Abstract In this study, we demonstrate the effectiveness of hydraulic tomography (HT) that considers variably saturated flow processes in mapping the heterogeneity of both the saturated and unsaturated zones in a laboratory unconfined aquifer. The successive linear estimator (SLE) developed by Mao et al. (2013c) for interpreting HT in unconfined aquifers is utilized to obtain tomograms of hydraulic conductivity ( K ), specific storage ( S s ), and the unsaturated zone parameters (pore size parameter ( α ) and saturated water content ( θ s )) for the Gardner‐Russo's model. The estimated tomograms are first evaluated by visually comparing them with stratigraphy visible in the sandbox. Results reveal that the HT analysis is able to accurately capture the location and extent of heterogeneity including high and low K layers within the saturated and unsaturated zones, as well as reasonable distribution patterns of α and θ s for the Gardner‐Russo's model. We then validate the estimated tomograms through predictions of drawdown responses of pumping tests not used during the inverse modeling effort. The strong agreement between simulated and observed drawdown curves obtained by pressure transducers and tensiometers demonstrates the robust performance of HT that considers variably saturated flow processes in unconfined aquifers and the unsaturated zone above it. In addition, compared to the case using the homogeneous assumption, HT results, as expected, yield significantly better predictions of drawdowns in both the saturated and unsaturated zones. This comparison further substantiates the unbiased and minimal variance of HT analysis with the SLE algorithm.
To understand the health status and potential impact resulted in the second stage of Three Gorges Reservoir Areas sluicing.Data were collected on deaths, prevalence rates of infectious and endemic diseases, as well as on vector surveillance through the project entitled 'Three Gorges Population Health Survey System'.The main causes of death in the population living in the Three Gorges Reservoir Areas would include: circulatory system diseases, tumors, respiratory system diseases, injuries/poison and digestive system diseases. The number of deaths caused by the above said five kind of diseases accounted for 90.94% of the total number of deaths. The prevalence rates on Water-born diseases related to the sluicing of reservoir and zoonosis-borne diseases related to the changes of vectors were still low. The indoor and outdoor densities of rodents were 3.11% and 3.16%, both were higher than that in 2006 but lower than the average numbers in the five years prior to the sluicing. The constituent ratio of Apodemus agrarius had constantly risen since 2006. The density of mosquitoes found in livestock barns and human households was higher than that in 2006 but lower than the average number of the five-year studies prior to the sluicing.Environment change after the sluicing of the Three Gorges Reservoir Areas did not seem to have obvious impact on the health status of the people living in the areas. However, to strengthen the surveillance on the biological features of the vectors which might have related to the transmission of diseases would be highly recommended.
We have investigated the influence of temperature and salinity upon the spectral induced polarization of 10 samples including rocks with their mineralization (galena, chalcopyrite) plus sand mixed with semiconductors such as magnetite grains, graphite, and pyrite cubes of two different sizes. Measurements are made in a temperature-controlled bath with a high-precision impedance meter and using NaCl solutions. We cover the temperature range 5°C−50°C and the frequency range [Formula: see text] to 45 kHz. For one large pyrite cube, we also investigated six salinities from 0.1 to [Formula: see text] (at 25°C, NaCl) and three salinities for graphite. The spectra are fitted with a Cole-Cole complex parametric conductivity model for which we provide a physical meaning to the four Cole-Cole parameters. As expected, the Cole-Cole exponent and the chargeability are independent of the temperature and salinity. The instantaneous and steady state (direct current [DC]) conductivities depend on the salinity and temperature. This temperature dependence can be fitted with an Arrhenius law (combining the Stokes-Einstein and Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann equations) with an activation energy in the range of [Formula: see text]. This activation energy is the same as for the bulk pore-water conductivity demonstrating the control by the background electrolyte of these quantities, as expected. The instantaneous and DC conductivities depend on the salinity in a predictable way. The Cole-Cole relaxation time decreases with the temperature and decreases with the salinity. This behavior can be modeled with an Arrhenius law with an apparent activation energy of [Formula: see text]. A finite-element model is used further to analyze the mechanisms of polarization, and it can reproduce the temperature and salinity dependencies observed in the laboratory.
The secondary voltage associated with time-domain induced polarization data of disseminated metallic particles (such as pyrite and magnetite) in a porous material can be treated as a transient self-potential problem. This self-potential field is associated with the generation of a secondary-source current density. This source current density is proportional to the gradient of the chemical potentials of the [Formula: see text]- and [Formula: see text]-charge carriers in the metallic particles or ionic charge carriers in the pore water including in the electrical double layer coating the surface of the metallic grains. This new way to treat the secondary voltages offers two advantages with respect to the classical approach. The first is a gain in terms of acquisition time. Indeed, the target can be illuminated with a few primary current sources, all the other electrodes being used simultaneously to record the secondary voltage distribution. The second advantage is with respect to the inversion of the obtained data. Indeed, the secondary (source) current is linearly related to the secondary voltage. Therefore, the inverse problem of inverting the secondary voltages is linear with respect to the source current density, and the inversion can be done in a single iteration. Several iterations are, however, required to compact the source current density distribution, still obtaining a tomogram much faster than inverting the apparent chargeability data using the classical Gauss-Newton approach. We have performed a sandbox experiment with pyrite grains locally mixed to sand at a specific location in the sandbox to demonstrate these new concepts. A method initially developed for self-potential tomography is applied to the inversion of the secondary voltages in terms of source current distribution. The final result compares favorably with the classical inversion of the time-domain induced polarization data in terms of chargeability, but it is much faster to perform.
In this study, the S‐shaped log‐log drawdown‐time curve typical of pumping tests in unconfined aquifers is reinvestigated via numerical experiments. Like previous investigations, this study attributes the departure of the S shape from the drawdown‐time behavior of the confined aquifer to the presence of an “additional” source of water. Unlike previous studies, this source of water is reinvestigated by examining the temporal and spatial evolution of the rate of change in storage in an unconfined aquifer during pumping. This evolution is then related to the transition of water release mechanisms from the expansion of water and compaction of the porous medium to the drainage of water from the unsaturated zone above the initial water table and initially saturated pores as the water table falls during the pumping of the aquifer. Afterward, the 1‐D vertical drainage process in a soil column is simulated. Results of the simulation show that the transition of the water release mechanisms in the 1‐D vertical flow without an initial unsaturated zone can also yield the S‐shaped drawdown‐time curve as in an unconfined aquifer. We therefore conclude that the transition of the water release mechanisms and vertical flow in the aquifer are the cause of the S‐shaped drawdown‐time curve observed during pumping in an unconfined aquifer. We also find that the moisture retention characteristics of the aquifer material have greater impact than its relative permeability characteristics on the drawdown‐time curve. Furthermore, influences of the spatial variability of saturated hydraulic conductivity, specific storage, and saturated moisture content on the drawdown curve in the saturated zone are found to be more significant than those of other unsaturated properties. Finally, a cross‐correlation analysis reveals that the drawdown at a location in a heterogeneous unconfined aquifer is mainly affected by local heterogeneity near the pumping and observation wells. Applications of a model assuming homogeneity to the estimation of aquifer parameters as such may require a large number of observation wells to obtain representative parameter values. In conclusion, we advocate that the governing equation for variably saturated flow through heterogeneous media is a more appropriate and realistic model that explains the S‐shaped drawdown‐time curves observed in the field.
A systematic investigation and numerical results of calculation of T2 symmetric deep level wave function induced by short range defect potential in Si are described, based on a recently developement on site defect potential Green's function method. [5,6] Such a complete information of T2 symmetric wave functions in Si is presented for the first time. The occupation probability P1 of the wave function located around four nearest neighbour sites of the defect center has a peak exceeding 50%. This part of wave function could be described by T2 symmetric combination of four hybrid orbital quasi dangling bonds located at four nearest neighbour sites and pointing toward the defect center. The total occupation probability of wave function located on the 0,1,2 shells arround the defect center is about 70%. The rest part of the wave function extends diversely over a wide range of space. The characteristics of the wave function are insensitive to the defect energy over most part of the energy range in the gap. Only when the defect energy level approaches very closely to the band edge of either conduction (Ec) or valence (Ev) band, the aforementioned peak P1 disappears and the wave function extends smoothly all over the space. A T2 symmetric deep level due to ideal vacancy is found at 0.51 eV up to the Ev.
Acquired brain injury (ABI) is the most common disease of the nervous system, involving complex pathological processes, which often leads to a series of nervous system disorders. The structural destruction and dysfunction of the Neurovascular Unit (NVU) are prominent features of ABI. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanism underlying NVU destruction and its reconstruction is the key to the treatment of ABI. SUMOylation is a protein post-translational modification (PTM), which can degrade and stabilize the substrate dynamically, thus playing an important role in regulating protein expression and biological signal transduction. Understanding the regulatory mechanism of SUMOylation can clarify the molecular mechanism of the occurrence and development of neurovascular dysfunction after ABI and is expected to provide a theoretical basis for the development of potential treatment strategies. This article reviews the role of SUMOylation in vascular events related to ABI, including NVU dysfunction and vascular remodeling, and puts forward therapeutic prospects.