O termo Coal Bed Methane (CBM) refere-se ao metano gerado nas camadas de carvão e é um alvo exploratório na indústria do petróleo. Desde os anos setenta quando o CBM foi visto como uma fonte de energia economicamente viável estudos foram direcionados no entendimento de sua ocorrência, distribuição, viabilidade, produtividade e recuperação (Flores, 1997). Atualmente o CBM é produzido economicamente e investigado em diversas bacias carboníferas do mundo. No Brasil as principais acumulações de carvão são de idade Permiana e fazem parte da Formação Rio Bonito da Bacia do Paraná. De várias jazidas de carvão conhecidas a Jazida de Santa Terezinha, nordeste do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, é a que certamente apresenta o maior potencial para CBM. Seu condicionamento como um baixo estrutural com camadas de carvão de espessuras significativas ocorrendo entre 400m e 1000m de profundidade conferiram a jazida uma situação favorável para geração de metano. Uma boa quantidade de dados geológicos provenientes de diversos poços testemunhados foi utilizada para caracterização estratigráfica do intervalo carbonoso da jazida. A descrição detalhada de testemunhos deu embasamento para análise de fácies e sistemas deposicionais permitindo o reconhecimento de parasseqüências, cujo empilhamento evidenciou uma seqüência deposicional dominantemente transgressiva apresentando na base depósitos aluviais, na porção intermediária sistemas lagunares/paludais com formação de turfeiras, e no topo depósitos marinhos. A análise estrutural revelou uma forte compartimentação tectônica das camadas de carvão, deslocadas por falhamentos normais de alto rejeito. A integração de dados estratigráficos com a determinação do padrão de estruturação atual e demais complexidades forneceu elementos para o reconhecimento de uma zona com melhores condições para exploração de CBM na Jazida de Santa Terezinha. / Coal bed methane (CBM0 refers to the methane gas generated in coal beds and is a worldwide target in the petroleum industry. Since the Seventies when CBM was seen like a economically viable energy source studies had been directed to understand it’s occurrence pattern, distribution, viability, productivity and recovery (Flores, 1997). Nowadays CBM is economically produced and investigated in several coaly basins around the world (USA, China). In Brazil the main coal accumulations are of Permian age being part of the Rio Bonito Formation of Parana Basin. From all known coalfields the Santa Terezinha coalfield, in the northeastern region of Rio Grande do Sul state, certainly is the one that presents greater potential to CBM. The structural conditioning and the good thickness of coal beds occurring in depths between 400m and 1000m emplaced the coalfield in a favorable situation to methane generation. Tens of cored wells were utilized to the stratigraphic characterization of the coal bearing interval. A detailed description of cores supplied informations to facies and depositional environments analysis allowing the recognition of parasequences with a dominant retrogradational pattern characterizing a manly transgressive depositional sequence showing aluvial deposits at the base, marsh and lacustrine deposits in middle portion and marine strata on top. The structural analysis revealed a strong tectonic compartmentation of coal beds, displaced by normal faults with high slip. The integration of stratigraphic data with the determination of actual structural patterns and other complexities allowed the recognition of a zone with better conditions to CBM exploration in the Santa Terezinha coalfield.

