Applications of hydrodynamic and water quality models to the Sau and Boadella Reservoirs

Applicaciò d'un model de hydrodinàmica i de qualitat de l'aigua als embassaments de Sau i Boadella

Basin-scale hydrodynamics in a Mediterranean reservoir. Implications for the phytoplankton dynamics

Procesos hidrodinámicos determinan, en un alto grado la calidad del agua en embalse, sin embargo dichos procesos han sido tradicionalmente olvidados en la gestión de embalse. En esta tesis se presentan evidencias de los principales procesos hidrodinámicos que ocurren en un embalse Mediterráneo a escala de cuenca a través de campañas experimentales y modelización numérica; y su influencia en la dinámica de poblaciones de fitoplancton. Dichos procesos son principalmente la generación de ondas internas o secas y la intrusión del río. La presencia de viento periódico genera secas forzadas, amplificando los modos cercanos al periodo del viento, de manera que modos verticales altos, considerados como raros en la naturaleza, tienden a dominar en el sistema.

Anàlisi del camp d'ones internes en sistemes limnològics petits. Simulacions amb el POM

Aquí hem aplicat el Princeton Ocean Model als embassaments de Sau i Boadella, situats a Catalunya, Espanya. Les simulacions s'han realitzat a l'estació d'estiu, quan la columna d'aigua està estratificada de forma contínua, i sota un règim de brisa amb velocitats de fins a 4 m/s. Basant-nos en aquestes simulacions hem analitzat el camp d'ones internes i comparat els resultats numèrics amb dades experimentals disponibles. El model reprodueix adequadament tots els modes observats en l'espectre de la velocitat i temperatura mesurades i ajuda a identificar els diferents modes. Les simulacions mostren la importància dels modes rotacionals en el camp d'ones internes dels embassaments estratificats. En el període estudiat, el radi de Rossby per l'embassament de Sau és de l'ordre de 100 m, que és varies vegades més petit que la amplitud de l'àrea lacustre de l'embassament, i el número de Rossby és de l'ordre de 0.1, corroborant la importancia de l'efecte de Coriolis.

In search of a hidden long-term isolated sub-chondritic 142Nd/144Nd reservoir in the deep mantle : implications for the Nd isotope systematics of the Earth

Here we search for evidence of the existence of a sub-chondritic 142Nd/144Nd reservoir that balances the Nd isotope chemistry of the Earth relative to chondrites. If present, it may reside in the source region of deeply sourced mantle plume material. We suggest that lavas from Hawai’i with coupled elevations in 186Os/188Os and 187Os/188Os, from Iceland that represent mixing of upper mantle and lower mantle components, and from Gough with sub-chondritic 143Nd/144Nd and high 207Pb/206Pb, are favorable samples that could reflect mantle sources that have interacted with an Early-Enriched Reservoir (EER) with sub-chondritic 142Nd/144Nd. High-precision Nd isotope analyses of basalts from Hawai’i, Iceland and Gough demonstrate no discernable 142Nd/144Nd deviation from terrestrial standards. These data are consistent with previous high-precision Nd isotope analysis of recent mantle-derived samples and demonstrate that no mantle-derived material to date provides evidence for the existence of an EER in the mantle. We then evaluate mass balance in the Earth with respect to both 142Nd/144Nd and 143Nd/144Nd. The Nd isotope systematics of EERs are modeled for different sizes and timing of formation relative to ε143Nd estimates of the reservoirs in the μ142Nd = 0 Earth, where μ142Nd is ((measured 142Nd/144Nd/terrestrial standard 142Nd/144Nd)−1 * 10−6) and the μ142Nd = 0 Earth is the proportion of the silicate Earth with 142Nd/144Nd indistinguishable from the terrestrial standard. The models indicate that it is not possible to balance the Earth with respect to both 142Nd/144Nd and 143Nd/144Nd unless the μ142Nd = 0 Earth has a ε143Nd within error of the present-day Depleted Mid-ocean ridge basalt Mantle source (DMM). The 4567 Myr age 142Nd–143Nd isochron for the Earth intersects μ142Nd = 0 at ε143Nd of +8 ± 2 providing a minimum ε143Nd for the μ142Nd = 0 Earth. The high ε143Nd of the μ142Nd = 0 Earth is confirmed by the Nd isotope systematics of Archean mantle-derived rocks that consistently have positive ε143Nd. If the EER formed early after solar system formation (0–70 Ma) continental crust and DMM can be complementary reservoirs with respect to Nd isotopes, with no requirement for significant additional reservoirs. If the EER formed after 70 Ma then the μ142Nd = 0 Earth must have a bulk ε143Nd more radiogenic than DMM and additional high ε143Nd material is required to balance the Nd isotope systematics of the Earth.

