Interpretation of the Alluvial Floodplain Accumulation: On the Example of Cross-sections of Geoarchaeological Site Ostrov Listvenichnyi (Northeast Angara Region)

This paper examines characteristic features of floodplain accumulation at geoarchaeological site Ostrov Listvenichnyi, located on the Angara River at the same-name island (Northeast Angara region, Baikal Siberia). The problems of interpretation of topographic and lithological data, island architecture, glacial and postglacial natural climatic insights (MIS 2–MIS 1) are also touched upon. The accumulation of sediments at a series of 16 archaeological test pits recorded along the northwestern side of the island was analyzed by using pedolithological method. Island formation history included the upbuilding of the origin island based on river point bar, further transformation into “east” pre-island and final articulation of ancient “east” pre-island and younger “west” pre-island. The primary differences in alluvium composition of ancient pre-island (red beds, clay loam) and Holocene sedimentations (grey beds, sandy loam), both situated at the same level, were identified and explained. Detailed analysis of floodplain accumulation revealed eight distinct lithological layers varying by the structure and the composition. The following conclusions were reached based on the data available: lithological strata 1–5 have formed in Sartan, lithological strata 6–8 have formed in Holocene. Every layer contains the information on the changing climate and environment: signals of floods (high flood stages in 7 layer, “dry” stages in 3 layer), different phases of humification (humusless strata 1–4, first fragile humus horizons in layer 5, more pronounced humus horizons a, b, c, d in layer 4, and humus background in strata 7–8), epigenetic markers of сryogenic processes in strata 3–5. Analysis suggest also three chronologically differentiated floodplain benches: lower 1,5–2 meter bench (top of layer 3) associated with Middle Sartan; middle 2,5–3 meter bench (top of layer 5) associated with Final Sartan; top 4,5–5 meter bench (top of layer 8) associated with modern time.

Reinterpreting Models of Slope-Front Recharge in a Desert Basin

Identification of recharge areas in arid basins is challenging due to spatial and temporal variability and complexity of the hydrogeology. This study re-evaluates recharge mechanism in a desert basin where isotopic and geologic data indicated that published conceptual models of recharge are not accurate. A new model of recharge is formulated that is consistent with the unique geologic framework in the basin. In the area of study, the Rio Grande flows across a broad alluvial floodplain, the “El Paso-Juarez Valley”, where the river has incised the surface of the Hueco Bolson. The modern Rio Grande floodplain overlies the older basin fill, or “Hueco Bolson deposits”, in the valley portion of the area. The lateral contact between the older bolson deposits and the recent alluvial floodplain deposits defines the “slope front”. The valley wall along the slope front is penetrated by many arroyos that incise the Hueco Bolson deposits and modern floodplain surface. The presence of a large lens of freshwater at the boundary between the older bolson fill and recent Rio Grande alluvium seemed to suggest to previous researchers that dilute water developed due to runoff drawn in by San Felipe Arroyo, a prominent arroyo at the slope front between the older Hueco Bolson deposits and the recent Rio Grande alluvium. Our follow-up verification work illustrates that this is demonstrably not the case. The testing of groundwater samples for stable water isotopes and radioisotopes showed that the deeper and more dilute waters near San Felipe Arroyo are actually pre-dam waters recharged from the shifting Rio Grande channel.

Structural and textural features of genetic types of the massive and ice wedges, and the conditions of their formation in the lower reaches of the Gyda River

In the structure of the frozen thickness of the 2nd lake-alluvial terrace of the Gyda River were detected polygonal-wedge, lens massive and lensoid ice were. A detailed analysis of structural and textural peculiarities in the layers was carried out for the first time for these morphological types of underground ice. Based on the cryolithological structure of host rocks and structural-textural features of ice, the main mechanisms of deposit formation – polygonal-wedge, infiltration-segregational, and congelation were determined. The development of polygonal-wedge ice occurred in an alluvial floodplain setting of sedimentation accompanied by the climate fluctuations in the end of the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. The growth of ice wedge in the second half of the Sartan Period was interrupted under the reservoirs with shallow talik waters, after freezing of which there formed infiltration-segregational lensoid formation ices. The structure of frozen thickness was complicated by the lenses of congelation ice formed in thermoerosive niches in the Holocene optimum of about 6.5 thousand years ago. At the present time is possible the formation of similar types of ice on various sections of the relief. The established peculiarities of cryogenic structure are important for the creation of paleogeographic reconstructions and forecasting the dynamics of permafrost-facies environments accompanied by the modern changes in the depth of the seasonal thaw layer and the development of thermokarst.

Hydrogeological investigations of Chapai Nawabganj town of Nawabganj district, North-West Bangladesh using isotope and other techniques

Groundwater of Chapai Nawabganj town has been studied using hydrogeological, hydrochemical and environmental isotope (?18O, ?2H, ?13C, 3H and 14C) data. Aquifer underneath the study area is divided into unconfined to semi-confined Holocene alluvial floodplain aquifer and confined Plio-Pleistocene Dupi Tila sandstone aquifer. Chemical composition of groundwater is characterized by high concentrations of Mg2+, Na+, Ca2+, HCO3-, FeTotal, and low concentrations of Mn2+, NO3 - and PO4 3-. Groundwater samples are mainly Mg-Ca-HCO3 and Na-Mg-Ca-HCO3 types and Na-Mg-Ca-Cl-HCO3 type of water is also found at some places. Based on Cl- and SO42- concentrations groundwater is normal chloride and normal sulphate water, respectively. In terms of SAR and EC values water is excellent for irrigation purpose. The isotopic composition also suggests some segregation of groundwater from the different aquifers and indicates different ages of recharge. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbas.v38i2.21338 Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, Vol. 38, No. 2, 131-142, 2014