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Author Lim, S.; Chase, B.M.; Chevalier, M.; Reimer, P.J. url  openurl
  Title 50,000years of vegetation and climate change in the southern Namib Desert, Pella, South Africa Type Journal Article
  Year 2016 Publication Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 451 Issue Pages 197-209  
  Keywords Climate reconstruction, Late Quaternary, Namib Desert, Pollen, Rock hyrax middens, South Africa  
  Abstract This paper presents the first continuous pollen record from the southern Namib Desert spanning the last 50,000years. Obtained from rock hyrax middens found near the town of Pella, South Africa, these data are used to reconstruct vegetation change and quantitative estimates of temperature and aridity. Results indicate that the last glacial period was characterised by increased water availability at the site relative to the Holocene. Changes in temperature and potential evapotranspiration appear to have played a significant role in determining the hydrologic balance. The record can be considered in two sections: 1) the last glacial period, when low temperatures favoured the development of more mesic Nama-Karoo vegetation at the site, with periods of increased humidity concurrent with increased coastal upwelling, both responding to lower global/regional temperatures; and 2) the Holocene, during which time high temperatures and potential evapotranspiration resulted in increased aridity and an expansion of the Desert Biome. During this latter period, increases in upwelling intensity created drier conditions at the site. Considered in the context of discussions of forcing mechanisms of regional climate change and environmental dynamics, the results from Pella stand in clear contrast with many inferences of terrestrial environmental change derived from regional marine records. Observations of a strong precessional signal and interpretations of increased humidity during phases of high local summer insolation in the marine records are not consistent with the data from Pella. Similarly, while high percentages of Restionaceae pollen has been observed in marine sediments during the last glacial period, they do not exceed 1% of the assemblage from Pella, indicating that no significant expansion of the Fynbos Biome has occurred during the last 50,000years. These findings pose interesting questions regarding the nature of environmental change in southwestern Africa, and the significance of the diverse records that have been obtained from the region.  
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  ISSN (up) 0031-0182 ISBN Medium  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ lim_50000years_2016 Serial 107  
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Author Zhang, Y.; Liu, X.; Yuan, S.; Song, J.; Chen, W.; Dias, D. url  openurl
  Title A two-dimensional experimental study of active progressive failure of deeply buried Qanat tunnels in sandy ground Type Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Soils and Foundations Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 63 Issue 3 Pages 101323  
  Keywords Qanat tunnel, Sand, Failure effect, Soil arching, Model test  
  Abstract As an ancient underground hydraulic engineering facility, the Qanat system has been used to draw groundwater from arid regions. A qanat is a horizontal tunnel with a slight incline that draws groundwater from a higher location and delivers it to lower agricultural land. During long-term water delivery, the qanat tunnel has experienced different degrees of aging and collapse, which may result in the significant ground settlement and even disasters. This paper developed a two-dimensional laboratory system to investigate the influence of progressive failure on the stability of deeply buried qanat tunnels. The developed system is fully instrumented with a particle image velocimetry (PIV) system and earth pressure and displacement monitoring. A special cylindrical membrane tube is designed and connected to an advanced pressure–volume controller to simulate the step-wise failure process of the tunnel. Three model tests were conducted on a dry sand considering the buried qanat tunnels at three different depths. Experimental results clearly show the progressive evolution of soil arching effect in the dry sand associated with the progressive failure of the tunnels. The failure of the Qanat ground starts from the vault and develops upwards, which is closely related to the evolution of stress contour at three consecutive stages. Ground surface settlement and volume loss corresponding to three burial depths were compared. A deeply buried qanat tunnel has a small effect on surface settlement. Earth pressure evolution on the 2D plane shows the load redistribution when the qanat collapses. The maximum arch and the initial point of the limit state correspond to a volume loss of 12.5 % and 50 %, respectively. For the collapse of the deep buried qanat tunnel, ground earth pressure evolution can be divided into a stress-increasing region, stress-decreasing region, and no redistribution region. Furthermore, a multi trap-door model considering soil expansion is proposed to describe the progressive failure behavior and its effects.  