Northern forest ecosystems play an important role in global carbon (C) cycling and are considered to be a net C sink for atmospheric C (IPCC, 2007; Pan, et al., 2011). Reservoir creation is a common cause of deforestation and when coupled with persistent harvest activity that occurs in forest ecosystems, these disturbance events can significantly affect the C budget of a watershed. To understand the effects of these factors on carbon cycling at a landscape level, an examination of forest harvest and reservoir creation was carried out in the watershed of the Sooke Lake Reservoir, the primary water supply for the Greater Victoria area in British Columbia. Covering the period between 1910 and 2012, a detailed disturbance and forest cover dataset was generated for the Sooke Lake Watershed (SLW) and used as input into a spatially-explicit version of the Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector 3 (CBM-CFS3). The model was modified to include export of C out of the forest system in the form of dissolved organic C (DOC) into streams. The fraction of decaying C exported through this mechanism was tuned in the model using DOC measurements from three catchments within the SLW. Site-specific growth and yield curves were also generated for watershed forest stand types, in part, by using LiDAR-derived site indices. C transfers associated with disturbances were adjusted to reflect the disturbance types that occurred during the 100-year study period. Due to the removal of C resulting from wildfire, logging and residue burning, as well as deforestation disturbances, total ecosystem C stocks dropped from 700 metric tonnes of C per hectare (tC ha-1) in 1910 to their current (2012) level of ~550 tC ha-1 across the SLW. Assuming no change in management priorities and negligible effects of climate change, total ecosystem C stocks will not recover to 1910 levels until 2075. The cumulative effect of reservoir creation and expansion on the C budget resulted in 14 tC ha-1 less being sequestered (111,217 tC total) across the watershed by 2012. In contrast, sustained yield forestry within the Capital Regional District’s tenure accounts for a 93 tC ha-1 decrease by 2012, representing an impact six times greater than deforestation associated with reservoir creation. The proportionally greater impact of forestry activity is partly due to current C accounting rules (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) that treats C removed from the forest in the form of Harvested Wood Products as C immediately released to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Cumulative DOC export to the Sooke Lake reservoir was ~30,660 tC by 2012, representing a substantial pathway for C leaving the forest ecosystem. However, more research is required to understand what fraction of terrestrially-derived DOC is sequestered long term in lake sediment. The results of this study will assist forest manager decision making on the appropriate management response to future forest disturbance patterns that could result from climate change and to improve climate change mitigation efforts. / Graduate / 0478 / 0425 / 0368 / byrons@uvic.ca

This study examined the annual C balance and its shifting trend in Canada’s managed forests from 1991 to 2006 using the Integrated Terrestrial Ecosystem C-budget (InTEC) model. During this period, Canada’s managed forests remained a moderate C sink of 58 Mt C yr¬¬¬-1 on average, but displayed an apparent trend of shifting towards a C source. The combined risk of climate change and increased disturbances are weakening the C sink in Canada’s managed forests. This study also compared the results from InTEC with those from CBM-CFS (Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector) at both national and regional levels. InTEC shows larger inter-annual variability and regional difference than CBM-CFS due to its incorporation of both disturbance and non-disturbance factors. In comparison, CBM-CFS3 has likely underestimated both the true C loss and the C sink potential of Canada’s managed forests, given that it does not account for the non-disturbance factors.

This study examined the annual C balance and its shifting trend in Canada’s managed forests from 1991 to 2006 using the Integrated Terrestrial Ecosystem C-budget (InTEC) model. During this period, Canada’s managed forests remained a moderate C sink of 58 Mt C yr¬¬¬-1 on average, but displayed an apparent trend of shifting towards a C source. The combined risk of climate change and increased disturbances are weakening the C sink in Canada’s managed forests. This study also compared the results from InTEC with those from CBM-CFS (Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector) at both national and regional levels. InTEC shows larger inter-annual variability and regional difference than CBM-CFS due to its incorporation of both disturbance and non-disturbance factors. In comparison, CBM-CFS3 has likely underestimated both the true C loss and the C sink potential of Canada’s managed forests, given that it does not account for the non-disturbance factors.

