated seawater to uranium-mineralizing brines: Isotopic and trace element study of quartz-dolomite veins in the Athabasca system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richard, Antonin; Boulvais, Philippe; Mercadier, Julien; Boiron, Marie-Christine; Cathelineau, Michel; Cuney, Michel; France-Lanord, Christian

2013-07-01

Stable isotope (O, H, C), radiogenic isotope (Sr, Nd) and trace element analyses have been applied to quartz-dolomite veins and their uranium(U)-bearing fluid inclusions associated with Proterozoic unconformity-related UO2 (uraninite) ores in the Athabasca Basin (Canada) in order to trace the evolution of pristine evaporated seawater towards U-mineralizing brines during their migration through sediments and basement rocks. Fluid inclusion data show that quartz and dolomite have precipitated from brines of comparable chemistry (excepted for relatively small amounts of CO2 found in dolomite-hosted fluid inclusions). However, δ18O values of quartz veins (δ18O = 11‰ to 18‰) and dolomite veins (δ18O = 13‰ to 24‰) clearly indicate isotopic disequilibrium between quartz and dolomite. Hence, it is inferred that this isotopic disequilibrium primarily reflects a decrease in temperature between the quartz stage (˜180 °C) and the dolomite stage (˜120 °C). The δ13C values of CO2 dissolved in dolomite-hosted fluid inclusions (δ13C = -30‰ to -4‰) and the δ13C values of dolomite (δ13C = -23.5‰ to -3.5‰) indicate that the CO2 dissolved in the mineralizing brines originated from brine-graphite interactions in the basement. The resulting slight increase in the fluid partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) may have triggered dolomite precipitation instead of quartz. δ18O values of quartz veins and previously published δ18O values of the main alteration minerals around the U-ores (illite, chlorite and tourmaline) show that quartz and alteration minerals were isotopically equilibrated with the same fluid at ˜180 °C. The REE concentrations in dolomite produce PAAS-normalized patterns that show some similarities with that of UO2 and are clearly distinct from that of the other main REE-bearing minerals in these environments (monazite, zircon and aluminum phosphate-sulfate (APS) minerals). The radiogenic isotope compositions of dolomite (87Sr/86Sri = 0.7053 to 0.7161 and ɛNd(t) = -8.8 to -20.3) differ from one deposit to another, reflecting both heterogeneity in the basement geology and variable preservation of the original composition of brines. The previously published 87Sr/86Sri and ɛNd(t) values of UO2 compare with the most evolved dolomites, i.e. dolomites precipitated from brines that exchanged the most with the basement. This reinforces a close genetic link between dolomites and UO2 deposition and implies that UO2 deposition occurred in a cooling system during the transition from quartz to dolomite formation. The δ18O and δD values of the mineralizing brines (δ18O = -1‰ to 8‰ and δD = -150‰ to -50‰) are considerably shifted from that of their theoretical original values acquired during evaporation of seawater (δ18O = ˜-3‰ and δD = ˜-40‰). The positive δ18O shift is explained by protracted fluid-rock interaction within the basin and basement rocks. The negative δD shift is attributed to incomplete mixing between the U-mineralizing brines and low δD water. This low δD water was likely produced during the abiogenic synthesis of bitumen by Fisher-Tropsch-like reactions involving CO2 derived from brine-graphite interaction in the basement, and radiolytic H2. The resulting low δD brines have been equilibrated with alteration minerals. This may explain why some alteration minerals yield anomalously low δD values whose significance has long been debated.

13 CFR 127.301 - When may a contracting officer accept a concern's self-certification?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...) Third-Party Certifications. A contracting officer may accept a concern's self-certification on ORCA as... Certification. A contracting officer may accept a concern's self-certification in ORCA if the apparent...

13 CFR 127.301 - When may a contracting officer accept a concern's self-certification?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...) Third-Party Certifications. A contracting officer may accept a concern's self-certification on ORCA as... Certification. A contracting officer may accept a concern's self-certification in ORCA if the apparent...

Probing the neutrino mass ordering with KM3NeT-ORCA: analysis and perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capozzi, Francesco; Lisi, Eligio; Marrone, Antonio

2018-02-01

The discrimination of the two possible options for the neutrino mass ordering (normal or inverted) is a major goal for current and future neutrino oscillation experiments. Such a goal might be reached by observing high-statistics energy-angle spectra of events induced by atmospheric neutrinos and antineutrinos propagating in the Earth matter. Large volume water-Cherenkov detectors envisaged to this purpose include the so-called KM3NeT-ORCA project (in seawater) and the IceCube-PINGU project (in ice). Building upon a previous work focused on PINGU, we study in detail the effects of various systematic uncertainties on the ORCA sensitivity to the mass ordering, for the reference configuration with 9 m vertical spacing. We point out the need to control spectral shape uncertainties at the percent level, the effects of better priors on the {θ }23 mixing parameter, and the benefits of an improved flavor identification in reconstructed ORCA events.

Origin of the Okrouhlá Radouň episyenite-hosted uranium deposit, Bohemian Massif, Czech Republic: fluid inclusion and stable isotope constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dolníček, Zdeněk; René, Miloš; Hermannová, Sylvie; Prochaska, Walter

2014-04-01

The Okrouhlá Radouň shear zone hosted uranium deposit is developed along the contact of Variscan granites and high-grade metasedimentary rocks of the Moldanubian Zone of the Bohemian Massif. The pre-ore pervasive alteration of wall rocks is characterized by chloritization of mafic minerals, followed by albitization of feldspars and dissolution of quartz giving rise to episyenites. The subsequent fluid circulation led to precipitation of disseminated uraninite and coffinite, and later on, post-ore quartz and carbonate mineralization containing base metal sulfides. The fluid inclusion and stable isotope data suggest low homogenization temperatures (˜50-140 °C during pre-ore albitization and post-ore carbonatization, up to 230 °C during pre-ore chloritization), variable fluid salinities (0-25 wt.% NaCl eq.), low fluid δ18O values (-10 to +2 ‰ V-SMOW), low fluid δ13C values (-9 to -15 ‰ V-PDB), and highly variable ionic composition of the aqueous fluids (especially Na/Ca, Br/Cl, I/Cl, SO4/Cl, NO3/Cl ratios). The available data suggest participation of three fluid endmembers of primarily surficial origin during alteration and mineralization at the deposit: (1) local meteoric water, (2) Na-Ca-Cl basinal brines or shield brines, (3) SO4-NO3-Cl-(H)CO3 playa-like fluids. Pre-ore albitization was caused by circulation of alkaline, oxidized, and Na-rich playa fluids, whereas basinal/shield brines and meteoric water were more important during the post-ore stage of alteration.

Geochemical evolution of Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, B.F.; Naftz, D.L.; Spencer, R.J.; Oviatt, Charles G.

2009-01-01

The Great Salt Lake (GSL) of Utah, USA, is the largest saline lake in North America, and its brines are some of the most concentrated anywhere in the world. The lake occupies a closed basin system whose chemistry reflects solute inputs from the weathering of a diverse suite of rocks in its drainage basin. GSL is the remnant of a much larger lacustrine body, Lake Bonneville, and it has a long history of carbonate deposition. Inflow to the lake is from three major rivers that drain mountain ranges to the east and empty into the southern arm of the lake, from precipitation directly on the lake, and from minor groundwater inflow. Outflow is by evaporation. The greatest solute inputs are from calcium bicarbonate river waters mixed with sodium chloride-type springs and groundwaters. Prior to 1930 the lake concentration inversely tracked lake volume, which reflected climatic variation in the drainage, but since then salt precipitation and re-solution, primarily halite and mirabilite, have periodically modified lake-brine chemistry through density stratification and compositional differentiation. In addition, construction of a railway causeway has restricted circulation, nearly isolating the northern from the southern part of the lake, leading to halite precipitation in the north. These and other conditions have created brine differentiation, mixing, and fractional precipitation of salts as major factors in solute evolution. Pore fluids and diagenetic reactions have been identified as important sources and especially sinks for CaCO3, Mg, and K in the lake, depending on the concentration gradient and clays. ?? U.S. Geological Survey 2008.

48 CFR 19.308 - Protesting a firm's status as an economically disadvantaged women-owned small business (EDWOSB...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Central Contractor Registration (CCR) and Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA) as... decision. (iv) The concern must remove its designation in CCR and ORCA as an EDWOSB or WOSB concern...

Dolomite: occurrence, evolution and economically important associations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warren, John

2000-11-01

Dolomite is not a simple mineral; it can form as a primary precipitate, a diagenetic replacement, or as a hydrothermal/metamorphic phase, all that it requires is permeability, a mechanism that facilitates fluid flow, and a sufficient supply of magnesium. Dolomite can form in lakes, on or beneath the shallow seafloor, in zones of brine reflux, and in early to late burial settings. It may form from seawater, from continental waters, from the mixing of basinal brines, the mixing of hypersaline brine with seawater, or the mixing of seawater with meteoric water, or via the cooling of basinal brines. Bacterial metabolism may aid the process of precipitation in settings where sulfate-reducing species flourish and microbial action may control primary precipitation in some hypersaline anoxic lake settings. Dolomite is a metastable mineral, early formed crystals can be replaced by later more stable phases with such replacements repeated a number of times during burial and metamorphism. Each new phase is formed by the partial or complete dissolution of an earlier dolomite. This continual re-equilibration during burial detracts from the ability of trace elements to indicate depositional conditions and resets the oxygen isotope signature of the dolomite at progressively higher temperatures. Because subsurface dolomite evolves via dissolution and reprecipitation, a bed of dolomite can retain or create porosity and permeability to much greater burial depths and into higher temperature realms than a limestone counterpart. Dolomitization also creates new crystals, with new rhomb growth following the dissolution of less stable precursors. Repetition of this process, without complete pore cementation, can generate intercrystalline porosity a number of times in the rock's burial history. Intercrystalline porosity is a highly interconnected style of porosity that gives dolomite reservoirs their good fluid storage capacity and efficient drainage. The fact that many dolomite reservoirs formed via brine reflux means that they sit beneath an evaporite seal in both platform and basinwide evaporite settings. The same association of evaporites (sulfate source) and entrained hydrocarbons means that burial conditions are also suitable for thermochemical sulfate reduction and the precipitation of base metals. This tends to occur at higher temperatures (>60°C-80°C) and so the resulting dolomites tend to be ferroan and consist of saddle-shaped crystals.

Qualitative and quantitative changes in detrital reservoir rocks caused by CO2-brine-rock interactions during first injection phases (Utrillas sandstones, northern Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berrezueta, E.; Ordóñez-Casado, B.; Quintana, L.

2016-01-01

The aim of this article is to describe and interpret qualitative and quantitative changes at rock matrix scale of lower-upper Cretaceous sandstones exposed to supercritical (SC) CO2 and brine. The effects of experimental injection of CO2-rich brine during the first injection phases were studied at rock matrix scale, in a potential deep sedimentary reservoir in northern Spain (Utrillas unit, at the base of the Cenozoic Duero Basin).

Experimental CO2-rich brine was exposed to sandstone in a reactor chamber under realistic conditions of deep saline formations (P ≈ 7.8 MPa, T ≈ 38 °C and 24 h exposure time). After the experiment, exposed and non-exposed equivalent sample sets were compared with the aim of assessing possible changes due to the effect of the CO2-rich brine exposure. Optical microscopy (OpM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) aided by optical image analysis (OIA) were used to compare the rock samples and get qualitative and quantitative information about mineralogy, texture and pore network distribution. Complementary chemical analyses were performed to refine the mineralogical information and to obtain whole rock geochemical data. Brine composition was also analyzed before and after the experiment.

The petrographic study of contiguous sandstone samples (more external area of sample blocks) before and after CO2-rich brine injection indicates an evolution of the pore network (porosity increase ≈ 2 %). It is probable that these measured pore changes could be due to intergranular quartz matrix detachment and partial removal from the rock sample, considering them as the early features produced by the CO2-rich brine. Nevertheless, the whole rock and brine chemical analyses after interaction with CO2-rich brine do not present important changes in the mineralogical and chemical configuration of the rock with respect to initial conditions, ruling out relevant precipitation or dissolution at these early stages to rock-block scale. These results, simulating the CO2 injection near the injection well during the first phases (24 h) indicate that, in this environment where CO2 enriches the brine, the mixture principally generates local mineralogical/textural re-adjustments on the external area of the samples studied.

The application of OpM, SEM and optical image analysis have allowed an exhaustive characterization of the sandstones studied. The procedure followed, the porosity characterization and the chemical analysis allowed a preliminary approximation of the CO2-brine-rock interactions and could be applied to similar experimental injection tests.

Development, evolution, and destruction of the saline mineral area of Eocene Lake Uinta, Piceance Basin, western Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Ronald C.; Brownfield, Michael E.

2015-01-01

Leaching of saline minerals began sometime after the Green River Formation was lithified enough to allow collapse breccias to form. Leaching is ongoing today, indicated by the discharge of highly saline water from a series of springs in the northern part of the basin. Groundwater invasion and saline mineral dissolution is commonly incomplete in areas that lack fractures, leaving behind pockets of unleached saline minerals in otherwise leached intervals. Today, the base of the leached zone slopes toward the north and toward the area where the brines are being discharged.

Organic geochemistry of sediments of the Deep Gulf of Mexico Basin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sassen, R.; Fang Jiasong

1990-05-01

Analysis of 716 core samples cored at DSDP (Deep Sea Drilling Project) Leg 96 in the Mississippi submarine fan and the Orca and Pigmy basins in the Louisiana continental slope using a Rock-Eval pyrolysis unit with a TOC (total organic carbon) module allows computations of hydrogen index (HI), total organic carbon, kerogen type, and oil generative capacity assessment. No samples are obviously oil prone. TOC content ranges from 0.12 to 2.29%, with an overall average of 9.82%. HI values are generally less than 150 mg HC/g TOC. T{sub max} (maximum temperature of S{sub 2}) values (average = 425{degree}C) show themore » sediments are thermally immature through-out the study area. Hydrocarbon generative potential of the sediments ranges from 492 to 1,107 ppm, with an average of 854 ppm. Higher PI (Production index) values, ranging from 0.12 to 0.32 and averaging 0.15, suggest the presence of hydrocarbon seepage. Because of organically lean, thermally immature, and gas-prone terrestrial kerogen, there is little reason to assume that the sediments of the Mississippi fan can provide oil source rock for the Gulf of Mexico Basin, or that sediments of anoxic basins in the Louisiana continental slope are analogs to past environments where source rocks for crude oil have been deposited.« less

48 CFR 19.308 - Protesting a firm's status as an economically disadvantaged women-owned small business (EDWOSB...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Central Contractor Registration (CCR) and Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA) as... its designation in CCR and ORCA as an EDWOSB or WOSB concern, and shall not submit an offer as an...

Optical Component Performance for the Ocean Radiometer for Carbon Assessment (ORCA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quijada, Manuel A.; Wilson, Mark; Waluschka, Eugene; McClain, Charles R.

2011-01-01

The Ocean Radiometer for Carbon Assessment (ORCA) is a new design for the next generation remote sensing of ocean biology and biogeochemistry. ORCA is configured to meet all the measurement requirements of the Decadal Survey Aerosol, Cloud, and Ecology (ACE), the Ocean Ecosystem (OES) radiometer and the Pro-ACE climate data continuity mission (PACE). Under the auspices of a 2007 grant from NASA Research Opportunity in Space and Earth Science (ROSES) and the Instrument Incubator Program (IIP), a team at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has been working on a functional prototype with flight-like fore and aft optics and scan mechanisms. As part of the development efforts to bring ORCA closer to a flight configuration and in order to reduce cost, we have conducted component-level optical testing using standard spectrophotometers and system-level characterizations using non-flight commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) focal plane array detectors. Although these arrays would not be able to handle flight data rates, they are adequate for optical alignment and performance testing. The purpose of this presentation is to describe the results of this testing performed at GSFC and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) at the component and system level. Specifically, we show results for ORCA's spectral calibration ranging from the near UV, visible, and near-infrared spectral region.

Microbial community of a hydrothermal mud vent underneath the deep-sea anoxic brine lake Urania (eastern Mediterranean).

PubMed

Yakimov, Michail M; Giuliano, Laura; Cappello, Simone; Denaro, Renata; Golyshin, Peter N

2007-04-01

The composition of a metabolically active prokaryotic community thriving in hydrothermal mud fluids of the deep-sea hypersaline anoxic Western Urania Basin was characterized using rRNA-based phylogenetic analysis of a clone library. The physiologically active prokaryotic assemblage in this extreme environment showed a great genetic diversity. Most members of the microbial community appeared to be affiliated to yet uncultured organisms from similar ecosystems, i.e., deep-sea hypersaline basins and hydrothermal vents. The bacterial clone library was dominated by phylotypes affiliated with the epsilon-Proteobacteria subdivision recognized as an ecologically significant group of bacteria inhabiting deep-sea hydrothermal environments. Almost 18% of all bacterial clones were related to delta-Proteobacteria, suggesting that sulfate reduction is one of the dominant metabolic processes occurring in warm mud fluids. The remaining bacterial phylotypes were related to alpha- and beta-Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroides, Deinococcus-Thermus, KB1 and OP-11 candidate divisions. Moreover, a novel monophyletic clade, deeply branched with unaffiliated 16S rDNA clones was also retrieved from deep-sea sediments and halocline of Urania Basin. Archaeal diversity was much lower and detected phylotypes included organisms affiliated exclusively with the Euryarchaeota. More than 96% of the archaeal clones belonged to the MSBL-1 candidate order recently found in hypersaline anoxic environments, such as endoevaporitic microbial mats, Mediterranean deep-sea mud volcanoes and anoxic basins. Two phylotypes, represented by single clones were related to uncultured groups DHVE-1 and ANME-1. Thus, the hydrothermal mud of hypersaline Urania Basin seems to contain new microbial diversity. The prokaryotic community was significantly different from that occurring in the upper layers of the Urania Basin since 60% of all bacterial and 40% of all archaeal phylotypes were obtained only from mud fluids. The uniqueness of the composition of the active prokaryotic community could be explained by the complex environmental conditions at the site. The interaction of oxygenated warm mud fluids with the cold hypersaline brine of the Urania Basin seems to simultaneously select for various metabolic processes, such as aerobic and anaerobic heterotrophy, sulfide- and methane-dependent chemotrophy along with anaerobic oxidation of methane, sulfate- and metal-reduction.

Typical aqueous rare earth element behavior in co-produced Brines, Wyoming

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nye, Charles; Quillinan, Scott; McLing, Travis

Normalization of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) is important to remove the distracting effects of the Oddo–Harkins rule and provide a meaningful baseline. Normalizations for rocks are well developed and include chondritic meteorites, UCC, PM, PAAS, and NASC. However normalizations for aqueous REEs are limited to oceanic regions such as the North Pacific Deep Water or North Atlantic Surface Water. This leaves water in contact with continental lithologies without a suitable normalization. We present a preliminary continental aqueous REE normalization derived from 38 deep basin hydrocarbon brines in Wyoming. The REEs in these waters are seven orders of magnitude more dilutemore » than NASC but with significant europium enrichment. Gromet 1984 reports NASC Eu/Eu* is 0.2179, whereas in the normalization offered here, Eu/Eu* is 3.868. These waters also are free from the distracting reduction-oxidation cerium behavior found in ocean normalizations. Because these samples exhibit both the uniform behavior of NASC and the absolute concentration of seawater, a normalization based upon them offers a unique combination of the advantages of both. We used single-peak gaussian analysis to quantify the mean values for each REE and estimate the distribution variability. Additional sample collection during the last year revealed that the Powder River Basin (PRB) is atypical relative to the other sampled basins of Wyoming. Those other basins are the Wind River Basin (WRB) Green River Basin (GRB) and Wamsutter Area (WA). A pre-normalization gadolinium anomaly (Gd/Gd*) of between 4 and 23 with a mean of 11.5, defines the PRB samples. Other basins in this study range from 1 to 7 with a mean of 2.8. Finally, we present a preliminary model for ligand-based behavior of REEs in these samples. This model identifies bicarbonate, bromide, and chloride as forming significant complexes with REEs contributing to REE solubility. The ligand model explains observed REEs in the sampled Cretaceous and Paleocene clastic reservoirs. However, the presence of more REEs than predicted in six samples suggests that there is an additional, unconsidered ligand contributing to REE dissolution. Further work will identify this ligand, which appears to be confined to calcium-cemented and dolostone systems.« less

The general description of major ion concentrations in groundwater of Latvia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalvāns, A.; Delina, A.

2012-04-01

Latvia is situated at the North central part of the Baltic sedimentary basin where the crystalline basement is found in depth between 0.6 to 2 km. Three large aquifer complexes with distinct chemical composition of groundwater are identified: the stagnant water exchange zone where Na-Ca-Cl brine is found; the slow water exchange zone where Na-Ca-Cl-SO4 brackish water is found and active water exchange zone where the freshwater resides. These are separated by distinct regional aquicludes. The composition of the Cl- dominated brines at the base of sedimentary basin is characterised by shift from Na+ towards Ca++ as dominant cation, partially associated with depth of the aquifer and the strength of the brine. The concentration of SO4-- here is inversely linked to the concentration of Ca++ and, according to geochemical modelling, often is close to the solubility limit of the gypsum. The major ion concentrations in the E and W part of the territory are rather different. Therefore two different initial sources of the formation brine were suggested. Alternatively the observations can be explained by different thermal histories of different parts of the basin, affecting the rate of albitization - exchange of the Na for Ca in the solution due to water-rock interaction. The groundwater composition in the slow exchange zone can be nicely explained by the mixing of freshwater and brine residing deeper in the presence of gypsum during some but no all stages of mixing. In some shallow parts of the zone still bound by the Narva regional aquiclude freshwater is found. The question is posted - could this be a paleogroundwater originating from the extensive continental glaciations that override the territory several times during the Pleistocene? Initial isotope studies presented elsewhere seems to give negative answer to this question. The active water exchange zone is characterised by fresh Ca-Mg-HCO3 water with exceptions in cases where gypsum are abundant in sedimentary rocks and sulphate ion prevails. The freshwater composition seems to be mostly controlled by three minerals - calcite, dolomite and gypsum. It is suggested that clay minerals can play a significant role in controlling the relative concentrations of cations, but this is not strictly proven jet. Well documented modern seawater intrusion induced by water abstraction is found in the territory of Liepāja city. The upwelling of slat water from below can be spotted across the territory as well. These zones are usually associated with tectonic faults, enabling the upwelling of salty water across regional aquicludes. Particularly prominent is the saltwater body in the vicinity of the Riga city. Three major rives are discharging in the sea there making it a natural confluence zone of groundwater as well. The intensive groundwater abstraction in the city probably enhanced the upwelling of saltwater here, but primary it is a natural phenomenon. The interesting question is if there is any paleogroundwater trapped in the active or slow water exchange zone of the sedimentary basin that could be distinguished from modern infiltration water due to particular isotope signal originating in the quaternary cold stages or chemical composition - remains of relict sea water or sedimentation water. This study is supported by the ESF project No. 2009/0212/1DP/1.1.1.2.0/09/APIA/VIAA/060.

Brine migration resulting from pressure increases in a layered subsurface system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delfs, Jens-Olaf; Nordbeck, Johannes; Bauer, Sebastian

2016-04-01

Brine originating from the deep subsurface impairs parts of the freshwater resources in the North German Basin. Some of the deep porous formations (esp. Trias and Jurassic) exhibit considerable storage capacities for waste fluids (CO2, brine from oil production or cavern leaching), raising concerns among water providers that this type of deep subsurface utilization might impair drinking water supplies. On the one hand, overpressures induced by fluid injections and the geothermal gradient support brine migration from deep into shallow formations. On the other hand, the rising brine is denser than the surrounding less-saline formation waters and, therefore, tends to settle down. Aim of this work is to investigate the conditions under which pressurized formation brine from deep formations can reach shallow freshwater resources. Especially, the role of intermediate porous formations between the storage formation and the groundwater is studied. For this, complex thermohaline simulations using a coupled numerical process model are necessary and performed in this study, in which fluid density depends on fluid pressure, temperature and salt content and the governing partial differential equations are coupled. The model setup is 2D and contains a hypothetic series of aquifers and barriers, each with a thickness of 200 m. Formation pressure is increased at depths of about 2000 m in proximity to a salt wall and a permeable fault. The domain size reaches up to tens of kilometers horizontally to the salt wall. The fault connects the injection formation and the freshwater aquifer such that conditions can be considered as extremely favorable for induced brine migration (worst case scenarios). Brine, heat, and salt fluxes are quantified with reference to hydraulic permeabilities, storage capacities (in terms of domain size), initial salt and heat distribution, and operation pressures. The simulations reveal the development of a stagnation point in the fault region in each intermediate aquifer above the injection formation, where brine settles down and flows from the fault zone into the aquifer. This effect changes buoyancy so that lower density brine from the upper aquifers can rise higher and at larger fluxes compared to the case when no intermediary aquifers are present. In general, uplift of brine originating from the intermediary aquifers is mainly restricted to the next overlying two to three permeable aquifers (200m-1000m) or even only to the next aquifer if injection pressures are lower than about 10 bar. If injection induced over-pressures are high, brine from the injection reservoir can dominate inflow into the freshwater reservoir at late times (tens of years). An extensive parameter variation shows the effects of individual parameters. It is found, e.g., that no brine enters the freshwater aquifer if fault permeability is lower than about 10-14 m2. Acknowledgments: This work is part of the ANGUS+ project (www.angusplus.de) and funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of the energy storage initiative "Energiespeicher".

Great Salt Lake, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stephens, Doyle W.; Gardner, Joe F.

1999-01-01

This document is intended as a source of general information and facts about Great Salt Lake, Utah. This U.S. Geological Survey information sheet answers frequently asked questions about Great Salt Lake. Topics include: History, salinity, brine shrimp, brine flies, migratory birds, and recreation. Great Salt Lake, the shrunken remnant of prehistoric Lake Bonneville, has no outlet. Dissolved salts accumulate in the lake by evaporation. Salinity south of the causeway has ranged from 6 percent to 27 percent over a period of 22 years (2 to 7 times saltier than the ocean). The high salinity supports a mineral industry that extracts about 2 million tons of salt from the lake each year. The aquatic ecosystem consists of more than 30 species of organisms. Harvest of its best-known species, the brine shrimp, annually supplies millions of pounds of food for the aquaculture industry worldwide. The lake is used extensively by millions of migratory and nesting birds and is a place of solitude for people. All this occurs in a lake that is located at the bottom of a 35,000-square-mile drainage basin that has a human population of more than 1.5 million.

Gas-water-rock interactions in sedimentary basins: CO2 sequestration in the Frio Formation, Texas, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kharaka, Y.K.; Cole, D.R.; Thordsen, J.J.; Kakouros, E.; Nance, H.S.

2006-01-01

To investigate the potential for the geologic storage of CO2 in saline sedimentary aquifers, 1600??ton of CO2 were injected at ???1500 m depth into a 24-m sandstone section of the Frio Formation - a regional reservoir in the US Gulf Coast. Fluid samples obtained from the injection and observation wells before, during and after CO2 injection show a Na-Ca-Cl type brine with 93,000??mg/L TDS and near saturation of CH4 at reservoir conditions. As injected CO2 gas reached the observation well, results showed sharp drops in pH (6.5 to 5.7), pronounced increases in alkalinity (100 to 3000??mg/L as HCO3) and Fe (30 to 1100??mg/L), and significant shifts in the isotopic compositions of H2O and DIC. Geochemical modeling indicates that brine pH would have dropped lower, but for buffering by dissolution of calcite and Fe oxyhydroxides. Post-injection results show the brine gradually returning to its pre-injection composition. ?? 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

13 CFR 127.400 - What is an eligibility examination?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...-certifies in CCR or ORCA that it is an EDWOSB or WOSB. SBA may conduct the examination, or parts of the... eligibility of a WOSB or EDWOSB that has certified its status in ORCA or CCR in determining whether to conduct...

13 CFR 127.400 - What is an eligibility examination?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...-certifies in CCR or ORCA that it is an EDWOSB or WOSB. SBA may conduct the examination, or parts of the... eligibility of a WOSB or EDWOSB that has certified its status in ORCA or CCR in determining whether to conduct...

Groundwater hydrochemistry evolution in cyclone driven hydrological regimes, NW Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skrzypek, G.; Dogramaci, S.; Grierson, P.

2013-12-01

Groundwater reserves supply the water needs of many arid regions around the world. Aquifer recharge in these regions is primarily depended on the amount and distribution of rainfall, coupled with exceedingly high rates of evaporation and interactions with both local and regional geomorphology and geology. In semi-arid northwest Australia, the majority of rainfall is delivered by large but infrequent cyclonic events and relatively more frequent but low intensity frontal systems. Changes to rainfall patterns due to global climate change may impact hydrological regimes, recharge rates and groundwater hydrochemistry. These changes may significantly restrict freshwater resources in the future. Between 2008 and 2012, we analysed >400 groundwater, surface and rainwater samples for stable isotope composition (δ2H and δ18O) and major ion chemistry. We then developed conceptual geochemical models of groundwater evolution for the Hamersley Basin (>100,000 km2) and a salt inventory for the Fortescue Marsh (the largest wetland in NW Australia) [1,2]. Fresh groundwater from the alluvium (-8.02 × 0.83‰) and fractured aquifers (-8.22 × 0.70‰) were hydrochemically similar and characterised by a very narrow range of δ18O [1]. In contrast, δ18O of saline and brine groundwater (TDS >10 g L-1) varies in wide range from +2.5 to -7.2‰ [2]. Most of the fresh and brackish groundwater reflects modern recharge and is evaporated by <20% prior to recharge. In contrast, highly saline and brine groundwater reflects mixing between modern rainfall, brackish water and older deep groundwater. The Fortescue Marsh primarily acts as a terminal basin for surface water from the upper Fortescue River catchment [2]. The stable isotope composition of the deep brine groundwater under the Marsh suggests a complex evolution, which cannot be explained by evaporation under current climatic conditions. The observed salinity and δ18O values may result from progressive evaporation from highly saline lake that existed in the past, as the dynamic fractionation from brine is much different compared to that in fresh and brackish waters. Therefore, deeper brine groundwater under the Marsh developed under a different climatic regime and that the current salt in the Marsh has accumulated over at least 40,000 years but could have been as long as 700,000 years [2]. Our combined chemical and stable isotope analyses confirm the general dominance of vertical over horizontal flow in the region and decoupling of processes that control water evolution from those that control salt evolution in groundwater. [1] Dogramaci S., Skrzypek G., Dodson W., Grierson P.F., 2012, Stable isotope and hydrochemical evolution of groundwater in the semi-arid Hamersley Basin of sub-tropical northwest Australia. Journal of Hydrology 475: 281-293. [2] Skrzypek G., Dogramaci S., Grierson P.F., 2013, Geochemical and hydrological processes controlling groundwater salinity of a large inland wetland of northwest Australia. Chemical Geology (in press).

Effects of Model Resolution and Ocean Mixing on Forced Ice-Ocean Physical and Biogeochemical Simulations Using Global and Regional System Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Meibing; Deal, Clara; Maslowski, Wieslaw; Matrai, Patricia; Roberts, Andrew; Osinski, Robert; Lee, Younjoo J.; Frants, Marina; Elliott, Scott; Jeffery, Nicole; Hunke, Elizabeth; Wang, Shanlin

2018-01-01

The current coarse-resolution global Community Earth System Model (CESM) can reproduce major and large-scale patterns but is still missing some key biogeochemical features in the Arctic Ocean, e.g., low surface nutrients in the Canada Basin. We incorporated the CESM Version 1 ocean biogeochemical code into the Regional Arctic System Model (RASM) and coupled it with a sea-ice algal module to investigate model limitations. Four ice-ocean hindcast cases are compared with various observations: two in a global 1° (40˜60 km in the Arctic) grid: G1deg and G1deg-OLD with/without new sea-ice processes incorporated; two on RASM's 1/12° (˜9 km) grid R9km and R9km-NB with/without a subgrid scale brine rejection parameterization which improves ocean vertical mixing under sea ice. Higher-resolution and new sea-ice processes contributed to lower model errors in sea-ice extent, ice thickness, and ice algae. In the Bering Sea shelf, only higher resolution contributed to lower model errors in salinity, nitrate (NO3), and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a). In the Arctic Basin, model errors in mixed layer depth (MLD) were reduced 36% by brine rejection parameterization, 20% by new sea-ice processes, and 6% by higher resolution. The NO3 concentration biases were caused by both MLD bias and coarse resolution, because of excessive horizontal mixing of high NO3 from the Chukchi Sea into the Canada Basin in coarse resolution models. R9km showed improvements over G1deg on NO3, but not on Chl-a, likely due to light limitation under snow and ice cover in the Arctic Basin.

A hydrogeologic model of stratiform copper mineralization in the Midcontinent Rift System, Northern Michigan, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swenson, J.B.; Person, M.; Raffensperger, Jeff P.; Cannon, W.F.; Woodruff, L.G.; Berndt, M.E.

2004-01-01

This paper presents a suite of two-dimensional mathematical models of basin-scale groundwater flow and heat transfer for the middle Proterozoic Midcontinent Rift System. The models were used to assess the hydrodynamic driving mechanisms responsible for main-stage stratiform copper mineralization of the basal Nonesuch Formation during the post-volcanic/pre-compressional phase of basin evolution. Results suggest that compaction of the basal aquifer (Copper Harbor Formation), in response to mechanical loading during deposition of the overlying Freda Sandstone, generated a pulse of marginward-directed, compaction-driven discharge of cupriferous brines from within the basal aquifer. The timing of this pulse is consistent with the radiometric dates for the timing of mineralization. Thinning of the basal aquifer near White Pine, Michigan, enhanced stratiform copper mineralization. Focused upward leakage of copper-laden brines into the lowermost facies of the pyrite-rich Nonesuch Formation resulted in copper sulfide mineralization in response to a change in oxidation state. Economic-grade mineralization within the White Pine ore district is a consequence of intense focusing of compaction-driven discharge, and corresponding amplification of leakage into the basal Nonesuch Formation, where the basal aquifer thins dramatically atop the Porcupine Mountains volcanic structure. Equilibrium geochemical modeling and mass-balance calculations support this conclusion. We also assessed whether topography and density-driven flow systems could have caused ore genesis at White Pine. Topography-driven flow associated with the Ottawan orogeny was discounted because it post-dates main-stage ore genesis and because recent seismic interpretations of basin inversion indicates that basin geometry would not be conductive to ore genesis. Density-driven flow systems did not produce focused discharge in the vicinity of the White Pine ore district.

Nitroxide-Based Macromolecular Contrast Agents with Unprecedented Transverse Relaxivity and Stability for Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Tumors

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Metal-free magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) agents could overcome the established toxicity associated with metal-based agents in some patient populations and enable new modes of functional MRI in vivo. Herein, we report nitroxide-functionalized brush-arm star polymer organic radical contrast agents (BASP-ORCAs) that overcome the low contrast and poor in vivo stability associated with nitroxide-based MRI contrast agents. As a consequence of their unique nanoarchitectures, BASP-ORCAs possess per-nitroxide transverse relaxivities up to ∼44-fold greater than common nitroxides, exceptional stability in highly reducing environments, and low toxicity. These features combine to provide for accumulation of a sufficient concentration of BASP-ORCA in murine subcutaneous tumors up to 20 h following systemic administration such that MRI contrast on par with metal-based agents is observed. BASP-ORCAs are, to our knowledge, the first nitroxide MRI contrast agents capable of tumor imaging over long time periods using clinical high-field 1H MRI techniques. PMID:28776023

Semi-Empirical Model to Estimate the Solubility of CO2 NaCl Brine in Conditions Representative of CO2 Sequestration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammadian, E.; Hamidi, H.; Azdarpour, A.

2018-05-01

CO2 sequestration is considered as one of the most anticipated methods to mitigate CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. Solubility mechanism is one of the most important and sophisticated mechanisms by which CO2 is rendered immobile while it is being injected into aquifers. A semi-empirical, easy to use model was developed to calculate the solubility of CO2 in NaCl brines with thermodynamic conditions (pressure, temperature) and salinity gradients representative CO2 sequestration in the Malay basin. The model was compared to the previous more sophisticated models and a good consistency was found among the data obtained using the two models. A Sensitivity analysis was also conducted on the model to test its performance beyond its limits.

Lithology, mineralogy and geochemical characterizations of sediment-hosted Sr-F deposits in the eastern Neo-Tethyan region - With special reference to evaporation and halokinesis in Tunisia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dill, H. G.; Nolte, N.; Hansen, B. T.

2014-04-01

The Neo-Tethyan basin is known for its sediment-hosted Sr deposits in Spain, Turkey, Cyprus, and the Gulf Region. Sediment-hosted Sr-F deposits with base metals formed in the rim sinks and on top of salt domes resulting from halokinesis of Triassic evaporites near the southern edge of the Mediterranean Sea in Tunisia. These evaporites delivered part of the elements, created a basin-and-swell topography and provided the local and regional unconformities to which many of the mineral deposits are related. Five mineralizing processes, each with characteristic sedimentary ore textures, are related to this subsurface salt movement: (1 + 2) Early- and late-stage replacement ("zebra rocks"), (3) hydraulic fracturing ("fitting breccia" sensuDill and Weber, 2010b), (4) remobilization ("spinifex structures"), and (5) open-space filling ("caves and vein-like deposits"). Basinal brines from Mesozoic aquifers delivered Pb, Zn, Cd, REE, Y, Hg, and Se, while Sr, Cs, Be, Li, Cu and Co have been derived from Cenozoic salinas of the Neo-Tethyan basin. Mixing of Mesozoic and Cenozoic brines between 28 and 19 Ma provoked the emplacement of Sr-F mineralization at temperatures below 200 °C under strong alkaline conditions. Epigenetic polyphase Sr-F deposits bearing base-metals which are closely related to salt domes (Tunisian-Type) may be traced into epigenetic monophase Sr deposits within bioherms (Cyprus-Type) devoid of Pb, Zn and F. Moving eastward, syndiagenetic monophase Sr deposits in biostromes (Gulf-Type) herald the beginning of Sr concentration in Miocene sabkhas of the Neo-Tethys. The current results are based upon field-related sediment petrography and on mineralogical studies, which were supplemented by chemical studies. The present studies bridge the gap between epigenetic carbonate-hosted MVT and syndiagenetic evaporite deposits, both of which developed during the same time span (Neogene) and were hosted by the same environment (near-shore marine marginal facies of the Neo-Tethys basin).

Regional stratigraphy and distribution of epigenetic stratabound celestine, fluorite, barite and Pb-Zn deposits in the MVT province of northeastern Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González-Sánchez, Francisco; Camprubí, Antoni; González-Partida, Eduardo; Puente-Solís, Rafael; Canet, Carles; Centeno-García, Elena; Atudorei, Viorel

2009-04-01

Northeastern Mexico hosts numerous epigenetic stratabound carbonate-hosted low-temperature hydrothermal deposits of celestine, fluorite, barite and zinc-lead, which formed by replacement of Mesozoic evaporites or carbonate rocks. Such deposits can be permissively catalogued as Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) deposits. The deposits studied in the state of Coahuila are associated with granitic and metasedimentary basement highs (horsts) marginal or central to the Mesozoic Sabinas Basin. These horsts controlled the stratigraphy of the Mesozoic basins and subsequently influenced the Laramide structural pattern. The Sabinas Basin consists of ~6,000-m-thick Jurassic to Cretaceous siliciclastic, carbonate and evaporitic series. The MVT deposits are mostly in Barremian and in Aptian-Albian to Cenomanian formations and likely formed from basinal brines that were mobilized during the Laramide orogeny, although earlier diagenetic replacement of evaporite layers (barite and celestine deposits) and lining of paleokarstic cavities in reef carbonates (Zn-Pb deposits) is observed. Fluid inclusion microthermometry and isotopic studies suggest ore formation due to mixing of basinal brines and meteoric water. Homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions range from 45°C to 210°C; salinities range from 0 to 26 wt.% NaCl equiv., and some inclusions contain hydrocarbons or bitumen. Sulfur isotope data suggest that most of the sulfur in barite and celestine is derived from Barremian to Cenomanian evaporites. Regional geology and a compilation of metallogenic features define the new MVT province of northeastern Mexico, which comprises most of the state of Coahuila and portions of the neighboring states of Nuevo León, Durango and, perhaps extends into Zacatecas and southern Texas. This province exhibits a regional metal zonation, with celestine deposits to the south, fluorite deposits to the north and barite and Zn-Pb deposits mostly in the central part.

An Alternative Representation of a Simulated Human Body

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-11-01

Casualty Assessment ( ORCA )3 uses this model to determine injury from insults to the body from fragments and bullets. An alternative representation was...Based Casualty Assessment: ORCA Analyst’s Manual; U.S. Army Research Laboratory: Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, August 2005; draft. 4 U.S. Army Natick

The Impact of Predation by Marine Mammals on Patagonian Toothfish Longline Fisheries

PubMed Central

Söffker, Marta; Trathan, Phil; Clark, James; Collins, Martin A.; Belchier, Mark; Scott, Robert

2015-01-01

Predatory interaction of marine mammals with longline fisheries is observed globally, leading to partial or complete loss of the catch and in some parts of the world to considerable financial loss. Depredation can also create additional unrecorded fishing mortality of a stock and has the potential to introduce bias to stock assessments. Here we aim to characterise depredation in the Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) fishery around South Georgia focusing on the spatio-temporal component of these interactions. Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella), sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), and orcas (Orcinus orca) frequently feed on fish hooked on longlines around South Georgia. A third of longlines encounter sperm whales, but loss of catch due to sperm whales is insignificant when compared to that due to orcas, which interact with only 5% of longlines but can take more than half of the catch in some cases. Orca depredation around South Georgia is spatially limited and focused in areas of putative migration routes, and the impact is compounded as a result of the fishery also concentrating in those areas at those times. Understanding the seasonal behaviour of orcas and the spatial and temporal distribution of “depredation hot spots” can reduce marine mammal interactions, will improve assessment and management of the stock and contribute to increased operational efficiency of the fishery. Such information is valuable in the effort to resolve the human-mammal conflict for resources. PMID:25738698

The impact of predation by marine mammals on patagonian toothfish longline fisheries.

PubMed

Söffker, Marta; Trathan, Phil; Clark, James; Collins, Martin A; Belchier, Mark; Scott, Robert

2015-01-01

Predatory interaction of marine mammals with longline fisheries is observed globally, leading to partial or complete loss of the catch and in some parts of the world to considerable financial loss. Depredation can also create additional unrecorded fishing mortality of a stock and has the potential to introduce bias to stock assessments. Here we aim to characterise depredation in the Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) fishery around South Georgia focusing on the spatio-temporal component of these interactions. Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella), sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), and orcas (Orcinus orca) frequently feed on fish hooked on longlines around South Georgia. A third of longlines encounter sperm whales, but loss of catch due to sperm whales is insignificant when compared to that due to orcas, which interact with only 5% of longlines but can take more than half of the catch in some cases. Orca depredation around South Georgia is spatially limited and focused in areas of putative migration routes, and the impact is compounded as a result of the fishery also concentrating in those areas at those times. Understanding the seasonal behaviour of orcas and the spatial and temporal distribution of "depredation hot spots" can reduce marine mammal interactions, will improve assessment and management of the stock and contribute to increased operational efficiency of the fishery. Such information is valuable in the effort to resolve the human-mammal conflict for resources.

Loss of Arctic sea ice causing punctuated change in sightings of killer whales (Orcinus orca) over the past century.

PubMed

Higdon, Jeff W; Ferguson, Steven H

2009-07-01

Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are major predators that may reshape marine ecosystems via top-down forcing. Climate change models predict major reductions in sea ice with the subsequent expectation for readjustments of species' distribution and abundance. Here, we measure changes in killer whale distribution in the Hudson Bay region with decreasing sea ice as an example of global readjustments occurring with climate change. We summarize records of killer whales in Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, and Foxe Basin in the eastern Canadian Arctic and relate them to an historical sea ice data set while accounting for spatial and temporal autocorrelation in the data. We find evidence for "choke points," where sea ice inhibits killer whale movement, thereby creating restrictions to their Arctic distribution. We hypothesize that a threshold exists in seasonal sea ice concentration within these choke points that results in pulses in advancements in distribution of an ice-avoiding predator. Hudson Strait appears to have been a significant sea ice choke point that opened up .approximately 50 years ago allowing for an initial punctuated appearance of killer whales followed by a gradual advancing distribution within the entire Hudson Bay region. Killer whale sightings have increased exponentially and are now reported in the Hudson Bay region every summer. We predict that other choke points will soon open up with continued sea ice melt producing punctuated predator-prey trophic cascades across the Arctic.

A geostatistical approach to estimate mining efficiency indicators with flexible meshes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freixas, Genis; Garriga, David; Fernàndez-Garcia, Daniel; Sanchez-Vila, Xavier

2014-05-01

Geostatistics is a branch of statistics developed originally to predict probability distributions of ore grades for mining operations by considering the attributes of a geological formation at unknown locations as a set of correlated random variables. Mining exploitations typically aim to maintain acceptable mineral laws to produce commercial products based upon demand. In this context, we present a new geostatistical methodology to estimate strategic efficiency maps that incorporate hydraulic test data, the evolution of concentrations with time obtained from chemical analysis (packer tests and production wells) as well as hydraulic head variations. The methodology is applied to a salt basin in South America. The exploitation is based on the extraction of brines through vertical and horizontal wells. Thereafter, brines are precipitated in evaporation ponds to obtain target potassium and magnesium salts of economic interest. Lithium carbonate is obtained as a byproduct of the production of potassium chloride. Aside from providing an assemble of traditional geostatistical methods, the strength of this study falls with the new methodology developed, which focus on finding the best sites to exploit the brines while maintaining efficiency criteria. Thus, some strategic indicator efficiency maps have been developed under the specific criteria imposed by exploitation standards to incorporate new extraction wells in new areas that would allow maintain or improve production. Results show that the uncertainty quantification of the efficiency plays a dominant role and that the use flexible meshes, which properly describe the curvilinear features associated with vertical stratification, provides a more consistent estimation of the geological processes. Moreover, we demonstrate that the vertical correlation structure at the given salt basin is essentially linked to variations in the formation thickness, which calls for flexible meshes and non-stationarity stochastic processes.

13 CFR 127.504 - What additional requirements must a concern satisfy to submit an offer on an EDWOSB or WOSB...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... certifications on ORCA are accurate and complete at the time it submits its offer to the contracting officer... NAICS code assigned to the contract; (2) It is listed on CCR and ORCA as an EDWOSB or WOSB; and (3...

13 CFR 127.504 - What additional requirements must a concern satisfy to submit an offer on an EDWOSB or WOSB...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... certifications on ORCA are accurate and complete at the time it submits its offer to the contracting officer... NAICS code assigned to the contract; (2) It is listed on CCR and ORCA as an EDWOSB or WOSB; and (3...

Hydrogeology of an ancient arid closed basin: implications for tabular sandstone-hosted uranium deposits

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sanford, R.F.

1990-01-01

Hydrogeologic modeling shows that tabular-type uranium deposits in the Grants uranium region of the San Juan basin, New Mexico, formed in zones of ascending and discharging regional ground-water flow. The association of either lacustrine mudstone or actively subsiding structures and uranium deposits can best be explained by the occurrence of lakes at topographic depressions where ground water having different sources and compositions is likely to converge, mix, and discharge. Ascending and discharging flow also explains the association of uranium deposits with underlying evaporites and suggests a brine interface. The simulations contradict previous suggestions that ground water moved downward in the mudflat. -Author

Phaeodarian radiolarians as potential indicators of thermal maturation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Casey, R.E.

1986-04-01

Phaeodarian radiolarian skeletons contain large amounts of organic matter, and discolored phaeodarian skeletons are observed in the fossil record, which suggests that the skeletons may be useful as thermal maturation indicators. Such a maturation index would be useful in Monterey-type rocks that are difficult to interpret with conventional thermal maturation indexes. Phaeodarians extracted from plankton samples, Holocene Santa Barbara and Orca basin sediments, and Neogene Monterey rocks with siliceous facies were subjected to different temperatures of varying duration in pyrolysis experiments. To calibrate the observed phaeodarian color changes with a known standard, Holocene pine pollen were subjected to the samemore » treatment. These phaeodarian go through the same color change spectrum as do the pollen, but they appear to lag slightly behind the pollen color changes.« less

Technologies for the exploration of highly mineralized geothermal resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alkhasov, A. B.; Alkhasova, D. A.; Ramazanov, A. Sh.; Kasparova, M. A.

2017-09-01

The prospects of the integrated processing of the high-parameter geothermal resources of the East Ciscaucasia of artesian basin (ECAB) with the conversion of their heat energy into electric energy at a binary geoPP and the subsequent extraction of solved chemical compounds from thermal waters are evaluated. The most promising areas for the exploration such resources are overviewed. The integrated exploration of hightemperature hydrogeothermal brines is a new trend in geothermal power engineering, which can make it possible to significantly increase the production volume of hydrogeothermal resources and develop the geothermal field at a higher level with the realization of the energy-efficient advanced technologies. The large-scale exploration of brines can solve the regional problems of energy supply and import substitution and fulfill the need of Russia in food and technical salt and rare elements. The necessity of the primary integrated exploration of the oil-field highly mineralized brines of the South Sukhokumskii group of gas-oil wells of Northern Dagestan was shown in view of the exacerbated environmental problems. Currently, the oil-field brines with the radioactive background exceeding the allowable levels are discharged at disposal fields. The technological solutions for their deactivation and integrated exploration are proposed. The realization of the proposed technological solutions provides 300 t of lithium carbonate, 1650 t of caustic magnesite powder, 27300 t of chemically precipitated chalk, 116100 t of food salt, and up to 1.4 mln m3 of desalinated water from oil-field brines yearly. Desalinated water at the output of a geotechnological complex can be used for different economic needs, which is important for the arid North Caucasus region, where the fresh water deficiency is acute, especially in its plain part within the ECAB.

Can isotopic variations in structural water of gypsum reveal paleoclimatic changes?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gatti, E.; Bustos, D.; Coleman, M. L.

2015-12-01

Water of crystallization in gypsum can be used as paleo-environmental proxy to study large scale climatic variability in arid areas. This is because changes in the isotopic composition of water of crystallization are due to isotopic variations in the mother brine from which the mineral precipitated, and the brine isotopic composition is linked to evaporation processes and humidity. This is particularly important when the salts are the only traces left of the original water, i.e. in modern arid areas. This study aims to prove that the 2-D/18-O compositions of the water of crystallization extracted from successive precipitates or even different growth zones of natural gypsum (CaSO4·H2O) can reconstruct the evaporation history and paleo-humidity of the source water basin. The method was tested in a laboratory experiment that evaporated CaSO4 brines under controlled temperature and humidity conditions. The brine was left to evaporate for five days at two different humidities (45 and 75 RH%); subsequently, brines and precipitated gypsum were sampled at 24 hour intervals. In this way we simulated zoned growth of gypsum. The samples were then analyzed for oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition using a Thermo Scientific TC/EA with modified column, coupled to a MAT 253 Thermo Finnigan mass spectrometer at JPL. If preliminary results validate the novel hypothesis that changes in mineral composition can reveal details of paleo-environmental conditions the theory will be tested on natural gypsum collected from selected areas in White Sands National Monument, New Mexico. The study is currently ongoing but the full dataset will be presented at the conference.

Geochemical evidence for possible natural migration of Marcellus Formation brine to shallow aquifers in Pennsylvania

PubMed Central

Warner, Nathaniel R.; Jackson, Robert B.; Darrah, Thomas H.; Osborn, Stephen G.; Down, Adrian; Zhao, Kaiguang; White, Alissa; Vengosh, Avner

2012-01-01

The debate surrounding the safety of shale gas development in the Appalachian Basin has generated increased awareness of drinking water quality in rural communities. Concerns include the potential for migration of stray gas, metal-rich formation brines, and hydraulic fracturing and/or flowback fluids to drinking water aquifers. A critical question common to these environmental risks is the hydraulic connectivity between the shale gas formations and the overlying shallow drinking water aquifers. We present geochemical evidence from northeastern Pennsylvania showing that pathways, unrelated to recent drilling activities, exist in some locations between deep underlying formations and shallow drinking water aquifers. Integration of chemical data (Br, Cl, Na, Ba, Sr, and Li) and isotopic ratios (87Sr/86Sr, 2H/H, 18O/16O, and 228Ra/226Ra) from this and previous studies in 426 shallow groundwater samples and 83 northern Appalachian brine samples suggest that mixing relationships between shallow ground water and a deep formation brine causes groundwater salinization in some locations. The strong geochemical fingerprint in the salinized (Cl > 20 mg/L) groundwater sampled from the Alluvium, Catskill, and Lock Haven aquifers suggests possible migration of Marcellus brine through naturally occurring pathways. The occurrences of saline water do not correlate with the location of shale-gas wells and are consistent with reported data before rapid shale-gas development in the region; however, the presence of these fluids suggests conductive pathways and specific geostructural and/or hydrodynamic regimes in northeastern Pennsylvania that are at increased risk for contamination of shallow drinking water resources, particularly by fugitive gases, because of natural hydraulic connections to deeper formations. PMID:22778445

Geochemical evidence for possible natural migration of Marcellus Formation brine to shallow aquifers in Pennsylvania.

PubMed

Warner, Nathaniel R; Jackson, Robert B; Darrah, Thomas H; Osborn, Stephen G; Down, Adrian; Zhao, Kaiguang; White, Alissa; Vengosh, Avner

2012-07-24

The debate surrounding the safety of shale gas development in the Appalachian Basin has generated increased awareness of drinking water quality in rural communities. Concerns include the potential for migration of stray gas, metal-rich formation brines, and hydraulic fracturing and/or flowback fluids to drinking water aquifers. A critical question common to these environmental risks is the hydraulic connectivity between the shale gas formations and the overlying shallow drinking water aquifers. We present geochemical evidence from northeastern Pennsylvania showing that pathways, unrelated to recent drilling activities, exist in some locations between deep underlying formations and shallow drinking water aquifers. Integration of chemical data (Br, Cl, Na, Ba, Sr, and Li) and isotopic ratios ((87)Sr/(86)Sr, (2)H/H, (18)O/(16)O, and (228)Ra/(226)Ra) from this and previous studies in 426 shallow groundwater samples and 83 northern Appalachian brine samples suggest that mixing relationships between shallow ground water and a deep formation brine causes groundwater salinization in some locations. The strong geochemical fingerprint in the salinized (Cl > 20 mg/L) groundwater sampled from the Alluvium, Catskill, and Lock Haven aquifers suggests possible migration of Marcellus brine through naturally occurring pathways. The occurrences of saline water do not correlate with the location of shale-gas wells and are consistent with reported data before rapid shale-gas development in the region; however, the presence of these fluids suggests conductive pathways and specific geostructural and/or hydrodynamic regimes in northeastern Pennsylvania that are at increased risk for contamination of shallow drinking water resources, particularly by fugitive gases, because of natural hydraulic connections to deeper formations.

50 CFR 216.15 - Depleted species.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... these waters. (h) Eastern North Pacific Southern Resident stock of killer whales (Orcinus orca). The stock includes all resident killer whales in pods J, K, and L in the waters of, but not limited to, the... Juan de Fuca, and Puget Sound. (i) AT1 stock of killer whales (Orcinus orca). The stock includes all...

50 CFR 216.15 - Depleted species.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... these waters. (h) Eastern North Pacific Southern Resident stock of killer whales (Orcinus orca). The stock includes all resident killer whales in pods J, K, and L in the waters of, but not limited to, the... Juan de Fuca, and Puget Sound. (i) AT1 stock of killer whales (Orcinus orca). The stock includes all...

50 CFR 216.15 - Depleted species.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... these waters. (h) Eastern North Pacific Southern Resident stock of killer whales (Orcinus orca). The stock includes all resident killer whales in pods J, K, and L in the waters of, but not limited to, the... Juan de Fuca, and Puget Sound. (i) AT1 stock of killer whales (Orcinus orca). The stock includes all...

50 CFR 216.15 - Depleted species.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... these waters. (h) Eastern North Pacific Southern Resident stock of killer whales (Orcinus orca). The stock includes all resident killer whales in pods J, K, and L in the waters of, but not limited to, the... Juan de Fuca, and Puget Sound. (i) AT1 stock of killer whales (Orcinus orca). The stock includes all...

50 CFR 216.15 - Depleted species.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... these waters. (h) Eastern North Pacific Southern Resident stock of killer whales (Orcinus orca). The stock includes all resident killer whales in pods J, K, and L in the waters of, but not limited to, the... Juan de Fuca, and Puget Sound. (i) AT1 stock of killer whales (Orcinus orca). The stock includes all...

ETV REPORT: REMOVAL OF ARSENIC IN DRINKING WATER ORCA WATER TECHNOLOGIES KEMLOOP 1000 COAGULATION AND FILTRATION WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

Verification testing of the ORCA Water Technologies KemLoop 1000 Coagulation and Filtration Water Treatment System for arsenic removal was conducted at the St. Louis Center located in Washtenaw County, Michigan, from March 23 through April 6, 2005. The source water was groundwate...

Multiple isotopes (O, C, Li, Sr) as tracers of CO2 and brine leakage from CO2-enhanced oil recovery activities in Permian Basin, Texas, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phan, T. T.; Sharma, S.; Gardiner, J. B.; Thomas, R. B.; Stuckman, M.; Spaulding, R.; Lopano, C. L.; Hakala, A.

2017-12-01

Potential CO2 and brine migration or leakage into shallow groundwater is a critical issue associated with CO2 injection at both enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and carbon sequestration sites. The effectiveness of multiple isotope systems (δ18OH2O, δ13C, δ7Li, 87Sr/86Sr) in monitoring CO2 and brine leakage at a CO2-EOR site located within the Permian basin (Seminole, Texas, USA) was studied. Water samples collected from an oil producing formation (San Andres), a deep groundwater formation (Santa Rosa), and a shallow groundwater aquifer (Ogallala) over a four-year period were analyzed for elemental and isotopic compositions. The absence of any change in δ18OH2O or δ13CDIC values of water in the overlying Ogallala aquifer after CO2 injection indicates that injected CO2 did not leak into this aquifer. The range of Ogallala water δ7Li (13-17‰) overlaps the San Andres water δ7Li (13-15‰) whereas 87Sr/86Sr of Ogallala (0.70792±0.00005) significantly differs from San Andres water (0.70865±0.00003). This observation demonstrates that Sr isotopes are much more sensitive than Li isotopes in tracking brine leakage into shallow groundwater at the studied site. In contrast, deep groundwater δ7Li (21-25‰) is isotopically distinct from San Andres produced water; thus, monitoring this intermitted formation water can provide an early indication of CO2 injection-induced brine migration from the underlying oil producing formation. During water alternating with gas (WAG) operations, a significant shift towards more positive δ13CDIC values was observed in the produced water from several of the San Andres formation wells. The carbon isotope trend suggests that the 13C enriched injected CO2 and formation carbonates became the primary sources of dissolved inorganic carbon in the area surrounding the injection wells. Moreover, one-way ANOVA statistical analysis shows that the differences in δ7Li (F(1,16) = 2.09, p = 0.17) and 87Sr/86Sr (F(1,18) = 4.47, p = 0.05) values of shallow groundwater collected before and during the WAG period are not statistically significant. The results to date suggest that the water chemistry of shallow groundwater has not been influenced by the CO2 injection activities. The efficacy of each isotope system as a monitoring tool will be evaluated and discussed using a Bayesian mixing model.

