Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Fossil plants'

Fossil plants in the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation are preserved in fluvial channel, overbank, and lacustrine deposits. Plant-bearing units in these deposits are classified into seven types based on these depositional environments or subenvironments. Taphonomic characteristics of these assemblages, and of individual plant fossils within them, indicate that most plant fossils have either not been transported far from their growth sites or are preserved in situ. One particular deposit in the central part of Petrified Forest National Park preserves fossil plants in three associations: (1) allochthonous logs in basal lags in a channel-fill/lateral accretion deposits; (2) autochthonous horsetail trunks and parautochthonous horsetail leaves in a crevasse-splay deposits; and (3) parautochthonous and autochthonous cycadaceous, fern and other types of leaves, and erect and prostrate trunks in a paludal/distal splay deposits. Exposures of contemporaneous high-sinuosity channel and overbank deposits in this area enabled the reconstruction of the local paleogeography, paleohydrology, and paleoecology at a high resolution. Fossil plant assemblages of the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation are concentrated in the lower members of the formation. The lower part of the Chinle Formation was deposited in an incised valley system. Depositional, hydrological, and near-surface geochemical conditions in the incised valley system were conducive to preservation of terrestrial organic material, even though regional conditions were characterized by seasonal/monsoonal precipitation and groundwater conditions. Fossil plant assemblages preserved in these types of fully terrestrial incised valley-fills are taphonomically biased towards riparian wetland environments.

The main objective of this research is to develop a simple and cost effective separation method that captures carbon dioxide from power plant flue gas, as a pure stream that can be stored using regenerable dolomite (calcium magnesium carbonate) as the sorbent. The developed dolomite sorbent was evaluated for carbon dioxide capture capacity using muti-cycle tests of cyclical carbonation/calcination experiments in the thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) model SDT 600. The variables controlled in the experiment were weight of calcium oxide and sintering time of the sample. The dolomite materials investigated were from two sources Alfa Aesar and Specialty Minerals. The prepared sorbent, after conditioning, is in the oxide form and can adsorb CO2 to form the carbonate and be regenerated back to the oxide. The results showed that the dolomite sorbent developed can be used for reversible CO2 capture. The data from 8 multi-cycle TGA experiments show that the reversible capacity reduced in the first few cycles; however it stabilized to an average value of 34 percent after an average of 10 cycles and an average conditioning time of 15 hours. Data from two multi-cycle TGA experiments show that the dolomite sorbent is capable of an average stabilized conversion of 65% in an average of 13 cycles at a conditioning time of 87 hours.

La transition Permien – Trias est une période importante dans l’histoire de la Terre. L’extinction en masse de la fin du Permien est l’événement d’extinction le plus sévère de l’histoire de la vie sur Terre. Les études précédentes se sont principalement focalisées sur les événements biotiques en milieux océaniques. Récemment, de plus en plus de nouvelles recherches se sont développées sur les événements en milieu continental.Les bassins de Junggar et de Turpan en Chine du Nord, présentent une opportunité unique d’étudier la limite Permien – Trias en milieu continental grâce à de nombreux affleurements avec des séries continues.Les facies continentaux de la coupe de Dalongkou sur le flanc sud du bassin de Junggar et de la coupe de Taoshuyuan sur le flanc nord du basin de Turpan, ont été sélectionnés pour cette thèse. Les niveaux de l’intervalle de transition Permien – Trias correspondent aux formations “Wutonggou”, “Guodikeng” et “Jiucaiyuan”. D’abondants bois fossiles et empreintes de plantes ont été découverts dans ces coupes. Des logs sédimentaires détaillés ont été levés. L’approche utilisée ici est pluridisciplinaire pour reconstruire les Paléoenvironnements avec les bois fossiles et les plantes, les patrons des cernes croissance des bois et l’analyse des microfaciès sédimentaires.Cinq genres et six espèces de bois fossiles ont été découverts. Nous établissons trois nouveaux genres: Junggaropitys, Xinjiangoxylon et un nouveau genre (soumis pour publication). La courbe CSDM (Cumulative Sum of the Deviation from Mean diameter) a été utilisée pour analyser les cernes de croissance dans le but de déterminer les conditions d’intersaisonnalité et la longévité des feuilles des arbres. Nous avons déterminé que Junggaropitys dalongkouensis est une espèce à feuilles persistantes avec les feuilles à longévité de 3 à 6 ans; le XTT-C-4 gen. et sp. nov. est également à feuilles persistantes mais avec une longévité des feuilles de 3 à 15 ans.Septomedullopitys, Junggaropitys, Xinjiangoxylon et XTT-C-4 gen. nov. montrent tous un xylème secondaire de type Protophyllocladoxylon. En accord avec l’analyse paléobiogéographique, les bois de type Protophyllocladoxylon sont principalement distribués dans une zone climatique tempérée froide dans l’hémisphère sud, dans des zones climatiques variables dans l’hémisphère nord et dans la zone équatoriale au Paléozoïque supérieurLes résultats obtenus sur les bois fossiles montrent que le climat sur la région de Junggar devait être, à la limite Permien – Trias, chaud et humide, avec des températures et une humidité restant relativement stables.Il n’existe pas de période de forte sécheresse au Trias basal. Les méga-moussons de la Paléo-Téthys n’ont pas d’influence sur la région de Junggar sur la côte est de la Pangée aux latitudes moyennes. Combiné avec les résultats précédemment obtenus, nous montrons que le climat n’a pas subit de très fortes variations entre le Permien moyen et le Trias basal.L’analyse des plantes fossiles montre que le nombre de genres et d’espèces diminue progressivement de 26 genres et 53 espèces connues dans le Wuchiapingien à 10 genres et 15 espèces dans le Changhsingien et seulement 6 genres et 7 espèces dans l’Induen. La tendance à la réduction des assemblages floristiques dans les bassins de Junggar et Turpan semble montrer que le processus d’extinction est long et graduel et a débuté bien avant la limite Permien – Trias. Durant la période de récupération post-crise des flores, les lycopsides (Annalepis) et les fougères (Neocalamites et Pecopteris) ont joué un rôle d’espèces pionnières. Trois logs stratigraphiques ont été levés pour l’analyse des facies sédimentaires. Quatre principaux environnements de dépôts ont été reconnus dans la coupe de Dalongkou. Les séries de la Formation Wutonggou se sont déposées dans un environnement de rivières en tresse et de systèmes fluviaux éphémères ou d’étangs et de plaines alluviales
Permian-Triassic transition is an important period in the Earth’s history. The end-Permian mass extinction is the Earth's most severe known extinction event. Previous studies mainly focused on the biotic events in the ocean. Recently more and more researches on the terrestrial events during the Permian-Triassic transition attracted many attentions. The Junggar and Turpan basins of Northwest China command a unique and significant position in the study of terrestrial Permian-Triassic boundary (PTB) events as it contains well and continuously exposed PTB sections. The lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, and cyclostratigraphy have been well established in the two basins. The problem we are trying to solve, based on paleobotanical studies associated with sedimentological analyses, is the environmental changes during the Permian-Triassic transition in the research area.The terrestrial facies in the Dalongkou section on the south flank of Junggar Basin and the Taoshuyuan section on the north flank of Turpan Basin have been selected as the researching ones for this thesis. The Permian-Triassic transition strata have been included in the “Wutonggou”, “Guodikeng” and “Jiucaiyuan” formations. Abundant fossil woods and plant impressions have been discovered and collected in these sections. Detailed sedimentary logs of the sections were drawn. The approach that we adopt to recognize the environmental changes is the fossil wood and plant impression species, growth-ring pattern, and sedimentary facies analysis.Five genera and six species of fossil woods were discovered. We establish three new genera: Junggaropitys, Xinjiangoxylon and a new genus (submitted for publication). The CSDM (Cumulative Sum of the Deviation from Mean diameter) curve was used to analyse the growth rings to determine the intraseasonal conditions and leaf longevity patterns of the trees. We recognise that Junggaropitys dalongkouensis is evergreen, and the leaf longevity may be 3–6 years; XTT-C-4 gen. et sp. nov. is evergreen too, and the leaf longevity may be 3 to 15 years. Septomedullopitys, Junggaropitys, Xinjiangoxylon and XTT-C-4 gen. nov. all show a Protophyllocladoxylon-type secondary xylem. According to palaeobiogeographic analysis, the Protophyllocladoxylon-type woods distributed mainly in the cool temperate climate zone of the southern hemisphere, various climate zones of the northern hemisphere and equatorial zone during the Late Paleozoic. The results of fossil woods analysis obtained in this research shows the climate in the Junggar terrane around the PTB was warm and humid and the temperature and precipitation remained relatively stable. It did not exist a heavy dryness in the earliest Triassic. Meanwhile, the Palaeo-Tethys megamonsoons did not influence the Junggar terrane along the east coast of mid-latitude Pangaea. Combined with the previously reported fossil woods, it shows that the climate had no prominent change from the Middle Permian to earliest Triassic.Plant fossil analysis show that the numbers of plant genera and species gradually decreased from 26 genera and 53 species in the Wuchiapingian, to 10 genera and 15 species in the Changhsingian, and only 6 genera and 7 species in the Induan. The trend in the plant assemblage reduction in the Junggar and Turpan basins appears to be indicative of a long, protracted extinction process that may have started well before the Permian-Triassic boundary. During the plant recovery period, the lycopsids (Annalepis) and ferns (Neocalamites and Pecopteris) played roles of pioneer species during the plant recovery period
二叠-三叠纪之交是地球历史上的关键时期。发生在二叠纪末期的大灭绝事件是最严重的生物灭绝事件。前人对此次灭绝事件的研究主要集中于海洋生物的变化，近年来越来越多的研究开始关注于这一时期陆地生态系统的变化。 位于中国西北部的准噶尔盆地和吐鲁番盆地出露了完整的陆相二叠-三叠系界线附近地层，因此在这一研究方面具有独特的优势。前期研究中在这一个地区建立了良好的岩石地层，生物地层和旋回地层格架。本文将集中解决二叠-三叠纪之交研究区的环境变化问题。我们选择了位于准噶尔盆地南缘的大龙口剖面和吐鲁番盆地北缘的桃树园剖面，两个陆相地层剖面作为论文的研究对象。在这一区域，二叠-三叠系之交地层是由梧桐沟组，锅底坑组和韭菜园组组成。我们在大龙口剖面和桃树园剖面二叠-三叠系地层中发现了大量木化石和植物印模化石，对剖面绘制了详细的地层柱状图。我们鉴定了木化石和植物印模化石种属,木化石年轮类型，分析了沉积相变化，进而用来识别研究区的环境变化。 我们对所采集到的130块木化石进行了切片，通过生物显微镜对其解剖结构进行研究，共发现了木化石5属6种，包括建立的三个新属：Junggaropitys，Xinjiangoxylon和 XTT-C-4 gen. nov.（还在审稿中）。这三个属均具有内始式的初生木质部和Protophyllocladoxylon 型次生木质部，其中Junggaropitys具有同质但异细胞的髓部；Xinjiangoxylon拥有具薄壁细胞和分泌管的髓部；XTT-C-4 gen. nov.的髓部中具有独特的板状支撑结构。我们应用CSDM曲线（平均值偏差累计曲线）分析木化石的年轮用以识别其生长季的条件和叶的寿命。CSDM曲线分析表明Junggaropitys dalongkouensis为一种常绿植物，叶的寿命为3-6年；XTT-C-4 gen. et sp. nov.也为常绿植物，叶的寿命3-15年。Septomedullopitys, Junggaropitys, Xinjiangoxylon和XTT-C-4 gen. nov.四个属的木化石均展示出Protophyllocladoxylon型次生木质部。我们对晚古生代全球发现的具有Protophyllocladoxylon型次生木质部的木化石进行了生物古地理分析，我们发现，在晚古生代，具有Protophyllocladoxylon型次生木质部植物，在南半球仅分布在冷温带地区；而在北半球和赤道地区，其分布在不同的气候带。对木化石的分析显示准噶尔地块在二叠-三叠系界线附近古气候温暖湿润，温度和降雨量相对稳定；古特提斯洋巨季风没有影响到东岸的泛大陆中纬度地区。结合前人对这一地区其他木化石研究，我们认为研究区的古气候自中二叠世至早三叠世早期没有显著的变化。植物化石分析显示，植物种属由吴家坪期的26属53种逐渐减少到长兴期的10属15种再到早三叠世印度期的6属7种。在准噶尔盆地和吐鲁番盆地，二叠-三叠系之交，植物显示了一个长时间的逐渐灭绝的过程。通过对比白垩纪-第三纪植物灭绝事件和现代恶劣环境下植物恢复的实例，我们发现石松类（脊囊属）和蕨类（新芦木属和栉羊齿属）在植物复苏阶段扮演着先驱分子的角色。我们对大龙口剖面，桃树园A和C剖面进行了沉积相分析。在大龙口剖面我们识别出4个主要的沉积相。梧桐沟组上部主要由辫状河相，短暂的河流系统或湖和冲积平原相组成。锅底坑组为湖（或池塘）相和洪泛平原相沉积。韭菜园组主要由冲积平原和湖（或池塘）相沉积组成。在桃树园地区，梧桐沟组上部至锅底坑组底部的一套地层主要是湖（或池塘）相和洪泛平原相沉积。锅底坑组下部为一套辫状河沉积。而锅底坑组上部为冲积平原和湖（或池塘）相沉积。韭菜园组主要为辫状河和洪泛平原沉积。对碎屑岩的样品岩相学分析显示跨越二叠-三叠系界线，沉积物物源一致。其中火山碎屑物来源于多个火山源。大龙口剖面和桃树园剖面在界线附近沉积物的物源保持一致，这说明，这两个剖面在二叠-三叠系之交时期处于同一个盆地，而博格达山隆起晚于这一时间。灰岩样品指示了湖泊环境的沉积。二叠纪末期的植物灭绝降低了河岸的强度，增加了坡地的沉积物的提供，进而增加了河道中沉积物的卸载。这导致了研究区在吴家坪期和长兴期界线附近和早三叠世的两次沉积相的改变。

