Dissolved uranium, radium and radon evolution in the Continental Intercalaire aquifer, Algeria and Tunisia

Natural, dissolved U-238-series radionuclides (U, Ra-226, Rn-222) and activity ratios (A.R.s: U-234/U-238; Ra-228/Ra-226) in Continental Intercalaire (Cl) groundwaters and limited samples from the overlying Complexe Terminal (CT) aquifers of Algeria and Tunisia are discussed alongside core measurements for U/Th (and K) in the contexts of radiological water quality, geochemical controls in the aquifer, and water residence times. A redox barrier is characterised downgradient in the Algerian Cl for which a trend of increasing U-234/U-238 A.R.s with decreasing U-contents due to recoil-dominated U-234 solution under reducing conditions allows residence time modelling similar to 500 ka for the highest enhanced A.R. = 3.17. Geochemical modelling therefore identifies waters towards the centre of the Grand Erg Oriental basin as palaeowaters in line with reported C-14 and Cl-36 ages. A similar U-234/U-238 trend is evidenced in a few of the Tunisian CI waters. The paleoage status of these waters is affirmed by both noble gas recharge temperatures and simple modelling of dissolved, radiogenic He-4-contents both for sampled Algerian and Tunisian CI and CT waters. For the regions studied these waters therefore should be regarded as "fossil" waters and treated effectively as a non-renewable resource. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Simulação numérica de fluxo de águas subterrâneas na bacia do Rio Grande (BA)

The Urucuia Aquifer System represents a strategic water source in western Bahia. Its baseflow is responsible for the flow rate of the main tributaries of São Francisco river left bank in the dry season, including the Rio Grande, its main tributary in Bahia state. This river has a hydrological regime heavily affected by groundwater and is located in a region with conflicts about water resources. The aquifers geology is constituted by neocretacious sandstones of Urucuia Group subdivided in Posse Formation and Serra das Araras Formation. The embasement is formed by neoproterozoic rocks of Bambuí Group. This work focuses on an important tool application, the mathematical model, whose function is represent approximately and suitably the reality so that can assist in different scenarios simulations and make predictions. Many studies developed in this basin provided the conceptual model basis including a full free aquifer, lithological and hydraulical homogeneity in entire basin, null flux at plateau borders and aquifer base. The finite element method is the numerical method used and FEFLOW the computational algorithm. The simulated area was discretized in a single layer with 27.357,6 km² (314.432 elements and 320.452 nodes) totaling a 4.249,89 km³ volume. Were utilized 21 observation wells from CERB to calibrate the model. The terrain topography was obtained by SRTM data and the impermeable base was generated by interpolation of descriptive profiles from wells and electric vertical drilling from previous studies. Works in this area obtained mean recharge rates varying approximately from 20% to 25% of average precipitation, thus the values of model recharge zones varying in this range. Were distributed 4 hydraulic conductivity zones: (K1) west zone with K=6x10-5 m/s; (K2) center-east zone with K=3x10-4 m/s; (K3) far east zone with K=5x10-4 m/s; e (K4) east-north zone with K=1x10-5 m/s. Thereby was incorporated to the final conceptual model...

Incorporação de um sistema nobreak com ultracapacitor em um microcomputador

The objective of this work is to analyze the viability of incorporation in a microcomputer box of a nobreak with an ultracapacitor as energy storage device, substituting the conventional chemical battery. An advantage of this inclusion is cost reduction because a specific metallic or plastic frame won’t be necessary to protect the components of the nobreak; the microcomputer metallic frame offers the necessary protection for both equipments. Moreover, a large quantity of internal space of microcomputers box isn’t used, and is possible to use it to wrap up the nobreak. This work uses data about average power consumption of microcomputers; operation of switching mode power supplies for microcomputers; electrical and mechanical characteristics of ultracapacitors and operation of power circuits of nobreaks, with the purpose of present a study of energy storage capacity that an ultracapacitor should have to allow a safe switching off of a microcomputer in case of electrical network fail. It was noticed that the use of ultracapacitors is feasible to feed an 180 W load for 75 s, using a capacitive bank with sixteen ultracapacitors, with a total capacitance of 350 F and voltage of 10,8 V. The use of the proposed nobreak increases the reliability of the microcomputer by reducing the probability of user data losses in case of an electrical network fail, offering a high cost/benefit product. The substitution of the battery by an ultracapacitor allows a quick nobreak recharge, with low maintenance costs, since ultracapacitors have a lifetime bigger than batteries; beyond reducing the environmental impact, because they don’t use potentially toxic chemical compounds