Regional-scale advective, diffusive, and eruptive dynamics of CO2 and brine leakage through faults and wellbores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Na-Hyun; Han, Weon Shik; Han, Kyungdoe; Park, Eungyu

2015-05-01

Regional-scale advective, diffusive, and eruptive transport dynamics of CO2 and brine within a natural analogue in the northern Paradox Basin, Utah, were explored by integrating numerical simulations with soil CO2 flux measurements. Deeply sourced CO2 migrates through steeply dipping fault zones to the shallow aquifers predominantly as an aqueous phase. Dense CO2-rich brine mixes with regional groundwater, enhancing CO2 dissolution. Linear stability analysis reveals that CO2 could be dissolved completely within only 500 years. Assigning lower permeability to the fault zones induces fault-parallel movement, feeds up-gradient aquifers with more CO2, and impedes down-gradient fluid flow, developing anticlinal CO2 traps at shallow depths (<300 m). The regional fault permeability that best reproduces field spatial CO2 flux variation is estimated 1 × 10-17 ≤ kh < 1 × 10-16 m2 and 5 × 10-16 ≤ kv < 1 × 10-15 m2. The anticlinal trap serves as an essential fluid source for eruption at Crystal Geyser. Geyser-like discharge sensitively responds to varying well permeability, radius, and CO2 recharge rate. The cyclic behavior of wellbore CO2 leakage decreases with time.

Origin of dolostone reservoir rocks, Smackover Formation (Oxfordian), northeastern Gulf Coast, U. S. A

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Prather, B.E.

Formation of regionally extensive dolostone reservoir rocks in the Smackover can be understood despite the possible effects of recrystallization. Geochemical and petrographic data suggest that dolomitization took place in (1) seawater-seepage, (2) reflux, (3) near-surface mixed-water, (4) shallow-burial mixed-water, and (5) deeper burial environments, which overlapped in time and space to form a platform-scale' dolostone body composed of a complex mixture of dolomites. Seawater-seepage and reflux dolomitization occurred in the near surface penecontemporaneously with deposition of the Smackover and overlying Haynesville Formations. Dolomitization by seawater seepage occurred within an oolite grainstone sill which separated an intraplatform salt basin from themore » open sea. Seawater flowed landward through the sill in response to evaporitic drawdown of brines in the isolated intraplatform basin. Isolation of the salt basin occurred during the Oxfordian when the shoreline retreated from the Conecuh embayment. Dolomite located at the top of the Smackover enriched in {sup 18}O suggests additional dolomitization by reflux of hypersaline brines. Reflux occurred as Buckner coastal sabkhas prograded over Smackover oolite grainstone shoreface deposits. Vugs lined with shallow-burial calcite and dolomite cements indicate flushing of the Smackover grainstone aquifer with fresh water. Freshwater intrusion probably occurred following sea level lowstands during the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. Leaching in the proximal portion of the freshwater aquifer produced excellent limestone reservoir rocks in the updip Smackover. Dolomitization in the contemporaneous downdip mixed connate/freshwater zone formed dolostone reservoir rocks with depleted isotopic compositions consistent with a shallow-burial mixed-water origin.« less

Regional hydrology of the Green River-Moab area, northwestern Paradox Basin, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rush, F.E.; Whitfield, M.S.; Hart, I.M.

1984-01-01

The Green River-Moab area encompasses about 7,800 square kilometers or about 25 percent of the Paradox basin. The entire Paradox basin is a part of the Colorado Plateaus that is underlain by a thick sequence of evaporite (salt) beds of Pennsylvanian age. The rock units that underlie the area have been grouped into hydrogeologic units based on their water-transmitting ability. Confining beds consist of evaporite beds of mostly salt, and over- lying and underlying thick sequences of rocks with minimal permeability; above and below these confining beds are aquifers. The upper Mesozoic sand- stone aquifer, probably is the most permeable hydrogeologic unit of the area and is the subject of this investigation. The principal component of ground- water outflow from this aquifer probably is subsurface flow to regional streams (the Green and Colorado Rivers) and is about 100 million cubic meters per year. All other components of outflow are relatively small. The average annual recharge to the aquifer is about 130 million cubic meters, of which about 20 million cubic meters is from local precipitation. For the lower aquifer, all recharge and discharge probably is by subsurface flow and was not estimated.The aquifers are generally isolated from the evaporite beds by the bounding confining beds; as a result, most ground water has little if any contact with the evaporites. Brines are present in the confining beds, but solution of beds o£ salt probably is very slow in most parts of the area. No brine discharges' have been identified.

A geopressured-geothermal, solar conversion system to produce potable water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nitschke, George Samuel

A design is presented for recovering Geopressured-Geothermal (GPGT) reservoir brines for conversion into solar ponds to renewably power coastal seawater desalination. The hot, gas-cut, high-pressure GPGT brine is flowed through a well-bore to surface systems which concentrate the brine in multi-effect evaporators and recover the gas. The gas and distilled water are used for thermal enhanced oil recovery, and the concentrated brine is used to construct solar ponds. The thermal energy from the solar ponds is used to produce electricity, which is then used to renewably power coastal desalination plants for large-scale potable water production from the sea. The design is proposed for deployment in California and Texas, where the two largest U.S. GPGT basins exist. Projections show that the design fully deployed in California could provide 5 MAF/y (million acre-ft per year) while yielding a 45% Rate of Return (combined oil and water revenues); the California municipal water load is 10 MAF/y. The dissertation contains a feasibility study of the design approach, supported by engineering analyses and simulation models, included in the appendices. A range of systems configurations and GPGT flow conditions are modeled to illustrate how the approach lends itself to modular implementation, i.e., incrementally installing a single system, tens of systems, up to 1000 systems, which corresponds to full deployment in California for the scenario analyzed. The dissertation includes a method for launching and piloting the approach, starting from a single system installation.

Constraints on Upward Migration of Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid and Brine

PubMed Central

Flewelling, Samuel A; Sharma, Manu

2014-01-01

Recent increases in the use of hydraulic fracturing (HF) to aid extraction of oil and gas from black shales have raised concerns regarding potential environmental effects associated with predictions of upward migration of HF fluid and brine. Some recent studies have suggested that such upward migration can be large and that timescales for migration can be as short as a few years. In this article, we discuss the physical constraints on upward fluid migration from black shales (e.g., the Marcellus, Bakken, and Eagle Ford) to shallow aquifers, taking into account the potential changes to the subsurface brought about by HF. Our review of the literature indicates that HF affects a very limited portion of the entire thickness of the overlying bedrock and therefore, is unable to create direct hydraulic communication between black shales and shallow aquifers via induced fractures. As a result, upward migration of HF fluid and brine is controlled by preexisting hydraulic gradients and bedrock permeability. We show that in cases where there is an upward gradient, permeability is low, upward flow rates are low, and mean travel times are long (often >106 years). Consequently, the recently proposed rapid upward migration of brine and HF fluid, predicted to occur as a result of increased HF activity, does not appear to be physically plausible. Unrealistically high estimates of upward flow are the result of invalid assumptions about HF and the hydrogeology of sedimentary basins. PMID:23895673

A Study to Interpret the Biological Significance of Behavior Associated with 3S Experimental Sonar Exposures

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-30

KW playbacks Killer whale (O. orca) 10 4 8 1 2 LF pilot whale (G. melas ) 30 8 14 4 8 Sperm whale (P. Macrocephalus) 10 4 10 2 5 Humpback whale...Behavioral Changes Observed During Experimental Exposures of Killer (Orcinus orca), Long-Finned Pilot (Globicephala melas ), and Sperm (Physeter

Probing new physics with atmospheric neutrinos at KM3NeT-ORCA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coelho, João A. B.; KM3NeT Collaboration

2017-09-01

We present the prospects of ORCA searches for new physics phenomena using atmospheric neutrinos. Focus is given to exploiting the impact of strong matter effects on the oscillation of atmospheric neutrinos in light of expanded models, such as sterile neutrinos and non-standard interactions. In the presence of light sterile neutrinos that mix with active neutrinos, additional resonances and suppressions may occur at different energies. One may also use neutrino oscillations to probe the properties of the coherent forward scattering which may be altered by new interactions beyond the Standard Model. Preliminary studies show that ORCA would be able to probe some parameters of these models with sensitivity up to one order of magnitude better than current constraints.

Dietary habits of polar bears in Foxe Basin, Canada: possible evidence of a trophic regime shift mediated by a new top predator.

PubMed

Galicia, Melissa P; Thiemann, Gregory W; Dyck, Markus G; Ferguson, Steven H; Higdon, Jeff W

2016-08-01

Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) subpopulations in several areas with seasonal sea ice regimes have shown declines in body condition, reproductive rates, or abundance as a result of declining sea ice habitat. In the Foxe Basin region of Nunavut, Canada, the size of the polar bear subpopulation has remained largely stable over the past 20 years, despite concurrent declines in sea ice habitat. We used fatty acid analysis to examine polar bear feeding habits in Foxe Basin and thus potentially identify ecological factors contributing to population stability. Adipose tissue samples were collected from 103 polar bears harvested during 2010-2012. Polar bear diet composition varied spatially within the region with ringed seal (Pusa hispida) comprising the primary prey in northern and southern Foxe Basin, whereas polar bears in Hudson Strait consumed equal proportions of ringed seal and harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus). Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) consumption was highest in northern Foxe Basin, a trend driven by the ability of adult male bears to capture large-bodied prey. Importantly, bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) contributed to polar bear diets in all areas and all age and sex classes. Bowhead carcasses resulting from killer whale (Orcinus orca) predation and subsistence harvest potentially provide an important supplementary food source for polar bears during the ice-free period. Our results suggest that the increasing abundance of killer whales and bowhead whales in the region could be indirectly contributing to improved polar bear foraging success despite declining sea ice habitat. However, this indirect interaction between top predators may be temporary if continued sea ice declines eventually severely limit on-ice feeding opportunities for polar bears.

Guiding Restoration Principles

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-12-01

novaeangliae). Rapid, unexplained declines in the populations of the southern pod of resident Puget Sound orcas (Orcinus orca ), groundfi sh such as...Guiding Restoration Principles 1 Technical Report 2004-03 Guiding Restoration Principles Prepared in support of the Puget Sound ...Kurt Fresh, Tom Mumford and Miles Logsdon Puget Sound Nearshore Partnership WDFW - P.O. Box 43145, Olympia Washington 98504-3145 U.S. Army Corps of

Likelihood of Brine and CO 2 Leak Detection using Magnetotellurics and Electrical Resistivity Tomography Methods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, X.; Buscheck, T. A.; Mansoor, K.

The US DOE National Risk Assessment Partnership (NRAP), funded through the Office of Fossil Energy and NETL, is developing methods to evaluate the effectiveness of monitoring techniques to detect brine and CO 2 leakage from legacy wells into underground sources of drinking water (USDW) overlying a CO 2 storage reservoir. As part of the NRAP Strategic Monitoring group, we have generated 140 simulations of aquifer impact data based on the Kimberlina site in California’s southern San Joaquin Basin, Kimberlina Rev. 1.1. CO 2 buoyancy allows some of the stored CO 2 to reach shallower permeable zones and is detectable withmore » surface geophysical sensors. We are using this simulated data set to evaluate effectiveness of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and magnetotellurics (MT) for leak detection. The evaluation of additional monitoring methods such as pressure, seismic and gravity is underway through a multi-lab collaboration.« less

Guiding brine shrimp through mazes by solving reaction diffusion equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singal, Krishma; Fenton, Flavio

Excitable systems driven by reaction diffusion equations have been shown to not only find solutions to mazes but to also to find the shortest path between the beginning and the end of the maze. In this talk we describe how we can use the Fitzhugh-Nagumo model, a generic model for excitable media, to solve a maze by varying the basin of attraction of its two fixed points. We demonstrate how two dimensional mazes are solved numerically using a Java Applet and then accelerated to run in real time by using graphic processors (GPUs). An application of this work is shown by guiding phototactic brine shrimp through a maze solved by the algorithm. Once the path is obtained, an Arduino directs the shrimp through the maze using lights from LEDs placed at the floor of the Maze. This method running in real time could be eventually used for guiding robots and cars through traffic.

The chemical and hydrologic structure of Poas volcano, Costa Rica

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rowe, G.L.; Brantley, S.L.; Fernandez, J.F.; Borgia, A.

1995-01-01

Comparison of the chemical characteristics of spring and river water draining the flanks of Poas Volcano, Costa Rica indicates that acid chloride sulfate springs of the northwestern flank of the volcano are derived by leakage and mixing of acid brines formed in the summit hydrothermal system with dilute flank groundwater. Acid chloride sulfate waters of the Rio Agrio drainage basin on the northwestern flank are the only waters on Poas that are affected by leakage of acid brines from the summit hydrothermal system. Acid sulfate waters found on the northwestern flank are produced by the interaction of surface and shallow groundwater with dry and wet acid deposition of SO2 and H2SO4 aerosols, respectively. The acid deposition is caused by a plume of acid gases that is released by a shallow magma body located beneath the active crater of Poas. -from Authors

Neutrino oscillation tomography of the Earth with KM3NeT-ORCA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourret, Simon; Coelho, João A. B.; Van Elewyck, Véronique; KM3NeT Collaboration

2017-09-01

KM3NeT-ORCA is a water-Cherenkov neutrino detector designed for studying the oscillations of atmospheric neutrinos, with the primary objective of measuring the neutrino mass ordering. Atmospheric neutrinos crossing the Earth undergo matter effects, modifying the pattern of their flavour oscillations. The study of the angular and energy distribution of neutrino events in ORCA can therefore provide tomographic information on the Earth’s interior with an independent technique, complementary to the standard geophysics methods. Preliminary estimations based on a full Monte Carlo simulation of the detector response show that after ten years of operation the electron density can be measured with a precision of 3-5% in the mantle and 7-10% in the outer core - depending on the mass ordering.

The Jeanie Point complex revisited

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dumoulin, Julie A.; Miller, Martha L.

1984-01-01

The so-called Jeanie Point complex is a distinctive package of rocks within the Orca Group, a Tertiary turbidite sequence. The rocks crop out on the southeast coast of Montague Island, Prince William Sound, approximately 3 km northeast of Jeanie Point (loc. 7, fig. 44). These rocks consist dominantly of fine-grained limestone and lesser amounts of siliceous limestone, chert, tuff, mudstone, argillite, and sandstone (fig. 47). The Jeanie Point rocks also differ from those typical of the Orca Group in their fold style. Thus, the Orca Group of the area is isoclinally folded on a large scale (tens to hundreds of meters), whereas the Jeanie Point rocks are tightly folded on a 1- to 3- m-wavelength scale (differences in rock competency may be responsible for this variation in fold style).

Mineralogy and ore fluid chemistry of the Roc Blanc Ag deposit, Jebilet Hercynian massif, Morocco

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Essarraj, Samira; Boiron, Marie-Christine; Cathelineau, Michel; Tarantola, Alexandre; Leisen, Mathieu; Hibti, Mohamed

2017-03-01

The Roc Blanc Ag deposit is located about 20 km north of Marrakesh city (Morocco) in the Jebilet Hercynian massif. The ore bodies consist of N-S to NE-SW quartz (±carbonates) veins hosted by the Sarhlef marine sediments. These series, deposited in a Devonian-Carboniferous rift basin context, were deformed during the Hercynian orogeny, and submitted to low-grade regional metamorphism. Two major stages of fluid circulation and metal deposition are distinguished on the basis of mineralogical and paleo-fluid studies carried out on quartz and dolomite (microthermometry, Raman spectroscopy, LA-ICP-MS on individual inclusions, and O, H stable isotope data): (i) an early Fe-As stage, characterized by the circulation of metamorphic aqueous-carbonic fluids, under P-T conditions lower than 200 MPa ± 20 MPa and 400 °C respectively, along N-S structures; (ii) the ore stage, characterized by the circulation of a Na-Mg-K ± Ca high salinity brine, poor in gas but rich in metals such as Fe, Sr, Ba, Zn, Pb, ± Cu (salinity ranging from 19.6 wt% to likely more than 30 wt% NaCl equiv.) and the deposition of a sphalerite/dolomite-calcite assemblage; such a fluid likely evolved to a Na-K-(Ca-Mg)-Ag brine, with significant Pb and Sb concentrations and lower Sr, Ba and Zn concentrations than in the preceding fluid (salinity up to 19.4 wt% NaCl equiv.). The Ag content of the second mineralizing brine ranges from 0.9 mmol/kg to 9.4 mmol/kg solution (100 ppm-1000 ppm), whereas the base metal brine is generally Ag poor (up to 1.3 mmol/kg solution: 140 ppm). Dilution of the Ag brine by low salinity fluids (<6 wt% NaCl equiv., and Th from 130° to 230 °C) seems to be the main driving mechanism for the Ag ore deposition at Roc Blanc, with a possible involvement of cooling and reduction reactions in black schists. Base metal and Ag fluids may have circulated at average temperatures around 200 ± 30 °C or slightly higher and under hydrostatic pressures, along dominant E-W structures. The ore forming model proposed for the Roc Blanc deposit is: (i) the penetration of sedimentary brines coming from the adjacent basins into the basement (i.e. Hercynian formations), where they extracted Ag probably from abundant mafic rocks; ii) the ore deposition in structural traps below the post Hercynian unconformity thanks to brine mixing with low salinity fluids. The fluid circulation probably is related to the Atlasic rifting coeval with the Atlantic Triassic opening. Such a model contrasts with the previous one relating the Roc Blanc to the Hercynian granitic intrusions in the Jebilet. Ag deposition occurred during reworking of the early structures associated with the Hercynian orogenic events and metamorphic fluid circulation which led to the early Fe-As uneconomic stages forming the main N-S quartz veins. Similarities between The Roc Blanc Ag deposit and the major Ag deposits from Anti-Atlas south of Morocco strongly suggest that they resulted from a unique and large fluid circulation event and a major period of metal deposition.

A Coast Mountains provenance for the Valdez and Orca groups, southern Alaska, based on Nd, Sr, and Pb isotopic evidence

USGS Publications Warehouse

Farmer, G.L.; Ayuso, R.; Plafker, G.

1993-01-01

Nd, Sr, and Pb isotopic data were obtained for fourteen fine- to coarse-grained samples of accreted flysch of the Late Cretaceous and early Tertiary Valdez and Orca Groups in southern Alaska to determine the flysch provenance. Argillites and greywackes from the Orca Group, as well as compositionally similar but higher metamorphic grade rocks from the Valdez Group, show a restricted range of correlated ??{lunate}Nd ( -0.6 to -3.8) and 87Sr 86Sr (0.7060-0.7080) at the time of sediment deposition ( ??? 50 Ma). Pb isotopic compositions also vary over a narrow range ( 206Pb 204Pb = 19.138-19.395, 207Pb 204Pb = 15.593-15.703, 208Pb 204Pb = 38.677-39.209), and in the Orca Group the samples generally become more radiogenic with decreasing ??{lunate}Nd and increasing 87Sr 86Sr. All samples have similar trace element compositions characterized by moderate light rare earth element enrichments, and low ratios of high field strength elements to large ion lithophile elements. Based on petrographic, geochemical, and isotopic data the sedimentary rocks are interpreted to have been derived largely from a Phanerozoic continental margin arc complex characterized by igneous rocks with ??{lunate}Nd values between 0 and -5. The latter conclusion is supported by the ??{lunate}Nd values of a tonalite clast and a rhyodacite clast in the Orca Group (??{lunate}Nd = -4.9 and -0.9, respectively). However, trondjemitic clasts in the Orca Group have significantly lower ??{lunate}Nd ( ??? -10) and require a derivation of a portion of the flysch from Precambrian crustal sources. The Nd, Sr, and Pb isotopic compositions of both the Valdez and Orca Groups overlap the values determined for intrusive igneous rocks exposed within the northern portion of the Late Cretaceous to early Tertiary Coast Mountains Plutonic Complex in western British Columbia and equivalent rocks in southeastern Alaska. The isotopic data support previous conclusions based on geologic studies which suggest that the flysch was shed from this portion of the batholith, and from overlying continental margin arc-related volcanic rocks, following its rapid uplift in the Late Cretaceous and early Tertiary. The Precambrian crustal material present in the flysch may have been derived from Late Proterozoic or older metasedimentary and metaigneous rocks now exposed along the western margin of the Coast Mountains Plutonic Complex. ?? 1993.

Case Studies of Selected Alternative Schools: [Alternative Schools I, II, III, Orca, Nova, Summit K-12. Report Nos. 82-10A to 82-10F].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wootten, Marian; And Others

Separate formal evaluations were conducted of the following alternative schools in the Seattle Public Schools system: Nova, Orca, Summit K-12, Alternative School 1 (AS1), Alternative Elementary School II (AES II), and Alternative Elementary School III (AES III). These six documents, combined here as one item, describe the distinctive…

Reference Model for Project Support Environments Version 1.0

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-02-28

relationship with the framework’s Process Support services and with the Lifecycle Process Engineering services. Examples: "* ORCA (Object-based...Design services. Examples: "* ORCA (Object-based Requirements Capture and Analysis). "* RETRAC (REquirements TRACeability). 4.3 Life-Cycle Process...34traditional" computer tools. Operations: Examples of audio and video processing operations include: "* Create, modify, and delete sound and video data

Dzhezkazgan and associated sandstone copper deposits of the Chu-Sarysu basin, Central Kazakhstan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Box, Stephen E.; Seltmann, Reimar; Zientek, Michael L.; Syusyura, Boris; Creaser, Robert A.; Dolgopolova, Alla

2012-01-01

Sandstone-hosted copper (sandstone Cu) deposits occur within a 200-km reach of the northern Chu-Sarysu basin of central Kazakhstan (Dzhezkazgan and Zhaman-Aibat deposits, and the Zhilandy group of deposits). The deposits consist of Cu sulfide minerals as intergranular cement and grain replacement in 10 ore-bearing members of sandstone and conglomerate within a 600- to 1,000-m thick Pennsylvanian fluvial red-bed sequence. Copper metal content of the deposits ranges from 22 million metric tons (Mt, Dzehzkazgan) to 0.13Mt (Karashoshak in the Zhilandy group), with average grades of 0.85 to 1.7% Cu and significant values for silver (Ag) and rhenium (Re). Broader zones of iron reduction (bleaching) of sandstones and conglomerates of the red-bed sequence extend over 10 km beyond each of the deposits along E-NE-trending anticlines, which began to form in the Pennsylvanian. The bleached zones and organic residues within them are remnants of ormer petroleum fluid accumulations trapped by these anticlines. Deposit sites along these F1anticlines are localized at and adjacent to the intersections of nearly orthogonal N-NW-trending F2synclines. These structural lows served to guide the flow of dense ore brines across the petroleum-bearing anticlines, resulting in ore sulfide precipitation where the two fluids mixed. The ore brine was sourced either from the overlying Early Permian lacustrine evaporitic basin, whose depocenter occurs between the major deposits, or from underlying Upper Devonian marine evaporites. Sulfur isotopes indicate biologic reduction of sulfate but do not resolve whether the sulfate was contributed from the brine or from the petroleum fluids. New Re-Os age dates of Cu sulfides from the Dzhezkazgan deposit indicate that mineralization took place between 299 to 309 Ma near the Pennsylvanian-Permian age boundary. At the Dzhezkazgan and some Zhilandy deposits, F2fold deformation continued after ore deposition. Copper orebodies in Lower Permian shale near the Zhaman-Aibat deposit indicate that at least some of the mineralization there is younger than at Dzhezkazgan, consistent with the Re-Os age and with differences in their ore Pb isotopes.

Natural iodine-129 as an environmental tracer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fabryka-Martin, J.; Bentley, H.; Elmore, D.; Airey, P. L.

1985-02-01

Iodine-129 ( t 1/2, 16 My) is a naturally-occurring tracer which can be used to study hydrologic and geologic processes on time scales up to 100 My. The pre-bomb atmospheric ratio 129I /I should have been constant in time and space and is the starting value in ground-water recharge. Subsequent ratio changes in ground water should be determined by isotope contributions from three sources: recharge water, iodine leached from the formation, and in situ uranium fission. The mathematical expression of these time-dependent processes forms the basis for dating and tracing applications. The expected behavior of natural 129I in ground water is compared to results from field studies. Ground-water samples from the Great Artesian Basin, Australia, provide an estimate of the atmospheric equilibrium ratio, 6 × 10 -13. Down-gradient changes in water up to 1 My old suggest that subsurface production can be significant. The usefulness of 129I as an indicator of brine source and age is verified in brines collected in and around Louisiana salt domes. The method leads to ages of 7 and 9 My for two brine pockets trapped within Jurassic salt, and 32 to >40 My for oil-field brines in Miocene sands adjacent to the domes. The results demonstrate the capability of tandem accelerator mass spectrometry to measure as few as 10 7 atoms of 129I in 10 mg I with 10% precision. Although such atom sensitivity can be achieved otherwise, the accelerator technique is necessary to measure naturally low pre-1945 cosmogenic isotope ratios.

Laysan Teal Anas laysanensis nesting phenology and site characteristics on Laysan Island

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reynolds, M.H.; Crampton, L.H.; Vekasy, M.S.

2007-01-01

Factors influencing breeding initiation of the endangered Laysan Teal Anas laysanensis were studied on Laysan Island in the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge between 1998 and 2006. Sixty-two radio-tagged adult females were tracked for 30-180 days to locate and describe their nest sites. In addition, the Laysan Teal were surveyed daily during the breeding season, and 331 individually colour-ringed females were marked to identify new broods and timing of incubation initiation. Temperature, rainfall, and abundance of Brine Flies (Scatella sexnotata, an important prey) were measured in all years. Females nested on average 213 m (s.e. ?? 37 m) from the lake basin primarily in Eragrostis variablis, a native bunch grass with > 75% cover. The first observation of nesting in marine debris by Laysan Teal was reported. The initiation of incubation, at the start of the breeding season each year, varied from December to July, and differed significantly between years. Brine Fly abundance, temperature, and rainfall also varied significantly between years. The earlier the Brine Fly abundance peaked, the longer the duration of the breeding season. The length of the breeding season, measured as the number of days between the first and last clutches, varied from 83-192 days (mean 116 ?? 14 days). Annual brood production was positively correlated with spring peak abundance of Brine Flies. There was some evidence that it was negatively correlated with the number of adult females in the population. Rainfall, temperature, prey abundance, and the density of other birds on Laysan Island are likely to interact in influencing Laysan Teal's variable nesting phenology and productivity. ?? Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust.

A Comparison of Resistivity Imaging Techniques Using 1D, 2D and 3D MT Inversions in the Middle Rio Grande Rift, NM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Folsom, M.; Pepin, J.; Person, M. A.; Kelley, S.; Peacock, J.

2016-12-01

Twelve magnetotelluric (MT) soundings were collected along a 40 km profile crossing the Rio Grande rift and a portion of the Socorro Magma Body (SMB). A comparison of 1D, 2D and 3D inverse models highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the respective methods. 2D inversion results are distorted by the 3D nature of the data at longer periods, producing conductive artifacts at depths greater than 3 km. We demonstrate through a 3D forward modelling exercise how it is possible to recreate this effect by placing large resistive and conductive features off of an otherwise perfectly 2D resistivity model. Investigators that image deep conductors using 2D inversion codes should consider the influence of off-axis 3D features. Interpretation of the models currently show no indication of the SMB, but outlines the geometry of syn-rift and pre-rift sediments at the "Socorro Constriction", the southern terminus of the Albuquerque Basin. A strong, northward trending conductor 2-3 km deep and less than 2 ohm-m is coincident with the rift, creating a reversal of induction arrow direction at this point. This is interpreted as deep basin brines, perhaps influenced by evaporates hosted in the Permian Abo and Yeso formations. It has been noted that Rio Grande salinity increases in a stepwise manner, coincident with the terminal ends of sedimentary basins. Our geophysical models suggest a possible connection between rift-bounding faults and deep sedimentary brines, which likely impact the water quality of the Rio Grande. Future work includes adding additional MT stations to better constrain off-axis features and their relationship to the Rio Grande.

Interactions between nitrogen cycling and methane oxidation in the pelagic waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joye, S. B.; Weber, S.; Battles, J.; Montoya, J. P.

2014-12-01

Methane is an important greenhouse gas that plays a critical role in climate variation. Although a variety of marine methane sources and sinks have been identified, key aspects of the fate of methane in the ocean remain poorly constrained. At cold seeps in the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere, methane is introduced into the overlying water column via fluid escape from the seabed. We quantified the fate of methane in the water column overlying seafloor cold seeps, in a brine basin, and at several control sites. Our goals were to determine the factors that regulated methane consumption and assimilation and to explore how these controlling factors varied among and between sites. In particular, we examined the impact of nitrogen availability on methane oxidation and studied the ability of methane oxidizing bacteria to fix molecular nitrogen. Methane oxidation rates were highest in the methane rich bottom waters of natural hydrocabron seeps. At these sites, inorganic nitrogen addition stimulated methane oxidation in laboratory experiments. In vitro shipboard experiments revealed that rates of methane oxidation and nitrogen fixation were correlated strongly, suggesting that nitrogen fixation may have been mediated by methanotrophic bacteria. The highest rates of methane oxidation and nitrogen fixation were observed in the deepwater above at natural hydrocarbon seeps. Rates of methane oxidation were substantial along the chemocline of a brine basin but in these ammonium-rich brines, addition of inorganic nitrogen had little impact on methane oxidation suggesting that methanotrophy in these waters were not nitrogen limited. Control sites exhibited the lowest methane concentrations and methane oxidation rates but even these waters exhibited substantial potential for methane oxidation when methane and inorganic nitrogen concentrations were increased. Together, these data suggest that the availability of inorganic nitrogen plays a critical role in regulating methane oxidation in pelagic ocean waters. Some methanotrophs may obtain a competitive advantage in nitrogen-limited oceanic environments by fixing molecular nitrogen. The importance of such "methano-diazotrophy" on a global scale warrants further investigation.

The Tiberias Basin salt deposits and their effects on lake salinity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inbar, Nimrod; Rosenthal, Eliahu; Möller, Peter; Yellin-Dror, Annat; Guttman, Josef; Siebert, Christian; Magri, Fabien

2015-04-01

Lake Tiberias is situated in one of the pull-apart basins comprising the Dead Sea transform. The Tiberias basin extends along the northern boundary of the Lower Jordan Rift Valley (LJRV) which is known for its massive salt deposits, mostly at its southern end, at the Dead Sea basin. Nevertheless, prior to the drilling of Zemah-1 wildcat, drilled close to the southern shores of Lake Tiberias, the Tiberias Basin was considered rather shallow and free of salt deposits (Starinsky, 1974). In 1983, Zemah-1 wildcat penetrated 2.8 km thick sequence of sedimentary and magmatic rocks of which 980m are salt deposits (Marcus et al., 1984). Recent studies, including the presented geophysical investigations, lay out the mechanisms of salt deposition in the Tiberias basin and estimate its abundance. Supported by seismic data, our interpreted cross-sections display relatively thick salt deposits distributed over the entire basin. Since early days of hydrological research in the area, saline springs are known to exist at Lake Tiberias' surroundings. Water temperatures in some of the springs indicate their origin to be at depths of 2-3 km (Simon and Mero, 1992). In the last decade, several studies suggested that the salinity of springs may be attributed, at least partially, to the Zemah-1 salt deposits. Chemical justification was attributed to post-halite minerals which were thought to be present among those deposits. This hypothesis was never verified. Moreover, Möller et al. (2011) presented a calculation contradicting this theory. In addition to the geophysical investigations, numerical models of thermally driven flow, examine the possible fluid dynamics developing near salt deposits below the lake and their interactions with springs along the lakeshore (Magri et al., 2015). It is shown that leached halite is too heavy to reach the surface. However, salt diffusing from shallow salt crest may locally reach the western side of the lakeshore. References Magri, F., N. Inbar,C. Siebert, E. Rosenthal, J. Guttman and P. Möller (2015) Transient simulations of large-scale hydrogeological processes causing temperature and salinity anomalies in the Tiberias Basin, Journal of Hydrology, Volume 520, Pages 342-355, Marcus, E., Y. Slager, S. Ben-Zaken, and I. Y. Indik (1984), Zemah 1, Geological Complition ReportRep. 84/11, 108 pp, Oil Exploration (Investments) LTD, Tel Aviv. Möller, P., C. Siebert, S. Geyer, N. Inbar, E. Rosenthal, A. Flexer, and M. Zilberbrand (2011), Relationships of Brines in the Kinnarot Basin, Jordan-Dead Sea Rift Valley, Geofluids (doi: 10.1111/j.1468-8123.2011.00353.x). Simon, E., and F. Mero (1992), The salinization mechanism of Lake Kinneret, J. Hydrol., 138, 327-343. Starinsky, A. (1974), Relationship between Ca-Chloride Brines and Sedimentary Rocks in Israel, PhD thesis, 84 pp, Hebrew University, Jerusalem.

3S2: Behavioral Response Studies of Cetaceans to Navy Sonar Signals in Norwegian Waters

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-30

exposures of killer (Orcinus orca), long-finned pilot (Globicephala melas ), and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) to naval sonar. Aquatic Mammals 38...pilot whales (Globicephala melas ). Marine Mammal Science. [in review, refereed] 8 Kvadsheim, PH, Miller, PJO, Tyack, P, Sivle, LD, Lam, FPA, and...killer (Orcinus orca), long-finned pilot (Globicephala melas ), and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) to naval sonar. Aquatic Mammals 38: 362-401

Orcas in Puget Sound

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

Whales. Poster presented for the Society for Marine Mam- mal Meeting. Bain, D.E. 2002. A model linking energetic effects of whale watching to killer...P.L. Tyack, and H. Whitehead (eds.). Cetacean societies : field studies of dolphins and whales. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL. Baird, R.W...The feeding ecology of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the Pacific Northwest. Pages 113-147 in K. Pryor and K.S. Norris (eds.). Dolphin societies

Behavioral Responses of Odontocetes to Playback of Anthropogenic and Natural Sounds

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-30

risk. Conservation Ecology 6(1):11 Ford JKB. 1989. Acoustic behavior of resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) off Vancouver Island, British...to natural sounds such as those from killer whales ; and to measure exposure parameters for sounds that evoke a behavioral response. APPROACH The...overall timing and bandwidth similar to the MFA stimulus, and recorded calls of killer whales (ORCA). The protocol put the highest priority on

Chloride control and monitoring program in the Wichita River Basin, Texas, 1996-2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haynie, M.M.; Burke, G.F.; Baldys, Stanley

2011-01-01

Water resources of the Wichita River Basin in north-central Texas are vital to the water users in Wichita Falls, Tex., and surrounding areas. The Wichita River Basin includes three major forks of the Wichita River upstream from Lake Kemp, approximately 50 miles southwest of Wichita Falls, Tex. The main stem of the Wichita River is formed by the confluence of the North Wichita River and Middle Fork Wichita River upstream from Truscott Brine Lake. The confluence of the South Wichita River with the Wichita River is northwest of Seymour, Tex. (fig. 1). Waters from the Wichita River Basin, which is part of the Red River Basin, are characterized by high concentrations of chloride and other salinity-related constituents from salt springs and seeps (hereinafter salt springs) in the upper reaches of the basin. These salt springs have their origins in the Permian Period when the Texas Panhandle and western Oklahoma areas were covered by a broad shallow sea. Over geologic time, evaporation of the shallow seas resulted in the formation of salt deposits, which today are part of the geologic formations underlying the area. Groundwater in these formations is characterized by high chloride concentrations from these salt deposits, and some of this groundwater is discharged by the salt springs into the Wichita River.

Volatile organic compounds in Gulf of Mexico sediments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McDonald, T.J.

1988-01-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOC), concentrations and compositions were documented for estuarine, coastal, shelf, slope, and deep water sediments from the Gulf of Mexico. VOC were measured (detection limit >0.01 ppb) using a closed-loop stripping apparatus with gas chromatography (GC) and flame ionization, flame photometric, and mass spectrometric detectors. The five primary sources of Gulf of Mexico sediment VOC are: (1) planktonic and benthic fauna and flora; (2) terrestrial material from riverine and atmospheric deposition; (3) anthropogenic inputs: (4) upward migration of hydrocarbons; and (5) transport by bottom currents or slumping. Detected organo-sulfur compounds include alkylated sulfides, thiophene, alkylated thiophenes, andmore » benzothiophenes. Benzothiophenes are petroleum related. Low molecular weight organo-sulfur compounds result from the biological oxidation of organic matter. A lack of organosulfur compounds in the reducing environment of the Orca Basin may result from a lack of free sulfides which are necessary for their production.« less

3S(expn 2): Behavioral Response Studies of Cetaceans to Navy Sonar Signals in Norwegian Waters

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-30

orca), long-finned pilot (Globicephala melas ), and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) to naval sonar. Aquatic Mammals 38: 362-401. 9...of sonar signals by long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas ). Marine Mammal sci Aoki K, Sakai M, Miller PJO, Visser F, Sato K (2013) Body...Orcinus orca), long-finned pilot (Globicephala melas ), and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) to naval sonar. Aquatic Mammals 38: 362-401

Towards the Identification of the Keeper Erosion Cause(s): Numerical Simulations of the Plasma and Neutral Gas Using the Global Cathode Model OrCa2D-II

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mikellides, Ioannis G.; Katz, Ira; Goebel, Dan M.; Jameson, Kristina K.

2006-01-01

Numerical simulations with the time-dependent Orificed Cathode (OrCa2D-II) computer code show that classical enhancements of the plasma resistivity can not account for the elevated electron temperatures and steep plasma potential gradients measured in the plume of a 25-27.5 A discharge hollow cathode. The cathode, which employs a 0.11-in diameter orifice, was operated at 5.5 sccm without an applied magnetic field using two different anode geometries. It is found that anomalous resistivity based on electron-driven instabilities improves the comparison between theory and experiment. It is also estimated that other effects such as the Hall-effect from the self-induced magnetic field, not presently included in OrCa2D-II, may contribute to the constriction of the current density streamlines thus explaining the higher plasma densities observed along the centerline.

Simulation of global oceanic upper layers forced at the surface by an optimal bulk formulation derived from multi-campaign measurements.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garric, G.; Pirani, A.; Belamari, S.; Caniaux, G.

2006-12-01

order to improve the air/sea interface for the future MERCATOR global ocean operational system, we have implemented the new bulk formulation developed by METEO-FRANCE (French Meteo office) in the MERCATOR 2 degree global ocean-ice coupled model (ORCA2/LIM). A single bulk formulation for the drag, temperature and moisture exchange coefficients is derived from an extended consistent database gathering 10 years of measurements issued from five experiments dedicated to air-sea fluxes estimates (SEMAPHORE, CATCH, FETCH, EQUALANT99 and POMME) in various oceanic basins (from Northern to equatorial Atlantic). The available database (ALBATROS) cover the widest range of atmospheric and oceanic conditions, from very light (0.3 m/s) to very strong (up to 29 m/s) wind speeds, and from unstable to extremely stable atmospheric boundary layer stratification. We have defined a work strategy to test this new formulation in a global oceanic context, by using this multi- campaign bulk formulation to derive air-sea fluxes from base meteorological variables produces by the ECMWF (European Centre for Medium Range and Weather Forecast) atmospheric forecast model, in order to get surface boundary conditions for ORCA2/LIM. The simulated oceanic upper layers forced at the surface by the previous air/sea interface are compared to those forced by the optimal bulk formulation. Consecutively with generally weaker transfer coefficient, the latter formulation reduces the cold bias in the equatorial Pacific and increases the too weak summer sea ice extent in Antarctica. Compared to a recent mixed layer depth (MLD) climatology, the optimal bulk formulation reduces also the too deep simulated MLDs. Comparison with in situ temperature and salinity profiles in different areas allowed us to evaluate the impact of changing the air/sea interface in the vertical structure.

Qualitative and quantitative changes in detrital reservoir rocks caused by CO2-brine-rock interactions during first injection phases (Utrillas sandstones, Northern Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berrezueta, E.; Ordóñez-Casado, B.; Quintana, L.

2015-08-01

The aim of this article is to describe and interpret qualitative and quantitative changes at rock matrix scale of Lower-Upper Cretaceous sandstones exposed to supercritical (SC) CO2 and brine. The effects of experimental injection of SC CO2 during the first injection phases were studied at rock matrix scale, in a potential deep sedimentary reservoir in Northern Spain (Utrillas unit, at the base of the Cenozoic Duero Basin). Experimental wet CO2 injection was performed in a reactor chamber under realistic conditions of deep saline formations (P ≈ 78 bar, T ≈ 38 °C and 24 h exposure time). After the experiment, exposed and non-exposed equivalent sample sets were compared with the aim of assessing possible changes due to the effect of the CO2-brine exposure. Optical microscopy (OpM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) aided by optical image analysis (OIA) were used to compare the rock samples and get qualitative and quantitative information about mineralogy, texture and porous network distribution. Chemical analyses were performed to refine the mineralogical information and to obtain whole rock geochemical data. Brine composition was also analysed before and after the experiment. The results indicate an evolution of the pore network (porosity increase ≈ 2 %). Intergranular quartz matrix detachment and partial removal from the rock sample (due to CO2 input/release dragging) are the main processes that may explain the porosity increase. Primary mineralogy (≈ 95 % quartz) and rock texture (heterogeneous sand with interconnected framework of micro-channels) are important factors that seem to enhance textural/mineralogical changes in this heterogeneous system. The whole rock and brine chemical analyses after interaction with SC CO2-brine do not present important changes in the mineralogical, porosity and chemical configuration of the rock with respect to initial conditions, ruling out relevant precipitation or dissolution at these early stages. These results, simulating the CO2 injection near the injection well during the first phases (24 h) indicate that, in this environment where CO2 displaces the brine, the mixture principally generates local mineralogical/textural re-adjustments due to physical detachment of quartz grains. Consequences deriving from these changes are variable. Possible porosity and permeability increases could facilitate further CO2 injection but textural re-adjustment could also affect the rock physically. However, it is not clear yet what effect the quartz (solid suspension) could provoke in more distant areas of the rock. Quartz could be transported in the fluid flow path and probably accumulated at pore throats.

Total- and Methyl-mercury Response to Causeway Closure in the Great Salt Lake, Utah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valdes, C. A.; Tingey, C.; Frederick, L.; Black, F.; Stringham, B.; Johnson, W. P.

2015-12-01

In 2007, high mercury (Hg) concentrations were measured in various waterfowl species residing at the Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah. During this time high monomethylmercury (MMHg, the toxic bioaccumulative form of Hg) concentrations were also determined in the anoxic deep brine layer (DBL) of the GSL, ranging from 0.8 to >30 ng-L-1. The DBL is therefore suspected as a source of MMHg to the surrounding ecosystem; however, the pathways by which MMHg is able to propagate from the DBL upward into the higher trophic levels of the GSL ecosystem is unknown. The DBL has recently retreated from the southernmost basin of the GSL following the closure of culverts in the causeway separating the north and south arms of the lake. Anoxic, reductive conditions and high dissolved organic matter (DOM) content in the DBL allow the persistence of MMHg, thus the retreat of the DBL could affect total mercury (THg) and MMHg concentrations in brine and sediment, as well as the Hg burdens in invertebrates and waterfowl. Because the extent of the DBL depends on flux of north arm brine through causeway openings, this temporary closing of flow provides a unique opportunity to monitor the response of Hg concentrations in the DBL, sediment, and biota during this transient. Waterfowl and invertebrate tissues, plant, sediment, and brine samples were collected before and after the culvert closure. Biota and sediment samples were digested, and all samples were analyzed using cold vapor adsorption atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (CVAFS). The samples from pre- and post-closure will be compared and described in order to deduce the role of the DBL as a potential reservoir of MMHg in the GSL.

Isothermal evaporation process simulation using the Pitzer model for the Quinary system LiCl–NaCl–KCl–SrCl 2–H 2O at 298.15 K

DOE PAGES

Meng, Lingzong; Gruszkiewicz, Miroslaw S.; Deng, Tianlong; ...

2015-08-05

In this study, the Pitzer thermodynamic model for solid-liquid equilibria in the quinary system LiCl–NaCl–KCl–SrCl 2–H 2O at 298.15 K was constructed by selecting the proper parameters for the subsystems in the literature. The solubility data of the systems NaCl–SrCl 2–H 2O, KCl–SrCl 2–H 2O, LiCl–SrCl 2–H 2O, and NaCl–KCl–SrCl 2–H 2O were used to evaluate the model. Good agreement between the experimental and calculated solubilities shows that the model is reliable. The Pitzer model for the quinary system at 298.15 K was then used to calculate the component solubilities and conduct computer simulation of isothermal evaporation of the mothermore » liquor for the oilfield brine from Nanyishan district in the Qaidam Basin. The evaporation-crystallization path and sequence of salt precipitation, change in concentration and precipitation of lithium, sodium, potassium, and strontium, and water activities during the evaporation process were demonstrated. The salts precipitated from the brine in the order : KCl, NaCl, SrCl 2∙6H 2O, SrCl 2∙2H 2O, and LiCl∙H 2O. The entire evaporation process may be divided into six stages. In each stage the variation trends for the relationships between ion concentrations or water activities and the evaporation ratio are different. This result of the simulation of brines can be used as a theoretical reference for comprehensive exploitation and utilization of this type of brine resources.« less

Changing practice to support self-management and recovery in mental illness: application of an implementation model.

PubMed

Harris, Melanie; Jones, Phil; Heartfield, Marie; Allstrom, Mary; Hancock, Janette; Lawn, Sharon; Battersby, Malcolm

2015-01-01

Health services introducing practice changes need effective implementation methods. Within the setting of a community mental health service offering recovery-oriented psychosocial support for people with mental illness, we aimed to: (i) identify a well-founded implementation model; and (ii) assess its practical usefulness in introducing a new programme for recovery-oriented self-management support. We reviewed the literature to identify implementation models applicable to community mental health organisations, and that also had corresponding measurement tools. We used one of these models to inform organisational change strategies. The literature review showed few models with corresponding tools. The Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) model and the related Organisational Readiness to Change Assessment (ORCA) tool were used. The PARIHS proposes prerequisites for health service change and the ORCA measures the extent to which these prerequisites are present. Application of the ORCA at two time points during implementation of the new programme showed strategy-related gains for some prerequisites but not for others, reflecting observed implementation progress. Additional strategies to address target prerequisites could be drawn from the PARIHS model. The PARIHS model and ORCA tool have potential in designing and monitoring practice change strategies in community mental health organisations. Further practical use and testing of implementation models appears justified in overcoming barriers to change.

Early Holocene Great Salt Lake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oviatt, Charles G.; Madsen, David B.; Miller, David; Thompson, Robert S.; McGeehin, John P.

2015-01-01

Shorelines and surficial deposits (including buried forest-floor mats and organic-rich wetland sediments) show that Great Salt Lake did not rise higher than modern lake levels during the earliest Holocene (11.5–10.2 cal ka BP; 10–9 14C ka BP). During that period, finely laminated, organic-rich muds (sapropel) containing brine-shrimp cysts and pellets and interbedded sodium-sulfate salts were deposited on the lake floor. Sapropel deposition was probably caused by stratification of the water column — a freshwater cap possibly was formed by groundwater, which had been stored in upland aquifers during the immediately preceding late-Pleistocene deep-lake cycle (Lake Bonneville), and was actively discharging on the basin floor. A climate characterized by low precipitation and runoff, combined with local areas of groundwater discharge in piedmont settings, could explain the apparent conflict between evidence for a shallow lake (a dry climate) and previously published interpretations for a moist climate in the Great Salt Lake basin of the eastern Great Basin.

A thiotrophic microbial community in an acidic brine lake in Northern Chile.

PubMed

Escudero, Lorena; Oetiker, Nia; Gallardo, Karem; Tebes-Cayo, Cinthya; Guajardo, Mariela; Nuñez, Claudia; Davis-Belmar, Carol; Pueyo, J J; Chong Díaz, Guillermo; Demergasso, Cecilia

2018-05-10

The endorheic basins of the Northern Chilean Altiplano contain saline lakes and salt flats. Two of the salt flats, Gorbea and Ignorado, have high acidic brines. The causes of the local acidity have been attributed to the occurrence of volcanic native sulfur, the release of sulfuric acid by oxidation, and the low buffering capacity of the rocks in the area. Understanding the microbial community composition and available energy in this pristine ecosystem is relevant in determining the origin of the acidity and in supporting the rationale of conservation policies. Besides, a comparison between similar systems in Australia highlights key microbial components and specific ones associated with geological settings and environmental conditions. Sediment and water samples from the Salar de Gorbea were collected, physicochemical parameters measured and geochemical and molecular biological analyses performed. A low diversity microbial community was observed in brines and sediments dominated by Actinobacteria, Algae, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. Most of the constituent genera have been reported to be either sulfur oxidizing microorganisms or ones having the potential for sulfur oxidation given available genomic data and information drawn from the literature on cultured relatives. In addition, a link between sulfur oxidation and carbon fixation was observed. In contrast, to acid mine drainage communities, Gorbea microbial diversity is mainly supported by chemolithoheterotrophic, facultative chemolithoautotrophic and oligotrophic sulfur oxidizing populations indicating that microbial activity should also be considered as a causative agent of local acidity.

Quantification and Characterization of Chloride Sources in the Rio Grande, Southwestern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacey, H. F.; Phillips, F. M.; Tidwell, V.; Hogan, J.; Bastien, E.; Oelsner, G.

2005-12-01

Salinization of rivers is a problem in the southwestern United States as well as in other semiarid and arid regions of the world. Arid and semiarid rivers including the Rio Grande often exhibit increasing salinity with distance downstream, which is commonly attributed to irrigated agriculture. Increased river salinity causes economic losses by reducing crop productivity, rendering the water unsuitable for many municipal and industrial uses, and corroding or plugging pipes. Although most salinization of the Rio Grande takes place in the United States, many of the effects are felt in Mexico. Recent studies have found that salinization of the Rio Grande is geologically controlled by the addition of deep saline brines at several distinct locations. However, these additions of deep brine have not been well quantified. We have designed a model using a system dynamics software program to analyze Rio Grande chloride data. The model uses historical chloride and gaging station data and high-resolution synoptic chloride samples collected between 2000 and 2005 to characterize and quantify additions of deep brine to the river. The model has also been used to evaluate the effect of the construction of Elephant Butte Reservoir on the chloride balance of the river using chloride concentration data from 1905-1907. The model can also be used to evaluate future climatic and management scenarios in order to plan for the future water needs of the basin.

Characterization of Radium and Radon Isotopes in Hydraulic Fracturing Flowback Fluid and Gas from the Marcellus Shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bardsley, A.

2015-12-01

High volume hydraulic fracturing of unconventional deposits has expanded rapidly over the past decade in the US, with much attention focused on the Marcellus Shale gas reservoir in the northeastern US. We use naturally occurring radium isotopes and 222Rn to explore changes in formation characteristics as a result of hydraulic fracturing. Gas and produced waters were analyzed from time series samples collected soon after hydraulic fracturing at three Marcellus Shale well sites in the Appalachian Basin, USA. Analyses of δ18O, Cl- , and 226Ra in flowback fluid are consistent with two end member mixing between injected slick water and formation brine. All three tracers indicate that the ratio of injected water to formation brine declines with time across both time series. Cl- concentration (max ~1.5-2.2 M) and 226Ra activity (max ~165-250 Bq/Kg) in flowback fluid are comparable at all three sites. There are differences evident in the stable isotopic composition (δ18O & δD) of injected slick water across the three sites, but all appear to mix with formation brine of similar isotopic composition. On a plot of water isotopes, δ18O in formation brine-dominated fluid is enriched by ~3-4 permille relative to the Global Meteoric Water Line, indicating oxygen exchange with shale. The ratio of 223Ra/226Ra and 228Ra/226Ra in produced waters is quite low relative to shale samples analyzed. This indicates that most of the 226Ra in the formation brine must be sourced from shale weathering or dissolution rather than emanation due to alpha recoil from the rock surface. During the first week of flowback, ratios of short lived isotopes 223Ra and 224Ra to longer lived radium isotopes change modestly, suggesting rock surface area per unit of produced water volume did not change substantially. For one well, longer term gas samples were collected. The 222Rn/methane ratio in produced gas from this site declines with time and may represent a decrease in the brine to gas ratio in the reservoir over the course of six months after initial fracturing. Naturally occurring radium and radon isotopes show promise in elucidating sub-surface dynamics following hydraulic fracturing plays.

Production and disposal of waste materials from gas and oil extraction from the Marcellus Shale Play in Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maloney, Kelly O.; Yoxtheimer, David A.

2012-01-01

The increasing world demand for energy has led to an increase in the exploration and extraction of natural gas, condensate, and oil from unconventional organic-rich shale plays. However, little is known about the quantity, transport, and disposal method of wastes produced during the extraction process. We examined the quantity of waste produced by gas extraction activities from the Marcellus Shale play in Pennsylvania for 2011. The main types of wastes included drilling cuttings and fluids from vertical and horizontal drilling and fluids generated from hydraulic fracturing [i.e., flowback and brine (formation) water]. Most reported drill cuttings (98.4%) were disposed of in landfills, and there was a high amount of interstate (49.2%) and interbasin (36.7%) transport. Drilling fluids were largely reused (70.7%), with little interstate (8.5%) and interbasin (5.8%) transport. Reported flowback water was mostly reused (89.8%) or disposed of in brine or industrial waste treatment plants (8.0%) and largely remained within Pennsylvania (interstate transport was 3.1%) with little interbasin transport (2.9%). Brine water was most often reused (55.7%), followed by disposal in injection wells (26.6%), and then disposed of in brine or industrial waste treatment plants (13.8%). Of the major types of fluid waste, brine water was most often transported to other states (28.2%) and to other basins (9.8%). In 2011, 71.5% of the reported brine water, drilling fluids, and flowback was recycled: 73.1% in the first half and 69.7% in the second half of 2011. Disposal of waste to municipal sewage treatment plants decreased nearly 100% from the first half to second half of 2011. When standardized against the total amount of gas produced, all reported wastes, except flowback sands, were less in the second half than the first half of 2011. Disposal of wastes into injection disposal wells increased 129.2% from the first half to the second half of 2011; other disposal methods decreased. Some issues with data were uncovered during the analytical process (e.g., correct geospatial location of disposal sites and the proper reporting of end use of waste) that obfuscated the analyses; correcting these issues will help future analyses.

Arctic reconstruction from an Alaskan viewpoint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crane, R.C.

1985-04-01

Field, seismic, structural, and stratigraphic data were used to reconstruct the geologic history of the Arctic in 10-m.y. time slices from the present to mid-Jurassic - the initial opening of the Arctic Ocean. A basic assumption is that Lomonosov Ridge, Alpha Ridge, Mendeleyev Ridge, and Chukchi Plateau are all foundered continental plates. Opening of the Arctic occurs in two stages: Late Jurassic - Cretaceous for the Canada basin and Neogene for the Eurasian basin. Opening is facilitated by two subparallel transform shears - the Arctic (Kaltag-Porcupine) on the east and the Chukchi on the west. Deformation is essentially tensional onmore » the Barents side of the Arctic and shear-compressional on the Alaska side. The development of Chutkoya, North Slope, Brooks Range, north-west Canada, Seward Peninsula, and central Alaska can be sequentially related to Arctic opening, modified by impingement on the northern terrane of allochthonous terranes arriving from the south - the Pacific plates of Tintina, Denali, Orca (Prince William-Chugach-Yakutat), Anadyr, Khatyrka, Kolyman, and other minor terranes. The North Slope of Alaska, a passive, rifted, subsided margin, is restored to line up with a similar margin on Alpha Ridge. Northeastern Alaska (the Romanzof Mountain area) lines up opposite the north end of the Sverdrup Rim, near Prince Patrick and Borden Islands.« less

A Study to Interpret the Biological Significance of Behavior Associated with 3S Experimental Sonar Exposures

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-30

playbacks Killer whale (O. orca) 10 4 8 1 2 LF pilot whale (G. melas ) 30 8 14 4 8 Sperm whale (P. Macrocephalus) 10 4 10 2 5 Humpback whale (M...exposure dataset of the long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas ). A hidden Markov model (HMM) approach was developed to quantify behavioral states...Experimental Exposures of Killer (Orcinus orca), Long-Finned Pilot (Globicephala melas ), and Sperm (Physeter macrocephalus) Whales to Naval Sonar. Aquat

Acoustic Seaglider(trademark) for Beaked Whale Detection

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-30

of all three pods of southern resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) were present at various times. SG022 completed five dives in water depths...characterize system performance. • Deploy locally in the presence of killer whales (Orcinus orca) as a proxy for beaked whales . • Deploy off Kona (west) coast...between 60m to 120m. SG022 was positioned at the start of each dive at ranges to the killer whale pods of between 0.8km and 3.5km. The PAAM board was

Shallow Scattering Layer (SSL): Emergence Behaviors of Coastal Macrofauna

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-09-30

group ascent and descent speeds were slower than those found in a deeper water column in Puget Sound by Kringel et al. ( 2003) despite the order...instruments separated by 50 m show high coherence, but they were collected at the same water depth. Our initial data record for West Sound , Orcas Island...West Sound , Orcas Island, Washington Volume backscattering strength at 265 kHz (dB) H ei g h t ab o v e T A P S ( m ) 0 0 10 20 midnight midnight

Participatory modeling - engineering and social sciences in tandem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Class, Holger; Kissinger, Alexander; Knopf, Stefan; Konrad, Wilfried; Noack, Vera; Scheer, Dirk

2017-04-01

The modeling of flow and transport processes in the context of engineering in the subsurface often takes place within a field of conflict from different interests, where societal issues are touched or involved. Carbon Capture and Storage, Fracking, or nuclear waste disposal are just a few prominent examples, where engineering (or: natural sciences) and social sciences have a common field of research. It is only consequent for both disciplines to explore methods and tools to achieve best possible mutual benefits. Participatory modeling (PM) is such an idea, where so-called stakeholders can be involved during different phases of the modeling process. This can be accomplished by very different methods of participation and for different reasons (public acceptance, public awareness, transparency, improved understanding through collective learning, etc). Therefore, PM is a generic approach, open for different methods to be used in order to facilitate early expert and stakeholder integration in science development. We have used PM recently in two examples, both in the context of Carbon Capture and Storage. The first one addressed the development and evaluation (by stakeholders) of a screening criterion for site selection. The second one deals with a regional-scale brine migration scenario where stakeholders have been involved in evaluating the general importance of brine migration, the design of a representative geological model for a case study and in the definition of scenarios to be simulated. This contribution aims at summarizing our experiences and share it with the modeling community. References: A Kissinger, V Noack, S Knopf, D Scheer, W Konrad, H Class Characterization of reservoir conditions for CO2 storage using a dimensionless gravitational number applied to the North German Basin, Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments 7, 209-220, 2014 D Scheer, W Konrad, H Class, A Kissinger, S Knopf, V Noack Expert involvement in science development: (re-) evaluation of an early screening tool for carbon storage site characterization, International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 37, 228-236, 2015 D Scheer, W Konrad, H Class, A Kissinger, S Knopf, V Noack Regional-scale brine migration along vertical pathways due to CO2 injection - Part 1: the participatory modeling approach, currently under review in Hydrology and Earth System Sciences A Kissinger, V Noack, S Knopf, W Konrad, D Scheer, H Class Regional-scale brine migration along vertical pathways due to CO2 injection - Part 2: a simulated case study in the North German Basin, currently under review in Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Schrader, C.: 13. October 2014. Expressfahrstuhl für Salzwasser, Süddeutsche Zeitung, p. 16

Geochemistry of the Onyx River (Wright Valley, Antarctica) and its role in the chemical evolution of Lake Vanda

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, William J.; Canfield, Donald E.

