AIMS Geosciences最新文献

{"title":"Use and abuse of the planet in non-rich regions: histories of fracking and windmills in a more than human geographical perspective","authors":"A. Paniagua","doi":"10.3934/geosci.2022001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3934/geosci.2022001","url":null,"abstract":"Remote and marginal areas with scarce and vulnerable populations are \"comfortable\" settings and suitable places for the development of new extractive activities for energy production. Fracking and modern windmills are often controversial activities in marginal areas for native and local populations, with varying political positions from local elites. The new scalar policies associated with the energy project introduce some of the resistance strategies in the form of more than human geographies or hybrid spatial relationships that characterize recent human geography. This paper explores and suggests possible ways of integrating local interests with regional or national policies based on the \"health\" of marginal populations, marginal rather than human materiality's and marginal more-than-human.","PeriodicalId":43999,"journal":{"name":"AIMS Geosciences","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70250054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shear strength of fibre reinforced cemented Toyoura sand","authors":"Muhammad Safdar, T. Newson, Hamza Ahmad Qureshi","doi":"10.3934/geosci.2022005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3934/geosci.2022005","url":null,"abstract":"A series of consolidated drained and undrained tests are conducted on unreinforced, fibre, cement, and fibre reinforced cemented Toyoura sand specimens with varying relative densities. Three different types of materials e.g., Toyoura sand, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibres, and ordinary Portland cement (OPC) are employed in this study. Specimens in dimensions of 50 mm in diameter and height of 100 mm are prepared in a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) mold to a target dry density value, $ {rho }_{d} $ = 1.40 g/cm3 (Dr = 20%) and $ {rho }_{d} $ = 1.489 g/cm3 (Dr = 60%) of Toyoura sand using under-compaction moist tamping technique. Fibre reinforced cemented Toyoura sand samples were prepared with 10% moisture content by weight of sand-fibre-cement mixtures. The results on density variation shows that due to a better contact between sand-fibre interaction or sand-cement-fibre bonding and interaction for the denser specimens, a greater increase in shear strength is observed. However, the general effectiveness of fibre and cement additives alone and when mixed together also enhances the strength of unreinforced specimens for loose conditions based on the variation of fibre and cement contents. The results and findings in the current study can be used for the construction of economical and sustainable geotechnical infrastructures.","PeriodicalId":43999,"journal":{"name":"AIMS Geosciences","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70249627","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Landslide susceptibility mapping based on rainfall scenarios: a case study from Sao Paulo in Brazil","authors":"Leila Maria Ramos, T. Bazzan, M. Motta, G. Bernardes, H. Giacheti","doi":"10.3934/geosci.2022024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3934/geosci.2022024","url":null,"abstract":"Mass movement susceptibility mapping from rainfall data and in situ site characterization constitute an important approach for preventing geological-geotechnical accidents on railroads and highways. A comprehensive site characterization program was conducted to identify slopes with mass movements along the 44 km of SP-171 road in the state of Sã o Paulo, Brazil. Ninety-two slopes with some degree of instability were found along this section of the road, including rupture scars, active erosive processes and the presence of unstable rock blocks. Two scenarios for mass movement susceptibility (100 mm and 500 mm of accumulated rainfall) were defined by overlaying thematic maps of relief, soil type, geology, accumulated rainfall and declivity using geographic information system-based techniques. The results for both scenarios identified the regions with high and medium susceptibility to mass movements; for the scenario of 100 mm of accumulated rainfall; we found that 27% and 73% of the land area of SP-171 is respectively highly and moderately susceptible to landslide events. For the scenario of 500 mm, we found 58% and 40% to be highly and moderately susceptible areas. This study also allowed us to identify the main geotechnical problems along the 44 km of this road, and thus can be used to guide actions and decisions to avoid or minimize such problems.","PeriodicalId":43999,"journal":{"name":"AIMS Geosciences","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70249773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hydrogeochemistry and groundwater quality assessment in a municipal solid waste