Specific Relationship between the Surface Air Temperature and the Area of the Terra Nova Bay Polynya,Antarctica

Antarctic polynyas play an important role in regional atmosphere-ice-ocean interactions and are considered to help generate the global deep ocean conveyer belt. Polynyas therefore have a potential impact on the Earth’s climate in terms of the production of sea ice and high-salinity shelf water. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the area of the Terra Nova Bay polynya and the air temperature as well as the eastward and northward wind based on the ERA5 and ERAInterim reanalysi...     

Relevance of Pentane- and Hexane-Utilizing Bacterial Indicators for Finding Hydrocarbon Microseepage: A Study from Jamnagar Sub-basin, Saurashtra, Gujarat, India

Mesozoic sediments are source rocks for nearly half the world’s hydrocarbon reserves. Hence, there is great interest in the oil industry to know the trap and sub-trappean sediment thickness and their extent in the trap covered regions of Jamnagar study area. The microbial prospecting method is applied in the Jamnagar sub-basin, Gujarat for evaluating the prospects for hydrocarbon exploration by investigating the anomalous abundance of n-pentane- and n-hexane-oxidizing bacteria of this area. A total of 150 near-surface soil samples were collected in Jamnagar sub-basin, Gujarat for the evaluation of hydrocarbon resource potential of the basin. In this study, bacterial counts for n-pentane-utilizing bacteria range between 1.09 × 10² and 9.89 × 10⁵ cfu/g and n-hexane-utilizing bacteria range between 1.09 × 10² and 9.29 × 10⁵ cfu/g. The adsorbed hydrocarbon gases consisting of ethane plus hydrocarbons (ΣC₂₊) of 1–977 ppb and n-pentane (nC₅) of 1–23 ppb. The integrated geomicrobial and adsorbed soil gas studies showed the anomalous hydrocarbon zones nearby Khandera, Haripur, and Laloi areas which could probably aid to assess the true potential of the basin. Integrated geophysical studies have shown that Jamnagar sub-basin of Saurashtra has significant sediment thickness below the Deccan Traps and can be considered for future hydrocarbon exploration.     

Urban form study: the sprawling city—review of methods of studying urban sprawl

There is a large body of research on urban forms. This review paper focuses on the urban sprawl using new and old approaches and new techniques from the subfield of urban Geography. There has been a debate among researchers about the definition of the sprawl, which makes it difficult to suggest a reliable model of the urban sprawl. This review is extremely selective. Numerous papers have focused on measuring the in terms of its physical cost or the environmental and transportation measures linked to this phenomenon. Several attempts have been made to improve the measurement of the sprawl using new approaches. Furthermore, this paper show that certain researchers did not attempt to explore new methods to investigate the urban sprawl in the past and present overlay layers for many years, researchers may use cartography techniques, for example, thereby collecting 20 years of data to match layers and show the differences in any metropolitan area. Several problems remain like differences in the understanding of the sprawl among planners and between other researchers interested in this issue. Also, it is problematic to find one measure, such as mixing different measures together to distinguish between car density and resident density. This study evaluated and reviewed old and recent studies to show that the most important issue in the urban sprawl relates to measurements. Incorporates inform and which measure is best. This article argues that urban spatial expansion reviews some of articles written on urban sprawl and showing the different approaches to studying.

     

Analysis of physical factors of climate and bioclimate and their effects on almonds production to increase the economy in Hebron area of Palestine

For the 1993–2009 period, we analyzed the relationship between almond yield and three climatic variables (mean annual temperature, soil water reserve, and precipitation), and four bioclimatic variables (annual ombrothermic index, water deficit, simple continentality index, and compensated thermicity index), for one major Hebron crop (soft and hard almonds). Moreover, we obtained data almond production from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, while the climate data from the Palestinian meteorological station during the study period from 1993 to 2009, and analysis is it by using bioclimatic classification of the Earth of Salvador Rivas-Martinez to study the relationship between the almond yield and climate and bioclimate factors (variables). The climatic and bioclimate variables of greatest importance to almond were used to develop regressions analysis relating yield to climatic conditions. Hebron was positively affected by annual ombrothermic index, simple continentality index, precipitation, water soil reserve, and mean annual temperature, but negatively affected by water deficit, with a large proportion of the variance explained by axis F1 (72.48%), F2 (22.38%), and axes F1and F2 (94. 86%). However, in order to produce a high amount of almonds and quality, it can be grown in the regions of the mesomediterranean region, with the value of annual ombrothemic index more than 3, compensated thermicity index between 220/220 to 350/350, simple continentality index between 14 and 20, and in areas where the average annual temperature is between 15 and 20 °C.     