1984-12-01

The Onyx River (Wright Valley, Antarctica) is a dilute meltwater stream originating in the vicinity of the Wright Lower Glacier. It acquires a significant fraction of its salt content when glacial meltwaters contact Wright Valley soils at Lake Brownworth and the concentrations of all ions increase with distance along the 28-km channel down to Lake Vanda. Average millimolar concentrations of major ions at the Vanda weir during the 1980-1981 flow season were: Ca = 0.119; Mg = 0.061; Na = 0.212; K = 0.033; Q = 0.212; SO4 = 0.045; HCO3 = 0.295; and SiO2 = 0.049. Based on the flow measurements of Chinn (1982), this amounts to an annual flux (in moles) to Lake Vanda of: Ca = 0.238 × 10 6; Mg = 0.122 × 10 6; Na = 0.424 × 10 6; K = 0.066 × 10 6; Cl = 0.424 × 10 6; SO4 = 0.09 × 10 6; HCO3 = 0.59 × 10 6; SiO2 = 0.098 × 10 6. In spite of the large salt input from this source, equilibrium evaporation of Onyx River water would have resulted in early calcite deposition and in the formation of a Na-Mg-Cl-HCO 3 brine rather than in the Ca-Na-Mg-Cl waters observed in Lake Vanda. The river alone could not have produced a brine having the qualitative geochemical features of the lower saline waters of Lake Vanda. It is proposed that the Vanda brine is instead the result of past ( > 1200 yrs BP) mixing events between Onyx River inflows and calcium chloride-rich deep groundwaters derived from the Don Juan Basin. The mixing model presented here shows that the Onyx River is the major contributor of K, HCO 3, SO 4, and (possibly) Mg found in the lake and a significant contributor (approximately one half) of the observed Na. Calcium and Cl, on the other hand, came largely from deep groundwater sources in the Don Juan Basin. All concentrations except Mg are well predicted by this model. The chemical composition of the geologically recent upper lake is explained in terms of ionic diffusion from the pre-formed brine, coupled with Onyx River inflow. Ionic ratios calculated from this latter model are in very good agreement with those observed in the lake at 35 meters.

Simulation of permeability evolution of leakage pathway in carbonate-rich caprocks in carbon sequestration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, B.; Fitts, J. P.; Dobossy, M. E.; Peters, C. A.

2013-12-01

Geologic carbon sequestration in deep saline aquifers is a promising strategy for mitigating climate change. A major concern is the possibility of brine and CO2 migration through the caprock such as through fractures and faults. In this work, we examine the extent to which mineral dissolution will substantially alter the porosity and permeability of caprock leakage pathways as CO2-acidified brine flows through them. Three models were developed. Firstly, a reactive transport model, Permeability Evolution of Leakage pathway (PEL), was developed to simulate permeability evolution of a leakage pathway during the injection period, and assumes calcite is the only reactive mineral. The system domain is a 100 m long by 0.2 m diameter cylindrical flow path with fixed boundaries containing a rock matrix with an initial porosity of 30% and initial permeability of 1×10-13 m2. One example result is for an initial calcite volume fraction (CVF) of 0.20, in which all the calcite is dissolved after 50 years and the permeability reaches 3.2×10-13 m2. For smaller values of CVF, the permeability reaches its final value earlier but the increase in permeability is minimal. For a large value of CVF such as 0.50, the permeability could eventually reach 1×10-12 m2, but the large amount of dissolved calcium buffers the solution and slows the reaction. After 50 years the permeability change is negligible. Thus, there is a non-monotonic relationship between the amount of calcite in the rock and the resulting permeability change because of the competing dynamics of calcite dissolution and alkalinity build-up. In the second model, PEL was coupled to an existing basin-scale multiphase flow model, Princeton's Estimating Leakage Semi-Analytical (ELSA) model. The new model, ELSA-PEL, estimates the brine and CO2 leakage rates during the injection period under conditions of permeability evolution. The scenario considered in this work is for 50 years of CO2 injection into the Mt. Simon formation in the Michigan basin at an injection rate of 1 Mt/y. As an example, for a CVF value of 5%, the brine leakage rate after fifty years for a leakage pathway 1,000 m distance from the injection well is 0.88 kg/s, which is 2.4% larger than if there were no geochemical evolution of the permeability. In a sensitivity analysis with regard to the distance between the leakage pathway and the injection well, it was found that the cumulative leakage first increases with the distance and the relationship reverses after a certain distance. When the leakage pathway is farther away, the pressure increment drops leading to less acid brine flow; meanwhile, the time before the CO2 plume reaches the pathway is longer and this lengthens the reaction time with brine. Thirdly, we explored the role that SO2 would play if it were present as a co-injectant in carbon sequestration. The reaction considered is SO2 hydrolysis to form sulfurous acid. We expect the sulfurous acid will erode the calcite faster than carbonic acid because it is a stronger acid. Contrary to intuition, the simulation results showed a decrease in permeability due to CaSO3 precipitation in replacement of CaCO3, as CaSO3 has a larger molar volume.

Data Acquisition Visualization Development for the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wendlandt, Laura; Howe, Mark; Wilkerson, John; Majorana Collaboration

2013-10-01

The MAJORANA Project is building an array of germanium detectors with very low backgrounds in order to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay, a rare process that, if detected, would give us information about neutrinos. This decay would prove that neutrinos are their own anti-particles, would show that lepton number is not conserved, and would help determine absolute neutrino mass. An object-oriented, data acquisition software program known as ORCA (Object-oriented Real-time Control and Acquisition) will be used to collect data from the array. This paper describes the implementation of computer visualizations for detector calibrations, as well as tools for more general computer modeling in ORCA. Specifically, it details software that converts a CAD file to OpenGL, which can be used in ORCA. This paper also contains information about using a barium-133 source to take measurements from various locations around the detector, to better understand how data varies with detector crystal orientation. Work made possible by National Science Foundation Award OCI-1155614.

Numerical Simulation of Potential Groundwater Contaminant Pathways from Hydraulically Fractured Oil Shale in the Nevada Basin and Range Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rybarski, S.; Pohll, G.; Pohlmann, K.; Plume, R.

2014-12-01

In recent years, hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has become an increasingly popular method for extraction of oil and natural gas from tight formations. Concerns have been raised over a number of environmental risks associated with fracking, including contamination of groundwater by fracking fluids, upwelling of deep subsurface brines, and methane migration. Given the potentially long time scale for contaminant transport associated with hydraulic fracturing, numerical modeling remains the best practice for risk assessment. Oil shale in the Humboldt basin of northeastern Nevada has now become a target for hydraulic fracturing operations. Analysis of regional and shallow groundwater flow is used to assess several potential migration pathways specific to the geology and hydrogeology of this basin. The model domain in all simulations is defined by the geologic structure of the basin as determined by deep oil and gas well bores and formation outcrops. Vertical transport of gaseous methane along a density gradient is simulated in TOUGH2, while fluid transport along faults and/or hydraulic fractures and lateral flow through more permeable units adjacent to the targeted shale are modeled in FEFLOW. Sensitivity analysis considers basin, fault, and hydraulic fracturing parameters, and results highlight key processes that control fracking fluid and methane migration and time scales under which it might occur.

Assessment of basin-scale hydrologic impacts of CO2 sequestration, Illinois basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Person, M.; Banerjee, A.; Rupp, J.; Medina, C.; Lichtner, P.; Gable, C.; Pawar, R.; Celia, M.; McIntosh, J.; Bense, V.

2010-01-01

Idealized, basin-scale sharp-interface models of CO2 injection were constructed for the Illinois basin. Porosity and permeability were decreased with depth within the Mount Simon Formation. Eau Claire confining unit porosity and permeability were kept fixed. We used 726 injection wells located near 42 power plants to deliver 80 million metric tons of CO2/year. After 100 years of continuous injection, deviatoric fluid pressures varied between 5.6 and 18 MPa across central and southern part of the Illinois basin. Maximum deviatoric pressure reached about 50% of lithostatic levels to the south. The pressure disturbance (>0.03 MPa) propagated 10-25 km away from the injection wells resulting in significant well-well pressure interference. These findings are consistent with single-phase analytical solutions of injection. The radial footprint of the CO2 plume at each well was only 0.5-2 km after 100 years of injection. Net lateral brine displacement was insignificant due to increasing radial distance from injection well and leakage across the Eau Claire confining unit. On geologic time scales CO2 would migrate northward at a rate of about 6 m/1000 years. Because of paleo-seismic events in this region (M5.5-M7.5), care should be taken to avoid high pore pressures in the southern Illinois basin. ?? 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

The importance of the southern ocean on distributions and lifetimes of non-methane organic compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apel, E. C.; Asher, E.; Hills, A. J.; Hornbrook, R. S.; Emmons, L. K.; Blake, N. J.; Stephens, B. B.

2017-12-01

During the ORCAS (O2/N2 Ratio and CO2 Airborne Southern Ocean) campaign, a large number of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were observed using Trace Organic Gas Analyzer (TOGA) including non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), halogenated volatile organic compounds (HVOCs), oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs), alkyl nitrates, and nitriles. Mixing ratios of VOCs with known continental sources observed during ORCAS were very low in comparison to measurements made over tropical and mid-latitude Pacific Ocean using the same instrumentation during previous January-February field campaigns, TORERO (Tropical Ocean tRoposphere Exchange of Reactive halogen species and Oxygenated VOC, 2012) and CONTRAST (CONvective Transport of Active Species in the Tropics, 2014). The ORCAS dataset provides some of the first observations of Southern Hemisphere distributions of several of the most abundant non-methane VOCs in the atmosphere including acetone, hydrogen cyanide (HCN), methanol, and acetonitrile. Although the majority of the sources for these species are continental, the ocean's role as a sink for HCN and acetonitrile and as a net source or sink for methanol and acetone is not fully understood and this will be investigated using CAM-chem (Community Atmosophere model with chemistry). The southern oceans studied during ORCAS will provide key missing information on this and relationships of these VOCs to CO2 and O2 will provide a means to constrain the influence of continental emissions and transport from mid-latitudes on air masses encountered over the Southern Ocean.

Investigation of Controlling Factors Impacting Water Quality in Shale Gas Produced Brine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, W.; Hayes, K. F.; Ellis, B. R.

2014-12-01

The recent boom in production of natural gas from unconventional reservoirs has generated a substantial increase in the volume of produced brine that must be properly managed to prevent contamination of fresh water resources. Produced brine, which includes both flowback and formation water, is often highly saline and may contain elevated concentrations of naturally occurring radioactive material and other toxic elements. These characteristics present many challenges with regard to designing effective treatment and disposal strategies for shale gas produced brine. We will present results from a series of batch experiments where crushed samples from two shale formations in the Michigan Basin, the Antrim and Utica-Collingwood shales, were brought into contact with synthetic hydraulic fracturing fluids under in situ temperature and pressure conditions. The Antrim has been an active shale gas play for over three decades, while the Utica-Collingwood formation (a grouped reservoir consisting of the Utica shale and Collingwood limestone) is an emerging shale gas play. The goal of this study is to investigate the influence of water-rock interactions in controlling produced water quality. We evaluate toxic element leaching from shale samples in contact with model hydraulic fracturing fluids under system conditions corresponding to reservoir depths up to 1.5 km. Experimental results have begun to elucidate the relative importance of shale mineralogy, system conditions, and chemical additives in driving changes in produced water quality. Initial results indicate that hydraulic fracturing chemical additives have a strong influence on the extent of leaching of toxic elements from the shale. In particular, pH was a key factor in the release of uranium (U) and divalent metals, highlighting the importance of the mineral buffering capacity of the shale. Low pH values persisted in the Antrim and Utica shale experiments and resulted in higher U extraction efficiencies than that observed in the presence of the carbonate-rich Collingwood limestone. In addition to assessing U leaching, we also measured the activity of 226Ra and 228Ra via high-resolution gamma ray spectroscopy. Laboratory results will be compared to observations from a complimentary field sampling campaign of Antrim produced brine.

Geochemistry of metal-rich brines from central Mississippi Salt Dome basin, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kharaka, Y.K.; Maest, A.S.; Carothers, W.W.; Law, L.M.; Lamothe, P.J.; Fries, T.L.

1987-01-01

Oil-field brines are the most favored ore-forming solutions for the sediment-hosted Mississippi Valley-type ore deposits. Detailed inorganic and organic chemical and isotope analyses of water and gas samples from six oil fields in central Mississippi, one of the very few areas with high metal brines, were conducted to study the inorganic and organic complexes responsible for the high concentrations of these metals. The samples were obtained from production zones consisting of sandstone and limestone that range in depth from 1900 to 4000 m (70-120??C) and in age from Late Cretaceous to Late Jurassic. Results show that the waters are dominantly bittern brines related to the Louann Salt. The brines have extremely high salinities that range from 160,000 to 320,000 mg/l total dissolved solids and are NaCaCl-type waters with very high concentrations of Ca (up to 48,000 mg/l) and other alkaline-earth metals, but with low concentrations of aliphatic acid anions. The concentrations of metals in many water samples are very high, reaching values of 70 mg/l for Pb, 245 mg/l for Zn, 465 mg/l for Fe and 210 mg/l for Mn. The samples with high metal contents have extremely low concentrations (<0.02 mg/l) of H2S. Samples obtained from the Smackover Formation (limestone) have low metal contents that are more typical of oil-field waters, but have very high concentrations (up to 85 mg/l) of H2S. Computations with the geochemical code SOLMINEQ.87 give the following results: (1) both Pb and Zn are present predominantly as aqueous chloride complexes (mainly as PbCl42- and ZnCl42-, respectively); (2) the concentrations of metals complexed with short-chained aliphatic acid anions and reduced S species are minor; (3) organic acid anions are important in controlling the concentrations of metals because they affect the pH and buffer capacity of the waters at subsurface conditions; and (4) galena and sphalerite solubilities control the concentrations of Pb and Zn in these waters. ?? 1988.

Geochemistry of the furnace magnetite bed, Franklin, New Jersey, and the relationship between stratiform iron oxide ores and stratiform zinc oxide-silicate ores in the New Jersey highlands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, C.A.; Skinner, B.J.

2003-01-01

The New Jersey Highlands terrace, which is an exposure of the Middle Proterozoic Grenville orogenic belt located in northeastern United States, contains stratiform zinc oxide-silicate deposits at Franklin and Sterling Hill and numerous massive magnetite deposits. The origins of the zinc and magnetite deposits have rarely been considered together, but a genetic link is suggested by the occurrence of the Furnace magnetite bed and small magnetite lenses immediately beneath the Franklin zinc deposit. The Furnace bed was metamorphosed and deformed along with its enclosing rocks during the Grenvillian orogeny, obscuring the original mineralogy and obliterating the original rock fabrics. The present mineralogy is manganiferous magnetite plus calcite. Trace hydrous silicates, some coexisting with fluorite, have fluorine contents that are among the highest ever observed in natural assemblages. Furnace bed calcite has ??13C values of -5 ?? 1 per mil relative to Peedee belemnite (PDB) and ??18O values of 11 to 20 per mil relative to Vienna-standard mean ocean water (VSMOW). The isotopic compositions do not vary as expected for an original siderite layer that decarbonated during metamorphism, but they are consistent with nearly isochemical metamorphism of an iron oxide + calcite protolith that is chemically and minerlogically similar to iron-rich sediments found near the Red Sea brine pools and isotopically similar to Superior-type banded iron formations. Other magniferous magnite + calcite bodies occur at approximately the same stratigraphic position as far 50 km from the zinc deposits. A model is presented in which the iron and zinc deposits formed along the western edge of a Middle Proterozoic marine basin. Zinc was transported by sulfate-stable brines and was precipitated under sulfate-stable conditions as zincian carbonates and Fe-Mn-Zn oxides and silicates. Whether the zincian assemblages settled from the water column or formed by replacement reactions in shallowly buried sediments is uncertain. The iron deposits formed at interfaces between anoxic and oxygenated waters. The Furnace magnetite bed resulted from seawater oxidation of hydrothermally transported iron near a brine conduit. Iron deposits also formed regionally on the basin floor at the interface betveen anoxic deep waters and oxygenated shallower waters. These deposits include not only manganiferous magnetite + calcite bodies similar to the Furnace magnetite bed but also silicate-facies deposits that formed by iron oxide accumulation where detrital sediment was abundant. A basin margin model can be extended to Grenvillian stratiform deposits in the northwest Adirondacks of New York and the Mont Laurier basin of Quebec. In these areas iron deposits (pyrite or magnetite) are found basinward of marble-hosted sphalerite deposits, such as those in the Balmat-Edwards district. Whether the iron and zinc precipitated as sulfide assemblages or carbonate-oxide-silicate assemblages depended on whether sufficient organic matter or other reductants were available in local sediments or bottom waters to stabilize H2S.

Reconnaissance of the chemical quality of surface waters of the Neches River basin, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hughes, Leon S.; Leifeste, Donald K.

1967-01-01

The kinds and quantities of minerals dissolved in the surface water of the Neches River basin result from such environmental factors as geology, streamflow patterns and characteristics, and industrial influences. As a result of high rainfall in the basin, much of the readily soluble material has been leached from the surface rocks and soils. Consequently, the water in the streams is usually low in concentrations of dissolved minerals and meets the U.S. Public Health Service drinking-water standards. In most streams the concentration of dissolved solids is less than 250 ppm (parts per million). The Neches River drains an area of about 10,000 square miles in eastern Texas. From its source in southeast Van Zandt County the river flows in a general southeasterly direction and empties into Sabine Lake, an arm of the Gulf of Mexico. In the basin the climate ranges from moist subhumid to humid, and the average annual rainfall ranges from 46 inches is the northwest to more than 52 inches in the southeast. Annual runoff from the basin has averaged 11 inches; however, runoff rates vary widely from year to year. The yearly mean discharge of the Neches River at Evadale has ranged from 994 to 12,720 cubic feet per second. The rocks exposed in the Neches River basin are of the Quaternary and Tertiary Systems and range in age from Eocene to Recent. Throughout most of the basin the geologic formations dip generally south and southeast toward the gulf coast. The rate of dip is greater than that of the land surface; and as a result, the older formations crop out to the north of the younger formations. Water from the outcrop areas of the Wilcox Group and from the older formations of the Claiborne Group generally has dissolved-solids concentrations ranging from 100 to 250 ppm; water from the younger formations has concentrations less than 100 ppm. The northern half of the basin has soft water, with less than 60 ppm hardness. The southern half of .the basin has very soft water, usually with less than 30 ppm hardness. The chloride concentrations are less than 20 ppm in surface water in the southern half of the basin and usually range from 20 to 100 ppm in the northern half of the basin. Concentrations greater than 100 ppm are found only where pollution is occurring. The Neches River basin has an abundance of surface water, but uneven distribution of runoff makes storage projects necessary to provide dependable water supplies. The principal existing reservoirs, with the exception of Striker Creek Reservoir, contain water of excellent quality. Chemical-quality data for the Striker Creek drainage area indicate that its streams are affected by .the disposal of brines associated with oil production. Sam Rayburn Reservoir began impounding water in 1965. The water impounded should prove of acceptable quality for most uses, but municipal and industrial wastes released into the Angelina River near Lufkin may have a degrading effect on the quality of the water, especially during extended periods of low flows. Water available for storage at the many potential reservoir sites will be of good quality; but, if the proposed salt-water barrier is to impound acceptable water, the disposal of oilfield brine into Pine Island Bayou should be discontinued.

Sedimentology of the saline lakes of the Cariboo Plateau, Interior British Columbia, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renaut, Robin W.; Long, Peter R.

1989-10-01

There are several hundred saline lakes in Interior British Columbia, including muddy siliciclastic playas, saline playas, perennial lakes (including meromictic sulphate lakes), and ephemeral lakes, some with permanent salts. The lake waters have highly variable compositions, with Na-CO 3-Cl, Na-CO 3-(SO 4)-Cl, Mg-Na-SO 4 and Na-Mg-SO 4, the dominant types of brine. On the Cariboo Plateau, where they are most abundant, the saline lakes are small, shallow, and occupy depressions within glacial and glacio-fluvial deposits. Most are groundwater-fed. The region is characterized by extremely cold winters and short hot summers. Dense coniferous forest mantles much of the plateau and surrounds most of the lakes. Most basins comprise three main subenvironments—hillslope, mudflat (saline and dry) and lake (ephemeral or perennial). Fluvial sediments are of little significance. Mudflats are primarily a zone of extensive interstitial carbonate precipitation from shallow groundwaters, including abundant magnesite and hydromagnesite. The amount of carbonate formed varies with groundwater composition. Some mudflats are carbonate-dominated; others are predominantly siliciclastic with only highly soluble interstitial salts forming. Sedimentary structures are disrupted by carbonate precipitation and displacive salt crystallization. Springs and ephemeral seepages are locally present. Microbial mats form extensively along many littoral zones and around springs; laminates are preserved in some cores. Efflorescent salt crusts cover saline mudflats around most lakes and playas. Subaqueous salts (including natron, epsomite, bloedite, mirabilite) are precipitated during late summer, autumn and winter in several hypersaline lakes, some by evaporative concentration, others by brine cooling and freeze-out. Several hypersaline, ephemeral lakes have an unusual "spotted" morphology, with hundreds of individual brine pools within carbonate-siliciclastic muds. Most recent sedimentation in the Cariboo lakes has been autochthonous, with a predominance of carbonates, evaporites and organic-rich muds. This reflects the dense vegetation in the catchment which has stabilized soils and limited clastic influx, the predominance of groundwater recharge, the lack of basin marginal relief, and the common occurrence of inflow waters with {( Ca + Mg) }/{( HCO 3 + CO 3) } near unity which provide abundant carbonate sediment.

Regional-scale brine migration along vertical pathways due to CO2 injection - Part 2: A simulated case study in the North German Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kissinger, Alexander; Noack, Vera; Knopf, Stefan; Konrad, Wilfried; Scheer, Dirk; Class, Holger

2017-06-01

Saltwater intrusion into potential drinking water aquifers due to the injection of CO2 into deep saline aquifers is one of the hazards associated with the geological storage of CO2. Thus, in a site-specific risk assessment, models for predicting the fate of the displaced brine are required. Practical simulation of brine displacement involves decisions regarding the complexity of the model. The choice of an appropriate level of model complexity depends on multiple criteria: the target variable of interest, the relevant physical processes, the computational demand, the availability of data, and the data uncertainty. In this study, we set up a regional-scale geological model for a realistic (but not real) onshore site in the North German Basin with characteristic geological features for that region. A major aim of this work is to identify the relevant parameters controlling saltwater intrusion in a complex structural setting and to test the applicability of different model simplifications. The model that is used to identify relevant parameters fully couples flow in shallow freshwater aquifers and deep saline aquifers. This model also includes variable-density transport of salt and realistically incorporates surface boundary conditions with groundwater recharge. The complexity of this model is then reduced in several steps, by neglecting physical processes (two-phase flow near the injection well, variable-density flow) and by simplifying the complex geometry of the geological model. The results indicate that the initial salt distribution prior to the injection of CO2 is one of the key parameters controlling shallow aquifer salinization. However, determining the initial salt distribution involves large uncertainties in the regional-scale hydrogeological parameterization and requires complex and computationally demanding models (regional-scale variable-density salt transport). In order to evaluate strategies for minimizing leakage into shallow aquifers, other target variables can be considered, such as the volumetric leakage rate into shallow aquifers or the pressure buildup in the injection horizon. Our results show that simplified models, which neglect variable-density salt transport, can reach an acceptable agreement with more complex models.

Geology and geochemistry of endoroique basin case of Baghdad chott southern of Algeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamini, Abdellah; Hacini, Messaoud

2018-05-01

Chott Baghdad is an inland saline lake of the type Na-(Mg)-CI-(SO4). It is situated in septontrional Algerian sahara basin (northern of Africa).these small depression is fall dawn about 31m below sea level. One of characteristic of this zone is dry climate in summer when temperature reach 45°C and decrease in winter 5 °C. Chott Baghdad irrigate with surface water zone, continental saharan aquifer and precipitated water. Evaporative lakes without river outlets are common and their chemical composition has been reported to exhibit a wide diversity (Hardie and Eugster, 1970; Eugster and Hardie, 1978). Geologics and gitologic characteristics of deposed evaporates in Baghdad basin, small closed lagon take place with brines rich in ions SO42 - , Ca2+, Na+, Cl- and under the effect of evaporation generate the rock salt and gypsum precipitation. The objective of this study is to simulate evolution the geochemical cycle inside of chott Baghdad, in addition try to interpreter behavior of major element which constructs this small depression. The most important thing is to calculate saturated index of evaporated mineral and compare it with DRX result. To reach this study, monthly brine samples were collected from January to December. Different analytic methods were used: physico-chemical analytic (PH, temperature and conductivity). In addition, spectrophotometer and titration, phlameemissions were done to calculate major element concentration. From this study, we can conclude that major element behavior (Na+, Cl-, SO42 - , Mg+, K+, HCO3-, and Ca2+) is as follow: Chlore and sodium was decreasing at end of geochemical cycle. In addition, Bicarbonate, potassium and magnesium have characteristic evolution, where they increase at the beginning of geochemical cycle till summer then decrease steadily at the end of cycle. Where us, Calcium is quit steady during one year cycle.

Groundwater flow in a closed basin with a saline shallow lake in a volcanic area: Laguna Tuyajto, northern Chilean Altiplano of the Andes.

PubMed

Herrera, Christian; Custodio, Emilio; Chong, Guillermo; Lambán, Luis Javier; Riquelme, Rodrigo; Wilke, Hans; Jódar, Jorge; Urrutia, Javier; Urqueta, Harry; Sarmiento, Alvaro; Gamboa, Carolina; Lictevout, Elisabeth

2016-01-15

Laguna Tuyajto is a small, shallow saline water lake in the Andean Altiplano of northern Chile. In the eastern side it is fed by springs that discharge groundwater of the nearby volcanic aquifers. The area is arid: rainfall does not exceed 200mm/year in the rainiest parts. The stable isotopic content of spring water shows that the recharge is originated mainly from winter rain, snow melt, and to a lesser extent from some short and intense sporadic rainfall events. Most of the spring water outflowing in the northern side of Laguna Tuyajto is recharged in the Tuyajto volcano. Most of the spring water in the eastern side and groundwater are recharged at higher elevations, in the rims of the nearby endorheic basins of Pampa Colorada and Pampa Las Tecas to the East. The presence of tritium in some deep wells in Pampa Colorada and Pampa Las Tecas indicates recent recharge. Gas emission in recent volcanoes increase the sulfate content of atmospheric deposition and this is reflected in local groundwater. The chemical composition and concentration of spring waters are the result of meteoric water evapo-concentration, water-rock interaction, and mainly the dissolution of old and buried evaporitic deposits. Groundwater flow is mostly shallow due to a low permeability ignimbrite layer of regional extent, which also hinders brine spreading below and around the lake. High deep temperatures near the recent Tuyajto volcano explain the high dissolved silica contents and the δ(18)O shift to heavier values found in some of the spring waters. Laguna Tuyajto is a terminal lake where salts cumulate, mostly halite, but some brine transfer to the Salar de Aguas Calientes-3 cannot be excluded. The hydrogeological behavior of Laguna Tuyajto constitutes a model to understand the functioning of many other similar basins in other areas in the Andean Altiplano. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sandstone petrographic evidence and the Chugach-Prince William terrane boundary in southern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dumoulin, Julie A.

1988-01-01

The contact between the Upper Cretaceous Valdez Group and the Paleocene and Eocene Orca Group has been inferred to be the boundary between the Chugach and the Prince William tectonostratigraphic terranes. Sandstone petrographic data from the Prince William Sound area show no compositional discontinuity across this contact. These data are best explained by considering the Valdez and Orca Groups to be part of a single terrane - a thick flysch sequence derived primarily from a progressively unroofing magmatic arc with increasing input from subduction-complex sources through time.

Salmonella Newport omphaloarteritis in a stranded killer whale (Orcinus orca) neonate.

PubMed

Colegrove, Kathleen M; St Leger, Judy A; Raverty, Stephen; Jang, Spencer; Berman-Kowalewski, Michelle; Gaydos, Joseph K

2010-10-01

Salmonella enterica serovar Newport (Salmonella Newport) was isolated from multiple tissues in a neonate killer whale (Orcinus orca) that stranded dead in 2005 along the central coast of California, USA. Necrotizing omphaloarteritis and omphalophlebitis was observed on histologic examination suggesting umbilical infection was the route of entry. Genetic analysis of skin samples indicated that the neonate had an offshore haplotype. Salmonellosis has rarely been identified in free-ranging marine mammals and the significance of Salmonella Newport infection to the health of free-ranging killer whales is currently unknown.

ORCA: measuring the neutrino mass hierarchy with an underwater Cherenkov detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofestädt, Jannik; KM3NeT Collaboration

2016-04-01

It has recently been suggested that the neutrino mass hierarchy can be determined from the oscillation pattern of atmospheric neutrinos passing through the Earth in the energy regime of about 3-20 GeV. In this paper we present the status of a feasibility study for 'Oscillation Research with Cosmics in the Abyss' (ORCA) to evaluate the potential of a megaton-scale underwater Cherenkov detector to determine the mass hierarchy employing the deep-sea neutrino telescope technology developed for the KM3NeT project.

Palaeohydrological evolution of the late Cenozoic saline lake in the Qaidam Basin, NE Tibetan Plateau: Tectonic vs. climatic control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Pei; Liu, Chiyang; Huang, Lei; Yu, Mengli; Wang, Peng; Zhang, Guoqing

2018-06-01

As the largest Cenozoic terrestrial intermountain basin on the Tibetan Plateau, the Qaidam Basin is an ideal setting to understand the coupled controls of tectonics and climate on hydrological evolution. In this study, we used 47,846 data of carbonate and chloride contents from 146 boreholes to reconstruct the Neogene-Quaternary basin-wide hydrological evolution of the Qaidam Basin. Our results show that during the early Miocene (22-15 Ma), the palaeolake in the Qaidam Basin was mainly situated in the southwestern part of the basin, and its water was mostly brackish. From then on, this palaeolake progressively migrated southeastward, and its salinity increased from late Miocene saline water to Quaternary brines. This generally increasing trend of the water palaeosalinity during the late Cenozoic corresponded with regional and global climate changes at that time, suggesting the dominance of climatic control. However, the paces of the salinity increase from sediments in front of the three basin-bounding ranges were not the same, indicating that extra tectonic controls occurred. Sediments in front of the Eastern Kunlun Shan to the southwest and the Altyn Shan to the northwest showed an abrupt, dramatic increase in salinity at 15 Ma and 8 Ma, respectively; sediments in front of the Qilian Shan to the northeast showed steady increase without prominent, abrupt changes, indicating the occurrence of asynchronous tectonic controls from the basin-bounding ranges. The late Miocene depocentre migration was synchronous with the hydrological changes in front of the Altyn Shan, while the more significant migration during the Quaternary was consistent with the pulsing, intense extrabasinal and intrabasinal tectonic movements along the Tibetan Plateau.

Geochemistry of vanadium in an epigenetic, sandstone-hosted vanadium- uranium deposit, Henry Basin, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wanty, R.B.; Goldhaber, M.B.; Northrop, H.R.

1990-01-01

The epigenetic Tony M vanadium-uranium orebody in south-central Utah is hosted in fluvial sandstones of the Morrison Formation (Upper Jurassic). Measurements of the relative amounts of V+3 and V +4 in ore minerals show that V+3 is more abundant. Thermodynamic calculations show that vanadium was more likely transported to the site of mineralization as V+4. The ore formed as V+4 was reduced by hydrogen sulfide, followed by hydrolysis and precipitation of V+3 in oxide minerals or chlorite. Uranium was transported as uranyl ion (U+6), or some complex thereof, and reduced by hydrogen sulfide, forming coffinite. Detrital organic matter in the rocks served as the carbon source for sulfate-reducing bacteria. Vanadium most likely was derived from the dissolution of iron-titanium oxides. Uranium probably was derived from the overlying Brushy Basin Member of the Morrison Formation. Previous studies have shown that the ore formed at the density-stratified interface between a basinal brine and dilute meteoric water. The mineralization processes described above occurred within the mixing zone between these two fluids. -from Authors

jORCA: easily integrating bioinformatics Web Services.

PubMed

Martín-Requena, Victoria; Ríos, Javier; García, Maximiliano; Ramírez, Sergio; Trelles, Oswaldo

2010-02-15

Web services technology is becoming the option of choice to deploy bioinformatics tools that are universally available. One of the major strengths of this approach is that it supports machine-to-machine interoperability over a network. However, a weakness of this approach is that various Web Services differ in their definition and invocation protocols, as well as their communication and data formats-and this presents a barrier to service interoperability. jORCA is a desktop client aimed at facilitating seamless integration of Web Services. It does so by making a uniform representation of the different web resources, supporting scalable service discovery, and automatic composition of workflows. Usability is at the top of the jORCA agenda; thus it is a highly customizable and extensible application that accommodates a broad range of user skills featuring double-click invocation of services in conjunction with advanced execution-control, on the fly data standardization, extensibility of viewer plug-ins, drag-and-drop editing capabilities, plus a file-based browsing style and organization of favourite tools. The integration of bioinformatics Web Services is made easier to support a wider range of users. .

Intrinsic limits on resolutions in muon- and electron-neutrino charged-current events in the KM3NeT/ORCA detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adrián-Martínez, S.; Ageron, M.; Aiello, S.; Albert, A.; Ameli, F.; Anassontzis, E. G.; Andre, M.; Androulakis, G.; Anghinolfi, M.; Anton, G.; Ardid, M.; Avgitas, T.; Barbarino, G.; Barbarito, E.; Baret, B.; Barrios-Mart, J.; Belias, A.; Berbee, E.; van den Berg, A.; Bertin, V.; Beurthey, S.; van Beveren, V.; Beverini, N.; Biagi, S.; Biagioni, A.; Billault, M.; Bondì, M.; Bormuth, R.; Bouhadef, B.; Bourlis, G.; Bourret, S.; Boutonnet, C.; Bouwhuis, M.; Bozza, C.; Bruijn, R.; Brunner, J.; Buis, E.; Buompane, R.; Busto, J.; Cacopardo, G.; Caillat, L.; Calamai, M.; Calvo, D.; Capone, A.; Caramete, L.; Cecchini, S.; Celli, S.; Champion, C.; Cherubini, S.; Chiarella, V.; Chiarelli, L.; Chiarusi, T.; Circella, M.; Classen, L.; Cobas, D.; Cocimano, R.; Coelho, J. A. B.; Coleiro, A.; Colonges, S.; Coniglione, R.; Cordelli, M.; Cosquer, A.; Coyle, P.; Creusot, A.; Cuttone, G.; D'Amato, C.; D'Amico, A.; D'Onofrio, A.; De Bonis, G.; De Sio, C.; Di Palma, I.; Díaz, A. F.; Distefano, C.; Donzaud, C.; Dornic, D.; Dorosti-Hasankiadeh, Q.; Drakopoulou, E.; Drouhin, D.; Durocher, M.; Eberl, T.; Eichie, S.; van Eijk, D.; El Bojaddaini, I.; Elsaesser, D.; Enzenhöfer, A.; Favaro, M.; Fermani, P.; Ferrara, G.; Frascadore, G.; Furini, M.; Fusco, L. A.; Gal, T.; Galatà, S.; Garufi, F.; Gay, P.; Gebyehu, M.; Giacomini, F.; Gialanella, L.; Giordano, V.; Gizani, N.; Gracia, R.; Graf, K.; Grégoire, T.; Grella, G.; Grmek, A.; Guerzoni, M.; Habel, R.; Hallmann, S.; van Haren, H.; Harissopulos, S.; Heid, T.; Heijboer, A.; Heine, E.; Henry, S.; Hernández-Rey, J. J.; Hevinga, M.; Hofestädt, J.; Hugon, C. M. F.; Illuminati, G.; James, C. W.; Jansweijerf, P.; Jongen, M.; de Jong, M.; Kadler, M.; Kalekin, O.; Kappes, A.; Katz, U. F.; Keller, P.; Kieft, G.; Kießling, D.; Koffeman, E. N.; Kooijman, P.; Kouchner, A.; Kreter, M.; Kulikovskiy, V.; Lahmann, R.; Lamare, P.; Larosa, G.; Leisos, A.; Leone, F.; Leonora, E.; Lindsey Clark, M.; Liolios, A.; Llorens Alvarez, C. D.; Lo Presti, D.; Löhner, H.; Lonardo, A.; Lotze, M.; Loucatos, S.; Maccioni, E.; Mannheim, K.; Manzali, M.; Margiotta, A.; Margotti, A.; Marinelli, A.; Maris, O.; Markou, C.; Martínez-Mora, J. A.; Martini, A.; Marzaioli, F.; Mele, R.; Melis, K. W.; Michael, T.; Migliozzi, P.; Migneco, E.; Mijakowski, P.; Miraglia, A.; Mollo, C. M.; Mongelli, M.; Morganti, M.; Moussa, A.; Musico, P.; Musumeci, M.; Navas, S.; Nicolau, C. A.; Olcina, I.; Olivetto, C.; Orlando, A.; Orzelli, A.; Pancaldi, G.; Papaikonomou, A.; Papaleo, R.; Păvălas, G. E.; Peek, H.; Pellegrini, G.; Pellegrino, C.; Perrina, C.; Pfutzner, M.; Piattelli, P.; Pikounis, K.; Pleinert, M.-O.; Poma, G. E.; Popa, V.; Pradier, T.; Pratolongo, F.; Pühlhofer, G.; Pulvirenti, S.; Quinn, L.; Racca, C.; Raffaelli, F.; Randazzo, N.; Rauch, T.; Real, D.; Resvanis, L.; Reubelt, J.; Riccobene, G.; Rossi, C.; Rovelli, A.; Saldaña, M.; Salvadori, I.; Samtleben, D. F. E.; Sánchez García, A.; Sánchez Losa, A.; Sanguineti, M.; Santangelo, A.; Santonocito, D.; Sapienza, P.; Schimmel, F.; Schmelling, J.; Schnabel, J.; Sciacca, V.; Sedita, M.; Seitz, T.; Sgura, I.; Simeone, F.; Sipala, V.; Spisso, B.; Spurio, M.; Stavropoulos, G.; Steijger, J.; Stellacci, S. M.; Stransky, D.; Taiuti, M.; Tayalati, Y.; Terrasi, F.; Tézier, D.; Theraube, S.; Timmer, P.; Tönnis, C.; Trasatti, L.; Travaglini, R.; Trovato, A.; Tsirigotis, A.; Tzamarias, S.; Tzamariudaki, E.; Vallage, B.; Van Elewyck, V.; Vermeulen, J.; Versari, F.; Vicini, P.; Viola, S.; Vivolo, D.; Volkert, M.; Wiggers, L.; Wilms, J.; de Wolf, E.; Zachariadou, K.; Zani, S.; Zornoza, J. D.; Zúñiga, J.

2017-05-01

Studying atmospheric neutrino oscillations in the few-GeV range with a multi-megaton detector promises to determine the neutrino mass hierarchy. This is the main science goal pursued by the future KM3NeT/ORCA water Cherenkov detector in the Mediterranean Sea. In this paper, the processes that limit the obtainable resolution in both energy and direction in charged-current neutrino events in the ORCA detector are investigated. These processes include the composition of the hadronic fragmentation products, the subsequent particle propagation and the photon-sampling fraction of the detector. GEANT simulations of neutrino interactions in seawater produced by GENIE are used to study the effects in the 1-20 GeV range. It is found that fluctuations in the hadronic cascade in conjunction with the variation of the inelasticity y are most detrimental to the resolutions. The effect of limited photon sampling in the detector is of significantly less importance. These results will therefore also be applicable to similar detectors/media, such as those in ice. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

From open to closed canopy: A century of change in Douglas-fir forest, Orcas Island, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterson, D.L.; Hammer, R.D.

2001-01-01

During the past century, forest structure on south-facing slopes of Mount Constitution, Orcas Island, Washington, has changed from open-grown Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) mixed with prairie to primarily closed canopy forest. Density of open-grown Douglas-fir was approximately 7 stems/ha in the 19th century, while current density of trees in closed-canopy mature forest is 426 stems/ha. Trees occur at intermediate densities in areas of transition from savanna-like stands to closed canopy. Analysis of fire scars indicates that at least seven fires have occurred on Mount Constitution since 1736, but only one fire has occurred since 1893, which suggests that the recent increase in stem density has been caused primarily by fire exclusion. The high stem densities currently found in this landscape put the relict (120-350+ years old) Douglas-fir at risk from contemporary fires, which would likely be high-intensity crown fires. Given the transition of forests on Orcas Island during the 20th century to closed canopy structure, undisturbed open-grown coniferous forest is now extremely rare in the San Juan Islands.

Study of the geothermal production potential in the Williston Basin, North Dakota

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chu, Min H.

1991-09-10

Preliminary studies of geothermal production potential for the North Dakota portion of the Williston Basin have been carried out. Reservoir data such as formation depth, subsurface temperatures, and water quality were reviewed for geothermal brine production predictions. This study, in addition, provides important information about net pay thickness, porosity, volume of geothermal water available, and productivity index for future geothermal direct-use development. Preliminary results show that the Inyan Kara Formation of the Dakota Group is the most favorable geothermal resource in terms of water quality and productivity. The Madison, Duperow, and Red River Formations are deeper formations but because ofmore » their low permeability and great depth, the potential flow rates from these three formations are considerably less than those of the Inyan Kara Formation. Also, poor water quality and low porosity will make those formations less favorable for geothermal direct-use development.« less

Correlation between the silica concentration and the orifice temperature in the warm springs along the jordan-dead sea rift valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Levitte, D.; Eckstein, Y.

1978-01-01

Analysis of twenty-one thermal springs emerging along the Jordan-Dead Sea Rift Valley in Israel indicates a very good correlation between the concentration of dissolved silica and the temperature of the spring orifice. Dissolution of quartz was identified as the apparent source of the silica in the water. Application of the silica geothermometer for mixed systems suggests that the springs in the Tiberias Lake Basin are supplied with hot water from deep reservoir (or reservoirs) at a temperature of 115??C (239??F). The same temperature was postulated earlier by the application of the Na-K-Ca hydro-geothermometer to a group of thermal springs in the same basin. The temperature of the reservoir supplying hot brines to the springs emerging along the western shore of the Dead Sea is estimated at 90??C (194??F).

Potash—A vital agricultural nutrient sourced from geologic deposits

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yager, Douglas B.

2016-11-15

This report summarizes the primary sources of potash in the United States. Potash is an essential nutrient that, along with phosphorus and nitrogen, is used as fertilizer for growing crops. Plants require sufficient potash to activate enzymes, which in turn catalyze chemical reactions important for water uptake and photosynthesis. When potassium is available in quantities necessary for healthy plant growth, disease resistance and physical quality are improved and crop yield and shelf life are increased. Potash is a water-soluble compound of potassium formed by geologic and hydrologic processes. The principal potash sources discussed are the large, stratiform deposits that formed during retreat and evaporation of intracontinental seas. The Paradox, Delaware, Holbrook, Michigan, and Williston sedimentary basins in the United States are examples where extensive potash beds were deposited. Ancient marine-type potash deposits that are close to the surface can be mined using conventional underground mining methods. In situ solution mining can be used where beds are too deep, making underground mining cost-prohibitive, or where underground mines are converted to in situ solution mines. Quaternary brine is another source of potash that is recovered by solar evaporation in manmade ponds. Groundwater from Pleistocene Lake Bonneville (Wendover, Utah) and the present-day Great Salt Lake in Utah are sources of potashbearing brine. Brine from these sources pumped to solar ponds is evaporated and potash concentrated for harvesting, processing, and refinement. Although there is sufficient potash to meet near-term demand, the large marine-type deposits are either geographically restricted to a few areas or are too deep to easily mine. Other regions lack sources of potash brine from groundwater or surface water. Thus, some areas of the world rely heavily on potash imports. Political, economic, and global population pressures may limit the ability of some countries from securing potash resources in the future. In this context, a historical perspective on U.S. potash production in a global framework is discussed.

Technologies for the Comprehensive Exploitation of the Geothermal Resources of the North Caucasus Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alkhasov, A. B.

2018-03-01

Technology for the integrated development of low-temperature geothermal resources using the thermal and water potentials for various purposes is proposed. The heat of the thermal waters is utilized in a low-temperature district heating system and for heating the water in a hot water supply system. The water cooled in heat exchangers enters a chemical treatment system where it is conditioned into potable water quality and then forwarded to the household and potable water supply system. Efficient technologies for removal of arsenic and organic contaminants from the water have been developed. For the uninterrupted supply of the consumers with power, the technologies that use two and more types of renewable energy sources (RESs) have the best prospects. Technology for processing organic waste using the geothermal energy has been proposed. According to this technology, the geothermal water is divided into two flows, one of which is delivered to a biomass conversion system and the other is directed to a geothermal steam-gas power plant (GSGP). The wastewater arrives at the pump station from which it is pumped back into the bed. Upon drying, the biogas from the conversion system is delivered into the combustion chamber of a gas-turbine plant (GTP). The heat of the turbine exhaust gases is used in the GSGP to evaporate and reheat the low-boiling working medium. The working medium is heated in the GSGP to the evaporation temperature using the heat of the thermal water. High-temperature geothermal brines are the most promising for the comprehensive processing. According to the proposed technology, the heat energy of the brines is utilized to generate the electric power at a binary geothermal power station; the electric power is then used to extract the dissolved chemical components from the rest of the brine. The comprehensive utilization of high-temperature brines of the East-Precaucasian Artesian Basin will allow to completely satisfy the demand of Russia for lithium carbonate and sodium chloride.

Killer whale (Orcinus orca) whistles from the western South Atlantic Ocean include high frequency signals.

PubMed

Andriolo, Artur; Reis, Sarah S; Amorim, Thiago O S; Sucunza, Federico; de Castro, Franciele R; Maia, Ygor Geyer; Zerbini, Alexandre N; Bortolotto, Guilherme A; Dalla Rosa, Luciano

2015-09-01

Acoustic parameters of killer whale (Orcinus orca) whistles were described for the western South Atlantic Ocean and highlight the occurrence of high frequency whistles. Killer whale signals were recorded on December of 2012, when a pod of four individuals was observed harassing a group of sperm whales. The high frequency whistles were highly stereotyped and were modulated mostly at ultrasonic frequencies. Compared to other contour types, the high frequency whistles are characterized by higher bandwidths, shorter durations, fewer harmonics, and higher sweep rates. The results add to the knowledge of vocal behavior of this species.

Gravity survey and regional geology of the Prince William Sound epicentral region, Alaska: Chapter C in The Alaska earthquake, March 27, 1964: regional effects

USGS Publications Warehouse

Case, J.E.; Barnes, D.F.; Plafker, George; Robbins, S.L.

1966-01-01

Sedimentary and volcanic rocks of Mesozoic and early Tertiary age form a roughly arcuate pattern in and around Prince William Sound, the epicentral region of the Alaska earthquake of 1964. These rocks include the Valdez Group, a predominantly slate and graywacke sequence of Jurassic and Cretaceous age, and the Orca Group, a younger sequence of early Tertiary age. The Orca consists of a lower unit of dense-average 2.87 g per cm3 (grams per cubic centimeter) pillow basalt and greenstone intercalated with sedimentary rocks and an upper unit of lithologically variable sandstone interbedded with siltstone or argillite. Densities of the clastic rocks in both the Valdez and Orca Groups average about 2.69 g per cm3. Granitic rocks of relatively low density (2.62 g per cm3) cut the Valdez and Orca Groups at several localities. Both the Valdez and the Orca Groups were complexly folded and extensively faulted during at least three major episodes of deformation: an early period of Cretaceous or early Tertiary orogeny, a second orogeny that probably culminated in late Eocene or early Oligocene time and was accompanied or closely followed by emplacement of granitic batholiths, and a third episode of deformation that began in late Cenozoic time and continued intermittently to the present. About 500 gravity stations were established in the Prince William Sound region in conjunction with postearthquake geologic investigations. Simple Bouguer anomaly contours trend approximately parallel to the arcuate geologic structure around the sound. Bouguer anomalies decrease northward from +40 mgal (milligals) at the southwestern end of Montague Island to -70 mgal at College and Harriman Fiords. Most of this change may be interpreted as a regional gradient caused by thickening of the continental crust. Superimposed on the gradient is a prominent gravity high of as much as 65 mgal that extends from Elrington Island on the southwest, across Knight and Glacier Islands to the Ellamar Peninsula and Valdez on the northeast. This high coincides with the wide belt of greenstone and pillow basalt of the Orca Group and largely reflects the high density of these volcanic rocks. A large low in the east-central part of the sound is inferred to have a composite origin, and results from the combined effects of low-density sedimentary and granitic rocks. The Prince William Sound gravity high extends southwest-northeast without major horizontal offset for more than 100 miles. Thus the belt of volcanic rocks causing the high constitutes a major virtually continuous, geologic element of south-central Alaska.

Hydrochemistry of the Lake Magadi basin, Kenya

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, B.F.; Eugster, H.P.; Rettig, S.L.

1977-01-01

New and more complete compositional data are presented for a large number of water samples from the Lake Magadi area, Kenya. These water samples range from dilute inflow (300 g/kg dissolved solids). Five distinct hydrologic stages can be recognized in the evolution of the water compositions: dilute streamflow, dilute ground water, saline ground water (or hot spring reservoir), saturated brines, and residual brines. Based on the assumption that chloride is conserved in the waters during evaporative concentration, these stages are related to each other by the concentration factors of about 1:28:870:7600:16,800. Dilute streamflow is represented by perennial streams entering the Rift Valley from the west. All but one (Ewaso Ngiro) of these streams disappear in the alluvium and do not reach the valley floor. Dilute ground water was collected from shallow pits and wells dug into lake sediments and alluvial channels. Saline ground water is roughly equivalent to the hot springs reservoir postulated by Eugster (1970) and is represented by the hottest of the major springs. Saturated brines represent surficial lake brines just at the point of saturation with respect to trona (Na2CO3.NaHCO3.2H2O), while residual brines are essentially interstitial to the evaporite deposit and have been subjected to a complex history of precipitation and re-solution. The new data confirm the basic hydrologic model presented by Eugster (1970) which has now been refined, particularly with respect to the early stages of evaporative concentration. Budget calculations show that only bromide is conserved as completely as chloride. Sodium follows chloride closely until trona precipitation, whereas silica and sulfate are largely lost during the very first concentration' step (dilute streamflow-dilute ground water). A large fraction of potassium and all calcium plus magnesium are removed during the first two concentration steps (dilute streamflow-dilute ground water-saline ground water). Carbonate and bicarbonate are the dominant anions, and mechanisms by which they are extracted from the solution include precipitation of alkali and alkaline-earth carbonates, and degassing, as well as precipitation and re-solution of efflorescent crusts. Much sulfate is apparently lost from solution by sorption as well as subsurface reduction. Seasonal runoff, principally from the valley floor north of Lake Magadi, is considered to be the principal recharge to the Magadi ground water system. Evaporative concentration is the overall process responsible for the chemical evolution of the brines. This includes not only simple evaporation, but also mineral precipitation as films and cements in the unsaturated zone, re-solution, and reprecipitation of efflorescent crusts, with consequent recycling of salts. In fact, a large fraction of the solutes are acquired through dissolution of efflorescent crusts. Data were obtained for borehole brines from as deep as 297 m. They show the existence of two distinct brine bodies below the present lake, one shallow, coexistent with bedded salts, and highly concentrated (260 g/kg average dissolved solids), and the other deeper in lacustrine sediments or fractured lavas, and only half as concentrated. ?? 1977.

Results for the Brine Evaporation Bag (BEB) Brine Processing Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delzeit, Lance; Flynn, Michael; Fisher, John; Shaw, Hali; Kawashima, Brian; Beeler, David; Howard, Kevin

2015-01-01

The recent Brine Processing Test compared the NASA Forward Osmosis Brine Dewatering (FOBD), Paragon Ionomer Water Processor (IWP), UMPQUA Ultrasonic Brine Dewatering System (UBDS), and the NASA Brine Evaporation Bag (BEB). This paper reports the results of the BEB. The BEB was operated at 70 deg C and a base pressure of 12 torr. The BEB was operated in a batch mode, and processed 0.4L of brine per batch. Two different brine feeds were tested, a chromic acid-urine brine and a chromic acid-urine-hygiene mix brine. The chromic acid-urine brine, known as the ISS Alternate Pretreatment Brine, had an average processing rate of 95 mL/hr with a specific power of 5kWhr/L. The complete results of these tests will be reported within this paper.

Evolution of the Creede Caldera and its relation to mineralization in the Creede mining district, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barton, Paul B.; Rye, Robert O.; Bethke, Philip M.

2000-01-01

At 25 Ma a major epithermal silver and base metal deposit formed in rhyolitic welded tuff near Creede, Colorado. Nearly 24000 metric tons of silver, appreciable lead, and small amounts of zinc, copper, and gold, have been produced from large, crustified veins under Bachelor and Bulldog Mountains north and northwest of Creede. Prior geologic, hydrologic, and stable-isotope studies showed that ore deposition was associated with the mixing and boiling of waters from diverse sources and suggester that a critical part of the ore-forming fluid may have originated within the ancient lake and sediments of the lacustrine Creede Formation that filled the Creede caldera. Two drill holes that sampled the heretofore hidden lower half of the Creede Formation are the focus of this book. The Creede caldera formed at 26.9 Ma within a high constructional plateau of silicic ashflows that covered and were sporadically interlayed with, intermediate lavas and lahars from large stratovolcanoes. The Creede caldera lake had an inflow evaporation balance that did not permit rapid filling to create a brim-full deep lake. Thus salts were evaporatively concentrated; but, with the exception of possible gypsum, no evaporite minerals preserved. Cool springs deposited travertine as mounds and contributed to limestone interlaminations within the sediment. The lake bottom was anoxic, and bacterial reduction of sulfate led to extreme sulfur isotopic fractionation in diagenetic pyrite. The caldera gradually resurged, converting the initial equant lake into an arcuate moat. Resurgent doming, alluvial fans, lacustrine sediments, ashfalls, and lava domes displaced water, lifted the lake so that it overlapped what later became the southern edge of the mineralized are, and eventually filled the basin. At 25.1 Ma an unseen pluton intruded beneath the northen part of the Creede district and created a convecting olume that drew in brine from the Creede caldera fill, meteotic water from highlands to the north, and possibly a fluid carrying radiogenic lead. These waters mixed and boiled as they approached the surface and moved southward, deposited a zoned epithermal deposit a few hundred meters below the paleosurface, and finally discharged into the top of the Creede Formation. The sulfide in the ores was the igneous derivation, but the sulfate was a mixture of biogenic sulfur from the Creede Formation, oxidized igneous sulfide, and thermochemically reduced and partially oxygen exchanged sulfate. The studies of the Creede caldera provide key observational and conceptual elements for the generalized model of the Creede ore deposit. The relation of the Creed ore deposit to a brine reservoir has broad significance because other brine accumulations (as in the Great Basin, the Green River Basin, or the playas of the Altiplano offer similar setting and exploration opportunities.

The incidence of bent dorsal fins in free-ranging cetaceans.

PubMed

Alves, F; Towers, J R; Baird, R W; Bearzi, G; Bonizzoni, S; Ferreira, R; Halicka, Z; Alessandrini, A; Kopelman, A H; Yzoard, C; Rasmussen, M H; Bertulli, C G; Jourdain, E; Gullan, A; Rocha, D; Hupman, K; Mrusczok, M-T; Samarra, F I P; Magalhães, S; Weir, C R; Ford, J K B; Dinis, A

2018-02-01

Laterally bent dorsal fins are rarely observed in free-ranging populations of cetaceans, contrary to captivity, where most killer whale Orcinus orca adult males have laterally collapsed fins. This topic has been poorly explored, and data/information on its occurrence and possible causes are limited. The present study: (i) undertakes a review of the available information on bent dorsal fins in free-ranging cetaceans, and updates it with new records, (ii) reports on the proportion of bent fins in different study populations, and (iii) discusses possible causes. An empirical approach based on bibliographic research and compilation of 52 new records collected worldwide resulted in a total of 17 species of cetaceans displaying bent dorsal fins. The species with the highest number of records (64%) and from most locations was O. orca. On average, individuals with bent dorsal fins represent < 1% of their populations, with the exception of false killer whales Pseudorca crassidens and O. orca. While line injuries associated with fisheries interactions may be the main cause for P. crassidens, and the vulnerability to health issues caused by the evolutionary enlargement of the fin may be the cause for O. orca adult males, factors contributing to this abnormality for other species are still unclear. The occurrence of bent dorsals could be influenced by a set of variables rather than by a single factor but, irrespective of the cause, it is suggested that it does not directly affect the animals' survivorship. While still rare in nature, this incident is more common (at least 101 known cases) and widespread (geographically and in species diversity) than hypothesized, and is not confined only to animals in captive environments. Investigation into the occurrence of bent fins may be an interesting avenue of research. © 2017 Anatomical Society.

Louisiana continental slope: geologic and seismic stratigraphic framework

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ray, P.K.; Cooke, D.W.