Osteoporosis is an age-related skeletal disease characterised by an increased incidence of fragility fractures. In this thesis I develop a new technique capable of measuring the thickness of the previously unmeasured endocortical region, and providing an improved measure of the cortical bone mineral density (cBMD) from in-vivo clinical CT scans. These features are of interest as both have been linked to fracture risk. \\ The new technique is developed within the cortical bone mapping (CBM) framework so that it provides localised architectural measurements over a bone's surface. Its performance is assessed using simulated QCT data from three simulated phantoms with differing bone architecture, and two paired datasets of ex-vivo QCT and HR-pQCT scans across the proximal femur and the lumbar spine. The simulated data allows for inaccuracies in CBM measurements caused by beam hardening effects to be considered for the first time: I show that beam hardening leads to an underestimation in cortical thickness and an overestimation in trabecular BMD and that these inaccuracies can be reduced through adjustments to the CBM optimisation process. \\ A new technique of analysing HR-pQCT scans is also developed, for the validation of the new CBM method. It was used in place of other established HR-pQCT techniques for its ability to provide localised measurements of the endocortical region. A comparison with the well known full-width half-maximum (FWHM) method shows that it is less susceptible to errors caused by beam hardening. It also measures the mean cBMD, which has a greater clinical relevance than the peak cBMD measured by the FWHM method as it includes the impact of porosity. I demonstrate that the endocortical thickness can be measured to an accuracy of \(-0.15\pm0.71\thinspace\mathrm{mm}\), and that local cBMD measurements are possible down to \(300\thinspace\mathrm{mg/cm}^3\) from QCT scans over the proximal femur. I also validate CBM methods over the vertebrae for the first time and demonstrate that the cortical thickness and endocortical thickness can be measured with accuracies of \(0.10\pm0.30\thinspace\mathrm{mm}\) and \(-0.20\pm0.53\thinspace\mathrm{mm}\). \\ Two clinical trials involving Teriparatide are used to demonstrate that the new CBM method is able to detect significant regional changes in the dense cortical and endocortical bone over the proximal femur and lumbar spine, which can be attributed to changes in intracortical remodelling and endosteal apposition. The analysis of a cross-sectional fracture discrimination trial shows that fracture incidence is associated with significant decreases in endocortical thickness over specific regions.

Educators need clear, actionable data to help them understand students' current levels of performance and students' probable trajectory toward college- and career-readiness in math if they are to make informed programmatic decisions to shape that trajectory. This study explored the relation between CBM-math in Grade 7 as a one-point, teacher accessible measure of student math skill and the students' performance on the Grade 8 EXPLORE-math test, a large-scale achievement test linked to one set of college- and career-readiness benchmarks. Results indicated that a moderate positive correlation and predictive relation exist between CBM-math and EXPLORE-math. Information was disaggregated by gender and for subgroups, including students eligible for special education, free or reduced meals, and English language development services. No difference in means for male and female students on either measure was identified, but eligibility for special education or for free or reduced lunch was associated with lower performance on both measures. Insufficient numbers of ELD students hindered detailed analysis, but none of the ELD students included in the study achieved the EXPLORE benchmark or the CBM normalized cut score based on the 40th percentile. An ROC analysis showed that easyCBM consistently predicted students who did not meet the EXPLORE benchmark, although results indicated that a higher cut score on easyCBM may be a more consistent predictor. The study adds to validity research on CBM and may be useful for educators seeking to identify students at risk of missing achievement benchmarks and make programmatic decisions to ensure students are on track to be college- and career-ready in math.