Spatial distribution and contamination assessment of heavy metals in surface soils of Hassi Messaoud, Algeria

An increase in heavy metal pollution in the soils of Hassi Messaoud (Algeria) due to intense industrialization and urbanization has become a serious environmental problem. There are three large industrial complexes that have been established in the region of Hassi Messaoud for petroleum extraction field and refinery. The region hosts several industrial facilities which are the main sources for hazardous wastes. Surface soil samples from 58 sampling sites (systematically sampled; 1 × 1 km regular grid), including different functional areas in Hassi Messaoud, were collected and analyzed. The results showed that the average concentrations of Cu, Ni, Mn, Pb and Zn in soil of Hassi Messaoud were up to 13.17, 35.78, 121.21, 130.97 and 61.08 mg/kg, respectively. Ni concentrations were comparable to background values, while Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn concentrations were higher than their corresponding background values. Among the functional areas, the industrial regions displayed the highest metal concentrations, while the lowest concentrations occurred in rural soil. Principal component analysis coupled with cluster analysis showed that: (1) Pb and Zn had anthropogenic sources; and (2) Ni, Cu and Mn were associated with parent materials. Contaminations in soils were classified as geoaccumulation index and enrichment factor. Pollution index values of Cu, Ni, Mn, Pb and Zn varied in the range of 0.04–5.41, 0.46–2.49, 0.01–5.73, 0.62–152.9 and 0.09–53.01, with mean values of 1.32, 1.08, 1.26, 5.64 and 3.1, respectively. The integrated pollution index (IPI) of all the analyzed samples varied from 0.42 to 31.59, with a mean of 2.48, and more than 5.45 % of samples are extremely contaminated; 18.18 % are heavily contaminated; 60 % are moderately contaminated; and others are low contaminated. The spatial distribution of IPI showed that desert and rural areas displayed relatively lower heavy metal contamination in comparison with other areas.     

Compressive and Tensile Behavior of Polymer Treated Sulfate Contaminated CL Soil

In this study, the compressive and tensile behavior of polymer treated sulfate contaminated CL soil was investigated. Based on the information in the literature, a field soil was contaminated with up to 4 % (40,000 ppm) of calcium sulfate in this study. In addition to characterizing the behavior of sulfate contaminated CL soil, the effect of treating the soil with a polymer solution was investigated and the performance was compared to 6 % lime treated soil. In treating the soil, acrylamide polymer solution (15 g of polymer dissolved in 85 g of water) content was varied up to 15 % (by dry soil weight). Addition of 4 % calcium sulfate to the soil decreased the compressive and tensile strengths of the compacted soils by 22 and 33 % respectively with the formation of calcium silicate sulfate [ternesite Ca₅(SiO₄)₂SO₄)], magnesium silicate sulfate (Mg₅(SiO₄)₂SO₄) and calcium-magnesium silicate (merwinite Ca₃Mg(SiO₄)₂). With the polymer treatment the strength properties of sulfate contaminated CL soil was substantially improved. Polymer treated sulfate soils had higher compressive and tensile strengths and enhanced compressive stress–strain relationships compared to the lime treated soils. Also polymer treated soils gained strength more rapidly than lime treated soil. With 10 % of polymer solution treatment, the maximum unconfined compressive and splitting tensile strengths for 4 % of calcium sulfate soil were 625 kPa (91 psi) and 131 kPa (19 psi) respectively in 1 day of curing. Similar improvement in the compressive modulus was observed with polymer treated sulfate contaminated CL soil. The variation of the compacted compressive strength and tensile strength with calcium sulfate concentrations for the treated soils were quantified and the parameters were related to calcium sulfate content in the soil and polymer content. Compressive stress–strain relationships of the sulfate soil, with and without lime and polymer treatment, have been quantified using two nonlinear constitutive models. The constitutive model parameters were sensitive to the calcium sulfate content and the type of treatment.     

Petroleum system analysis of the Khatatba Formation in the Shoushan Basin,north Western Desert,Egypt

The Middle Jurassic Khatatba Formation is an attractive petroleum exploration target in the Shoushan Basin, north Western Desert, Egypt. However, the Khatatba petroleum system with its essential elements and processes has not been assigned yet. This study throws the lights on the complete Khatatba petroleum system in the Shoushan Basin which has been evaluated and collectively named the Khatatba-Khatatba (!) petroleum system. To evaluate the remaining hydrocarbon potential of the Khatatba system, its essential elements were studied, in order to determine the timing of hydrocarbon generation, migration and accumulation. Systematic analysis of the petroleum system of the Khatatba Formation has identified that coaly shales and organic-rich shales are the most important source rocks. These sediments are characterised by high total organic matter content and have good to excellent hydrocarbon generative potential. Kerogen is predominantly types II–III with type III kerogen. The Khatatba source rocks are mature and, at the present time, are within the peak of the oil window with vitrinite reflectance values in the range of 0.81 to 1.08 % Ro. The remaining hydrocarbon potential is anticipated to exist mainly in stratigraphic traps in the Khatatba sandstones which are characterised by fine to coarse grain size, moderate to well sorted. It has good quality reservoir with relatively high porosity and permeability values ranging from 1 to 17 % and 0.05–1,000 mD, respectively. Modelling results indicated that hydrocarbon generation from the Khatatba source rocks began in the Late Cretaceous time and peak of hydrocarbon generation occurred during the end Tertiary time (Neogene). Hydrocarbon primarily migrated from the source rock via fractured pathways created by abnormally high pore pressures resulting from hydrocarbon generation. Hydrocarbon secondarily migrated from active Khatatba source rocks to traps side via vertical migration pathways through faults resulting from Tertiary tectonics during period from end Oligocene to Middle Miocene times.