Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-115). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-115). Also available on the Internet.

Les aquifères karstiques sont associés à des enjeux importants en termes à la fois de gestion de la ressource en eau et de gestion du risque d'inondation. Ces systèmes sont caractérisés par une structure fortement hétérogène et un fonctionnement non-linéaire. Cette thèse est consacrée à l'étude de la sensibilité et de l'incertitude associés à la modélisation numérique des écoulements en milieu karstique. De façon systématique, l'analyse de sensibilité est utilisée comme outil afin de répondre aux questions suivantes: (i) la calibration est-elle possible ? (ii) la calibration est-elle robuste ? (iii) est-il possible de réduire l'équifinalité via une calibration multi-objectif ou multi-variable ?Cette contribution met en évidence le potentiel des méthodes locales d'analyse de sensibilité. En dépit des limitations inhérentes à cette approche (approximation locale et perturbation d'un facteur à la fois), l'analyse locale permet une compréhension fine du fonctionnement du modèle, pour un coût de calcul réduit.Par ailleurs, cet travail souligne l'intérêt d'une calibration multi-variable par rapport à une calibration multi-objectif, dans une optique de réduction de l'équifinalité / Karst aquifers are associated with key issues for water resource management and also for flood risk mitigation. These systems are characterized by a highly heterogeneous structure and non-linear functioning. This thesis addresses the sensitivity and uncertainty associated with the numerical modelling of groundwater flow in karst systems. As a systematic approach, sensitivity analysis has been used to answer the following questions:(i) is it possible to calibrate the model ? (ii) is the calibration robust ? (iii) is it possible to reduce equifinality, through multi-objective calibration or through multi-variable calibration ? This contribution stresses the potentialities of local sensitivity analyses. Despite their inherent limitations (local approximation), local analyses have proved to bring valuable insights into the general behaviour of complex, non-linear flow models, at little computational cost. Besides, this contribution also stresses the interest of multi-variable calibration as compared to multi-objective calibration, as regards equifinality reduction.

The fracture-dominated Tony Grove alpine karst system in the Bear River Range in north-central Utah, has caves ranging from 5m deep, consisting of solution-enlarged single fractures, to the large, 374m deep, Main Drain Cave, characterized by a series of vertical drops and horizontal passages. The caves int he Tony Grove area are developed throughout the 510m thick Fish Haven and Laketown Dolomites. The Swan Peak Formation, consisting of orthoquartzite and shale, underlies the dolomites. Surface fracture measurements (n=3502) yielded two distinctive sets of fractures. The northeast-southwest sets had a mean orientation of 41±0.7° and the northwest-southeast set with a mean of 133±5°. Of the sixteen caves surveyed for fractures and passages, fifteen were controlled by fractures, although some caves had both facture-and non-fracture-controlled passages. Only one cave was entirely non-fracture controlled, likely due to a change in lithology. Main Drain Cave, the only cave with long horizontal passages, was surveyed for both fracture and stratigraphic influences on horizontal cave development. Results indicate some sections are controlled by southeast-trending-fractures and other sections are controlled by southwest-dipping-bedding planes. Alternatively, parts of the down-dip-oriented sections may be influenced by southwest-oriented fractures. Stratigraphic control in this cave includes cherty layers that appear to hinder down-cutting of passages into lower stratigraphic units. Surface mapping determined that there is a southeast-oriented fold pair east of the Logan Peak Syncline, consisting of the Naomi Peak Syncline and the Cottonwood Canyon Anticline. The anticline merges with the Logan Peak Syncline near the head of Cottonwood Canyon. The Naomi Peak Syncline continues north-northeast through the Tony Grove area and may divert water from the Tony Grove area to Wood Camp Hollow Spring in Logan Canyon. The anticline acts as a divide between groundwater traveling southwest to Dewitt Spring and south-southeast to Wood Camp Hollow Spring. The Swan Peak Formation appears to act as a barrier to groundwater movement into the underlying formations, separating the Tony Grove system from underlying systems.