Mapeamento geoestatístico da vulnerabilidade do Aquífero Guarani no município de Ribeirão Bonito - SP

The Guaraní aquifer has relevant importance both as a source of water for several urban centres and the development of agriculture and livestock. In recharge areas the aquifer is free and, therefore, subject to contamination of effluents and tailings deposited on soils that cover it. Thus, it becomes crucial not only its protection at all levels, as the knowledge of its degree of natural vulnerability. The present work used geostatistics modeling techniques to study the natural vulnerability of the Guaraní aquifer in the city of Rio Bonito, State of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, where the Guarani aquifer is exposed. These techniques, extensively used in evaluation studies of mineral deposits and oil tanks, can be adapted to produce a spatial classification or a regionalisation of probabilistic indices of vulnerability. By ordinary kriging method maps of vulnerability classification were obtained. To determine the vulnerability of the aquifer was employed the Aquifer Vulnerability Index (AVI), which requires knowledge of unsaturated zone thickness and permeability. The final product was a map with probabilistic index of vulnerability of the Guaraní aquifer, which presented values between 0 to 0.33 years, framing the area studied in AVI class extremely high vulnerability

Modelagem espacial de áreas de recarga subterrânea em região de afloramento do sistema aquífero guarani (sag), em Brotas/SP

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Irrigação e Drenagem) - FCA

Zoneamento ecológico econômico do município de Altinópolis, SP

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Ciência do Solo) - FCAV

A mathematical view of water table fluctuations in a shallow aquifer in Brazil

Detailed monitoring of the groundwater table can provide important data about both short- and long-term aquifer processes, including information useful for estimating recharge and facilitating groundwater modeling and remediation efforts. In this paper, we presents results of 4 years (2002 to 2005) of monitoring groundwater water levels in the Rio Claro Aquifer using observation wells drilled at the Rio Claro campus of São Paulo State University in Brazil. The data were used to follow natural periodic fluctuations in the water table, specifically those resulting from earth tides and seasonal recharge cycles. Statistical analyses included methods of time-series analysis using Fourier analysis, cross-correlation, and R/S analysis. Relationships could be established between rainfall and well recovery, as well as the persistence and degree of autocorrelation of the water table variations. We further used numerical solutions of the Richards equation to obtain estimates of the recharge rate and seasonable groundwater fluctuations. Seasonable soil moisture transit times through the vadose zone obtained with the numerical solution were very close to those obtained with the cross-correlation analysis. We also employed a little-used deep drainage boundary condition to obtain estimates of seasonable water table fluctuations, which were found to be consistent with observed transient groundwater levels during the period of study.

Modelagem dos níveis freáticos do sistema aquífero Bauru (SAB) em diferentes usos da terra no município de Assis - SP

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Irrigação e Drenagem) - FCA

Hidrogeoquímica e qualidade das águas superficiais na Bacia do Alto Jacaré-Pepira (SP)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Estimativa da recarga natural do Aquífero Rio Claro: uma abordagem da regionalização hidrológica através da vazão de permanência

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Simulação numérica de fluxo de águas subterrâneas na bacia do Rio Corrente (BA)

