Mapping Saltwater Intrusion using Transient ElectroMagnetic Data in Maopa, Central Province, Papua New Guinea

<p>Saltwater intrusion studies in coastal Papua New Guinea (PNG) are a rarity despite recognized vulnerabilities to salination of coastal groundwater resources. For many seaside communities such as Maopa the threat of salination is exacerbated by high extraction rates by a growing population and the likelihood of the effects of climate change. Saltwater intrusion can be addressed using various methods, including direct water sampling from wells and electrical resistivity measurements. This study advances knowledge of a previous assessment of saltwater intrusion and groundwater in this region that used DC Schlumberger resistivity soundings, through an extensive and cost-effective Transient ElectroMagnetic (TEM) survey. The study aims to map the lateral and vertical extent of salination and the characterization of groundwater in the landward direction over seven lines of TEM soundings along Keakalo Bay. The TEM method proved successful in identifying four main geoelectric layers. The top layer has a highly variable resistivity (range of 5 to 355 Ωm) inferred as the vadose zone. Beneath this layer is a layer of intermediate resistivity (100 Ωm > p ≥ 20 Ωm) characterizing a perched freshwater aquifer with a thickness range of 3.2 to 15 m. An intermediate layer of low resistivity (20 Ωm > p ≥ 3 Ωm) was detected at the boundary separating the freshwater aquifer from the inferred saltwater intrusion. This layer is typically thicker than the freshwater aquifer and is referred to as the mixing zone. The deepest layer constituting the salination zone has a very low resistivity (3 Ωm > p ≥ 0.4 Ωm), occurring at depths of up to 42 m. The depth to the salination zone varied from deep in the middle of the survey area to shallow in the fringes of the survey. This pattern is reflective of surface seawater infiltration marked by mangrove forest in the interior and subsurface infiltration from the coast. Similar depth trends but at shallower depths were also observed for the mixing zone, and the freshwater region. In some cases the mixing area overwhelms the freshwater regions. Layering confirmed groundwater resource and salination patterns as those of basic models reflective of small island hydrology, except that salination and the freshwater boundary were less distinctive due to the relatively high thickness of the dispersion zone. The use of different sounding parameters in line 7 provided useful information about the nature of the deep basement unit and thickness of the overlying unconsolidated quaternary sediment.</p>

Mapping Saltwater Intrusion using Transient ElectroMagnetic Data in Maopa, Central Province, Papua New Guinea

<p>Saltwater intrusion studies in coastal Papua New Guinea (PNG) are a rarity despite recognized vulnerabilities to salination of coastal groundwater resources. For many seaside communities such as Maopa the threat of salination is exacerbated by high extraction rates by a growing population and the likelihood of the effects of climate change. Saltwater intrusion can be addressed using various methods, including direct water sampling from wells and electrical resistivity measurements. This study advances knowledge of a previous assessment of saltwater intrusion and groundwater in this region that used DC Schlumberger resistivity soundings, through an extensive and cost-effective Transient ElectroMagnetic (TEM) survey. The study aims to map the lateral and vertical extent of salination and the characterization of groundwater in the landward direction over seven lines of TEM soundings along Keakalo Bay. The TEM method proved successful in identifying four main geoelectric layers. The top layer has a highly variable resistivity (range of 5 to 355 Ωm) inferred as the vadose zone. Beneath this layer is a layer of intermediate resistivity (100 Ωm > p ≥ 20 Ωm) characterizing a perched freshwater aquifer with a thickness range of 3.2 to 15 m. An intermediate layer of low resistivity (20 Ωm > p ≥ 3 Ωm) was detected at the boundary separating the freshwater aquifer from the inferred saltwater intrusion. This layer is typically thicker than the freshwater aquifer and is referred to as the mixing zone. The deepest layer constituting the salination zone has a very low resistivity (3 Ωm > p ≥ 0.4 Ωm), occurring at depths of up to 42 m. The depth to the salination zone varied from deep in the middle of the survey area to shallow in the fringes of the survey. This pattern is reflective of surface seawater infiltration marked by mangrove forest in the interior and subsurface infiltration from the coast. Similar depth trends but at shallower depths were also observed for the mixing zone, and the freshwater region. In some cases the mixing area overwhelms the freshwater regions. Layering confirmed groundwater resource and salination patterns as those of basic models reflective of small island hydrology, except that salination and the freshwater boundary were less distinctive due to the relatively high thickness of the dispersion zone. The use of different sounding parameters in line 7 provided useful information about the nature of the deep basement unit and thickness of the overlying unconsolidated quaternary sediment.</p>

