No description available.

No description available.

No abstract provided. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Pacific salmon has been a staple resource for residents of British Columbia for over seven thousand years. Archaeological evidence obtained from a shell midden at Namu, B.C., provides detailed information about the diets of the First Peoples living at Namu over the past seven thousand years. Pacific salmon was the most prevalent species of fish uncovered within the midden, excluding herring. Pink, chum and sockeye species were consumed in the greatest quantities. Pink was particularly favored because of its ability to store over winter months without spoiling. Evidence from the shell midden also reveals fluctuations within the pink salmon fishery from ~3800 until 1900 cal year BP. The paleoenvironmental conditions within Namu Lake during the time of the pink collapse have never before been explored. There is also little evidence pertaining to what may have contributed to the collapse of the pink fishery. Sediment cores collected from Namu Lake, B.C. provide evidence for paleoenvironmental conditions that may have contributed to fluctuations in the pink salmon population. Particle size analyses of lake sediment cores indicate changes in river discharge as well as erosional intensity within the Namu basin. Particle size, coupled with radiocarbon dating, reveal a transitional period within the basin from ~ 3200 to 2200 cal year BP. A decrease in elemental ratios/Al, particularly Ca, Na, Ba, and Sr, provides evidence for a decline in erosional intensity and a relatively drier period within the basin. The decrease in erosional intensity could be due to consistently drier conditions at Namu. A resulting reduction in the flow of the Namu River would have caused an increase in finer particles within the pink salmon spawning grounds. Average C/N ratios for NC1 are 26.28, indicating that organic matter within the lake is mainly terrestrial in origin. These results, combined with the particle size and trace metal analysis, reveal that river discharge and slope wash had declined during this period causing fine material to remain in the Namu River (outflowing), which is the spawning grounds for the pink salmon, rather than being transported out into the bay. The results of this study reveal that a shift in moisture, towards relatively dry conditions, negatively impacted spawning pink salmon at Namu Lake. This study provides insight into the sensitivity of Pacific salmon to climate and the effects future climate change may have on the species. The ability of environmental data to supplement and enhance archaeological information and interpretations of prehistoric conditions is illustrated throughout this study. The cores collected at Namu Lake also reveal the need for site specific climatic data in order to accurately interpret archaeological contexts and conditions. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

A method for the trace element analysis of hair by charged particle X-ray fluorescence is presented. The validity of the method is shown by the analysis of NBS SRM 1577--Bovine Liver, obtained from the National Bureau of Standards. Excellent correlation is obtained between results from the analysis by the X-ray method and those certified by NBS. Hair samples are ashed by a low temperature oxidation process and analyzed by the X-ray method. The results from the analysis by the X-ray method are compared to those obtained from the analysis of the same hair samples by atomic absorption. Good correlation is found for iron values but copper values appear low. Subsequent checks show that the low copper values appear to be linked to the low temperature ashing process. The results for nine different elements are tabulated along with the results for the analysis of rabbit hair and deer hair.

No description available.

No description available.

Fuel shortage during the Second World War led to oil production in Kvarntorp, Kumla during 1942-1966 by pyrolyzing alum shale rich in pyrite, FeS2, and organic material such as kerogen. This production has led to a lot of waste laying deposited out in the open after the mining closed and has had negative environmental impact in the form of ongoing weathering and leaching of acidic water and leaching of trace elements into its surroundings. Chemical processes are still ongoing in this deposit, with temperatures reaching 700 °C on certain hotspots. Once the deposit cools down, precipitation will be able to enter the deposit and start leaching acidic water containing trace elements that will risk polluting groundwater in the surrounding areas. No one knows how many years it will take for the deposit to cool down, but it has been estimated to take at least 100 years.This study did leaching experiments on weathered fines as well as red ash in large columns while being oxygenated. Analyses consisted of ICP-MS, pH, electrical conductivity, acidity, alkalinity, and sulphate concentration.The results showed high concentrations of many valuable and potentially toxic elements in the leachates especially higher amounts of copper compared to previous studies.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 1980. / Microfiche copy available in Archives and Science. / Bibliography: leaves 152-168. / by Melvin Bruce Fegley, Jr. / Ph.D.

Thesis. 1976. Ph.D.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences. / Microfiche copy available in Archives and Science. / Vita. / Includes bibliographical references. / Ph.D.