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2009.
Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 240 p. : ill. (some col.), maps (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

The link between vegetation and climate change during the Pennsylvanian Subperiod is of significant scientific interest, in part due to the similarities between that time and the present day. These are the only two intervals in Earth's history with comparable levels of polar ice, and widespread tropical vegetation. Extensive coal deposits were formed in areas of wetland vegetation dominated by arborescent lycopsids. A change in composition and westwards decline of these coal swamps across Euramerica, began in the Middle Pennsylvanian. The South Wales Coalfield possesses potentially the most complete terrestrial record of the Middle Pennsylvanian Subperiod and thus a unique resource for the study of this time. Initially changes in atmospheric concentration of CO2 were to be assessed via measurement of stomatal index. Considerable experimentation with various techniques for obtaining cuticle revealed this to be impossible, preservation being variable but consistently too poor for the identification of stomata. Therefore petrographic analysis of coal was utilised to investigate environmental change, principally peat hydrology. Samples were collected through 24 seams across the South Wales Coalfield. Optical analysis of macerals, the plant derived microscopic components of coal, was used to develop a new petrographic technique for defining maceral facies from detrended correspondence analysis of maceral composition data. These changes are compared to group level changes in the palynological assemblages of roof shales which revealed a clear change in dominance from lycopsids to ferns. I interpret a transition, initiated earliest in the West of the basin, from waterlogged environments dominated by rheotrophic peat substrates and lycopsid vegetation, to a better drained environment with expanded areas of clastic substrate and fern dominated vegetation. Signals from petrographic and palynological data are similar, but due to taphonomic factors these diverge from that from macroflora, the former indicating an earlier decline in lycopsid vegetation during the Bolsovian substage. The coeval northwards migration of the Variscan front, and influx of coarse clastic sediment, is presented as the principal driver of the interpreted environmental and vegetational change in South Wales. The present study supports the model proposed as a result of the IGCP 469 project that the role of climate change may have increased globally as the coal swamps contracted, a positive feedback loop being established in which the progressive loss of a significant carbon sink contributed to the establishment of conditions less favourable for the dominant forest vegetation and thereby their further decline.

La transition Crétacé inférieur-Crétacé supérieur (environ 100 millions d'années) marque une période cruciale pour l'évolution de certaines plantes à graines. Elle correspond à la rapide radiation des plantes à fleurs et à la réorganisation écologique des Angiospermes et des conifères. Cependant, notre connaissance des plantes à graines durant le Crétacé moyen et en Laurasie reste encore très partielle. Pendant la dernière décennie, la microtomographie synchrotron s'est avérée une technique d'imagerie très performante pour l'étude les structures internes de divers fossiles. Jusqu'à maintenant, les applications de cette technique n'ont été que très limitées en paléobotanique. C'est dans ce contexte que cette thèse s'est intéressée : (1) au développement de nouvelles approches d'imagerie par tomographie, utiles en paléobotanique, et sur différents types de préservation ; (2) à l'utilisation de ces nouvelles approches pour compléter notre connaissance de la morpho-anatomie, la systématique, la diversité, et l'écologie des plantes à graines laurasiatiques du Crétacé moyen. Ainsi, un peu plus d'une centaine de spécimens (e.g. inflorescences, fleurs, fruits, et grains de pollen d'Angiospermes ; cônes and axes feuillés de conifères) provenant de gisements paléontologiques français ont été étudiés par tomographie synchrotron. Pour la première fois, de nombreuses fleurs très diversifiées sont décrites dans les dépôts cénomaniens de Charente-Maritime et du Gard (Ouest et Sud-Est de la France). Dans certains cas, toutes les unités florales du périanthe, de l'androcée, et du gynécée sont préservées. Un nouveau protocole combinant microtomographie par contraste de phase de propagation et nano-holotomographie a été développé pour étudier des petits spécimens isolés tels que des fleurs préservées sous forme de fusain ou de lignite (taille de voxel proche de 50 nm). Les données tomographiques permettent de les décrire de la morphologie générale à la paroi des grains de pollen, in situ, dans les étamines. Ces fleurs sont majoritairement attribuées à des Lauraceae et des Platanaceae. De plus, des nodules siliceux, opaques, denses, et contenant des inclusions végétales sont ici signalés dans les dépôts cénomaniens de Charente-Maritime. Ils contiennent d'abondants restes de conifères. Ils sont préservés sous forme de perminéralisation siliceuse et en trois dimensions. Ce travail propose un protocole tomographique multi-échelles, haute résolution et haute énergie, utile à l'étude d'inclusions végétales contenues à l'intérieur de nodules rocheux de grande dimension. Le conifère Glenrosa est décrit pour la première fois, de la morphologie générale des structures végétatives et reproductives à l'histologie. Ce travail soutient que pendant le Cénomanien, les environnements les plus ouverts sur la mer étaient dominés par les conifères alors que les milieux littoraux plus internes et protégés montraient quant à eux des flores à dominante angiospermienne
The Lower Cretaceous-Upper Cretaceous transition (about 100 million years ago) stands as a crucial period for the evolution of some seed plants. It consists of the brutal radiation of flowering plants and an ecological reorganisation of Angiosperms and conifers. However, our knowledge of mid-Cretaceous Laurasian seed plants remains partial. During the last decade, synchrotron microtomography has successfully been employed for non-destructively imaging inner structures of various types of fossil remains. To date, the applications of this technique in palaeobotany are still limited. This thesis focuses on: (1) developing new tomographic imaging approaches at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF, Grenoble, France), relevant to palaeobotany, and especially for investigating various kinds of plant preservations; (2) applying these approaches to improve our knowledge about the morpho-anatomy, the systematics, the diversity, and the ecology of Laurasian seed plants during the mid-Cretaceous. Hundreds of unique or rare mid-Cretaceous fossil plant specimens (e.g. inflorescences, flowers, fruits, and pollen grains of Angiosperms; cones and leafy axes of conifers) from French Cretaceous deposits were imaged and investigated using several new synchrotron tomographic protocols. For the first time, abundant and diverse fossil flowers are described from the Cenomanian deposits of Charente-Maritime and Gard (western and southeastern France, respectively). In some cases, all floral units of the perianth, the androecium, and the gynoecium are preserved. A new tomographic approach combining propagation phase contrast X-ray microtomography and nano-holotomography was developed to image those small and isolated plant specimens such as charcoalified/lignitized fossil flowers (up to 50 nm of voxel size). This allows the description of fossil flowers, from their gross morphology to the micromorphology of the exine of in situ pollen grains inside stamens. They are mainly and unambiguously ascribed to Lauraceae and Platanaceae. In addition, large, opaque and dense silica-rich flint nodules containing plant inclusions are reported from the Cenomanian deposits of Charente-Maritime. They contain abundant hidden conifer. These Cenomanian conifers are exceptionally well-preserved in three dimensions and consist of siliceous permineralisation. We propose a multiscale, high resolution and high energy tomographic protocol useful for the study of plant inclusions contained inside large rocky nodules. We study the partially unexplored extinct conifer Glenrosa, from the gross morphology to the histology of its vegetative and reproductive structures. This work supports that during the Cenomanian and in coastal areas, on the one hand, palaeoenvironments which were highly influenced by marine inputs were probably dominated by conifers. On the other hand, innermost and protected palaeoenvironments showed Angiosperm-dominated floras