1987-05-01

The continental slope of Louisiana from Green Canyon to Mississippi Canyon was studied by interpreting seismic CDP data and wells in the area. The slope is characterized by blocked canyon intraslope basins of various dimensions with maximum thickness of sediments in excess of 21,000 ft, rotational slump blocks and large-scale submarine slides. In the subsurface, the outer shelf and upper slope show contrasting character with that of the lower slope, especially below the Sigsbee Scarp. The seismic stratigraphic units established for the deep sea area can be recognized in their entirety up to a water depth of 6000 to 5500more » ft. In shallower water salt tectonics obliterates the sequence. Fragmental records of the sequence, especially the top of Challenger boundary, have been recognized in as shallow as 2000 to 3000 ft of water. The Tertiary units often downlap and onlap directly on the Challenger unit, indicating the progradational nature of the clastic slope. The Sigsbee unit has been traced through the entire slope area and can be divided into five subunits of unique acoustical characteristics. The slope constantly regrades in response to Neogene sea level fluctuations. Loading of the shelf by deltaic deposition contributes to salt sill formation and flowage of salt over deep-water sediments on the slope during high sea level. Regressive sea is represented by slope failure, formation of large-scale submarine slides, filling of blocked canyon intraslope basins which show similar seismic facies to that of Orca and Pigmy basins as reported from DSDP studies, and sporadic uplifting of salt diapirs and massifs and the formation of linear transverse salt ridges.« less

GC×GC-TOF-MS of Metabolites of Lake Vida Brine (Antarctica): Evidence for Past and Current Biogeochemical Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chou, L.; Kenig, F. P. H.; Murray, A. E.; Fritsen, C. H.; Doran, P. T.

2016-12-01

Lake Vida, located in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, permanently encapsulates an interstitial anoxic, aphotic, cold (-13°C), brine ecosystem within 27 m of ice, and has been isolated from the environment for millennia (Murray et al. 2012; PNAS). Active, but slow-growing bacteria ( 120 yr generation time) were observed in this brine. The processes involved in the survivability of these microbes remain unclear. Thus, we attempt to elucidate the biogeochemistry of Lake Vida brine (LVBr) using metabolomics. LVBr contains high abundance of DOC (48.2±9.7 mmol•L-1). The slow metabolism of LVBr microbes allows for the accumulation of organic carbon that is inherited from a previous ecosystem, a glacial lake that occupied Lake Vida basin prior to LVBr isolation. Consequently, the presence of this legacy carbon, including dissolved metabolites, convolutes the interpretation of metabolic signals deriving from the current ecosystem. The aim of this study is to designate metabolites of LVBr as legacy, modern metabolic products, or both. A total lipid extract of LVBr was analyzed using a multi-dimensional comprehensive gas chromatography-time of flight-mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOF-MS). Metabolites in LVBr are dominated by an altered legacy component: compounds synthesized in a previous ecosystem that was exposed to sunlight and the atmosphere. C8-C14 norisoprenoids observed in LVBr are derived from the oxidation of C40 and diatom pigments, whereas maleimides are degradation products of chlorophylls and bacteriochlorophylls. Additionally, we observe a diversity of sulfones and sulfoxides that may have resulted from microbial oxidation or abiotic oxidation of sulfur-bearing organic compounds. It is unclear if the alteration of legacy components in LVBr is enzymatically driven or is a pure abiotic diagenetic process. The production of some of the observed legacy compounds require molecular oxygen, which suggests that they were produced in an oxic environment, not within the current anoxic brine. The presence of legacy biomarkers in the metabolome of LVBr suggests that fossil biological signals from a previous environment may be convoluting in situ interpretation of modern biological studies of slow-growing microbial ecosystems such as other dry valley lakes as well as the deep subsurface biosphere.

Experimental investigation of CO2-brine-rock interactions at simulated in-situ conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Słomski, Piotr; Lutyński, Marcin; Mastalerz, Maria; Szczepański, Jacek; Derkowski, Arkadiusz; Topór, Tomasz

2017-04-01

Geological sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in deep formations (e.g. saline aquifers, oil and gas reservoirs and coalbeds) is one of the most promising options for reducing concentration of this anthropogenic greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. CO2 injected into the rock formations can be trapped by several mechanisms including structural and stratigraphic trapping, capillary CO2 trapping, dissolution trapping and mineral trapping. During dissolution trapping, CO2 dissolves in the formation brine and sinks in the reservoir as the CO2-enriched brine has an increased density. In comparison, in mineral trapping, CO2 is bound by precipitating new carbonate minerals. The latter two mechanisms depend on the temperature, pressure, and the mineralogy of the reservoir rock and the chemical composition of the brine. This study discusses laboratory scale alterations of Ordovician and Silurian shale rocks from potential CO2 sequestration site B1 in the Baltic Basin. In the reported experiment, rocks submerged in brine in specially constructed reactors were subjected to CO2 pressure of 30-35 MPa for 30-45 days at temperature of 80 oC. Shale samples were analyzed in terms of mineral composition and mesopore surface area and volume, before and after experiments, by means of X-ray diffraction and N2 low-pressure adsorption, respectively, for possible CO2 induced changes. Comparison of mineral composition before and after experiments demonstrated subtle mineral changes. The most conspicuous was a release of Fe in the form of Fe-oxyhydroxides, most probably related to the decomposition of Fe-bearing minerals like pyrite, chlorite and, less frequently, ankerite. With regard to porosity, interestingly, the most significant increase in mesopore surface area and mesopore volume was observed in samples with the largest drop of chlorite amount. The less significant mineral changes were associated with formation of kaolinite related to breakdown of feldspars and dissolution of carbonate minerals represented by calcite, dolomite, and ankerite. In the analyzed samples, no new carbonate minerals were formed during the experiments. An increase of carbonates was recorded only in three out of 13 samples. However, concentration of carbonates in these three samples is too low to conclude CO2 mineral trapping in new carbonate phases. Acknowledgments: the study was supported from grant SHALESEQ (No PL12-0109) funded by the National Centre for Research and Development.

Comparative genomics reveals adaptations of a halotolerant thaumarchaeon in the interfaces of brine pools in the Red Sea.

PubMed

Kamanda Ngugi, David; Blom, Jochen; Alam, Intikhab; Rashid, Mamoon; Ba-Alawi, Wail; Zhang, Guishan; Hikmawan, Tyas; Guan, Yue; Antunes, Andre; Siam, Rania; El Dorry, Hamza; Bajic, Vladimir; Stingl, Ulrich

2015-02-01

The bottom of the Red Sea harbors over 25 deep hypersaline anoxic basins that are geochemically distinct and characterized by vertical gradients of extreme physicochemical conditions. Because of strong changes in density, particulate and microbial debris get entrapped in the brine-seawater interface (BSI), resulting in increased dissolved organic carbon, reduced dissolved oxygen toward the brines and enhanced microbial activities in the BSI. These features coupled with the deep-sea prevalence of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in the global ocean make the BSI a suitable environment for studying the osmotic adaptations and ecology of these important players in the marine nitrogen cycle. Using phylogenomic-based approaches, we show that the local archaeal community of five different BSI habitats (with up to 18.2% salinity) is composed mostly of a single, highly abundant Nitrosopumilus-like phylotype that is phylogenetically distinct from the bathypelagic thaumarchaea; ammonia-oxidizing bacteria were absent. The composite genome of this novel Nitrosopumilus-like subpopulation (RSA3) co-assembled from multiple single-cell amplified genomes (SAGs) from one such BSI habitat further revealed that it shares ∼54% of its predicted genomic inventory with sequenced Nitrosopumilus species. RSA3 also carries several, albeit variable gene sets that further illuminate the phylogenetic diversity and metabolic plasticity of this genus. Specifically, it encodes for a putative proline-glutamate 'switch' with a potential role in osmotolerance and indirect impact on carbon and energy flows. Metagenomic fragment recruitment analyses against the composite RSA3 genome, Nitrosopumilus maritimus, and SAGs of mesopelagic thaumarchaea also reiterate the divergence of the BSI genotypes from other AOA.

Earth Observations taken by the Expedition 22 Crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-12-15

ISS022-E-012224 (15 Dec. 2009) --- Evaporation ponds in the Salar de Atacama, Chile are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 22 crew member on the International Space Station. The Salar (salt flat) de Atacama in Chile is an enclosed basin with no drainage outlets. While the grey-brown surface of the Salar is flat and desiccated, mineral-rich brines - water with a high percentage of dissolved salts - are located below the surface. The subsurface brines of the Salar de Atacama are particularly rich in lithium salts. Lithium is an essential component of advanced batteries and medicines, among many other uses. The brines are pumped to the surface through a network of wells and into large shallow evaporation ponds ? three such evaporation pond facilities are visible in the center of the image. Color variations in the ponds are due to varying amounts of salts relative to water. The dry and windy climate enhances evaporation of the water, leaving concentrated salts behind for extraction of the lithium. The Salar de Atacama is located in the southern half of the Atacama Desert ? with no historical or current records of rainfall in some parts of this desert, it is considered to be one of the driest places on Earth. This photograph illustrates the central portion of the Salar de Atacama. It is bounded by brown to grey-brown folded and faulted strata of the Cordillera de la Sal to the northwest (upper left) and darker bedrock of the Cordon de Lila to the south (lower right).

New insights into the mineralogy of the Atlantis II Deep metalliferous sediments, Red Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laurila, Tea E.; Hannington, Mark D.; Leybourne, Matthew; Petersen, Sven; Devey, Colin W.; Garbe-Schönberg, Dieter

2015-12-01

The Atlantis II Deep of the Red Sea hosts the largest known hydrothermal ore deposit on the ocean floor and the only modern analog of brine pool-type metal deposition. The deposit consists mainly of chemical-clastic sediments with input from basin-scale hydrothermal and detrital sources. A characteristic feature is the millimeter-scale layering of the sediments, which bears a strong resemblance to banded iron formation (BIF). Quantitative assessment of the mineralogy based on relogging of archived cores, detailed petrography, and sequential leaching experiments shows that Fe-(oxy)hydroxides, hydrothermal carbonates, sulfides, and authigenic clays are the main "ore" minerals. Mn-oxides were mainly deposited when the brine pool was more oxidized than it is today, but detailed logging shows that Fe-deposition and Mn-deposition also alternated at the scale of individual laminae, reflecting short-term fluctuations in the Lower Brine. Previous studies underestimated the importance of nonsulfide metal-bearing components, which formed by metal adsorption onto poorly crystalline Si-Fe-OOH particles. During diagenesis, the crystallinity of all phases increased, and the fine layering of the sediment was enhanced. Within a few meters of burial (corresponding to a few thousand years of deposition), biogenic (Ca)-carbonate was dissolved, manganosiderite formed, and metals originally in poorly crystalline phases or in pore water were incorporated into diagenetic sulfides, clays, and Fe-oxides. Permeable layers with abundant radiolarian tests were the focus for late-stage hydrothermal alteration and replacement, including deposition of amorphous silica and enrichment in elements such as Ba and Au.

KM3NeT - ORCA: measuring the neutrino mass ordering in the Mediterranean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kouchner, Antoine

2016-05-01

ORCA (Oscillations Research with Cosmics in the Abyss) is the low-energy branch of KM3NeT, the underwater Cherenkov neutrino detector in the Mediterranean. Its primary goal is to resolve the long-standing unsolved question of the neutrino mass ordering by measuring matter oscillation effects in atmospheric neutrinos. To be deployed at the French KM3NeT site, ORCA’s multi-PMT optical modules will exploit the excellent optical properties of deep seawater to reconstruct cascade and track events with a few GeV of energy. This contribution reviews the methods and technology, and discusses the current expected performances.

The Role of Configural Processing in Face Classification by Race: An ERP Study

PubMed Central

Lv, Jing; Yan, Tianyi; Tao, Luyang; Zhao, Lun

2015-01-01

The current study investigated the time course of the other-race classification advantage (ORCA) in the subordinate classification of normally configured faces and distorted faces by race. Slightly distorting the face configuration delayed the categorization of own-race faces and had no conspicuous effects on other-race faces. The N170 was sensitive neither to configural distortions nor to faces' races. The P3 was enhanced for other-race than own-race faces and reduced by configural manipulation only for own-race faces. We suggest that the source of ORCA is the configural analysis applied by default while processing own-race faces. PMID:26733850

Low worldwide genetic diversity in the killer whale (Orcinus orca): implications for demographic history.

PubMed Central

Hoelzel, A Rus; Natoli, Ada; Dahlheim, Marilyn E; Olavarria, Carlos; Baird, Robin W; Black, Nancy A

2002-01-01

A low level of genetic variation in mammalian populations where the census population size is relatively large has been attributed to various factors, such as a naturally small effective population size, historical bottlenecks and social behaviour. The killer whale (Orcinus orca) is an abundant, highly social species with reduced genetic variation. We find no consistent geographical pattern of global diversity and no mtDNA variation within some regional populations. The regional lack of variation is likely to be due to the strict matrilineal expansion of local populations. The worldwide pattern and paucity of diversity may indicate a historical bottleneck as an additional factor. PMID:12137576

KM3NeT-ORCA: Oscillation Research with Cosmics in the Abyss

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coyle, Paschal; KM3NeT Collaboration

2017-09-01

KM3NeT, currently under construction in the abysses of the Mediterranean Sea, is a distributed research infrastructure that will host a km3-scale neutrino telescope (ARCA) for high-energy neutrino astronomy, and a megaton scale detector (ORCA) for neutrino oscillation studies of atmospheric neutrinos. ORCA is optimised for a measurement of the mass hierarchy, providing a sensitivity of 3σ after 3-4 years. It will also measure the atmospheric mixing parameters Δm2 atm and θ23 with a precision comparable to the NOvA and T2K experiments using both the muon neutrino disappearance and tau neutrino appearance channels. It will provide a measurement of the tau neutrino appearance rate with better than 10% precision, a crucial ingredient for tests of unitarity. It will probe the octant of the mixing angle θ23 via matter resonance effects on neutrinos and antineutrinos crossing the core and mantle, which are largely independent on the CP phase. The observation of neutrino oscillations over a wide range of baselines and energies will provide broad sensitivity to new physics such as non-standard neutrino interactions (NSI) and sterile neutrinos.

Long term stability and individual distinctiveness in captive orca vocalizations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noonan, Michael; Suchak, Malini

2005-04-01

With focus on the question of signature calling in killer whales, recordings from five captive orcas (of Icelandic origin) held at Marineland of Canada were compared. For the present analysis, samples of three different call syllables were selected from recordings made five years apart and from instances in which the identity of the calling whale was unambiguous due to temporary isolation, concomitant bubbling, and/or head nodding. The Raven software package was used to ascertain the frequency range, frequency (max), duration, and timing of maximum and minimum power within each sample. For two of the three call syllables, statistically significant differences were found among the five whales for call length and for the timing of maximums and minimums (p<0.01-0.001). This similarly proved true for nearly all pairwise comparisons between whales, including mother-offspring dyads. By contrast, for three of four whales for which we had sufficient samples, no significant differences were found on any measure between samples taken from the same whales five years apart. These findings therefore support the notion that the voices of individual orcas are distinct from one another in ways that are stable over the course of multiple years.

Postglacial vegetation history of Orcas Island, northwestern Washington

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leopold, Estella B.; Dunwiddie, Peter W.; Whitlock, Cathy; Nickmann, Rudy; Watts, William A.

2016-05-01

The revegetation of islands following retreat of Pleistocene glaciers is of great biogeographical interest. The San Juan Islands, Washington, feature regionally distinctive xerophytic plant communities, yet their vegetation history, as it relates to past climate and sea level, is poorly known. We describe a 13,700-year-old pollen record from Killebrew Lake Fen and compare the vegetation reconstruction with others from the region. The data suggest that the narrow channels surrounding Orcas Island were not a barrier to early postglacial immigration of plants. Between 13,700 and 12,000 cal yr BP, Pinus, Tsuga, Picea, Alnus viridis, and possibly Juniperus maritima were present in a mosaic that supported Bison antiquus and Megalonyx. The rise of Alnus rubra-type pollen and Pteridium spores at ca. 12,000 cal yr BP suggests a warming trend and probably more fires. Temperate conifer taxa, including Cupressaceae, Pseudotsuga, Tsuga heterophylla, and Abies, increased after 11,000 cal yr BP and especially in the last 7000 cal yr BP. After 6000 cal yr BP, Pseudotsuga and Cupressaceae dominated the vegetation. The last 1500 yr were the wettest period of the record. Due to its rain shadow location, Orcas Island experienced drier conditions than on the mainland during most of the postglacial period.

Utilizing rare earth elements as tracers in high TDS reservoir brines in CCS applications

DOE PAGES

McLing, Travis; Smith, William; Smith, Robert

2014-12-31

In this paper we report the result of research associated with the testing of a procedures necessary for utilizing natural occurring trace elements, specifically the Rare Earth Elements (REE) as geochemical tracers in Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) applications. Trace elements, particularly REE may be well suited to serve as in situ tracers for monitoring geochemical conditions and the migration of CO₂-charged waters within CCS storage systems. We have been conducting studies to determine the efficacy of using REE as a tracer and characterization tool in the laboratory, at a CCS analogue site in Soda Springs, Idaho, and at amore » proposed CCS reservoir at the Rock Springs Uplift, Wyoming. Results from field and laboratory studies have been encouraging and show that REE may be an effective tracer in CCS systems and overlying aquifers. In recent years, a series of studies using REE as a natural groundwater tracer have been conducted successfully at various locations around the globe. Additionally, REE and other trace elements have been successfully used as in situ tracers to describe the evolution of deep sedimentary Basins. Our goal has been to establish naturally occurring REE as a useful monitoring measuring and verification (MMV) tool in CCS research because formation brine chemistry will be particularly sensitive to changes in local equilibrium caused by the addition of large volumes of CO₂. Because brine within CCS target formations will have been in chemical equilibrium with the host rocks for millions of years, the addition of large volumes of CO₂ will cause reactions in the formation that will drive changes to the brine chemistry due to the pH change caused by the formation of carbonic acid. This CO₂ driven change in formation fluid chemistry will have a major impact on water rock reaction equilibrium in the formation, which will impart a change in the REE fingerprint of the brine that can measured and be used to monitor in situ reservoir conditions. Our research has shown that the REE signature imparted to the formation fluid by the introduction of CO₂ to the formation, can be measured and tracked as part of an MMV program. Additionally, this REE fingerprint may serve as an ideal tracer for fluid migration, both within the CCS target formation, and should formation fluids migrate into overlying aquifers. However application of REE and other trace elements to CCS system is complicated by the high salt content of the brines contained within the target formations. In the United States by regulation, in order for a geologic reservoir to be considered suitable for carbon storage, it must contain formation brine with total dissolved solids (TDS) > 10,000 ppm, and in most cases formation brines have TDS well in excess of that threshold. The high salinity of these brines creates analytical problems for elemental analysis, including element interference with trace metals in Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) (i.e. element mass overlap due to oxide or plasma phenomenon). Additionally, instruments like the ICP-MS that are sensitive enough to measure trace elements down to the parts per trillion level are quickly oversaturated when water TDS exceeds much more than 1,000 ppm. Normally this problem is dealt with through dilution of the sample, bringing the water chemistry into the instruments working range. However, dilution is not an option when analyzing these formation brines for trace metals, because trace elements, specifically the REE, which occur in aqueous solutions at the parts per trillion levels. Any dilution of the sample would make REE detection impossible. Therefore, the ability to use trace metals as in situ natural tracers in high TDS brines environments requires the development of methods for pre-concentrating trace elements, while reducing the salinity and associated elemental interference such that the brines can be routinely analyzed by standard ICP-MS methods. As part of the Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Project the INL-CAES has developed a rapid, easy to use process that pre-concentrates trace metals, including REE, up to 100x while eliminating interfering ions (e.g. Ba, Cl). The process is straightforward, inexpensive, and requires little infrastructure, using only a single chromatography column with inexpensive, reusable, commercially available resins and wash chemicals. The procedure has been tested with synthetic brines (215,000 ppm or less TDS) and field water samples (up to 5,000 ppm TDS). Testing has produced data of high quality with REE capture efficiency exceeding 95%, while reducing interfering elements by > 99%.« less

Vertically-integrated Approaches for Carbon Sequestration Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bandilla, K.; Celia, M. A.; Guo, B.

2015-12-01

Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) is being considered as an approach to mitigate anthropogenic CO2 emissions from large stationary sources such as coal fired power plants and natural gas processing plants. Computer modeling is an essential tool for site design and operational planning as it allows prediction of the pressure response as well as the migration of both CO2 and brine in the subsurface. Many processes, such as buoyancy, hysteresis, geomechanics and geochemistry, can have important impacts on the system. While all of the processes can be taken into account simultaneously, the resulting models are computationally very expensive and require large numbers of parameters which are often uncertain or unknown. In many cases of practical interest, the computational and data requirements can be reduced by choosing a smaller domain and/or by neglecting or simplifying certain processes. This leads to a series of models with different complexity, ranging from coupled multi-physics, multi-phase three-dimensional models to semi-analytical single-phase models. Under certain conditions the three-dimensional equations can be integrated in the vertical direction, leading to a suite of two-dimensional multi-phase models, termed vertically-integrated models. These models are either solved numerically or simplified further (e.g., assumption of vertical equilibrium) to allow analytical or semi-analytical solutions. This presentation focuses on how different vertically-integrated models have been applied to the simulation of CO2 and brine migration during CCS projects. Several example sites, such as the Illinois Basin and the Wabamun Lake region of the Alberta Basin, are discussed to show how vertically-integrated models can be used to gain understanding of CCS operations.

Deposition of a saline giant in the Mississippian Windsor Group, Nova Scotia, and the nascent Late Paleozoic Ice Age

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacNeil, Laura A.; Pufahl, Peir K.; James, Noel P.

2018-01-01

Saline giants are vast marine evaporite deposits that currently have no modern analogues and remain one of the most enigmatic of chemical sedimentary rocks. The Mississippian Windsor Group (ca. 345 Ma), Maritimes Basin, Atlantic Canada is a saline giant that consists of two evaporite-rich sedimentary sequences that are subdivided into five subzones. Sequence 1 is composed almost entirely of thick halite belonging to Subzone A (Osagean). Sequence 2 is in unconformable contact and comprised of stacked carbonate-evaporite peritidal cycles of Subzones B through E (Meramecian). Subzone B, the focus of research herein, documents the transition from wholly evaporitic to open marine conditions and thus, preserves an exceptional window into the processes forming saline giants. Lithofacies stacking patterns in Subzone B reveal that higher-order fluctuations in relative sea level produced nine stacked parasequences interpreted to reflect high frequency glacioeustatic oscillations during the onset of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age. Each parasequence reflects progradation of intertidal and sabkha sediments over subtidal carbonate and evaporite deposits. Dissimilarities in cycle composition between sub-basins imply the development of contrasting brine chemistries from differing recharge rates with the open ocean. What the Windsor Group shows is that evaporite type is ostensibly linked to the amplitude and frequency of sea level rise and fall during deposition. True saline giants, like the basinwide evaporites of Sequence 1, apparently require low amplitude, long frequency changes in sea level to promote the development of stable brine pools that are only periodically recharged with seawater. By contrast, the high amplitude, short frequency glacioeustatic variability in sea level that controlled the accumulation of peritidal evaporites in Subzone B produce smaller, subeconomic deposits with more complex facies relationships.

Risk assessment of brine contamination to aquatic resources from energy development in glacial drift deposits: Williston Basin, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Preston, Todd M.; Chesley-Preston, Tara

2015-01-01

Our goal was to improve the Sheridan County assessment (SCA) and evaluate the use of this new Williston Basin assessment (WBA) across 31 counties mantled by glacial drift in the Williston Basin. To determine if the WBA model improved the SCA model, results from both assessments were compared to CI values from 37 surface and groundwater samples collected to evaluate the SCA. The WBA (R2 = 0.65) outperformed the SCA (R2 = 0.52) indicating improved model performance. Applicability across the Williston Basin was evaluated by comparing WBA results to CI values from 123 surface water samples collected from 97 sections. Based on the WBA, the majority (83.5%) of sections lacked an oil well and had minimal risk. Sections with one or more oil wells comprised low (8.4%), moderate (6.5%), or high (1.7%) risk areas. The percentage of contaminated water samples, percentage of sections with at least one contaminated sample, and the average CI value of contaminated samples increased from low to high risk indicating applicability across the Williston Basin. Furthermore, the WBA performed better compared to only the contaminated samples (R2 = 0.62) versus all samples (R2 = 0.38). This demonstrates that the WBA was successful at identifying sections, but not individual aquatic resources, with an increased risk of contamination; therefore, WBA results can prioritize future sampling within areas of increased risk.

Permian evaporites in the Permian basin of southwestern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, K.S.

1997-01-01

During Permian time, a broad and shallow inland sea covered much of southwestern United States, extending northward from west Texas into northwestern Kansas. Slow but continual subsidence beneath all parts of this vast Permian basin caused deposition of a thick sequence of Permian red beds and evaporites, including dolomite, gypsum/anhydrite, salt, and potash. Evaporite units are notably thick and laterally persistent throughout the Permian basin. The entire Permian System ranges up to 2,000 m thick in various parts of the basin, and individual formations, consisting mostly of gypsum/anhydrite and salt, commonly are 60-500 m thick. Evaporite deposits are oldest in the northern part of the Permian basin, and they generally are progressively younger toward the south. The site of principal salt deposition during early Leonardian time (Wellington evaporites) was in Kansas and northwestern Oklahoma; it then shifted southward into western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle during late Leonardian and early Guadalupian time (Lower Clear Fork/Lower Cimarron evaporites, Upper Clear Fork/Upper Cimarron evaporites, and San Andres/Blaine evaporites); and finally into west Texas and southeastern New Mexico during late Guadalupian and Ochoan time (Artesia, Castile, Salado, and Rustler evaporites). These evaporites comprise a significant resource for the region: rock salt is produced from dry mines, brine fields, and solar-salt operations at 18 locations; gypsum is mined at 13 sites; potash is produced from 5 underground mines in the world-famous Carlsbad potash district; and sulfur is produced by the Frasch process at one site.

7 CFR 58.422 - Brine tank.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Brine tank. 58.422 Section 58.422 Agriculture....422 Brine tank. The brine tank shall be constructed of suitable non-toxic material and should be resistant to corrosion, pitting or flaking. The brine tank shall be operated so as to assure the brine is...

7 CFR 58.422 - Brine tank.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Brine tank. 58.422 Section 58.422 Agriculture....422 Brine tank. The brine tank shall be constructed of suitable non-toxic material and should be resistant to corrosion, pitting or flaking. The brine tank shall be operated so as to assure the brine is...

7 CFR 58.422 - Brine tank.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Brine tank. 58.422 Section 58.422 Agriculture....422 Brine tank. The brine tank shall be constructed of suitable non-toxic material and should be resistant to corrosion, pitting or flaking. The brine tank shall be operated so as to assure the brine is...

7 CFR 58.422 - Brine tank.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Brine tank. 58.422 Section 58.422 Agriculture....422 Brine tank. The brine tank shall be constructed of suitable non-toxic material and should be resistant to corrosion, pitting or flaking. The brine tank shall be operated so as to assure the brine is...

Low temperature hydrothermal maturation of organic matter in sediments from the Atlantis II Deep, Red Sea.

PubMed

Simoneit, B R; Grimalt, J O; Hayes, J M; Hartman, H

1987-01-01

Hydrocarbons and bulk organic matter of two sediment cores (No. 84 and 126, CHAIN 61 cruise) located within the Atlantis II Deep have been analyzed. Although the brines overlying the coring areas were reported to be sterile, microbial inputs and minor terrestrial sources the major sedimentary organic material. This input is derived from the upper water column above the brines. Both steroid and triterpenoid hydrocarbons show that extensive acid-catalyzed reactions are occurring in the sediments. In comparison with other hydrothermal (Guaymas Basin) or intrusive systems (Cape Verde Rise), the Atlantis II Deep exhibits a lower degree of thermal maturation. This is easily deduced from the elemental composition of the kerogens and the absence of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons of a pyrolytic origin in the bitumen. The lack of carbon number preference among the n-alkanes suggests, especially in the case of the long chain homologs, that the organic matter of Atlantis II Deep sediments has undergone some degree of catagenesis. However, the yields of hydrocarbons are much lower than those observed in other hydrothermal areas. The effect of lower temperature and poor source-rock characteristics appear to be responsible for the differences.

Polar ocean ecosystems in a changing world.

PubMed

Smetacek, Victor; Nicol, Stephen

2005-09-15

Polar organisms have adapted their seasonal cycles to the dynamic interface between ice and water. This interface ranges from the micrometre-sized brine channels within sea ice to the planetary-scale advance and retreat of sea ice. Polar marine ecosystems are particularly sensitive to climate change because small temperature differences can have large effects on the extent and thickness of sea ice. Little is known about the interactions between large, long-lived organisms and their planktonic food supply. Disentangling the effects of human exploitation of upper trophic levels from basin-wide, decade-scale climate cycles to identify long-term, global trends is a daunting challenge facing polar bio-oceanography.

Fade Analysis of ORCA Data Beam at NTTR and Pax River

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-01

aJexp(Djj. Solving the minimization problem resulted in the path-averaged atmospheric parameters, C„", /o, and Lo , encountered by the ORCA beacon...spot size at fiber: P = WlP.,urt I Wcore ) + Wore ’ ^,P., uro ) Power in Fiber (PIF): PIF = PIB.V./^,.SR.-i- Power in Fiber (With Tip-Tilt @ Tx, Rx...lKH 2.7S X 10 $RH! I 4.86 X 10 ’RH5 4.48 X 10 ’RH* f 1.66 X 10 "S«! 6.26 x 10"s In (JJH) - 1.34 x lO -’JF* + 7.30 x 10"’ frrcsA) —u x io-"rc5

Environmental isolates of fungi from aquarium pools housing killer whales (Orcinus orca).

PubMed

Kohata, Erina; Kano, Rui; Akune, Yuichiro; Ohno, Yoshito; Soichi, Makoto; Yanai, Tokuma; Hasegawa, Atsuhiko; Kamata, Hiroshi

2013-12-01

Systemic mycoses in killer whales (Orcinus orca) are rare diseases, but have been reported. Two killer whales died by fungal infections at the Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium in Japan. In this study, the fungal flora of the pool environment at the aquarium was characterized. Alternaria spp., Aspergillus spp. (A. fumigatus, A. niger, A. versicolor), Fusarium spp. and Penicillium spp. were isolated from the air and the pool surroundings. The other isolates were identified as fungal species non-pathogenic for mammals. However, the species of fungi isolated from the environmental samples in this study were not the same as those isolated from the cases of disease in killer whales previously reported.

Continuous CO2 escape from the hypersaline Dead Sea caused by aragonite precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golan, Rotem; Lazar, Boaz; Wurgaft, Eyal; Lensky, Nadav; Ganor, Jiwchar; Gavrieli, Ittai

2017-06-01

Chemical precipitation of CaCO3 occurs in diverse marine and lacustrine environments. In the hypersaline Ca-chloride lakes that have been occupying the Dead Sea basin since the late Pleistocene, CaCO3 precipitated, mostly as aragonite. The aragonite sediments precipitated mainly during periods of high lake level stands as a result of mixing of bicarbonate-rich freshwater runoff with Dead Sea brine, that is Ca-rich and have high Mg/Ca ratio. During periods of arid conditions with limited freshwater inflow, water level declined, salinity increased and gypsum and halite became the dominant evaporitic minerals to precipitate. The present study investigates the carbon cycle of the Dead Sea under the current limited water and bicarbonate supply to the brine, representing periods of extremely arid conditions. The decrease of inflows to the Dead Sea in recent years stems mainly from diversion of freshwater from the drainage basin and results in dramatic water level decline and massive halite precipitation. During 2013-2014, bi-monthly depth profiles of total alkalinity, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and its isotopic composition (δ13C) were conducted in the Dead Sea, from surface down to the bottom of the lake (290 m). Mass balance calculations conducted for the period 1993-2013 show that while inventories of conservative ions such as Mg2+ remained constant, the net DIC inventory of the lake decreased by ∼10%. DIC supply to the lake during this period, however, amounted to ∼10% of lake's inventory indicating that during 20 years, the lake lost ∼20% of its 1993s inventory. Compilation of historical data with our data shows that during the past two decades the lake's low DIC (∼1 mmol kg-1) and very high PCO2 (1800 ppm V) remained relatively constant, suggesting that a quasi-steady-state situation prevails. In spite of the surprisingly stable DIC and CO2 concentrations, during this 20 year period δ13CDIC increased significantly, from 1.4‰ to 2.7‰. An isotopic mass balance calculation together with the high PCO2 of the brine show that during that period the lake lost about 3.7 · 1010 moles of DIC, of which ∼60% by CO2 degassing and ∼40% by aragonite precipitation. The deviation from the common 1:1 CO2:CaCO3 ratio in most aqueous systems is facilitated by the dominance of the borate alkalinity of the Dead Sea. Nucleation and crystal growth experiments suggest that throughout this time the Dead Sea remained supersaturated with respect to aragonite, a situation facilitated by combination of slow nucleation rates and absence of growth surfaces. The very high PCO2 of the Dead Sea is maintained by the low CO2 piston velocity of the brine, calculated to be only ∼4.5 m yr-1, more than an order of magnitude slower than seawater value.

Understanding CO2 Plume Behavior and Basin-Scale Pressure Changes during Sequestration Projects through the use of Reservoir Fluid Modeling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leetaru, H.E.; Frailey, S.M.; Damico, J.; Mehnert, E.; Birkholzer, J.; Zhou, Q.; Jordan, P.D.

2009-01-01

Large scale geologic sequestration tests are in the planning stages around the world. The liability and safety issues of the migration of CO2 away from the primary injection site and/or reservoir are of significant concerns for these sequestration tests. Reservoir models for simulating single or multi-phase fluid flow are used to understand the migration of CO2 in the subsurface. These models can also help evaluate concerns related to brine migration and basin-scale pressure increases that occur due to the injection of additional fluid volumes into the subsurface. The current paper presents different modeling examples addressing these issues, ranging from simple geometric models to more complex reservoir fluid models with single-site and basin-scale applications. Simple geometric models assuming a homogeneous geologic reservoir and piston-like displacement have been used for understanding pressure changes and fluid migration around each CO2 storage site. These geometric models are useful only as broad approximations because they do not account for the variation in porosity, permeability, asymmetry of the reservoir, and dip of the beds. In addition, these simple models are not capable of predicting the interference between different injection sites within the same reservoir. A more realistic model of CO2 plume behavior can be produced using reservoir fluid models. Reservoir simulation of natural gas storage reservoirs in the Illinois Basin Cambrian-age Mt. Simon Sandstone suggest that reservoir heterogeneity will be an important factor for evaluating storage capacity. The Mt. Simon Sandstone is a thick sandstone that underlies many significant coal fired power plants (emitting at least 1 million tonnes per year) in the midwestern United States including the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio. The initial commercial sequestration sites are expected to inject 1 to 2 million tonnes of CO2 per year. Depending on the geologic structure and permeability anisotropy, the CO2 injected into the Mt. Simon are expected to migrate less than 3 km. After 30 years of continuous injection followed by 100 years of shut-in, the plume from a 1 million tonnes a year injection rate is expected to migrate 1.6 km for a 0 degree dip reservoir and over 3 km for a 5 degree dip reservoir. The region where reservoir pressure increases in response to CO2 injection is typically much larger than the CO2 plume. It can thus be anticipated that there will be basin wide interactions between different CO2 injection sources if multiple, large volume sites are developed. This interaction will result in asymmetric plume migration that may be contrary to reservoir dip. A basin- scale simulation model is being developed to predict CO2 plume migration, brine displacement, and pressure buildup for a possible future sequestration scenario featuring multiple CO2 storage sites within the Illinois Basin Mt. Simon Sandstone. Interactions between different sites will be evaluated with respect to impacts on pressure and CO2 plume migration patterns. ?? 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Heterotrophic Protists in Hypersaline Microbial Mats and Deep Hypersaline Basin Water Columns

PubMed Central

Edgcomb, Virginia P.; Bernhard, Joan M.

2013-01-01

Although hypersaline environments pose challenges to life because of the low water content (water activity), many such habitats appear to support eukaryotic microbes. This contribution presents brief reviews of our current knowledge on eukaryotes of water-column haloclines and brines from Deep Hypersaline Anoxic Basins (DHABs) of the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as shallow-water hypersaline microbial mats in solar salterns of Guerrero Negro, Mexico and benthic microbialite communities from Hamelin Pool, Shark Bay, Western Australia. New data on eukaryotic diversity from Shark Bay microbialites indicates eukaryotes are more diverse than previously reported. Although this comparison shows that eukaryotic communities in hypersaline habitats with varying physicochemical characteristics are unique, several groups are commonly found, including diverse alveolates, strameonopiles, and fungi, as well as radiolaria. Many eukaryote sequences (SSU) in both regions also have no close homologues in public databases, suggesting that these environments host unique microbial eukaryote assemblages with the potential to enhance our understanding of the capacity of eukaryotes to adapt to hypersaline conditions. PMID:25369746

Diversity within Italian Cheesemaking Brine-Associated Bacterial Communities Evidenced by Massive Parallel 16S rRNA Gene Tag Sequencing

PubMed Central

Marino, Marilena; Innocente, Nadia; Maifreni, Michela; Mounier, Jérôme; Cobo-Díaz, José F.; Coton, Emmanuel; Carraro, Lisa; Cardazzo, Barbara

2017-01-01

This study explored the bacterial diversity of brines used for cheesemaking in Italy, as well as their physicochemical characteristics. In this context, 19 brines used to salt soft, semi-hard, and hard Italian cheeses were collected in 14 commercial cheese plants and analyzed using a culture-independent amplicon sequencing approach in order to describe their bacterial microbiota. Large NaCl concentration variations were observed among the selected brines, with hard cheese brines exhibiting the highest values. Acidity values showed a great variability too, probably in relation to the brine use prior to sampling. Despite their high salt content, brine microbial loads ranged from 2.11 to 6.51 log CFU/mL for the total mesophilic count. Microbial community profiling assessed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that these ecosystems were dominated by Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, followed by Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Cheese type and brine salinity seem to be the main parameters accountable for brine microbial diversity. On the contrary, brine pH, acidity and protein concentration, correlated to cheese brine age, did not have any selective effect on the microbiota composition. Nine major genera were present in all analyzed brines, indicating that they might compose the core microbiome of cheese brines. Staphylococcus aureus was occasionally detected in brines using selective culture media. Interestingly, bacterial genera associated with a functional and technological use were frequently detected. Indeed Bifidobacteriaceae, which might be valuable probiotic candidates, and specific microbial genera such as Tetragenococcus, Corynebacterium and non-pathogenic Staphylococcus, which can contribute to sensorial properties of ripened cheeses, were widespread within brines. PMID:29163411

Geological and geochemical implications of gas hydrates in the Gulf of Mexico. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brooks, J.M.; Bryant, W.R.

1985-09-01

This document presents the results of a study of the geological and geochemical implications of gas hydrates in the Gulf of Mexico. The report is based primarily on data obtained from available seismic surveys of the Green Canyon, Garden Banks, Mississippi Canyon, and Orca Basins areas of the northern continental margin of the Gulf of Mexico. The study also includes the data and analysis obtained from several gas hydrate cores recovered in these areas. The report provides new data relevant to gas hydrate research for more in-depth research of the Gulf of Mexico gas hydrates and provides significant information whichmore » advances the knowledge and understanding of gas hydrate formations in the natural environment. The report contains several high resolution seismic surveys. In the four hydrate sites studied in detail, the seismic ''wipeout'' zones were all associated with collapsed structures, fault scarps, and/or salt piercement structures. These features provide conduits for the upward migration of either biogenic or thermogenic gas from depth. 35 refs., 47 figs., 9 tabs.« less

Silica Precipitation from Geothermal Brines: Effects of Iron Addition, Kinetics, Temperature, pH, and Brine Concentration

DOE Data Explorer

Jay Renew

2016-02-06

This document provides results of experiments aimed at removing silica from geothermal brines. All experiments were conducted with simulated brines. The data presented shows the effect of iron addition, kinetics, temperature, pH and brine concentration.

A transect of metamorphic rocks along the Copper River, Cordova and Valdez Quadrangles, Alaska: A section in The United States Geological Survey in Alaska: Accomplishments during 1982

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Marti L.; Dumoulin, Julie A.; Nelson, S.W.

1984-01-01

The lower Tertiary Orca Group is juxtaposed against the Upper Cretaceous Valdez Group along the Contact fault system (Winkler and Plafker, 1974, 198; Plafker and others, 1977)(fig. 33). In both groups, turbidites are the dominant rock type, with lesser mafic volcanic rocks (table 10). The Valdez Group, on the north, has traditionally been considered to be of higher metamorphic grade than the Orca Group (Moffit, 1954; Tysdal and Case, 1979; Winkler and Plafker, 198; Winkler and others, 1981). In 1982, we made a transect across the regional strike of the rocks and the contact between the two groups. The transect area follows the Copper River for 85 km from the Cordova quadrangle north into the Valdez quadrangle and extends for about 25 km on either side of the river (fig. 33). We planned, by systematic sampling of the area, to examine the metamorphic differences between the Orca and Valdez Groups. We found, however, that a strong thermal metamorphic event has overprinted and obscured regional metamorphic relations. We believe intrusion of Tertiary granite (fig. 33) to be responsible for this metamorphism. (Figures 33 and 34 and tables follow this article.)

Earth observations taken by the Expedition 14 crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-03-01

ISS014-E-15732 (1 March 2007) --- Salt ponds of Botswana are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 14 crewmember on the International Space Station. This recent, detailed view shows the salt ponds of one of Africa's major producers of soda ash (sodium carbonate) and salt. Soda ash is used for glass making, in metallurgy, in the detergent industry, and in chemical manufacture. The image shows a small part of the great salt flats of central Botswana known as the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans. The soda ash and salt are both mainly exported (since 1989) to most countries in southern and central Africa. Brines from just beneath the pan floor are evaporated to produce the soda ash and salt -- a process for which the semiarid climate of Botswana is ideal. Red salt-loving algae in the ponds indicate that the salinity of the evaporating brines is medium to high. The salt pans of Botswana--a prominent visual photo target of interest for astronauts aboard the station--lie at the low point of a vast shallow continental basin. Rivers draining from as far away as central Angola - more than 1,000 kilometers away - supply water to the pans. According to scientists, during several wet climatic phases in the recent geological past the pans were permanently filled with water, for thousands of years, only to dry out when climates fluctuated to drier conditions. During dry phases water only reaches the pans underground. These are the brines that support the ash and salt industry. During wet phases when open water exists, beach ridges are constructed by wave action. One of these crosses the lower part of the view.

Chemical osmosis, reverse chemical osmosis, and the origin of subsurface brines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graf, Donald L.

1982-08-01

Calculations using recently-tabulated values of density and osmotic coefficient for NaCl-H 2O indicate that overpressuring is more than adequate to overcome chemical osmosis and drive reverse chemical osmosis in sedimentary sequences. The best-demonstrated overpressuring mechanism is the rapid deposition of fine-grained sediments. The dehydration of gypsum contributes to overpressuring for brief time intervals at shallow depths, whereas water evolved during the protracted conversion of smectite to illite is probably a subordinate, but continuing contributor to overpressuring at greater depth. Occurrences of overpressuring in sedimentary sections older than Cretaceous indicate that post-depositional mechanisms such as tectonic compression and aquathermal pressuring must also operate. The latter may be of major importance in geothermal areas with adequate low-permeability seals, and a nontrivial contributor in areas of normal geothermal gradient because of shales that sharply decrease normal fluid flow. The strongest arguments for the importance to present-day brine compositions of membrane concentration of sea-water solutes are (1) the correlation of δD values of water molecules of pore fluid with those of local meteoric water, (2) the need for major sources of Mg 2+ and Cl - in apparently evaporite-free basins. Even where dissolution of halite is a major contributor of solute, reverse chemical osmosis still operates to leak relatively dilute water. Of the associated diagenetic chemical reactions, that of Mg 2+ with limestone to form dolomite is particularly effective in generating concentrated Cl - brines rich in Ca 2+. It decreases the concentration of Mg 2+, increases that of Ca 2+, and decreases those of both SO 42- and CO 32- by precipitating CaCO 3 and CaSO 4 because of the Ca 2+ common-ion effect.

Comparative genomics reveals adaptations of a halotolerant thaumarchaeon in the interfaces of brine pools in the Red Sea

PubMed Central

Kamanda Ngugi, David; Blom, Jochen; Alam, Intikhab; Rashid, Mamoon; Ba-Alawi, Wail; Zhang, Guishan; Hikmawan, Tyas; Guan, Yue; Antunes, Andre; Siam, Rania; El Dorry, Hamza; Bajic, Vladimir; Stingl, Ulrich

2015-01-01

The bottom of the Red Sea harbors over 25 deep hypersaline anoxic basins that are geochemically distinct and characterized by vertical gradients of extreme physicochemical conditions. Because of strong changes in density, particulate and microbial debris get entrapped in the brine-seawater interface (BSI), resulting in increased dissolved organic carbon, reduced dissolved oxygen toward the brines and enhanced microbial activities in the BSI. These features coupled with the deep-sea prevalence of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in the global ocean make the BSI a suitable environment for studying the osmotic adaptations and ecology of these important players in the marine nitrogen cycle. Using phylogenomic-based approaches, we show that the local archaeal community of five different BSI habitats (with up to 18.2% salinity) is composed mostly of a single, highly abundant Nitrosopumilus-like phylotype that is phylogenetically distinct from the bathypelagic thaumarchaea; ammonia-oxidizing bacteria were absent. The composite genome of this novel Nitrosopumilus-like subpopulation (RSA3) co-assembled from multiple single-cell amplified genomes (SAGs) from one such BSI habitat further revealed that it shares ∼54% of its predicted genomic inventory with sequenced Nitrosopumilus species. RSA3 also carries several, albeit variable gene sets that further illuminate the phylogenetic diversity and metabolic plasticity of this genus. Specifically, it encodes for a putative proline-glutamate ‘switch' with a potential role in osmotolerance and indirect impact on carbon and energy flows. Metagenomic fragment recruitment analyses against the composite RSA3 genome, Nitrosopumilus maritimus, and SAGs of mesopelagic thaumarchaea also reiterate the divergence of the BSI genotypes from other AOA. PMID:25105904

Visualization and prediction of supercritical CO 2 distribution in sandstones during drainage: An in situ synchrotron X-ray micro-computed tomography study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Voltolini, Marco; Kwon, Tae-Hyuk; Ajo-Franklin, Jonathan

Pore-scale distribution of supercritical CO 2 (scCO 2) exerts significant control on a variety of key hydrologic as well as geochemical processes, including residual trapping and dissolution. Despite such importance, only a small number of experiments have directly characterized the three-dimensional distribution of scCO 2 in geologic materials during the invasion (drainage) process. Here, we present a study which couples dynamic high-resolution synchrotron X-ray micro-computed tomography imaging of a scCO 2/brine system at in situ pressure/temperature conditions with quantitative pore-scale modeling to allow direct validation of a pore-scale description of scCO2 distribution. The experiment combines high-speed synchrotron radiography with tomographymore » to characterize the brine saturated sample, the scCO 2 breakthrough process, and the partially saturated state of a sandstone sample from the Domengine Formation, a regionally extensive unit within the Sacramento Basin (California, USA). The availability of a 3D dataset allowed us to examine correlations between grains and pores morphometric parameters and the actual distribution of scCO 2 in the sample, including the examination of the role of small-scale sedimentary structure on CO2 distribution. The segmented scCO 2/brine volume was also used to validate a simple computational model based on the local thickness concept, able to accurately simulate the distribution of scCO 2 after drainage. The same method was also used to simulate Hg capillary pressure curves with satisfactory results when compared to the measured ones. Finally, this predictive approach, requiring only a tomographic scan of the dry sample, proved to be an effective route for studying processes related to CO 2 invasion structure in geological samples at the pore scale.« less

Multifluid geo-energy systems: Using geologic CO 2 storage for geothermal energy production and grid-scale energy storage in sedimentary basins

DOE PAGES

Buscheck, Thomas A.; Bielicki, Jeffrey M.; Edmunds, Thomas A.; ...

2016-05-05

We present an approach that uses the huge fluid and thermal storage capacity of the subsurface, together with geologic carbon dioxide (CO 2) storage, to harvest, store, and dispatch energy from subsurface (geothermal) and surface (solar, nuclear, fossil) thermal resources, as well as excess energy on electric grids. Captured CO 2 is injected into saline aquifers to store pressure, generate artesian flow of brine, and provide a supplemental working fluid for efficient heat extraction and power conversion. Concentric rings of injection and production wells create a hydraulic mound to store pressure, CO 2, and thermal energy. This energy storage canmore » take excess power from the grid and excess/waste thermal energy, and dispatch that energy when it is demanded and thus enable higher penetration of variable renewable energy technologies (e.g., wind, solar). CO 2 stored in the subsurface functions as a cushion gas to provide enormous pressure-storage capacity and displace large quantities of brine, some of which can be treated for a variety of beneficial uses. Geothermal power and energy-storage applications may generate enough revenues to compensate for CO 2 capture costs. While our approach can use nitrogen (N 2), in addition to CO 2, as a supplemental fluid, and store thermal energy, this study focuses using CO 2 for geothermal energy production and grid-scale energy storage. We conduct a techno-economic assessment to determine the levelized cost of electricity of using this approach to generate geothermal power. We present a reservoir pressure-management strategy that diverts a small portion of the produced brine for beneficial consumptive use to reduce the pumping cost of fluid recirculation, while reducing the risk of seismicity, caprock fracture, and CO 2 leakage.« less

Visualization and prediction of supercritical CO 2 distribution in sandstones during drainage: An in situ synchrotron X-ray micro-computed tomography study

DOE PAGES

Voltolini, Marco; Kwon, Tae-Hyuk; Ajo-Franklin, Jonathan

2017-10-21

Pore-scale distribution of supercritical CO 2 (scCO 2) exerts significant control on a variety of key hydrologic as well as geochemical processes, including residual trapping and dissolution. Despite such importance, only a small number of experiments have directly characterized the three-dimensional distribution of scCO 2 in geologic materials during the invasion (drainage) process. Here, we present a study which couples dynamic high-resolution synchrotron X-ray micro-computed tomography imaging of a scCO 2/brine system at in situ pressure/temperature conditions with quantitative pore-scale modeling to allow direct validation of a pore-scale description of scCO2 distribution. The experiment combines high-speed synchrotron radiography with tomographymore » to characterize the brine saturated sample, the scCO 2 breakthrough process, and the partially saturated state of a sandstone sample from the Domengine Formation, a regionally extensive unit within the Sacramento Basin (California, USA). The availability of a 3D dataset allowed us to examine correlations between grains and pores morphometric parameters and the actual distribution of scCO 2 in the sample, including the examination of the role of small-scale sedimentary structure on CO2 distribution. The segmented scCO 2/brine volume was also used to validate a simple computational model based on the local thickness concept, able to accurately simulate the distribution of scCO 2 after drainage. The same method was also used to simulate Hg capillary pressure curves with satisfactory results when compared to the measured ones. Finally, this predictive approach, requiring only a tomographic scan of the dry sample, proved to be an effective route for studying processes related to CO 2 invasion structure in geological samples at the pore scale.« less

Fluid flow and sediment transport in evolving sedimentary basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swenson, John Bradley

This thesis consists of three studies that focus on groundwater flow and sediment transport in evolving sedimentary basins. The first study considers the subsurface hydrodynamic response to basin-scale transgression and regression and its implications for stratiform ore genesis. I demonstrate that the transgressive sequence focuses marginward-directed, compaction-driven discharge within a basal aquifer during progradation and deposition of the overlying regressive sequence, isolates the basal aquifer from overlying flow systems, and serves as a chemical sink for metal-bearing brines. In the second study, I develop a new theory for the shoreline response to subsidence, sediment supply, and sea level. In this theory, sediment transport in a fluvio-deltaic basin is formally equivalent to heat transfer in a two-phase (liquid and isothermal solid) system: the fluvial system is analogous to a conduction-dominated liquid phase, the shoreline is the melting front, and the water depth at the delta toe is equivalent to the latent heat of fusion. A natural consequence of this theory is that sediment-starved basins do not possess an equilibrium state. In contrast to existing theories, I do not observe either strong phase shifting or attenuation of the shoreline response to low-frequency eustatic forcing; rather, shoreline tracks sea level over a spectrum of forcing frequencies, and its response to low-frequency forcing is amplified relative to the high-frequency response. For the third study, I use a set of dimensionless numbers from the previous study as a mathematical framework for providing a unified treatment of existing stratigraphic theories. In the limit of low-amplitude eustatic forcing, my study suggests that strong phase shifting between shoreline and sea level is a consequence of specifying the sedimentation rate at the shoreline; basins free of this constraint do not develop strong phase shifts.

Modeling basin- and plume-scale processes of CO2 storage for full-scale deployment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Q.; Birkholzer, J.T.; Mehnert, E.

Integrated modeling of basin- and plume-scale processes induced by full-scale deployment of CO{sub 2} storage was applied to the Mt. Simon Aquifer in the Illinois Basin. A three-dimensional mesh was generated with local refinement around 20 injection sites, with approximately 30 km spacing. A total annual injection rate of 100 Mt CO{sub 2} over 50 years was used. The CO{sub 2}-brine flow at the plume scale and the single-phase flow at the basin scale were simulated. Simulation results show the overall shape of a CO{sub 2} plume consisting of a typical gravity-override subplume in the bottom injection zone of highmore » injectivity and a pyramid-shaped subplume in the overlying multilayered Mt. Simon, indicating the important role of a secondary seal with relatively low-permeability and high-entry capillary pressure. The secondary-seal effect is manifested by retarded upward CO{sub 2} migration as a result of multiple secondary seals, coupled with lateral preferential CO{sub 2} viscous fingering through high-permeability layers. The plume width varies from 9.0 to 13.5 km at 200 years, indicating the slow CO{sub 2} migration and no plume interference between storage sites. On the basin scale, pressure perturbations propagate quickly away from injection centers, interfere after less than 1 year, and eventually reach basin margins. The simulated pressure buildup of 35 bar in the injection area is not expected to affect caprock geomechanical integrity. Moderate pressure buildup is observed in Mt. Simon in northern Illinois. However, its impact on groundwater resources is less than the hydraulic drawdown induced by long-term extensive pumping from overlying freshwater aquifers.« less

Photocatalytic reduction of nitrate using titanium dioxide for regeneration of ion exchange brine

PubMed Central

Yang, Ting; Doudrick, Kyle; Westerhoff, Paul

2016-01-01

Nitrate is often removed from groundwater by ion exchange (IX) before its use as drinking water. Accumulation of nitrate in IX brine reduces the efficiency of IX regeneration and the useful life of the regeneration brine. For the first time, we present a strategy to photocatalytically reduce nitrate in IX brine, thereby extending the use of the brine. Titanium dioxide (Evonik P90), acting as photocatalyst, reduced nitrate effectively in both synthetic brines and sulfate-removed IX brine when formic acid (FA) was used as the hole scavenger (i.e., electron donor) and the initial FA to nitrate molar ratio (IFNR) was 5.6. Increasing the NaCl level in the synthetic brine slowed the nitrate reduction rate without affecting byproduct selectivity of ammonium and gaseous N species (e.g., N2, N2O). In a non-modified IX brine, nitrate removal was greatly inhibited owing to the presence of sulfate, which competed with nitrate for active surface sites on P90 and induced aggregation of P90 nanoparticles. After removing sulfate through barium sulfate precipitation, nitrate was effectively reduced; approximately 3.6 × 1024 photons were required to reduce each mole of nitrate to 83% N Gases and 17% NH4+. To make optimum use of FA and control the residual FA level in treated brine, the IFNR was varied. High IFNRs (e.g., 4, 5.6) were found to be more efficient for nitrate reduction but left higher residual FA in brine. IX column tests were performed to investigate the impact of residual FA for brine reuse. The residual FA in the brine did not significantly affect the nitrate removal capacity of IX resins, and formate contamination of treated water could be eliminated by rinsing with one bed volume of fresh brine. PMID:23276425

Geochemistry of ground water in the Gallup, Dakota, and Morrison aquifers, San Juan Basin, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dam, W.L.

1995-01-01

Ground water was sampled from wells completed in the Gallup, Dakota, and Morrison aquifers in the San Juan Basin, New Mexico, to examine controls on solute concentrations. Samples were collected from 38 wells primarily from the Morrison aquifer (25 wells) in the northwestern part of the basin. A series of samples was collected along ground-water flow paths; dissolved constituents varied horizontally and vertically. The understanding of the flow system changed as a result of the geochemical analyses. The conceptual model of the flow system in the Morrison aquifer prior to the study reported here assumed the Westwater Canyon Member of the Morrison aquifer as the only significant regional aquifer; flow was assumed to be two dimensional; and vertical leakage was assumed to be negligible. The geochemical results indicate that the Westwater Canyon Member is not the only major water-yielding zone and that the flow system is three dimensional. The data presented in this report suggest an upward component of flow into the Morrison aquifer. The entire section above and below the Morrison aquifer appears to be controlled by a three-dimensional flow regime where saline brine leaks near the San Juan River discharge area. Predominant ions in the Gallup aquifer were calcium bicarbonate in recharge areas and sodium sulfate in discharge areas. In the Dakota aquifer, predominant ions were sodium bicarbonate and sodium sulfate. Water in the Morrison aquifer was predominantly sodium bicarbonate in the recharge area, changing to sodium sulfate downgradient. Chemical and radioisotopic data indicate that water from overlying and underlying units mixes with recharge water in the Morrison aquifer. Recharge water contained a large ratio of chlorine-36 to chlorine and a small ratio of bromide to chloride. Approximately 10 miles downgradient, samples from four wells completed in the Morrison aquifer were considerably different in composition compared to recharge samples. Oxygen stable isotopes decreased by 2.8 per mil and deuterium decreased 26 per mil, relative to recharge. Carbon-14 radioisotope activities were not detectable. Chloride-36 radioisotope ratios were small and bromide to chloride concentration ratios were large. These results suggest two potentially viable processes: ion filtration or trapping of ancient dilute water recharged under a humid climate. For water samples near the San Juan River, pH decreased to about 8.0, chloride concentrations increased to more than 100 milligrams per liter, and ratios of chlorine-36 to chlorine and bromide to chloride were small. Leakage of deep basin brine into the fresher water of the Morrison aquifer appears to control ion concentrations.

Forward Osmosis Brine Drying

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flynn, Michael; Shaw, Hali; Hyde, Deirdre; Beeler, David; Parodi, Jurek

2015-01-01

The Forward Osmosis Brine Drying (FOBD) system is based on a technique called forward osmosis (FO). FO is a membrane-based process where the osmotic potential between brine and a salt solution is equalized by the movement of water from the brine to the salt solution. The FOBD system is composed of two main elements, the FO bag and the salt regeneration system. This paper discusses the results of testing of the FO bag to determine the maximum water recovery ratio that can be attained using this technology. Testing demonstrated that the FO bag is capable of achieving a maximum brine water recovery ratio of the brine of 95%. The equivalent system mass was calculated to be 95 kg for a feed similar to the concentrated brine generated on the International Space Station and 86 kg for an Exploration brine. The results have indicated that the FOBD can process all the brine for a one year mission for between 11% to 10% mass required to bring the water needed to make up for water lost in the brine if not recycled. The FOBD saves 685 kg and when treating the International Space Station brine and it saves 829 kg when treating the Exploration brine. It was also demonstrated that saturated salt solutions achieve a higher water recovery ratios than solids salts do and that lithium chloride achieved a higher water recovery ratio than sodium chloride.

