Sources of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in South China Sea Short Core Sediments Off Southern Part Terengganu, Malaysia and Multivariate Statistics Approaches

Sediment cores from the southern South China Sea off the Terengganu coast were analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH s) and perylene. The concentrations of total 17 PAH (TPAHs) and perylene varied between 5.45-27.7 ng/g and 0.51-7.77 ng/g, respectively. Analyses of variance showed significant differences between the stations, but not in sub-bottom depths at the 0.05 level. The PAH cross plots showed a predominance of pyrogenic over petrogenic PAH s. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed clustered PAH s that are correlated with total organic carbon (TOC), indicating the importance of surface runoff via fluvial transport for contributing these PAH s to the coastal environment of the study area. Overall, the concentrations of PAH s in the study area are considered to be in the low range, not exceeding the 100 ng/g mark.

The Stegodon Bonebed of the Middle Pleistocene Archaeological Site Mata Menge (Flores, Indonesia): Taphonomic Agents in Site Formation

The Middle Pleistocene fluvial channel site of the Upper Fossil-bearing Interval at Mata Menge in the So’a Basin, Flores, Indonesia, has yielded the earliest fossil evidence for Homo floresiensis in association with stone artefacts and fossils of highly endemic insular fauna, including Stegodon, giant rats, crocodiles, Komodo dragons, and various birds. A preliminary taphonomic review of the fossil material here aimed to provide additional context for the hominin remains in this bonebed. Analysis was performed on two subsets of material from the same fluvial sandstone layer. Subset 1 comprised all material from two adjacent one-metre square quadrants (n = 91), and Subset 2 all Stegodon long limb bones excavated from the same layer (n = 17). Key analytical parameters included species and skeletal element identification; fossil size measurements and fragmentation; weathering stages; bone fracture characteristics; and other biological and geological bone surface modifications. Analysis of Subset 1 material identified a highly fragmented assemblage with a significant bias towards Stegodon. A large portion of these bones were likely fractured by trampling prior to entering the fluvial channel and were transported away from the death-site, undergoing surface modification causing rounding. Subset 2 material was less likely to have been transported far based on its limited susceptibility to fluvial transport. There was no significant difference in weathering for the long limb bones and fragments, with the highest portion exhibiting Stage 2 weathering, indicating that prior to final burial, all material was exposed to prolonged periods of surface exposure. Approximately 10% of all material have characteristics of fracturing on fresh bone, contributing to the taphonomic context for this bonebed; however insufficient evidence was found for anthropogenic modification.

Implementation of an Electric Motor for Light River Transportation Units

The fluvial transport is the way that allows the development of the communities in post of improve the communication, but its use with combustion engines causes an environmental impact and damage to the ecosystem by emitions, noise pollution or oil spill. In fact, to finding other alternatives to improve operating conditions and reduce environmental impact, the application of electric motors being a new alternative for river transport. In this design, two direct current motors will applied, such as the propulsion of an environmentally friendly light boat coupled with a set of energy accumulators that supply the propulsion system. The applied motors and the type of battery used indicate in the design characteristics. This analysis shows the results obtained in the simulations and designs of the boat in relation to the resistance generated by the displacement in the water and the aerodynamic flow conditions. Keywords: river propulsion, electric. Resumen El transporte en lugares fluviales es un medio importante que permite el desarrollo de las poblaciones impulsando la comunicación entre comunidades, pero su uso con motores de combustión interna provoca un impacto ambiental y daños al ecosistema por emisiones, contaminación acústica o derrame de derivados del petróleo. Esto conlleva a encontrar otras alternativas para mejorar las condiciones de operación y reducir el impacto ambiental siendo la aplicación de motores eléctricos una nueva alternativa para el transporte fluvial. En este diseño aplica dos motores de corriente continua como propulsión de una embarcación ligera amigable con el medio ambiente acoplado con un conjunto de acumuladores de energía que abastecen al sistema de propulsión. Se indica además en las características de diseño los motores aplicados y del tipo de batería usada. En este análisis se muestran los resultados obtenidos en las simulaciones y diseños de la embarcación en relación a la resistencia generada por el desplazamiento en el agua y además las condiciones del flujo aerodinámico. Palabras clave: propulsión fluvial, motor eléctrico, embarcación.