La transition Permien – Trias est une période importante dans l’histoire de la Terre. L’extinction en masse de la fin du Permien est l’événement d’extinction le plus sévère de l’histoire de la vie sur Terre. Les études précédentes se sont principalement focalisées sur les événements biotiques en milieux océaniques. Récemment, de plus en plus de nouvelles recherches se sont développées sur les événements en milieu continental.Les bassins de Junggar et de Turpan en Chine du Nord, présentent une opportunité unique d’étudier la limite Permien – Trias en milieu continental grâce à de nombreux affleurements avec des séries continues.Les facies continentaux de la coupe de Dalongkou sur le flanc sud du bassin de Junggar et de la coupe de Taoshuyuan sur le flanc nord du basin de Turpan, ont été sélectionnés pour cette thèse. Les niveaux de l’intervalle de transition Permien – Trias correspondent aux formations “Wutonggou”, “Guodikeng” et “Jiucaiyuan”. D’abondants bois fossiles et empreintes de plantes ont été découverts dans ces coupes. Des logs sédimentaires détaillés ont été levés. L’approche utilisée ici est pluridisciplinaire pour reconstruire les Paléoenvironnements avec les bois fossiles et les plantes, les patrons des cernes croissance des bois et l’analyse des microfaciès sédimentaires.Cinq genres et six espèces de bois fossiles ont été découverts. Nous établissons trois nouveaux genres: Junggaropitys, Xinjiangoxylon et un nouveau genre (soumis pour publication). La courbe CSDM (Cumulative Sum of the Deviation from Mean diameter) a été utilisée pour analyser les cernes de croissance dans le but de déterminer les conditions d’intersaisonnalité et la longévité des feuilles des arbres. Nous avons déterminé que Junggaropitys dalongkouensis est une espèce à feuilles persistantes avec les feuilles à longévité de 3 à 6 ans; le XTT-C-4 gen. et sp. nov. est également à feuilles persistantes mais avec une longévité des feuilles de 3 à 15 ans.Septomedullopitys, Junggaropitys, Xinjiangoxylon et XTT-C-4 gen. nov. montrent tous un xylème secondaire de type Protophyllocladoxylon. En accord avec l’analyse paléobiogéographique, les bois de type Protophyllocladoxylon sont principalement distribués dans une zone climatique tempérée froide dans l’hémisphère sud, dans des zones climatiques variables dans l’hémisphère nord et dans la zone équatoriale au Paléozoïque supérieurLes résultats obtenus sur les bois fossiles montrent que le climat sur la région de Junggar devait être, à la limite Permien – Trias, chaud et humide, avec des températures et une humidité restant relativement stables.Il n’existe pas de période de forte sécheresse au Trias basal. Les méga-moussons de la Paléo-Téthys n’ont pas d’influence sur la région de Junggar sur la côte est de la Pangée aux latitudes moyennes. Combiné avec les résultats précédemment obtenus, nous montrons que le climat n’a pas subit de très fortes variations entre le Permien moyen et le Trias basal.L’analyse des plantes fossiles montre que le nombre de genres et d’espèces diminue progressivement de 26 genres et 53 espèces connues dans le Wuchiapingien à 10 genres et 15 espèces dans le Changhsingien et seulement 6 genres et 7 espèces dans l’Induen. La tendance à la réduction des assemblages floristiques dans les bassins de Junggar et Turpan semble montrer que le processus d’extinction est long et graduel et a débuté bien avant la limite Permien – Trias. Durant la période de récupération post-crise des flores, les lycopsides (Annalepis) et les fougères (Neocalamites et Pecopteris) ont joué un rôle d’espèces pionnières. Trois logs stratigraphiques ont été levés pour l’analyse des facies sédimentaires. Quatre principaux environnements de dépôts ont été reconnus dans la coupe de Dalongkou. Les séries de la Formation Wutonggou se sont déposées dans un environnement de rivières en tresse et de systèmes fluviaux éphémères ou d’étangs et de plaines alluviales
Permian-Triassic transition is an important period in the Earth’s history. The end-Permian mass extinction is the Earth's most severe known extinction event. Previous studies mainly focused on the biotic events in the ocean. Recently more and more researches on the terrestrial events during the Permian-Triassic transition attracted many attentions. The Junggar and Turpan basins of Northwest China command a unique and significant position in the study of terrestrial Permian-Triassic boundary (PTB) events as it contains well and continuously exposed PTB sections. The lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, and cyclostratigraphy have been well established in the two basins. The problem we are trying to solve, based on paleobotanical studies associated with sedimentological analyses, is the environmental changes during the Permian-Triassic transition in the research area.The terrestrial facies in the Dalongkou section on the south flank of Junggar Basin and the Taoshuyuan section on the north flank of Turpan Basin have been selected as the researching ones for this thesis. The Permian-Triassic transition strata have been included in the “Wutonggou”, “Guodikeng” and “Jiucaiyuan” formations. Abundant fossil woods and plant impressions have been discovered and collected in these sections. Detailed sedimentary logs of the sections were drawn. The approach that we adopt to recognize the environmental changes is the fossil wood and plant impression species, growth-ring pattern, and sedimentary facies analysis.Five genera and six species of fossil woods were discovered. We establish three new genera: Junggaropitys, Xinjiangoxylon and a new genus (submitted for publication). The CSDM (Cumulative Sum of the Deviation from Mean diameter) curve was used to analyse the growth rings to determine the intraseasonal conditions and leaf longevity patterns of the trees. We recognise that Junggaropitys dalongkouensis is evergreen, and the leaf longevity may be 3–6 years; XTT-C-4 gen. et sp. nov. is evergreen too, and the leaf longevity may be 3 to 15 years. Septomedullopitys, Junggaropitys, Xinjiangoxylon and XTT-C-4 gen. nov. all show a Protophyllocladoxylon-type secondary xylem. According to palaeobiogeographic analysis, the Protophyllocladoxylon-type woods distributed mainly in the cool temperate climate zone of the southern hemisphere, various climate zones of the northern hemisphere and equatorial zone during the Late Paleozoic. The results of fossil woods analysis obtained in this research shows the climate in the Junggar terrane around the PTB was warm and humid and the temperature and precipitation remained relatively stable. It did not exist a heavy dryness in the earliest Triassic. Meanwhile, the Palaeo-Tethys megamonsoons did not influence the Junggar terrane along the east coast of mid-latitude Pangaea. Combined with the previously reported fossil woods, it shows that the climate had no prominent change from the Middle Permian to earliest Triassic.Plant fossil analysis show that the numbers of plant genera and species gradually decreased from 26 genera and 53 species in the Wuchiapingian, to 10 genera and 15 species in the Changhsingian, and only 6 genera and 7 species in the Induan. The trend in the plant assemblage reduction in the Junggar and Turpan basins appears to be indicative of a long, protracted extinction process that may have started well before the Permian-Triassic boundary. During the plant recovery period, the lycopsids (Annalepis) and ferns (Neocalamites and Pecopteris) played roles of pioneer species during the plant recovery period
二叠-三叠纪之交是地球历史上的关键时期。发生在二叠纪末期的大灭绝事件是最严重的生物灭绝事件。前人对此次灭绝事件的研究主要集中于海洋生物的变化，近年来越来越多的研究开始关注于这一时期陆地生态系统的变化。 位于中国西北部的准噶尔盆地和吐鲁番盆地出露了完整的陆相二叠-三叠系界线附近地层，因此在这一研究方面具有独特的优势。前期研究中在这一个地区建立了良好的岩石地层，生物地层和旋回地层格架。本文将集中解决二叠-三叠纪之交研究区的环境变化问题。我们选择了位于准噶尔盆地南缘的大龙口剖面和吐鲁番盆地北缘的桃树园剖面，两个陆相地层剖面作为论文的研究对象。在这一区域，二叠-三叠系之交地层是由梧桐沟组，锅底坑组和韭菜园组组成。我们在大龙口剖面和桃树园剖面二叠-三叠系地层中发现了大量木化石和植物印模化石，对剖面绘制了详细的地层柱状图。我们鉴定了木化石和植物印模化石种属,木化石年轮类型，分析了沉积相变化，进而用来识别研究区的环境变化。 我们对所采集到的130块木化石进行了切片，通过生物显微镜对其解剖结构进行研究，共发现了木化石5属6种，包括建立的三个新属：Junggaropitys，Xinjiangoxylon和 XTT-C-4 gen. nov.（还在审稿中）。这三个属均具有内始式的初生木质部和Protophyllocladoxylon 型次生木质部，其中Junggaropitys具有同质但异细胞的髓部；Xinjiangoxylon拥有具薄壁细胞和分泌管的髓部；XTT-C-4 gen. nov.的髓部中具有独特的板状支撑结构。我们应用CSDM曲线（平均值偏差累计曲线）分析木化石的年轮用以识别其生长季的条件和叶的寿命。CSDM曲线分析表明Junggaropitys dalongkouensis为一种常绿植物，叶的寿命为3-6年；XTT-C-4 gen. et sp. nov.也为常绿植物，叶的寿命3-15年。Septomedullopitys, Junggaropitys, Xinjiangoxylon和XTT-C-4 gen. nov.四个属的木化石均展示出Protophyllocladoxylon型次生木质部。我们对晚古生代全球发现的具有Protophyllocladoxylon型次生木质部的木化石进行了生物古地理分析，我们发现，在晚古生代，具有Protophyllocladoxylon型次生木质部植物，在南半球仅分布在冷温带地区；而在北半球和赤道地区，其分布在不同的气候带。对木化石的分析显示准噶尔地块在二叠-三叠系界线附近古气候温暖湿润，温度和降雨量相对稳定；古特提斯洋巨季风没有影响到东岸的泛大陆中纬度地区。结合前人对这一地区其他木化石研究，我们认为研究区的古气候自中二叠世至早三叠世早期没有显著的变化。植物化石分析显示，植物种属由吴家坪期的26属53种逐渐减少到长兴期的10属15种再到早三叠世印度期的6属7种。在准噶尔盆地和吐鲁番盆地，二叠-三叠系之交，植物显示了一个长时间的逐渐灭绝的过程。通过对比白垩纪-第三纪植物灭绝事件和现代恶劣环境下植物恢复的实例，我们发现石松类（脊囊属）和蕨类（新芦木属和栉羊齿属）在植物复苏阶段扮演着先驱分子的角色。我们对大龙口剖面，桃树园A和C剖面进行了沉积相分析。在大龙口剖面我们识别出4个主要的沉积相。梧桐沟组上部主要由辫状河相，短暂的河流系统或湖和冲积平原相组成。锅底坑组为湖（或池塘）相和洪泛平原相沉积。韭菜园组主要由冲积平原和湖（或池塘）相沉积组成。在桃树园地区，梧桐沟组上部至锅底坑组底部的一套地层主要是湖（或池塘）相和洪泛平原相沉积。锅底坑组下部为一套辫状河沉积。而锅底坑组上部为冲积平原和湖（或池塘）相沉积。韭菜园组主要为辫状河和洪泛平原沉积。对碎屑岩的样品岩相学分析显示跨越二叠-三叠系界线，沉积物物源一致。其中火山碎屑物来源于多个火山源。大龙口剖面和桃树园剖面在界线附近沉积物的物源保持一致，这说明，这两个剖面在二叠-三叠系之交时期处于同一个盆地，而博格达山隆起晚于这一时间。灰岩样品指示了湖泊环境的沉积。二叠纪末期的植物灭绝降低了河岸的强度，增加了坡地的沉积物的提供，进而增加了河道中沉积物的卸载。这导致了研究区在吴家坪期和长兴期界线附近和早三叠世的两次沉积相的改变。

In an effort to lower future CO2 emissions, a wide range of technologies are being developed to scrub CO2 from the flue gases of fossil fuel-based electric power and industrial plants. This thesis models two leading post-combustion CO2 capture technologies, a chilled ammonia-based CO2 capture process and an advanced amine-based CO2 capture process, and presents performance and cost estimates of these systems on pulverized coal and natural gas combined cycle power plants. The process modeling software package Aspen Plus® was used to develop performance and cost estimates for the chilled ammonia-based CO2 capture technology and general response surface equations were created for the model. Assumptions about plant financing and utilization, as well as uncertainties in cooling costs and chemical reaction rates that affect absorber cost were found to produce a wide range of cost estimates for ammonia-based CO2 capture systems. With uncertainties included, costs for a supercritical power plant with ammonia-based CO2 capture ranged from $80/MWh to $160/MWh, with the 95% confidence interval ranging from $95/MWh to $143/MWh (with all costs in constant 2007 US dollars). For the advanced amine-based CO2 capture technology, an existing amine-based response surface model developed using Protreat® simulations was modified to match the performance and cost characteristics of a modern amine-based system. The response surface models of both technologies were incorporated into the Integrated Environmental Control Model for use in developing performance and cost estimates of pulverized coal and natural gas combined cycle power plants with these technologies. The baseline costs for a supercritical power plant with advanced amine-based CO2 capture was $105/MWh and for the natural gas combined cycle power plant with advanced amine-based CO2 capture was $85/MWh. Both post-combustion CO2 capture technologies are then compared in terms of performance and cost for different ranges of fuel type, fuel cost, plant size, and CO2 capture system train size. A probabilistic cost difference analysis is also used to compare these technologies. The aminebased CO2 capture system is found to have a higher revenue requirement in all the case studies and only a 2% chance of having a lower revenue requirement than the advanced amine system in the probabilistic cost difference. Combined, these results suggest that the advanced amine system will have a cost advantage over the ammonia system in most cases, in the absence of significant new improvements in the ammonia system design. Finally, the importance of these estimates for policy makers is discussed.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wyoming, 2008.
Title from PDF title page (viewed on Mar. 26, 2010). Raw data available as a supplemental file in Microsoft Excel. Includes bibliographical references (p. 31-37).

Le Crétacé a été une période d'instabilité climatique et du cycle du carbone, dont le CO2 atmosphérique a été désigné comme le driver majeur. Cependant, les reconstitutions du CO2 atmosphérique ne reflètent ni les dynamiques climatiques ni les grands évènements de perturbation du cycle du carbone décrits pour cette période. J'ai utilisé la composition isotopique de carbone de la plante fossile Frenelopsis (d13Cleaf) comme un nouvel proxy pour reconstituer le CO2 atmosphérique du Crétacé en termes de composition isotopique de carbone (d13CCO2) et de concentration (pCO2). La première courbe de d13CCO2 pour toute la durée du Crétacé a été construite à partir du d13C des carbonates marins. Sa comparaison avec des estimations de d13CCO2 à partir du d13Cleaf a révélé que les modèles développés jusqu'à maintenant ont une tendance à exagérer les valeurs de d13CCO2. Des estimations du fractionnement isotopique du carbone issu par des plantes (13Cleaf) obtenues à partir des nouvelles données d e d13Cleaf et d13CCO2 ont permis de reconstituer l'évolution à grande échelle de la pCO2. Ces résultats indiquent que le CO2 a probablement été une conséquence à long terme du changement climatique durant le Crétacé. Des cycles de d13CCO2 de ~1.2, ~2.1, ~5.4 et ~10.2 Ma ont été détectés, synchrones à ceux du niveau de la mer et à la cyclicité des paramètres de l'orbite terrestre décrits pour le Mésozoïque. Mes résultats fournissent une nouvelle perspective du système climatique et du cycle du carbone du Crétacé, dominés principalement par les paramètres orbitaux de la Terre et secondairement par des évènements catastrophiques de libération de CO2 d'origine volcanique dans l'atmosphère
The Cretaceous was a period characterized by strongly marked climate change and major carbon cycle instability. Atmospheric CO2 has repeatedly been pointed out as a major agent involved in these changing conditions during the period. However, long-term trends in CO2 described for the Cretaceous are not consistent with those of temperature and the large disturbance events of the carbon cycle described for the period. This raises a double question of whether descriptions of the long-term evolution of atmospheric CO2 made so far are accurate or, if so, atmospheric CO2 was actually a major driver of carbon cycle and climate dynamics as usually stated. In this thesis the close relationship between the carbon isotope composition of plants and atmospheric CO2 is used to address this question. Based on its ecological significance, distribution, morphological features and its excellent preservation, the fossil conifer genus Frenelopsis is proposed as a new plant proxy for climate reconstructions during the Cretaceous. The capacity of carbon isotope compositions of Frenelopsis leaves (d13Cleaf) to reconstruct past atmospheric CO2, with regards to both carbon isotope composition (d13CCO2) and concentration (pCO2), is tested based on materials coming from twelve Cretaceous episodes. To provide a framework to test the capacity of d13Cleaf to reconstruct d13CCO2 and allowing for climate estimates from carbon isotope discrimination by plants (?13Cleaf), a new d13CCO2 curve for the Cretaceous based on carbon isotope compositions of marine carbonates has been constructed. Comparison with d13Cleaf-based d13CCO2 estimates reveals that although d13CCO2 and d13Cleaf values follow consistent trends, models developed so far to estimate d13CCO2 from d13Cleaf tend to exaggerate d13CCO2 trends because of assuming a linear relationship between both values. However, given the hyperbolic relationship between ?13Cleaf and pCO2, by considering an independently-estimated correction factor for pCO2 for a given episode, d13Cleaf values may be a valuable proxy for d13CCO2 reconstructions. ?13Cleaf estimates obtained from d13CCO2 and d13Cleaf values were used to reconstruct the long-term evolution of pCO2. The magnitude of estimated pCO2 values is in accordance with that of the most recent and relevant model- and proxy-based pCO2 reconstructions. However, these new results evidence long-term drawdowns of pCO2 for Cretaceous time intervals in which temperature maxima have been described

A newly discovered fern-like fossil plant is described from the Lower Upper Devonian of southern Ellesmere. This plant occurs as an element of an Archaeopteris dominated flora preserved in sediments of the Nordstrand Point Formation (mid-late Frasnian) at Bird Fiord. The plant demonstrates a pinnate vegetative system with three orders of branch and laminate pinnules, of a general sphenopteroid type. Primary pinnae usually diverge from the main axis in distichous pairs (Le., in a quadriseriate manner), but rarely depart singly (i.e., in a biseriate manner). Each primary pinna bears an aphlebia in the catadromic position. Laminate pinnules are broadly lobed with a proximally overtopped vein system. Anatomically, this plant is characterized by an elongate, mesarch, bipolar protostele that is ribbon to clepsydroid in shape. Proximal to each primary pinna node, an initially crescent-shaped, bipolar pinna trace diverges from the main axis stele. This trace appears to become four-ribbed before dividing to yield a pair of bipolar primary pinna traces. A pair of circular, centrarch aphlebia traces depart from the catadromic ribs of a primary pinna trace in its four-ribbed stage. Protoxylem is helically thickened, with metaxylem pitting ranging from scalariform to circular. Secondary xylem is unknown. Both the morphology and anatomy of this plant are non-gymnospermous and suggest affinity instead with zygopterid ferns. Within the Zygopteridales, this plant seems to align most closely with the Rhacopytaceae. The Frasnian dating of this plant suggests that laminated foliage had been achieved by some zygopterid ferns long before previously recognized. The presence of Sphenopteris-like pinnules in this Frasnian plant also shows that one should be careful in attributing such foliage to early gymnosperms.
Master of Science

During the last deglaciation, 15,000 to 12,000 calendar years ago, global warming and wholesale shifts in regional precipitation patterns produced dramatic changes in vegetation worldwide. Paleobotanical records, namely pollen and macrofossils, have been used not only to reconstruct shifts in plant distributions and abundances, but also to quantify changes in temperature and precipitation amounts or seasonality. In addition to climatic change, during the full glacial period atmospheric CO₂ values had dropped 30% to 200 ppmv compared to the Holocene, preindustrial value of 280 ppmv. Hypothetically, variations in atmospheric CO₂ affect plant water-use efficiency (carbon gained to plant-water transpired) and thus may have modulated vegetation response as climates change. The studies incorporated in this dissertation focused upon carbon isotope and morphological changes in leaves of key functional groups. The studies concentrated on plant species that are abundant in the fossil record and comprise major floral components of past and present vegetation. Key findings include: (1) that shifts in δ¹³C in modern populations along steep environmental gradients seldom exceeds inter-plant variability at a given site, (2) inter-plant and intra-site variability in modern and historic herbarium collections of the C₄ halophytes Altriplex canescens and A. confertilfolia and packrat midden macrofossils of A. canescens excludes their use as a reliable proxy for atmospheric δ¹³C, (3) calcium-oxalate crystals are common component in plant tissue and can have a significantly different δ¹³C value that increases inter-plant variability, especially in C₄ plants such as Atriplex canescens and A. confertifolia, (4) carbon isotope and stomatal density/index measurements of macrofossils from packrat middens show species specific adaptation in ecophysiological processes as atmospheric CO₂ rose from the full glacial, and (5) the greatest adaptation to low atmospheric CO₂ during the last ice age was in the C₃ species and that C₄ and CAM plants showed few changes in their discrimination against ¹³C or in the number of stomata on their leaf surfaces.

Macroscopical and microscopical observations on extant and fossil plants have been made. Observations on extant plants led to study the effects of volcanic gases on the cuticle ultrastructure of Pinus halepensis and Erica arborea sampled in the volcanic area of Phlegrean Italy. TEM observations on P. halepensis cuticles fumigated or not by volcanic gases revealed: 1) insignificant thickness variations of the cell wall plus cuticle among current- and first-year-old needles of both fumigated and not fumigated trees; 2) a calcium oxalate accumulation in fumigated leaves; 3) moreover, in respect to the cell surface, fibrils are disposed parallel to the surface of the cuticle. In specimens of E. arborea fumigated or not by volcanic gases, 1) the total thickness of cuticles varies significantly; 2) in plants experiencing chronic fumigation the A2 layer increases its thickness. As for fossil plants, the cuticles of Cretaceous Fossil-Lagertätten of Cusano Mutri and Pietraroja have been studied. In the former: 1) numerous taxa belonging to conifers have been identified; 2) the new species Frenelopsis cusanensis has been described; 3) Montsechia vidalii has been found outside of Spain. Taxonomical studies allowed the description of typical Euro-Sinian fossil plants. Sedimentological and taxonomical studies suggest semi-arid or arid conditions in a subtropical or tropical climate. It is worth noting as for Cusano Mutri locality, evidence of wildfire (fusain) suggests a periodic combination of arid periods, high temperatures and lightning strikes.

The demand for fossil fuels by Ontario's conventional steam power generation sector is examined. It is hypothesised that the enactment of a carbon fee policy will induce a change in the relative prices of the three fuels used in this sector (coal, natural gas and heavy fuel oil). This would lead to substantial interfuel substitution and greenhouse gas abatement. The demand share equations for the three fuels are derived from the translog functional form and set in a simulation model to estimate the value of a carbon fee necessary, to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in compliance with the Kyoto Protocol. Results suggest that a fuel specific carbon fee policy would be successful in achieving the desired emissions reduction at a negligible net cost to society.