Evolution of rocky coastlines is controlled by littoral, biological and fluvial processes. Resultant landforms are overprinted and/or new ones formed as a result of changes in sea level caused by glacioeustasy and/or local tectonics. On carbonate coasts, chemical erosion in the form of karstification takes on a dominant role. Type of karstification is an important factor in understanding carbonate coast evolution and landform development so it is critical to identify type of karstification. In this research, fractal indices were used to distinguish cave and thus karstification type. It was determined that fractal indices effectively differentiated cave types and the indices were used to distinguish cave types at study sites on Barbados, the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao) and the Caribbean coast of the northeast Yucatan peninsula, Mexico. This research evaluated caves located in the phreatic, epiphreatic and vadose zones of the northeast coast of Quintana Roo, Mexico to determine the relationship between the caves and to coastal processes. Three distinct coastal landforms associated with caves on the study sites were evaluated to quantify and model the interplay of littoral, fluvial and karstic processes and cave and karst development. On Barbados, the combination of surface fluvial processes, and mixing-zone and fluvial-karstic dissolution, resulted in the formation of gullies. Some gullies contained caves in their bounding walls and/or served as points of recharge to fluvial caves. Bokas of the ABC islands are distinctive geomorphic structures that formed from the interplay of fluvial, littoral and mixing zone karstification. The morphology of the bokas was a function of dominant geomorphic process. The caletas of the Yucatan Caribbean were formed by karstification processes that also produced features with mixing-zone-like morphologies but with fluvio-karstic function. The results of this research expand the Carbonate Island Karst Model (CIKM), which explains eogenetic dissolutional processes and landforms on small carbonate islands, to one that includes carbonate islands of all sizes, and carbonate continental coasts.

Research was performed at Crag Cave, Castleisland, southwest Ireland, and P8 Cave, Castleton, Derbyshire, in order to determine the main factors responsible for modifying rainwater geochemistry during flow through soil and karstic aquifer zones. Monitoring was performed on a daily basis in summer and winter at Crag Cave, and on a monthly basis over one year at P8 Cave. At both sites, biannual peaks in karst system Ca2+concentrations occurred due to: (i) promotion of microbial C02 production by increased summer temperatures, and (ii) retardation of gaseous exchange by ponding of elevated winter rainfall input leading to an unseasonable build up in soil zone C02. Therefore, speleothems at both sites may form biannual bands in hydrological years subject to elevated winter rainfall input. In addition to variations in carbonate weathering due to fluctuations in C02 levels, cation yields in Crag Cave matrix soil water were controlled by dolomite dissolution (Mg2+), plant uptake (K+), and evapotranspiration balanced by enhanced winter marine aerosol input (Na+). Strontium isotope analysis indicates that S~+ was derived from a 50:50 silicate/carbonate mixture, whilst the relatively light 313C signal was related to direct evolution of C02 into the aqueous phase in waterlogged pores. Within the Crag Cave aquifer variations in karst water geochemistry were controlled by dilution, flow switching, prior precipitation of calcite and dolomite dissolution along the flow path. Strontium isotope analysis indicates that dissolution in the aquifer dominated, with S~+ being sourced from a 25:75 silicate/carbonate mixture. Light karst water 313C values were constrained by the supply of light soil gas to the aquifer. Elevation in the Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios in the Crag Cave speleothem record compared to present day analogues indicates that the former Holocene climate was drier, whilst heavier 87Sr/86Srratios and 813C values suggest variation in soil hydrology over time.

