Geology, Geophysics & Environment
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ISSN 2299-8004
e-ISSN: 2353-0790
Issue Date
2018
Volume
Vol. 44
Number
No 2
Description
Journal Volume
Geology, Geophysics & Environment
Vol. 44 (2018)
Projects
Pages
Articles
Using on-line analyzers and RAC parameters to determine the amount of TN and TP pollutants discharged from Poland into the Baltic Sea
(Wydawnictwa AGH, 2018) Wilk, Paweł; Grabarczyk, Adam
Despite the numerous measures taken to protect its environment for many years, Poland is among the top countries with the largest contributing share in the pollution of the Baltic Sea. It is undoubtedly the case that we are dealing with excesses in the permissible concentrations of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) on many sections of Polish rivers. However, in order to be able to thoroughly analyze this problem, it is first necessary to increase the frequency of TN and TP monitoring in surface waters. The article presents the first results obtained from the TN and TP monitoring system launched in 2016 at the IMGW-PIB on the calculation profile Szczecin (the Odra River) and Tczew (the Vistula River). The on-line analyzers installed for this purpose make it possible to perform measurements several times a day, allowing for the assessment of diurnal and seasonal variations of TN and TP. Using the results obtained, the daily values of the River Absorption Capacity (RAC) parameter were also calculated. The obtained results showed that, in general, the value of the RAC parameter on the analyzed calculation profiles was positive for both TN and TP throughout the entire period, irrespective of the time of year.
Prediction of swell pressure in Neogene clays from Warsaw, based on the swell index
(Wydawnictwa AGH, 2018) Gawriuczenkow, Ireneusz; Wójcik, Emilia
The paper presents the results of swell measurements of Neogene clays (Posnanian clay) from the Mazovia region with different grain size distribution and mineral composition. The study was conducted with model soil with initial moisture contents of 15%, 20%, 25% and 30%. The basic physical properties of clays, their mineral composition and swelling parameters such as free swelling index and swelling pressure were determined. Free swell index was correlated to liquid limit, plasticity index, clay content and water content. A very high fit was found for a proposed relationship between the free swell index and swell pressure which offers an inexpensive method of predicting swell pressure in the preliminary stages of site investigation.
Sedimentary response to tectonic uplift of the Dukla basin margin recorded at Skrzydlna - the Menilite Beds (Oligocene), Outer Carpathians, S Poland
(Wydawnictwa AGH, 2018) Siemińska, Aneta; Starzec, Krzysztof; Godlewski, Paweł; Wendorff, Marek
The Menilite Beds (Oligocene of Polish Flysch Carpathians) at Skrzydlna crops out in a structurally complex zone of the Fore-Magura Unit, which is tectonically overridden by Magura Nappe thrust form the S. The exposed sedimentary suite, representing the Dukla Basin, consists of fine-grained, well organised strata deposited in a low-energy, deep marine basin, which are abruptly overlain by poorly organised, coarse sandy conglomerate that forms a Mass Transport Deposit (MTD) complex. The MTD contains large boulders of extrabasinal rocks, massive sandstone beds with intrabasinal mudstone clasts, and slump sheets of sandstones. Above rests a fining- upwards sequence of sandstone beds interlayered with mudstones. The fine-grained facies reappear above to terminate the exposed succession. Erosional contacts and rapid facies changes, both vertical and lateral, are characteristic for the MTD unit. The sandstone-mudstone unit above contains laterally migrating erosional channels filled with massive sandy conglomerate in the lower part. Turbidites of varying density and completeness of internal structures that occur above are accompanied by an association of mixed facies including large-scale dune cross-bedding. Mineralogically, the sandstones are quartz arenites, sub-lithic arenites and wackes. Calcarenite grains – bioclasts, micrite and marl occur in substantial proportions only in the uppermost part of the succession. The point-counting data plotted on Qm-F-Lt diagram are clustered within the recycled fields: quartzose and transitional. Mineralogical maturity of the sandstones has the tendency to decrease from the sub-MTD strata upwards via the MTD unit to the lower part of the sandstone-mudstone complex, then it increases to the youngest sandstone beds with carbonate grains. These tendencies, associated with sedimentary features of the succession, reflect rapid uplift, emergence and progressive erosion of the terrigenous detritus source area, followed by tectonic stabilisation reflected by the appearance of the »carbonate factory«.
Toxicological assessment of pesticide contaminated soils with use of biotests
(Wydawnictwa AGH, 2018) Baczyński, Tomasz; Małachowska-Jutsz, Anna; Szalińska, Ewa
The paper presents the results of experiments on ecological toxicity assessment performed for 12 soil samples collected at 3 obsolete pesticide »tombs« in Poland, before their final disposal. Bioavailability of the main pollutants: p,p’-DDT, lindane and methoxychlor was assessed for selected samples by consecutive solid phase extraction using a Tenax TA sorbent. Several toxicity bioassays were also carried out, including: reducers (Microtox Soild Phase), producers (Phytotox) and consumers (tests of avoidance, acute toxicity and reproduction with use of the earthworm <i>Eisenia foetida</i>). Data from toxicity tests were discussed against the results of the chemical analysis of a wide range of pesticides determined by GC-ECD and GC-NPD. This part of the study enabled the evaluation of the applicability of the aforementioned bioassays in the assessment of pesticide soil pollution. Results of toxicity tests showed a slight to severe impairment of habitat function for all of the contaminated samples, which was only partially reflected by the analytical data. The most sensitive biotest was earthworm reproduction, followed by Phytotox and earthworm acute toxicity. Earthworm avoidance and Microtox tests were found to be of rather limited usability.
On obtaining effective elasticity tensors with entries zeroing method
(Wydawnictwa AGH, 2018) Gierlach, Bartosz; Danek, Tomasz
The purpose of this paper is to propose a new method for obtaining tensors expressing certain symmetries, called effective elasticity tensors, and their optimal orientation. The generally anisotropic tensor being the result of <i>in situ</i> seismic measurements describes the elastic properties of a medium. It can be approximated with a tensor of a specific symmetry class. With a known symmetry class and orientation, one can better describe geological structure elements like layers and fissures. A method used to obtain effective tensor in the previous papers (i.e. Danek & Slawinski 2015) is based on minimizing the Frobenius norm between the measured and effective tensor of a chosen symmetry class in the same coordinate system. In this paper, we propose a new approach for obtaining the effective tensor with the assumption of a certain symmetry class. The entry zeroing method assumes the minimization of the target function, being the measure of similarity with the form of the effective tensor for the specific class. The optimization of orientation is made by means of the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm and transformations were parameterised with quaternions. To analyse the obtained results, the Monte-Carlo method was used. After thousands of runs of PSO optimization, values of quaternion parts and tensor entries were obtained. Then, thousands of realizations of generally anisotropic tensors described with normal distributions of entries were generated. Each of these tensors was the subject of separate PSO optimization, and the distributions of rotated tensor entries were obtained. The results obtained were compared with solutions of the method based on the Frobenius distances (Danek et al. 2013).