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xvii, 106 p. : ill., maps. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number.
This dissertation establishes the age, depositional environment, composition, and climatic conditions for the Cape Blanco flora. The paleotemperature estimated by the Cape Blanco flora, the Temblor flora of California, and the Seldovia flora of Alaska are then compared with sea surface temperatures estimated from oxygen isotope analysis of benthic foraminifera. The unconformity-bound shallow marine sandstone of Floras Lake includes a redeposited tuff bed which contains fossil leaves at Cape Blanco. An 40 Ar/ 39 Ar age of 18.26 ± 0.86 Ma is presented for the tuff as well as a paleomagnetic stratigraphy of the sandstone. Sedimentary structures of the tuff bed are evidence that the tuff was deposited at or just above the strand line. The depth of tuff deposition was shallower than the adjacent marine sands, and this short-lived shoaling may have been a result of increased sediment supply. The fossil flora was an oak forest with numerous species of Fagaceae. Additional components include lanceolate Salicaceae leaves, entire margined Lauraceae, fragmentary Betulaceae, and lobed Platanaceae. Coniferous debris, charcoal, Equisetales, and Typhaceae forms are also figured. Ten leaf forms could not be confidently assigned to established names but are described, figured, and called angiosperm forms 1-10. In total 44 unique forms are identified. The size and margin type of the dicot specimens are quantified, and by comparison with known modern floras, a former mean annual precipitation of 201 (+86, -61) cm and a former mean annual temperature of 18.26 ± 2.6°C are estimated. The paleotemperature of the ∼17.5 Ma Seldovia Flora and the ∼17.5 Ma Temblor Flora are estimated using the same method, establishing a ∼0.7°C per degree of latitude temperature gradient for the northern hemisphere temperate zone. The leaf based gradient is steeper than the sea surface temperature gradient, of ∼0.26°C per degree of latitude as estimated from oxygen isotopic composition of foraminifera collected from ocean sediment cores. Both fossil leaf and isotope methods suggest that the early Miocene was ∼5°C warmer than today. This thesis includes unpublished co-authored material.
Committee in charge: Gregory Retallack, Chairperson, Geological Sciences; Rebecca Dorsey, Member, Geological Sciences; Joshua Roering, Member, Geological Sciences; Barbara Roy, Outside Member, Biology

Low pressure steam turbine last stage blade behaviour was investigated and researched over duration of this PhD project period. The aim of the research was to enhance the life of last stage blades by investigation and mitigation of the accumulative damage throughout the life of the turbine blade. The research was mainly broken down in to three main themes covering erosion, High Cycle Fatigue in industrial service and High Cycle Fatigue under laboratory conditions. The three themes were then further analysed during the research analysis for correlation and the extent of accumulative damage contribution during each stage. An accumulative damage model was constructed together with mathematical expressions for each stage of accumulative damage. The erosion damage model was constructed first and separately, followed by a separate damage model for crack initiation and propagation. After this a combined damage model was constructed to represent accumulative damage throughout the turbine blade lifecycle. After the damage mechanisms were researched and understood, a damage mitigation model was constructed consisting of primary damage mechanisms and secondary damage mechanisms. The primary damage mechanisms were then investigated further and a life extension technique developed to increase turbine blade life by reducing damage rates per turbine start, giving more starts life capability to the last stage blades. The secondary mitigation mechanisms was not covered in this project and regarded as future work under the low pressure turbine life extension possibilities. The research work also gave a spin off which allowed the author to conduct and finish a separate piece of work of designing the problem out through redesigning the turbine blade and condenser space in conjunction with leading experts from the industry.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the possibility of paleoentomology as a proxy in garden archaeology research. Garden contexts can prove difficult to identify and interpret due to the many changes the contexts go through during their activity period. Mixing of materials, harvesting and cultivation of many different plants will affect the environmental data that is retrieved from them and thus our interpretation of horticulture. This essay looks at the contexts and materials involved in the gardening process; irrigation sources, fertilizer, garden plant macrofossils and modern ecological insect and host plant relationships. The goal is to suggest a conceptual indicator group of insect and plant species that could aid in the identification of garden context and the in situ growth of relic plants. Paleoentomological information from the relating contexts (middens, composts, wells etc.) and other indicator groups have been included along with the ecological data in order to get a more complex picture over the garden contexts and their varying content. For instance, many of the plants found in garden soils are recorded as host plants to several insect species. This paper argues that investigation of these relationships can aid garden archaeology and further our understanding of herbivorous insects’ and associated species’ relationships to plant domestication in pre-history.

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Tese (Doutoramento)
IPEN/T
Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN/CNEN-SP

The human effort to continuously improve their standard of living in conjunction with the rapid growth of world‟s population, the reckless and the wasteful misuse of energy reserves threaten to lead mankind in an energy deadlock. In an effort to realize the size of the waste of our planet‟s available energy resources, we only need to point out that people have spent the last century stocks of raw materials and energy, which were saved and produced during the lifetime of our planet. The management of the energy systems in a proper and best way is considered to be essential worldwide. In this project the energy system of Greece is studied. The power production systems used in different sectors of life were analyzed. The study emphasized in the electricity production from different sources. Lignite electricity power plants were first introduced in the country followed by the gas power plants and Renewable Energy Sources (RES) installations. The deregulation of electricity market formed the new energy scenery of the country. Electricity grid reinforcements with smart metering and energy storage proved to be necessary in order the RES to be fully penetrated to the national grid, so as Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions to be reduced as much as possible. The further expansion of RES could help to cope with the barriers of the country‟s electrification due to singularity of hundred islands that are not yet interconnected to the mainland. Analytical theory methods and numerical skills used to derive the appropriate data and results. Installed capacity of the power sources was verified as well as costs and polluted emissions per unit and type of sources involved. Weaknesses and abnormalities of the electric system were pointed out. Proved gains from the RES use were verified for ensuring the sustainability of the country‟s energy system

