TY - JOUR A1 - Busch, Jan Philip A1 - Meißner, Tobias A1 - Potthoff, Annegret A1 - Bleyl, Steffen A1 - Georgi, Anett A1 - Mackenzie, Katrin A1 - Trabitzsch, Ralf A1 - Werban, Ulrike A1 - Oswald, Sascha T1 - A field investigation on transport of carbon-supported nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) in groundwater JF - Journal of contaminant hydrology N2 - The application of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) for subsurface remediation of groundwater contaminants is a promising new technology, which can be understood as alternative to the permeable reactive barrier technique using granular iron. Dechlorination of organic contaminants by zero-valent iron seems promising. Currently, one limitation to widespread deployment is the fast agglomeration and sedimentation of nZVI in colloidal suspensions, even more so when in soils and sediments, which limits the applicability for the treatment of sources and plumes of contamination. Colloid-supported nZVI shows promising characteristics to overcome these limitations. Mobility of Carbo-Iron Colloids (CIC) - a newly developed composite material based on finely ground activated carbon as a carrier for nZVI - was tested in a field application: In this study, a horizontal dipole flow field was established between two wells separated by 53 m in a confined, natural aquifer. The injection/extraction rate was 500 L/h. Approximately 12 kg of CIC was suspended with the polyanionic stabilizer carboxymethyl cellulose. The suspension was introduced into the aquifer at the injection well. Breakthrough of CIC was observed visually and based on total particle and iron concentrations detected in samples from the extraction well. Filtration of water samples revealed a particle breakthrough of about 12% of the amount introduced. This demonstrates high mobility of CIC particles and we suggest that nZVI carried on CIC can be used for contaminant plume remediation by in-situ formation of reactive barriers. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. KW - Nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) KW - Fe-C composite KW - Carbon colloid KW - Field aquifer KW - Remediation KW - Particle mobility Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2015.03.009 SN - 0169-7722 SN - 1873-6009 VL - 181 SP - 59 EP - 68 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tötzke, Christian A1 - Manke, Ingo A1 - Gaiselmann, Gerd A1 - Bohner, John A1 - Müller, Bernd R. A1 - Kupsch, Andreas A1 - Hentschel, Manfred P. A1 - Schmidt, Volker A1 - Banhart, Jens A1 - Lehnert, Werner T1 - A dedicated compression device for high resolution X-ray tomography of compressed gas diffusion layers JF - Review of scientific instruments : a monthly journal devoted to scientific instruments, apparatus, and techniques N2 - We present an experimental approach to study the three-dimensional microstructure of gas diffusion layer (GDL) materials under realistic compression conditions. A dedicated compression device was designed that allows for synchrotron-tomographic investigation of circular samples under well-defined compression conditions. The tomographic data provide the experimental basis for stochastic modeling of nonwoven GDL materials. A plain compression tool is used to study the fiber courses in the material at different compression stages. Transport relevant geometrical parameters, such as porosity, pore size, and tortuosity distributions, are exemplarily evaluated for a GDL sample in the uncompressed state and for a compression of 30 vol.%. To mimic the geometry of the flow-field, we employed a compression punch with an integrated channel-rib-profile. It turned out that the GDL material is homogeneously compressed under the ribs, however, much less compressed underneath the channel. GDL fibers extend far into the channel volume where they might interfere with the convective gas transport and the removal of liquid water from the cell. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC. Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4918291 SN - 0034-6748 SN - 1089-7623 VL - 86 IS - 4 PB - American Institute of Physics CY - Melville ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Park, Jaeheung A1 - Stolle, Claudia A1 - Xiong, Chao A1 - Lühr, Hermann A1 - Pfaff, Robert F. A1 - Buchert, Stephan A1 - Martinis, Carlos R. T1 - A dayside plasma depletion observed at midlatitudes during quiet geomagnetic conditions JF - Geophysical research letters N2 - In this study we investigate a dayside, midlatitude plasma depletion (DMLPD) encountered on 22 May 2014 by the Swarm and GRACE satellites, as well as ground-based instruments. The DMLPD was observed near Puerto Rico by Swarm near 10 LT under quiet geomagnetic conditions at altitudes of 475-520 km and magnetic latitudes of similar to 25 degrees-30 degrees. The DMLPD was also revealed in total electron content observations by the Saint Croix station and by the GRACE satellites (430 km) near 16 LT and near the same geographic location. The unique Swarm constellation enables the horizontal tilt of the DMLPD to be measured (35 degrees clockwise from the geomagnetic east-west direction). Ground-based airglow images at Arecibo showed no evidence for plasma density depletions during the night prior to this dayside event. The C/NOFS equatorial satellite showed evidence for very modest plasma density depletions that had rotated into the morningside from nightside. However, the equatorial depletions do not appear related to the DMLPD, for which the magnetic apex height is about 2500 km. The origins of the DMLPD are unknown, but may be related to gravity waves. Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL062655 SN - 0094-8276 SN - 1944-8007 VL - 42 IS - 4 SP - 967 EP - 974 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wiggering, Hubert A1 - Steinhardt, Uta T1 - A conceptual model for site-specific agricultural land-use JF - Ecological modelling : international journal on ecological modelling and engineering and systems ecolog N2 - Land-use concepts provide decision support for the most efficient usage options according to sustainable development and multifunctionality requirements. However, developments in landscape-related, agricultural production schemes are primarily driven by economic benefits. Therefore, most agricultural land-use concepts tackle particular problems or interests and lack a systemic perspective. As a result, we discuss a conceptual model for future site-specific agricultural land-use with an inbuilt requirement for adequate experimental sites to enable monitoring systems for a new generation of ecosystem models and for new approaches to address science-stakeholder interactions. KW - Site-specific agricultural land-use KW - Concept of differentiated land use KW - Sustainable land use KW - Multifunctionality KW - Modeling tools for decision-making Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2014.08.011 SN - 0304-3800 SN - 1872-7026 VL - 295 SP - 42 EP - 46 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wichura, Henry A1 - Jacobs, Louis L. A1 - Lin, Andrew A1 - Polcyn, Michael J. A1 - Manthi, Fredrick K. A1 - Winkler, Dale A. A1 - Strecker, Manfred A1 - Clemens, Matthew T1 - A 17-My-old whale constrains onset of uplift and climate change in east Africa JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America N2 - Timing and magnitude of surface uplift are key to understanding the impact of crustal deformation and topographic growth on atmospheric circulation, environmental conditions, and surface processes. Uplift of the East African Plateau is linked to mantle processes, but paleoaltimetry data are too scarce to constrain plateau evolution and subsequent vertical motions associated with rifting. Here, we assess the paleotopographic implications of a beaked whale fossil (Ziphiidae) from the Turkana region of Kenya found 740 km inland from the present-day coastline of the Indian Ocean at an elevation of 620 m. The specimen is similar to 17 My old and represents the oldest derived beaked whale known, consistent with molecular estimates of the emergence of modern straptoothed whales (Mesoplodon). The whale traveled from the Indian Ocean inland along an eastward-directed drainage system controlled by the Cretaceous Anza Graben and was stranded slightly above sea level. Surface uplift from near sea level coincides with paleoclimatic change from a humid environment to highly variable and much drier conditions, which altered biotic communities and drove evolution in east Africa, including that of primates. KW - east Africa KW - Ziphiidae KW - uplift KW - drainage KW - paleoenvironment Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1421502112 SN - 0027-8424 VL - 112 IS - 13 SP - 3910 EP - 3915 PB - National Acad. of Sciences CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Allroggen, Niklas A1 - van Schaik, N. Loes M. B. A1 - Tronicke, Jens T1 - 4D ground-penetrating radar during a plot scale dye tracer experiment JF - Journal of applied geophysics N2 - Flow phenomena in the unsaturated zone are highly variable in time and space. Thus, it is challenging to measure and monitor such processes under field conditions. Here, we present a new setup and interpretation approach for combining a dye tracer experiment with a 4D ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey. Therefore, we designed a rainfall experiment during which we measured three surface-based 3D GPR surveys using a pair of 500 MHz antennas. Such a survey setup requires accurate acquisition and processing techniquesto extract time-lapse information supporting the interpretation of selected cross-sections photographed after excavating the site. Our results reveal patterns of traveltime changes in the measured GPR data, which are associated with soil moisture changes. As distinct horizons are present at our site, such changes can be quantified and transferred into changes in total soil moisture content. Our soil moisture estimates are similar to the amount of infiltrated water, which confirms our experimental approach and makes us confident for further developing this strategy, especially, with respect to improving the temporal and spatial resolution. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. KW - Ground penetrating radar KW - Time-lapse imaging KW - Brilliant blue Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jappgeo.2015.04.016 SN - 0926-9851 SN - 1879-1859 VL - 118 SP - 139 EP - 144 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER -