Thesis (M.S.)--University of North Carolina at Wilmington, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves: [56]-57)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1967. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliography.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1968. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

No description available.

No description available.

Whether one is interested in the geomorphology, hydrology, or ecology of a river, the nature of the bed sediments is of major importance. Despite a long history of interest our ability to predict local grain size is poor, which is unfortunate given the labour and costs associated with bed material sampling. A preliminary model of sediment texture variation at the drainage basin scale, which makes a fundamental distinction between coupled and uncoupled hillslope-channel units, is presented. It is hypothesised that grain size variations in strongly coupled rivers are unstructured as a result of overbank colluvial inputs and special storage elements. These preclude the development of the systematic downstream structure commonly associated with fluvial sorting and abrasion processes in uncoupled channels. This conjecture is assessed empirically using data collected in two rivers on the Queen Charlotte Islands. It is found that distance alone does not explain changes in grain size, and that local variations are dominated by large organic debris jams. Impermeable jams are associated with upstream fining and downstream coarsening but the effect diminishes as the jams become more permeable, often with age. Jam placement is random, but frequent, and consequently at the drainage basin scale, grain size changes dramatically and unpredictably over very short distances. No deterministic structure is apparent. Further analysis reveals that the observed variations of surface median grain size and Fredle index are best regarded as stochastic phenomena. Sampling criteria are then determined which enable the accurate characterisation of such variation, once a stream has been classified by land use and position relative to hillslopes. / Arts, Faculty of / Geography, Department of / Graduate

Man-made mixing in shallow lakes will resuspend bottom sediments and increase phosphorus concentration in the water body. The increase in phosphorus content may affect the lake productivity. During the course of this study, a better understanding of the water-sediment-phosphorus relationships of some shallow lakes in Central Florida was attempted. Column studies and batch experiments were used to investigate the effect of mechanical mixing on the release of phosphorus from bottom sediments collected from Lake Claire and Jessup. The particle size distribution and density distribution of the bottom sediments were studied and the release of phosphorus from each fraction was measured. The results indicated that dissolved oxygen, turbidity and phosphorus content in the water column increased by mechanical agitation. The total phosphorus released from smaller size particles seemed to be higher than phosphorus released from larger particles. Also, the least and highest density sediment particles showed the highest release of phosphorus.

Studies were conducted to determine the sediment oxygen demand (SOD) of a created urban wetland, the cause of differences between SOD methods, and the effect of temperature on the rate of exertion of SOD. <i>In situ</i>, laboratory tank, and laboratory core methods were employed to measure the SOD. It was observed that the main cause of differences in the results obtained by the three methods was differing water volume to sediment surface area (V/SA) ratios. SOD was found to increase with increasing V/SA ratios. By approximating the V/SA ratio of the marsh, the SOD for the system was estimated to be 3.08 g/m²/day. A 10°C rise in temperature was observed to more than double the SOD rate. / Master of Science

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1984 D44 / Master of Science