The Middle-Late Triassic ∂13Corg trend and the Carnian Pluvial Event C-isotope signature After the Permian/Triassic mass extinction, the Early – lowermost Middle Triassic carbon cycle was extremely unstable (see Figure I for a Triassic Time Scale). The global ∂13Ccarb curve (e.g. Korte et al., 2005) shows a series of large short-term excursions, tentatively associated to a limited biological recovery that characterized this time interval. Carbonate carbon isotopic values seem to stabilize during the Anisian (Middle Triassic), when a Middle – early Late Triassic positive secular trend of 3-4 ‰ begins. This ∂13C rise has been linked to the re-establishment of carbon burial and the re-emergence of coal-swamps (Korte et al., 2005). However, a deeper comprehension of this great ∂13C rise is still necessary: the available data come from carbonates, that reflect the complex marine environment and are very dispersed, then the shape of the curve is not clear. Many questions are open: is the trend really a slow long ∂13C rise or does it rather take place by steps, in one or few short time intervals? If so, which are the causes of these putative steps? Can we observe the same positive shift also in the atmospheric ∂13C? By the end of the Early Carnian (Julian), the ∂13C of carbonates reached already its maximum values of ca. 3.5 ‰ (Korte et al., 2005). However, a short-term climatic episode of late Julian age is documented worldwide at least at tropical latitudes (e.g., Rigo et al., 2007). This episode, known as “Carnian Pluvial Event” or CPE, is characterized by the demise of rimmed carbonate platforms, an increase of coarse terrigenous input, paleosols indicative of a relatively humid climate and a rise of the Carbonate Compensation Depth in the deep Tethys sea. Such characteristics are similar to those of Jurassic and Cretaceous Oceanic Anoxic Events (OAE), that are characterized by significant perturbations of the carbon cycle (Rigo et al., 2007). This work aimed at building a Middle – early Late Triassic ∂13C curve based on terrestrial organic matter (wood, leaves and biomarkers) and testing whether a carbon isotope shift is associated with the CPE. In recent years, researchers have performed C-isotopic analyses of many types of specific structures and compounds exclusively associated with terrestrial land plants, including wood (e.g., Hesselbo et al., 2007), cuticles (e.g., Arens and Jahren, 2000) and pollen (e.g., Jahren, 2004). Plant ∂13C is the result of three fractionation processes of the atmospheric C: 1) fractionation during the photosynthesis, 2) post-photosynthetic fractionation, 3) diagenetic fractionation. Following the Farquhar model (Farquhar et al., 1989), three important factors influence the carbon isotope composition of C3 vascular plant during photosynthesis: 1) physical and biochemical fractionation occurring before and during carboxylation; 2) ecological factors such as water stress (3-6‰ positive shift), nutrients shortage (4‰ negative), light limitation (5-6‰ negative) and temperature (3‰ negative) (Arens et al., 2000); 3) the carbon isotope composition of the atmosphere (∂13Catm). The interplay of these factors produces highly variable carbon-isotope signatures in modern C3 plants and their component parts (wood, cuticles, resin, etc.), with ∂13C values varying from -19‰ to -35‰ (Tipple and Pagani, 2007). Similar variability is to be expected in the fossil record, potentially compromising palaeoclimatic reconstructions based on organic ∂13C. Despite these limitations, Jahren et al.’s (2008) experiments on living plants demonstrate a good correlation in ∂13Catm and ∂13Cplant, and this suggests that carbon isotope values from fossil plants can be used as a proxy for ∂13Catm across a range of pCO2 levels. The study of molecular fossils (biomarkers) is a relatively new frontier for palaeoecology and palaeoclimatology. N-alkanes (normal alkanes; straight-chain saturated hydrocarbons) with chain lengths of C25 - C35 and odd-over-even carbon-number distribution derive from epicuticular waxes of terrestrial higher plants (Peters et al., 2005). These lipids are common in both marine and continental sediments and very resistant to diagenesis. Their C isotope signature has been successfully used to study ∂13C shifts associated with major events such as the P/T mass extinction (Xie et al., 2007) or the Paleocene/Eocene Thermal Maximum (Pagani et al., 2006); to determine the advent of the C4 photosynthetic pathway (Tipple and Pagani, 2007); or to study the relative proportions of C3 and C4 plant material in sediments (Pancost and Boot, 2004, and references therein). ∂13C analysis of n-alkanes partially overcomes issues associate with the large ∂13C range in plants (see above), as they pool together the contribution of Numerous individual plants, and thus have maximum statistical significance. We collected wood, leaves and amber from a number of stratigraphic beds of the Middle - lower Upper Triassic of the Southern Alps (Italy), very rich of plant remains. Wood, leaves and amber were hand picked from disgregated or undisturbed rock, powdered and treated with HCl in order to remove carbonates and pyrite; weighted aliquots of material were analysed for the ∂13Corg. The carbon isotope signatures of separated wood and leaves fragments from the same layers lie in a range of 3-4‰ that is narrower than that expected for modern wood and leaves values (cf. Cernusak et al., 2009), probably due to the loss of some compounds during the diagenesis. Carbon-isotope values of amber vary by 4–5‰, comparable to the range recorded in modern and Cretaceous resins (cf. Stern et al., 2008; Mckellar et al., 2008). Amber seems to better retain the original C-isotope signature (Dal Corso et al., accepted; Roghi et al., in prep.). Moreover, Middle Triassic wood and leaves are offset by ca. 3‰ with respect to Late Triassic ones: Anisian and Ladinian values vary from -27‰ to -23,5‰ ca., instead the Carnian ones show more positive values, from -24‰ to -19,5‰ ca. These data confirm that a ca. 3‰ ∂13Ccarb excursion from Middle to early Late Triassic (Korte et al., 2005) is recorded also by terrestrial organic matter (Dal Corso et al., accepted). Here the first report is presented of a sharp negative ∂13Corg excursion at the onset of the CPE. A ~-4‰ abrupt C isotope excursion is registered by leaf waxes n-alkanes, whereas total organic carbon (TOC) shows a ~-2‰ shift. This shift testifies a rapid injection of CO2 with a light C-isotope composition into the atmosphere. This new dataset confirm the hypothesis that the CPE was a global event. We propose that the C isotope negative shift was triggered by the eruption of the coeval Wrangellia flood basalts with strong consequences for the environments and biosphere (e.g.: demise of carbonate platforms, extinctions and radiations of some of the most important Mesozoic groups).
Il Trend isotopico del Carbonio nel Triassico Medio-Superiore e la firma isotopica del “Carnian Pluvial Event” Dopo l’estinzione di massa al limite Permo-Triassico il ciclo del carbonio durante il Triassico Inferiore e il primo Triassico Medio è stato estremamente instabile (vedere figura I per una scala del tempo triassica). La curva del ∂13Ccarb globale (e.g. Korte et al., 2005) mostra una serie di ampie e rapide escursioni dei valori isotopici, probabilmente legate ad un limitato “recovery” biologico. I valori isotopici del carbonio dei carbonati sembra stabilizzarsi durante l’Anisico (Triassico Medio), ove ha inizio un trend secolare positivo del ∂13C pari a circa + 3-4 ‰ che si conclude alla base del Triassico Superiore (Carnico). Questa crescita del ∂13C è stata spiegata con l’aumento del seppellimento di grandi quantità di carbonio organico e il ripristino della deposizione di carbone (Korte VI et al., 2005). Tuttavia, una maggiore comprensione di questo trend isotopico Anisico-Carnico è ancora necessaria: gli isotopiche del carbonio sono stati misurati su carbonati che riflettono un ambiente marino molto complesso e la forma della curva del ∂13C non è chiara poiché i dati sono alquanto dispersi. Molte domande sono ancora aperte: il trend è veramente una lenta e graduale salita dei valori isotopici oppure l’escursione isotopica avviene a gradini, in pochi eventi di breve durata? Possiamo osservare lo stesso trend isotopico in atmosfera? Alla fine del Carnico inferiore il ∂13C dei carbonati raggiunge il suo valore massimo (circa 3.5 ‰, Korte et al., 2005). In questo periodo è stato scoperto un evento climatico, chiamato “Carnian Pluvial Event” (CPE), le cui espressioni biologiche e sedimentologiche sono state documentate globalmente, almeno a paleolatitudini tropicali. Questo episodio è caratterizzato dalla morte delle piattaforme carbonati che orlate nella Tetide Occidentale, l’improvviso ed ingente aumento dell’apporto terrigeno, paleosuoli indicativi di clima relativamente umido e dalla risalita della CCD (Carbonate Compensation Depth) nei bacini profondi della Tetide. Questi connotati rendono il CPE simile agli Eventi Anossici Oceanici (OAE) (Rigo et al., 2007), eventi climatici a scala globale caratterizzati inoltre da una perturbazione del ciclo del carbonio. Questo lavoro ha avuto la finalità di costruire una curva del ∂13C per il Triassico Medio- Superiore basata su analisi di resti fossili vegetali (legni, foglie e biomarker molecolari) e di verificare se una perturbazione del ciclo del carbonio è associata o meno al CPE. Negli ultimi anni l’uso di tessuti fossili di piante superiori, quali legni (e.g. Hesselbo et al., 2007), cuticole (e.g. Arens and Jahren, 2000) a pollini (e..g. Jahren 2004), per misure isotopiche del C organico ha preso via via sempre più piede. La composizione isotopica del carbonio delle piante superiori fossili è il risultato di tre processi di frazionamento a partire dal ∂13C del C atmosferico originale: 1) frazionamento durante la fotosintesi, 2) frazionamento post-fotosintetico, 3) frazionamento “diagenetico”. Secondo il modello di Farquhar (1989), sono tre i fattori principali che controllano il ∂13C delle piante superiori C3 durante la fotosintesi: 1) frazionamento fisico e biochimico prima e durante la carbossilazione; 2) fattori ecologici quali lo stress idrico (che causa uno shift positivo fino al 3-4 ‰), la mancanza di nutrienti (-4 ‰), la limitata esposizione alla luce solare (- 5-6 ‰), la temperatura (- 3 ‰) (Arens et al, 2000); 3) il ∂13C atmosferico. L’interazione di questi fattori ha come conseguenza la grande variabilità di valori che il ∂13C di tessuti di piante superiori attuali C3 (legno, foglie, resine, etc...) può assumere, da -19‰ a -35‰ circa (Tipple e Pagani, 2007). In materiale vegetale fossile una simile variabilità può compromettere e falsare profondamente ricostruzioni paleoclimatiche basate su analisi del ∂13C. Nonostante queste limitazioni, Jahren et al. (2008) hanno dimostrato, con esperimenti in laboratorio ad atmosfera controllata, che esiste un’ottima correlazione tra il ∂13C delle piante a il ∂13C dell’atmosfera in cui queste piante vivono, risultato che rende i resti vegetali fossili potenzialmente degli ottimi proxy per la ricostruzione del ∂13C atmosferico. Lo studio di molecole fossili (biomarker) è relativamente una nuova frontiera nelle paleoecologia e paleoclimatologia. N-alcani (normal-alcani, idrocarburi saturi a catena dritta) con lunghezze comprese fra C25 e C35 a una predominanza di omologhi dispari su pari, derivano dalle cere epicuticolari di piante superiori terrestri (Peters et al., 2005). Questi lipidi sono molto resistenti ai processi diagenetici e molto comuni sia in sedimenti marini che terrestri. Il loro ∂13C è stato usato con successo per studiare perturbazioni isotopiche associate a grandi eventi climatico-biologici del passato, come l’estinzione di massa al limite Permo/Triassico (Xie et al., 2007) o il massimo termico al limite Paleocene/Eocene (Pagani et al., 2006), per definire l’avvento delle piante con via metabolica di tipo C4 (Tipple and Pagani, 2007); o per studiare la proporzione relative di piante C3 e C4 nel passato (Pancost and Boot, 2004). Analisi del ∂13C di n-alcani associati a piante superiori permettono di superare i problemi legati all’alta variabilità del ∂13C di singoli tessuti vegetali poiché le molecole fossili disperse nei sedimenti rappresentano una larga comunità floristica, specialmente se si analizzano sedimenti marini, ed il loro ∂13C costituisce dunque un valore medio che ha un alto valore statistico. Per questa ricerca sono stati campionati legni, foglie e ambre da numerosi livelli del Triassico Medio-Superiore delle Albi Meridionali (Italia), molto ricchi in resti vegetali. Legni, foglie e ambre sono stati saparati manualmente da campioni di roccia integri o sedimenti Late Rethian Norian Carnian ladinian Anisian Olenekian Induan Middle Early TRIASSIC 201.6 204 228 235 241 245 250 251 Fig. I: Triassic Time Scale. Modified after Walker and Geissman, 2009. sciolti, polverizzati e trattati con HCl per rimuovere eventuali tracce di carbonati e pirite; piccole quantità di materiale così trattato sono state dunque analizzate per il ∂13C organico. Il ∂13C di legni e foglie mostra range isotopici tra 3 ‰ e 4 ‰ in ogni singolo livello stratigrafico campionato. Tale range è più limitato rispetto a quanto osservato in legni e foglie recenti (cf. Cernusak et al., 2009), probabilmente perchè durante la diagenesi alcuni composti che costituiscono il legno (cellulosa ed emicellulosa in particolare) vengono rimossi. I valori isotopici dell’ambra, al contrario, variano in un range del 4 ‰, molto simile a quanto misurato in resine recenti e cretaciche (Stern et al., 2008; McKellar et al., 2008). L’ambra dunque sembra conservare meglio l’originale composizione isotopica rispetto ad altri tessuti vegetali fossili (Dal Corso et al., accepted; Roghi et al., in prep.). Legni e foglie del Triassico Medio presentano valori isotopici più negativi di circa il 3 ‰ rispetto al materiale del Carnico (Triassico Superiore): i valori dell’Anisico e del Ladinico variano tra -27 ‰ e -23,5 ‰, mentre quelli del Carnico tra -24 ‰ e -19,5 ‰. Questi dati confermano che l’escursione isotopica secolare, pari a +3 ‰, registrata in carbonati marini e brachiopodi, è stata registrata anche dalle piante superiori terrestri e dunque lo shift isotopico secolare ha interessato il sistema oceani-atmosfera (Dal Corso et al., accepted). Misure del ∂13C della sostanza organica totale (TOC) dei sedimenti, associate ad analisi isotopiche di n-alcani di piante superiori terrestri hanno permesso di scoprire una rapida escursione isotopica negativa associata al Carnian Pluvial Event. In particolare gli n-alcani dispari a catena lunga mostrano uno uno shift del -4 ‰, mentre il TOC uno shift del -2 ‰ circa. Questi dati sono la testimonianza di una rapida iniezione di CO2 con una composizione isotopica “leggera” nell’atmosfera carnica e confermano la natura globale del CPE. Lo scenario che qui si propone per l’interpretazione di questo evento lega indissolubilmente il CPE alla coeva (Furin et al., 2006) eruzione della provincia magmatica di Wrangellia con grandi conseguenze per il clima e la vita (e.g. la morte delle piattaforme carbonatiche e l’estinzioni e la radiazioni di alcuni dei gruppi più importanti nella storia della vita sulla terra).

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Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN/CNEN-SP

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Dissertacao (Mestrado)
IPEN/D
Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares, Sao Paulo

Die vorliegende Dissertation stellt den ersten Teil eines Nachschlagewerks zur Tertiärflora Sachsens dar. Dieser Teil umfasst alle Taxa, die sich auf Angiospermenblätter und auf Ginkgo gründen. Auf einen Überblick zum regionalgeologischen Kenntnisstand des Tertiärs in Sachsen folgend, werden phytostratigrafische Konzepte vorgestellt und ein historischer Abriss der tertiärpaläobotanischen Forschung in Sachsen gegeben. Nach einer Erfassung aller bis Ende 2013 für das sächsische Tertiär publizierten pflanzlichen Makrofossilien und deren Fundorte (Primärdaten), welche durch projektbezogene Qualifikationsarbeiten Dritter durch zusätzliche Attribute ergänzt und vereinheitlicht wurden, werden die fossilen Taxa von Angiospermenblättern selektiert, deren Daten harmonisiert, ausgewertet und auf einen einheitlichen Forschungsstand gebracht. Für 187 von 235 untersuchten Taxa werden Datenblätter für einen Bestimmungsatlas erstellt. In diesem Atlas werden makro- und mikromorphologische Merkmale der Arten beschrieben, sowie Angaben zur Systematik, Synonymie, Paläoökologie und räumlicher und zeitlicher Verbreitung gemacht. Der beschreibende Teil wird durch Abbildungen und instruktive Zeichnungen ergänzt. Im Ergebnisteil werden die Daten nach ihrer Qualität innerhalb der Literatur begutachtet und anwendungsbezogen diskutiert. Eine Bibliografie der umfangreichen paläobotanischen Literatur für sächsische Pflanzenfossilien rundet die Arbeit ab. Um die taxon- und fundortbezogenen Daten visualisieren und effektiv verwalten zu können, werden diese in ein Open Source-Geoinformationssystem (GIS) überführt. Die im GIS implementierten Untersuchungsergebnisse ermöglichen erstmalig sowohl eine Generierung von Verbreitungs-karten für die Taxa tertiärer Angiospermenblätter und des Ginkgos in Sachsen als auch eine Abfrage von topografischen, geologischen und paläobotanischen Informationen zu den Fossilfundstellen. Ein für das Fossilmaterial entwickelter Bestimmungsschlüssel erlaubt zudem eine grobe Determination der Funde im Gelände. Das Kompendium wird in gedruckter und digitaler Version für die freie Nutzung zur Verfügung gestellt
The thesis represents the first part of a reference book to the Tertiary flora of Saxony. All taxa based on leaves of angiosperms and on Ginkgo are included in this compendium. After an overview about the geological state of knowledge on the Tertiary in Saxony, phytostratigraphic concepts are introduced and a historical survey on the Tertiary paleobotanical research in Saxony is given. All plant macrofossils published from Saxonian Tertiary until end of 2013 and their sites of discovery (primary data) were recorded. This data were supplemented by additional attributes and unified through project-based M.Sc. theses. Subsequently, taxa of fossil leaves were selected, their data evaluated and brought to a consistent state of research. Data sheets for 187 out of 235 examined taxa were established for a determination atlas. Macro- and micromorphological attributes are described in this atlas and information are given about the systematic, synonymy, palaeoecology and spatial and temporal distribution. The describing part is illustrated by images and instructive drawings. The documented data were surveyed and discussed related to their quality within the literature in the result part. A bibliography of the extensive palaeobotanical literature for plant fossils of Saxony completes the work. The taxon and locality related data are implemented into an open source geographical information system (GIS) in order to visualize and to manage them effectively. For the first time, the results of this thesis implemented in the GIS allow the generation of distribution maps for the taxa of leaves of Tertiary angiospermes and Ginkgo in Saxony. Furthermore it enables to query topographical, geological and paleobotanical information about the fossil sites. A determination key was developed for the fossil material that allows a rough determination of the findings in the field. The compendium will be available for free use in a printed as well as in a digital version

