Physics and Chemistry of the Earth最新文献

The present work emphasizes the extend of groundwater pollution in Nagavathi River basin, south India and to study the potential health risks pertaining to the population there. Sixty-eight groundwater samples were collected and tested for various parameters such as pH, EC, TDS, major anions and major cations. The findings infer that the pH of the water ranges from 6.98 to 8.11, indicating that water is alkaline. TDS maximum value of 2401 mg/l indicates the presence of contaminants in the groundwater, and the electrical conductivity of 39.3% samples are above the range of drinking water standards. Based on Piper's diagram, 70.5% of the water samples are mixed CaMgCl type. The samples are classified as rock dominance in Gibb's diagram, which highlights the relationship between rock chemistry and water composition. The Entropy Water Quality Index (EWQI) was computed to calculate the quality of the water, which exhibits 25% of samples represent excellent to good quality, and 29% of samples represent poor water quality. From the spatial distribution map of fluoride, 16.17% of the samples are in the category of extreme risk with >4 mg/l, which can cause detrimental health issues according to WHO. From the outcomes, it is observed that the Total Hazard Index (THI) values for infants, children, teens, females, males were greater than 1. All the age groups in this region are affected due to fluoride, particularly infants and children are more affected. Proper geochemical investigations and treatment of water before consumption are recommended for the study area. In addition, health hazards due to groundwater contamination must be meticulously studied in future.

Understanding the behavioural drivers of water conservation in public spaces is essential for enhancing the effectiveness of water resources management and water use especially in water scarce environments. This study used the Theory of Planned Behaviour to determine the contributing factors of water conservation attitude and behaviour among managers at work. Data were collected from 72 managers at North-West University – Mahikeng, South Africa through self-administered survey questionnaire. Results showed that behaviour practices of reporting water leakages and closing taps were prevalent among the managers. Furthermore, positive correlations including length of service (r = 0.791); training on water issues (r = 0.542); gender (r = 0.509) and speaking about water conservation (r = 0.091) emerged as significant predictors of a water conservation attitude and behaviour. Promotion of water conservation attitude and behaviour through education and training would have a greater tendency among managers to conserve water at work.

Estimating stormwater harvesting (SWH) is a significant characteristic of enhancing regional water obtainability and thereby preserving water resources. The foremost aim of this study was to approximate suitable SWH locations in Mumbai using several physical and geomorphic parameters by employing the Geographical Information System (GIS) based Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. Several observed and remotely sensed datasets were used to compute SWH after assigning the share of influence at GIS platform. Numerous physical attributes along with geomorphic features are taken into consideration and further reclassified and allocated ranks to produce the SWH map in Mumbai. The study indicates most suitable portion for SWH is associated with northwestern side of Mumbai along with barren land and vegetation cover of around 226 sq. km area. However, highly dense urban areas (182.5 sq. km) in central Mumbai experienced with low suitable SWH zone. Additionally, LULC-wise investigation exhibited that barren and wetlands are the most suitable part for SWH, averaging 62.7 sq.km, however, nearly coastal areas including central Mumbai, and some open urban spaces are also potentially suitable for SWH. Moreover, flood probability-wise SWH site demonstrates maximum suitability near the upper parts of coastal Mumbai (223.3 sq.km), while 82.9 sq.km area witnessed flood possibility. High-resolution Google Earth images were used to overlap the outcome of SWH in Mumbai. Moreover, the SWH sites were further cross-correlated with regional flood susceptibility, which exposed extreme north and northeastern parts of Mumbai and is eventually essential to yield SWH sites to diminish flood hazards and substantial water availability.

The formation mechanism and quality evaluation of surface water and groundwater have provided valuable information on water management of alpine catchment, such as Tibet Plateau. However, scarce knowledge of surface water and groundwater has been achieved from Eastern Himalayan syntaxis in eastern Tibet due to harsh and complicated natural and geological conditions. This study collected 60 water samples from the Layue alpine catchment within Eastern Himalayan syntaxis, including 35 samples of groundwater and 25 of surface water. A combination of multivariate statistical analysis, ion ratio analysis, geochemical modeling, hydrogen and oxygen isotope analysis, and water quality index (WQI) analysis was employed to explore hydrochemical processes and irrigation and portable suitability. Results indicate that the groundwater types identified include bicarbonate-calcium, sulfate·chlorine-sodium, and mixed bicarbonate-calcium·sodium, while surface water are sulfate·chlorine-sodium, mixed bicarbonate-calcium·sodium, and mixed chlorine-calcium·magnesium types. Groundwater recharge primarily originates from meteoric precipitation, with recharge elevations ranging from 2216 to 3698 m, while surface water receives both precipitation and groundwater recharge in a proportion of 50.51%–87.96%. Silicate weathering and carbonate dissolution predominantly control the hydrochemical compositions. Sodium adsorption ratios (0.75–88.55) and electrical conductivity (85.20–1686.12 μs/cm) indicate water resource are mostly suitable for irrigation. The entropy-weighted water quality index (97% in total <100) denotes the suitability for portable use. These achievements would provide substantial support for the sustainable water management in alpine areas, especially for Tibet Plateau.