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  ISSN (up) 0038-0806 ISBN Medium  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ Zhang2023101323 Serial 274  
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Author Li, X.; Shen, K.; Li, Q.; Deng, Y.; Zhu, P.; Wang, D. url  openurl
  Title Roll-over behavior in current-voltage curve introduced by an energy barrier at the front contact in thin film CdTe solar cell Type Journal Article
  Year 2018 Publication Solar Energy Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 165 Issue Pages 27-34  
  Keywords AlO HRT layer, Band alignment, CdTe solar cell, Roll-over behavior  
  Abstract Roll-over phenomenon in the current–voltage (J–V) curve is often observed in a CdTe thin film solar cell. The roll-over phenomenon, which is occurred near the open-circuit voltage in a light J–V curve, is due to Schottky energy barrier formed at the CdTe/metal interface in a CdTe solar cell back contact. In this study we report a J–V roll-over phenomenon which is induced by an energy barrier at the front contact of a CdTe solar cell. Two kinds of oxides, namely, Al2O3 and SnO2, were deposited as high-resistance transparent (HRT) layer between the window layer CdS and the fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) front electrode in CdTe solar cells. These two oxides present much different electronic band alignment with FTO and CdS. SnO2 formed almost no energy barrier with CdS, this allowed smooth transport for photo-generated electrons from CdTe to CdS and FTO. However, Al2O3 formed a high energy barrier with CdS. The rather high energy barrier with a value of 3.43 eV at the CdS/Al2O3 interface induced a J–V roll-over phenomenon in a CdTe thin film solar cell, which dramatically led to a quick decrease for the cell device efficiency. The electron transport at the FTO/Al2O3/CdS interface is governed by tunneling effect. The results presented in this study demonstrate that the band structure at the front electrode plays an important role for the performance of a CdTe thin film solar cell.  
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  ISSN (up) 0038-092x ISBN Medium  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ li_roll-over_2018 Serial 187  
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Author Borrego-Alonso, D.; Quintana-Arnés, B.; Lozano, J.C. url  openurl
  Title Natural radionuclides behaviour in drinking groundwaters from Castilla y León (Spain); radiological implications Type Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Water Research Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 245 Issue Pages 120616  
  Keywords Drinking water, Environmental monitoring, Natural radioactivity, Public health, Radiological characterisation  
  Abstract Since the coming into force of the European Council Directive 51/2013 EURATOM and its transposition into the Spanish legislation, the presence of radioactive substances in drinking waters must be kept under surveillance to ensure that the health protection requirements are met. Driven by this regulatory framework, in an attempt to know the starting point from which to design surveillance plans, the groundwaters intended for human consumption of Castilla y León (Spain) have been radiologically characterised by using both low-level γ-ray and α-particle spectrometry to determine the activity concentration of the natural radionuclides needed to account for the indicative dose estimation. This extensive research has comprised the radiological characterisation of more than 400 drinking water samples from one of the European Union’s largest regions. Furthermore, the gross α and gross β activities have been analysed. Results showed a high geographical variability that can be related to the hydrogeological formations where the groundwaters come from. The uranium isotopes, 234U and 238U, are the main radionuclides present in the analysed drinking waters reaching values up to 2000 mBq/L, in the southwestern and western of Castilla y León, where U-rich minerals are part of the host rock. High 210Pb and 226,228Ra occurrences are found in the low permeability igneous and metasedimentary hydrogeological formations of Salamanca province. From a public health protection point of view, 4.4% of the total drinking water samples from intakes exceeded the Indicative Dose parametric value of 0.1 mSv, which is a not negligible number of samples, being very likely related to granitic and metamorphosed host rock under specific local conditions. This fact highlights the need for research and consideration of special surveillance of the groundwaters from these areas.  