Atualmente, o CBM (coalbed methane) representa uma importante fonte de energia alternativa. A mais importante sucessão sedimentar portadora de carvão ocorre na Bacia do Paraná. Este trabalho tem por objetivo analisar as características químicas e petrológicas das camadas de carvão de três furos de sondagens, realizados recentemente na jazida Sul Catarinense no estado de Santa Catarina, com o intuito de avaliar a capacidade de geração de gás metano associado. As sondagens realizadas (CBM-SC-2011, CBM-SC-2012 e CBM-SC-2013) localizam-se no município de Araranguá e Treviso (SC). A metodologia utilizada teve início com a coleta de amostras de carvão que foram preparadas e submetidas à análise petrográfica e química. Foram amostradas sete camadas de carvão da Formação Rio Bonito: Barro Branco, Irapuá, camada A, Bonito Superior, Bonito Inferior, Pré- Bonito Superior e Pré-Bonito Inferior. A descrição de litotipos mostrou um predomínio de carvão fosco bandado (BD) no furo CBM-SC-2012 e carvão fosco (D) no furo CBM-SC-2013. Os resultados petrográficos obtidos indicaram valores médios de 0,60 a 1,26% Rrandom nas camadas analisadas, classificando as camadas segundo o rank desde betuminoso alto volátil C até betuminoso médio volátil. A análise de macerais mostra variação na composição das camadas, com predomínio de vitrinita e inertinita. Quanto a análise imediata, as amostras apresentaram uma variação de 34,93 a 65,70% em peso de cinza, já o poder calorífico superior varia de 1858,0 a 5074,8 cal/g. O conteúdo de carbono varia de 4,15 a 65,81 % em peso, e o enxofre varia de 0,22 a 12,43 % em peso. De acordo com os parâmetros analisados, as camadas Barro Branco e Irapuá apresentam as condições necessárias para a geração de gás natural. / Currently, CBM (coalbed methane) is an important source of alternative energy. The most important coal bearing sedimentary succession in Brazil occurs in the Paraná Basin, with major coal reserves occurring in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina.. The objectives of this study areto detrmine the chemical and petrological characteristics of coal seams from three boreholes (CBM-SC-2011, CBM-SC-2012 and CBM-SC-2013), conducted recently in South Santa Catarina coalfield located in the areas of Treviso and Araranguá (SC), in order to assess the capacity of the coal seams to generate and store methane. From these boreholes seven coal seams of the Rio Bonito Formation were sampled: Barro Branco, Irapuá, seam A, Bonito Superior, Bonito Inferior, Pré-Bonito Superior and Pré-Bonito Inferior and were prepared for petrographical and chemical analyses. The description of lithotypes showed a predominance of banded dull (BD) in hole CBM-SC-2012 and dull (D) in hole CBM-SC-2013. Petrographic results indicated average vitrinite reflectance values from 0.60 to 1.26 % Rrandom, classifying the seams according to rank ranging from high volatile bituminous C to medium volatile bituminous. Maceral analysis shows significant variations in maceral composition of the seams, with a predominance of vitrinite and inertinite. Results from proximate analysis showed a variation from 34.93 to 65.70 wt% in ash yields, whereas the gross calorific value varied from 1858.0 to 5074.8 cal /g. The carbon content ranged from 4.15 to 65.81 wt%, and sulfur content ranged from 0.22 to 12.43 wt%. According to petrographical and chemical characteristics the Barro Branco and Irapuá seams are considered to have good gas generation and storage capacity, whereas the Bonito seam has less potential because of its richness in mineral matter (ash yield).

O termo Coal Bed Methane (CBM) refere-se ao metano gerado nas camadas de carvão e é um alvo exploratório na indústria do petróleo. Desde os anos setenta quando o CBM foi visto como uma fonte de energia economicamente viável estudos foram direcionados no entendimento de sua ocorrência, distribuição, viabilidade, produtividade e recuperação (Flores, 1997). Atualmente o CBM é produzido economicamente e investigado em diversas bacias carboníferas do mundo. No Brasil as principais acumulações de carvão são de idade Permiana e fazem parte da Formação Rio Bonito da Bacia do Paraná. De várias jazidas de carvão conhecidas a Jazida de Santa Terezinha, nordeste do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, é a que certamente apresenta o maior potencial para CBM. Seu condicionamento como um baixo estrutural com camadas de carvão de espessuras significativas ocorrendo entre 400m e 1000m de profundidade conferiram a jazida uma situação favorável para geração de metano. Uma boa quantidade de dados geológicos provenientes de diversos poços testemunhados foi utilizada para caracterização estratigráfica do intervalo carbonoso da jazida. A descrição detalhada de testemunhos deu embasamento para análise de fácies e sistemas deposicionais permitindo o reconhecimento de parasseqüências, cujo empilhamento evidenciou uma seqüência deposicional dominantemente transgressiva apresentando na base depósitos aluviais, na porção intermediária sistemas lagunares/paludais com formação de turfeiras, e no topo depósitos marinhos. A análise estrutural revelou uma forte compartimentação tectônica das camadas de carvão, deslocadas por falhamentos normais de alto rejeito. A integração de dados estratigráficos com a determinação do padrão de estruturação atual e demais complexidades forneceu elementos para o reconhecimento de uma zona com melhores condições para exploração de CBM na Jazida de Santa Terezinha. / Coal bed methane (CBM0 refers to the methane gas generated in coal beds and is a worldwide target in the petroleum industry. Since the Seventies when CBM was seen like a economically viable energy source studies had been directed to understand it’s occurrence