Natural Oxidation of Bromide to Bromine in Evaporated Dead Sea Brines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gavrieli, Ittai; Golan, Rotem; Lazar, Boaz; Baer, Gidi; Zakon, Yevgeni; Ganor, Jiwchar

2016-04-01

Highly evaporated Dead Sea brines are found in isolated sinkholes along the Dead Sea. Many of these brines reach densities of over 1.3 kg/L and pH<5 and are the product of evaporation of Dead Sea brine that drain into the sinkholes. The low pH and the reddish to brownish hue of these brines were an enigma until recently. Despite the rather high total alkalinity (TA) of the Dead Sea (3.826 mmol/kg) the pH of the Dead Sea brine is known to be slightly acidic with a value of ~6.3. In comparison, seawater with the same alkalinity would have a pH value well above 8.3, meaning that H+ activity is 100 fold lower than that of Dead Sea brine. In the present work we assess the apparent dissociation constant value of boric acid (K`B) for the Dead Sea brine and use it to explain the brine's low pH value. We then show that pH decreases further as the brine evaporates and salinity increases. Finally we explain the reddish hue of the hypersaline brines in the sinkholes as due to the presence of dissolved bromine. The latter is the product of oxidation of dissolved bromide, a process that is enabled by the low pH of the hypersaline brines and their high bromide concentration.

Experimental multi-phase CO2-brine-rock interactions at elevated temperature and pressure: Implications for CO2 sequestration in deep-saline aquifers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosenbauer, R.J.; Koksalan, T.

2004-01-01

Long-term CO2 saturated brine-rock experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of multiphase H2O-CO2 fluids on mineral equilibria and the potential for CO2 sequestration mineral phases within deep-saline aquifers. Experimental results were consistent with theoretical thermodynamic calculations when CO2-saturated brines were reacted with limestone rocks. The CO2-saturated brine-limestone reactions were characterized by compositional and mineralogical-changes in the aquifer fluid and formation rocks that were dependent on initial brine composition as were the changes in formation porosity, especially dissolved sulfate. The solubility of CO2 was enhanced in brines in the presence of both limestone and sandstone rocks relative to brines alone. Reactions between CO2 saturated brines and arkosic sandstones were characterized by desiccation of the brine and changes in the chemical composition of the brine suggesting fixation of CO2 in mineral phases. These reactions occured on a measurable but kinetically slow time scale at 120??C.

Tectonics and metallogenesis of Proterozoic rocks of the Reading Prong

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gundersen, L.C.S.

2004-01-01

Detailed geologic mapping, petrography, and major and trace-element analyses of Proterozoic rocks from the Greenwood Lake Quadrangle, New York are compared with chemical analyses and stratigraphic information compiled for the entire Reading Prong. A persistent regional stratigraphy is evident in the mapped area whose geochemistry indicates protoliths consistent with a back-arc marginal basin sequence. The proposed marginal basin may have been floored by an older sialic basement and overlain by a basin-fill sequence consisting of a basal tholeiitic basalt, basic to intermediate volcanic or volcaniclastic rocks and carbonate sediments, a bimodal calc-alkaline volcanic sequence, and finally volcaniclastic, marine, and continental sediments. The presence of high-chlorine biotite and scapolite may indicate circulation of brine fluids or the presence of evaporite layers in the sequence. Abundant, stratabound magnetite deposits with a geologic setting very unlike that of cratonic, Proterozoic banded-iron formations are found throughout the proposed basin sequence. Associated with many of the magnetite deposits is unusual uranium and rare-earth element mineralization. It is proposed here that these deposits formed in an exhalative, volcanogenic, depositional environment within an extensional back-arc marginal basin. Such a tectonic setting is consistent with interpretations of protoliths in other portions of the Reading Prong, the Central Metasedimentary Belt of the Canadian Grenville Province, and recent interpretation of the origin of the Franklin lead-zinc deposits, suggesting a more cohesive evolving arc/back-arc tectonic model for the entire Proterozoic margin of the north-eastern portion of the North American craton. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

An Active Englacial Hydrological System in a Cold Glacier: Blood Falls, Taylor Glacier, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, C. G.; Pettit, E. C.; Carmichael, J.; Badgeley, J.; Tulaczyk, S. M.; Lyons, W. B.; Mikucki, J.

2016-12-01

Blood Falls is a supraglacial hydrological feature formed by episodic release of iron-rich subglacial brine derived from an extensive aquifer beneath the cold, polar, Taylor Glacier. While fluid transport in non-temperate ice typically occurs through meltwater delivery from the glacier surface to the bed (hydrofracturing, supraglacial lake drainage), Blood Falls represents the opposite situation: brine moves from a subglacial source to the glacier surface. Here, we present the first complete conceptual model for brine transport and release, as well as the first direct evidence of a wintertime brine release at Blood Falls obtained through year-round time-lapse photography. Related analyses show that brine pools subglacially underneath the northern terminus of Taylor Glacier, rather than flowing directly into proglacial Lake Bonney because ice-cored moraines and channelized surface topography provide hydraulic barriers. This pooled brine is pressurized by hydraulic head from the upglacier brine source region. Based on seismic data, we propose that episodic supraglacial release is initiated by high strain rates coupled with pressurized subglacial brine that drive intermittent subglacial and englacial fracturing. Ultimately, brine-filled basal crevasses propagate upward to link with surface crevasses, allowing brine to flow from the bed to the surface. The observation of wintertime brine release indicates that surface-generated meltwater is not necessary to trigger crack propagation or to maintain the conduit as previously suggested. The liquid brine persists beneath and within the cold ice (-17°C) despite ambient ice/brine temperature differences of as high as 10°C through both locally depressed brine freezing temperatures through cryoconcentration of salts and increased ice temperatures through release of latent heat during partial freezing of brine. The existence of an englacial hydrological system initiated by basal crevassing extends to polar glaciers a process thought limited to temperate glaciers and confirms that supraglacial, englacial, and subglacial hydrological systems act in concert to provide critical forcing on glacier dynamics, even in cold polar ice.

76 FR 81916 - Marine Mammals; File No. 16685

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-29

... (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens), and northern right whale dolphins (Lissodelphis borealis); killer whale (Orcinus orca, excluding Southern resident stock); Dall's porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli) and harbor porpoise...

75 FR 68757 - Marine Mammals; File No. 781-1824

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-09

... whales (Balaenoptera musculus), fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), and Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW, Orcinus orca...

Neuroanatomy of the killer whale (Orcinus orca) from magnetic resonance images.

PubMed

Marino, Lori; Sherwood, Chet C; Delman, Bradley N; Tang, Cheuk Y; Naidich, Thomas P; Hof, Patrick R

2004-12-01

This article presents the first series of MRI-based anatomically labeled sectioned images of the brain of the killer whale (Orcinus orca). Magnetic resonance images of the brain of an adult killer whale were acquired in the coronal and axial planes. The gross morphology of the killer whale brain is comparable in some respects to that of other odontocete brains, including the unusual spatial arrangement of midbrain structures. There are also intriguing differences. Cerebral hemispheres appear extremely convoluted and, in contrast to smaller cetacean species, the killer whale brain possesses an exceptional degree of cortical elaboration in the insular cortex, temporal operculum, and the cortical limbic lobe. The functional and evolutionary implications of these features are discussed. (c) 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Feasibility study of a brine boiling machine by solar energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phayom, W.

2018-06-01

This study presented the technical and operational feasibility of brine boiling machine by using solar energy instead of firewood or husk for salt production. The solar salt brine boiling machine consisted of a boiling chamber with an enhanced thermal efficiency through use of a solar brine heater. The stainless steel solar salt brine boiling chamber had dimensions of 60 cm x 70 cm x 20 cm. The steel brine heater had dimensions of 70 cm x 80 cm x 20 cm. The tilt angle of both the boiling chamber and brine heater was 20 degrees from horizontal. The brine temperature in the reservoir tank was 42°C with a flow rate of 6.64 L/h discharging into the solar boiling machine. It was found that the thermal efficiency and overall efficiency of the solar salt brine boiling machine were 0.63 and 0.38, respectively at a solar irradiance of 787.6 W/m2. The results shows that the potential of using solar energy for salt production system is feasible.

Assessment of water resources and the potential effects from oil and gas development in the Bureau of Land Management Tri-County planning area, Sierra, Doña Ana, and Otero Counties, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blake, Johanna M.; Miltenberger, Keely; Stewart, Anne M.; Ritchie, Andre; Montoya, Jennifer; Durr, Corey; McHugh, Amy; Charles, Emmanuel

2018-02-07

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, conducted a study to assess the water resources and potential effects on the water resources from oil and gas development in the Tri-County planning area, Sierra, Doña Ana, and Otero Counties, New Mexico. Publicly available data were used to assess these resources and effects and to identify data gaps in the Tri-County planning area.The Tri-County planning area includes approximately 9.3 million acres and is within the eastern extent of the Basin and Range Province, which consists of mountain ranges and low elevation basins. Three specific areas of interest within the Tri-County planning area are the Jornada del Muerto, Tularosa Basin, and Otero Mesa, which is adjacent to the Salt Basin. Surface-water resources are limited in the Tri-County planning area, with the Rio Grande as the main perennial river flowing from north to south through Sierra and Doña Ana Counties. The Tularosa Creek is an important surface-water resource in the Tularosa Basin. The Sacramento River, which flows southeast out of the Sacramento Mountains, is an important source of recharge to aquifers in the Salt Basin. Groundwater resources vary in aquifer type, depth to water, and water quality. For example, the Jornada del Muerto, Tularosa Basin, and Salt Basin each have shallow and deep aquifer systems, and water can range from freshwater, with less than 1,000 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of total dissolved solids, to brine, with greater than 35,000 mg/L of total dissolved solids. Water quality in the Tri-County planning area is affected by the dissolution of salt deposits and evaporation which are common in arid regions such as southern New Mexico. The potential for oil and gas development exists in several areas within the Tri-County area. As many as 81 new conventional wells and 25 coalbed natural gas wells could be developed by 2035. Conventional oil and gas well construction in the Tri-County planning area is expected to require 1.53 acre-feet (acre-ft) (500,000 gallons) of water per well, similar to requirements in the nearby Permian Basin of New Mexico, while construction of unconventional wells is expected to require 7.3 acre-ft of water per well. Produced waters in the Permian Basin have high total dissolved solids, in the brackish to brine range.Data gaps identified in this study include the limited detailed data on surface-water resources, the lack of groundwater data in areas of interest, and the lack of water chemistry data related to oil and gas development issues. Surface waters in the Tri-County planning area are sparse; some streams are perennial, and most are ephemeral. A more detailed study of the ephemeral channels and their interaction with groundwater could provide a better understanding of the importance of these surface-water resources. Groundwater data used in this study are from the USGS National Water Information System, which does not have continuous water-level depth data at many of the sites in the Tri-County planning area. On Otero Mesa, no recurrent groundwater-level data are available at any one site. The water-quality data compiled in this study provide a good overview of the general chemistry of groundwater in the Tri-County planning area. To fully understand the groundwater resources, it would be helpful to have more wells in specific areas of interest for groundwater-level and water-quality measurements.

The sequence stratigraphy, sedimentology, and economic importance of evaporite carbonate transitions: a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarg, J. F.

2001-04-01

World-class hydrocarbon accumulations occur in many ancient evaporite-related basins. Seals and traps of such accumulations are, in many cases, controlled by the stratigraphic distribution of carbonate-evaporite facies transitions. Evaporites may occur in each of the systems tracts within depositional sequences. Thick evaporite successions are best developed during sea level lowstands due to evaporative drawdown. Type 1 lowstand evaporite systems are characterized by thick wedges that fill basin centers, and onlap basin margins. Very thick successions (i.e. saline giants) represent 2nd-order supersequence set (20-50 m.y.) lowstand systems that cap basin fills, and provide the ultimate top seals for the hydrocarbons contained within such basins. Where slope carbonate buildups occur, lowstand evaporites that onlap and overlap these buildups show a lateral facies mosaic directly related to the paleo-relief of the buildups. This facies mosaic, as exemplified in the Silurian of the Michigan basin, ranges from nodular mosaic anhydrite of supratidal sabkha origin deposited over the crests of the buildups, to downslope subaqueous facies of bedded massive/mosaic anhydrite and allochthonous dolomite-anhydrite breccias. Facies transitions near the updip onlap edges of evaporite wedges can provide lateral seals to hydrocarbons. Porous dolomites at the updip edges of lowstand evaporites will trap hydrocarbons where they onlap nonporous platform slope deposits. The Desert Creek Member of the Paradox Formation illustrates this transition. On the margins of the giant Aneth oil field in southeastern Utah, separate downdip oil pools have accumulated where dolomudstones and dolowackestones with microcrystalline porosity onlap the underlying highstand platform slope. Where lowstand carbonate units exist in arid basins, the updip facies change from carbonates to evaporite-rich facies can also provide traps for hydrocarbons. The change from porous dolomites composed of high-energy, shallow water grainstones and packstones to nonporous evaporitic lagoonal dolomite and sabkha anhydrite occurs in the Upper Permian San Andres/Grayburg sequences of the Permian basin. This facies change provides the trap for secondary oil pools on the basinward flanks of fields that are productive from highstand facies identical to the lowstand dolograinstones. Type 2 lowstand systems, like the Smackover Limestone of the Gulf of Mexico, show a similar relationship. Commonly, these evaporite systems are a facies mosaic of salina and sabkha evaporites admixed with wadi siliciclastics. They overlie and seal highstand carbonate platforms containing reservoir facies of shoalwater nonskeletal and skeletal grainstones. Further basinward these evaporites change facies into similar porous platform facies, and contain separate hydrocarbon traps. Transgressions in arid settings over underfilled platforms (e.g. Zechstein (Permian) of Europe; Ferry Lake Anhydrite (Cretaceous), Gulf of Mexico) can result in deposition of alternating cyclic carbonates and evaporites in broad, shallow subaqueous hypersaline environments. Evaporites include bedded and palmate gypsum layers. Mudstones and wackestones are deposited in mesosaline, shallow subtidal to low intertidal environments during periodic flooding of the platform interior. Highstand systems tracts are characterized by thick successions of m-scale, brining upward parasequences in platform interior settings. The Seven Rivers Formation (Guadalupian) of the Permian basin typifies this transition. An intertonguing of carbonate and sulfates is interpreted to occur in a broad, shallow subaqueous hypersaline shelf lagoon behind the main restricting shelf-edge carbonate complex. Underlying paleodepositional highs appear to control the position of the initial facies transition. Periodic flooding of the shelf interior results in widespread carbonate deposition comprised of mesosaline, skeletal-poor peloid dolowackestones/mudstones. Progressive restriction due to active carbonate deposition and/or an environment of net evaporation causes brining upward and deposition of lagoonal gypsum. Condensed sections of organic-rich black lime mudstones occur in basinal areas seaward of the transgressive and highstand carbonate platforms and have sourced significant quantities of hydrocarbons.

Evaluation of Brine Processing Technologies for Spacecraft Wastewater

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaw, Hali L.; Flynn, Michael; Wisniewski, Richard; Lee, Jeffery; Jones, Harry; Delzeit, Lance; Shull, Sarah; Sargusingh, Miriam; Beeler, David; Howard, Jeanie;

Coiled Brine Recovery Assembly (CoBRA): A New Approach to Recovering Water from Wastewater Brines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pensinger, Stuart J.

2015-01-01

Brine water recovery represents a current technology gap in water recycling for human spaceflight. The role of a brine processor is to take the concentrated discharge from a primary wastewater processor, called brine, and recover most of the remaining water from it. The current state-of-the-art primary processor is the ISS Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) that currently achieves 70% water recovery. Recent advancements in chemical pretreatments are expected to increase this to 85% in the near future. This is a welcome improvement, yet is still not high enough for deep space transit. Mission architecture studies indicate that at least 95% is necessary for a Mars mission, as an example. Brine water recovery is the technology that bridges the gap between 85% and 95%, and moves life support systems one step closer to full closure of the water loop. Several brine water recovery systems have been proposed for human spaceflight, most of them focused on solving two major problems: operation in a weightless environment, and management and containment of brine residual. Brine residual is the leftover byproduct of the brine recovery process, and is often a viscous, sticky paste, laden with crystallized solid particles. Due to the chemical pretreatments added to wastewater prior to distillation in a primary processor, these residuals are typically toxic, which further complicates matters. Isolation of crewmembers from these hazardous materials is paramount. The Coiled Brine Recovery Assembly (CoBRA) is a recently developed concept from the Johnson Space Center that offers solutions to these challenges. CoBRA is centered on a softgoods evaporator that enables a passive fill with brine, and regeneration by discharging liquid brine residual to a collection bag. This evaporator is meant to be lightweight, which allows it to be discarded along with the accumulated brine solids contained within it. This paper discusses design and development of a first CoBRA prototype, and reports initial test results.

Photocatalytic reduction of nitrate using titanium dioxide for regeneration of ion exchange brine.

PubMed

Yang, Ting; Doudrick, Kyle; Westerhoff, Paul

2013-03-01

Nitrate is often removed from groundwater by ion exchange (IX) before its use as drinking water. Accumulation of nitrate in IX brine reduces the efficiency of IX regeneration and the useful life of the regeneration brine. For the first time, we present a strategy to photocatalytically reduce nitrate in IX brine, thereby extending the use of the brine. Titanium dioxide (Evonik P90), acting as photocatalyst, reduced nitrate effectively in both synthetic brines and sulfate-removed IX brine when formic acid (FA) was used as the hole scavenger (i.e., electron donor) and the initial FA to nitrate molar ratio (IFNR) was 5.6. Increasing the NaCl level in the synthetic brine slowed the nitrate reduction rate without affecting by-product selectivity of ammonium and gaseous N species (e.g., N(2), N(2)O). In a non-modified IX brine, nitrate removal was greatly inhibited owing to the presence of sulfate, which competed with nitrate for active surface sites on P90 and induced aggregation of P90 nanoparticles. After removing sulfate through barium sulfate precipitation, nitrate was effectively reduced; approximately 3.6 × 10(24) photons were required to reduce each mole of nitrate to 83% N Gases and 17% NH(4)(+). To make optimum use of FA and control the residual FA level in treated brine, the IFNR was varied. High IFNRs (e.g., 4, 5.6) were found to be more efficient for nitrate reduction but left higher residual FA in brine. IX column tests were performed to investigate the impact of residual FA for brine reuse. The residual FA in the brine did not significantly affect the nitrate removal capacity of IX resins, and formate contamination of treated water could be eliminated by rinsing with one bed volume of fresh brine. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of stylolitization on diagenesis of a Lower Cretaceous carbonate reservoir from a giant oilfield, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paganoni, Matteo; Al Harthi, Amena; Morad, Daniel; Morad, Sadoon; Ceriani, Andrea; Mansurbeg, Howri; Al Suwaidi, Aisha; Al-Aasm, Ihsan S.; Ehrenberg, Stephen N.; Sirat, Manhal

2016-04-01

Bed-parallel stylolites are a widespread diagenetic feature in Lower Cretaceous limestone reservoirs, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Diagenetic calcite, dolomite, kaolin and small amounts of pyrite, fluorite, anhydrite and sphalerite occur along and in the vicinity of the stylolites. Petrographic observations, negative δ18OVPDB, fluid inclusion microthermometry, and enrichment in 87Sr suggest that these cements have precipitated from hot basinal brines, which migrated along the stylolites and genetically related microfractures (tension gashes). Fluid migration was presumably related to lateral tectonic compression events related to the foreland basin formation. The low solubility of Al3 + in formation waters suggests that kaolin precipitation was linked to derivation of organic acids during organic matter maturation, probably in siliciclastic source rocks. The mass released from stylolitization was presumably re-precipitated as macro- and microcrystalline calcite cement in the host limestones. The flanks of the oilfield (water zone) display more frequent presence and higher amplitude of stylolites, lower porosity and permeability, higher homogenization temperatures and more radiogenic composition of carbonates compared to the crest (oil zone). This indicates that oil emplacement retards diagenesis. This study demonstrates that stylolitization plays a crucial role in fluid flow and diagenesis of carbonate reservoirs during basin evolution.

Role of gas hydrates in slope failure on frontal ridge of northern Cascadia margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yelisetti, Subbarao; Spence, George D.; Riedel, Michael

2014-10-01

Several slope failures are observed near the deformation front on the frontal ridges of the northern Cascadia accretionary margin off Vancouver Island. The cause for these events is not clear, although several lines of evidence indicate a possible connection between the occurrence of gas hydrate and submarine landslide features. The presence of gas hydrate is indicated by a prominent bottom-simulating reflector (BSR), at a depth of ˜265-275 m beneath the seafloor (mbsf), as interpreted from vertical-incidence and wide-angle seismic data beneath the ridge crests of the frontal ridges. For one slide, informally called Slipstream Slide, the velocity structure inferred from tomography analyses shows anomalous high velocities values of about 2.0 km s-1 at shallow depths of 100 mbsf. The estimated depth of the glide plane (100 ± 10 m) closely matches the depth of these shallow high velocities. In contrast, at a frontal ridge slide just to the northwest (informally called Orca Slide), the glide plane occurs at the same depth as the current BSR. Our new results indicate that the glide plane of the Slipstream slope failure is associated with the contrast between sediments strengthened by gas hydrate and overlying sediments where little or no hydrate is present. In contrast, the glide plane of Orca Slide is between sediment strengthened by hydrate underlain by sediments beneath the gas hydrate stability zone, possibly containing free gas. Additionally, a set of margin perpendicular normal faults are imaged from seafloor down to BSR depth at both frontal ridges. As inferred from the multibeam bathymetry, the estimated volume of the material lost during the slope failure at Slipstream Slide is about 0.33 km3, and ˜0.24 km3 of this volume is present as debris material on the ocean basin floor. The 20 per cent difference is likely due to more widely distributed fine sediments not easily detectable as bathymetric anomalies. These volume estimates on the Cascadia margin are approaching the mass failure volume for other slides that have generated large tsunamis-for example 1-3 km3 for a 1998 Papua New Guinea slide.

Clay-mineral assemblages from some levels of K-118 drill core of Maha Sarakham evaporites, northeastern Thailand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suwanich, Parkorn

Clay-mineral assemblages in Middle Clastic, Middle Salt, Lower Clastic, Potash Zone, and Lower Salt, totalling 13 samples from K-118 drill core, in the Maha Sarakham Formation, Khorat Basin, northeastern Thailand were studied. The clay-size particles were separated from the water-soluble salt by water leaching. Then the samples were leached again in the EDTA solution and separated into clay-size particles by using the timing sedimentation. The EDTA-clay residues were divided and analyzed by using the XRD and XRF method. The XRD peaks show that the major-clay minerals are chlorite, illite, and mixed-layer corrensite including traces of rectorite? and paragonite? The other clay-size particles are quartz and potassium feldspar. The XRF results indicate Mg-rich values and moderate MgAl atom ratio values in those clay minerals. The variable Fe, Na, and K contents in the clay-mineral assemblages can explain the environment of deposition compared to the positions of the samples from the core. Hypothetically, mineralogy and the chemistry of the residual assemblages strongly indicate that severe alteration and Mg-enrichment of normal clay detritus occurred in the evaporite environment through brine-sediment interaction. The various Mg-enrichment varies along the various members reflecting whether sedimentation is near or far from the hypersaline brine.

Lithium isotope geochemistry and origin of Canadian shield brines.

PubMed

Bottomley, D J; Chan, L H; Katz, A; Starinsky, A; Clark, I D

2003-01-01

Hypersaline calcium/chloride shield brines are ubiquitous in Canada and areas of northern Europe. The major questions relating to these fluids are the origin of the solutes and the concentration mechanism that led to their extreme salinity. Many chemical and isotopic tracers are used to solve these questions. For example, lithium isotope systematics have been used recently to support a marine origin for the Yellowknife shield brine (Northwest Territories). While having important chemical similarities to the Yellowknife brine, shield brines from the Sudbury/Elliot Lake (Ontario) and Thompson/Snow Lake (Manitoba) regions, which are the focus of this study, exhibit contrasting lithium behavior. Brine from the Sudbury Victor mine has lithium concentrations that closely follow the sea water lithium-bromine concentration trajectory, as well as delta6Li values of approximately -28/1000. This indicates that the lithium in this brine is predominantly marine in origin with a relatively minor component of crustal lithium leached from the host rocks. In contrast, the Thompson/Snow Lake brine has anomalously low lithium concentrations, indicating that it has largely been removed from solution by alteration minerals. Furthermore, brine and nonbrine mine waters at the Thompson mine have large delta6Li variations of approximately 30/1000, which primarily reflects mixing between deep brine with delta6Li of -35 +/- 2/1000 and near surface mine water that has derived higher delta6Li values through interactions with their host rocks. The contrary behavior of lithium in these two brines shows that, in systems where it has behaved conservatively, lithium isotopes can distinguish brines derived from marine sources.

Electrically Conducting, Ca-Rich Brines, Rather Than Water, Expected in the Martian Subsurface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burt, D. M.; Knauth, L. P.

2003-01-01

If Mars ever possessed a salty liquid hydrosphere, which later partly evaporated and froze down, then any aqueous fluids left near the surface could have evolved to become dense eutectic brines. Eutectic brines, by definition, are the last to freeze and the first to melt. If CaC12-rich, such brines can remain liquid until temperatures below 220 K, close to the average surface temperature of Mars. In the Martian subsurface, in intimate contact with the Ca-rich basaltic regolith, NaC1-rich early brines should have reacted to become Ca-rich. Fractional crystallization (freezing) and partial melting would also drive brines toward CaC12-rich compositions. In other words, eutectic brine compositions could be present in the shallow subsurface of Mars, for the same reasons that eutectic magma compositions are common on Earth. Don Juan Pond, Antarctica, a CaC12-rich eutectic brine, provides a possible terrestrial analog, particularly because it is fed from a basaltic aquifer. Owing to their relative density and fluid nature, brines in the Martian regolith should eventually become sandwiched between ice above and salts beneath. A thawing brine sandwich provides one explanation (among many) for the young gullies recently attributed to seepage of liquid water on Mars. Whether or not brine seepage explains the gullies phenomenon, dense, CaC12-rich brines are to be expected in the deep subsurface of Mars, although they might be somewhat diluted (temperatures permitting) and of variable salt composition. In any case, they should be good conductors of electricity.

Assessing the role of "bottom-up" emissions and simplified chemical mechanisms in reconciling CESM2.0 with TOGA observations from the ORCAS and ATom-2 campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asher, E.; Emmons, L. K.; Kinnison, D. E.; Tilmes, S.; Hills, A. J.; Hornbrook, R. S.; Stephens, B. B.; Apel, E. C.

2017-12-01

Surface albedo and precipitation over the Southern Ocean are sensitive to parameterizations of aerosol formation and cloud dynamics in global climate models. Observations of precursor gases for natural aerosols can help constrain the uncertainty in these parameterizations, if used in conjunction with an appropriately simplified chemical mechanism. We implement current oceanic "bottom-up" emission climatologies of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and isoprene in CESM2.0 (Lana et al. 2016; Archer et al. 2009) and compare modeled constituents from two separate chemical mechanisms with data obtained from the Trace Organic Gas Analyzer (TOGA) on the O2/N2 Ratios and CO2 Airborne Study in the Southern Ocean (ORCAS) and the Atmospheric Tomography Mission 2 (ATom-2). We use ORCAS measurements of DMS, isoprene, methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) and methacrolein (MACR) from over 10 flights in Jan. - Feb. 2016 as a training dataset to improve "bottom-up" emissions. Thereafter, we evaluate the scaled "top-down" emissions in CESM with TOGA data obtained from the Atmospheric Tomography Mission (ATom-2) in Feb. 2017. Recent laboratory studies at NCAR confirm that TOGA surpasses proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) and commercial gas chromatography (GC) instruments with respect to accurate measurements of oxygenated VOCs in low nitrogen oxide (NO) environments, such as MVK and MACR.

REFUSE OF FERMENTATION BRINES IN THE CUCUMBER PICKLING INDUSTRY

EPA Science Inventory

The project evaluated on a commercial scale the technological and economic feasibility of recycling spent cucumber fermentation brine. Two brine treatment procedures, heat treatment and chemical treatment, were used. The results showed that brine recycling was practical on a comm...

Possible Mars brines - Equilibrium and kinetic considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zent, A. P.; Fanale, F. P.

1986-01-01

To determine the fate of postulated near surface brines on Mars, the rate of H2O mass loss from subsurface brines was calculated as a function of latitude, depth, regolith porosity, eutectic temperature, and pore size. A model for a chemically reasonable brine that could reproduce Martian radar results was developed, and the escape rate of H2O molecules from such a brine was estimated. It is suggested that the presence of a low-permeability duricrust may be required to preserve such a brine for reasonable periods, and to prevent detection of an extensive subsurface system by the Viking MAWD instrument.

Nahcolite and halite deposition through time during the saline mineral phase of Eocene Lake Uinta, Piceance Basin, western Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Ronald C.; Brownfield, Michael E.

2013-01-01

Halite and the sodium bicarbonate mineral nahcolite were deposited during the saline phase of Eocene Lake Uinta in the Piceance Basin, western Colorado. Variations in the area of saline mineral deposition through time were interpreted from studies of core and outcrop. Saline minerals were extensively leached by groundwater, so the original extent of saline deposition was estimated from the distribution of empty vugs and collapse breccias. Vugs and breccias strongly influence groundwater movement, so determining where leaching has occurred is an important consideration for in-situ oil shale extraction methods currently being developed. Lake Uinta formed when two smaller fresh water lakes, one in the Uinta Basin of eastern Utah and the other in the Piceance Basin of western Colorado, expanded and coalesced across the Douglas Creek arch, an area of comparatively low subsidence rates. Salinity increased shortly after this expansion, but saline mineral deposition did not begin until later, after a period of prolonged infilling created broad lake-margin shelves and a comparatively small deep central lake area. These shelves probably played a critical role in brine evolution. A progression from disseminated nahcolite and nahcolite aggregates to bedded nahcolite and ultimately to bedded nahcolite and halite was deposited in this deep lake area during the early stages of saline deposition along with rich oil shale that commonly shows signs of slumping and lateral transport. The area of saline mineral and rich oil shale deposition subsequently expanded, in part due to infilling of the compact deep area, and in part because of an increase in water flow into Lake Uinta, possibly due to outflow from Lake Gosiute to the north. Finally, as Lake Uinta in the Piceance Basin was progressively filled from north to south by volcano-clastic sediment, the saline depocenter was pushed progressively southward, eventually covering much of the areas that had previously been marginal shelves. A saline depocenter formed in the eastern Uinta Basin during this progradation, and saline minerals were deposited in both basins for a time. Ultimately, the saline depocenter in the Piceance Basin was completely filled in and saline mineral deposition shifted entirely into the Uinta Basin.

Water resources in basin-fill deposits in the Tularosa Basin, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Orr, B.R.; Myers, R.G.

1986-01-01

The Tularosa Basin, a faulted intermontane depression in south-central New Mexico, contains a thick sequence of alluvial and lacustrine deposits of Tertiary and Quaternary age. Most of these sediments are saturated with very saline water. Freshwater supplies (dissolved solids concentration < 1000 mg/L) principally are found in alluvial fans located around the basin margin. On the eastern side of the Tularosa Basin, fresh groundwater supplies are limited to alluvial fan deposits from Grapevine Canyon to about 3 mi south of Alamogordo. Data from surface geophysical surveys indicate that about 1.4 to 2.1 million acre-ft of freshwater may be in storage in this area, not all of which is recoverable. An additional 3.6 to 5.4 million acre-ft of slightly saline water (dissolved solids concentration 1000 to 3000 mg/L) may be in storage in the same area, again not all of which is recoverable. On the western side of the Tularosa Basin, alluvial fans in the vicinity of Rhodes Canyon may contain freshwater. Geophysical data indicate the freshwater zone may be as thick as 1500 ft in places; however, the limited number of wells in this area precludes a precise definition of the volume of freshwater in storage. To the south, freshwater is present in alluvial fans associated with the Ash Canyon drainage system. Geophysical data indicate that perhaps as much as 450,000 acre-ft of freshwater, not all recoverable, may be in storage in this area. Fan deposits between Ash Canyon and Rhodes canyon may contain additional freshwater supplies. Possibly 10.7 million acre-ft of freshwater, not all of which is recoverable, may be in storage on the western side of the Tularosa Basin. Possibly 180 million acre-ft of brine (concentrations of dissolved solids exceeding 35,000 mg/L), not all of which is recoverable, may be in storage in the Tularosa Basin. Information is sparse concerning the capability of saline aquifers in the Tularosa Basin to store and transmit fluid. (Author 's abstract)

On the communicative significance of whistles in wild killer whales (Orcinus orca)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomsen, Frank; Franck, Dierk; Ford, John

2002-08-01

Killer whales (Orcinus orca) use pulsed calls and whistles in underwater communication. Unlike pulsed calls, whistles have received little study and thus their function is poorly known. In this study, whistle activities of groups of individually known killer whales were compared quantitatively across behavioural categories. Acoustic recordings and simultaneous behavioural observations were made of northern resident killer whales off Vancouver Island in 1996 and 1997. Whistles were produced at greater rates than discrete calls during close-range behavioural activities than during long-range activities. They were the predominant sound-type recorded during socializing. The number of whistles per animal per minute was significantly higher during close-range behavioural activities than during long-range activities. Evidently, whistles play an important role in the close-range acoustic communication in northern resident killer whales.

On the communicative significance of whistles in wild killer whales (Orcinus orca).

PubMed

Thomsen, Frank; Franck, Dierk; Ford, John K B

2002-09-01

Killer whales (Orcinus orca) use pulsed calls and whistles in underwater communication. Unlike pulsed calls, whistles have received little study and thus their function is poorly known. In this study, whistle activities of groups of individually known killer whales were compared quantitatively across behavioural categories. Acoustic recordings and simultaneous behavioural observations were made of northern resident killer whales off Vancouver Island in 1996 and 1997. Whistles were produced at greater rates than discrete calls during close-range behavioural activities than during long-range activities. They were the predominant sound-type recorded during socializing. The number of whistles per animal per minute was significantly higher during close-range behavioural activities than during long-range activities. Evidently, whistles play an important role in the close-range acoustic communication in northern resident killer whales.

"Tepid" Geysers above salt caverns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bérest, Pierre; Brouard, Benoît; Zakharov, Vassily

2018-06-01

The formation of a brine geyser erupting from the wellhead of a large underground salt cavern is described. In most cases, the brine outflow from an opened cavern is slow; it results from the cavern creep closure and the thermal expansion of the cavern brine. These two processes are smooth; however, the brine outflow often is bumpy, as it is modulated by atmospheric pressure variations that generate an elastic increase (or decrease) of both cavern and brine volumes. In addition, when the flow is fast enough, the brine thermodynamic behavior in the wellbore is adiabatic. The cold brine expelled from the cavern wellhead is substituted with warm brine entering the borehole bottom, resulting in a lighter brine column. The brine outflow increases. In some cases, the flow becomes so fast that inertia terms must be taken into account. A geyser forms, coming to an end when the pressure in the cavern has dropped sufficiently. A better picture is obtained when head losses are considered. A closed-form solution can be reached. This proves that two cases must be distinguished, depending on whether the cold brine initially contained in the wellbore is expelled fully or not. It can also be shown that geyser formation is a rare event, as it requires both that the wellbore be narrow and that the cavern be very compressible. This study stemmed from an actual example in which a geyser was observed. However, scarce information is available, making any definite interpretation difficult. xml:lang="fr"

Protein removal from waste brines generated during ham salting through acidification and centrifugation.

PubMed

Gutiérrez-Martínez, Maria del Rosario; Muñoz-Guerrero, Hernán; Alcaína-Miranda, Maria Isabel; Barat, José Manuel

2014-03-01

The salting step in food processes implies the production of large quantities of waste brines, having high organic load, high conductivity, and other pollutants with high oxygen demand. Direct disposal of the residual brine implies salinization of soil and eutrophication of water. Since most of the organic load of the waste brines comes from proteins leaked from the salted product, precipitation of dissolved proteins by acidification and removal by centrifugation is an operation to be used in waste brine cleaning. The aim of this study is optimizing the conditions for carrying out the separation of proteins from waste brines generated in the pork ham salting operation, by studying the influence of pH, centrifugal force, and centrifugation time. Models for determining the removal of proteins depending on the pH, centrifugal force, and time were obtained. The results showed a high efficacy of the proposed treatment for removing proteins, suggesting that this method could be used for waste brine protein removal. The best pH value to be used in an industrial process seems to be 3, while the obtained results indicate that almost 90% of the proteins from the brine can be removed by acidification followed by centrifugation. A further protein removal from the brine should have to be achieved using filtrating techniques, which efficiency could be highly improved as a consequence of the previous treatment through acidification and centrifugation. Waste brines from meat salting have high organic load and electrical conductivity. Proteins can be removed from the waste brine by acidification and centrifugation. The total protein removal can be up to 90% of the initial content of the waste brine. Protein removal is highly dependent on pH, centrifugation rate, and time. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Improved Rare Earth Element Sorption from Simulated Geothermal Brines: Effect of Gassed versus Degassed Brines

DOE Data Explorer

Dean Stull

2016-05-24

A study exploring sorption and stripping characteristics of sorption media when simulated geothermal brines are degassed or not degassed. Experiments were done at 70°C. The brines used in this study were formulated by Tusaar. The two brines used/simulated are labeled 1M and 1CF. The data consists of a Word file explaining the results and an Excel file of the data.

Potential Environmental Impacts of CO2 Storage in Sedimentary Basins: Results From the Frio Brine Test, Texas, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kharaka, Y. K.; Cole, D. R.; Hovorka, S. D.; Phelps, T. J.; Nance, S.

2006-12-01

Deep saline aquifers in sedimentary basins, including depleted petroleum reservoirs, provide advantageous locations close to major anthropogenic sources of CO2 and potential capacity for the storage of huge volumes of this greenhouse gas. To investigate the potential for the long-term storage of CO2 in such aquifers, 1600 t of CO2 were injected at 1500 m depth into a 24-m-thick "C" sandstone section of the Frio Formation, a regional saline aquifer in the U.S. Gulf Coast. Fluid samples obtained before CO2 injection from the injection well and an observation well 30 m updip showed a Na-Ca-Cl type brine with 93,000 mg/L TDS at near saturation with CH4 at reservoir conditions; gas analyses show CH4 comprised ~95% of dissolved gas, but CO2 was low at 0.3%. Following CO2 breakthrough, 51 h after injection, samples showed sharp drops in pH (6.5 to 5.7), pronounced increases in alkalinity (100 to 3000 mg/L as HCO3) and in Fe (30 to 1100 mg/L), and significant shifts in the isotopic compositions of H2O, Sr, DIC, and CH4. These data coupled with geochemical modeling indicate rapid dissolution of minerals, especially calcite and iron oxyhydroxides caused by lowered pH (~3.0 initially) of the brine in contact with the injected supercritical CO2. These geochemical parameters, together with perfluorocarbon tracer gases (PFTs) proved effective in mapping the distribution and interactions of the injected CO2 in the Frio "C". They are being used to track the migration of the injected CO2 into the local shallow groundwater and into the overlying Frio "B", comprised of a 4-m-thick sandstone bed and separated from the "C" by ~15 m of shale, muddy sandstone and siltstone beds. Results obtained to date from the four monitoring groundwater wells perforated (26-29 m) in the Beaumont aquifer show some temporal chemical changes. These changes, however, are tentatively attributed to natural variations and recharge events caused by the construction of a mud pit at the site, and not to leakage through the Anahuac Formation, the regional cap rock comprised of thick (~80 m) and impermeable marine shale and mudstone beds. Data on brine and gas compositions of samples obtained from the Frio "B" 6 mo after injection show significant CO2 (2.9% compared with 0.3% CO2 in dissolved gas) migration into the "B" sandstone. Except for two PFT tracer gases explained by desorption, results of samples collected 15 mo after injection show no other indications of injected CO2 in the "B" sandstone. The initial presence of injected CO2 near the observation well shows migration through the intervening beds or more likely a leakage through the remedial cement around the casing of a 50- year old well. These results highlight the importance of investigating the integrity of cement seals, especially in nearby abandoned wells, prior to the injection of large quantities of reactive and buoyant CO2.

Zeta potential in oil-brine-sandstone system and its role in oil recovery during controlled salinity waterflooding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, S.; Jackson, M.

2017-12-01

Wettability alteration is widely recognised as a primary role in improved oil recovery (IOR) during controlled salinity waterflooding (CSW) by modifying brine composition. The change of wettability of core sample depends on adsorption of polar oil compounds into the mineral surface which influences its surface charge density and zeta potential. It has been proved that zeta potentials can be useful to quantify the wettability and incremental oil recovery in natural carbonates. However, the study of zeta potential in oil-brine-sandstone system has not investigated yet. In this experimental study, the zeta potential is used to examine the controlled salinity effects on IOR in nature sandstone (Doddington) aged with two types of crude oils (Oil T and Oil D) over 4 weeks at 80 °C. Results show that the zeta potential measured in the Oil T-brine-sandstone system following primary waterflooding decreases compared to that in fully water saturation, which is consistent with the negative oil found in carbonates study, and IOR response during secondary waterflooding using diluted seawater was observed. In the case of negative oil, the injected low salinity brine induces a more repulsive electrostatic force between the mineral-brine interface and oil-brine interface, which results in an increase disjoining pressure and alters the rock surface to be more water-wet. For Oil D with a positive oil-brine interface, the zeta potential becomes more positive compared to that under single phase condition. The conventional waterflooding fails to observe the IOR in Oil D-brine-sandstone system due to a less repulsive electrostatic force built up between the two interfaces. After switching the injection brine from low salinity brine to formation brine, the IOR was observed. Measured zeta potentials shed some light on the mechanism of wettability alteration in the oil-brine-sandstone system and oil recovery during CSW.

7 CFR 58.320 - Brine tanks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Brine tanks. 58.320 Section 58.320 Agriculture....320 Brine tanks. Brine tanks used for the treating of parchment liners shall be constructed of... liners. The tank should also be provided with a satisfactory drainage outlet. ...

7 CFR 58.320 - Brine tanks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Brine tanks. 58.320 Section 58.320 Agriculture....320 Brine tanks. Brine tanks used for the treating of parchment liners shall be constructed of... liners. The tank should also be provided with a satisfactory drainage outlet. ...

7 CFR 58.320 - Brine tanks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Brine tanks. 58.320 Section 58.320 Agriculture....320 Brine tanks. Brine tanks used for the treating of parchment liners shall be constructed of... liners. The tank should also be provided with a satisfactory drainage outlet. ...

7 CFR 58.320 - Brine tanks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Brine tanks. 58.320 Section 58.320 Agriculture....320 Brine tanks. Brine tanks used for the treating of parchment liners shall be constructed of... liners. The tank should also be provided with a satisfactory drainage outlet. ...

7 CFR 58.320 - Brine tanks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Brine tanks. 58.320 Section 58.320 Agriculture....320 Brine tanks. Brine tanks used for the treating of parchment liners shall be constructed of... liners. The tank should also be provided with a satisfactory drainage outlet. ...

Age and speciation of iodine in groundwater and mudstones of the Horonobe area, Hokkaido, Japan: Implications for the origin and migration of iodine during basin evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Togo, Yoko S.; Takahashi, Yoshio; Amano, Yuki; Matsuzaki, Hiroyuki; Suzuki, Yohey; Terada, Yasuko; Muramatsu, Yasuyuki; Ito, Kazumasa; Iwatsuki, Teruki

2016-10-01

This paper reports the concentration, speciation and isotope ratio (129I/127I) of iodine from both groundwater and host rocks in the Horonobe area, northern Hokkaido, Japan, to clarify the origin and migration of iodine in sedimentary rocks. Cretaceous to Quaternary sedimentary rocks deposited nearly horizontally in Tenpoku Basin and in the Horonobe area were uplifted above sea level during active tectonics to form folds and faults in the Quaternary. Samples were collected from the Pliocene Koetoi and late Miocene Wakkanai formations (Fms), which include diatomaceous and siliceous mudstones. The iodine concentration in groundwater, up to 270 μmol/L, is significantly higher than that of seawater, with the iodine enrichment factor relative to seawater reaching 800-1500. The iodine concentration in the rocks decreases from the Koetoi to Wakkanai Fms, suggesting that iodine was released into the water from the rocks of deeper formations. The iodine concentration in the rocks is sufficiently high for forming iodine-rich groundwater as found in this area. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) analysis shows that iodine exists as organic iodine and iodide (I-) in host rocks, whereas it exists mainly as I- in groundwater. The isotope ratio is nearly constant for iodine in the groundwater, at [0.11-0.23] × 10-12, and it is higher for iodine in rocks, at [0.29-1.1] × 10-12, giving iodine ages of 42-60 Ma and 7-38 Ma, respectively. Some iodine in groundwater must have originated from Paleogene and even late Cretaceous Fms, which are also considered as possible sources of oil and gas, in view of the old iodine ages of the groundwater. The iodine ages of the rocks are older than the depositional ages, implying that the rocks adsorbed some iodine from groundwater, which was sourced from greater depths. The iodine concentration in groundwater decreases with decreasing chlorine concentration due to mixing of iodine-rich connate water and meteoric water. A likely scenario is that iodine-rich brine formed during the long-term basin evolution from the Cretaceous to Quaternary and that this brine was diluted by mixing with meteoric water during uplifting and denudation of the area.

Spectral and stratigraphic mapping of hydrated minerals associated with interior layered deposits near the southern wall of Melas Chasma, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yang; Goudge, Timothy A.; Catalano, Jeffrey G.; Wang, Alian

2018-03-01

Orbital remote sensing data acquired from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) onboard Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), in conjunction with other datasets, are used to perform detailed spectral and stratigraphic analyses over a portion of south Melas Chasma, Mars. The Discrete Ordinate Radiative Transfer (DISORT) model is used to retrieve atmospherically corrected single scattering albedos from CRISM I/F data for mineral identification. A sequence of interbedded poly- and monohydrated sulfates associated with interior layered deposits (ILDs) is identified and mapped. Analyses from laboratory experiments and spectral unmixing of CRISM hyperspectral data support the hypothesis of precipitation and dehydration of multiple inputs of complex Mg-Ca-Fe-SO4-Cl brines. In this scenario, the early precipitated Mg sulfates could dehydrate into monohydrated sulfate due to catalytic effects, and the later-precipitated Mg sulfates from the late-stage "clean" brine could terminate their dehydration at mid-degree of hydration to form a polyhydrated sulfate layer due to depletion of the catalytic species (e.g., Ca, Fe, and Cl). Distinct jarosite-bearing units are identified stratigraphically above the hydrated sulfate deposits. These are hypothesized to have formed either by oxidation of a fluid containing Fe(II) and SO4, or by leaching of soluble phases from precursor intermixed jarosite-Mg sulfate units that may have formed during the later stages of deposition of the hydrated sulfate sequence. Results from stratigraphic analysis of the ILDs show that the layers have a consistent northward dip towards the interior of the Melas Chasma basin, a mean dip angle of ∼6°, and neighboring strata that are approximately parallel. These strata are interpreted as initially sub-horizontal layers of a subaqueous, sedimentary evaporite deposits that underwent post-depositional tilting from slumping into the Melas Chasma basin. The interbedded hydrated sulfate units and jarosite-bearing units, which have distinct stratigraphic relationships, are indicative of a complex sedimentary and aqueous history in south Melas Chasma.

Basin-Scale Leakage Risks from Geologic Carbon Sequestration: Impact on Carbon Capture and Storage Energy Market Competitiveness

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peters, Catherine; Fitts, Jeffrey; Wilson, Elizabeth

This three-year project, performed by Princeton University in partnership with the University of Minnesota and Brookhaven National Laboratory, examined geologic carbon sequestration in regard to CO{sub 2} leakage and potential subsurface liabilities. The research resulted in basin-scale analyses of CO{sub 2} and brine leakage in light of uncertainties in the characteristics of leakage processes, and generated frameworks to monetize the risks of leakage interference with competing subsurface resources. The geographic focus was the Michigan sedimentary basin, for which a 3D topographical model was constructed to represent the hydrostratigraphy. Specifically for Ottawa County, a statistical analysis of the hydraulic properties ofmore » underlying sedimentary formations was conducted. For plausible scenarios of injection into the Mt. Simon sandstone, leakage rates were estimated and fluxes into shallow drinking-water aquifers were found to be less than natural analogs of CO{sub 2} fluxes. We developed the Leakage Impact Valuation (LIV) model in which we identified stakeholders and estimated costs associated with leakage events. It was found that costs could be incurred even in the absence of legal action or other subsurface interference because there are substantial costs of finding and fixing the leak and from injection interruption. We developed a model framework called RISCS, which can be used to predict monetized risk of interference with subsurface resources by combining basin-scale leakage predictions with the LIV method. The project has also developed a cost calculator called the Economic and Policy Drivers Module (EPDM), which comprehensively calculates the costs of carbon sequestration and leakage, and can be used to examine major drivers for subsurface leakage liabilities in relation to specific injection scenarios and leakage events. Finally, we examined the competiveness of CCS in the energy market. This analysis, though qualitative, shows that financial incentives, such as a carbon tax, are needed for coal combustion with CCS to gain market share. In another part of the project we studied the role of geochemical reactions in affecting the probability of CO{sub 2} leakage. A basin-scale simulation tool was modified to account for changes in leakage rates due to permeability alterations, based on simplified mathematical rules for the important geochemical reactions between acidified brines and caprock minerals. In studies of reactive flows in fractured caprocks, we examined the potential for permeability increases, and the extent to which existing reactive transport models would or would not be able to predict it. Using caprock specimens from the Eau Claire and Amherstburg, we found that substantial increases in permeability are possible for caprocks that have significant carbonate content, but minimal alteration is expected otherwise. We also found that while the permeability increase may be substantial, it is much less than what would be predicted from hydrodynamic models based on mechanical aperture alone because the roughness that is generated tends to inhibit flow.« less

The evaporation path of seawater and the coprecipitation of Br- and K+ with halite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCaffrey, M. A.; Lazar, B.; Holland, H. D.

1987-01-01

Brines and salt were sampled at the Morton Bahamas solar salt production facility on Great Inagua Island in the Bahamas. The brines were analyzed by ion chromatography to define more precisely than heretofore the evaporation path of seawater to the end of the halite facies. At Inagua, calcium carbonate begins to precipitate at a brine concentration factor of 1.8 times that of seawater. Gypsum begins to precipitate at a brine concentration of 3.8 times seawater, and halite at a concentration factor of 10.6. Three of the most concentrated brines from Inagua (40 times seawater) were evaporated further in the laboratory. Magnesium sulfate first precipitated at brine concentrations about 70 times those of seawater, and potassium-bearing phases began to precipitate for these brines at concentrations greater than 90 times those of seawater. The distribution of coefficients of Br- and K+ between brines and halite were determined by combining analytical data for the Inagua brines with measurements of the Br- and K+ content of halites from Inagua and of halite which had precipitated from Inagua brines during storage. The observed average value of DBr- is 0.032, in good agreement with some of the previous measurements. The measured values of DK+ are highly variable (0.001 to 0.021); DK+ for halite precipitated early in the halite facies is in the vicinity of 0.015.

Paleozoic fluid history of the Michigan Basin: Evidence from dolomite geochemistry in the Middle Ordovician St. Peter Sandstone

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Winter, B.L.; Johnson, C.M.; Simo, J.A.

1995-04-03

The isotope (Sr and O) and elemental (Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, and Sr) compositions of the various dolomites in the Middle Ordovician St. Peter Sandstone in the Michigan Basin are determined and the variations are modeled in terms of fluid-rock interaction or as mixing relations. These geochemical models, combined with the paragenetic sequence of the dolomites and late anhydrite cement, suggest the existence of at least four distinct diagenetic fluids in the St. Peter Sandstone during the paleozoic. Fluid 1 has a composition consistent with a modified older (pre-Middle Ordovician) seawater origin, which indicates that the flow path for thismore » fluid had a major upward component. This fluid resulted in the first and volumetrically most important burial dolomitization event, producing dolomite in both carbonate and quartz sandstone lithofacies in the St. Peter Sandstone. Fluid 2 has a composition consistent with a modified Middle to early Late Ordovician seawater origin, suggesting a major downward component for fluid flow. Fluid 2 produced dolomite cement in the carbonate lithofacies that postdates Fluid 1 dolomite. The composition of Fluid 3 is best interpreted to reflect a heated, deep basinal brine that had previously interacted with the K-feldspar-rich rocks near the Cambrian-Precambrian unconformity in the Michigan Basin, indicating a major upward component for fluid flow. Fluid 3 produced dolomite cement in quartz sandstone lithofacies that postdates Fluid 1 dolomite. Fluid 4 resulted in precipitation of late anhydrite in fractures. The {sup 87}Sr/{sup 86}Sr ratio of the anhydrite is consistent with Fluid 4 originating as a dilute fluid that interacted extensively with Silurian gypsum in the Michigan Basin; this indicates that the flow path of Fluid 4 had a major downward component.« less

Pre-injection brine production for managing pressure in compartmentalized CO₂ storage reservoirs

DOE PAGES

Buscheck, Thomas A.; White, Joshua A.; Chen, Mingjie; ...

2014-12-31

We present a reservoir management approach for geologic CO₂ storage that combines CO₂ injection with brine extraction. In our approach, dual-mode wells are initially used to extract formation brine and subsequently used to inject CO₂. These wells can also be used to monitor the subsurface during pre-injection brine extraction so that key data is acquired and analyzed prior to CO₂ injection. The relationship between pressure drawdown during pre-injection brine extraction and pressure buildup during CO₂ injection directly informs reservoir managers about CO₂ storage capacity. These data facilitate proactive reservoir management, and thus reduce costs and risks. The brine may bemore » used directly as make-up brine for nearby reservoir operations; it can also be desalinated and/or treated for a variety of beneficial uses.« less

Direct contact, binary fluid geothermal boiler

DOEpatents

Rapier, Pascal M.

1982-01-01

Energy is extracted from geothermal brines by direct contact with a working fluid such as isobutane which is immiscible with the brine in a geothermal boiler. The geothermal boiler provides a distributor arrangement which efficiently contacts geothermal brine with the isobutane in order to prevent the entrainment of geothermal brine in the isobutane vapor which is directed to a turbine. Accordingly the problem of brine carry-over through the turbine causes corrosion and scaling thereof is eliminated. Additionally the heat exchanger includes straightening vanes for preventing startup and other temporary fluctuations in the transitional zone of the boiler from causing brine carryover into the turbine. Also a screen is provided in the heat exchanger to coalesce the working fluid and to assist in defining the location of the transitional zone where the geothermal brine and the isobutane are initially mixed.

Direct contact, binary fluid geothermal boiler

DOEpatents

Rapier, P.M.

1979-12-27

Energy is extracted from geothermal brines by direct contact with a working fluid such as isobutane which is immiscible with the brine in a geothermal boiler. The geothermal boiler provides a distributor arrangement which efficiently contacts geothermal brine with the isobutane in order to prevent the entrainment of geothermal brine in the isobutane vapor which is directed to a turbine. Accordingly the problem of brine carryover through the turbine causing corrosion and scaling thereof is eliminated. Additionally the heat exchanger includes straightening vanes for preventing startup and other temporary fluctuations in the transitional zone of the boiler from causing brine carryover into the turbine. Also a screen is provided in the heat exchanger to coalesce the working fluid and to assist in defining the location of the transitional zone where the geothermal brine and the isobutane are initially mixed.

Oil exudation and histological structures of duck egg yolks during brining.

PubMed

Lai, K M; Chung, W H; Jao, C L; Hsu, K C

2010-04-01

Changes in oil exudation and histological structures of salted duck egg yolks during brining up to 5 wk were investigated. During brining, the salt contents of albumen, exterior yolk (hardened portion), and interior yolk (soft or liquid portion) gradually increased accompanied by slight decreases in moisture content. The hardening ratio of salted egg yolks increased rapidly to about 60% during the first week of brining and then reached 100% at the end of brining. After brining, part of the lipids in salted egg yolk became free due to the structural changes of low-density lipoprotein induced by dehydration and increase of salt content, and more free lipids in salted egg yolk were released after the cooking process. With the brining time increased up to 5 wk, the outer region of the cooked salted yolk gradually changed into dark brown, brown, orange, and then dark brown, whereas the center region changed into light yellow, yellow, dark yellow, and then yellow again. The microstructures of cooked salted egg yolks showed that the yolk spheres in the outer and middle regions retained their original shape, with some shrinking and being packed more loosely when brining time increased, and the exuded oil filled the space between the spheres. Furthermore, the yolk spheres in the center region transformed to a round shape but still showed granulation after 4 wk of brining, whereas they were mostly disrupted after 2 to 5 wk of brining. One of the most important characteristics of cooked salted egg yolks, gritty texture, contributed to oil exudation and granulated yolk spheres were observed at the brining time of 4 wk.

Results of the first detection units of KM3NeT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biagi, Simone; KM3NeT Collaboration

2017-12-01

The KM3NeT collaboration is building a km3-scale neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean Sea. The current phase of construction comprises the deep-sea and onshore infrastructures at two installation sites and the installation of the first detection units for the "ARCA" (Astroparticle Research with Cosmics in the Abyss) and "ORCA" (Oscillation Research with Cosmics in the Abyss) detector. At the KM3NeT-It site, 80 km offshore Capo Passero, Italy, the first 32 detection units for the ARCA detector are being installed and at the KM3Net-Fr site, 40 km offshore Toulon, France, 7 detection units for the ORCA detector will be deployed. The second phase of KM3NeT foresees the completion of ARCA for neutrino astronomy at energies above TeV and ORCA for neutrino mass hierarchy studies at energies in the GeV range. The basic element of the KM3NeT detector is the detection unit. In the ARCA geometry, the detection unit is a 700 m long vertical structure hosting 18 optical modules. Each optical module comprises 31 3 in photomultiplier tubes, instruments to monitor environmental parameters, and the electronic boards for the digitisation of the PMT signals and the management of data acquisition. In their final configuration, both ARCA and ORCA will be composed of about 200 detection units. The first detection unit was installed at the KM3NeT-It site in December 2015. It is active and taking data since its connection to the subsea network. The time of arrival and the duration of photon hits on each of the photomultipliers is measured with a time resolution of 1 ns and transferred onshore where the measurements are processed, triggered and stored on disk. A time calibration procedure, based on data recorded with flashing LED beacons during dedicated periods, allows for time synchronisation of the signals from the optical modules at the nanosecond level. In May 2016, an additional detection unit was installed at the KM3NeT-It site. The first results with two active detection units are presented. An update of the detector status and construction is given.