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  ISSN (up) 0043-1354 ISBN Medium  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ borrego-alonso_natural_2023 Serial 157  
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Author Netzer, L.; Kurtzman, D.; Ben-Hur, M.; Livshitz, Y.; Katzir, R.; Nachshon, U. url  openurl
  Title Novel approach to roof rainwater harvesting and aquifer recharge in an urban environment: Dry and wet infiltration wells comparison Type Journal Article
  Year 2024 Publication Water Research Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 252 Issue Pages 121183  
  Keywords Rainwater harvesting, Managed aquifer recharge, Urban hydrology, Infiltration wells  
  Abstract In urban environments there is a severe reduction of infiltration and groundwater recharge due to the existence of large impervious areas. During rain events, large volumes of water that could have recharged groundwater and surface water bodies are diverted into the municipal drainage system and lost from the freshwater storage. Moreover, extreme rain events impose high peak flows and large runoff volumes, which increase the risk of urban floods. Recent studies have suggested the use of rainwater harvesting for groundwater recharge, as a plausible solution for these challenges in dense urban environments. While the benefits of this approach are well understood, research on its practical, engineering, and hydrological aspects is relatively limited. The objective of the present study was to examine the use of infiltration wells for groundwater recharge with harvested rainwater collected from building rooftops under Mediterranean climate conditions. Two types of wells with similar hydraulic and technical properties were examined: a well that reaches the groundwater (wet well); and a well that discharges the harvested water into the unsaturated zone (dry well). Infiltration capacities of the wells were compared in controlled experiments conducted during summer months, and in operational recharge of harvested rainwater, during winter. Both dry and wet wells were found to be suitable for purposes of groundwater recharge with rooftop-harvested rainwater. Infiltration capacity of the wet well was about seven times greater than the infiltration capacity of the dry well. While the infiltration capacity of the wet well was constant throughout the entire length of the study (∼10 m3/h/m), the dry well infiltration capacity improved during winter (from 0.5 m3/h/m to 1.5 m3/h/m), a result of development of the dry well with time. Considering Tel-Aviv, Israel, as a case study for a dense modern city in a Mediterranean climate, it is demonstrated herein that the use of infiltration wells may reduce urban drainage by ∼40 %.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ Netzer2024121183 Serial 230  
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Author Jamali, B.; Bach, P.M.; Deletic, A. url  openurl
  Title Rainwater harvesting for urban flood management – An integrated modelling framework Type Journal Article
  Year 2020 Publication Water Research Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 171 Issue Pages 115372  
  Keywords Rainwater harvesting tanks, Urban flood simulation, Rapid flood inundation model, Urban flood risk mitigation  
  Abstract It is well known that rainwater harvesting (RWH) can augment water supply and reduce stormwater pollutant discharges. Due to the lack of continuous 2D modelling of urban flood coverage and its associated damage, the ability of RWH to reduce urban flood risks has not been fully evaluated. Literature suggests that small distributed storage spaces using RWH tanks will reduce flood damage only during small to medium flooding events and therefore cumulative assessment of their benefits is needed. In this study we developed a new integrated modelling framework that implements a semi-continuous simulation approach to investigate flood prevention and water supply benefits of RWH tanks. The framework includes a continuous mass balance simulation model that considers antecedent rainfall conditions and water demand/usage of tanks and predicts the available storage prior to each storm event. To do so, this model couples a rainfall-runoff tank storage model with a detailed stochastic end-use water demand model. The available storage capacity of tanks is then used as a boundary condition for the novel rapid flood simulation model. This flood model was developed by coupling the U.S. EPA Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) to the Cellular-Automata Fast Flood Evaluation (CA-ffé) model to predict the inundation depth caused by surcharges over the capacity of the drainage network. The stage-depth damage curves method was used to calculate time series of flood damage, which are then directly used for flood risk and cost-benefit analysis. The model was tested through a case study in Melbourne, using a recorded rainfall time series of 85 years (after validating the flood model against 1D-2D MIKE-FLOOD). Results showed that extensive implementation of RWH tanks in the study area is economically feasible and can reduce expected annual damage in the catchment by up to approximately 30 percent. Availability of storage space and temporal distribution of rainfall within an event were important factors affecting tank performance for flood reduction.  