pattern, distribution, viability, productivity and recovery (Flores, 1997). Nowadays CBM is economically produced and investigated in several coaly basins around the world (USA, China). In Brazil the main coal accumulations are of Permian age being part of the Rio Bonito Formation of Parana Basin. From all known coalfields the Santa Terezinha coalfield, in the northeastern region of Rio Grande do Sul state, certainly is the one that presents greater potential to CBM. The structural conditioning and the good thickness of coal beds occurring in depths between 400m and 1000m emplaced the coalfield in a favorable situation to methane generation. Tens of cored wells were utilized to the stratigraphic characterization of the coal bearing interval. A detailed description of cores supplied informations to facies and depositional environments analysis allowing the recognition of parasequences with a dominant retrogradational pattern characterizing a manly transgressive depositional sequence showing aluvial deposits at the base, marsh and lacustrine deposits in middle portion and marine strata on top. The structural analysis revealed a strong tectonic compartmentation of coal beds, displaced by normal faults with high slip. The integration of stratigraphic data with the determination of actual structural patterns and other complexities allowed the recognition of a zone with better conditions to CBM exploration in the Santa Terezinha coalfield.

O termo Coal Bed Methane (CBM) refere-se ao metano gerado nas camadas de carvão e é um alvo exploratório na indústria do petróleo. Desde os anos setenta quando o CBM foi visto como uma fonte de energia economicamente viável estudos foram direcionados no entendimento de sua ocorrência, distribuição, viabilidade, produtividade e recuperação (Flores, 1997). Atualmente o CBM é produzido economicamente e investigado em diversas bacias carboníferas do mundo. No Brasil as principais acumulações de carvão são de idade Permiana e fazem parte da Formação Rio Bonito da Bacia do Paraná. De várias jazidas de carvão conhecidas a Jazida de Santa Terezinha, nordeste do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, é a que certamente apresenta o maior potencial para CBM. Seu condicionamento como um baixo estrutural com camadas de carvão de espessuras significativas ocorrendo entre 400m e 1000m de profundidade conferiram a jazida uma situação favorável para geração de metano. Uma boa quantidade de dados geológicos provenientes de diversos poços testemunhados foi utilizada para caracterização estratigráfica do intervalo carbonoso da jazida. A descrição detalhada de testemunhos deu embasamento para análise de fácies e sistemas deposicionais permitindo o reconhecimento de parasseqüências, cujo empilhamento evidenciou uma seqüência deposicional dominantemente transgressiva apresentando na base depósitos aluviais, na porção intermediária sistemas lagunares/paludais com formação de turfeiras, e no topo depósitos marinhos. A análise estrutural revelou uma forte compartimentação tectônica das camadas de carvão, deslocadas por falhamentos normais de alto rejeito. A integração de dados estratigráficos com a determinação do padrão de estruturação atual e demais complexidades forneceu elementos para o reconhecimento de uma zona com melhores condições para exploração de CBM na Jazida de Santa Terezinha. / Coal bed methane (CBM0 refers to the methane gas generated in coal beds and is a worldwide target in the petroleum industry. Since the Seventies when CBM was seen like a economically viable energy source studies had been directed to understand it’s occurrence pattern, distribution, viability, productivity and recovery (Flores, 1997). Nowadays CBM is economically produced and investigated in several coaly basins around the world (USA, China). In Brazil the main coal accumulations are of Permian age being part of the Rio Bonito Formation of Parana Basin. From all known coalfields the Santa Terezinha coalfield, in the northeastern region of Rio Grande do Sul state, certainly is the one that presents greater potential to CBM. The structural conditioning and the good thickness of coal beds occurring in depths between 400m and 1000m emplaced the coalfield in a favorable situation to methane generation. Tens of cored wells were utilized to the stratigraphic characterization of the coal bearing interval. A detailed description of cores supplied informations to facies and depositional environments analysis allowing the recognition of parasequences with a dominant retrogradational pattern characterizing a manly transgressive depositional sequence showing aluvial deposits at the base, marsh and lacustrine deposits in middle portion and marine strata on top. The structural analysis revealed a strong tectonic compartmentation of coal beds, displaced by normal faults with high slip. The integration of stratigraphic data with the determination of actual structural patterns and other complexities allowed the recognition of a zone with better conditions to CBM exploration in the Santa Terezinha coalfield.