landfill (central Italy)","authors":"M. Barbieri, T. Boschetti, G. Sappa, F. Andrei","doi":"10.3934/geosci.2022026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3934/geosci.2022026","url":null,"abstract":"<abstract> <p>Municipal solid waste landfills leachate can cause serious environmental issues for groundwater quality. Therefore, the application of environmental tracing methods to identify groundwater contamination by municipal solid waste landfills leachate is significant. Hydrogeochemical evaluations to trace municipal solid waste landfills leachate are usually carried out. The study was carried out at a landfill in central Italy (Umbria). Samples of leachate and groundwater have been analyzed to evaluate the impact of leachates on groundwater through the comparison of their hydrogeochemical nature. Parameters like pH, Temperature (T), Electrical Conductivity (EC), redox potential (Eh) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) were also measured in situ using digital instruments. Hydrogeochemical data (Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, SO₄²⁻, HCO₃⁻, Cl⁻, NO₃⁻), ionic ratios and geochemical correlations were used to confirm the processes that govern the chemistry of the spring water and to identify leachate contamination phenomena. In fact, the main geochemical diagrams (Langelier-Ludwig, Piper, Schoeller) confirm the leachate contamination in a groundwater sample. In particular, the Piper diagram shows that a sample is in Na⁺ – Cl^- – HCO₃^- mixing zone, indicating a possible influence of the leachate on groundwater chemistry. As a matter of fact, some correlations between major elements, such as Cl^- versus Na⁺ and Cl^- versus HCO₃^-, confirm that the leachate in this study area is highly enriched in Cl^- and HCO₃^- due to wastes dissolution and degradation processes. Further, the assessment of K⁺/Mg²⁺ ratio also confirms the presence of a sample heavily impacted from leachate contamination. These results indicate that also one basic hydrogeochemical study can be useful for fingerprinting the leachate pollution for groundwater samples.</p> </abstract>","PeriodicalId":43999,"journal":{"name":"AIMS Geosciences","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70249825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reservoir sands characterisation involving capacity prediction in NZ oil and gas field, offshore Niger Delta, Nigeria","authors":"Anthony I Nzekwu, Richardson M. Abraham-A","doi":"10.3934/geosci.2022010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3934/geosci.2022010","url":null,"abstract":"<abstract> <p>Hydrocarbon exploration is a high-risk venture; therefore, it calls for pre-determining the reservoirs' capacities, forming the bedrock of actualising oil and gas production events. This study delineates hydrocarbon-bearing sands, determines the reservoir area extent, computes the associated petrophysical parameters and presents the reserve volume estimation based on wireline logs with integrated 3-D seismic surveys. It evaluates and indicates three (3) hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs sands (N_Z(R1), N_Z(R2) and N_Z(R3)) of varying thicknesses (h) across three (3) wells reservoirs N_Z(R1), N_Z(R2) and N_Z(R3). The reservoir properties, including porosity (Ф), free fluid index (FFI), permeability (K), fluid saturations and reservoir thickness (h), represent potentially viable hydrocarbon reservoir units across the field. It presents the estimation of the recovery factor based on the FFI values. Across the reservoirs, Ф is 0.28 in N_Z(R1), 0.27 in N_Z(R2) and 0.26 in N_Z(R3). FFI is 0.26 in N_Z(R1), 0.25 in N_Z(R2) and 0.26 in N_Z(R3). K is 10388 mD in NZ_(R1), 8304mD in N_Z(R2), and 6580 mD in N_Z(R3). Water saturation (S_w) is up to 0.4, 0.36 and 0.20 with the associated hydrocarbon saturation (S_h) of 0.60, 0.64 and 0.80 corresponding to N_Z(R1), N_Z(R2) and N_Z(R3). Considering the delineated reservoir areas based on the prevailing fault assisted structural style, the total volume of recoverable oil is 11.3×10⁶, while the gas capacity is 1.8 ×10⁹ cuft. These findings will aid the field's oil and gas reservoir developmental activities and serve as reference points to related studies involving similar objectives.</p> </abstract>","PeriodicalId":43999,"journal":{"name":"AIMS Geosciences","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70249850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Environmental impact of past Hg mining activities in the Monte Amiata district, Italy: A summary of recent studies","authors":"A. Nannoni, F. Meloni, M. Benvenuti, J. Cabassi, Francesco Ciani, P. Costagliola, S. Fornasaro, P. Lattanzi, M. Lazzaroni, B. Nisi, G. Morelli, V. Rimondi, O. Vaselli","doi":"10.3934/geosci.2022029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3934/geosci.2022029","url":null,"abstract":"The environmental impact of mining and smelting in the world-class Monte Amiata mercury (Hg) ore field has long been studied, before and after the