Influences of the Earth’s Magnetic Field on the Transient Electromagnetic Process in the Geoelectric Field: an Experimental Study

—A mathematical model of the influence of the Earth’s magnetic field (the Hall effect) on results of the controlled source transient electromagnetic (TEM) method has been elaborated. For identification of this effect, we propose a schematic layout of the experimental grounded system with a pulsed loop source and signals recording by radial receive lines equally spaced relative to the loop. The 2018–2019 special field experiments were conducted in the Tatar region of the West Siberian Lowland with an aim to estimate the Hall effect contributions to the TEM method. To detect the Hall effect, transient electromagnetic responses were measured mainly by four receive lines radiating from a 500×500 m square loop. Analysis of the TEM results processing aimed at improving the signal quality and reducing the interference revealed a great similarity in signals from the radial lines, which is theoretically possible only under the Hall effect. Comparison of the field signals with the theoretical ones enabled estimation of the components caused by the Hall effect, in particular, conductivity at ~0.002 S/m.

Aftereffects in the Transient Electromagnetic Method: Inductively Induced Polarization

—Inductively induced electric polarization (IIP) is one of the aftereffects inherent in the geologic materials and affecting results of the transient electromagnetic method. Its effect on the inductive transient response manifests itself as a nonmonotonic EMF decay, including the polarity reversal. The dependence of IIP on many conditions makes it difficult to study the basic regularities in its manifestation. One of the ways to address this problem is to present the simulation results as a normalized transient response. From the most general point of view, the intensity and time range of the IIP manifestation are controlled by the competition between induction and induced polarization phenomena. Induced polarization manifests itself differently, depending on the transmitter used for the excitation of the ground response. Therefore, when studying polarizable ground, the results of the conventional IP method and those of the TEM method do not always correlate.

Triple graphite nitrate cointercalation compounds with acetic acid as precursors for thermally expanded graphite and carbon nanoparticles

Triple graphite nitrate cointercalation compounds (GNCCs) with acetic acid were synthesized, characterized by powder XRD and SEM methods, and used as a source of the thermally expanded graphite (TEG). Structural reorganization of graphite nitrate-acetate and triple GNCCs with acetic acid as a result of their exposition in air is discussed on the base of powder XRD data. Dispersions of carbon nanoparticles were prepared by liquid phase exfoliation of TEGs obtained from the GNCCs. It was demonstrated by TEM method that using of the studied TEGs as a source of carbon nanoparticles favours formation of few-layered graphene.

Transient Electromagnetic (TEM) Surveys as a First Approach for Characterizing a Regional Aquifer: The Case of the Saint-Narcisse Moraine, Quebec, Canada

Geological contexts that lack minimal stratigraphic and piezometric information can be challenging to produce an initial hydrogeological map in remote territories. This study proposes an approach to characterize a regional aquifer using transient electromagnetic (TEM) surveys. Given the presence of randomly dispersed boreholes, the Saint-Narcisse moraine in the Mauricie region of Quebec (Canada) is an appropriate site for collecting the required geophysical data, correlating the stratigraphic and piezometric information, and characterizing regional granular aquifers in terms of stratigraphy, geometry, thickness, and extent. In order to use all TEM results (i.e., 47 stations) acquired in the moraine area, we also correlated 13 TEM stations, 7 boreholes, and 6 stratigraphic cross-sections to derive an empirical and local petrophysical relationship and to establish a calibration chart of the sediments. Our TEM data, combined with piezometric mapping and the sedimentary records from boreholes and stratigraphic cross-sections, revealed the compartmentalization of a multi-kilometer morainic system and indicated the presence of two large unconfined granular aquifers overlying the bedrock. These aquifers extend more than 12 km east to west across the study area and are between 25 and >94 m thick. The TEM method provides critical information on groundwater at a regional scale by acquiring information from multiple stations within a short time span to a degree not possible with other existing methodologies.