Atualmente, o CBM (coalbed methane) representa uma importante fonte de energia alternativa. A mais importante sucessão sedimentar portadora de carvão ocorre na Bacia do Paraná. Este trabalho tem por objetivo analisar as características químicas e petrológicas das camadas de carvão de três furos de sondagens, realizados recentemente na jazida Sul Catarinense no estado de Santa Catarina, com o intuito de avaliar a capacidade de geração de gás metano associado. As sondagens realizadas (CBM-SC-2011, CBM-SC-2012 e CBM-SC-2013) localizam-se no município de Araranguá e Treviso (SC). A metodologia utilizada teve início com a coleta de amostras de carvão que foram preparadas e submetidas à análise petrográfica e química. Foram amostradas sete camadas de carvão da Formação Rio Bonito: Barro Branco, Irapuá, camada A, Bonito Superior, Bonito Inferior, Pré- Bonito Superior e Pré-Bonito Inferior. A descrição de litotipos mostrou um predomínio de carvão fosco bandado (BD) no furo CBM-SC-2012 e carvão fosco (D) no furo CBM-SC-2013. Os resultados petrográficos obtidos indicaram valores médios de 0,60 a 1,26% Rrandom nas camadas analisadas, classificando as camadas segundo o rank desde betuminoso alto volátil C até betuminoso médio volátil. A análise de macerais mostra variação na composição das camadas, com predomínio de vitrinita e inertinita. Quanto a análise imediata, as amostras apresentaram uma variação de 34,93 a 65,70% em peso de cinza, já o poder calorífico superior varia de 1858,0 a 5074,8 cal/g. O conteúdo de carbono varia de 4,15 a 65,81 % em peso, e o enxofre varia de 0,22 a 12,43 % em peso. De acordo com os parâmetros analisados, as camadas Barro Branco e Irapuá apresentam as condições necessárias para a geração de gás natural. / Currently, CBM (coalbed methane) is an important source of alternative energy. The most important coal bearing sedimentary succession in Brazil occurs in the Paraná Basin, with major coal reserves occurring in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina.. The objectives of this study areto detrmine the chemical and petrological characteristics of coal seams from three boreholes (CBM-SC-2011, CBM-SC-2012 and CBM-SC-2013), conducted recently in South Santa Catarina coalfield located in the areas of Treviso and Araranguá (SC), in order to assess the capacity of the coal seams to generate and store methane. From these boreholes seven coal seams of the Rio Bonito Formation were sampled: Barro Branco, Irapuá, seam A, Bonito Superior, Bonito Inferior, Pré-Bonito Superior and Pré-Bonito Inferior and were prepared for petrographical and chemical analyses. The description of lithotypes showed a predominance of banded dull (BD) in hole CBM-SC-2012 and dull (D) in hole CBM-SC-2013. Petrographic results indicated average vitrinite reflectance values from 0.60 to 1.26 % Rrandom, classifying the seams according to rank ranging from high volatile bituminous C to medium volatile bituminous. Maceral analysis shows significant variations in maceral composition of the seams, with a predominance of vitrinite and inertinite. Results from proximate analysis showed a variation from 34.93 to 65.70 wt% in ash yields, whereas the gross calorific value varied from 1858.0 to 5074.8 cal /g. The carbon content ranged from 4.15 to 65.81 wt%, and sulfur content ranged from 0.22 to 12.43 wt%. According to petrographical and chemical characteristics the Barro Branco and Irapuá seams are considered to have good gas generation and storage capacity, whereas the Bonito seam has less potential because of its richness in mineral matter (ash yield).