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  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ Jamali2020115372 Serial 239  
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Author Soh, Q.Y.; O’Dwyer, E.; Acha, S.; Shah, N. url  openurl
  Title Robust optimisation of combined rainwater harvesting and flood mitigation systems Type Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Water Research Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 245 Issue Pages 120532  
  Keywords Rainwater harvesting, Flood mitigation, Robust stochastic optimisation, Sustainable environmental engineering, Decision tool, Urban residential estates  
  Abstract Combined large-scale rainwater harvesting (RWH) and flood mitigation systems are promising as a sustainable water management strategy in urban areas. These are multi-purpose infrastructure that not only provide a secondary, localised water resource, but can also reduce discharge and hence loads on any downstream wastewater networks if these are integrated into the wider water network. However, the performance of these systems is dependent on the specific design used for its local catchment which can vary significantly between different implementations. A multitude of design strategies exist, however there is no universally accepted standard framework. To tackle these issues, this paper presents a two-player optimisation framework which utilises a stochastic design optimisation model and a competing, high-intensity rainfall design model to optimise passively-operated RWH systems. A customisable tool set is provided, under which optimisation models specific to a given catchment can be built quickly. This reduces the barriers to implementing computationally complex sizing strategies and encouraging more resource-efficient systems to be built. The framework was applied to a densely populated high-rise residential estate, eliminating overflow events from historical rainfall. The optimised configuration resulted in a 32% increase in harvested water yield, but its ability to meet irrigation demands was limited by the operational levels of the treatment pump. Hence, with the inclusion of operational levels in the optimisation model, the framework can provide an efficient large-scale RWH system that is capable of simultaneously meeting water demands and reducing stresses within and beyond its local catchment.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ Soh2023120532 Serial 243  
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Author Prusty, S.; Somu, P.; Sahoo, J.K.; Panda, D.; Sahoo, S.K.; Sahoo, S.K.; Lee, Y.R.; Jarin, T.; Sundar, L.S.; Rao, K.S. url  openurl
  Title Adsorptive sequestration of noxious uranium (VI) from water resources: A comprehensive review Type Journal Article
  Year 2022 Publication Chemosphere Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 308 Issue Pages 136278  
  Keywords Adsorbents, Adsorption, Techniques, Uranium, Wastewater  
  Abstract Groundwater is usually utilized as a drinking water asset everywhere. Therefore, groundwater defilement by poisonous radioactive metals such as uranium (VI) is a major concern due to the increase in nuclear power plants as well as their by-products which are released into the watercourses. Waste Uranium (VI) can be regarded as a by-product of the enrichment method used to produce atomic energy, and the hazard associated with this is due to the uranium radioactivity causing toxicity. To manage these confronts, there are so many techniques that have been introduced but among those adsorptions is recognized as a straightforward, successful, and monetary innovation, which has gotten major interest nowadays, despite specific drawbacks regarding operational as well as functional applications. This review summarizes the various adsorbents such as Bio-adsorbent/green materials, metal oxide-based adsorbent, polymer based adsorbent, graphene oxide based adsorbent, and magnetic nanomaterials and discuss their synthesis methods. Furthermore, this paper emphasis on adsorption process by various adsorbents or modified forms under different physicochemical conditions. In addition to this adsorption mechanism of uranium (VI) onto different adsorbent is studied in this article. Finally, from the literature reviewed conclusion have been drawn and also proposed few future research suggestions.  