Origin of dolomitic rocks in the lower Permian Fengcheng formation, Junggar Basin, China: evidence from petrology and geochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Shifa; Qin, Yi; Liu, Xin; Wei, Chengjie; Zhu, Xiaomin; Zhang, Wei

2017-04-01

Although dolomitization of calcite minerals and carbonatization of volcanic rocks have been studied widely, the extensive dolomitic rocks that originated from altered volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks have not been reported. The dolomitic rocks of the Fengcheng Formation in the Junggar Basin of China appear to be formed under unusual geologic conditions. The petrological and geochemical characteristics indicate that the dolomitizing host rock is devitrified volcanic tuff. After low-temperature alteration and calcitization, these tuffaceous rocks are replaced by Mg-rich brine to form massive dolomitic tuffs. We propose that the briny (with -2 ‰ 6 ‰ of δ13CPDB and -5 ‰ 4 ‰ of δ18OPDB) and Mg-rich marine formation water (with 0.7060 0.7087 of 87Sr/86Sr ratio), the thick and intermediate-mafic volcanic ashes, and the tectonically compressional movement may have favored the formation of the unusual dolomitic rocks. We conclude that the proposed origin of the dolomitic rocks can be extrapolated to other similar terranes with volcaniclastic rocks, seabed tuffaceous sediment, and fracture filling of sill.

Effects of plant downtime on the microbial community composition in the highly saline brine of a geothermal plant in the North German Basin.

PubMed

Westphal, Anke; Lerm, Stephanie; Miethling-Graff, Rona; Seibt, Andrea; Wolfgramm, Markus; Würdemann, Hilke

2016-04-01

The microbial biocenosis in highly saline fluids produced from the cold well of a deep geothermal heat store located in the North German Basin was characterized during regular plant operation and immediately after plant downtime phases. Genetic fingerprinting revealed the dominance of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and fermentative Halanaerobiaceae during regular plant operation, whereas after shutdown phases, sequences of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) were also detected. The detection of SOB indicated oxygen ingress into the well during the downtime phase. High 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and dsrA gene copy numbers at the beginning of the restart process showed an enrichment of bacteria, SRB, and SOB during stagnant conditions consistent with higher concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), sulfate, and hydrogen sulfide in the produced fluids. The interaction of SRB and SOB during plant downtimes might have enhanced the corrosion processes occurring in the well. It was shown that scale content of fluids was significantly increased after stagnant phases. Moreover, the sulfur isotopic signature of the mineral scales indicated microbial influence on scale formation.

77 FR 268 - Marine Mammals; File No. 16998

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-04

... of 13,000 Steller sea lions, 200 harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), 10 killer whales (Orcinus orca), 10 humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), and 10 northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus). The permit is...

Saline Lakes: Platforms for Place-Based Scientific Inquiry by K-12 Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godsey, H. S.; Chapman, D. S.; Hynek, S. A.; Jarrell, E.; Johnson, W. P.; Naftz, D. L.; Neuman, C. R.; Uno, K.

2006-12-01

WEST (Water, the Environment, Science and Teaching) is an NSF-funded GK-12 program at the University of Utah. WEST partners graduate students in the sciences with K-12 teachers to enhance inquiry and place- based science teaching in the Salt Lake City urban area. This region is unique in that habitats relating to the entire local hydrologic cycle are accessible within 30 minutes drive of the city. Great Salt Lake, a large closed-basin lake northwest of the city, generates lake-effect snows that fall on the mountains to the east and serves as the terminal point for rivers and streams that drain over 89,000 km2. The lake's salinity ranges from 14-25% and only a few halophilic species are able to survive in its waters. Despite the low diversity, brine shrimp, brine flies, algae and bacteria are abundant in Great Salt Lake and provide the basis of the food chain for millions of migratory shorebirds and waterfowl that feed in the open water, wetlands and saline flats. WEST has teamed up with researchers from the University of Utah, the USGS, the Utah State Dept. of Environmental Quality, local advocacy groups and a private consulting firm to develop a series of projects that involve K-12 students in an actual research project to study the effects of anthropogenic influences on the lake. The study will produce site-specific water-quality standards to protect the invertebrates, shorebirds, and waterfowl that utilize Great Salt Lake. Students will participate in a research cruise on the lake, collecting samples and data to contribute to an online database that will be shared among participating schools. Students will learn about navigation tools, collect and examine brine shrimp, and measure concentrations of optical brighteners and cyanobacteria as indicators of anthropogenic influences to Great Salt Lake. Parts of the southern arm of the lake are stratified into an upper and lower brine layer and the interface between the two layers can be identified by abrupt changes in pH, density, dissolved oxygen and soluble sulfide. Due to this differentiation, the lower, more concentrated layer has long been viewed as a safe repository for heavy metals and various other pollutants that flow into the lake from the surrounding urban and industrial regions. Students will utilize a multiparameter water-quality monitor to measure dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, water temperature, oxidation reduction potential, and pH, and will be queried as to the depth and significance of the deep brine layer. It is hoped that the interactions of the students with the scientists and their involvement in a real research cruise will give context and meaning to the concepts learned and solidify an interest in science and the hemispherically important Great Salt Lake ecosystem.

Organic geochemistry and brine composition in Great Salt, Mono, and Walker Lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Domagalski, Joseph L.; Orem, W.H.; Eugster, H.P.

1989-01-01

Samples of Recent sediments, representing up to 1000 years of accumulation, were collected from three closed basin lakes (Mono Lake, CA, Walker Lake, NV, and Great Salt Lake, UT) to assess the effects of brine composition on the accumulation of total organic carbon, the concentration of dissolved organic carbon, humic acid structure and diagenesis, and trace metal complexation. The Great Salt Lake water column is a stratified Na-Mg-Cl-SO4 brine with low alkalinity. Algal debris is entrained in the high density (1.132-1.190 g/cc) bottom brines, and in this region maximum organic matter decomposition occurs by anaerobic processes, with sulfate ion as the terminal electron acceptor. Organic matter, below 5 cm of the sediment-water interface, degrades at a very slow rate in spite of very high pore-fluid sulfate levels. The organic carbon concentration stabilizes at 1.1 wt%. Mono Lake is an alkaline (Na-CO3-Cl-SO4) system. The water column is stratified, but the bottom brines are of lower density relative to the Great Salt Lake, and sedimentation of algal debris is rapid. Depletion of pore-fluid sulfate, near l m of core, results in a much higher accumulation of organic carbon, approximately 6 wt%. Walker Lake is also an alkaline system. The water column is not stratified, and decomposition of organic matter occurs by aerobic processes at the sediment-water interface and by anaerobic processes below. Total organic carbon and dissolved organic carbon concentrations in Walker Lake sediments vary with location and depth due to changes in input and pore-fluid sulfate concentrations. Nuclear magnetic resonance studies (13C) of humic substances and dissolved organic carbon provide information on the source of the Recent sedimentary organic carbon (aquatic vs. terrestrial), its relative state of decomposition, and its chemical structure. The spectra suggest an algal origin with little terrestrial signature at all three lakes. This is indicated by the ratio of aliphatic to aromatic carbon and the absence of chemical structures indicative of the lignin of vascular plants. The dissolved organic carbon of the Mono Lake pore fluids is structurally related to humic acid and is also related to carbohydrate metabolism. The alkaline pore fluids, due to high pH, solubilize high molecular weight organic matter from the sediments. This hydrophilic material is a metal complexing agent. Despite very high algal productivities, organic carbon accumulation can be low in stratified lakes if the anoxic bottom waters are hypersaline with high concentrations of sulfate ion. Labile organic matter is recycled to the water column and the sedimentary organic matter is relatively nonsusceptible to bacterial metabolism. As a result, pore-fluid dissolved organic carbon and metal-organic complexation are low. ?? 1989.

Arsenophilic Bacterial Processes in Searles Lake: A Salt-saturated, Arsenic-rich, Alkaline Soda Lake.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oremland, R. S.; Kulp, T. R.; Hoeft, S. E.; Miller, L. G.; Swizer Blum, J.; Stolz, J. F.

2005-12-01

Searles Lake, located in the Mojave Desert of California, is essentially a chemically-similar, concentrated version of Mono Lake, but having a much higher salinity (e.g., 340 vs. 90 g/L) and a greater dissolved inorganic arsenic content in its brine (e.g., 3.9 vs. 0.2 mM). The source of all this arsenic ultimately comes from hydrothermal spring inputs, thereby underscoring the importance of volcanic and fluvial processes in transporting this toxic element into these closed basin lakes. Nonetheless, the presence of microbial activities with regard to respiration of arsenate oxyanions under anaerobic conditions and the oxidation of arsenite oxyanions under aerobic conditions can be inferred from porewater profiles taken from handcores retrieved beneath Searles Lake's salt crust. Sediment slurry incubations confirmed biological arsenate respiration and arsenite oxidation, with the former processes notably enhanced by provision of the inorganic electron donor sulfide or H2. Hence, arsenic-linked chemo-autotrophy appears to be an important means of carbon fixation in this system. Subsequent efforts using 73As-arsenate as radiotracer detected dissimilatory arsenate reduction activity down the length of the core, but we were unable to detect any evidence for sulfate-reduction using 35S-sulfate. An extremely halophilic anaerobic bacterium of the order Haloanaerobiales [strain SLAS-1] was isolated from the sediments that grew via arsenate respiration using lactate or sulfide as its electron donors. These results show that, unlike sulfate-reduction, arsenic metabolism (i.e., both oxidation of arsenite and dissimilatory reduction of arsenate) is operative and even vigorous under the extreme conditions of salt-saturation and high pH. The occurrence of arsenophilic microbial processes in Searles Lake is relevant to the search for extant or extinct microbial life on Mars. It is evident from surface imagery that Mars had past episodes of volcanism, fluvial transport, and most likely brine concentration reactions (e.g., evapo- and cryo-concentration) occurring in its early Noachian/Hesperian epochs. We speculate that these processes may have created arsenic-rich, dense brines on the Martian surface or even within its underlying regolith. Whether such brines persisted long enough for prokaryotic life to evolve in them, and if so, was such life capable of adapting to and exploiting arsenic redox reactions for the purpose of generating metabolic energy remain tantalizing, but still hypothetical questions.

Lithium Sorption from Simulated Geothermal Brine: Impact of pH, Temperature, and Brine Chemistry

DOE Data Explorer

Jay Renew

2016-02-06

Lithium sorption information from experiments. Data includes the effects of pH, temperature and brine chemistry on the sorption of Lithium from a simulated geothermal brine. The sorbent used in the experiments is "hydrothermally produced, Spinel-LiMn2O4". The sorbent was produced by Carus Corporation.

UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING RISKS POSED BY BRINES CONTAINING DISSOLVED CARBON DIOXIDE

EPA Science Inventory

Geologic disposal of supercritical carbon dioxide in saline aquifers and depleted oil and gas fields will cause large volumes of brine to become saturated with dissolved CO₂ at concentrations of 50 g/l or more.  As CO₂ dissolves in brine, the brine de...

Distribution of Cathepsin D Activity between Lysosomes and a Soluble Fraction of Marinating Brine.

PubMed

Szymczak, Mariusz

2016-08-01

This paper is the first ever to describe the phenomenon of bimodal distribution of cathepsin D in the lysosomal and soluble fractions of brine left after herring marinating. Up to 2 times higher cathepsin D activity was observed in the lysosome fraction. Activity of cathepsin D in brine increased according to the logarithmic function during low frequency-high power ultrasounds treatment or according to the linear function after multiple freezing-thawing of brine. Activity enhancement was achieved only in the brine devoid of lipids and suspension. Study results show also that measurement of lysosomal cathepsin D activity in the marinating brine requires also determining cathepsin E activity. Decreasing pore size of microfilter from 2.7 to 0.3 μm significantly reduced the lysosome content in the brine. The presence of lysosomes and the possibility of their separation as well as the likely release of cathepsins shall be considered during industrial application of the marinating brine, as new cathepsins preparations in fish and meat technology. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

Brine Pockets in the Icy Shell on Europa: Distribution, Chemistry, and Habitability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zolotov, M. Yu; Shock, E. L.; Barr, A. C.; Pappalardo, R. T.

2004-01-01

On Earth, sea ice is rich in brine, salt, and gas inclusions that form through capturing of seawater during ice formation. Cooling of the ice over time leads to sequential freezing of captured sea-water, precipitation of salts, exsolution of gases, and formation of brine channels and pockets. Distribution and composition of brines in sea ice depend on the rate of ice formation, vertical temperature gradient, and the age of the ice. With aging, the abundance of brine pockets decreases through downward migration. De- spite low temperatures and elevated salinities, brines in sea ice provide a habitat for photosynthetic and chemosynthetic organisms. On Europa, brine pockets and channels could exist in the icy shell that may be from a few km to a few tens of km thick and is probably underlain by a water ocean. If the icy shell is relatively thick, convection could develop, affecting the temperature pattern in the ice. To predict the distribution and chemistry of brine pockets in the icy shell we have combined numerical models of the temperature distribution within a convecting shell, a model for oceanic chemistry, and a model for freezing of Europan oceanic water. Possible effects of brine and gas inclusions on ice rheology and tectonics are discussed.

Moisture variations in brine-salted pasta filata cheese.

PubMed

Kindstedt, P S

2001-01-01

A study was made of the moisture distribution in brine-salted pasta filata cheese. Brine-salted cheeses usually develop reasonably smooth and predictable gradients of decreasing moisture from center to surface, resulting from outward diffusion of moisture in response to inward diffusion of salt. However, patterns of moisture variation within brine-salted pasta filata cheeses, notably pizza cheese, are more variable and less predictable because of the peculiar conditions that occur when warm cheese is immersed in cold brine. In this study, cold brining resulted in less moisture loss from the cheese surface to the brine. Also it created substantial temperature gradients within the cheese, which persisted after brining and influenced the movement of moisture within the cheese independently of that caused by the inward diffusion of salt. Depending on brining conditions and age, pizza cheese may contain decreasing, increasing, or irregular gradients of moisture from center to surface, which may vary considerably at different locations within a single block. This complicates efforts to obtain representative samples for moisture and composition testing. Dicing the entire block into small (e.g., 1.5 cm) cubes and collecting a composite sample after thorough mixing may serve as a practical sampling approach for manufacturers and users of pizza cheese that have ready access to dicing equipment.

Preliminary Feasibility Testing of the BRIC Brine Water Recovery Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Callahan, Michael R.; Pensinger, Stuart; Pickering, Karen D.

2011-01-01

The Brine Residual In-Containment (BRIC) concept was developed as a new technology to recover water from spacecraft wastewater brines. Such capability is considered critical to closing the water loop and achieving a sustained human presence in space. The intention of the BRIC concept is to increase the robustness and efficiency of the dewatering process by performing drying inside the container used for the final disposal of the residual brine solid. Recent efforts in the development of BRIC have focused on preliminary feasibility testing using a laboratory- assembled pre-prototype unit. Observations of the drying behavior of actual brine solutions processed under BRIC-like conditions has been of particular interest. To date, experiments conducted with three types of analogue spacecraft wastewater brines have confirmed the basic premise behind the proposed application of in-place drying for these solutions. Specifically, the dried residual mass from these solutions have tended to exhibit characteristics of adhesion and flow that are expected to continue to challenge process stream management in spacecraft brine dewatering system designs. Yet, these same characteristics may favor the development of capillary- and surface-tension-based approaches envisioned as part of an ultimate microgravity-compatible BRIC design. In addition, preliminary feasibility testing of the BRIC pre-prototype confirmed that high rates of water recovery, up to 98% of the available brine water, may be possible while still removing the majority of the brine contaminants from the influent brine stream. These and other observations from testing are reported.

Impact of Antarctic Polar Front Variability on Southern Ocean Biogeochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freeman, N. M.; Lovenduski, N. S.; Gent, P. R.

2016-12-01

The Antarctic Polar Front (PF) is an important biogeochemical divide in the Southern Ocean, often coinciding with sharp gradients in silicate and nitrate concentration at the surface. Variability in the PF has the potential to influence Southern Ocean biogeochemistry and biological productivity both locally and at the basin scale. Characterizing PF variability is important for contextualizing recent biogeochemical observations from ORCAS, SOCCOM, and the Drake Passage time-series, as well as for understanding how anthropogenic change is influencing Southern Ocean biogeochemistry. Here, we employ a suite of remote sensing observations and output from the Community Earth System Model (CESM) to better understand the relationship between the PF and local biogeochemistry in the Southern Ocean. Using microwave SST measurements spanning 2002-2014 that avoid cloud contamination, we show that the PF has shifted northward (southward) in the Pacific (Indian) sector and intensified at nearly all longitudes along its circumpolar path. We identify the PF in CESM at both coarse (1°x1°) and fine (0.1°x0.1°) horizontal resolutions using temperature and silicate gradient maxima, and quantify its spatial and temporal variability. We further investigate co-variance between the position and intensity of the PF and local phytoplankton community structure.

Risk of high blood pressure in salt workers working near salt milling plants: A cross-sectional and interventional study

PubMed Central

Haldiya, Kripa Ram; Mathur, Murli Lal; Sachdev, Raman; Saiyed, Habibulla N

2005-01-01

Background Workers working close to salt milling plants may inhale salt particles floating in the air, leading to a rise in plasma sodium, which, in turn, may increase the blood pressure and the risk of hypertension. Methods To test the above hypothesis, occupational health check-up camps were organized near salt manufacturing units and all workers were invited for a free health examination. The workers who worked with dry salt in the vicinity of salt milling plants were defined as "non-brine workers," while those working in brine pans located far away from milling plants were defined as "brine workers." Blood pressure (BP) was measured during each clinical examination. In all, 474 non-brine workers and 284 brine workers were studied. Results Mean systolic blood pressure of non-brine workers (122.1 ± 13.3 mm Hg) was significantly higher than that of brine workers (118.8 ± 12.8 mm Hg, p < 0.01). Mean diastolic blood pressure of non-brine workers (71.5 ± 10.4 mm Hg) was significantly higher than that of brine workers (69.7 ± 9.4 mm Hg, p = 0.02). The prevalence of hypertension was significantly higher in non-brine workers (12.2%) than in brine workers (7.0%, p = 0.02). Nineteen salt workers were monitored while they used face masks and spectacles, for six days. Systolic, as well as diastolic, blood pressure of these workers began declining on the third day and continued to decline on the fourth day, but remained stationary up to the sixth day. The concentration of salt particles in the breathing zone of these workers was 376 mg/m3 air. Conclusion Inhalation of salt particles in non-brine workers may be an occupational cause of increased blood pressure. PMID:16042798

48 CFR 252.204-7007 - Alternate A, Annual Representations and Certifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...—Representation. Applies to all solicitations with institutions of higher education. (iii) 252.216-7008, Economic... https://www.acquisition.gov/. After reviewing the ORCA database information, the offeror verifies by...

75 FR 18160 - Marine Mammals; File No. 1100-1849

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-09

..., 2007 (72 FR 14525), authorizes the permit holder to take 10 killer whales (Orcinus orca) of the Eastern North Pacific Transient Stock, 10 gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus), and 10 minke whales (Balaenoptera...

Optimal boundary conditions for ORCA-2 model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazantsev, Eugene

2013-08-01

A 4D-Var data assimilation technique is applied to ORCA-2 configuration of the NEMO in order to identify the optimal parametrization of boundary conditions on the lateral boundaries as well as on the bottom and on the surface of the ocean. The influence of boundary conditions on the solution is analyzed both within and beyond the assimilation window. It is shown that the optimal bottom and surface boundary conditions allow us to better represent the jet streams, such as Gulf Stream and Kuroshio. Analyzing the reasons of the jets reinforcement, we notice that data assimilation has a major impact on parametrization of the bottom boundary conditions for u and v. Automatic generation of the tangent and adjoint codes is also discussed. Tapenade software is shown to be able to produce the adjoint code that can be used after a memory usage optimization.

ORCA: measuring the neutrino mass hierarchy with atmospheric neutrinos in the Mediterranean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Elewyck, Véronique; KM3NeT Collaboration

2015-04-01

Since the measurement of the mixing angle θ13, the determination of the neutrino mass hierarchy has become a central challenge of neutrino physics. Recent studies have pointed out that it could reveal itself in the atmospheric neutrino sector, where oscillations are affected by Earth matter effects. This contribution reports on the ORCA feasibility study for such a measurement with an underwater Cherenkov detector based on the technology developed for the KM3NeT neutrino telescope. The baseline performances are discussed for a reference detector with 50 instrumented lines. Preliminary projections, based on the muon channel only, indicate that a 3 — 5σ significance measurement is within reach of a detector with an exposure of the order of 20 Mton years. Further improvement is expected to come from the electron channel, which is currently under study.

Dissolved-mineral inflow to Great Salt Lake and chemical characteristics of the salt lake brine. Part I: Selected hydrologic data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hahl, D.C.; Mitchell, C.G.

1963-01-01

This report presents the data collected for a study of the dissolved-mineral load contributed by surficial sources to Great Salt Lake, Utah. The study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the University of Utah during the period from July 1959 through June 1962, and is part of an overall investigation of the Great Salt Lake basin by the University. Financial support for the study was provided by the U.S. Geological Survey and by the University of Utah Research Fund and Uniform School Fund. Some of the data presented in this report were obtained as part of cooperative programs between the Geological Survey and other agencies.

Brine Extraction and Treatment Strategies to Enhance Pressure Management and Control of CO 2 Plumes in Deep Geologic Formations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Okwen, Roland; Frailey, Scott; Dastgheib, Seyed

The overall goal of the this project is to develop and validate pressure management and carbon dioxide (CO 2) plume control strategies that can address technical and economic barriers to commercial deployment of CO 2 storage technologies, based on computational and field demonstration work at the Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) facility where the Illinois Basin–Decatur Project (IBDP) and the Illinois-Industrial Carbon Capture and Storage (IL-ICCS) projects are located. To accomplish the overall goal, the ISGS designed a brine extraction storage test (BEST) that could be completed in two phases. The goal of BEST Phase I was to evaluate themore » feasibilities of extraction well(s) placement, the brine extraction to CO 2 injection rate ratio, extraction well completion, and brine treatment and handling. The goal of BEST Phase II would be to validate the brine extraction and treatment options deemed feasible in Phase I by (1) demonstrating the efficacy of brine extraction (BE) in managing pressure (i.e., formation) and the CO 2 plume, and (2) demonstrating treatment of extracted brine with high total dissolved solids (TDS; >200,000 mg/L) using multiple advanced treatment technologies. This report details work done in Phase I. Several brine extraction and treatment scenarios were tested, simulated, and analyzed for their effectiveness in extracting brine. Initially a vertical well was studied; however, geologic modeling, reservoir modeling, and the existing facility and wellbore infrastructure dictated that the location of a vertical brine extraction well was limited to an area with no existing monitoring wells and where the well would be in relative proximity to an existing CO 2 plume. Consequently, a vertical well was excluded, and a horizontal brine extraction well placed above the existing CO 2 plume near two existing wells was studied. The horizontal well option allows the project to leverage the availability of cased-hole logs and cross-well tomography to monitor CO 2 saturation and plume distribution, respectively. Because of the proximity of the horizontal well option to two existing wells, no additional monitoring well (or caprock penetration) is required. The recommended brine extraction pilot design options are (1) a horizontal extraction well at the base of the Middle Mt. Simon, which is 350–520 ft (107–158 m) above the CO 2 plume at CCS#1 and VW#1; or (2) a vertical extraction well 0.5 mi (0.8 km) from CCS#2 in a direction approximately southeast of CCS#2, perpendicular to the direction of high hydraulic connectivity. A horizontal extraction well has advantages over a vertical extraction well, including less risk of drilling into an existing CO 2 plume and it can be located between two other wells that can be used for monitoring. Thus, because the two existing wells can serve as monitoring wells, it eliminates the need for a third verification well and allows for a lower extraction rate to control the CO 2 plume and pressure. Managing pressure and the CO 2 plume distribution via brine extraction creates the obvious and important challenge of handling and treating the extracted brine. There were three options for brine disposal: (1) underground injection control (UIC) disposal well, (2) brine treatment and industrial use, and (3) brine pretreatment and discharge into municipal wastewater system. The primary design elements were budget and permitting requirements. The disposal well would be a vertical well drilled and completed into the Potosi Dolomite. For the range of extraction rates anticipated, the cost of this well is relatively constant. The cost of brine treatment is highly depends on the extraction rate, which depends on the well orientation. If relatively high rates are required, the vertical disposal well option is more favorable; for relatively lower rates, the two brine treatment options have lower costs. Life-cycle-analysis studies on extracted brine handling options suggest that a UIC well has a lower environmental impact than brine treatment. Both brine disposal options using brine treatment require removal of suspended solids from the extracted brine. The most suitable commercially available technology and the most promising emerging and innovative technology are recommended for implementation in Phase II. Though the challenges of this project are written specific to Decatur, every CO 2 storage site considering the use of brine extraction integrated with CO 2 storage will have similar, if not identical, technical and logistical challenges.« less

4D Geomodeling: a Tool for Targeting New Potential Mineralization - Example of the Kupferschiefer in the Lubin Region, Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mejia-Herrera, Pablo; Royer, Jean-Jacques; Fraboulet, Jean-Gabriel; Zielinska, Agata

2013-04-01

Understanding the history of sedimentary basins is of paramount importance for reconstituting oil and gas migration, but also in mineral exploration for identifying brine pathways. Advanced modeling technology such as 3&4D geomodeling can be fruitfully used to explore with new eyes old matured mining field. The Polish Kupferschiefers, a sediment-hosted polymetallic (Cu, Ag, Au, PGE) deposit, is one of the most important sources for copper and silver in the world. Within the framework of the ProMine European project, the Lubin region (south west of Poland), was selected for modeling in 3&4D the geological formations in order to better understand the distribution of the Cu-Ag mineralization, and possibly to define new potential targets. A regional scale 4D reconstitution of the North European basin was undertaken to better understand the burial, deformation and natural hydro-fracturing history of the Lubin Kupferschiefer. It comprises the creation of a 3D model of the present geological formation including more than 200 wells coming from the mining exploitation of the Kupferschiefer, cross sections from seismic exploration and geological maps. This 3D model has been then restored and decompacted using the Kine3D-2 Gocad plug-in. The PetroMode 1D was then used to reconstitute the temperatures, pressures, fluid overpressure, and oil and gas maturation during the burying history of the Southern-Western Poland basin. Conditions for hydraulic fracturing were identified within the base of the Zechstein shales, during an inversion phase at the Late Cretaceous-Early Paleocene time. This up-lifting yields the conditions for hydrothermal recirculation of mineralizing brines explaining the location of Cu (Cu-Fe) sulfides ores in the area. The low permeable Zechstein series (including evaporite, clays and marls) seem to have played an important role as an impermeable cover confining the hydrothermal fluids in the pre-Triassic series. The 4D restoring-decompacting modeling allows reconstituting the burial, deformation and natural hydro-fracturing history of intra-basin sediment-hosted ore deposits. In the Lubin region, the obtained results show a good agreement between the spatial hydro-fracturing index and the emplacement of the Cu (Cu-Fe) sulfides exploited today. The above research received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Program under grant agreement 228559 (ProMine project). Mejia P., Royer J.J. and A. Zielińska (2012a) - Late Cretaceous-Early Paleocene up-lift inversion in northern Europe: implications for the Kupferschiefer ore deposit in the Lubin-Sieroszowice Mining District, Poland. Promine Workshop on Mineral Resources Potential Maps, Nancy, March, France, 8p

GEOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF CO₂-BRINE-ROCK INTERACTIONS OF THE KNOX GROUP IN THE ILLINOIS BASIN

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yoksoulian, Lois; Berger, Peter; Freiburg, Jared

Increased output of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide (CO₂), into the atmosphere from anthropogenic sources is of great concern. A potential technology to reduce CO₂ emissions is geologic carbon sequestration. This technology is currently being evaluated in the United States and throughout the world. The geology of the Illinois Basin exhibits outstanding potential as a carbon sequestration target, as demonstrated by the ongoing Illinois Basin – Decatur Project that is using the Mt. Simon Sandstone reservoir and Eau Claire Shale seal system to store and contain 1 million tonnes of CO₂. The Knox Group-Maquoketa Shale reservoir and seal system, locatedmore » stratigraphically above the Mt. Simon Sandstone-Eau Claire Shale reservoir and seal system, has little economic value as a resource for fossil fuels or as a potable water source, making it ideal as a potential carbon sequestration target. In order for a reservoir-seal system to be effective, it must be able to contain the injected CO₂ without the potential for the release of harmful contaminants liberated by the reaction between CO₂-formation fluids and reservoir and seal rocks. This study examines portions of the Knox Group (Potosi Dolomite, Gunter Sandstone, New Richmond Sandstone) and St. Peter Sandstone, and Maquoketa Shale from various locations around the Illinois Basin. A total of 14 rock and fluid samples were exposed to simulated sequestration conditions (9101–9860 kPa [1320–1430 psi] and 32°–42°C [90°– 108°F]) for varying amounts of time (6 hours to 4 months). Knox Group reservoir rocks exhibited dissolution of dolomite in the presence of CO₂ as indicated by petrographic examination, X-ray diffraction analysis, and fluid chemistry analysis. These reactions equilibrated rapidly, and geochemical modeling confirmed that these reactions reached equilibrium within the time frames of the experiments. Pre-reaction sample mineralogy and postreaction fluid geochemistry from this study suggests only limited potential for the release of United States Environmental Protection Agency regulated inorganic contaminants into potable water sources. Short-term core flood experiments further verify that the carbonate reactions occurring in Knox Group reservoir samples reach equilibrium rapidly. The core flood experiments also lend insight to pressure changes that may occur during CO₂ injection. The Maquoketa Shale experiments reveal that this rock is initially chemically reactive when in contact with CO₂ and brine. However, due to the conservative nature of silicate and clay reaction kinetics and the rapid equilibration of carbonate reactions that occur in the shale, these reactions would not present a significant risk to the competency of the shale as an effective seal rock.« less

The giant Carlin gold province: A protracted interplay of orogenic, basinal, and hydrothermal processes above a lithospheric boundary

USGS Publications Warehouse

Emsbo, P.; Groves, D.I.; Hofstra, A.H.; Bierlein, F.P.

2006-01-01

Northern Nevada hosts the only province that contains multiple world-class Carlin-type gold deposits. The first-order control on the uniqueness of this province is its anomalous far back-arc tectonic setting over the rifted North American paleocontinental margin that separates Precambrian from Phanerozoic subcontinental lithospheric mantle. Globally, most other significant gold provinces form in volcanic arcs and accreted terranes proximal to convergent margins. In northern Nevada, periodic reactivation of basement faults along this margin focused and amplified subsequent geological events. Early basement faults localized Devonian synsedimentary extension and normal faulting. These controlled the geometry of the Devonian sedimentary basin architecture and focused the discharge of basinal brines that deposited syngenetic gold along the basin margins. Inversion of these basins and faults during subsequent contraction produced the complex elongate structural culminations that characterize the anomalous mineral deposit "trends." Subsequently, these features localized repeated episodes of shallow magmatic and hydrothermal activity that also deposited some gold. During a pulse of Eocene extension, these faults focused advection of Carlin-type fluids, which had the opportunity to leach gold from gold-enriched sequences and deposit it in reactive miogeoclinal host rocks below the hydrologic seal at the Roberts Mountain thrust contact. Hence, the vast endowment of the Carlin province resulted from the conjunction of spatially superposed events localized by long-lived basement structures in a highly anomalous tectonic setting, rather than by the sole operation of special magmatic or fluid-related processes. An important indicator of the longevity of this basement control is the superposition of different gold deposit types (e.g., Sedex, porphyry, Carlin-type, epithermal, and hot spring deposits) that formed repeatedly between the Devonian and Miocene time along the trends. Interestingly, the large Cretaceous Alaska-Yukon intrusion-related gold deposits (e.g., Fort Knox) are associated with the northern extension of the same lithospheric margin in the Selwyn basin, which experienced an analogous series of geologic events. ?? Springer-Verlag 2006.

Towards a model-based understanding of the Mediterranean circulation during the Messinian Salinity Crisis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simon, Dirk; Meijer, Paul

2016-04-01

Today, the Atlantic-Mediterranean gateway (the Strait of Gibraltar) and the strong evaporative loss in the east let the Mediterranean Sea attain a salinity of 2-3 g/l higher than the Atlantic Ocean. During the winter months, strong cooling of surface waters in the north forms deep water, which mixes the Mediterranean, while during summer the water column is stratified. During the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC, 5.97-5.33Ma) the salt concentration was high enough to reach the saturation of gypsum (~130-160 g/l) and halite (~350 g/l). This caused large deposits of these evaporites all over the basin, capturing 6% of the World Ocean salt within the Mediterranean at the time. Although several mechanisms have been proposed as to how the Mediterranean circulation might have functioned, these mechanisms have yet to be rooted in physics and tested quantitatively. Understanding circulation during the MSC becomes particularly important when comparing Mediterranean marginal to deep basins. On the one hand, many of the marginal basins in the Mediterranean are well studied, like the Sorbas basin (Spain) or the Vena del Gesso basin (Italy). On the other hand, the deep Mediterranean is less well studied, as no full record of the whole deep sequence exists. This makes it very complicated to correlate marginal and deep basin records. Here we are presenting the first steps in working towards a physics-based understanding of the mixing and stratification bahaviour of the Mediterranean Sea during the MSC. The final goal is to identify the physical mechanism needed to form such a salt brine and to understand how it differs from today's situation. We are hoping to compare our results to, and learn from, the much smaller but best available analog to the MSC, the Dead Sea, where recent overturning has been documented.

Reactive Transport Modeling Investigation of High Dissolved Sulfide Concentrations in Sedimentary Basin Rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, M.; Mayer, U. K.; MacQuarrie, K. T. B.

2017-12-01

Water with total dissolved sulfide in excess of 1 mmol L-1is widely found in groundwater at intermediate depths in sedimentary basins, including regions of the Michigan basin in southeastern Ontario, Canada. Conversely, at deeper and shallower depths, relatively low total dissolved sulfide concentrations have been reported. The mechanisms responsible for the occurrence of these brackish sulfide-containing waters are not fully understood. Anaerobic microbial sulfate reduction is a common process resulting in the formation of high sulfide concentrations. Sulfate reduction rates depend on many factors including the concentration of sulfate, the abundance of organic substances, redox conditions, temperature, salinity and the species of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB). A sedimentary basin-specific conceptual model considering the effect of salinity on the rate of sulfate reduction was developed and implemented in the reactive transport model MIN3P-THCm. Generic 2D basin-scale simulations were undertaken to provide a potential explanation for the dissolved sulfide distribution observed in the Michigan basin. The model is 440 km in the horizontal dimension and 4 km in depth, and contains fourteen sedimentary rock units including shales, sandstones, limestones, dolostone and evaporites. The main processes considered are non-isothermal density dependent flow, kinetically-controlled mineral dissolution/precipitation and its feedback on hydraulic properties, cation exchange, redox reactions, biogenic sulfate reduction, and hydromechanical coupling due to glaciation-deglaciation events. Two scenarios were investigated focusing on conditions during an interglacial period and the transient evolution during a glaciation-deglaciation cycle. Inter-glaciation simulations illustrate that the presence of high salinity brines strongly suppress biogenic sulfate reduction. The transient simulations show that glaciation-deglaciation cycles can have an impact on the maximum depth of elevated sulfide concentrations due to freshwater ingress and enhanced mixing. In all simulations the highest concentrations of total sulfide occur at depths of approximately 150 m, while concentrations at depths greater than 300 m typically remain below 0.03 mmol L-1, comparing well with observational data.

First status report on regional ground-water flow modeling for the Paradox Basin, Utah

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andrews, R.W.

1984-05-01

Regional ground-water flow within the principal hydrogeologic units of the Paradox Basin is evaluated by developing a conceptual model of the flow regime in the shallow aquifers and the deep-basin brine aquifers and testing these models using a three-dimensional, finite-difference flow code. Semiquantitative sensitivity analysis (a limited parametric study) is conducted to define the system response to changes in hydrologic properties or boundary conditions. A direct method for sensitivity analysis using an adjoint form of the flow equation is applied to the conceptualized flow regime in the Leadville limestone aquifer. All steps leading to the final results and conclusions aremore » incorporated in this report. The available data utilized in this study is summarized. The specific conceptual models, defining the areal and vertical averaging of litho-logic units, aquifer properties, fluid properties, and hydrologic boundary conditions, are described in detail. Two models were evaluated in this study: a regional model encompassing the hydrogeologic units above and below the Paradox Formation/Hermosa Group and a refined scale model which incorporated only the post Paradox strata. The results are delineated by the simulated potentiometric surfaces and tables summarizing areal and vertical boundary fluxes, Darcy velocities at specific points, and ground-water travel paths. Results from the adjoint sensitivity analysis include importance functions and sensitivity coefficients, using heads or the average Darcy velocities to represent system response. The reported work is the first stage of an ongoing evaluation of the Gibson Dome area within the Paradox Basin as a potential repository for high-level radioactive wastes.« less

The iron source in phreatomagmatic pipes in the Tunguska Basin (eastern Siberia): insights into hydrothermal-metasomatic leaching processes from Fe isotopes, microstructures, and mass balances.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

John, Timm; Svensen, Henrik; Weyer, Stefan; Polozov, Alexander; Planke, Sverre

2010-05-01

The Siberian iron-bearing phreatomagmatic pipes represent world class Fe-ore deposit, and 5-6 are currently mined in eastern Siberia. The pipes formed within the vast Tunguska Basin, cutting thick accumulations of carbonates (dolostones) and evaporites (anhydrite, halite, dolostone). These sediments were intruded by the sub-volcanic part of the Siberian Traps at 252 Ma, and sills and dykes are abundant throughout the basin. The pipes formed during sediment-magma interactions in the deep parts of the basin, and the degassing is believed to have triggered the end-Permian environmental crisis. A major problem with understanding the pipe formation is related to the source of iron. Available hypotheses state that the iron was leached from a Fe-enriched magmatic melt that incorporated dolostones. It is currently unclear how the magmatic, hydrothermal, and sedimentary processes interacted to form the deposits, as there are no actual constraints to pin down the iron source. We hypothesize two end-member scenarios to account for the magnetite enrichment and deposition, which is testable by analyzing Fe-isotopes of magnetite: 1) Iron sourced from dolerite magma through leaching and metasomatism by chloride brines. 2) Leaching of iron from sedimentary rocks (shale, dolostone) during magma-sediment interactions. We focus on understanding the Fe-isotopic architecture of the pipes in order constrain the source of the Fe and the mechanism that caused this significant Fe redistribution. We further evaluate possible fractionation during fast metasomatic ore-forming process that took place soon after pipe formation.

Evidence for Late-Paleozoic brine migration in Cambrian carbonate rocks of the central and southern Appalachians: Implications for Mississippi Valley-type sulfide mineralization

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hearn, P.P.; Sutter, J.F.; Belkin, H.E.

1987-01-01

Many Lower Paleozoic limestones and dolostones in the Valley and Ridge province of the central and southern Appalachians contain 10 to 25 weight percent authigenic potassium feldspar. This was considered to be a product of early diagenesis, however, 40Ar 39Ar analyses of overgrowths on detrital K-feldspar in Cambrian carbonate rocks from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Tennessee yield Late Carboniferous-Early Permian ages (278-322 Ma). Simple mass balance calculations suggest that the feldspar could not have formed isochemically, but required the flux of multiple pore volumes of fluid through the rocks, reflecting regional fluid migration events during the Late-Paleozoic Alleghanian orogeny. Microthermometric measurements of fluid inclusions in overgrowths on detrital K-feldspar and quartz grains from unmineralized rocks throughout the study area indicate homogenization temperatures from 100?? to 200??C and freezing point depressions of -14?? to -18.5??C (18-21 wt.% NaCl equiv). The apparent similarity of these fluids to fluid inclusions in ore and gangue minerals of nearby Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) deposits suggests that the regional occurrences of authigenic K-feldspar and MVT mineralization may be genetically related. This hypothesis is supported by the discovery of authigenic K-feldspar intergrown with sphalerite in several mines of the Mascot-Jefferson City District, E. Tennessee. Regional potassic alteration in unmineralized carbonate rocks and localized occurrences of MVT mineralization are both explainable by a gravity-driven flow model, in which deep brines migrate towards the basin margin under a hydraulic gradient established during the Alleghanian orogeny. The authigenic K-feldspar may reflect the loss of K during disequilibrium cooling of the ascending brines. MVT deposits are probably localized manifestations of the same migrating fluids, occurring where the necessary physical and chemical traps are present. ?? 1987.

Detectability of Wellbore CO2 Leakage using the Magnetotelluric Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, X.; Buscheck, T. A.; Mansoor, K.; Carroll, S.

2016-12-01

We assessed the effectiveness of the magnetotelluric (MT) method in detecting CO2 and brine leakage through a wellbore, which penetrates a CO2 storage reservoir, into overlying aquifers, 0 to 1720 m in depth, in support of the USDOE National Risk Assessment Partnership (NRAP) monitoring program. Synthetic datasets based on the Kimberlina site in the southern San Joaquin Basin, California were created using CO2 storage reservoir models, wellbore leakage models, and groundwater/geochemical models of the overlying aquifers. The species concentrations simulated with the groundwater/geochemical models were converted into bulk electrical conductivity (EC) distributions as the MT model input. Brine and CO2 leakage into the overlying aquifers increases ion concentrations, and thus results in an EC increase, which may be detected by the MT method. Our objective was to estimate and maximize the probability of leakage detection using the MT method. The MT method is an electromagnetic geophysical technique that images the subsurface EC distribution by measuring natural electric and magnetic fields in the frequency range from 0.01 Hz to 1 kHz with sensors on the ground surface. The ModEM software was used to predict electromagnetic responses from brine and CO2 leakage and to invert synthetic MT data for recovery of subsurface conductivity distribution. We are in the process of building 1000 simulations for ranges of permeability, leakage flux, and hydraulic gradient to study leakage detectability and to develop an optimization method to answer when, where and how an MT monitoring system should be deployed to maximize the probability of leakage detection. This work was sponsored by the USDOE Fossil Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, managed by Traci Rodosta and Andrea McNemar. This work was performed under the auspices of the USDOE by LLNL under contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. LLNL IM release number is LLNL-ABS-699276.

Major element compositions of fluid inclusions from hydrothermal vein-type deposits record eroded sedimentary units in the Schwarzwald district, SW Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, Benjamin F.; Burisch, Mathias; Marks, Michael A. W.; Markl, Gregor

2017-12-01

Mixing of sedimentary formation fluids with basement-derived brines is an important mechanism for the formation of hydrothermal veins. We focus on the sources of the sediment-derived fluid component in ore-forming processes and present a comprehensive fluid inclusion study on 84 Jurassic hydrothermal veins from the Schwarzwald mining district (SW Germany). Our data derive from about 2300 fluid inclusions and reveal differences in the average fluid composition between the northern, central, and southern Schwarzwald. Fluids from the northern and southern Schwarzwald are characterised by high salinities (18-26 wt% NaCl+CaCl2), low Ca/(Ca+Na) mole ratios (0.1-0.4), and variable Cl/Br mass ratios (30-1140). In contrast, fluids from the central Schwarzwald show even higher salinities (23-27 wt% NaCl+CaCl2), higher Ca/(Ca+Na) mole ratios (0.2-0.9), and less variable Cl/Br mass ratios (40-130). These fluid compositions correlate with the nature and thickness of the now eroded sedimentary cover rocks. Compared to the northern and the southern Schwarzwald, where halite precipitation occurred during the Middle Triassic, the sedimentary basin in the central Schwarzwald was relatively shallow at this time and no halite was precipitated. Accordingly, Cl/Br ratios of fluids from the central Schwarzwald provide no evidence for the reaction of a sedimentary brine with halite, whereas those from the northern and southern Schwarzwald do. Instead, elevated Ca/(Ca+Na), high SO4 contents, and relatively low Cl/Br imply the presence of a gypsum dissolution brine during vein formation in the central Schwarzwald which agrees with the reconstructed regional Triassic geology. Hence, the information archived in fluid inclusions from hydrothermal veins in the crystalline basement has the potential for reconstructing sedimentary rocks in the former overburden.

Cost-effective bioregeneration of nitrate-laden ion exchange brine through deliberate bicarbonate incorporation.

PubMed

Li, Qi; Huang, Bin; Chen, Xin; Shi, Yi

2015-05-15

Bioregeneration of nitrate-laden ion exchange brine is desired to minimize its environmental impacts, but faces common challenges, i.e., enriching sufficient salt-tolerant denitrifying bacteria and stabilizing brine salinity and alkalinity for stable brine biotreatment and economically removing undesired organics derived in biotreatment. Incorporation of 0.25 M bicarbonate in 0.5 M chloride brine little affected resin regeneration but created a benign alkaline condition to favor bio-based brine regeneration. The first-quarter sulfate-mainly enriched spent brine (SB) was acidified with carbon source acetic acid for using CaCl2 at an efficiency >80% to remove sulfate. Residual Ca(2+) was limited below 2 mM by re-mixing the first-quarter and remained SB to favor denitrification. Under [Formula: see text] system buffered pH condition (8.3-8.8), nitrate was removed at 0.90 gN/L/d by hematite-enriched well-settled activated sludge (SVI 8.5 ml/g) and the biogenic alkalinity was retained as bicarbonate. The biogenic alkalinity met the need of alkalinity in removing residual Ca(2+) after sulfate removal and in CaCl2-induced CaCO3 flocculation to remove 63% of soluble organic carbon (SOC) in biotreated brine. Carbon-limited denitrification was also operated after activated sludge acclimation with sulfide to cut SOC formation during denitrification. Overall, this bicarbonate-incorporation approach, stabilizing the brine salinity and alkalinity for stable denitrification and economical removal of undesired SOC, suits long-term cost-effective brine bioregeneration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study of mixed mode fracture toughness and fracture trajectories in gypsum interlayers in corrosive environment

PubMed Central

Xiankai, Bao; Jinchang, Zhao

2018-01-01

Based on the engineering background of water dissolving mining for hydrocarbon storage in multi-laminated salt stratum, the mixed mode fracture toughness and fracture trajectory of gypsum interlayers soaked in half-saturated brine at various temperatures (20°C, 50°C and 80°C) were studied by using CSNBD (centrally straight-notched Brazilian disc) specimens with required inclination angles (0°, 7°, 15°, 22°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, 90°) and SEM (scanning electron microscopy). The results showed: (i) The fracture load of gypsum specimens first decreased then increased with increasing inclination angle, due to the effect of friction coefficient. When soaked in brine, the fracture toughness of gypsum specimens gradually decreased with increasing brine temperature. (ii) When soaked in brine, the crystal boundaries of gypsum separated and became clearer, and the boundaries became more open between the crystals with increasing brine temperature. Besides, tensile micro-cracks appeared on the gypsum crystals when soaked in 50°C brine, and the intensity of tensile cracks became more severe when soaking in 80°C brine. (iii) The experimental fracture envelopes derived from the conventional fracture criteria and lay outside these conventional criteria. The experimental fracture envelopes were dependent on the brine temperature and gradually expanded outward as brine temperature increases. (iv) The size of FPZ (fracture process zone) was greatly dependent on the damage degree of materials and gradually increased with increase of brine temperature. The study has important implication for the control of shape and size of salt cavern. PMID:29410841

Geochemical and strontium isotope characterization of produced waters from Marcellus Shale natural gas extraction.

PubMed

Chapman, Elizabeth C; Capo, Rosemary C; Stewart, Brian W; Kirby, Carl S; Hammack, Richard W; Schroeder, Karl T; Edenborn, Harry M

2012-03-20

Extraction of natural gas by hydraulic fracturing of the Middle Devonian Marcellus Shale, a major gas-bearing unit in the Appalachian Basin, results in significant quantities of produced water containing high total dissolved solids (TDS). We carried out a strontium (Sr) isotope investigation to determine the utility of Sr isotopes in identifying and quantifying the interaction of Marcellus Formation produced waters with other waters in the Appalachian Basin in the event of an accidental release, and to provide information about the source of the dissolved solids. Strontium isotopic ratios of Marcellus produced waters collected over a geographic range of ~375 km from southwestern to northeastern Pennsylvania define a relatively narrow set of values (ε(Sr)(SW) = +13.8 to +41.6, where ε(Sr) (SW) is the deviation of the (87)Sr/(86)Sr ratio from that of seawater in parts per 10(4)); this isotopic range falls above that of Middle Devonian seawater, and is distinct from most western Pennsylvania acid mine drainage and Upper Devonian Venango Group oil and gas brines. The uniformity of the isotope ratios suggests a basin-wide source of dissolved solids with a component that is more radiogenic than seawater. Mixing models indicate that Sr isotope ratios can be used to sensitively differentiate between Marcellus Formation produced water and other potential sources of TDS into ground or surface waters.

Evaluation of the Malaga Bend salinity alleviation project, Eddy County, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kunkler, J.L.

1980-01-01

In an effort to reduce the flow of brine springs in the Malaga Bend reach of the Pecos River in southeastern New Mexico, brine was pumped from an aquifer underlying the Malaga Bend reach to a local depression known as Anderson Lake. The attempt to improve the quality of river water with this experiment was not successful because brine leakage from Anderson Lake to the nearby Pecos River through permeable subsurface rocks was greater than the previous natural spring inflow. Brine leakage from Anderson Lake from July 22, 1963, through September 30, 1968, was estimated by evaporation-pan, salt accumulation, and dissolved-constituent methods. The leakage values given by these three methods are in good agreement with each other and indicate that between the dates given, leakage from the lake was about 2 ,300 acre-feet, compared with a brine inflow to the lake of about 3,690 acre-feet. Other data indicate that pumping from the brine aquifer greatly reduced the natural inflow from brine springs to the Malaga Bend reach. The rate of brine leakage from Anderson Lake is probably greater than might be expected from other brine lakes in the area because the cavities in the bottom of the lake apparently are in hydrologic connection with the Pecos River. This connection is shown by a relation between the salinity of the Pecos River and the reservoir stage of Anderson Lake. (USGS)

Ice Generation and the Heat and Mass Transfer Phenomena of Introducing Water to a Cold Bath of Brine.

PubMed

Yun, Xiao; Quarini, Giuseppe L

2017-03-13

We demonstrate a method for the study of the heat and mass transfer and of the freezing phenomena in a subcooled brine environment. Our experiment showed that, under the proper conditions, ice can be produced when water is introduced to a bath of cold brine. To make ice form, in addition to having the brine and water mix, the rate of heat transfer must bypass that of mass transfer. When water is introduced in the form of tiny droplets to the brine surface, the mode of heat and mass transfer is by diffusion. The buoyancy stops water from mixing with the brine underneath, but as the ice grows thicker, it slows down the rate of heat transfer, making ice more difficult to grow as a result. When water is introduced inside the brine in the form of a flow, a number of factors are found to influence how much ice can form. Brine temperature and concentration, which are the driving forces of heat and mass transfer, respectively, can affect the water-to-ice conversion ratio; lower bath temperatures and brine concentrations encourage more ice to form. The flow rheology, which can directly affect both the heat and mass transfer coefficients, is also a key factor. In addition, the flow rheology changes the area of contact of the flow with the bulk fluid.

Corrosion of iron by iodide-oxidizing bacteria isolated from brine in an iodine production facility.

PubMed

Wakai, Satoshi; Ito, Kimio; Iino, Takao; Tomoe, Yasuyoshi; Mori, Koji; Harayama, Shigeaki

2014-10-01

Elemental iodine is produced in Japan from underground brine (fossil salt water). Carbon steel pipes in an iodine production facility at Chiba, Japan, for brine conveyance were found to corrode more rapidly than those in other facilities. The corroding activity of iodide-containing brine from the facility was examined by immersing carbon steel coupons in "native" and "filter-sterilized" brine samples. The dissolution of iron from the coupons immersed in native brine was threefold to fourfold higher than that in the filter-sterilized brine. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analyses revealed that iodide-oxidizing bacteria (IOBs) were predominant in the coupon-containing native brine samples. IOBs were also detected in a corrosion deposit on the inner surface of a corroded pipe. These results strongly suggested the involvement of IOBs in the corrosion of the carbon steel pipes. Of the six bacterial strains isolated from a brine sample, four were capable of oxidizing iodide ion (I(-)) into molecular iodine (I(2)), and these strains were further phylogenetically classified into two groups. The iron-corroding activity of each of the isolates from the two groups was examined. Both strains corroded iron in the presence of potassium iodide in a concentration-dependent manner. This is the first report providing direct evidence that IOBs are involved in iron corrosion. Further, possible mechanisms by which IOBs corrode iron are discussed.

Ore genesis constraints on the Idaho Cobalt Belt from fluid inclusion gas, noble gas isotope, and ion ratio analyses

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hofstra, Albert H.; Landis, Gary P.

2012-01-01

The Idaho cobalt belt is a 60-km-long alignment of deposits composed of cobaltite, Co pyrite, chalcopyrite, and gold with anomalous Nb, Y, Be, and rare-earth elements (REEs) in a quartz-biotite-tourmaline gangue hosted in Mesoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks of the Lemhi Group. It is the largest cobalt resource in the United States with historic production from the Blackbird Mine. All of the deposits were deformed and metamorphosed to upper greenschist-lower amphibolite grade in the Cretaceous. They occur near a 1377 Ma anorogenic bimodal plutonic complex. The enhanced solubility of Fe, Co, Cu, and Au as chloride complexes together with gangue biotite rich in Fe and Cl and gangue quartz containing hypersaline inclusions allows that hot saline fluids were involved. The isotopes of B in gangue tourmaline are suggestive of a marine source, whereas those of Pb in ore suggest a U ± Th-enriched source. The ore and gangue minerals in this belt may have trapped components in fluid inclusions that are distinct from those in post-ore minerals and metamorphic minerals. Such components can potentially be identified and distinguished by their relative abundances in contrasting samples. Therefore, we obtained samples of Co and Cu sulfides, gangue quartz, biotite, and tourmaline and post-ore quartz veins as well as Cretaceous metamorphic garnet and determined the gas, noble gas isotope, and ion ratios of fluid inclusion extracts by mass spectrometry and ion chromatography. The most abundant gases present in extracts from each sample type are biased toward the gas-rich population of inclusions trapped during maximum burial and metamorphism. All have CO2/CH4 and N2/Ar ratios of evolved crustal fluids, and many yield a range of H2-CH4-CO2-H2S equilibration temperatures consistent with the metamorphic grade. Cretaceous garnet and post-ore minerals have high RH and RS values suggestive of reduced sulfidic conditions. Most extracts have anomalous 4He produced by decay of U and Th and 38Ar produced by nucleogenic production from 41K. In contrast, some ore and gangue minerals yield significant SO2 and have low RH and RS values of a more oxidized fluid. Three extracts from gangue quartz have high helium R/RA values indicative of a mantle source and neon isotope compositions that require nucleogenic production of 22Ne in fluorite from U ± Th decay. Two extracts from gangue quartz have estimated 40K/40Ar that permit a Precambrian age. Extracts from gangue quartz in three different ore zones are biased toward the hypersaline population of inclusions and have a tight range of ion ratios (Na, K, NH4, Cl, Br, F) suggestive of a single fluid. Their Na, Cl, Br ratios suggest this fluid was a mixture of magmatic and basinal brine. Na-K-Ca temperatures (279°-347°C) are similar to homogenization temperatures of hypersaline inclusions. The high K/Na of the brine may be due to albitization of K silicate minerals in country rocks. Influx of K-rich brines is consistent with the K metasomatism necessary to form gangue biotite with high Cl. An extract from a post-ore quartz vein is distinct and has Na, Cl, Br ratios that resemble metamorphic fluids in Cretaceous silver veins of the Coeur d'Alene district in the Belt Basin. The results show that in some samples, for certain components, it is possible to "see through" the Cretaceous metamorphic overprint. Of great import for genetic models, the volatiles trapped in gangue quartz have 3He derived from a mantle source and 22Ne derived from fluorite, both of which may be attributed to nearby ~1377 Ma basalt-rhyolite magmatism. The brine trapped in gangue quartz is a mixture of magmatic fluid and evaporated seawater. The former requires a granitic intrusion that is present in the bimodal intrusive complex, and the latter equatorial paleolatitudes that existed in the Mesoproterozoic. The results permit genetic models involving heat and fluids from the neighboring bimodal plutonic complex and convection of basinal brine in the Lemhi Group. While the inferred fluid sources in the Idaho cobalt belt are similar in many respects to those in iron oxide copper-gold deposits, the fluids were more reduced such that iron was fixed in biotite and tourmaline instead of iron oxides.

Physical properties of NaCl-free cucumber fermentation cover brine containing calcium chloride and glycerin and apparent freezing injury of the brined fruits

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Use of glycerin and calcium chloride to reduce the freezing point and improve quality of bulk stored fermented cucumbers brined without NaCl, was explored. The incidence of pre-freezing injury on the fruits, caused by deposition in tanks containing cushion brine prepared with 2.5% calcium chloride, ...

Integrated processes for desalination and salt production: A mini-review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wenten, I. Gede; Ariono, Danu; Purwasasmita, Mubiar; Khoirudin

2017-03-01

The scarcity of fresh water due to the rapid growth of population and industrial activities has increased attention on desalination process as an alternative freshwater supply. In desalination process, a large volume of saline water is treated to produce freshwater while a concentrated brine is discharged back into the environment. The concentrated brine contains a high concentration of salt and also chemicals used during desalination operations. Due to environmental impacts arising from improper treatment of the brine and more rigorous regulations of the pollution control, many efforts have been devoted to minimize, treat, or reuse the rejected brine. One of the most promising alternatives for brine handling is reusing the brine which can reduce pollution, minimize waste volume, and recover valuable salt. Integration of desalination and salt production can be implemented to reuse the brine by recovering water and the valuable salts. The integrated processes can achieve zero liquid discharge, increase water recovery, and produce the profitable salt which can reduce the overall desalination cost. This paper gives an overview of desalination processes and the brine impacts. The integrated processes, including their progress and advantages in dual-purpose desalination and salt production are discussed.

Chlorate adsorption from chlor-alkali plant brine stream.

PubMed

Lakshmanan, Shyam; Murugesan, Thanabalan

2017-07-01

Chlorates are present in the brine stream purged from chlor-alkali plants. Tests were conducted using activated carbon from coconut shell, coal or palm kernel shell to adsorb chlorate. The results show varying levels of adsorption with reduction ranging between 1.3 g/L and 1.8 g/L. This was higher than the chlorate generation rate of that plant, recorded at 1.22 g/L, indicating that chlorate can be adequately removed by adsorption using activated carbon. Coconut based activated carbon exhibited the best adsorption of chlorate of the three types of activated carbon tested. Introducing an adsorption step prior to purging of the brine will be able to reduce chlorate content in the brine stream. The best location for introducing the adsorption step was identified to be after dechlorination of the brine and before resaturation. Introduction of such an adsorption step will enable complete recovery of the brine and prevent brine purging, which in turn will result in less release of chlorides and chlorates to the environment.