The numeric simulation is an important tool applied in understanding the dynamics of groundwater flow. In a hydrogeological model the processes responsible for groundwater flow are described by numerical formulations that allow the simplification, representation and understanding of the dynamics of the Aquifer System. In this work, a steady state groundwater flow simulation of Urucuia Aquifer System (UAS) part of the Corrente river basin was conducted, using the finite element method through software FEFLOW, to understand the dynamics of groundwater flow and quantify the hydrologic balance. The aquifer system Urucuia lodges in the São Francisco hydrogeological province and corresponds to a set of interconnected aquifers that occur in rocks from Urucuia group in the Urucuia sub-basin described by Campos e Dardenne (1997). The system is a porous media one, in a shape of a thick table mountain, consisting essentially of sandstones. The Corrente river basin is located in UAS in Western State of Bahia and it's one of the main units to maintaining permanent flow (Q95) and average natural flow of the São Francisco river. The simulation performed in this work obtained the following results for the modelled region: horizontal hydraulic conductivity of 3 x 10-4 m/s and vertical one 6 x 10-5 m/s; maximum recharge of 345 mm and minimum of 85 mm/a. It was concluded that: (1) regional groundwater flow has eastbound; with an exception of the extreme northeast portion, where the flow has opposite direction; (2) there are smaller water side dividers with an approximate direction EW, that guide the flow of water to the drainage that cut the aquifer; and (3) the UAS at Corrente river basin can be understood as a free regional aquifer system, isotropic and homogeneous. Regionally, the small lithological variations present in the Urucuia group can be neglected and do not exhibit significant influences on the dynamics of ground water flow

Simulação numérica de fluxo de águas subterrâneas do aquífero Rio Claro, na região do campus da UNESP - Rio Claro, SP

The water management in any area is highly important to the success of many business and also of life and the understanding of your relationship with the environment brings better control to its demand. I.e. hydrogeological studies are needed under better understanding of the behavior of an aquifer, so that its management is done so as not to deplete or harm it. The objective of this work is the numerical modeling in transient regime of a portion of the Rio Claro aquifer formation in order to get answers about its hydrogeological parameters, its main flow direction and also its most sensitive parameters. A literature review and conceptual characterization of the aquifer, combined with field campaigns and monitoring of local water level (NA), enabled the subsequent construction of the mathematical model by finite elements method, using the FEFLOW 6.1 ® computational algorithm. The study site includes the campus of UNESP and residential and industrial areas of Rio Claro city. Its area of 9.73 km ² was divided into 318040 triangular elements spread over six layers, totaling a volume of 0.25 km³. The local topography and geological contacts were obtained from previous geological and geophysical studies as well as profiles of campus wells and SIAGAS / CPRM system. The seven monitoring wells on campus were set up as observation points for calibration and checking of the simulation results. Sampling and characterization of Rio Claro sandstones shows up a high hydrological and lithological heterogeneity for the aquifer formation. The simulation results indicate values of hydraulic conductivity between 10-6 and 10-4 m / s, getting the Recharge/Rainfall simulation in transient ratio at 13%. Even with the simplifications imposed on the model, it was able to represent the fluctuations of local NA over a year of monitoring. The result was the exit of 3774770 m³ of water and the consequently NA fall. The model is considered representative for the...

Caracterização do uso da terra em diferentes épocas na bacia hidrográfica do ribeirão paraíso- são manuel sp, por meio de sistemas de informações geográficas

This study aimed to evaluate a period of 38 years, the use and soil occupation of the Paradise River watershed, inserted in the citys of São Manuel and Areiópolis-SP using aerial photographs for the year 1972 and TM image (Thematic Mapper) obtained by the Landsat-5 satellite, in 2010, using geoprocessing techniques. The watershed in question is very important for the city of São Manuel-SP, because its urban area is inserted in its divisors which part of it belongs to the Environmental Protection Area (APA) Perimeter Botucatu-SP, considered a recharge area of the aquifer Guarani. Today, the development of agriculture faces challenges, which is to produce more food without impacting the environment. Allied to this concern, research institutions have sought new technologies that allow the detection and quantification of human actions, enabling interventions in order to minimize possible damage to the environment. Among these technologies can be cited Geographic Information Systems (GIS), which a large volume of data and information stored in a region at different times can be evaluated in the same time, suggesting different approaches to the planning of land use. The results of the mapping of areas of use and soil occupation result nine classes in 1972, and the coffee culture showed the biggest occupation (37.94%) of the total area. The 2010 mapping formulated twelve classes of use, which demonstrated the predominance of sugar cane (37.94%), on the areas occupied by coffee and pasture before. The land use maps of 1972 and 2010 showed results that show intense human activity in the modification of natural landscape.

Modelagem de níveis freáticos no sistema Aquifero Bauru como ferramenta na gestão de recursos hídricos subterrâneos

Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Relação entre a resposta espectral da vegetação em diferentes cultivos e níveis freáticos em área de recarga do Sistema Aquífero Guarani

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)