ThinkPiece: Embracing Love as an Educational Force in the Anthropocene

In the past decade, an increasing number of geologists and other scientific researchers have presented evidence that we have entered a new geologic epoch called the Anthropocene. The primary characteristic of the Anthropocene, researchers argue, revolves around the combination of an emerging and measurable sedimentary layer of increasing human artifacts (mostly plastics) in combination with significant and negative transformations within the Earth’s biodiversity and climate systems. In this article, the researchers were interested in exploring how anthropogenic events will likely affect educational systems and institutions through multi-decade environmental audits and educational planning that are more closely linked to addressing the world’s major anthropogenic problems such as climate change and a global loss of biodiversity related to human development and activity. This article concludes by exploring how anthropogenic forces might be redirected as human catalysts for a more positive environmental and geologic legacy. Keywords: Anthropocene, anthropogenic force, environmental education, educational catalysts, emotion

Heat Flow Correction for the High-Permeability Formation: A Case Study for Xiong’an New Area

The Xiong’an New Area is located at the western Bohai Bay Basin, 150 km south of Beijing, China. The area has tremendous high heat flow value within the sedimentary layer, and the average value can reach 90 mW·m-2 within the Niutuozhen Uplift. However, combining the basal heat flow at the top of the metamorphic layer with the heat flow value which was contributed by the radiogenic heat production from the overlying formation, the surface heat flow value was only 65.1 mW·m-2 in this area. Thus, the heat flow value within the sedimentary layer was greatly influenced by other factors. In this study, based on the continuous temperature measurements data from 4 boreholes, thermos-physical parameters (conductivity, radioactive heat production, density, and heat capacity) from 90 rock sample measurements, and the regional stratigraphic development, a two-dimensional thermal-hydraulic modelling was carried out to study the influence of the heat refraction and groundwater convection on the heat flow value. According to calculation results, the heat flow disturbance caused by heat refraction was 10 mW·m-2, and the disturbance value was 20 mW·m-2 for the groundwater convection. Furthermore, when the high-permeability layer thickness was a certain value, with the increasing high-permeability layer buried depth, the influence of the groundwater convection on the temperature field which was used for the heat flow calculation became weak. While when the high-permeability layer buried depth was set up, the influence of the groundwater convection on the above temperature field became stronger with the increasing high-permeability layer thickness.

The role of geodynamic stress in the formation of oil and gas structures in the Caspian Sea (on the example of the Shah Deniz, Umid, Babek, Bulla Deniz fields)