Thin liquid films in improved oil recovery from low-salinity brine

DOE PAGES

Myint, Philip C.; Firoozabadi, Abbas

2015-03-19

Low-salinity waterflooding is a relatively new method for improved oil recovery that has generated much interest. It is generally believed that low-salinity brine alters the wettability of oil reservoir rocks towards a wetting state that is optimal for recovery. The mechanism(s) by which the wettability alteration occurs is currently an unsettled issue. This study reviews recent studies on wettability alteration mechanisms that affect the interactions between the brine/oil and brine/rock interfaces of thin brine films that wet the surface of reservoir rocks. Of these mechanisms, we pay particular attention to double-layer expansion, which is closely tied to an increase inmore » the thickness and stability of the thin brine films. Our review examines studies on both sandstones and carbonate rocks. We conclude that the thin-brine-film mechanisms provide a good qualitative, though incomplete, picture of this very complicated problem. Finally, we give suggestions for future studies that may help provide a more quantitative and complete understanding of low-salinity waterflooding.« less

Strontium isotope quantification of siderite, brine and acid mine drainage contributions to abandoned gas well discharges in the Appalachian Plateau

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chapman, Elizabeth C.; Capo, Rosemary C.; Stewart, Brian W.

2013-04-01

Unplugged abandoned oil and gas wells in the Appalachian region can serve as conduits for the movement of waters impacted by fossil fuel extraction. Strontium isotope and geochemical analysis indicate that artesian discharges of water with high total dissolved solids (TDS) from a series of gas wells in western Pennsylvania result from the infiltration of acidic, low Fe (Fe < 10 mg/L) coal mine drainage (AMD) into shallow, siderite (iron carbonate)-cemented sandstone aquifers. The acidity from the AMD promotes dissolution of the carbonate, and metal- and sulfate-contaminated waters rise to the surface through compromised abandoned gas well casings. Strontium isotopemore » mixing models suggest that neither upward migration of oil and gas brines from Devonian reservoirs associated with the wells nor dissolution of abundant nodular siderite present in the mine spoil through which recharge water percolates contribute significantly to the artesian gas well discharges. Natural Sr isotope composition can be a sensitive tool in the characterization of complex groundwater interactions and can be used to distinguish between inputs from deep and shallow contamination sources, as well as between groundwater and mineralogically similar but stratigraphically distinct rock units. This is of particular relevance to regions such as the Appalachian Basin, where a legacy of coal, oil and gas exploration is coupled with ongoing and future natural gas drilling into deep reservoirs.« less

Delineation of brine contamination in and near the East Poplar oil field, Fort Peck Indian Reservation, northeastern Montana, 2004-09

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thamke, Joanna N.; Smith, Bruce D.

2014-01-01

The extent of brine contamination in the shallow aquifers in and near the East Poplar oil field is as much as 17.9 square miles and appears to be present throughout the entire saturated zone in contaminated areas. The brine contamination affects 15–37 billion gallons of groundwater. Brine contamination in the shallow aquifers east of the Poplar River generally moves to the southwest toward the river and then southward in the Poplar River valley. The likely source of brine contamination in the shallow aquifers is brine that is produced with crude oil in the East Poplar oil field study area. Brine contamination has not only affected the water quality from privately owned wells in and near the East Poplar oil field, but also the city of Poplar’s public water-supply wells. Three water-quality types characterize water in the shallow aquifers; a fourth water-quality type in the study area characterizes the brine. Type 1 is uncontaminated water that is suitable for most domestic purposes and typically contains sodium bicarbonate and sodium/magnesium sulfate as the dominant ions. Type 2 is moderately contaminated water that is suitable for some domestic purposes, but not used for drinking water, and typically contains sodium and chloride as the dominant ions. Type 3 is considerably contaminated water that is unsuitable for any domestic purpose and always contains sodium and chloride as the dominant ions. Type 3 quality of water in the shallow aquifers is similar to Type 4, which is the brine that is produced with crude oil. Electromagnetic apparent conductivity data were collected in the 106 square-mile area and used to determine extent of brine contamination. These data were collected and interpreted in conjunction with water-quality data collected through 2009 to delineate brine plumes in the shallow aquifers. Monitoring wells subsequently were drilled in some areas without existing water wells to confirm most of the delineated brine plumes; however, several possible plumes do not contain either existing water wells or monitoring wells. Analysis of groundwater samples from wells confirms the presence of 12.1 square miles of contamination, as much as 1.7 square miles of which is considerably contaminated (Type 3). Electromagnetic apparent conductivity data in areas with no wells delineate an additional 5.8 square miles of possible contamination, 2.1 square miles of which might be considerably contaminated (Type 3). Storage-tank facilities, oil wells, brine-injection wells, pipelines, and pits are likely sources of brine in the study area. It is not possible to identify discrete oil-related features as likely sources of brine plumes because several features commonly are co-located. During the latter half of the twentieth century, many brine plumes migrated beyond the immediate source area and likely mix together in modern and ancestral Poplar River valley subareas.

Modeling Episodic Ephemeral Brine Lake Evaporation and Salt Crystallization on the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, T.; Harman, C. J.; Kipnis, E. L.; Bowen, B. B.

2017-12-01

Public concern about apparent reductions in the areal extent of the Bonneville Salt Flat (BSF) and perceived changes in inundation frequency has motivated renewed interest in the hydrologic and geochemical behavior of this salt playa. In this study, we develop a numerical modeling framework to simulate the relationship between hydrometeorologic variability, brine evaporation and salt crystallization processes on BSF. The BSF, locates in Utah, is the remnant of paleo-lake Bonneville, and is capped by up to 1 meter of salt deposition over a 100 km2 area. The BSF has two distinct hydrologic periods each year: a winter wet periods with standing surface brine and the summer dry periods when the brine is evaporated, exposing the surface salt crust. We develop a lumped non-linear dynamical models coupling conservation expressions from water, dissolved salt and thermal energy to investigate the seasonal and diurnal behavior of brine during the transition from standing brine to exposed salt at BSF. The lumped dynamic models capture important nonlinear and kinetic effects introduced by the high ionic concentration of the brine, including the pronounced effect of the depressed water activity coefficient on evaporation. The salt crystallization and dissolution rate is modeled as a kinetic process linearly proportional to the degree of supersaturation of brine. The model generates predictions of the brine temperature and the solute and solvent masses controlled by diurnal net radiation input and aerodynamic forcing. Two distinct mechanisms emerge as potential controls on salt production and dissolution: (1) evapo-concentration and (2) changes in solubility related to changes in brine temperature. Although the evaporation of water is responsible for ultimate disappearance of the brine each season ,variation in solubility is found to be the dominant control on diurnal cycles of salt precipitation and dissolution in the BSF case. Most salt is crystallized during nighttime, but the long-term salt production is driven by the seasonal evapo-concentration. Moreover, we find that the timing of the brine temperature fluctuations and salt production lags the diurnal net radiation input. The key controls on the magnitudes of these effects and phase lags are determined by analytical periodic analysis of linearized forms of the model.

Experimental investigation of CO2-brine-rock interactions at elevated temperature and pressure: Implications for CO2 sequestration in deep-saline aquifers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosenbauer, R.J.; Koksalan, T.; Palandri, J.L.

2005-01-01

Deep-saline aquifers are potential repositories for excess CO2, currently being emitted to the atmosphere from anthropogenic activities, but the reactivity of supercritical CO2 with host aquifer fluids and formation minerals needs to be understood. Experiments reacting supercritical CO2 with natural and synthetic brines in the presence and absence of limestone and plagioclase-rich arkosic sandstone showed that the reaction of CO2-saturated brine with limestone results in compositional, mineralogical, and porosity changes in the aquifer fluid and rock that are dependent on initial brine composition, especially dissolved calcium and sulfate. Experiments reacting CO2-saturated, low-sulfate brine with limestone dissolved 10% of the original calcite and increased rock porosity by 2.6%. Experiments reacting high-sulfate brine with limestone, both in the presence and absence of supercritical CO2, were characterized by the precipitation of anhydrite, dolomitization of the limestone, and a final decrease in porosity of 4.5%. However, based on favorable initial porosity changes of about 15% due to the dissolution of calcite, the combination of CO2 co-injection with other mitigation strategies might help alleviate some of the well-bore scale and formation-plugging problems near the injection zone of a brine disposal well in Paradox Valley, Colorado, as well as provide a repository for CO2. Experiments showed that the solubility of CO2 is enhanced in brine in the presence of limestone by 9% at 25 ??C and 6% at 120 ??C and 200 bar relative to the brine itself. The solubility of CO2 is enhanced also in brine in the presence of arkosic sandstone by 5% at 120 ??C and 300 bar. The storage of CO 2 in limestone aquifers is limited to only ionic and hydraulic trapping. However, brine reacted with supercritical CO2 and arkose yielded fixation and sequestration of CO2 in carbonate mineral phases. Brine desiccation was observed in all experiments containing a discrete CO2 phase, promoting porosity-reducing precipitation reactions in aquifers near saturation with mineral phases. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 during manufacture and storage of white brined cheese.

PubMed

Osaili, Tareq M; Al-Nabulsi, Anas A; Olaimat, Amin N; Shaker, Reyad R; Taha, Mohammad; Holley, Richard A

2014-09-01

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a major foodborne pathogen that causes severe disease in humans. Survival of E. coli O157:H7 during processing and storage of white brined cheese was investigated. Cheeses were prepared using pasteurized milk inoculated with a 4 strain E. coli O157:H7 cocktail (7 log(10) CFU/g) with or without yogurt starter culture (Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus salivarius ssp. thermophilus) and stored in 10% or 15% NaCl brine at 10 and 21 ºC for 28 d. NaCl concentration, water activity (a(w)), pH, and numbers of E. coli O157:H7 and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were determined in cheese and brine. E. coli O157:H7 was able to survive in cheese stored in both brines at 10 and 21 ºC regardless of the presence of starter LAB, although the latter significantly enhanced E. coli O157:H7 reduction in cheese or its brine at 10 ºC. E. coli O157:H7 numbers were reduced by 2.6 and 3.4 log(10) CFU/g in cheese stored in 10% and 15% NaCl brine, respectively, in the presence of starter LAB and by 1.4 and 2.3 log(10) CFU/g, respectively, in the absence of starter LAB at 10 ºC. The pathogen survived, but at lower numbers in the brines. The salt concentration of cheese stored in 10% brine remained about 5% during ripening, but in 15% brine, the NaCl level increased 1.6% to 8.1% (w/w) by 28 d. Values of pH and a(w) slightly decreased 1 d after exposure to brine and reached 5.5 to 6.6 and 0.88 to 0.94, respectively, in all treatments. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Deep well injection of brine from Paradox Valley, Colorado: Potential major precipitation problems remediated by nanofiltration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kharaka, Yousif K.; Ambats, Gil; Thordsen, James J.; Davis, Roy A.

1997-01-01

Groundwater brine seepage into the Dolores River in Paradox Valley, Colorado, increases the dissolved solids load of the Colorado River annually by ∼2.0 × 108 kg. To abate this natural contamination, the Bureau of Reclamation plans to pump ∼3540 m3/d of brine from 12 shallow wells located along the Dolores River. The brine, with a salinity of 250,000 mg/L, will be piped to the deepest (4.9 km) disposal well in the world and injected mainly into the Mississippian Leadville Limestone. Geochemical modeling indicates, and water-rock experiments confirm, that a huge mass of anhydrite (∼1.0 × 104 kg/d) likely will precipitate from the injected brine at downhole conditions of 120°C and 500 bars. Anhydrite precipitation could increase by up to 3 times if the injected brine is allowed to mix with the highly incompatible formation water of the Leadville Limestone and if the Mg in this brine dolomitizes the calcite of the aquifer. Laboratory experiments demonstrate that nanofiltration membranes, which are selective to divalent anions, provide a new technology that remediates the precipitation problem by removing ∼98% of dissolved SO4 from the hypersaline brine. The fluid pressure used (50 bars) is much lower than would be required for traditional reverse osmosis membranes because nanofiltration membranes have a low rejection efficiency (5–10%) for monovalent anions. Our results indicate that the proportion of treatable brine increases from ∼60% to >85% with the addition of trace concentrations of a precipitation inhibitor and by blending the raw brine with the effluent stream.

Application of a Re-Pd bimetallic catalyst for treatment of perchlorate in waste ion-exchange regenerant brine.

PubMed

Liu, Jinyong; Choe, Jong Kwon; Sasnow, Zachary; Werth, Charles J; Strathmann, Timothy J

2013-01-01

Concentrated sodium chloride (NaCl) brines are often used to regenerate ion-exchange (IX) resins applied to treat drinking water sources contaminated with perchlorate (ClO(4)(-)), generating large volumes of contaminated waste brine. Chemical and biological processes for ClO(4)(-) reduction are often inhibited severely by high salt levels, making it difficult to recycle waste brines. Recent work demonstrated that novel rhenium-palladium bimetallic catalysts on activated carbon support (Re-Pd/C) can efficiently reduce ClO(4)(-) to chloride (Cl(-)) under acidic conditions, and here the applicability of the process for treating waste IX brines was examined. Experiments conducted in synthetic NaCl-only brine (6-12 wt%) showed higher Re-Pd/C catalyst activity than in comparable freshwater solutions, but the rate constant for ClO(4)(-) reduction measured in a real IX waste brine was found to be 65 times lower than in the synthetic NaCl brine. Through a series of experiments, co-contamination of the IX waste brine by excess NO(3)(-) (which the catalyst reduces principally to NH(4)(+)) was found to be the primary cause for deactivation of the Re-Pd/C catalyst, most likely by altering the immobilized Re component. Pre-treatment of NO(3)(-) using a different bimetallic catalyst (In-Pd/Al(2)O(3)) improved selectivity for N(2) over NH(4)(+) and enabled facile ClO(4)(-) reduction by the Re-Pd/C catalyst. Thus, sequential catalytic treatment may be a promising strategy for enabling reuse of waste IX brine containing NO(3)(-) and ClO(4)(-). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rheological Properties of Silica Nanoparticles in Brine and Brine-Surfactant Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pales, Ashley; Kinsey, Erin; Li, Chunyan; Mu, Linlin; Bai, Lingyun; Clifford, Heather; Darnault, Christophe

2016-04-01

Rheological Properties of Silica Nanoparticles in Brine and Brine-Surfactant Systems Ashley R. Pales, Erin Kinsey, Chunyan Li, Linlin Mu, Lingyun Bai, Heather Clifford, and Christophe J. G. Darnault Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, Laboratory of Hydrogeoscience and Biological Engineering, L.G. Rich Environmental Laboratory, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA Nanofluids are suspensions of nanometer sized particles in any fluid base, where the nanoparticles effect the properties of the fluid base. Commonly, nanofluids are water based, however, other bases such as ethylene-glycol, glycerol, and propylene-glycol, have been researched to understand the rheological properties of the nanofluids. This work aims to understand the fundamental rheological properties of silica nanoparticles in brine based and brine-surfactant based nanofluids with temperature variations. This was done by using variable weight percent of silica nanoparticles from 0.001% to 0.1%. Five percent brine was used to create the brine based nanofluids; and 5% brine with 2CMC of Tween 20 nonionic surfactant (Sigma-Aldrich) was used to create the brine-surfactant nanofluid. Rheological behaviors, such as shear rate, shear stress, and viscosity, were compared between these nanofluids at 20C and at 60C across the varied nanoparticle wt%. The goal of this work is to provide a fundamental basis for future applied testing for enhanced oil recovery. It is hypothesized that the addition of surfactant will have a positive impact on nanofluid properties that will be useful for enhance oil recovery. Differences have been observed in preliminary data analysis of the rheological properties between these two nanofluids indicating that the surfactant is having the hypothesized effect.

77 FR 12815 - Marine Mammals; File No. 16160

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-02

... waters of Washington State. This research would contribute to a long-term data set (Orca Master) that has... at the address listed above. The request should set forth the specific reasons why a hearing on this...

Stem cell gene therapy--second conference. Biology and technology. 31 May - 3 June 1998, Orcas Island, WA, USA.

PubMed

Barquinero, J

1998-07-01

This conference, which was organized by George Stamatoyanno-poulos (University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA), comprised 44 oral and 55 poster presentations. It started immediately after the First Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene Therapy in Seattle, and took place at the Rosario Resort, located in the beautiful and quiet Orcas Island, in the Pacific Northwest. Several issues including stem cell biology, viral vectors, gene transfer into hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and a variety of clinical trials were covered. There were about 150 attendees including students, postdoctoral fellows and prominent experts in different aspects of the field. Most of these were from academia including research institutes, universities and hospitals, with a very small proportion from industry. Some of the information had already been presented a few days before at the Seattle meeting.

Bioaccumulation and enantiomeric profiling of organochlorine pesticides and persistent organic pollutants in the killer whale (Orcinus orca) from British and Irish waters.

PubMed

McHugh, Brendan; Law, Robin J; Allchin, Colin R; Rogan, Emer; Murphy, Sinead; Foley, M Barry; Glynn, Denise; McGovern, Evin

2007-11-01

Concentrations and enantiomeric profiles for a range of organochlorine compounds are reported in blubber samples from a number of individual killer whales (Orcinus orca) from British and Irish waters. Elevated contaminant levels and enriched isotopic ratios were determined in one individual whale sampled in the Scottish Western Isles compared to the others suggesting marine mammal based dietary influences. The potential application of isotopic ratios to model contaminant uptake, enantioselective enrichment and accumulation is demonstrated. Data are presented which provide information on enantioselective enrichment factors (EFs) for o,p'-DDT, alpha-HCH and toxaphene congeners CHB26 and CHB 50. This dataset further improves the current database on reported levels of a number of contaminants and provides additional background information on potential metabolic processes in killer whales from British and Irish waters.

Paradigms and strategies for scientific computing on distributed memory concurrent computers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Foster, I.T.; Walker, D.W.

1994-06-01

In this work we examine recent advances in parallel languages and abstractions that have the potential for improving the programmability and maintainability of large-scale, parallel, scientific applications running on high performance architectures and networks. This paper focuses on Fortran M, a set of extensions to Fortran 77 that supports the modular design of message-passing programs. We describe the Fortran M implementation of a particle-in-cell (PIC) plasma simulation application, and discuss issues in the optimization of the code. The use of two other methodologies for parallelizing the PIC application are considered. The first is based on the shared object abstraction asmore » embodied in the Orca language. The second approach is the Split-C language. In Fortran M, Orca, and Split-C the ability of the programmer to control the granularity of communication is important is designing an efficient implementation.« less

Preliminary Feasibility Testing of the BRIC Brine Water Recovery Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Callahan, Michael R.; Pensinger, Stuart J.; Pickering, Karen D.

2012-01-01

The Brine Residual In-Containment (BRIC) concept is being developed as a new technology to recover water from spacecraft wastewater brines. Such capability is considered critical to closing the water loop and achieving a sustained human presence in space. The intention of the BRIC concept is to increase the robustness and efficiency of the dewatering process by performing drying inside the container used for the final disposal of the residual brine solid. Recent efforts in the development of BRIC have focused on preliminary feasibility testing using a laboratory- assembled pre-prototype unit. Observations of the drying behavior of actual brine solutions processed under BRIC-like conditions has been of particular interest. To date, experiments conducted with three types of analogue spacecraft wastewater brines have confirmed the basic premise behind the proposed application of in-place drying. Specifically, the dried residual mass from these solutions have tended to exhibit characteristics of adhesion and flow that are expected to continue to challenge process stream management designs typically used in spacecraft systems. Yet, these same characteristics may favor the development of capillary- and surface-tension-based approaches currently envisioned as part of an ultimate microgravity-compatible BRIC design. In addition, preliminary feasibility testing of the BRIC pre-prototype confirmed that high rates of water recovery, up to 98% of the available brine water, may be possible while still removing the majority of the brine contaminants from the influent brine stream. These and other early observations from testing are reported.

Production and characterization of a functional Iranian white brined cheese by replacement of dairy fat with vegetable oils.

PubMed

Achachlouei, B Fathi; Hesari, J; Damirchi, S Azadmard; Peighambardoust, Sh; Esmaiili, M; Alijani, S

2013-10-01

Full-fat cheese usually contains high amounts of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol, which may have negative health effects. In this study, full-fat white brined cheese, as a control sample, and experimental cheeses with olive and canola oils (T1, white brined cheese containing 50% canola oil, T2, white brined cheese containing 50% olive oil, T3, white brined cheese containing 100% canola oil and T4, white brined cheese containing 100% olive oil) were prepared from bovine milk. Physicochemical properties, lipolysis, proteolysis patterns and sensorial properties in the prepared samples were determined during 80 days of storage at 20-day intervals. Cheese incorporating vegetable oils showed lower amounts of saturated fatty acids and higher amounts of unsaturated fatty acids compared with the full-fat cheese (control) samples. Moisture, pH, lipolysis value, as assessed by the acid-degree value, and proteolysis values (pH 4.6 SN/TN% and NPN/TN%) significantly (p < 0.05) were increased in all samples, whereas total titrable acidity decreased during 40 days of ripening but then increased slightly. Sensory properties of white brined cheese incorporating with vegetable oils were different from those of full-fat cheese samples. White brined cheese containing olive and canola oils (100% fat substitution) received better sensory scores compared to other samples. The results showed that it is possible to replace dairy fat with olive and canola oils, which can lead to produce a new healthy and functional white brined cheese.

Distributions and fluxes of methylmercury in the East/Japan Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jisook; Kim, Hyunji; Kang, Chang-Keun; Kim, Kyung-Ryul; Han, Seunghee

2017-12-01

The East/Japan Sea (EJS) is well ventilated to deep water via brine rejection from ice formations and thermohaline convection, resulting in a short overturning period in several decades. Due to these characteristics, the dissolved oxygen concentration in the EJS deep water is much higher (190-200 μg L-1 at 3000 m water depth) than that found at the same depths of the Northwestern Pacific (30 μg L-1) or anywhere in the Pacific Ocean. The total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) distributions, and MeHg mass budgets were investigated to identify how the EJS's distinct circulation pattern affects Hg speciation. Whereas the THg concentration in the surface seawater (ranging from 0.20 to 1.2 pM, mean 0.59 ± 0.24 pM) showed no site variation between the Japan Basin and the Ulleung Basin, the MeHg concentration in the surface seawater was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the Japan Basin (32 ± 24 fM) than in the Ulleung Basin (12 fM), with a south to north increasing gradient. This observation was supported by the mass budget estimation showing that upward diffusion as well as net methylation of Hg(II) was the primary source of MeHg in the surface seawater; the upward diffusion value was higher in the Japan Basin (3.2 nmol m-2 yr-1) than in the Ulleung Basin (1.9 nmol m-2 yr-1) due to the shallow thermocline depths in the Japan Basin. In contrast, the MeHg concentration in deep seawater (1000-3000 m) was similar between the Japan Basin (530 ± 87 fM) and the Ulleung Basin (610 ± 99 fM) and significantly (p < 0.05) higher than in the North Pacific (24 ± 40 fM) or North Atlantic (87 ± 96 fM) deep seawater. The Hg(II) methylation capacity, represented by the MeHg concentration normalized to apparent oxygen utilization, was also higher for the EJS deep water (0.0048) than the Northeastern Pacific (0.0030) and Northwestern Pacific (0.0025) intermediate waters, implying that the short overturning period of EJS may cause exclusively high MeHg concentrations in the deep water.

Searching for Clues to the Processes and Conditions of Past Martian Environments: The Roles of Episodic Solutions, Analog Sites and Fe-O(-H) Phases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, P. L.; De Deckker, P.

2012-12-01

On Mars, limited solutions (water/brine) were likely present episodically. Gradients in solution abundance may have caused salt precipitation and re-solution, brine reflux, pH gradients, and cycling of anions and cations; we provide an example of such processes in a playa lake. We propose that on Mars, the limited, episodic solutions, pH and abundant Fe-O(-H) phases are significant factors in salt precipitation and in promoting adsorption/desorption of anions and cations. FACTORS LEADING TO EPISODIC SOLUTIONS: Episodic movement of solutions may be driven by punctuated processes that 1) remove surface materials (e.g., impact and sedimentary mass wasting and deflation); 2) add surface materials (e.g., impact, volcanic and sedimentary processes); and 3) increase temperature and/or decrease atmospheric pressure (e.g., seasons, diurnal cycles, variation in obliquity). Removal and addition of surface materials results in topographic gradients that change pressure gradients of any potential groundwater, films, or buried ground ice. For example, episodic fluid flow and salt precipitation/re-solution may occur at topographic discontinuities like craters/basins, channel walls, mounds and dunes. Such areas provide the opportunity to sample multiple fluid sources (with different pH, Eh and total dissolved solids, TDS) and they may be the foci of subsurface solution flow and surface transport. EARTH ANALOG: Interplay of the three processes above is seen in Lake Tyrrell (playa), western Victoria, Australia (McCumber, P, 1991 http://vro.dpi.vic.gov.au). During wetter periods, springs from the regional groundwater (low pH, oxidized, mod-high TDS) mix with lake waters and saline 'reflux' brines (mod. pH, reduced, high TDS) at the lake edge at the base of higher ground. The Br/Cl of the reflux brines indicates mineral re-solution. Gypsum and Fe-O(-H) phases precipitate near the lake edge. During hot, dry climate episodes the lake precipitates gypsum and carbonate, efflorescent salts are common, and these salts may form eolian dunes with fine particles. We may expect similar processes and mineral and chemical gradients in craters/basins on Mars like Gale Crater, the site of the Mars Science Laboratory mission. ROLE OF Fe-O(-H) PHASES: Nanophase Fe-O(-H)-phases are abundant on Mars and their precipitation results in an Fe-poor solution and salts (like Lake Tyrrell). Fe-O(-H) phases precipitate most readily at near-neutral pH; however, the high Fe of Mars' surface allows for pH>1. Nanophase Fe-O(-H)-phases have surface species that promote adsorption; which may be important in dry conditions like Mars. If we take goethite (FeO(OH)), the surface species and aqueous ions in solution are Fe3+ (pH<~2); Fe(OH)2+ (pH~2-3.5); Fe(OH)2+ (pH~3.5-~8); and FeOH4- (pH>~8). Other Fe-O(-H) phases have slightly different pH limits. Thus, at pH<~8, Fe-O(-H) surfaces sequester anions in surface complexes or in Fe-bearing salts (e.g. Fe3+-phosphate and sulfates, especially at pH<4). PO43- species have high adsorption affinity, followed by SO42-, Cl-(O) and Br-(O) species. At pH>~8, adsorption and exchange of cations are likely. These chemical variations may provide us with clues of the past pH on Mars.

Purification of High Salinity Brine by Multi-Stage Ion Concentration Polarization Desalination

PubMed Central

Kim, Bumjoo; Kwak, Rhokyun; Kwon, Hyukjin J.; Pham, Van Sang; Kim, Minseok; Al-Anzi, Bader; Lim, Geunbae; Han, Jongyoon

2016-01-01

There is an increasing need for the desalination of high concentration brine (>TDS 35,000 ppm) efficiently and economically, either for the treatment of produced water from shale gas/oil development, or minimizing the environmental impact of brine from existing desalination plants. Yet, reverse osmosis (RO), which is the most widely used for desalination currently, is not practical for brine desalination. This paper demonstrates technical and economic feasibility of ICP (Ion Concentration Polarization) electrical desalination for the high saline water treatment, by adopting multi-stage operation with better energy efficiency. Optimized multi-staging configurations, dependent on the brine salinity values, can be designed based on experimental and numerical analysis. Such an optimization aims at achieving not just the energy efficiency but also (membrane) area efficiency, lowering the true cost of brine treatment. ICP electrical desalination is shown here to treat brine salinity up to 100,000 ppm of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) with flexible salt rejection rate up to 70% which is promising in a various application treating brine waste. We also demonstrate that ICP desalination has advantage of removing both salts and diverse suspended solids simultaneously, and less susceptibility to membrane fouling/scaling, which is a significant challenge in the membrane processes. PMID:27545955

Purification of High Salinity Brine by Multi-Stage Ion Concentration Polarization Desalination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Bumjoo; Kwak, Rhokyun; Kwon, Hyukjin J.; Pham, Van Sang; Kim, Minseok; Al-Anzi, Bader; Lim, Geunbae; Han, Jongyoon

2016-08-01

There is an increasing need for the desalination of high concentration brine (>TDS 35,000 ppm) efficiently and economically, either for the treatment of produced water from shale gas/oil development, or minimizing the environmental impact of brine from existing desalination plants. Yet, reverse osmosis (RO), which is the most widely used for desalination currently, is not practical for brine desalination. This paper demonstrates technical and economic feasibility of ICP (Ion Concentration Polarization) electrical desalination for the high saline water treatment, by adopting multi-stage operation with better energy efficiency. Optimized multi-staging configurations, dependent on the brine salinity values, can be designed based on experimental and numerical analysis. Such an optimization aims at achieving not just the energy efficiency but also (membrane) area efficiency, lowering the true cost of brine treatment. ICP electrical desalination is shown here to treat brine salinity up to 100,000 ppm of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) with flexible salt rejection rate up to 70% which is promising in a various application treating brine waste. We also demonstrate that ICP desalination has advantage of removing both salts and diverse suspended solids simultaneously, and less susceptibility to membrane fouling/scaling, which is a significant challenge in the membrane processes.

Selenium biotransformations in an engineered aquatic ecosystem for bioremediation of agricultural wastewater via brine shrimp production.

PubMed

Schmidt, Radomir; Tantoyotai, Prapakorn; Fakra, Sirine C; Marcus, Matthew A; Yang, Soo In; Pickering, Ingrid J; Bañuelos, Gary S; Hristova, Krassimira R; Freeman, John L

2013-05-21

An engineered aquatic ecosystem was specifically designed to bioremediate selenium (Se), occurring as oxidized inorganic selenate from hypersalinized agricultural drainage water while producing brine shrimp enriched in organic Se and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for use in value added nutraceutical food supplements. Selenate was successfully bioremediated by microalgal metabolism into organic Se (seleno-amino acids) and partially removed via gaseous volatile Se formation. Furthermore, filter-feeding brine shrimp that accumulated this organic Se were removed by net harvest. Thriving in this engineered pond system, brine shrimp ( Artemia franciscana Kellogg) and brine fly (Ephydridae sp.) have major ecological relevance as important food sources for large populations of waterfowl, breeding, and migratory shore birds. This aquatic ecosystem was an ideal model for study because it mimics trophic interactions in a Se polluted wetland. Inorganic selenate in drainage water was metabolized differently in microalgae, bacteria, and diatoms where it was accumulated and reduced into various inorganic forms (selenite, selenide, or elemental Se) or partially incorporated into organic Se mainly as selenomethionine. Brine shrimp and brine fly larva then bioaccumulated Se from ingesting aquatic microorganisms and further metabolized Se predominately into organic Se forms. Importantly, adult brine flies, which hatched from aquatic larva, bioaccumulated the highest Se concentrations of all organisms tested.

Geochemistry of siliciclastic rocks in the Peninsular, Chugach, and Prince William terranes: Implications for the tectonic evolution of south central Alaska

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gilbert, S.A.; Casey, J.F.; Bradley, D.

1992-01-01

According to some interpretations, south-central Alaska consists of a series of unrelated terranes juxtaposed by dominantly strike-slip motions some time after formation. Alternatively, these so-called terranes may be related components of a seaward-facing arc, forearc, and accretionary prism. To shed new light on the tectonic history of this area, 150 samples of siliciclastic rocks were analyzed for major, trace, and rare earth elements (REE). Shales were sampled from the Upper Cretaceous Matanuska and Paleogene Chickaloon Fms. of the Peninsular Terrane (forearc basin); argillaceous melange matrix from the Mesozoic McHugh Complex and slate from turbidites of the Upper Cretaceous Valdez Groupmore » of the Chugach Terrane (landward part of accretionary prism); and slate from turbidites of the Paleogene Orea Group of the Prince William Terrane (seaward part of accretionary prism). One tectonic model that may fit these geochemical data requires an early linkage between the Peninsular and Chugach-Prince William composite terranes. The geochemical signatures suggest that the McHugh Complex was derived from a mafic volcanic source and may represent an early accretionary stage of sediments derived from an oceanic arc. The progressive continental enrichment of the Valdez and Orca Groups may reflect later accretionary processes during and/or after the collision of the Talkectna arc with the North American continent. The similar increasingly continental source documented in the geochemistry of the forearc basin shales of the Matanuska and Chickaloon Fms. may suggest: that the presently defined Peninsular, Chugach, and Prince William terranes collectively represent one continuously evolving, seaward facing arc, forearc, and accretionary prism complex.« less

Magnesium compounds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kramer, D.A.

2012-01-01

Seawater and natural brines accounted for about 57 percent of magnesium compounds produced in the United States in 2011. Dead-burned magnesia was produced by Martin Marietta Magnesia Specialties LLC from well brines in Michigan. Caustic-calcined magnesia was recovered from seawater by Premier Magnesia LLC in Florida, from well brines in Michigan by Martin Marietta and from magnesite in Nevada by Premier Magnesia. Intrepid Potash Wendover LLC and Great Salt Lake Minerals Corp. recovered magnesium chloride brines from the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Magnesium hydroxide was produced from seawater by SPI Pharma Inc. in Delaware and Premier Magnesia in Florida, and by Martin Marietta from its brine operation in Michigan.

Concentrated Brine Treatment using New Energy in Coal Mine Evaporation Ponds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ting; Li, Jingfeng

2017-12-01

Recently, more and more coal mine water is being advanced treated and reused in China. The concentrated brine that results from advanced treatment methods can only be evaporated in an evaporation pond. Because of limited treatment capabilities and winter freezing, evaporation ponds often overflow, causing environment contamination. In this paper, based on analysis of brine water quality and economic-technical feasibility, we present a suitable treatment method for brine in evaporation ponds as electrodialysis using solar energy. In addition, we propose a new system to treat brine in coal mine evaporation ponds, which is powered by solar and wind. The operating efficiency of this treatment system proposed in this paper can meet the concentrated brine treatment demands in most coal mines in western mining areas of China and it places the photovoltaic power generation plates on the surface of the evaporation pond on a fixed floating island, which reduces any risk associated with land acquisition. This system can enhance brine treatment efficiency, requires a reduced evaporation pond area, increases the utilization of coal mine water, and minimizes the risk of environment contamination.

Experimental multi-phase H2O-CO2 brine interactions at elevated temperature and pressure: Implications for CO2 sequestration in deep-saline aquifers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosenbauer, R.; Koksalan, T.

2004-01-01

The burning of fossil fuel and other anthropogenic activities have caused a continuous and dramatic 30% increase of atmospheric CO2 over the past 150 yr. CO2 sequestration is increasingly being viewed as a tool for managing these anthropogenic CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. CO2-saturated brine-rock experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of multiphase H2O-CO2 fluids on mineral equilibria and the potential for CO2 sequestration in mineral phases within deep-saline aquifers. Experimental results were generally consistent with theoretical thermodynamic calculations. The solubility of CO2 was enhanced in brines in the presence of both limestone and sandstone relative to brines alone. Reactions between CO2 saturated brines and arkosic sandstones were characterized by desiccation of the brine and changes in the chemical composition of the brine suggesting fixation of CO2 in mineral phases. These reactions were occurring on a measurable but kinetically slow time scale at 120??C.

Clinical Diagnosis of Dental Caries in the 21st Century: Introductory Paper - ORCA Saturday Afternoon Symposium, 2016.

PubMed

Machiulskiene, Vita; Carvalho, Joana Christina

2018-03-05

Classifications employed to measure dental caries should first of all reflect the dynamics of the disease, in order to provide a solid basis for subsequent treatment decisions and for further monitoring of dental health of individual patients and populations. The contemporary philosophy of dental caries management implies that nonoperative treatment of caries lesions should be implemented whenever possible, limiting operative interventions to the severe and irreversible cases. The ORCA Saturday Afternoon Symposium 2016, held back-to-back to the 63rd ORCA Congress in Athens, Greece, was intended to provide an update on general requirements for clinical caries diagnosis and to overview caries diagnostic classifications including their rationale, validation, advantages, and limitations. Clinical caries diagnostic criteria and caries management outcomes are interrelated, and any diagnostic classification disregarding this concept is outdated, according to the current understanding of oral health care. Choosing clinical caries diagnostic classifications that assess the activity status of detected lesions should be a priority for dental professionals since these classifications favor the best clinical practice directed towards nonoperative interventions. The choice of clinical caries diagnostic classifications in research, in clinical practice, and in public health services should be guided by the best available scientific evidence. The clinical caries diagnostic classifications should be universally applicable in all these fields. Policy making in oral health care and the underlying policy analyses should follow the same standards. Any clinical caries diagnostic classification disregarding the universality of its use is of limited or no interest in the context of the clinical caries diagnosis of today. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Kinetic Effect on the Freezing of Ammonium-Sodium-Carbonate-Chloride Brines and Implications for Origin of Ceres' Bright Spots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodyss, R. P.; Thomas, E. C.; Vu, T. H.; Johnson, P. V.; Choukroun, M.

2017-12-01

Subsurface brines on Ceres containing natrite (Na2CO3) and smaller amounts of NH4Cl or NH4HCO3 have been proposed to reach the dwarf planet's surface from an internal reservoir, where the brines freeze and result in bright spots across Ceres. Kinetically frozen solutions containing the likely constituents of Ceres' subsurface brines (ammonium, sodium, carbonate, and chloride ions) were studied via infrared and micro-Raman spectroscopy, where the flash-frozen mixtures were found to preferentially form ammonium chloride and ammonium bicarbonate, even in sodium-dominated solutions. Additionally, sodium chloride only formed when sodium or chloride (or both) were present in excess in the brine solutions. Raman spectroscopy was further employed to analyze the effect of vacuum exposure on these frozen brines over longer periods of time to simulate the surface conditions of Ceres.

Scanning electron microscope observations of brine shrimp larvae from space shuttle experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeBell, L.; Paulsen, A.; Spooner, B.

1992-01-01

Brine shrimp are encysted as gastrula stage embryos, and may remain dehydrated and encysted for years without compromising their viability. This aspect of brine shrimp biology is desirable for studying development of animals during space shuttle flight, as cysts placed aboard a spacecraft may be rehydrated at the convenience of an astronaut, guaranteeing that subsequent brine shrimp development occurs only on orbit and not on the pad during launch delays. Brine shrimp cysts placed in 5 ml syringes were rehydrated with salt water and hatched during a 9 day space shuttle mission. Subsequent larvae developed to the 8th larval stage in the sealed syringes. We studied the morphogenesis of the brine shrimp larvae and found the larvae from the space shuttle experiments similar in rate of growth and extent of development, to larvae grown in sealed syringes on the ground. Extensive differentiation and development of embryos and larvae can occur in a microgravity environment.

Thermal-gradient migration of brine inclusions in salt crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yagnik, S. K.

1982-09-01

High level nuclear waste disposal in a geologic repository was proposed. Natural salt deposits which are considered contain a small volume fraction of water in the form of brine inclusions distributed throughout the salt. Radioactive decay heating of the nuclear wastes will impose a temperature gradient on the surrounding salt which mobilizes the brine inclusions. Inclusions filled completely with brine migrate up the temperature gradient and eventually accumulate brine near the buried waste forms. The brine may slowly corrode or degrade the waste forms which is undesirable. In this work, thermal gradient migration of both all liquid and gas liquid inclusions was experimentally studied in synthetic single crystals of NaCl and KCl using a hot stage attachment to an optical microscope which was capable of imposing temperature gradients and axial compressive loads on the crystals. The migration velocities of the inclusion shape and size are discussed.

Use of electronic fare transaction data for corridor planning.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-06-01

This report documents the initial phase of a project that developed, tested, and used a methodology and tool set for converting electronic transit agency fare card transaction data, the Puget Sound regions ORCA electronic fare card, into informati...

Organizational readiness to change assessment (ORCA): Development of an instrument based on the Promoting Action on Research in Health Services (PARIHS) framework

PubMed Central

Helfrich, Christian D; Li, Yu-Fang; Sharp, Nancy D; Sales, Anne E

2009-01-01

Background The Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services, or PARIHS, framework is a theoretical framework widely promoted as a guide to implement evidence-based clinical practices. However, it has as yet no pool of validated measurement instruments that operationalize the constructs defined in the framework. The present article introduces an Organizational Readiness to Change Assessment instrument (ORCA), organized according to the core elements and sub-elements of the PARIHS framework, and reports on initial validation. Methods We conducted scale reliability and factor analyses on cross-sectional, secondary data from three quality improvement projects (n = 80) conducted in the Veterans Health Administration. In each project, identical 77-item ORCA instruments were administered to one or more staff from each facility involved in quality improvement projects. Items were organized into 19 subscales and three primary scales corresponding to the core elements of the PARIHS framework: (1) Strength and extent of evidence for the clinical practice changes represented by the QI program, assessed with four subscales, (2) Quality of the organizational context for the QI program, assessed with six subscales, and (3) Capacity for internal facilitation of the QI program, assessed with nine subscales. Results Cronbach's alpha for scale reliability were 0.74, 0.85 and 0.95 for the evidence, context and facilitation scales, respectively. The evidence scale and its three constituent subscales failed to meet the conventional threshold of 0.80 for reliability, and three individual items were eliminated from evidence subscales following reliability testing. In exploratory factor analysis, three factors were retained. Seven of the nine facilitation subscales loaded onto the first factor; five of the six context subscales loaded onto the second factor; and the three evidence subscales loaded on the third factor. Two subscales failed to load significantly on any factor. One measured resources in general (from the context scale), and one clinical champion role (from the facilitation scale). Conclusion We find general support for the reliability and factor structure of the ORCA. However, there was poor reliability among measures of evidence, and factor analysis results for measures of general resources and clinical champion role did not conform to the PARIHS framework. Additional validation is needed, including criterion validation. PMID:19594942

Organizational readiness to change assessment (ORCA): development of an instrument based on the Promoting Action on Research in Health Services (PARIHS) framework.

PubMed

Helfrich, Christian D; Li, Yu-Fang; Sharp, Nancy D; Sales, Anne E

2009-07-14

The Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services, or PARIHS, framework is a theoretical framework widely promoted as a guide to implement evidence-based clinical practices. However, it has as yet no pool of validated measurement instruments that operationalize the constructs defined in the framework. The present article introduces an Organizational Readiness to Change Assessment instrument (ORCA), organized according to the core elements and sub-elements of the PARIHS framework, and reports on initial validation. We conducted scale reliability and factor analyses on cross-sectional, secondary data from three quality improvement projects (n = 80) conducted in the Veterans Health Administration. In each project, identical 77-item ORCA instruments were administered to one or more staff from each facility involved in quality improvement projects. Items were organized into 19 subscales and three primary scales corresponding to the core elements of the PARIHS framework: (1) Strength and extent of evidence for the clinical practice changes represented by the QI program, assessed with four subscales, (2) Quality of the organizational context for the QI program, assessed with six subscales, and (3) Capacity for internal facilitation of the QI program, assessed with nine subscales. Cronbach's alpha for scale reliability were 0.74, 0.85 and 0.95 for the evidence, context and facilitation scales, respectively. The evidence scale and its three constituent subscales failed to meet the conventional threshold of 0.80 for reliability, and three individual items were eliminated from evidence subscales following reliability testing. In exploratory factor analysis, three factors were retained. Seven of the nine facilitation subscales loaded onto the first factor; five of the six context subscales loaded onto the second factor; and the three evidence subscales loaded on the third factor. Two subscales failed to load significantly on any factor. One measured resources in general (from the context scale), and one clinical champion role (from the facilitation scale). We find general support for the reliability and factor structure of the ORCA. However, there was poor reliability among measures of evidence, and factor analysis results for measures of general resources and clinical champion role did not conform to the PARIHS framework. Additional validation is needed, including criterion validation.

Hydrogeology of the Owego-Apalachin Elementary School Geothermal Fields, Tioga County, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, John H.; Kappel, William M.

2015-12-22

The specific conductance of the saline water from the shallower fractured zone in the southwest field was about 16,000 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius (μS/cm at 25°C), and that from the fractured zone in the northeast field was about 65,000 μS/cm at 25°C. The saline waters were characterized by a chemical composition similar to that of deep formation brines collected from oil and gas wells in the Appalachian Basin. About 40 percent of the geothermal wells discharged methane gas to land surface during and (or) following drilling. Sandstone beds at depths of 348 to 378 ft bls are the likely source of the methane gas, which was determined to be early thermogenic in origin.

The Influence of Seal Properties on Pressure Buildup and Leakage of Carbon Dioxide from Sequestration Reservoirs (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benson, S. M.; Chabora, E.

2009-12-01

The transport properties of seals, namely permeability, relative permeability, and capillary pressure control both migration of carbon dioxide and brine through the seal. Only recently has the the importance of brine migration emerged as key issue in the environmental performance of carbon dioxide sequestration projects. In this study we use numerical simulation to show that brine migration through the seal can be either advantageous or deleterious to the environmental performance of a carbon dioxide sequestration project. Brine migration through the seal can lower the pressure buildup in the storage reservoir, thereby reducing the risk of leakage or geomechanical stresses on the seal. On the other hand, if the seal is penetrated by a permeable fault it can lead to focused flow up a fault, which could lead to brine migration into drinking water aquifers. We also show that as the carbon dioxide plume grows, brine flow undergoes a complex evolution from upward flow to downward flows driven by countercurrent migration of carbon dioxide and brine in the seal and capillary pressure gradients at the base of the seal. Finally, we discuss desirable attributes seals, taking into account both carbon dioxide and brine migration through the seal. In particular, identifying seals that provide an effective capillary barrier to block the flow of carbon dioxide while allowing some brine migration through the seal can help to control pressure buildup and allow more efficient utilization of a sequestration reservoir. This could be particularly important in those settings that may be limited by the maximum allowable pressure buildup.

Calcium extraction from brine water and seawater using oxalic acid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Natasha, Nadia Chrisayu; Lalasari, Latifa Hanum

2017-01-01

Calcium can be extracted not only from rocks but also from natural liquor such as seawater and brine water. In order to extract the calcium from seawater and brine water, oxalic acid was used in this research. Effect of variations of the volume of the oxalic acid at a constant concentration in seawater and brine water to produce calcium was investigated. The concentration of oxalic acid was 100 g/l and the variations of its volume were 2 ml, 4 ml, 6 ml, 8 ml, 10 ml, 20 ml, 30 ml, 40 ml, and 50 ml. The used seawater and brine water were firstly evaporated from 100 ml into 50 ml and then the oxalic acid was added into them with mixing to produce the calcium precipitates. The precipitates were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the filtrates were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The SEM analysis showed that the precipitates from brine water were consisted of only calcium compound while from seawater sodium one was also found along with calcium compound. The XRD analysis showed that the calcium was present in the form of calcium oxalate for both seawater and brine water. The ICP-OES analysis of the filtrate from seawater precipitation showed that the its calcium content was decreased from 826.20 ppm to 0.04 ppm while from brine water, it decreased from 170.06 ppm to 1.96 ppm. These results showed that both seawater and brine water have the potential to be a raw material for calcium production.

Early warning of freshwater salinization due to upward brine displacement by species transport simulations combined with a hydrochemical genesis model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langer, Maria; Kühn, Michael

2016-04-01

Shallow groundwater resources could be possibly affected by intruding brines, which are displaced along hydraulically conductive faults as result of subsurface activities like CO2 injection. To avoid salinization of potable freshwater aquifers an early detection of intruding saline water is necessary, especially in regions where an initial geogenic salinization already exists. Our study is based on work of Tillner et al. [1] and Langer et al. [2] who investigated the influence of permeable fault systems on brine displacement for the prospective storage site Beeskow-Birkholz in the Northeast German Basin. With a 3D regional scale model considering the deep groundwater system, they demonstrated that the existence of hydraulically conductive faults is not necessarily an exclusion criterion for potential injection sites, because salinization of shallower aquifers strongly depends on the effective damage zone volume, the initial salinity distribution and overlying reservoirs [2], while permeability of fault zones does not influence salinization of shallower aquifers significantly [1]. Here we extracted a 2D cross section regarding the upper 220 m of the study area mainly represented by shallow freshwater aquifers, but also considering an initial geogenic salinization [3]. We took flow rates of the intruding brines from the previous studies [2] and implemented species transport simulations with the program code SHEMAT [4]. Results are investigated and interpreted with the hydrochemical genesis model GEBAH [5] which has been already applied as early warning of saltwater intrusions into freshwater aquifers and surface water [6]. GEBAH allows a categorization of groundwater by the ion ratios of the dissolved components and offers a first indicative determination for an existence and the intensity of saline water intrusion in shallow groundwater aquifer, independent of the concentration of the solution. With our model we investigated the migration of saline water through a fault or an erosional channel which both allows an exchange between the shallow freshwater and the deeper saline water complex. The salinization potential of a drinking water well in vicinity to the brine source was determined for different scenarios. [1] Tillner E., Kempka T., Nakaten B., Kühn M. (2013) Brine migration through fault zones: 3D numerical simulations for a prospective CO2 storage site in Northeast Germany. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 19, 689-703. doi: 10.1016/ j.ijggc.2013.03.012 [2] Langer M., Tillner E., Kempka T., Kühn M. (2015) Effective damage zone volume of fault zones and initial salinity distribution determine intensity of shallow aquifer salinization in geological underground utilization. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussion, 12, 5703-5748. doi: 10.5194/hessd-12-5703-2015 [3] Hotzan, G., and Voss, T. (2013): Complex hydrogeochemic-genetic mapping for evaluation of the endangerment of pleistocene and tertiary aquifers by saline waters in the region Storkow-Frankfurt (Oder)-Eisenhüttenstadt. Brandenburgische Geowissenschaftliche Beiträge, 20 (1/2), 62-82. (in German) [4] Clauser C. (2003) SHEMAT and Processing SHEMAT - Numerical simulation of reactive flow in hot aquifers, Springer Publishers, Heidelberg [5] Rechlin, B., Hoffknecht, A., Scholz, H., Helms, A. (2010): Genetic evaluation of analyses from the hydrosphere. Software GEBAH Vers. 1.1 LBGR/GCI, Cottbus, Königs Wusterhausen (in German) [6] Rechlin, B. (2008): A method for a concentration free early detection of saltwater intrusions into freshwater aquifers and surface water. Brandenburgische Geowissenschaftliche Beiträge, 15 (1/2), 57-68. (in German)

The Spar Lake strata-Bound Cu-Ag deposit formed across a mixing zone between trapped natural gas and metals-bearing brine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hayes, Timothy S.; Landis, Gary P.; Whelan, Joseph F.; Rye, Robert O.; Moscati, Richard J.

2012-01-01

Ore formation at the Spar Lake red bed-associated strata-bound Cu deposit took place across a mixing and reaction zone between a hot oxidized metals-transporting brine and a reservoir of “sour” (H2S-bearing) natural gas trapped in the host sandstones. Fluid inclusion volatile analyses have very high CH4 concentrations (≥1 mol % in most samples), and a sample from the fringe of the deposit has between 18 and 36 mol % CH4. The ratio of CH4/CO2 in fluid inclusions appears to vary regularly across the deposit, with the lowest CH4/CO2 ratios from high-grade chalcocite-bearing ore, and the highest from the chalcopyrite-bearing fringe. The helium R/Ra isotope ratios (0.23–0.98) and concentrations define a mixture between crustal and atmospheric helium. The volatiles in fluid inclusions (CH4, CO2, H2S, SO2, H2, H2O, and other organic gases) and values of fO2 and temperature calculated from the volatiles data all show gradations across the deposit that are completely consistent with such a mixing and reaction zone. Other volatiles from the fluid inclusions (HCl, HF, 3He, Msup>4He, N2, Ar) characterize the brine and give evidence for only shallow crustal fluids with no magmatic influences. The brine entered the gas reservoir from below and along the axis of the deposit and migrated out along bedding to the southwest, northeast, and northwest. Metals-transporting brines may have been fed into the host sandstones from the East Fault, but that remains uncertain. Abundant ore-stage Fe and Mn calcite cements from the reduced fringe have δ13C values as low as −18.4‰, and many values less than −10‰, which indicate that significant carbonate was generated by oxidation of organic carbon from the natural gas. The zone of calcite cements with very low δ13C values approximately envelopes chalcocite-bearing ore. Sulfur isotope data of Cu, Pb, and Fe sulfides and barite indicate derivation of roughly half of the orebody sulfide directly from sour gas H2S. That sour gas H2S had developed in steps known from other sedimentary basins, starting with (1) bacterial sulfate reduction (BSR) of seawater sulfate having δ34S of about 20‰ and sequestering of the sulfide in organic matter in source rocks stratigraphically below the deposit host rocks, followed by (2) maturation of the sulfide-bearing organic matter into liquid petroleum with relatively homogeneous sulfide having δ34S of 5 ± 5‰, then by (3) thermal cracking of the oil to CH4 and H2S with relatively homogeneous sulfide having δ34S closely distributed, about 6‰. The CH4 and H2S migrated and were trapped in sandstones of the upper member of the Revett Formation, where they were later met by the 200°C metals-transporting brine. There was additional contribution of sulfide to ore from later thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR) operating on sulfate δ34S of 20 to 29‰ in both formation waters and metals-transporting solutions. A large range of δ34S in sulfides resulted as the 6‰ sour gas sulfide was supplemented with varying proportions of 20 to 29‰ sulfide from TSR.

Distillation Brine Purification for Resource Recovery Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wheeler, Raymond M.

2014-01-01

Wastewater processing systems for space generate residual brine that contains water and salts that could be recovered to life support consumables. The project assessed the use of ion-exchange resins to selectively remove salts from wastewater treatment brines. The resins were then regenerated for additional use. The intention would be to generate a Na/K and CI rich or purified brine that would then be processed into high value chemicals, such as acids, bases, and/or bleach.

Assessment of fluid distribution and flow properties in two phase fluid flow using X-ray CT technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Lanlan; Wu, Bohao; Li, Xingbo; Wang, Sijia; Wang, Dayong; Zhou, Xinhuan; Zhang, Yi

2018-04-01

To study on microscale distribution of CO2 and brine during two-phase flow is crucial for understanding the trapping mechanisms of CO2 storage. In this study, CO2-brine flow experiments in porous media were conducted using X-ray computed tomography. The porous media were packed with glass beads. The pore structure (porosity/tortuosity) and flow properties at different flow rates and flow fractions were investigated. The results showed that porosity of the packed beads differed at different position as a result of heterogeneity. The CO2 saturation is higher at low injection flow rates and high CO2 fractions. CO2 distribution at the pore scale was also visualized. ∅ Porosity of porous media CT brine_ sat grey value of sample saturated with brine CT dry grey value of sample saturated with air CT brine grey value of pure brine CT air grey value of pure air CT flow grey values of sample with two fluids occupying the pore space {CT}_{CO_2_ sat} grey value of sample saturated with CO2 {f}_{CO_2}({S}_{CO_2}) CO2 fraction {q}_{CO_2} the volume flow rate for CO2 q brine the volume flow rate for brine L Thickness of the porous media, mm L e a bundle of capillaries of equal length, mm τ Tortuosity, calculated from L e / L.

Correlation Between Analytical and Thermodynamicaly Calculated Values of Density For Chloride-sodium Brines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dudukalov, A.

Leakage from pipe-lines, nonhermetic wells and other industrial equipment of highly mineralized chloride-sodium brines, incidentally produced during oil field exploitation is one of the main source of fresh groundwater contamination on the Arlan oil field. Thermodynamic calculation, aimed to define more exactly brines chemical composi- tion and density was carried out by FREZCHEM2 program (Mironenko M.V. et al. 1997). Five brines types with mineralization of 137.9, 181.2, 217.4, 243.7, 267.8 g/l and density of 1.176, 1.09, 1.135, 1.153, 1.167 g/cm3 correspondingly were used. It is necessary to note that preliminarily chemical compositions of two last brines were corrected according to their mineralization. During calculations it was determined the following density values of brines: 1.082, 1.114, 1.131, 1.146, 1.158 g/cm3 conse- quently. Obtained results demonstrate the significant discrepancy in experimental and model estimates. Significant excess of anions over cations in experimental data indicates a major prob- lem with the analytical measurements. During calculations it was analyzed the possi- bility of changes in brines density depending on editing to cations or deducting from anions requisite amount of agent for keeping charge balance equal to zero. Received results demonstrate that in this case brines density can change on 0.004-0.011 g/cm3.

Origin of CaCl2 brines by basalt-seawater interaction: Insights provided by some simple mass balance calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardie, Lawrence A.

1983-06-01

Modern rift zone hydrothermal brines are typically CaCl2-bearing brines, an unusual chemical signature they share with certain oil field brines, fluid inclusions in ore minerals and a few uncommon saline lakes. Many origins have been suggested for such CaCl2 brines but in the Reykjanes, Iceland, geothermal system a strong empirical case can be made for a basalt-seawater interaction origin. To examine this mechanism of CaCl2 brine evolution some simple mass balance calculations were carried out. Average Reykjanes olivine tholeiite was “reacted” with average North Atlantic seawater to make an albite-chlorite-epidotesphene rock using Al2O3 as the conservative rock component and Cl as the conservative fluid component. The excess components released by the basalt to the fluid were “precipitated” at 275° C as quartz, calcite, anhydrite, magnetite and pyrite to complete the conversion to greenstone. The resulting fluid was a CaCl2 brine of seawater chlorinity with a composition remarkably similar to the actual Reykjanes brine at 1750 m depth. Thus, the calculations strongly support the idea that the Reykjanes CaCl2 brines result from “closed system” oceanic basalt-seawater interaction (albitization — chloritization mechanism) at greenschist facies temperatures. The calculation gives a seawater: basalt mass ratio of 3∶1 to 4∶1 (vol. ratio of 9∶1 to 12∶1), in keeping with experimental results, submarine vent data and with ocean crust cooling calculations. The brine becomes anoxic because there is insufficient dissolved or combined oxygen to balance all the Fe released from the basalt during alteration. Large excesses of Ca are released to the fluid and precipitate out in the form of anhydrite which essentially sweeps the brine free of sulfate leaving an elevated Ca concentration. The calculated rock-water interaction basically involves Na + Mg + SO4 ⇌ Ca + K, simulating chemical differences observed between oceanic basalts and greenstones from many mid-ocean ridges.

Comparative Simulations of 2D and 3D Mixed Convection Flow in a Faulted Basin: an Example from the Yarmouk Gorge, Israel and Jordan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magri, F.; Inbar, N.; Raggad, M.; Möller, S.; Siebert, C.; Möller, P.; Kuehn, M.

