Evidence for a Second Transport Porosity for the Diffusion of Tritiated Water (HTO) in a Sedimentary Rock (Opalinus Clay - OPA): Application of Through- and Out-Diffusion Techniques

The diffusion of tritiated water (HTO) in Opalinus clay (OPA) samples from bore cores from the Benken area (Northern Switzerland) was studied using the radial through- and out-diffusion technique. Results from inverse modelling of out-diffusion data for HTO indicated the presence of two preferential diffusion pathways: a fast and a slow one. Analysing through-diffusion data, however, provides hardly any information concerning a second transport-relevant porosity. Only by also analysing the out-diffusion phase can finer details of the diffusion process and information on sample heterogeneity be recognised. The extracted values for the effective diffusion coefficient are in the order of 3 × 10^–11 m² s^–1 for the faster transport porosity and roughly an order of magnitude smaller for the slower type of porosity. We had to account for tritium sorption on the clay minerals by a small but non-zero K_d-value in the order of 10^–5 m³ kg^–1 in order to reproduce the data with acceptable precision. In the model applied both porosities are considered as being independent from each other. Roughly 30% of the tracer diffused through the second, slower porosity; such a fact might be interesting for future performance assessments for radioactive waste repositories hosted by clay formations. Based on our present picture from water-saturated OPA, on a microscopic scale three different kind of waters can be discriminated: free water, double layer water and interlayer water. However, using HTO as tracer only, it could not be deduced which type of water-filled pores finally account for the transport-relevant porosity.Author for correspondence: Tel.: +41-56-3102257; Fax: +41-56-3104438; E-mail: luc.vanloon@psi.ch     

PLANNING MARINE PROTECTED AREAS: A MULTIPLE USE GAME

Abstract The EU Marine Strategy Directive (MSD) has a regional focus in its implementation. The directive obliges countries to take multiple uses and the marine strategies of neighboring countries into account when formulating marine strategies and when designating marine protected areas (MPAs). We use game theoretical analysis both to find the optimal size of MPAs with multiple uses by multiple countries and to investigate the influences of multiple uses on cooperation. To this end, we develop a model in which two specific uses, fisheries and nature conservation, by multiple countries are considered in a strategic framework. The results of the paper suggest that EU marine policy such as the MSD and the coming Maritime Policy may help to secure the highest possible benefits from these MPAs if these policies induce cooperation among countries, but only if policies force countries to consider all possible benefits of MPAs. In fact cooperation on a single issue may give a worse outcome than the noncooperative equilibrium. The results also indicate that cooperation may be hard to achieve because of defector incentives, and therefore policy measures should be strict in enforcing cooperation on all possible uses of MPAs.     

应用Rietveld方法研究氧化锆的晶体结构

采用XRD及Rietveld粉末衍射峰形拟合方法对氧化锆的晶体结构及其相变进行了研究 .当掺杂CeO₂ 和Y₂ O₃后 ,氧化锆的晶体结构发生了由单斜向四方的转变 .四方氧化锆的空间群为P42 /nmc ,Z =2 ,对于CeO₂ ,Y₂ O₃稳定的ZrO₂ 其晶格常数分别为a =0 .3 62 6( 5 )nm ,c =0 .5 2 2 6( 3 )nm及a =0 .3 60 2 ( 8)nm ,c =0 .5 179( 1)nm ,单胞中阳离子Zr⁴⁺ ,M (M =Ce⁴⁺ ,Y³⁺ )和阴离子O^{2 -} 分别占据空间群的 2b和 4d晶位 ,还从晶体学角度讨论了立方、四方、单斜 3种不同结构的氧化锆之间的相互转换关系 .     

Behavior in Repeated Prisoner's Dilemma Games with Shifted Outcomes Analyzed with a Statistical Learning Model

A fuzzy set theoretical framework is proposed for the analysis of sociometric structure characterized by vagueness of liking between individuals and a person's relative degree of belonging to a social group. Max‐min transitivity of a fuzzy relation is employed as a basic concept to examine the degree of liking and clustering in group structures. A distance model based on min‐max transitivity is also formulated as a special case of transitivity analysis. Other notions of transitivity such as the max‐product and the max‐* are also discussed. An empirical analysis is performed to examine the applicability of the proposed transitivity concepts. It appears that the current methodological construct provides a more appropriate perspective in the analysis of the group structure properties.     

ASSESSING UNCERTAINTY IN A MULTISPECIES AGE‐STRUCTURED ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK: THE EFFECTS OF DATA LIMITATIONS AND MODEL ASSUMPTIONS

Performance of a multispecies age‐structured assessment (MSASA) model in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) relative to changes in data and model assumptions was examined through simulation exercises. Species included arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes stomias), Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus), walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma), Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis), and Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus). Age‐specific predation mortality was estimated as a flexible function of predator and prey abundances and fitted to diet data. Simulated data sets were constructed by applying random error to estimates of catch, survey, and diet data from an operating model, whose structure was identical to that of the estimating model. Simulations explored the effects of data variability, mismatched assumptions regarding model structure, and lack of diet data on model performance. Model misspecification and uninformative diet data had the greatest influence on model performance. Given the current emphasis on the development of ecosystem‐based models and management, prioritizing the rigorous sampling of diet data would best facilitate the development of predation models useful to management agencies.     

An Approximate Solution for Fluid Infiltration near a Circular Opening in Unsaturated Media

A regular perturbation technique is employed to approximate the solution for fluid infiltration from a circular opening into an unsaturated medium. Introducing two empirical constitutive relations and relating the permeability k and water content with pore fluid pressure p, a nonlinear diffusion equation in terms of pore pressure is established. After rearranging the nonlinear diffusion equation, a parameter perturbation on is performed and an approximate solution with an error of is obtained, which correlate to a condition in which = . This approximate solution is verified by a finite difference solution and compared also with a linear solution in which the diffusivity is constant. It is shown that the perturbation solution with terms up to and including first-order can give a reasonably accurate solution for the parameter range for p ₀ selected in this paper. The solution procedure provided in this paper also avoids the numerical problem normally encountered for a small time solution. The solution may also be used to overcome difficulties arising in solution procedure by the similarity transformation (Boltzmann), commonly conducted on diffusion equation, which cannot be applied for a finite wellbore problem.