final closure in 1982. A first summary was presented in 2015. With this contribution, we review the studies conducted in the last eight years. The most significant results include ⅰ) Hg-isotope characterization of primary ore (cinnabar), smelting waste (calcines), soil, fish and stream sediments; ⅱ) analysis of the interplay between geomorphological evolution, fluvial dynamics and Hg distribution in the Paglia River catchment, which drains the main mining areas; ⅲ) an improved quantification of the Hg loads discharged to the Mediterranean Sea; ⅳ) the use of biomonitors to reveal the dispersion of Hg; ⅴ) new detailed surveys, including innovative techniques, of Hg distribution in air; ⅵ) specific investigations to support the ongoing reclamation at Abbadia San Salvatore, the main mining and smelting center of the district, and ⅶ) the assessment of the variability of Hg distribution in air, water and soil from the reclaimed Siele mine. Despite these progresses, there are further steps to be conducted to achieve optimal management of the wide contamination evidenced in this district. It is now fully clear that the diffuse character of contamination results in unfeasible hypotheses for total remediation. Therefore, the goal is that of a sustainable coexistence between contamination and human activities. This goal may involve the following activities: a) implementation of GIS-based contamination maps as a direct operational instrument for local authorities to tune up specific limitations and regulations of human activities (e.g., fishing, instream quarrying and wildfire management); b) mitigation measures such as increasing the vegetal cover of river banks to limit erosion and runoff, and c) continuous monitoring of air, water and soil contamination, including transfer to the food chain.","PeriodicalId":43999,"journal":{"name":"AIMS Geosciences","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70249877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Landscape mapping using ground-penetrating radar, electrical resistivity tomography survey and landscape profiling","authors":"V. Matasov, S. Bricheva, A. Bobachev, I. Mironenko, Anton V Fedin, V. Sysuev, Lyudmila A Zolotaya, Sergey B Roganov","doi":"10.3934/geosci.2022012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3934/geosci.2022012","url":null,"abstract":"This work aims to verify and correct the boundary between two landscapes—moraine and outwash plain—delineated earlier by the classical landscape approach. The initial interpretation of the boundary caused controversy due to the appearance of the thermokarst depression in the outwash landscape. The lithological structure is one of the main factors of landscape differentiation. The classical approach includes drilling to obtain the lithological and sedimentary data. However, the boreholes are usually shallow, while geophysical methods allow to look deeper into the subsurface and improve our knowledge about lithological structure and stratigraphy. In this study, we use ground-penetrating radar with a peak frequency of 250 and 50 MHz and detailed electrical resistivity tomography (with 1 m electrode spacing) in addition to the landscape mapping and drilling to correct the landscape boundary position. We conclude that it is primarily defined by the subsurface boundary between lithological complexes of clayish moraine deposits and sandy outwash deposits located at 7 m depth. Moving the boundary to the northeast by 70–100 m from the current position removes inconsistencies and clarifies the history of the area's formation in the Quaternary.","PeriodicalId":43999,"journal":{"name":"AIMS Geosciences","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70249900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison and application of top and bottom air decks to improve blasting operations","authors":"M. Monjezi, H. Amiri, Mir Naser Seyed Mousavi, J. Hamidi, M. Khandelwal","doi":"10.3934/geosci.2023002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3934/geosci.2023002","url":null,"abstract":"The blasting operation is an integral part of mines, and it is still being used as the most economical tool to fragment and displace rock mass. Appropriate blast optimization alleviates undesirable side effects, such as ground vibration, air blasts and flyrock, and it and enhances rock fragmentation. Blast optimization can also be effective in reducing the overall mining cost. One way of reducing blasting side effects is to use deck charges instead of continuous ones. The location of the deck(s) is still considered an unanswered question for many researchers. In this study, an investigation was carried out to find an appropriate air deck position(s) within the blast hole. For this, air decks were placed at three different positions (top, middle and bottom) within a blast hole at Cheshmeh-Parvar gypsum and Chah-Gaz iron ore mines to understand and evaluate air deck location impact on blast fragmentation and blast nuisances. The results were compared based