This study focuses on fossil Taxodium leaves found at the Gray Fossil Site in northeastern Tennessee where many 7-4.5 million year old plants and animals have been recovered. Identification of the leaves is based on comparison of leaf morphology and confirmed by leaf anatomy. The ecological implications of the fossil are discussed to understand the paleoecology and paleoclimate at the Gray site. It is concluded that the fossil plant along with many other plants lived by a large sinkhole lake under a little warmer-than-today’s climate condition.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2003.
Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xvii, 275 p.: ill. Includes abstract and vita. Advisor: W.I. Ausich, Dept. of Geological Sciences. Includes bibliographical references (p. 186-208).

Plant-feeding insects are the most species-rich group on the planet today. Models have been proposed to explain this diversity, but few use the fossil record to evaluate hypotheses. I conduct studies in modern systems to examine (1) taphonomic biases in insect preservation and how this may affect our understanding of insect diversity trends through time and (2) patterns of herbivory in modern ecosystems to improve the comparability of fossil and modern datasets. I then use the Cenozoic fossil record to examine the history of ecological associations between insects and plants and how these interactions respond to environmental change. I conducted an actualistic study on the preservation of beetles in Willcox Playa, an ephemeral lake in SE Arizona. I compared the insect death assemblage in shoreline sediments to the living beetle assemblage. The sediments captured 56% of the live-collected beetle families, and 28% of the live-collected beetle genera. The relative abundances of living beetles were not reflected in the death assemblage. Beetle diet, feeding habitat, and size influenced the composition of the death assemblage. Necrophagous, ground-dwelling and smaller beetles were over-represented in the death assemblage. Such biases should be considered in insect paleoepology and in studies of diversity change. Annual variation in herbivory was compared within and between two lowland neotropical forests Costa Rica. Herbivory did not vary significantly within sites between years, but was significantly different: between sites. Modern herbivory data collected with discrete sampling techniques is compartable to herbivory data from fossil forests. Herbivory data from one-time collections of leaf litter are most suitable for comparison with fossil herbivory. I compared herbivory between two Eocene floras and between the Eocene floras and six modern floras. A decline in levels of herbivory corresponds with a decline in temperature from the middle to the late Eocene. Fossil herbivore damage was significantly lower than modern herbivore damage. This pattern may result from taphonomic bias, environmental differences between the fossil and modern sites or evolutionary change.

Sufficient energy supply is a fundamental necessity for the stimulation of socio-economic advancement. However, the current rapid rise in urbanisation has resulted in the significant increase in energy demands. Consequently, the current conventional energy supply systems are facing numerous challenges in meeting the world's growing demand for energy sustainably. Thus, there is an urgent and compelling need to develop innovative, more effective ways to integrate sustainable renewable energy solutions into the already existing systems or better yet, create new systems that all together make use of renewable energy. This research aims to investigate and establish the optimum working conditions of a feedwater heater and geothermal preheater in a power plant that makes use of both renewable and non-renewable energy resources, where renewable energy (geothermal energy) is used to boost the power output in an environmentally sustainable way. Henceforth, a simplified model of a Rankine cycle with single reheat and regeneration and another model with a geothermal preheater substituting the low-pressure feedwater heater were designed. The Engineering Equations Solver (EES) software was used to perform an analysis of the thermodynamic performance of the two models designed. The models were used to analyse the energetic and exergetic effects of replacing a low-pressure feedwater heater with a geothermal preheater sourcing heat from a low temperature geothermal resource (temperature generally < 150°C). The results of this research work reveal that the replacement of the low-pressure feedwater heater with a geothermal preheater increases the power generated since less heat is bled from the low-pressure turbine (allowing more heat energy from the steam to be converted into mechanical energy in the turbine). Applying the principle of the Second Law of thermodynamics analysis, the Number of Entropy Generation Units (EGU) and Entropy Generation Minimisation (EGM) analysis were employed to optimise the designed hybrid system. The feedwater heaters and geothermal preheater were modelled as counter-flow heat exchangers and a downhole co-axial heat exchanger, respectively. The feedwater heaters were optimised by means of the method of Number of Entropy Generation Units whereas the geothermal preheater was optimised by means of the Entropy Generation Minimisation analysis method. Owing to the optimisation of these components, the operating conditions of the boiler and turbines were secondarily improved. Overall, this research emphasises the impact renewable energy has on major power plant systems that are in operation and run on non-renewables.

The Late Hemphillian (latest Miocene or earliest Pliocene, 7-4.5 Ma) Gray Fossil Site in northeastern Tennessee is interpreted to represent a lacustrine paleokarst fed by a river or stream. This research focuses on the morphological and systematic relations of Nyssa endocarps (fruit pits) from the fossil site to extinct and extant Nyssa species. A combination of metric and nonmetric traits allows recognition of a new species: Nyssa grayensis sp. nov. This fossil species shares the most similarities with the extant Nyssa ogeche Bartram ex Marshall from southeast North America and the Eocene fossil Nyssa eolignitica Berry from western Tennessee. Affinities with Nyssa ogeche Bartram ex Marshall suggest a warmer winter climate than the present and periodically fluctuating water levels. Fossil vertebrates (Alligator, Heloderma, Hesperotestudo) and plants (Fossil relatives of Ilex vomitoria, Quercus virginiana, Taxodium, Acer leucoderme) with modern counterparts distributed in areas with mild winters support this interpretation.

Les plantes et les insectes forment l’un des principaux niveaux trophiques des écosystèmes au cours des 325 derniers millions d’années. Aujourd’hui, l’augmentation rapide et continuelle de la température principalement causée par l’activité humaine depuis les derniers siècles, perturbe la balance des écosystèmes sur Terre. En conséquence, comprendre le rôle des interactions entre les plantes et les insectes, à travers le temps mais aussi les réseaux trophiques, est essentiel. Le registre fossile est une opportunité exceptionnelle d’examiner les réponses aux interactions plante-insecte lors de longues variations climatiques et à travers des traces de réaction de la plante sachant que la Terre a déjà été soumise à de nombreux changements climatiques. Durant les derniers 3 millions d’années, des oscillations entre de longues périodes froides et de courtes périodes chaudes ont eu lieu. Les écosystèmes Européens ont particulièrement été impactés par ces oscillations. Le Langerstätte de Willershausen (Allemagne) a été particulièrement étudié. C’est un gisement contenant plus de 8000 feuilles fossiles. Ces feuilles relatent d’une paléoforêt ayant existé il y a 3- 2,6 Ma dans un climat plus chaud qu’aujourd’hui (ca.+5°C). Dans ces conditions climatiques, de nombreuses espèces d’écosystèmes Méditerranéens étaient présentes, telles que l’Érable de Montpellier ou l’Olivier. En comparaison, d’autres paléoforêts ont été prise en compte : Berga (du même âge et proche de Willershausen) et Bernasso (plus jeune que Willershausen (2,16 — 1,96 Ma) localisée dans le sud de la France près de la Méditerranée. Ces forêts sont comparables notamment du fait des nombreux taxons communs qu’elles partagent. En outre, certaines de ces espèces sont aujourd’hui endémiques de la région du Caucase, telles que le Parrotie de Perse ou encore l’orme du Caucase. Le but de cette étude a été de déterminer en quoi les différences climatiques peuvent être impliquées dans les changements des interactions plante-insecte au sein des paléoforêts Européennes de la fin du Pliocène - début du Pléistocène. Les résultats obtenus ont permis de mettre en évidence les impacts de la saisonnalité des températures et précipitations facteurs impactants les interactions plante-insecte des paléoforêts Européennes. Il est apparu que les écosystèmes sujets à d’intenses saisonnalités hydriques ont pu engendrer une plus grande spécialisation des interactions plante-insecte déduite d’un fort taux d’interactions spécialistes observées. En parallèle, les températures les plus froides durant l’année semble être un facteur important dans la faible diversité de dégâts, probablement dû à un faible métabolisme de la majorité des insectes. L’absence de corrélation convergente entre la richesse des plantes et la richesse des interactions pourrait suggérer que l’influence des facteurs climatiques surpasse l’impact potentiel des interactions biotiques locales. Pour l’ensemble de ces paramètres qui ont pu avoir un impact sur les interactions plante-insecte, nos connaissances actuelles sont encore insuffisantes. Il serait intéressant de focaliser davantage d’études sur les forêts modernes avec les méthodes appliquées dans le fossile. C’est dans cette intention qu’une partie de cette étude a étudié une espèce de plante (Parrotia persica) actuellement endémique de la forêt Hyrcanienne (Iran). Cette forêt est supposée être une forêt analogue des paléoforêts Européennes étudiées dans cette thèse. Pour le moment, les observations qui ont été faites en Iran semblent corroborer notre interprétation. Au final, les études sur les interactions plante-insecte des forêts anciennes et actuelles, combinés avec les études de changements climatiques, pourraient nous permettre de mieux caractériser les relations entre les insectes et les plantes au sein d’une forêt
Insects are the most diverse animals on Earth, and neatly associated with plants they represent two of the major groups of organisms both in species diversity and biomass quantity. The majority of their interactions involves insect feeding and insect parasitism mostly on leaves. Plant and insect compose one of the main trophic levels in ecosystems over the 325 million years. Today, the continuous and fast rising of temperature mostly due to human activities since the last century is disturbing the balance of ecosystems on Earth. Consequently, to understand the role of plant and insect interactions, through time but also trophic networks, becomes crucial. The fossil record is an exceptional opportunity to survey responses of plant-insect interaction to climate variations over long time interval through traces of plants reactions caused by interaction with insects, as Earth has already experienced many climate changes. For the last 3 million years, oscillations between long cold periods and short warm periods have occurred. Europe ecosystems has been particularly impacted. The Lagerstätte of Willershausen (Germany) was specifically study. It is an exceptional fossil outcrop that contains ca. 8000 collected fossil leaves. These leaves testify a paleoforest developed there around 3—2.6 Ma ago in a climate warmer than today (ca. +5°C). Under these conditions, many plant species typical of the Mediterranean ecosystems were settled there, such as Montpellier maple or Olive tree. For comparison, other paleoforests were studied: Berga (similar in age and geographically close to Willershausen) and Bernasso (younger than Willershausen (2.16—1.96 Ma) and located in southern France close to Mediterranean. These forests were compared as many common plant taxa were similar between each other. Furthermore, some species today endemic to the Caucasian region, such as Persian ironwood or Caucasian elm, were also present in these outcrops. The aim of this study is to determine how far the climate differences could be involved in the changes of plant-insect interactions in European paleoforests of the late Pliocene – early Pleistocene. Results highlighted the impacts of both hydric and temperature seasonality, hitherto underestimated in the fossil record, on the patterns of plant-insect interaction in the European paleoforests. It appeared that ecosystems subject to intense hydric seasonality could led to higher specialization of plant-insect interaction inferred by higher rate of observed damages due to ‘specialists insects’. In parallel, the coolest temperature during the year seems to be a major factor in the low diversity of damage in paleoforest, presumably due to lower insect metabolism. Absence of convergent correlations between plant richness and damage richness could suggested that influence of climatic factors override impact of these local biotic factors. In order to understand the whole parameters that could have an impact on plant-insect interactions, our current knowledges are still insufficient. It would be wise to make more investigations on modern forests with the methods as applied in fossil record community structure studies. These investigations could help to understand the factors potentially involved in the establishment of a pattern of plant-insect interactions. It is in this perspective that a part of this study was precisely focused on one plant species (Parrotia persica) currently endemic to the Hyrcanian forest (Iran). This forest is supposed to be an analogue forest of the European paleoforests as those studied in this thesis. For now, observations made in Iran tend to corroborate our interpretation. Finally, the studies on plant-insect interactions in past and extant ecosystems, combined with the study of climatic changes, should permit us to better characterize the relations between plants and insects in forests through time