Morphological and anatomical properties of Veronica crista-galli Steven

The aim of this work was to study of diagnostic signs of the morphological and anatomical structure of Veronica crista-galli Steven. from the flora of Azerbaijan. Materials and methods. The samples for research were collected during their flowering time in June 2018, in the Ismailli region of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Plant samples were fixed in a solution made in 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH=7.4), containing 2.5 % glutar-aldehyde, 2.5 % paraformal-aldehyde and 0.1 % picric acid. In the next stage was the preparation of block and their filling in Araldite – Epon according to the TEM method. Results. The leaf is simple, lower part is short-petiolate and upper is sessile. The surface, on both sides of the leaf, is reliefly, and 7–8 conductive veins are clearly visible. The lower and upper sides of the leaf, and also margin, are strewn with multicellular hairs. The calyx of the flower consists of two sepals which grown together at the base, covered with simple multicellular hairs. The stalk in is a long filiform. The corolla of flower consists of 4 petals which grown together at the base and 2 stamens attached to the tube of the corolla. On the epidermis, cells with sinuous and bead-like walls, numerous stomata of the stavrocytic type, capitate hairs are visible. From the cross section of the leaf, it is visible that palisade tissue at the upper and sponge tissue at the bottom. Conclusions. As a result of morphological and anatomical studies, it was revealed that diagnostic signs of plant raw material can be: Present of multicellular hairs on the leaf blade; The location of the capsule between the sepals; Stavrocytic type of the stoma structure; The bead-like walls of the epidermis; Capitate hairs on the epidermis; Sepals covered by hairs. The established anatomical diagnostic features can be used for the drafting of the normative document on the plant raw materials and for identification of plant raw material of Veronica crista-galli

A quantitative method for deriving salinity of subglacial water using ground-based transient electromagnetics

Liquid water can exist at temperatures well below freezing beneath glaciers and ice sheets, where subglacial water systems, fresh and saline, have been shown to host unique microbial ecosystems. Geophysical techniques sensitive to fluid-content contrasts, e.g. electromagnetics, can characterize subglacial water and its salinity. Here, we assess the ground-based transient electromagnetic (TEM) method for deriving the resistivity and salinity of subglacial water. We adapt an existing open-source Bayesian inversion algorithm, which uses independent depth constraints, to output posterior distributions of resistivity and pore fluid salinity with depth. A variety of synthetic models, including a thin (5 m), conductive (0.16 Ωm), hypersaline (147 psu) subglacial lake, are used to evaluate the TEM method for imaging under 800 m-thick ice. The study demonstrates that TEM methods can resolve conductive, saline bodies accurately using external depth constraints, for example, from radar or seismic data. The depth resolution of TEM can be limited beneath deep (>800 m), thick (>50 m) conductive, water bodies and additional constraints from passive electromagnetic (EM) methods could be used to reduce ambiguities in the TEM results. Subsequently, non-invasive active and passive EM methods could provide profound insights into remote aqueous systems under glaciers and ice sheets.

FORECAST OF GAS HYDRATE ACCUMULATION IN MEZSOZOIC SEDIMENTS OF CENTRAL YAKUTIA FCCJRDING TO ELECTROMAGNETIC SOUNDING DATA

This article discusses the results of electromagnetic studies by the TEM method. They are made within the limits of Central Yakutia. The purpose of the research is to study the features of the geoelectric structure of the upper part of the section. The upper part of the cryolithozone was studied, its geoelectric characteristics were determined, talik zones were identified, as well as zones promising for detecting gas hydrate accumulations.