Rural rooftop distributed photovoltaic systems (RRDPVS) play a crucial role in China's energy strategy to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs). Over the past years, RRDPVS have experienced rapid development in China. This study focuses on identifying relevant factors and analyzing their influence on the growth of RRDPVS in Jiangsu Province. Based on county-level panel data spanning 39 months across 64 countries, an empirical model is built for analyzing the newly installed capacity of RRDPVS with the consideration of local natural resources and socio-economic conditions. It is a cross-disciplinary study in the field of economics and energy. In summary, natural resource factors have less influence and socio-economic factors have more influence on the newly installed capacity of RRDPVS at this stage. The results of regression models show that elements of natural endowment, such as solar resources, air temperature and air quality index PM_2.5 have insignificant effects on the amount of newly installed capacity. The absence of government strategic guidance has resulted in the indiscriminate construction of RRDPVS in low-quality status. The results of the analyses from the socio-economic perspective show that most rural residents installed RRDPVS are the low-income group, whereas middle- and upper-income residents are less interested in installation. It is necessary to appropriately raise public awareness of the use of clean and low-carbon green energy, in order to expand the audience of RRDPVS and increase the penetration rate of the system among middle and high-income groups. The finding of this study offers insights into establishing a robust policy framework for renewable energy utilization to achieve SDGs, and promotes feasible solutions for the transformation of rural photovoltaics in China and other developing countries.

Plastic pollution, particularly from microplastics (MPs), poses a significant threat to agricultural ecosystems. This study investigates the impact of Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) microplastics on green gram (Vigna radiata) cultivation, focusing on growth, yield, and soil nutrient dynamics. A completely randomized design with nine treatments of varying LDPE concentrations was used in a controlled poly house environment. Soil analysis assessed mechanical and physico-chemical properties using established methods. Green gram variety Co (Gg) 8 was cultivated during the Rabi season, with comprehensive crop management including germination tests, pot culture preparations, precise fertilizer application, and essential cultural operations. Results indicated significant correlations between LDPE concentrations and green gram growth parameters, with higher concentrations having detrimental effects (correlation coefficient = −0.75, p < 0.05). LDPE treatments also influenced plant nutrient uptake, showing inverse correlations with nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) uptake (correlation coefficient = −0.82, p < 0.01). Post-harvest soil analysis revealed significant variations in available nutrients, with LDPE-treated soils exhibiting higher N, P, and K levels compared to control groups (correlation coefficient = 0.78, p < 0.01). Infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of LDPE microplastics in soil and plant samples, identified by characteristic (CO) and (C–H) stretching vibrations. These findings highlight the complex interactions between LDPE microplastics and agricultural systems, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices to mitigate the adverse effects of plastic pollution on agriculture. Statistical analysis using the CRD framework and correlation and regression analyses ensured robust interpretation of the data.

This comprehensive review explores the transformative role of remote sensing technologies in the detection and monitoring of water pollution. Remote sensing provides dynamic, large-scale, and cost-effective solutions for continuous assessment of water quality. The review covers the application of remote sensing for detecting a range of pollutants, including chemical contaminants, physical parameters, and biological pollutants. The review systematically analyzed 132 studies selected from the Web of Science database using the keywords “remote sensing” and “water pollution,” covering publications from the 1990s to December 2023. The analysis highlights the use of multispectral and hyperspectral imaging, machine learning algorithms, and statistical models for precise pollutant detection and quantification.

Key findings demonstrate the efficacy of remote sensing in providing timely and detailed information on water quality, which is essential for environmental monitoring and management. However, several challenges persist, including limitations in the spatial and temporal resolution of satellite sensors, the complexity of water body optical properties, and the need for advanced data processing algorithms. Future research should address these challenges by focusing on enhancing sensor technology, developing sophisticated algorithms for data analysis, and integrating remote sensing with in-situ measurements to achieve more comprehensive water quality monitoring. This review underscores the significant advancements in remote sensing technologies and their crucial role in sustainable water resource management and environmental protection. It emphasizes the need for ongoing innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration to further enhance our understanding and management of water pollution.