Das Arbeitsgebiet mit den im einzelnen untersuchten Regionen umfaßt ungefähr die östliche Hälfte der Republik Niger. Es erstreckt sich zwischen 8° (Agadez) und 13° (Stufe von Bilma) östlicher Länge und zwischen 13°40° und 21° nördlicher Breite. Dabei umfaßt es eine Fläche von insgesamt rund 440.000 km2. Administrativ sind die untersuchten Teilregionen den Departements Agadez und Zinder zugeordnet. Der Untersuchungsraum wird von wenigen geologisch-tektonischen Großeinheiten aufgebaut, die ihren Niederschlag auch in der morphologischen Ausprägung finden: Der Hauptteil des Arbeitsgebietes gehört dem geologisch-hydrologischen Tschadbecken an, zu dem auch das nördlich anschließende Becken von Bilma gerechnet werden kann. Das im Nordosten des Untersuchungsraumes gelegene Djado-Becken wird randlich erfaßt. Bis auf wenige Ausnahmen ist dieser Raum von weitgespannten Ebenheiten geprägt, die teilweise als Serirflächen entwickelt sind, teilweise aber auch von den Sandmassen des Erg du Tenere und des Grand Erg de Bilma überdeckt werden. Die darin inselhaft aufragenden Schichtstufenkomplexe lehnen sich an grob NW-SE-gerichtete Störungszonen an. Die geologisch-morphologische Umrahmung des Arbeitsgebietes bilden die Hebungsgebiete des Air, des Tibesti (bereits außerhalb des Untersuchungsraumes im Tschad gelegen) und des Damagaram/Mounio. Die Gebirgsmassive erreichen Höhen bis knapp 3.300 m ü.NN (Tibesti) bzw. um 2.000 m ü.NN (Air), während das dazwischen liegende Tenere bei etwa 400 m ü.NN (im Süden) bis 500 m ü.NN (im Norden) entwickelt ist. Nach naturräumlichen Gesichtspunkten gegliedert hat der Untersuchungsraum sowohl Anteil an der südlichen zentralen und der südlichen Sahara als auch am nördlichen Sahel. Innerhalb dieses Gesamtraumes konzentrieren sich die hier vorgestellten Untersuchungen auf mehrere Teilgebiete. Von Norden nach Süden sind dies das südwestliche Djado, die Stufe von Bilma mit dem Kaouar, die Massive von Termit und Koutous, sowie weiter westlich gelegen die Stufe von Tiguidit etwa 80 km südlich des Air. Einzelbeobachtungen aus dem Kristallin des Air und des Damagaram/Mounio ergänzen die Untersuchungen. / No abstract available

A major tropical storm will strike in the area of West Central Florida. In anticipation of this storm, this study seeks to predict the specific areas within the Baker Canal drainage basin that will be inundated as a result of this expected event. There are few references concerning extreme flooding in small drainage basins within existing literature. For the purposes of this study this event was considered to be a Probable Maximum Flood (PMF) as defined by Crippen and Bue (1977). The Hydrologic Engineering Centers' Geographic River Analysis System was used to develop water surface elevations and flow rates. Maps depicting this potential flooding at various flood stages were produced using the Environmental Survey Research Institute's geographic Information mapping program ArcView3.3. This investigation produced estimates of the surface area of a Probable Maximum Flood and the estimated flood inundated 23.7% of the study area. The estimated extent of Probable Maximum Flood indicates that the flood will affect one thousand and seventy six (1,076) homes and other structures. The study found that eight hundred and sixty three (863) acres or 27% of the land within the PMF flood zone is listed for future development by the County Planning Commission. When this projected development area is added to existing developed land area a total of 85% of all developed land within the estimated flood area will be submerged and subject to damage. An extreme flood study on a small drainage basin prior to the event can be a viable tool for mitigation planning if it is recognized that there are variables that can produce a relatively large range of error. The potential for this type of study is in its' comparison with an actual event affecting the same area. If the predicted study and the real event study agree within reasonable limits then, maximum flood investigations on small basins could be considered a useful tool in hazard reduction.

Στόχος της εργασίας ήταν η υδροχημική ανάλυση δειγμάτων νερού από καρστικές πηγές και γεωτρήσεις της περιοχής του Ξηρόμερου, το οποίο βρίσκεται στο βόρειο- βορειοανατολικό τμήμα του νομού Αιτωλοακαρνανίας. / The aim of the present thesis is the hydrochemical analysis of water samples from karst springs and boreholes in the area of Xiromero

Thesis (M.S.)--Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2008. / Vita. The entire thesis text is included in file. Title from title screen of thesis/dissertation PDF file (viewed August 26, 2008) Includes bibliographical references (p. 66-67).