2014-12-01

Lake Kinneret (Lake Tiberias or Sea of Galilee) is the most important freshwater reservoir in the Northern Jordan Valley. Simulations that couple fluid flow, heat and mass transport are built to understand the mechanisms responsible for the salinization of this important resource. Here the effects of permeability distribution on 2D and 3D convective patterns are compared. 2D simulations indicate that thermal brine in Haon and some springs in the Yamourk Gorge (YG) are the result of mixed convection, i.e. the interaction between the regional flow from the bordering heights and thermally-driven flow (Magri et al., 2014). Calibration of the calculated temperature profiles suggests that the faults in Haon and the YG provides paths for ascending hot waters, whereas the fault in the Golan recirculates water between 1 and 2 km depths. At higher depths, faults induce 2D layered convection in the surrounding units. The 2D assumption for a faulted basin can oversimplify the system, and the conclusions might not be fully correct. The 3D results also point to mixed convection as the main mechanism for the thermal anomalies. However, in 3D the convective structures are more complex allowing for longer flow paths and residence times. In the fault planes, hydrothermal convection develops in a finger regime enhancing inflow and outflow of heat in the system. Hot springs can form locally at the surface along the fault trace. By contrast, the layered cells extending from the faults into the surrounding sediments are preserved and are similar to those simulated in 2D. The results are consistent with the theory from Zhao et al. (2003), which predicts that 2D and 3D patterns have the same probability to develop given the permeability and temperature ranges encountered in geothermal fields. The 3D approach has to be preferred to the 2D in order to capture all patterns of convective flow, particularly in the case of planar high permeability regions such as faults. Magri, F., et al., 2014. Potential salinization mechanisms of drinking water due to large-scale flow of brines across faults in the Tiberias Basin. Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 16, Abstract No: EGU2014-8236-1, Wien, AustriaZhao, C., et al., 2003. Convective instability of 3-D fluid-saturated geological fault zones heated from below. Geophysical Journal International, 155, 213-220

Guidelines to Facilitate the Evaluation of Brines for Winter Roadway Maintenance Operations.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-09-19

This document presents guidelines to facilitate the evaluation of brines for winter weather roadway maintenance applications in Texas. Brines are used in anti-icing applications which typically consist of placing liquid snow and ice control chemicals...

6. VIEW OF BRINING TANK Older, redwood model. Paddles agitated ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

6. VIEW OF BRINING TANK Older, redwood model. Paddles agitated the skins while they soaked in brine. The skins were then hung to dry. - Sealing Plant, St. George Island, Pribilof Islands, Saint George, Aleutians West Census Area, AK

Characterization of the Triassic Newark Basin of New York and New Jersey for geologic storage of carbon dioxide

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Collins, Daniel J.

The Newark Basin is a Triassic-aged rift basin underlying densely populated, industrialized sections of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The Basin is an elongate half-graben encompassing an area of more than 7,510 square-kilometers (2,900 square-miles), and could represent a key storage component for commercial scale management of carbon dioxide emissions via geologic sequestration. The project team first acquired published reports, surface and subsurface maps, and seismic data, which formed the basis for a three-dimensional model framework for the northern end of the Basin incorporating stratigraphic, hydrologic, and water quality data. Field investigations included drilling, coring, and logging of two stratigraphic test borings in Clarkstown, NY (Exit 14 Tandem Lot Well No. 1), drilled to a depth of 2,099 meters (6,885 feet); and Palisades, NY (Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Test Well No. 4) drilled to a depth of 549 meters (1,802 feet). Two two-dimensional seismic reflection data lines arrayed perpendicularly were acquired by Schlumberger/WesternGeco to help characterize the structure and stratigraphy and as part of pre-drilling field screening activities for the deep stratigraphic borehole. A total of 47 meters (155 feet) of continuous whole core was recovered from the Tandem Lot boring from depths of 1,393 meters (4,570 feet) to 1,486 meters (4,877 feet). Twenty-five horizontal rotary cores were collected in mudstones and sandstones in the surface casing hole and fifty-two cores were taken in various lithologies in the deep borehole. Rotary core plugs were analyzed by Weatherford Laboratories for routine and advanced testing. Rotary core plug trim end thin sections were evaluated by the New York State Museum for mineralogical analysis and porosity estimation. Using core samples, Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory designed and completed laboratory experiments and numerical modeling analyses to characterize the dissolution and reaction of carbon dioxide with formation brine and minerals, and resulting effects on injection rate, pressure, effective storage volume, and carbon dioxide migration within a prospective sandstone reservoir.more » $$Three potential porous and permeable sandstone units were identified in the Passaic Formation at the New York State Thruway Exit 14 location. Potential Flow Unit 1, at a depth of 643 meters (2,110 feet) to 751 meters (2,465 feet); Potential Flow Unit 2 at a depth of 853 meters (2,798 feet) to 1,000 meters (3,280 feet); and Potential Flow Unit 3, at a depth of 1,114 meters (3,655 feet) to 1,294 meters (4,250 feet). Reactive transport simulations of interactions between carbon dioxide, brine and formation minerals were carried out to evaluate changes in formation water chemistry, mineral precipitation and dissolution reactions, and any potential resulting effects on formation permeability. The experimental and modeling analyses suggest that mineral precipitation and dissolution reactions (within the target formation) are not expected to lead to significant changes to the underground hydrologic system over time frames (~30 years) typically relevant for carbon dioxide injection operations. Key findings of this basin characterization study include an estimate of carbon dioxide storage capacity in the Newark Basin. Assuming an average porosity of twelve percent and an aquifer volume of 6.1E+12 meters3, calculated ranges of likely storage capacity range from 1.9 – 20.2 gigatonnes under high temperature (low carbon dioxide density) conditions; and 2.9 – 30.2 gigatonnes under low temperature (low carbon dioxide density) conditions. Intra-basin faulting, geometry of the Palisades Sill, and the presence of altered meta-sediments above and below the Sill, increase potential compartmentalization within the basin. A structural/stratigraphic trap type may occur where porous/permeable sediments are cross-cut by the Palisades Sill. Potential injection intervals are present within the Stockton Formation of the Newark Basin. Additional porous/permeable intervals may be present within sandstones of the Passaic Formation, increasing projected storage capacity. Deeper wedges of strata are likely present in the deeper portions of the basin in southern New York and into northern New Jersey. Abundant mudstones are present in the Passaic, Lockatong, and Stockton Formations. These intervals have the requisite petrophysical properties to form effective primary and secondary containment intervals to industrial-scale sequestration of carbon dioxide in the Newark Basin. Hydro-thermally altered meta-sediments in the region immediately surrounding the top and base of the Palisades Sill is devoid of porosity/permeability and forms an additional effective lateral/vertical sealing cap rock.« less

Ceteacean Social Behavioral Response to Sonar

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-30

Kvadsheim PH, Huisman J and Tyack PL (in review). The social context of individual foraging behaviour in long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas ...of behavioral changes observed during experimental exposures of killer (Orcinus orca), long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas ), and sperm whale

Ceteacean Social Behavioral Response to Sonar

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-30

review). The social context of individual foraging behaviour in long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas ). Aoki K, Sakai M, Miller JO, Visser F...during 8 experimental exposures of killer (Orcinus orca), long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas ), and sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus

Weeks Island brine diffuser site study: baseline conditions and environmental assessment technical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

1980-12-12

This technical report presents the results of a study conducted at two alternative brine diffuser sites (A and B) proposed for the Weeks Island salt dome, together with an analysis of the potential physical, chemical, and biological effects of brine disposal for this area of the Gulf of Mexico. Brine would result from either the leaching of salt domes to form or enlarge oil storage caverns, or the subsequent use of these caverns for crude oil storage in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) program. Brine leached from the Weeks Island salt dome would be transported through a pipeline which wouldmore » extend from the salt dome either 27 nautical miles (32 statute miles) for Site A, or 41 nautical miles (47 statute miles) for Site B, into Gulf waters. The brine would be discharged at these sites through an offshore diffuser at a sustained peak rate of 39 ft/sup 3//sec. The disposal of large quantities of brine in the Gulf could have a significant impact on the biology and water quality of the area. Physical and chemical measurements of the marine environment at Sites A and B were taken between September 1977 and July 1978 to correlate the existing environmental conditions with the estimated physical extent of tthe brine discharge as predicted by the MIT model (US Dept. of Commerce, 1977a). Measurements of wind, tide, waves, currents, and stratification (water column structure) were also obtained since the diffusion and dispersion of the brine plume are a function of the local circulation regime. These data were used to calculate both near- and far-field concentrations of brine, and may also be used in the design criteria for diffuser port configuration and verification of the plume model. Biological samples were taken to characterize the sites and to predict potential areas of impact with regard to the discharge. This sampling focused on benthic organisms and demersal fish. (DMC)« less

Assessment of two-phase flow on the chemical alteration and sealing of leakage pathways in cemented wellbores

DOE PAGES

Iyer, Jaisree; Walsh, Stuart D. C.; Hao, Yue; ...

2018-01-08

Wellbore leakage tops the list of perceived risks to the long-term geologic storage of CO 2, because wells provide a direct path between the CO 2 storage reservoir and the atmosphere. In this paper, we have coupled a two-phase flow model with our original framework that combined models for reactive transport of carbonated brine, geochemistry of reacting cement, and geomechanics to predict the permeability evolution of cement fractures. Additionally, this makes the framework suitable for field conditions in geological storage sites, permitting simulation of contact between cement and mixtures of brine and supercritical CO 2. Due to lack of conclusivemore » experimental data, we tried both linear and Corey relative permeability models to simulate flow of the two phases in cement fractures. The model also includes two options to account for the inconsistent experimental observations regarding cement reactivity with two-phase CO 2-brine mixtures. One option assumes that the reactive surface area is independent of the brine saturation and the second option assumes that the reactive surface area is proportional to the brine saturation. We have applied the model to predict the extent of cement alteration, the conditions under which fractures seal, the time it takes to seal a fracture, and the leakage rates of CO 2 and brine when damage zones in the wellbore are exposed to two-phase CO 2-brine mixtures. Initial brine residence time and the initial fracture aperture are critical parameters that affect the fracture sealing behavior. We also evaluated the importance of the model assumptions regarding relative permeability and cement reactivity. These results illustrate the need to understand how mixtures of carbon dioxide and brine flow through fractures and react with cement to make reasonable predictions regarding well integrity. For example, a reduction in the cement reactivity with two-phase CO 2-brine mixture can not only significantly increase the sealing time for fractures but may also prevent fracture sealing.« less

Assessment of two-phase flow on the chemical alteration and sealing of leakage pathways in cemented wellbores

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Iyer, Jaisree; Walsh, Stuart D. C.; Hao, Yue

Wellbore leakage tops the list of perceived risks to the long-term geologic storage of CO 2, because wells provide a direct path between the CO 2 storage reservoir and the atmosphere. In this paper, we have coupled a two-phase flow model with our original framework that combined models for reactive transport of carbonated brine, geochemistry of reacting cement, and geomechanics to predict the permeability evolution of cement fractures. Additionally, this makes the framework suitable for field conditions in geological storage sites, permitting simulation of contact between cement and mixtures of brine and supercritical CO 2. Due to lack of conclusivemore » experimental data, we tried both linear and Corey relative permeability models to simulate flow of the two phases in cement fractures. The model also includes two options to account for the inconsistent experimental observations regarding cement reactivity with two-phase CO 2-brine mixtures. One option assumes that the reactive surface area is independent of the brine saturation and the second option assumes that the reactive surface area is proportional to the brine saturation. We have applied the model to predict the extent of cement alteration, the conditions under which fractures seal, the time it takes to seal a fracture, and the leakage rates of CO 2 and brine when damage zones in the wellbore are exposed to two-phase CO 2-brine mixtures. Initial brine residence time and the initial fracture aperture are critical parameters that affect the fracture sealing behavior. We also evaluated the importance of the model assumptions regarding relative permeability and cement reactivity. These results illustrate the need to understand how mixtures of carbon dioxide and brine flow through fractures and react with cement to make reasonable predictions regarding well integrity. For example, a reduction in the cement reactivity with two-phase CO 2-brine mixture can not only significantly increase the sealing time for fractures but may also prevent fracture sealing.« less

Numerical analysis of seawater circulation in carbonate platforms: II. The dynamic interaction between geothermal and brine reflux circulation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, G.D.; Whitaker, F.F.; Smart, P.L.; Sanford, W.E.

2004-01-01

Density-driven seawater circulation may occur in carbonate platforms due to geothermal heating and / or reflux of water of elevated salinity. In geothermal circulation lateral contrasts in temperature between seawater and platform groundwaters warmed by the geothermal heat flux result in upward convective flow, with colder seawater drawn into the platform at depth. With reflux circulation, platform-top waters concentrated by evaporation flow downward, displacing less dense underlying groundwaters. We have used a variable density groundwater flow model to examine the pattern, magnitude and interaction of these two different circulation mechanisms, for mesosaline platform-top waters (50???) and brines concentrated up to saturation with respect to gypsum (150???) and halite (246???). Geothermal circulation, most active around the platform margin, becomes restricted and eventually shut-off by reflux of brines from the platform interior towards the margin. The persistence of geothermal circulation is dependent on the rate of brine reflux, which is proportional to the concentration of platform-top brines and also critically dependent on the magnitude and distribution of permeability. Low permeability evaporites can severely restrict reflux whereas high permeability units in hydraulic continuity enhance brine transport. Reduction in permeability with depth and anisotropy of permeability (kv < < kh) focuses flow laterally in the shallow subsurface (<1 km), resulting in a horizontally elongated brine plume. Aquifer porosity and dispersivity are relatively minor controls on reflux. Platform brines can entrain surficial seawater when brine generating conditions cease but the platform-top remains submerged, a variant of reflux we term "latent reflux". Brines concentrated up to gypsum saturation have relatively long residence times of at least 100 times the duration of the reflux event. They thus represent a long-term control on post-reflux groundwater circulation, and consequently on the rates and spatial patterns of shallow burial diagenesis, such as dolomitization.

Strontium isotope systematics of mixing groundwater and oil-field brine at Goose Lake in northeastern Montana, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterman, Zell E.; Thamke, Joanna N.; Futa, Kiyoto; Preston, Todd

2012-01-01

Groundwater, surface water, and soil in the Goose Lake oil field in northeastern Montana have been affected by Cl−-rich oil-field brines during long-term petroleum production. Ongoing multidisciplinary geochemical and geophysical studies have identified the degree and local extent of interaction between brine and groundwater. Fourteen samples representing groundwater, surface water, and brine were collected for Sr isotope analyses to evaluate the usefulness of 87Sr/86Sr in detecting small amounts of brine. Differences in Sr concentrations and 87Sr/86Sr are optimal at this site for the experiment. Strontium concentrations range from 0.13 to 36.9 mg/L, and corresponding 87Sr/86Sr values range from 0.71097 to 0.70828. The local brine has 168 mg/L Sr and a 87Sr/86Sr value of 0.70802. Mixing relationships are evident in the data set and illustrate the sensitivity of Sr in detecting small amounts of brine in groundwater. The location of data points on a Sr isotope-concentration plot is readily explained by an evaporation-mixing model. The model is supported by the variation in concentrations of most of the other solutes.

Recovery of energy from geothermal brine and other hot water sources

DOEpatents

Wahl, III, Edward F.; Boucher, Frederic B.

1981-01-01

Process and system for recovery of energy from geothermal brines and other hot water sources, by direct contact heat exchange between the brine or hot water, and an immiscible working fluid, e.g. a hydrocarbon such as isobutane, in a heat exchange column, the brine or hot water therein flowing countercurrent to the flow of the working fluid. The column can be operated at subcritical, critical or above the critical pressure of the working fluid. Preferably, the column is provided with a plurality of sieve plates, and the heat exchange process and column, e.g. with respect to the design of such plates, number of plates employed, spacing between plates, area thereof, column diameter, and the like, are designed to achieve maximum throughput of brine or hot water and reduction in temperature differential at the respective stages or plates between the brine or hot water and the working fluid, and so minimize lost work and maximize efficiency, and minimize scale deposition from hot water containing fluid including salts, such as brine. Maximum throughput approximates minimum cost of electricity which can be produced by conversion of the recovered thermal energy to electrical energy.

Formation of Si-Al-Mg-Ca-rich zoned magnetite in an end-Permian phreatomagmatic pipe in the Tunguska Basin, East Siberia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neumann, Else-Ragnhild; Svensen, Henrik H.; Polozov, Alexander G.; Hammer, Øyvind

2017-12-01

Magma-sediment interactions in the evaporite-rich Tunguska Basin resulted in the formation of numerous phreatomagmatic pipes during emplacement of the Siberian Traps. The pipes contain magnetite-apatite deposits with copper and celestine mineralization. We have performed a detailed petrographic and geochemical study of magnetite from long cores drilled through three pipe breccia structures near Bratsk, East Siberia. The magnetite samples are zoned and rich in Si (≤5.3 wt% SiO2), Ca, Al, and Mg. They exhibit four textural types: (1) massive ore in veins, (2) coating on breccia clasts, (3) replacement ore, and (4) reworked ore at the crater base. The textural types have different chemical characteristics. "Breccia coating" magnetite has relatively low Mg content relative to Si, as compared to the other groups, and appears to have formed at lower oxygen fugacity. Time series analyses of MgO variations in microprobe transects across Si-bearing magnetite in massive ore indicate that oscillatory zoning in the massive ore was controlled by an internal self-organized process. We suggest that hydrothermal Fe-rich brines were supplied from basalt-sediment interaction zones in the evaporite-rich sedimentary basin, leading to magnetite ore deposition in the pipes. Hydrothermal fluid composition appears to be controlled by proximity to dolerite fragments, temperature, and oxygen fugacity. Magnetite from the pipes has attributes of iron oxide-apatite deposits (e.g., textures, oscillatory zoning, association with apatite, and high Si content) but has higher Mg and Ca content and different mineral assemblages. These features are similar to magnetite found in skarn deposits. We conclude that the Siberian Traps-related pipe magnetite deposit gives insight into the metamorphic and hydrothermal effects following magma emplacement in a sedimentary basin.

U.S. Geological Survey assessment of global potash production and resources—A significant advancement for global development and a sustainable future.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cocker, Mark D.; Orris, Greta J.; Wynn, Jeff

2016-01-01

During the past 15 yr, the global requirement for fertilizers has grown considerably, mainly due to demand by a larger and wealthier world population for more and higher-quality food. The demand and price for potash as a primary fertilizer ingredient have increased in tandem, because of the necessity to increase the quantity and quality of food production on the decreasing amount of available arable land. The primary sources of potash are evaporates, which occur mainly in marine salt basins and a few brine-bearing continental basins. World potash resources are large, but distribution is inequitable and not presently developed in countries where population and food requirements are large and increasing. There is no known substitute for potash in fertilizer, so knowledge of the world’s potash resources is critical for a sustainable future. The U.S. Geological Survey recently completed a global assessment of evaporite-hosted potash resources, which included a geographic information system–based inventory of known potash resources. This assessment included permissive areas or tracts for undiscovered resources at a scale of 1:1,000,000. Assessments of undiscovered potash resources were conducted for a number of the world’s evaporite-hosted potash basins. The data collected provide a major advance in our knowledge of global potash resources that did not exist prior to this study. The two databases include: (1) potash deposits and occurrences, and (2) potash tracts (basins that contain these deposits and occurrences and potentially undiscovered potash deposits). Data available include geology, mineralogy, grade, tonnage, depth, thickness, areal extent, and structure, as well as numerous pertinent references.

Results of the GCMS Effluent Gas Analysis for the Brine Processing Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delzeit, Lance; Lee, Jeffrey; Flynn, Michael; Fisher, John; Shaw, Hali; Kawashima, Brian; Beeler, David; Harris, Linden

2015-01-01

The effluent gas for the Paragon Ionomer Water Processor (IWP), UMPQUA Ultrasonic Brine Dewatering System (UBDS), and the NASA Brine Evaporation Bag (BEB) were analyzed using Headspace GCMS Analysis in the recent AES FY14 Brine Processing Test. The results from the analysis describe the number and general chemical species of the chemicals produced. Comparisons were also made between the different chromatograms for each system, and an explanation of the differences in the results is reported.

West Hackberry Strategic Petroleum Reserve site brine-disposal monitoring, Year I report. Volume III. Biological oceanography. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DeRouen, L.R.; Hann, R.W.; Casserly, D.M.

1983-02-01

The Department of Energy's Strategic Petroleum Reserve Program began discharging brine into the Gulf of Mexico from its West Hackberry site near Cameron, Louisiana in May 1981. The brine originates from underground salt domes being leached with water from the Intracoastal Waterway, making available vast underground storage caverns for crude oil. The effects of brine discharge on aquatic organisms are presented in this volume. The topics covered are: benthos; nekton; phytoplankton; zooplankton; and data management.

Inland Treatment of the Brine Generated from Reverse Osmosis Advanced Membrane Wastewater Treatment Plant Using Epuvalisation System

PubMed Central

Qurie, Mohannad; Abbadi, Jehad; Scrano, Laura; Mecca, Gennaro; Bufo, Sabino A.; Khamis, Mustafa; Karaman, Rafik

2013-01-01

The reverse osmosis (RO) brine generated from the Al-Quds University wastewater treatment plant was treated using an epuvalisation system. The advanced integrated wastewater treatment plant included an activated sludge unit, two consecutive ultrafiltration (UF) membrane filters (20 kD and 100 kD cutoffs) followed by an activated carbon filter and a reverse osmosis membrane. The epuvalisation system consisted of salt tolerant plants grown in hydroponic channels under continuous water flowing in a closed loop system, and placed in a greenhouse at Al-Quds University. Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) plants were selected, and underwent two consecutive hydroponic flowing stages using different brine-concentrations: an adaptation stage, in which a 1:1 mixture of brine and fresh water was used; followed by a functioning stage, with 100% brine. A control treatment using fresh water was included as well. The experiment started in April and ended in June (2012). At the end of the experiment, analysis of the effluent brine showed a remarkable decrease of electroconductivity (EC), PO43−, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and K+ with a reduction of 60%, 74%, 70%, and 60%, respectively, as compared to the influent. The effluent of the control treatment showed 50%, 63%, 46%, and 90% reduction for the same parameters as compared to the influent. Plant growth parameters (plant height, fresh and dry weight) showed no significant difference between fresh water and brine treatments. Obtained results suggest that the epuvalisation system is a promising technique for inland brine treatment with added benefits. The increasing of channel number or closed loop time is estimated for enhancing the treatment process and increasing the nutrient uptake. Nevertheless, the epuvalisation technique is considered to be simple, efficient and low cost for inland RO brine treatment. PMID:23823802

Mechanisms of sulfate removal from subsurface calcium chloride brines: Heletz-Kokhav oilfields, Israel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gavrieli, I.; Starinsky, A.; Spiro, B.

1995-09-01

The evolution of the Ca-chloride brines in the Heletz Formation, Lower Cretaceous, in the southern coastal plain of Israel was reconstructed through the study of its sulfate concentration and isotopic composition. Particular emphasis was given to the brine-oil interaction in the oilfields and to the sulfate depletion and lower SO{sub 4}/Cl ratio in brines in contact with hydrocarbons (oil brines) relative to {open_quotes}oil-free{close_quotes} from dry wells in the same oilfields. A method is presented for a calculation of the amount of sulfate removed from the original seawater in the various stages of its evolution to Ca-chloride brine. Eastward migration ofmore » the Messinian Ca-Chloride brine into the Heletz Formation was accompanied by dolomitization of the country rock. Final depletion of sulfate from the brines took place, and possibly still occurs, in the presence of crude oil in the oilfields. The two oil-producing fields, Heletz and Kokhav, occupy different areas on a Rayleigh distillation diagram. Sulfate depletion in both fields is accompanied by an increase in {delta}{sup 34}S{sub SO}{sub 4}, which reaches a maximum values of 59{per_thousand}. The above correlation is explained by bacterial sulfate reduction facilitated by the contact with the crude. Samples collected from the same boreholes at time intervals of several months show two opposing trends: sulfate concentration decrease accompanied by increase in {delta}{sup 34}S{sub SO}{sub 4}, and vice versa. While the first can be explained as in situ bacterial sulfate reduction, the latter attest to subsurface brine migration, as would be expected in oil-producing fields.« less

Seismic Signatures of Brine Release at Blood Falls, Taylor Glacier, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, C. G.; Pettit, E. C.; Carmichael, J.

2017-12-01

Blood Falls is created by the release of subglacially-sourced, iron-rich brine at the surface of Taylor Glacier, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. The supraglacial portion of this hydrological feature is episodically active. Englacial liquid brine flow occurs despite ice temperatures of -17°C and we document supraglacial liquid brine release despite ambient air temperatures average -20°C. In this study, we use data from a seismic network, time-lapse cameras, and publicly available weather station data to address the questions: what are the characteristics of seismic events that occur during Blood Falls brine release and how do these compare with seismic events that occur during times of Blood Falls quiescence? How are different processes observable in the time-lapse imagery represented in the seismic record? Time-lapse photography constrains the timing of brine release events during the austral winter of 2014. We use a noise-adaptive digital power detector to identify seismic events and cluster analysis to identify repeating events based on waveform similarity across the network. During the 2014 wintertime brine release, high-energy repeated seismic events occurred proximal to Blood Falls. We investigate the ground motions associated with these clustered events, as well as their spatial distribution. We see evidence of possible tremor during the brine release periods, an indicator of fluid movement. If distinctive seismic signatures are associated with Blood Falls brine release they could be identified based solely on seismic data without any aid from time-lapse cameras. Passive seismologic monitoring has the benefit of continuity during the polar night and other poor visibility conditions, which make time-lapse imagery unusable.

NASA TechPort Entry for Coiled Brine Recovery Assembly (CoBRA) CL IR&D Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pensinger, Stuart

2014-01-01

The Coiled Brine Recovery Assembly (CoBRA) project will result in a proof-of-concept demonstration for a lightweight, compact, affordable, regenerable and disposable solution to brine water recovery. The heart of CoBRA is an evaporator that produces water vapor from brine. This evaporator leverages a novel design that enables passive transport of brine from place to place within the system. While it will be necessary to build or modify a system for testing the CoBRA concept, the emphasis of this project will be on developing the evaporator itself. This project will utilize a “test early, test often” approach, building at least one trial evaporator to guide the design of the final product.

Using Heat as a Tracer to Estimate Saline Groundwater Fluxes from the Deep Aquifer System to the Shallow Aquifers and the Rio Grande in the Mesilla Basin, New Mexico, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pepin, J. D.; Robertson, A.; Ferguson, C.; Burns, E. R.

2017-12-01

Heat is used as a tracer to estimate vertical groundwater flow and associated saline fluxes from deep (greater than 1 km) parts of the Mesilla Basin regional aquifer to the Rio Grande. Profiles of temperature with depth below ground surface are used to locate groundwater upflow zones and to estimate associated salinity fluxes. The results of this study will inform understanding of the impact of deep saline groundwater on regional water supplies. The Mesilla Basin in southern New Mexico, Texas, and Chihuahua, Mexico was designated by the U.S. as a priority transboundary aquifer in part because of the presence of the Rio Grande within the basin. Declining water levels, deteriorating water quality in both the aquifer and the river, and increasing use of water resources on both sides of the international border raise concerns about the sustainability of regional water supplies. The Rio Grande chloride concentration increases by about 130% (120 ppm to 280 ppm) as the river traverses the Mesilla Basin. Previous research attributed this reduction in water quality to the upwelling of deep sedimentary brines and geothermal waters within the basin. However, the spatial distribution of these upflow zones and their groundwater flow rates are poorly understood. Temperature profiles from 374 existing boreholes within the Mesilla Basin indicate that temperature-profile shape is affected by heat advection in the basin. Three distinct geothermal upflow zones were identified along regional fault zones in the study area based on the temperature profiles. Groundwater in these zones is considered thermal, having temperatures greater than 50°C at depths of less than 200 m. Identification of upflow-zone profiles combines analysis of temperature profiles, lithologic records, well-completion data, and profile derivatives. The Bredehoeft and Papadopulos (1965) one-dimensional heat-transport analytical solution will be applied to upflow-zone profiles to estimate the corresponding vertical groundwater flow rates. Temperature, heat flow, and salinity maps will be constructed to approximate the areal extents of identified upflow zones. These areal estimates will then be combined with the 1D vertical groundwater flow calculations and salinity data to quantify volumetric salinity fluxes to the shallow aquifer system and Rio Grande.

A feasibility study of geological CO2 sequestration in the Ordos Basin, China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jiao, Z.; Surdam, R.C.; Zhou, L.; Stauffer, P.H.; Luo, T.

2011-01-01

The Shaanxi Province/Wyoming CCS Partnership (supported by DOE NETL) aims to store commercial quantities of CO2 safely and permanently in the Ordovician Majiagou Formation in the northern Ordos Basin, Shaanxi Province, China. This objective is imperative because at present, six coal-to-liquid facilities in Shaanxi Province are capturing and venting significant quantities of CO2. The Wyoming State Geological Survey and the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Energy Resource and Chemical Engineering conducted a feasibility study to determine the potential for geological CO2 sequestration in the northern Ordos Basin near Yulin. The Shaanbei Slope of the Ordos Basin is a huge monoclinal structure with a high-priority sequestration reservoir (Majiagou Formation) that lies beneath a 2,000+ meter-thick sequence of Mesozoic rocks containing a multitude of lowpermeability lithologies. The targeted Ordovician Majiagou Formation in the location of interest is more than 700 meters thick. The carbonate reservoir is located at depths where pressures and temperatures are well above the supercritical point of CO2. The targeted reservoir contains high-salinity brines (20,000-50,000 ppm) that have little or no economic value. The targeted reservoir is continuous as inferred from well logs, and cores show that porosity ranges from 1 to 15% with average measured porosity of 8%, and that permeability ranges from 1-35 md. This paper focuses on calculations that will help evaluate the capacity estimates through the use of high-resolution multiphase numerical simulation models, as well as a more simple volumetric approach. The preliminary simulation results show that the Ordovician Majiagou Formation in the Ordos Basin has excellent potential for geological CO2 sequestration and could store the CO2 currently emitted by coal-to-liquid facilities in Shaanxi Province for hundreds of years (i.e., 9 Mt/year CO2; 450 Mt over a 50-year period at one injection site). ?? 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Alcohol Brine Freezing of Japanese Horse Mackerel (Trachurus japonicus) for Raw Consumption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maeda, Toshimichi; Yuki, Atsuhiko; Sakurai, Hiroshi; Watanabe, Koichiro; Itoh, Nobuo; Inui, Etsuro; Seike, Kazunori; Mizukami, Yoichi; Fukuda, Yutaka; Harada, Kazuki

In order to test the possible application of alcohol brine freezing to Japanese horse mackerel (Trachurus japonicus) for raw consumption, the quality and taste of fish frozen by direct immersion in 60% ethanol brine at -20, -25 and -30°C was compared with those by air freezing and fresh fish without freezing. Cracks were not found during the freezing. Smell of ethanol did not remain. K value, an indicator of freshness, of fish frozen in alcohol brine was less than 8.3%, which was at the same level as those by air freezing and fresh fish. Oxidation of lipid was at the same level as air freezing does, and lower than that of fresh fish. The pH of fish frozen in alcohol brine at -25 and -30°C was 6.5 and 6.6, respectively, which were higher than that by air freezing and that of fresh fish. Fish frozen in alcohol brine was better than that by air and at the same level as fresh fish in total evaluation of sensory tests. These results show that the alcohol brine freezing is superior to air freezing, and fish frozen in alcohol brine can be a material for raw consumption. The methods of thawing in tap water, cold water, refrigerator, and at room temperature were compared. Thawing in tap water is considered to be convenient due to the short thaw time and the quality of thawed fish that was best among the methods.

Quality of cucumbers commercially fermented in calcium chloride brine without sodium salts

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Commercial cucumber fermentation produces large volumes of salty wastewater. This study evaluated the quality of fermented cucumbers produced commercially using an alternative calcium chloride brining process. Fermentation conducted in calcium brines (0.1M calcium chloride, 6mM potassium sorbate, eq...

Potential for Natural Brine for Anti-Icing and De-Icing

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-09-01

This project focused on the feasibility of the use of natural brine for anti-icing and pre-wetting in Onondaga County, : Syracuse, New York. A thorough literature review was conducted on the use of brine as an anti-icing and pre-wetting : agent both ...

Estimates of Phytoplankton Community Composition in the Productive Coastal Waters of Antarctica and Potential Impacts on Carbon Cycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Randolph, K. L.; Dierssen, H. M.; Schofield, O.; Munro, D. R.

2016-12-01

As a region of exchange between the major ocean basins and between the surface and deep oceans, the Southern Ocean regulates the global transport of heat, carbon, and macronutrients and thus has a profound influence on global climate. Primary production plays a fundamental role in controlling the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the surface ocean and thus the exchange of carbon dioxide between ocean and atmosphere. Here, we evaluated the relationship between phytoplankton community composition and the optical and biogeochemical properties of the water column in the Drake Passage and along the Western Antarctic Peninsula. Profile measurements of inherent optical properties (i.e., spectral absorption, scattering and backscattering), HPLC pigments, and hyperspectral remote sensing reflectance were collected from the ARSV Gould in January 2016 near the Western Antarctic Peninsula and in the Drake Passage as a part of the Oxygen/nitrogen Ratio and Carbon dioxide Airborne Southern Ocean (ORCAS) experiment and the Palmer Long Term Ecological Research Project. Measured inherent optical properties were used to investigate phytoplankton abundance, distribution and community composition. These data were also used to assess the accuracy of algorithms to retrieve chlorophyll, absorption, and backscattering and to evaluate how carbonate chemistry can be influenced by the phytoplankton composition in this dynamic region.

Fermentation of cucumbers brined with calcium chloride instead of sodium chloride

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Generation of waste water containing sodium chloride from cucumber fermentation tank yards could be eliminated if cucumbers were fermented in brines that did not contain this salt. To determine if this is feasible, cucumbers were fermented in brines that contained only calcium chloride to maintain f...

Norm removal from frac water

DOEpatents

Silva, James Manio; Matis, Hope; Kostedt, IV, William Leonard

2014-11-18

A method for treating low barium frac water includes contacting a frac water stream with a radium selective complexing resin to produce a low radium stream, passing the low radium stream through a thermal brine concentrator to produce a concentrated brine; and passing the concentrated brine through a thermal crystallizer to yield road salt.

Fermentation cover brine reformulation for cucumber processing with low salt to reduce bloater defect

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Reformulation of calcium chloride cover brine for cucumber fermentation was explored as a mean to minimize the incidence of bloater defect. This study particularly focused on cover brine supplementation with calcium hydroxide, sodium chloride (NaCl), and acids to enhance buffer capacity, inhibit the...

Potential for natural brine for anti-icing and de-icing.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-09-01

This project focused on the feasibility of the use of natural brine for anti-icing and pre-wetting in Onondaga County, Syracuse, New York. A thorough literature review was conducted on the use of brine as an anti-icing and pre-wetting agent both in t...

REE Sorption Study on sieved -50 +100 mesh fraction of Media #1 in Brine #1 with Different Starting pH's at 70C

DOE Data Explorer

Gary Garland

2015-09-29

This is a continuation of the REE sorption study for shaker bath tests on 2g media #1 in 150mL brine #1 with different starting pH's at 70C. In a previous submission we reported data for shaker bath tests for brine #1 with starting pH's of 3.5, 4.5 and 5.5. In this submission we these pH's compared to starting brine #1 pH's of 6, and 7.

Characterization of brines and evaporites of Lake Katwe, Uganda

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasedde, Hillary; Kirabira, John Baptist; Bäbler, Matthäus U.; Tilliander, Anders; Jonsson, Stefan

2014-03-01

Lake Katwe brines and evaporites were investigated to determine their chemical, mineralogical and morphological composition. 30 brine samples and 3 solid salt samples (evaporites) were collected from different locations of the lake deposit. Several analytical techniques were used to determine the chemical composition of the samples including Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES), Inductively Coupled Plasma-Sector Field Mass Spectrometry (ICP-SFMS), ion chromatography, and potentiometric titration. The mineralogical composition and morphology of the evaporites was determined using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Physical parameters of the lake brines such as density, electrical conductivity, pH, and salinity were also studied. The results show that the lake brines are highly alkaline and rich in Na+, Cl-, CO32-, SO42-, and HCO3- with lesser amounts of K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Br-, and F- ions. The brines show an intermediate transition between Na-Cl and Na-HCO3 water types. Among the trace metals, the lake brines were found to be enriched in B, I, Sr, Fe, Mo, Ba, and Mn. The solid salts are composed of halite mixed with other salts such as hanksite, burkeite and trona. It was also observed that the composition of the salts varies considerably even within the same grades.

Water Recovery from Brines to Further Close the Water Recovery Loop in Human Spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, W. Andrew; Barta, Daniel J.; Anderson, Molly S.; Lange, Kevin E.; Hanford, Anthony J.; Shull, Sarah A.; Carter, D. Layne

2014-01-01

Further closure of water recovery systems will be necessary for future long duration human exploration missions. NASA's Space Technology Roadmap for Human Health, Life Support and Habitation Systems specified a milestone to advance water management technologies during the 2015 to 2019 timeframe to achieve 98% H2O recovery from a mixed wastewater stream containing condensate, urine, hygiene, laundry, and water derived from waste. This goal can only be achieved by either reducing the amount of brines produced by a water recovery system or by recovering water from wastewater brines. NASA convened a Technical Interchange Meeting (TIM) on the topic of Water Recovery from Brines (WRB) that was held on January14-15th, 2014 at Johnson Space Center. Objectives of the TIM were to review systems and architectures that are sources of brines and the composition of brines they produce, review the state of the art in NASA technology development and perspectives from other industries, capture the challenges and difficulties in developing brine processing hardware, identify key figures of merit and requirements to focus technology development and evaluate candidate technologies, and identify other critical issues including microgravity sensitivity, and concepts of operation, safety. This paper represents an initial summary of findings from the workshop.

Perchlorate and nitrate treatment by ion exchange integrated with biological brine treatment.

PubMed

Lehman, S Geno; Badruzzaman, Mohammad; Adham, Samer; Roberts, Deborah J; Clifford, Dennis A

2008-02-01

Groundwater contaminated with perchlorate and nitrate was treated in a pilot plant using a commercially available ion exchange (IX) resin. Regenerant brine concentrate from the IX process, containing high perchlorate and nitrate, was treated biologically and the treated brine was reused in IX resin regeneration. The nitrate concentration of the feed water determined the exhaustion lifetime (i.e., regeneration frequency) of the resin; and the regeneration condition was determined by the perchlorate elution profile from the exhausted resin. The biological brine treatment system, using a salt-tolerant perchlorate- and nitrate-reducing culture, was housed in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The biological process consistently reduced perchlorate and nitrate concentrations in the spent brine to below the treatment goals of 500 microg ClO4(-)/L and 0.5mg NO3(-)-N/L determined by equilibrium multicomponent IX modeling. During 20 cycles of regeneration, the system consistently treated the drinking water to below the MCL of nitrate (10 mgNO3(-)-N/L) and the California Department of Health Services (CDHS) notification level of perchlorate (i.e., 6 microg/L). A conceptual cost analysis of the IX process estimated that perchlorate and nitrate treatment using the IX process with biological brine treatment to be approximately 20% less expensive than using the conventional IX with brine disposal.

Chemical composition of selected Kansas brines as an aid to interpreting change in water chemistry with depth

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dingman, R.J.; Angino, E.E.

1969-01-01

Chemical analyses of approximately 1,881 samples of water from selected Kansas brines define the variations of water chemistry with depth and aquifer age. The most concentrated brines are found in the Permian rocks which occupy the intermediate section of the geologic column of this area. Salinity decreases below the Permian until the Ordovician (Arbuckle) horizon is reached and then increases until the Precambrian basement rocks are reached. Chemically, the petroleum brines studied in this small area fit the generally accepted pattern of an increase in calcium, sodium and chloride content with increasing salinity. They do not fit the often-predicted trend of increases in the calcium to chloride ratio, calcium content and salinity with depth and geologic age. The calcium to chloride ratio tends to be asymptotic to about 0.2 with increasing chloride content. Sulfate tends to decrease with increasing calcium content. Bicarbonate content is relatively constant with depth. If many of the hypotheses concerning the chemistry of petroleum brines are valid, then the brines studied are anomolous. An alternative lies in accepting the thesis that exceptions to these hypotheses are rapidly becoming the rule and that indeed we still do not have a valid and general hypothesis to explain the origin and chemistry of petroleum brines. ?? 1969.

Refractive-index measurements in freezing sea-ice and sodium chloride brines.

PubMed

Maykut, G A; Light, B

1995-02-20

Sea ice contains numerous pockets of brine and precipitated salts whose size and number distributions change dramatically with temperature. Theoretical treatment of scattering produced by these inclusions requires information on refractive-index differences among the brine, salts, and surrounding ice. Lacking specific data on refractive-index variations in the brine, we carried out laboratory measurements in freezing-equilibrium solutions between -2 and -32 °C. Index values at 589 nm increased from 1.341 to 1.397 over this temperature range, corresponding to salinities of 35 and 240 parts per thousand (ppt). Spectral data were also taken at 50-nm intervals between 400 and 700 nm in nonequilibrium solutions with salinities ranging up to 300 ppt. Spectral gradients increased slightly with salinity but showed no measurable dependence on temperature between +12 and -16 °C. The Lorentz-Lorenz equation, combined with data on density, molar refractivities, and brine composition, yielded temperature-dependent index predictions in excellent agreement with the experimental data. Similar index and density measurements in freezing sodium chloride brines yielded values nearly identical to those in the sea-ice brines. The absence of mirabilite crystals in sodium chloride ice, however, will cause it to have higher transmissivity and lower reflectivity than sea ice above -22 °C.

Hydrochemical evolution of regional groundwaters to playa brines in central Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jankowski, J.; Jacobson, G.

A large-scale groundwater system in central Australia discharges to a chain of playas. Recharge in calcrete and fractured rock aquifers gives rise to relatively low-salinity HCO 3 Cl SO 4 groundwaters, which evolve through regional saline groundwaters, to highly saline playa brines. The hydrochemical evolution of the groundwaters follows the anionic sequence HCO 3 Cl SO 4 → ClbHCO 3SO 4 → ClSO 4HCO 3 → ClSO 4 → Cl. With increasing salinity, there is a relative increase in Na, K, Mg, Cl and SO 4; however, there is a relative decrease in HCO 3, Ca, and SiO 2 owing to the precipitation of carbonate, sulphate and silicate minerals, and the resultant brines are depleted in these ions. Significant chemical variation in the composition of playa brines is a result of complex processes of solution, evaporative concentration, precipitation and mineralogical change, including dolomitisation. Thermodynamic calculations based on the Pitzer equations have enabled a general model to be developed for these evolutionary processes in saline groundwaters up to the stage of halite saturation. At an early stage the regional groundwaters are saturated with respect to the carbonate minerals, dolomite first, then calcite. With increasing salinity, sulphate minerals begin to precipitate: saturation with respect to gypsum is attained at a chlorinity of 19‰, and saturation with respect to anhydrite is attained at 122‰. The playa brines attain saturation with respect to halite at a chlorinity of 144‰. Solute budgets based on a chloride concentration factor show that final playa brines are 178 times more concentrated than recharge groundwaters, and confirm the virtually complete loss of HCO 3, Ca and SiO 2 through precipitation. There are subtle differences in the hydrochemistry of different central Australian playa brines and also vis-à-vis playa brines described from other parts of the world. Most Australian playas have brines of the ClNa type with SO 4 and Mg also important. The generally accepted Hardie-Eugster model for brine evolution and mineral precipitation sequences has therefore been modified and extended. Three pathways are defined, following calcite precipitation, on the basis of the ratio of molar Ca to alkalinity; these pathways lead to saline waters with different compositions. Subsequent evolution of the brines depends on the ratios between molar SO 4, Mg, Ca and alkalinity.

Fresh Water Generation from Aquifer-Pressured Carbon Storage: Interim Progress Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aines, R D; Wolery, T J; Hao, Y

2009-07-22

This project is establishing the potential for using brine pressurized by Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) operations in saline formations as the feedstock for desalination and water treatment technologies including nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO). The aquifer pressure resulting from the energy required to inject the carbon dioxide provides all or part of the inlet pressure for the desalination system. Residual brine would be reinjected into the formation at net volume reduction. This process provides additional storage space (capacity) in the aquifer, reduces operational risks by relieving overpressure in the aquifer, and provides a source of low-cost fresh watermore » to offset costs or operational water needs. Computer modeling and laboratory-scale experimentation are being used to examine mineral scaling and osmotic pressure limitations for brines typical of CCS sites. Computer modeling is being used to evaluate processes in the aquifer, including the evolution of the pressure field. This progress report deals mainly with our geochemical modeling of high-salinity brines and covers the first six months of project execution (September, 2008 to March, 2009). Costs and implementation results will be presented in the annual report. The brines typical of sequestration sites can be several times more concentrated than seawater, requiring specialized modeling codes typical of those developed for nuclear waste disposal calculations. The osmotic pressure developed as the brines are concentrated is of particular concern, as are precipitates that can cause fouling of reverse osmosis membranes and other types of membranes (e.g., NF). We have now completed the development associated with tasks (1) and (2) of the work plan. We now have a contract with Perlorica, Inc., to provide support to the cost analysis and nanofiltration evaluation. We have also conducted several preliminary analyses of the pressure effect in the reservoir in order to confirm that reservoir pressure can indeed be used to drive the reverse osmosis process. Our initial conclusions from the work to date are encouraging: (1) The concept of aquifer-pressured RO to provide fresh water associated with carbon dioxide storage appears feasible. (2) Concentrated brines such as those found in Wyoming are amenable to RO treatment. We have looked at sodium chloride brines from the Nugget Formation in Sublette County. 20-25% removal with conventional methods is realistic; higher removal appears achievable with NF. The less concentrated sulfate-rich brines from the Tensleep Formation in Sublette County would support >80% removal with conventional RO. (3) Brines from other proposed sequestration sites can now be analyzed readily. An osmotic pressure curve appropriate to these brines can be used to evaluate cost and equipment specifications. (4) We have examined a range of subsurface brine compositions that is potentially pertinent to carbon sequestration and noted the principal compositional trends pertinent to evaluating the feasibility of freshwater extraction. We have proposed a general categorization for the feasibility of the process based on total dissolved solids (TDS). (5) Withdrawing pressurized brine can have a very beneficial effect on reservoir pressure and total available storage capacity. Brine must be extracted from a deeper location in the aquifer than the point of CO{sub 2} injection to prevent CO{sub 2} from migrating to the brine extraction well.« less

An experimental study of relative permeability hysteresis, capillary trapping characteristics, and capillary pressure of CO2/brine systems at reservoir conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akbarabadi, Morteza

We present the results of an extensive experimental study on the effects of hysteresis on permanent capillary trapping and relative permeability of CO2/brine and supercritical (sc)CO2+SO2/brine systems. We performed numerous unsteady- and steady-state drainage and imbibition full-recirculation flow experiments in three different sandstone rock samples, i.e., low and high-permeability Berea, Nugget sandstones, and Madison limestone carbonate rock sample. A state-of-the-art reservoir conditions core-flooding system was used to perform the tests. The core-flooding apparatus included a medical CT scanner to measure in-situ saturations. The scanner was rotated to the horizontal orientation allowing flow tests through vertically-placed core samples with about 3.8 cm diameter and 15 cm length. Both scCO2 /brine and gaseous CO2 (gCO2)/brine fluid systems were studied. The gaseous and supercritical CO2/brine experiments were carried out at 3.46 and 11 MPa back pressures and 20 and 55°C temperatures, respectively. Under the above-mentioned conditions, the gCO2 and scCO2 have 0.081 and 0.393 gr/cm3 densities, respectively. During unsteady-state tests, the samples were first saturated with brine and then flooded with CO2 (drainage) at different maximum flow rates. The drainage process was then followed by a low flow rate (0.375 cm 3/min) imbibition until residual CO2 saturation was achieved. Wide flow rate ranges of 0.25 to 20 cm3/min for scCO2 and 0.125 to 120 cm3min for gCO2 were used to investigate the variation of initial brine saturation (Swi) with maximum CO2 flow rate and variation of trapped CO2 saturation (SCO2r) with Swi. For a given Swi, the trapped scCO2 saturation was less than that of gCO2 in the same sample. This was attributed to brine being less wetting in the presence of scCO2 than in the presence of gCO 2. During the steady-state experiments, after providing of fully-brine saturated core, scCO2 was injected along with brine to find the drainage curve and as a consequence the Swi, then it was followed by the imbibition process to measure SCO2r. We performed different cycles of relative permeability experiments to investigate the effect of hysteresis. The Swi and SCO2r varied from 0.525 to 0.90 and 0.34 to 0.081, respectively. Maximum CO2 and brine relative permeabilities at the end of drainage and imbibition and also variation of brine relative permeability due to post-imbibition CO2 dissolution during unsteady-state experiment were also studied. We co-injected SO2 with CO2 and brine into the Madison limestone core sample. The sample was acquired from the Rock Springs Uplift in southwest Wyoming. The temperature and pressure of the experiments were 60°C and 19.16 MPa, respectively. Each drainage-imbibition cycle was followed by a dissolution process to establish Sw=1. The results showed that about 76% of the initial CO2 was trapped by capillary trapping mechanism at the end of imbibition test. We also investigated the scCO2+SO2/brine capillary pressure versus saturation relationship through performing primary drainage, imbibition, and secondary drainage experiments. The results indicated that the wettability of the core sample might have been altered owing to being in contact with the scCO 2+SO2/brine system. During primary drainage CO2 displaced 52.5% of brine, i.e., Swi = 0.475. The subsequent imbibition led to 0.329 CO2 saturation. For all series of experiments, the ratio of SCO2r to initial CO2 saturation (1- S wi) was found to be much higher for low initial CO2 saturations. This means that greater fractions of injected CO2 can be permanently trapped at higher initial brine saturations. The results illustrated that very promising fractions (about 49 to 83 %) of the initial CO2 saturation can be trapped permanently. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).

Active CO2 Reservoir Management: A Strategy for Controlling Pressure, CO2 and Brine Migration in Saline-Formation CCS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buscheck, T. A.; Sun, Y.; Hao, Y.; Court, B.; Celia, M. A.; Wolery, T.; Tompson, A. F.; Aines, R. D.; Friedmann, J.

2010-12-01

CO2 capture and sequestration (CCS) in deep geological formations is regarded as a promising means of lowering the amount of CO2 emitted to the atmosphere and thereby mitigate global warming. The most promising systems for CCS are depleted oil reservoirs, particularly those suited to CO2-based Enhanced Oil Recovery (CCS-EOR), and deep saline formations, both of which are well separated from the atmosphere. For conventional, industrial-scale, saline-formation CCS, pressure buildup can have a limiting effect on CO2 storage capacity. To address this concern, we analyze Active CO2 Reservoir Management (ACRM), which combines brine extraction and residual-brine reinjection with CO2 injection, comparing it with conventional saline-formation CCS. We investigate the influence of brine extraction on pressure response and CO2 and brine migration using the NUFT code. By extracting brine from the lower portion of the storage formation, from locations progressively further from the center of injection, we can counteract buoyancy that drives CO2 to the top of the formation, which is useful in dipping formations. Using “push-pull” manipulation of the CO2 plume, we expose less of the caprock seal to CO2 and more of the storage formation to CO2, with more of the formation utilized for trapping mechanisms. Plume manipulation can also counteract the influence of heterogeneity. We consider the impact of extraction ratio, defined as net extracted brine volume (extraction minus reinjection) divided by injected CO2 volume. Pressure buildup is reduced with increasing extraction ratio, which reduces CO2 and brine migration, increases CO2 storage capacity, and reduces other risks, such as leakage up abandoned wells, caprock fracturing, fault activation, and induced seismicity. For a 100-yr injection period, a 10-yr delay in brine extraction does not diminish the magnitude of pressure reduction. Moreover, it is possible to achieve pressure management with just a few brine-extraction wells, located far from the injection zone. For an extraction ratio of 1, pressure buildup is minimized, greatly reducing the Area of Review, as well as the area required for securing mineral rights. For an extraction ratio of 1, CO2 and brine migration are unaffected by neighboring CO2 operations, which allows planning, assessing, and conducting of each operation to be carried out independently; thus, permits could be granted on a single-site basis. Brine-extraction wells will be useful during monitoring, providing information for system calibration and history matching. One of several key aspects that ACRM has in common with CCS-EOR is the possibility of generating revenue from the extracted fluids; namely, fresh water produced via brine desalination, using technologies such as Reverse Osmosis. These benefits can offset brine extraction and treatment costs, streamline permitting, and help gain public acceptance. This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Experimental Work Conducted on MgO Inundated Hydration in WIPP-Relevant Brines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, H.; Xiong, Y.; Nemer, M. B.; Johnsen, S.

2009-12-01

Magnesium oxide (MgO) is being emplaced in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) as an engineered barrier to mitigate the effect of microbial CO2 generation on actinide mobility in a postclosure repository environment. MgO will sequester CO2 and consume water in brine or water vapor in the gaseous phase. Martin Marietta (MM) MgO is currently being emplaced in the WIPP. A fractional-factorial experiment has been performed to study the inundated-hydration of MM MgO as a function of its particle size, solid-to-liquid ratio, and brine type. MgO hydration experiments have been carried out with three MgO particle sizes and two solid-to-liquid ratios in three WIPP-related brines: ERDA-6, GWB and simplified GWB. ERDA-6 is a synthetic NaCl-rich brine typical of a Castile brine reservoir below the repository. GWB is a synthetic MgCl2- and NaCl-rich brine representative of intergranular brines from the Salado Formation at or near the stratigraphic horizon of the repository. Simplified GWB contains amounts of Mg, Na, and Cl similar to those in GWB without other minor constituents. The hydration products include brucite (Mg(OH)2) and phase 5 (Mg3(OH)5Cl4H2O). In addition to phase 5, MgO hydration in GWB or simplified GWB produces brucite, whereas MgO hydrated in ERDA-6 only produces brucite. The MgO particle size has had a significant effect on the formation of hydration products: small MgO particles have hydrated before the large particles. MgO has hydrated faster in simplified GWB than in the other two brines. In ERDA-6, the solid-to-liquid ratio has affected the brine pH due to the presence of CaO (~1 wt %) as an impurity in MM MgO. GWB has sufficient dissolved Mg to buffer pH despite small amounts of CaO. Both our results and thermodynamic modeling indicate that phase-5 is the stable Mg-OH-Cl phase in Mg-Na-Cl-dominated brines with ionic strengths and chemical compositions similar to that of GWB. In contrast, phase-3 (Mg2(OH)3Cl4H2O) is the stable phase in the MgCl2-saturated Q-brine, a high-ionic-strength (up to 15 m) brine from Asse, Germany. We used EQ3/6 to simulate MgO hydration and carbonation in a closed system containing brine and CO2 at atmospheric concentration by titrating periclase into the system. (EQ3/6 is a geochemical software package for speciation, solubility calculations and reaction path modeling.) EQ3/6 predicted Mg and Cl concentrations and pH similar to the experimentally observed values. EQ3/6 also predicted hydration products similar to thsoe observed experimentally. * This research is funded by WIPP programs administered by the U.S. Department of Energy. ** Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Publications - SR 56 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Science.gov Websites

Minerals; Iron; Jade; Jurassic; Kanayut Conglomerate; Kayak Shale; Kuskokwim Group; Lead; Limestone; Lode ; Nickel; Nikolai Greenstone; Noatak Sandstone; Nome Group; Nuggets; Orca Group; Ordovician; Ores ; Paleozoic; Palladium; Pennsylvanian; Placer; Platinum; Platinum Group Elements; Plutonic; Plutonic Hosted

Publications - SR 53 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Science.gov Websites

Group; Lead; Limestone; Lode; Marble; Mercury; Mesozoic; Metallurgy; Metamorphic Rocks; Mineral Pluton; Nickel; Nikolai Greenstone; Noatak Sandstone; Nome Group; Nuggets; Orca Group; Ordovician; Ores ; Paleozoic; Palladium; Pennsylvanian; Placer; Platinum; Platinum Group Elements; Plutonic; Plutonic Hosted

Publications - SR 54 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Science.gov Websites

Minerals; Iron; Jade; Jurassic; Kanayut Conglomerate; Kayak Shale; Kuskokwim Group; Lead; Limestone; Lode ; Nickel; Nikolai Greenstone; Noatak Sandstone; Nome Group; Nuggets; Orca Group; Ordovician; Ores ; Paleozoic; Palladium; Pennsylvanian; Placer; Platinum; Platinum Group Elements; Plutonic; Plutonic Hosted

Publications - SR 57 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Science.gov Websites

; Kanayut Conglomerate; Kayak Shale; Kuskokwim Group; Lead; Limestone; Lode; Marble; Massive Sulfides ; Noatak Sandstone; Nome Group; Nuggets; Orca Group; Ordovician; Ores; Paleozoic; Palladium; Pennsylvanian ; Placer; Platinum; Platinum Group Elements; Plutonic; Plutonic Hosted; Plutonic Rocks; Polymetallic Vein

Publications - SR 55 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Science.gov Websites

Minerals; Iron; Jade; Jurassic; Kanayut Conglomerate; Kayak Shale; Kuskokwim Group; Lead; Limestone; Lode ; Nickel; Nikolai Greenstone; Noatak Sandstone; Nome Group; Nuggets; Orca Group; Ordovician; Ores ; Paleozoic; Palladium; Pennsylvanian; Placer; Platinum; Platinum Group Elements; Plutonic; Plutonic Hosted

Waterbirds. Ocean Related Curriculum Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Barbara

The ocean affects all of our lives. Therefore, awareness of and information about the interconnections between humans and oceans are prerequisites to making sound decisions for the future. Project ORCA (Ocean Related Curriculum Activities) has developed interdisciplinary curriculum materials designed to meet the needs of students and teachers…

Beaches. Ocean Related Curriculum Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marrett, Andrea

The ocean affects all of our lives. Therefore, awareness of and information about the interconnections between humans and oceans are prerequisites to making sound decisions for the future. Project ORCA (Ocean Related Curriculum Activities) has developed interdisciplinary curriculum materials designed to meet the needs of students and teachers…

Adaptation of a commercial robot for genome library replication

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Uber, D.C.; Searles, W.L.

1994-01-01

This report describes tools and fixtures developed at the Human Genome Center at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory for the Hewlett-Packard ORCA{trademark} (Optimized Robot for Chemical Analysis) to replicate large genome libraries. Photographs and engineering drawings of the various custom-designed components are included.

The Metabolic Cost of Click Production in Bottlenose Dolphins

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-30

Killer whales (Orcinus orca) increase their call amplitude in response to vessel noise. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (JASA) Express...Johnson, M., Nowacek, D., Tyack P.L. 2010. Individual right whales call louder in increased environmental noise. Biology Letters published online 7