Ocklawaha River restoration : the fate of the Rodman Reservoir

The Rodman Reservoir, an impoundment on the Ocklawaha River in north central Florida, is a last remnant of the Cross-Florida Barge Canal (CFBC). The canal, conceived in the 1820's, was designed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to shorten shipping lanes between the Fulf ports and the Atlantic coast. Opposition to CFBC by Florida's young environmental movement led to a half in construction of the CFBC in 1971, but decommissioning of the already-constructed Rodman dam and the reservoir behind it has been mired in controversy every since.

Factors affecting technical efficiency of rice farmers in village reservoir irrigation systems of Sri Lanka

Given the importance of water for rice production, this study examines the factors affecting the technical efficiency (TE) of irrigated rice farmers in village irrigation systems (VIS) in Sri Lanka. Primary data were collected from 460 rice farmers in the Kurunagala District, Sri Lanka, to estimate a stochastic translog production frontier for rice production. The mean TE of rice farming in village irrigation was found to be 0.72, although 63% of rice farmers exceeded this average. The most influential factors of TE are membership of Farmer Organisations (FOs) and the participatory rate in collective actions organised by FOs. The results suggest that enhancement of co-operative arrangements of farmers by strengthening the membership of FOs is considered important for increasing TE in rice farming in VIS.

Imaging fluid solid interactions in hydrocarbon reservoir rocks

The environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) has been used to image liquid hydrocarbons in sandstones and oil shales. Additionally, the fluid sensitivity of selected clay minerals in hydrocarbon reservoirs was assessed via three case studies: HCl acid sensitivity of authigenic chlorite in sandstone reservoirs, freshwater sensitivity of authigenic illite/smectite in sandstone reservoirs, and bleach sensitivity of a volcanic reservoir containing abundant secondary chlorite/corrensite. The results showed the suitability of using ESEM for imaging liquid hydrocarbon films in hydrocarbon reservoirs and the importance of simulating in situ fluid-rock interactions for hydrocarbon production programmes. In each case, results of the ESEM studies greatly enhanced prediction of reservoir/borehole reactions and, in some cases, contradicted conventional wisdom regarding the outcome of potential engineering solutions. (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Calcite precipitation induced by clay-bleach cation exchange in andesitic reservoir rocks

Experiments were carried out on the sodium hypochlorite bleach sensitivity of a deep subsurface andesitic reservoir in order to predict possible deleterious mineral transformations during a downhole clean-up job. Experiments involved examination of core samples from the reservoir using an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM) with an attached Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) before and after the samples were immersed in bleach. Bleach immersion of whole-rock samples resulted in rapid (less than 1 min) precipitation of abundant 3.0-10.0-μm-wide calcite rhombs within clay-associated micropores and on clay and feldspar grain surfaces. Abundant microporefilling calcite rhombs also formed in pure separates of constituent chlorite/corrensite, whereas no calcite formed in a pure separate of constituent zeolite. These experiments indicate that corrensite is the likely calcium source in this experimental fluid-rock system. Formation of calcite occurs via a cation exchange reaction in which calcium in the smectitic interlayers of corrensite exchanges for sodium in the bleach. Serious formation damage due to calcite precipitation would have occurred in the andesite reservoir had it been exposed to bleach. This finding gives credence to earlier suggestions that cation exchange reactions have the potential to cause calcite precipitation in some sandstone reservoirs when exposed to drilling, completion or stimulation fluids. © 1993.