В статье рассматривается геодинамическое напряжение в формировании нефтегазовых структур в пределах Каспийского моря (на примере нефтяных месторождений Шахдениз, Умид, Бабек и Булла Дениз). Цель работы. Была предложена теория формирования Каспийского бассейна на основе модели формирования мантийных плюмов. Метод работы. В данной методике предполагается, что в пределах мантийных плюмов происходит подъём вещества и вынос тепла из мантийных глубин. Считается также, что в головной части мантийного плюма происходит частичное плавление мантийного вещества и образуется магмогенерирующая об­ласть. Магма, формирующаяся в головной части, обычно имеет щёлочно-базальтовый состав. При достижении мантийного плюма подошвы литосферы над ним проявляется плюмовый магматизм: про­исходит внедрение интрузий в земную кору и вдоль границы земной коры и мантии. В статье отмечено, что в области, охватываемой Палео-Каспием, магма переместилась из мантийного слоя на поверхность Земли, изменила свою структуру вблизи поверхности Земли, а область, очерченная локальными аномальными полями в гравитации и магнитных полях, соответствовала палеокаспийской морфологии. Зоны сейсмической активности и круговые региональные разломы, в условиях геодинамического напряжения современного Каспийского бассейна считаются признаками плюмового процесса. Результаты работы. Установлено, что сильные землетрясения с относительной магнитудой M≥6–8 происходят в диапазоне глубин 7–20 км. В северной дуге Южного Каспия, где активность плюма все еще присутствует в интервале 55–65 км в базальтовом слое, в этом интервале наблюдаются признаки деформации в соответствии с характерными очагами землетрясения. Геодинамическое напряжение, накопленное в результате горизонтальных, вертикальных и круговых движений, создаваемых плюмом в мантии, повлияло на динамику осадочного слоя до глубины 25 км, границы Конрада 20–32 км 40–53 км, и границы Мохо до глубины 40–53 км, где постоянно менялась морфоструктура осадочного слоя. Процесс осаждения в бассейне Каспийского моря начался до мезозоя, и в течение юрского периода земная кора продолжала снижаться и примерно с такой же тенденцией происходило формирование бассейна. В результате вихревого движения, созданного магматическим шлейфом в Каспийском бассейне, выстроились кольцевые спиральные антиклинальные структуры (Бахар, Шах-Дениз, Абшерон, Шафаг, Машал, Бабек, Умид, Булла-Дениз, Асиман, Зафар и др.), где было накоплено большое количество углеводородного потенциала страны. Проанализированы стратиграфическо-литологические особенности отложений в структуре Умид и показано, что там запасы нефти и газа очень велики The article considers the geodynamic stress in the formation of oil and gas structures within the Caspian Sea (on the example of the Shah Deniz, Umid, Babek, Bulla Deniz fields). Aim. A theory for the formation of the Caspian basin was proposed based on the “mantle plume” model. Methods. In this technique, it is assumed that within the mantle plumes there is an uplift of matter and heat removal from the mantle depths. It is also believed that in the head of the mantle plume there is a partial melting of the mantle material and a magma-generating area is formed. The magma that is formed in the head is usually alkaline-basalticcomposition. When the mantle plume reaches the base of the lithosphere, plume magmatism appears above it: intrusions are introduced into the earth's crust and along the border of the earth's crust and mantle. It is noted that in the area covered by the Paleo-Caspian, magma moved from the mantle layer to the Earth's surface. Thus, it changed its structure near the Earth's surface, and the area outlined by local anomalous fields in gravity and magnetic fields corresponded to the paleocaspian morphology. Zones of seismic activity and circular regional faults, under the geodynamic stress of the modern Caspian basin, are considered signs of a plume process. Results. It has been established that strong earthquakes with a relative magnitude of M≥6–8 occur in the depth range of 7–20 km. In the northern arc of the South Caspian, where plume activity is still present in the 55–65 km interval in the basalt layer, there are signs of deformation in this interval in accordance with the characteristic earthquake sources. Geodynamic stress accumulated as a result of horizontal, vertical and circular motions created by the plume in the mantle influenced the dynamics of the sedimentary layer to a depth of 25 km, the Conrad boundaries 20–32 km 40–53 km, and the Moho boundaries to a depth of 40–53 km.There the morphostructure of the sedimentary layer was constantly changing. The deposition process in the basin of the Caspian Sea began before the Mesozoic, and during the Jurassic period the earth's crust continued to decline and the formation of the basin took place with approximately the same tendency. As a result of the vortex movement created by the magmatic plume in the Caspian basin, the circular spiral anticlinal structures (Bahar, ShahDeniz, Absheron, Shafag, Mashal, Babek, Umid, BullaDeniz, Asiman, Zafar, etc.) were built. There was accumulated the large amount of the country's hydrocarbon potential. The stratigraphic and lithological features of deposits in the structure ofUmidare analyzed and it is shown that there are very large reserves of oil and gas.