The Nazca plate is populated with several magmatic tracks exhibiting complex morphologies responding to time-dependent positioning of spreading centers (East Pacific Rise, Cocos-Nazca). Mantle plumes beneath the Nazca plate are/were located on- or off-ridge (with ridge being spreading center), modulating the resulting hotspot-tracks’ crustal thickness accordingly. We use published seismic observational constraints of Moho depths to study asthenospheric-mantle potential-temperature anomalies (${\Delta T}_p$) beneath the Nazca plate. We use a simple thermodynamics formulation for adiabatic cooling and decompression melting, and a depth-dependent, static analytical description presenting different options for hydrated-solidus-liquidus curves up to 8 GPa-lithostatic pressure as a function of bulk water content in the peridotite source. The calculated $T_p$-anomalies are relative to an average Nazca crust (∼6 km thick) formed at the East Pacific Rise with source hydration levels of about 0.01 wt%. As active-upwelling perturbing passive MOR environments, on-ridge plumes added mass (lower crustal intrusion, surface extrusion) to young crust creating OIB hotspot-tracks whose mean crustal thicknesses (≤18 km) are consistent with inferred ${\Delta T}_p$ range-values of [-100, 75] °C (Iquique Ridge), [-50, 130] °C (Nazca Ridge), and [-20, 150] °C (Carnegie Ridge south), considering conservative bulk water contents of 0.005–0.08 wt%. The Juan Fernández OIB hotspot track was formed by an off-ridge active-upwelling plume impinging under a 27 Myr-old oceanic lithosphere with ∼7 km-thick pre-existing crust. Currently, the track presents 4-5 km-high isolated volcanic edifices and about 1 km crustal root, totaling about 12–13 km aggregate melt thickness, and suggesting ${\Delta T}_p$ range-values of [-20, 160] °C.

With the ongoing glacier recession, the Himalayan region is witnessing the development of glacial lakes fed by the glacial meltwater. Besides threatening the hydrological regime in the area, the rapid expansion of these lakes at the expense of their feeding glaciers poses a serious risk to the downstream communities in the form of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods, as many of these high-altitude water bodies are vulnerable to this cryospheric disaster under the changing climatic regime. Studying these potentially dangerous glacial lakes (PDGLs) and their feeding glaciers in the context of the changing climate has become crucial in understanding this phenomenon and managing the risk associated with these lakes. The present study focuses on understanding the glacier-lake interactions between the PDGLs and their feeding glaciers under the changing climatic regime. We analyzed the spatio-temporal dynamics of 16 PDGLs, identified in our previous study, and their feeding glaciers for the past three decades (1992–2022), and tried to unravel the relationships between glacier area, glacial lake area, and climatic variables such as temperature and precipitation. The results reveal a rapid expansion of 49.6% in the glacial lake area accompanied by a corresponding glacier recession of 3.27 % and an average terminus retreat of 171 m. The average glacier mass balance was found to be ⁓ −0.22 m w.e. y⁻¹ during this period. The minimum temperature (Tmin) revealed statistically significant increasing trend, whereas the annual precipitation (Pcp) in the area revealed a slightly declining trend in this region. The glacial lake area was found to be in a significant positive correlation with the Tmin and a slight negative correlation with the annual precipitation (Pcp). The glacier area revealed a strong negative correlation with the glacial lake area, Tmax, and the Tmin and a positive correlation with the annual precipitation. The results indicate that the glacial lakes in the region are expanding at the expense of their feeding glaciers under warming climate.

Rock slope stability assessment is a vital component of geotechnical engineering, with significant implications for sustainability and environmental management. This review evaluates methodologies and tools used in large-scale rock modeling, analyzing their effectiveness and limitations. By examining recent advancements and commonly used software, the study aims to identify research gaps and enhance current practices. It emphasizes the connection between rock slope stability and sustainable development goals (SDGs), water resource management and climate action. The review critically assesses how existing methodologies integrate sustainability considerations, revealing both strengths and shortcomings in current approaches. It identifies a substantial research gap: the need for more holistic assessment frameworks that balance engineering requirements with ecological and societal impacts. The study also highlights opportunities for innovation in rock slope modeling techniques, particularly in incorporating climate change projections and ecosystem dynamics. By synthesizing findings from diverse case studies, the review offers valuable insights for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers aiming to improve the sustainable slope management. The critical evaluation serves as a foundation for future research directions, stressing the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing complex geotechnical challenges. Ultimately, this review aims to catalyze the development of more sustainable and resilient rock slope assessment methodologies, contributing to the broader goal of harmonizing engineering interventions with environmental stewardship and societal well-being.