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2004 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main aim of this study is to establish a standard procedure for all sedimentary particle size analysis methods specifically for clay minerals and mixtures thereof. Not only will it improve accuracy and reproducibility during clay size analysis, it will also secure comparability between different operators. As a start, all the apparatus-related parameters that can affect the accuracy and reproducibility were determined for the apparatus used, viz. the Sedigraph SOOOD. Thereafter, these parameters were kept constant, and the effects of potential material-related parameters were investigated one-by-one. First to be investigated were those parameters relating specifically to sample preparation. They were: grinding intensity, chemical dissolution of cementing materials, duration of prior soaking, salt content, centrifugal washing with polar organic liquids, deflocculant type and concentration, the effect of pH, ultrasonic time, and stirring during ultrasonic treatment. Then, the influence on accuracy and reproducibility of the physical and chemical parameters related to the suspension was determined. They were: the use of the viscosity and density of water to calibrate the apparatus in stead of those of the suspension liquid, hydrolysis of the deflocculant with suspension-ageing, and the effect of solid concentration on hindered settling. During this investigation a novel method was developed to enable faster and more accurate pycnometric density determinations. Next, the unique characteristics of clays, which can influence the results of sedimentary particle size analyses, were examined. Serious problems are encountered with the accuracy of the analyses of some clay types abundantly found in nature, viz. the smectites and mixed-layered clay minerals. Due to their swelling in water, and variations in the amounts of their crystal layers, they experience unpredictable changes in particle size. The latter is caused by the following external factors: clay type, humidity, type of exchange cation, electrolyte concentration, clay concentration, pH, deflocculant type and concentration, pressure history of the swell-clay suspension, and ageing of the suspension. The effect of each of them on the accuracy and reproducibility of the sedimentary particle size analysis of clays are investigated in detail. Another problem that influences the accuracy of the sedimentary methods is that owing to swelling, the densities of smectites and mixed-layered clays change by varying degrees when suspended in water. It is, however, impossible to pycnometrically determine the density of a swell-clay since it absorbs a part of the water used for its volume determination. To solve this problem, a novel method was devised to calculate swell-clay density. This method makes use of existing Monte Carlo simulations of the swelling mechanism of montmorillonite. During all sedimentary methods, an average clay density is normally used to calculate the particle size distribution of clay mixtures. However, if there is a large enough difference between the calculated average density and that of a component, then inaccurate results will be recorded. The magnitude of this effect was investigated for a few self-made clay mixtures, which consisted of different proportions of kaolinite, illite, and montmorillonite. Based on all the above results, a practical approach to, and a standard methodology for all the sedimentary methods of particle size analysis of clay minerals are presented. Additionally, a condensed summary is provided in table-form, which contains the magnitudes of the errors associated with each of the parameters that were examined. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om 'n standaard prosedure daar te stel vir alle sedimentêre metodes van partikelgrootte analise, spesifiek vir gebruik met kleiminerale en mengsels daarvan. So 'n standaard prosedure sal die akkuraatheid en herhaalbaarheid van klei-analises verbeter, en die vergelykbaarheid tussen verskillende operateurs verseker. Aanvanklik is slegs die parameters bepaal wat die akkuraatheid en herhaalbaarheid van die gekose apparaat (Sedigraph 5000D) kan beïnvloed. Daarna is al hierdie parameters konstant gehou, en is die potensiële effekte van die moontlike materiaal-verwante parameters een na die ander ondersoek. Eerstens is die invloed van monstervoorbereiding op akkuraatheid en herhaalbaarheid bepaal. Verskillende parameters nl. maal-intensiteit, chemiese oplossing van sementerende materiale, sentrifugale wassing met polêre organiese vloeistowwe, tipe ontvlokker en konsentrasie, die effek van pH, ultrasoniese tyd en die effek van roer tydens ultrasonikasie is ondersoek. Vervolgens is die invloed op die akkuraatheid en herhaalbaarheid van die fisiese en chemiese parameters verwant aan die suspensie bepaal. Hierdie parameters was nl. die gebruik van die viskositeit en digtheid van water in plaas van dié van die suspensievloeistof, hidrolise van die ontvlokker tydens suspensieveroudering, asook die effek van vastestof-konsentrasie op belemmerde uitsakking. Gedurende hierdie ondersoek is ook 'n nuwe metode ontwikkel wat vinniger, en meer akkurate piknometriese digtheidsbepalings moontlik maak. Die unieke eienskappe van kleie wat die resultate van sedimentêre metodes van partikelgrootte analises kan beïnvloed, is volgende ondersoek. Tydens die analises van party kleie wat baie volop in die natuur voorkom, nl. die smektiete en menglaag-kleie, word ernstige akkuraatheids-probleme ondervind. Hul swelling in water, tesame met variasies in hul aantal kristal-lagies, veroorsaak onvoorspelbare verandering van hul partikelgroottes. Laasgenoemde word deur die volgende eksterne faktore veroorsaak: klei tipe, humiditeit, tipe uitruil-katioon, elektrolietkonsentrasie, kleikonsentrasie, pH, ontvlokker-tipe en konsentrasie, drukgeskiedenis van 'n swelklei-suspensie, en veroudering van die suspensie. Die effek van elk op die akkuraatheid en herhaalbaarheid van die sedimentêre partikelgrootte analises van kleie word in detail bespreek. 'n Verdere probleem wat die akkuraatheid van sedimentêre metodes beïnvloed, is dat wanneer smektiete en menglaag-kleie in water gesuspendeer word, hulle digthede in verskillende mates weens swelling verander. Dit is egter onmoontlik om die digtheid van swelkleie in water piknometries te bepaal, omdat swelklei 'n gedeelte van die water absorbeer wat gebruik moet word om die kleivolume mee te bepaal. Om hierdie probleem op te los, is 'n nuwe metode ontwikkelom die digtheid van swelkleie mee te bereken. Die metode maak gebruik van reedsbestaande Monte Carlo simulasies van die swelling van montmorillonite. Tydens alle sedimentêre metodes word normaalweg van 'n gemiddelde kleidigtheid gebruik gemaak om die partikelgrootte-verspreiding van kleimengsels mee te bereken. Indien die berekende gemiddelde digtheid egter genoegsaam met dié van 'n kleikomponent verskil, sal onakkurate resultate verkry word. Hierdie effek is ondersoek vir 'n paar selfgemaakte kleimengsels wat uit verskillende hoeveelhede kaoliniet, illiet, en montmorilloniet bestaan het. Laastens word 'n praktiese benadering en 'n standaard metode vir alle sedimentêre metodes voorgestel, wat gebaseer is op al die bogenoemde resultate. 'n Verkorte opsomming, met die groottes van die foute geassosieer met elke parameter wat ondersoek is, word laastens in tabelvorm verskaf.