Construction and use of rock-cut cisterns: a chronological OSL approach in the arid Negev Highlands, Israel

The Negev Highlands (Israel) are characterized by a rich settlement history over the last millennia. To sustain life in this arid environment, measures to collect and store water were introduced. Two types of installations to collect and store runoff water were built in the region: open reservoirs, and more elaborate subterranean rock-cut cisterns. This article focuses on the latter. Based on a few inscriptions found in rock-cut cisterns, it is assumed that the majority were constructed in the Hellenistic (Nabatean) to Byzantine period. To evaluate this age assessment, this study was carried out at the Borot Hazaz cisterns system, using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating together with micromorphological analyses. Both were applied to sediments that were relocated during the cistern’s construction and usage and after the maintenance activities ended. Despite unfavourable conditions for resetting the OSL signal, including fluvial transport over short distances and sediment deposition by humans in large quantities, it was possible to reconstruct the life cycle of the cistern system. The present study places the construction of the system during the late Roman to Byzantine period, with utilization and long-term maintenance during the following centuries. Maintenance ceased at the Borot Hazaz cistern system gradually over the course of the last 500 years.

Application of Morphostructural and Spatial Analyses in Placer-Gold Source Interpretation within Wonaka Schist Belt, Northwestern-Nigeria

Morphologic and placer features were used to characterize, determine the provenance, and transport distances of gold grains within the River Gagare drainage basin of the Wonaka Schist Belt. Field studies, scanning electron examination coupled with energy dispersive spectrometry and binocular microscopy were utilized to study the spatial distributions, shape, size, inclusions, primary and fluvial transport-induced deformations, as well as Cailleux flatness indices. The grains are dominantly subrounded (71%), with the length between 35 – 800 µm and width of 10 – 778 µm while the rounded grains have a mean length of 292.5 µm and width of 179 µm. Similar values for circularity and sphericity are observed in the sub-rounded grains, with slight variations of 2.7 circularity and 2.6 sphericitydistinguished in the rounded grain subset. The Cailleux flatness index range from 2.5 to 9 for subrounded grains and 2 – 15.5 for the rounded, indicating the multisource nature of the grains. The grains are consistent with short to moderate transport distances from the lode sources. The similarities in physical features, lack of delicate secondary growth structures and irregular grain outlines point to a detrital source for the placer deposits. Evidence of emulsion crystallisation type is indicated by the presence of sub- to anhedral inclusions within the Au grains. Keywords: Placer gold, Cailleux flatness indices, Wonaka Schist Belt, Provenance, Northwest Nigeria

Multi-method 2D and 3D reconstruction of gold grains morphology in alluvial deposits: a review and application to the Rivière du Moulin (Québec, Canada)

The aim of this paper is to document and compare the 2D qualitative and semi-quantitative methods currently used to describe the shape of gold grains in fluvial environment to 3D quantitative methods using microtomography and SEM photogrammetry. These 3D methods are used to compute flatness, roundness, convexity, sphericity, and ellipticity shape descriptors of 13 gold grains from the Rivière du Moulin (Québec, Canada) in order to quantify the morphological change along 9 km of fluvial transport. Gold grains have moderate to high values of flatness, compactness, sphericity, and ellipticity indices that do not change significantly with distance of transport, whereas the roundness increases during transport. Gold grains are used to compare 2D and 3D methods and the results show small differences (< 8%) when shape descriptors are computed using image analysis software, whereas the difference (up to 70%) is more important for 2D measurements performed by a human operator. For application and characterization on a large set of gold grains, the 2D methods offer the advantage of speed, whereas, for a more detailed study on a limited number of gold grains, 3D methods enable estimation of the volume and yield more detailed shape descriptors changes during fluvial transport.

Tourist Supply in Fluvial Passenger Transport: Sample of Large and Medium Size Vessels in Manaus, Amazon, Brazil

This article presents an analysis of the tourist offer in fluvial passenger transport in Amazonas, in large vessels, departing from Porto Roadway, Manaus, and medium-sized, offered by the Fluvial Transport Cooperative of Marina do David [Acamdaf] and Cooperativa Solinegro in Porto da Ceasa. It is a quantitative-qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research, using semi-structured observation to collect itinerary data from the selection for the sample of a large and a medium-sized vessel, the description of the structure and service provision. The research is guided by the literature of Lohmann and Netto (2008), La Torre (2002), Sancho (2001) on transport in tourism; Boullón (2002), on the influence of the transport system in the structuring of the tourist space; Queiroz (2019), Macedo (2014) and Pereira (2013) on river transport in Amazonas. The results point to the latent need for structuring the tourist offer of fluvial passenger transport departing from Manaus, due to the scarcity in the offer of other modes that guarantee intercity mobility for residents and tourists in Amazonas.