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  ISSN (up) 0045-6535 ISBN Medium  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ prusty_adsorptive_2022 Serial 131  
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Author Lartigue, J.E.; Charrasse, B.; Reile, B.; Descostes, M. url  openurl
  Title Aqueous inorganic uranium speciation in European stream waters from the FOREGS dataset using geochemical modelling and determination of a U bioavailability baseline Type Journal Article
  Year 2020 Publication Chemosphere Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 251 Issue Pages 126302  
  Keywords Bioavailable fraction, Geochemical mapping / baseline, Modelling, Speciation, Stream water, Uranium  
  Abstract The concentration of the bioavailable uranium fraction (Ubio) at the European scale was deduced by geochemical modelling considering several definitions found in the literature and the FOREGS European stream waters geochemical atlas dataset to produce a Ubio baseline. A sensitivity analysis was performed using three thermodynamic databases. We also investigated the link between total dissolved uranium (Uaq) concentrations, speciation and global stream water chemistry on the one hand, and the lithology and ages of the surrounding rocks on the other. The more U-enriched the stream sediments or rock type contexts are, which tends to be the case with rocks containing silicates (4.1 mg/kg), the less U-concentrated the stream waters are (0.15 μg/L). Sedimentary rocks lead to slightly higher Uaq concentrations (0.34 μg/L) even if the concentration in sediment (Used) is relatively low (1.6 mg/kg). This trend is reversed for Ubio, with higher concentrations in a crystalline context. The mean estimated Ubio value ranges from 1.5.10−3 to 65.3 ng/L and can fluctuate by 3 orders of magnitude depending on the considered definition as opposed to by 2 orders of magnitude accountable to differences between thermodynamic databases. The classification of the water in relation to the two surrounding rock lithologies makes it possible to reduce the mean variability for the Ubio concentrations. Irrespective of the definition of Ubio considered, in 59% of cases the Ubio fraction represents less than 1% of Uaq. Several threshold values relating to Ubio were proposed, assuming knowledge only of the aqueous concentrations of the major elements and Uaq.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ lartigue_aqueous_2020 Serial 141  
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Author Veerasamy, N.; Kasar, S.; Murugan, R.; Inoue, K.; Natarajan, T.; Ramola, R.C.; Fukushi, M.; Sahoo, S.K. url  openurl
  Title 234U/238U disequilibrium and 235U/238U ratios measured using MC-ICP-MS in natural high background radiation area soils to understand the fate of uranium Type Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Chemosphere Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 323 Issue Pages 138217  
  Keywords HBRA, MC-ICP-MS, Monazites, U/U, Uranium  
  Abstract The Chhatrapur-Gopalpur coastal area in Odisha, India is a well-known natural high background radiation (HBRA) area due to the abundance of monazite (a thorium bearing radioactive mineral) in beach sands and soils. Recent studies on Chhatrapur-Gopalpur HBRA groundwater have reported high concentrations of uranium and its decay products. Therefore, the soils of the Chhatrapur-Gopalpur HBRA are reasonably suspected as the sources of these high uranium concentrations in groundwater. In this report, first the uranium concentrations in soil samples were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and they were found to range from 0.61 ± 0.01 to 38.59 ± 0.16 mg kg−1. Next, the 234U/238U and 235U/238U isotope ratios were measured to establish a baseline for the first time in Chhatrapur-Gopalpur HBRA soil. Multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) was used for measurement of these isotope ratios. The 235U/238U ratio was observed to be the normal terrestrial value. The 234U/238U activity ratio, was calculated to understand the secular equilibrium between 234U and 238U in soil and it varied from 0.959 to 1.070. To understand the dynamics of uranium in HBRA soil, physico-chemical characteristics of soil were correlated with uranium isotope ratios and this correlation of 234U/238U activity ratio indicated the leaching of 234U from Odisha HBRA soil.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ veerasamy_234u238u_2023 Serial 149  
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