Characterization of earthworms in an infiltration basin for maintaining water infiltration

<p>Infiltration basins are among the most spread techniques for managing stormwater. Infiltration basins allow the infiltration of stormwater, which prevents their piping towards treatment systems. However, stormwater contains loads of pollutants and suspended solids that accumulate at the surface of the basin and form a sedimentary layer. That sedimentary lay may clog the infiltration basin partially, thus reducing its bulk infiltration capability. Fortunately, plants and fauna colonize spontaneously this sedimentary layer, thus preventing complete clogging and restoring soils' infiltration functions. The knowledge of the effect on restoring the infiltration function requires properly characterize fauna, notably earthworms, with the aim to predict their impact on infiltration. Besides, earthworms, considered as ecosystem engineers, are known to be good candidates for integrating soil chemical pollution.</p><p>If earthworms have been intensively studied in natural and agricultural soil, very few studies have focused on the characterization of earthworms' communities in urban soils and, in particular, in infiltration basins. This study presents the description of earthworms sampled at several places over one infiltration basins. This basin receives the stormwater collected over an industrial peri-urban catchment. The infiltration basin has been functioning for more than two decades, thus, plants and fauna have colonized the surface related to water ponding at surface and water infiltration. The sampled places were selected to follow three specific water pathways at the surface. High population variability was measured with densities ranging from 0 to 300 earthworms per square meter with the presence of adults but also juveniles. But, only endogenic and epigeic functional groups were found. The characterization of abundance, age, and species over the sampled places was correlated to water content and sediment thickness, in addition to pollutant loads.</p><p>The results show that earthworms require given edaphic conditions (including thick enough sedimentary layer) to settle. We then expect most earthworms to colonize those specific places, increasing water infiltration punctually at these places. Put all together, our findings participate in the understanding of colonization of basin infiltration by organisms and their contribution to their primary function: infiltrating water.</p>

Observation of Pseudo Plume Behavior by Hydrate Sedimentary Layer Decomposition

We are focusing on the practical use of methane hydrate. For recovery and use of it as an energy resource, it is necessary to consider the possibility of clogging in the recovery pipe due to the rehydration of bubbles. The purpose of this research was to observe experimentally and evaluate theoretically the decomposition behavior of hydrate sedimentary layer and the rising behavior of bubbles generated by hydrate decomposition. Chlorodifluoromethane was used as a low pressure model gas of methane. Hydrate sedimentary layer was produced by cooling and pressurizing water in countercurrent contact with gas using a hydrate formation recovery device. The recovered hydrate was decomposed by the heating or depressurization method, without flowing water. Two theoretical rising velocities were derived from the theoretical value with using the Navier-Stokes equation or the values in consideration of the bubble shape and hydrate film existence. The experimental rising velocities of small spherical bubbles radius agreed well with the theoretical value by the Navier-Stokes equation. The relatively large elliptical bubbles showed a behavior close to the theoretical value of bubble with hydrate film. Under the pressure and temperature conditions closer to the hydrate equilibrium line, almost no generated bubbles could be identified visually.

Sedimentary structure of the Sichuan Basin derived from seismic ambient noise tomography

Summary Determining a detailed 3-D velocity model with high resolution for the sedimentary layer in the Sichuan Basin is potentially beneficial both to the industrial oil/gas exploration and earthquake hazards mitigation. In this study, we apply the ambient noise tomography method to construct a 3-D S-wave velocity model. This model focuses on the sedimentary layer of the Sichuan Basin, with a 0.3° × 0.3° grid precision. Dispersion curves of both group and phase velocities of Rayleigh wave at 4 to 40 s periods are utilized, which are extracted from 87 broadband stations in the Sichuan Basin and the surrounding areas. The 3-D model reveals a thick sedimentary layer of the Sichuan Basin with S-wave velocity ranging from ∼2.0 km/s to 3.4 km/s. The sediment thickness in the margins of the Sichuan Basin is generally greater than the typical values of 6–10 km in the central areas due to surrounding orogenic activities, with a maximum depth of ∼13 km in the northwestern margin. Moreover, a prominent low S-wave velocity anomaly in the margins may be caused by the sediment accumulations from large-scale landslides and pronounced denudation of the surrounding orogenic belts. Major geologic units in the sedimentary layer are delineated in this study. The S-wave velocity values within each geologic unit and their bottom interfaces are obtained. Based on our model, we calculate synthetic ground motions for the 2013 Lushan earthquake and obtain the distribution of the peak ground acceleration from the earthquake epicenter to the western Sichuan Basin. The result clearly illustrates the basin amplification effect on the seismic waves.