on the existing blasting practices at both mines, as well as the air-deck blasting results. The results obtained from the blasting were very satisfactory; it was found that charging with a top air deck, as compared to current blasting practices, causes a decrement in the specific charge, as well as a decrement of 38% in the back break and 50% in flyrock; the average size of fragments obtained from blasting was increased by 26%. Thus, it can be said that the top air deck is more advantageous than the bottom air deck in terms of reducing undesired blasting consequences.","PeriodicalId":43999,"journal":{"name":"AIMS Geosciences","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70250251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors influencing chronic semi-arid headwater stream impairments: a southern California case study","authors":"Jennifer Alford, J. Mora","doi":"10.3934/geosci.2022007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3934/geosci.2022007","url":null,"abstract":"Sources of stream impairments are well known; however, less attention has centered on characterizing the extent to which human-environmental factors influence headwater stream quality within semi-arid watersheds. This study quantified the extent to which seasonal weather patterns and landscape attributes contribute to the physicochemical characteristics of two perennial headwater tributaries and their confluence within the semi-arid mountainous region of the Santa Ana River Basin, California. In situ sampling of stream temperature (℃), stream flow rate (m/s), nitrate (NO3-), ammonium (NH4+), turbidity (NTU), dissolved oxygen (DO), conductivity, pH and lab assessments for. E. coli, total coliform (TC) and total dissolved solids (TDS) occurred during dry and wet season conditions. Across sampling locations, multiple parameters (i.e. NO3-, NH4+, TDS, TC) consistently exceeded regulatory standards simultaneously during both the dry and wet seasons, however, the level of concentrations varied between a tributary catchment landscape with high percentage of impervious surfaces (i.e. roads, buildings) and wastewater infrastructure (i.e septic, sewer) versus one characterized by agricultural activities (i.e. crop, livestock) and barren land. Findings illustrate the need for hydrologically comprehensive strategies (i.e. stream headwaters to river mouth) that are community to agency-driven and that support the expansion of monitoring and shared knowledge to mitigate impairments within headwater streams and downstream. Potential avenues for community collaborations that support sustainable water management strategies are highlighted.","PeriodicalId":43999,"journal":{"name":"AIMS Geosciences","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70249747","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A literary analysis of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope (2009) towards sustainable development through i-Sustainability Plus theory","authors":"H. Mohammadian, Rasha Asim Gazzaz","doi":"10.3934/geosci.2022034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3934/geosci.2022034","url":null,"abstract":"Through a close reading of William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer's book, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, this paper examines the importance of literature as a medium of intercultural communication to address the theme of sustainable development. It aims to discern deeper meanings in the narrative by analyzing significant African thematic concerns, such as poverty, lack of education, environmental degradation, and hunger affecting underdeveloped societies such as Malawi. Drawing on Doost Mohammadian's i-Sustainability Plus Theory (2010), the research also explores how the story engages with and contributes to the sustainability debate. It attests to the importance of the seven pillars of sustainability development goals presented in the literary text in creating a more sustainable society, specifically Malawi. Hence, examining William's autobiography helps normalize the conversation about sustainability in literature and educates readers about the educational, economic, ecological, social, technical, cultural, and political challenges and hardships Malawi faces and ways to overcome them. In addition, this research intends to portray William's initiative idea as a possible SME (small and medium-sized enterprise), minor, independent initiatives which employ fewer than a given number of employees. According to Doost Mohammadian, SMEs are critical to economic, environmental, and social sustainability development, thus sustainable and successful SMEs, such as William's small innovativeness, with high productivity and efficiency can help develop inhabitable and sustainable living environments in developing societies such as Wimbe.","PeriodicalId":43999,"journal":{"name":"AIMS Geosciences","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70250030","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}