Major changes are taking place in the Sweden’s electricity system and steel industry. Through political agreements, the current government has set national goals of 100% renewable electricity generation and a net zero GHG emissions industry by 2040. This will be achieved by increasing renewable power generation, mainly wind power. In the steel industry, the steel manufacturing groups are beginning to transition to an electricity-based steel manufacturing processes to reduce their GHG emissions. The Swedish steel manufacturing group SSAB and the mining group LKAB, together with Vattenfall, are developing an alternative steel production process free from fossil-based sources. It is called HYBRIT, an alternative technique to reduce iron ore with hydrogen gas, instead of coal which is used today. By producing hydrogen with electrolysis, applying hydrogen reduction technology, and replacing coal powered blast furnaces with electrified arc furnaces for melting the steel, it is possible to create a green and environmentally friendly steel industry. This technique was simulated in a computer model where electricity flows and system component capacity requirements were calculated. The simulation was made of an existing steel manufacturing plant in Oxelösund. A hypothetical case was made where the plant has a fully incorporated HYBRIT steel production chain. Its main power source was a nearby offshore wind power farm which is a planned project by Svea Vind Offshore. Previous studies have simulated HYBRIT steel manufacturing in computer models. However, no similar studies have been made on how these systems operate with variable availability of renewable power. From two studied wind power farm layouts, the results found a relationship between the needed electrolysis capacity as a function of the concentration recycled steel used in the process and the yearly steel production demand. Using the stated goal of SSAB where they use 50% recycled steel as a reference, it was calculated that 286 – 309 MW electrolysis unitsis needed for a yearly steel production of 1.6 million tonnes.
Det sker stora förändringar inom Sveriges elkraftsystem och stålindustri. Den nuvarande regeringen har genom politiska överenskommelser satt nationella mål på 100% förnybar elproduktion, och nollnetto GHG utsläpp inom industrin, tills 2040. Det ska nås genom att öka förnyelsebar elproduktion, huvudsakligen vindkraft. I stålindustrin har ståltillverkningskoncernerna börjat övergå till en elektrifierad ståltillverkningsprocess för att minska utsläppen. Den svenska stålkoncernen SSAB, och gruvdriftskoncernen LKAB, tillsammans med Vattenfall utvecklar en alternativ ståltillverkningsprocess som är fri från fossila källor. Det heter HYBRIT, och är en alternativ metod för att reducera järnmalm med vätgas, i stället för kol som används idag. Genom att producera vätgas med elektrolys, installera vätgasreduktionsteknik, och ersätta de koldrivna masugnarna med eldrivna ljusbågsugnar för att smälta stålet, är det möjligt att skapa en grön och miljövänlig stålindustri. Denna teknik simulerades i en datormodell där elektricitetsflöden och begränsningarna på kapaciteten på systemkomponenterna beräknades. Simuleringen gjordes på ett existerande stålverk i Oxelösund. Ett hypotetiskt fall sattes upp där verket har inkorporerat hela HYBRIT stålproduktionskedjan. Den huvudsakliga kraftkällan var en närliggande havsbaserad vindkraftspark som är ett föreslagit projekt av Svea Vind Offshore. Tidigare studier har simulerat ståltillverkning med HYBRIT teknik i datamodeller. Men, det finns ingen liknade studie som har studerat hur dessa system fungerar med en varierande tillgänglighet på förnyelsebar effekt. Utifrån två studerade vindkraftsparkdesigner blev resultatet en relation mellan den behövda elektrolyskapaciteten som en funktion av andelen återvunnet stål i processen samt det årliga stålproduktionsbehovet. Genom att använda SSAB:s framtida mål där de använder 50% återvunnet stål som referens, beräknades det att 286 – 309 MW elektrolysenheter behövs för en årlig produktion på 1.6 millioner ton stål.

The South African electricity mix is highly dependent on subcritical coal-fired power stations. The average thermal efficiency of these power plants is low. Traditional methods to increase the thermal efficiency of the cycle have been widely studied and implemented. However, utilising the waste heat at the condenser, which accounts for the biggest heat loss in the cycle, presents a large potential to increase the thermal efficiency of the cycle. Several methods can be implemented for the recovery and utilisation of low-grade waste heat. This theoretical study focuses on replacing the traditional condenser in a fossil fuel power station with a boiling condenser (BC), which operates in a similar manner to the core of a boiling water reactor at a nuclear power plant (Sharifpur, 2007). The system was theoretically tested at the Komati Power Station, South Africa's oldest power station. The power station presented an average low-grade waste heat source. The BC cycle was theoretically tested with several working fluids and numerous different configurations. Several of the theoretical configurations indicated increased thermal efficiency of the cycle. The BC cycle configurations were also tested in two theoretical scenarios. Thirty configurations and 103 working fluids were tested in these configurations. The configuration that indicated the highest increase in thermal efficiency was the BC cycle with regeneration (three regenerative heat exchangers) from the BC turbine. A 2.4% increase in thermal efficiency was obtained for the mentioned theoretical implementation of this configuration. The working fluid tested in this configuration was ethanol. This configuration also indicated a 7.6 MW generating capacity. The increased thermal efficiency of the power station presents benefits not only in increasing the available capacity on South Africa's strained grid, but also environmental benefits. The mentioned reduction of 7.6 MW in heat released into the atmosphere also indicated a direct environmental benefit. The increase in thermal efficiency could also reduce CO2 emissions released annually in tons per MW by 5.74%. The high-level economic analysis conducted, based on the theoretically implemented BC cycle with the highest increase in thermal efficiency, resulted in a possible saving of R46 million per annum. This translated to a saving of R19.2 million per annum for each percentage increase in thermal efficiency brought about by the BC cycle. The theoretical implementation of the BC, with regeneration (three regenerative heat exchangers) from the BC turbine and ethanol as a working fluid, not only indicated an increase in thermal efficiency, but also significant economic and environmental benefits.
Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2016.
Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering
MEng
Unrestricted

The life span of high temperature power plant pipework is principally a function of material creep damage - an irreversible plastic deformation of the material when subjected to temperatures and loads beyond a certain threshold. Within Eskom, the South African parastatal power utility, creep damage is primarily quantified by way of Metallographic Replication (replicas). This is a quasi NonDestructive Examination (NDE) technique that looks at the microstructure of the sample in question. Although well-known and used extensively, replicas, as with any technology, have their shortcomings. Extracting of replicas and their subsequent analysis are manual processes that inherently suffer from subjectivity. Furthermore, storage and archiving of vast quantities of physical replica slides for future reference is cumbersome - a challenge that digitisation can address. The aforementioned vulnerability to analysis subjectivity and benefits of digitisation are areas which a technology known as Digital Image Correlation (DIC) - a non-contact, full field, deformation measurement technique - can potentially address. Some research has been done on using DIC for power plant creep measurement; however literature quantifying its performance in this specific application is scarce. This study thus looks into setting up a DIC system optimised for measuring strain in an area of the pipework welds known as the Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) - the weakest part of the weldment. The achievable accuracy is established and the major parameters that affect DIC accuracy are investigated, elucidating the trade-offs between optimising each. In addition, two scenarios exist for the acquisition of DIC measurement data from a plant: when the plant is operating (online); or when the plant is shut down for maintenance (offline). The encumbrance of imaging a hot surface makes the former scenario the more demanding, and was thus investigated. This data was subsequently used to substantiate whether DIC has the potential to be used online (i.e. at elevated temperatures) or is limited to use during shut downs.

De nombreuses biomolécules qui constituent les plantes vasculaires ne sont synthétisées que par certains taxons de plantes et ont donc une spécificité chimiotaxonomique. Certaines d'entre elles, tels que les bioterpénoïdes, sont particulièrement résistantes et sont préservées dans les sédiments où elles se transforment en géoterpénoïdes lors de la diagenèse. Ces géoterpénoïdes conservent, partiellement ou totalement, leur spécificité initiale (spécifité paléochimiotaxonomique). Cependant, nos connaissances actuelles en paléochimiotaxonomie botanique, qui permettent d'associer ces biomarqueurs moléculaires à des taxons végétaux, restent encore lacunaires. L'objectif de cette étude est de déterminer la signature moléculaire des familles de conifères fossiles. 68 représentants appartenant aux 7 familles actuelles de conifères ont été artificiellement maturés par pyrolyse en milieu confiné afin de reproduire en laboratoire la transformation des bioterpénoïdes en géopterpénoïdes. Les résultats montrent que les Pinaceae, les Araucariaceae, les Cupressaceae, les Sciadopityaceae, les Podocarpaceae, les Taxodiaceae et les Taxaceae "fossilisés" peuvent se distinguer par la nature et la proportion relative de ces terpénoïdes. De plus, la comparaison des signatures moléculaires ont permis de réaliser des regroupements intergénériques pour chaque famille. Ces regroupements sont comparables avec ceux de la classification phylogénétique. À terme, ces résultats pourront être utilisés dans le cadre d’études paléobotaniques, paléoenvironnementales, environnementales et archéologiques
Many biomolecules that constitute terrestrial vascular plants are only synthesized by a restricted number of plant taxa and have thus a chemotaxonomic specificity. Some of these biomolecules, like the terpenoids, are particularly resistant and can be preserved within sediments where they are transformed into geomolecules during diagenesis. Geoterpenoids keep, partially or totally, their initial specificity (palaeochemotaxonomic specificity). However, our current knowledge in botanical palaeochemotaxonomy, allowing to link these plant biomarkers to plant taxa, remains incomplete. The aim of this study is to determine the molecular signature of fossil conifers. In this objective, 68 species belonging to the 7 extant conifer families were subjected to artificial maturation by confined pyrolysis. This process converts the bioterpenoids included within the plant material into geoterpenoids. The results show that the "fossilized" Pinaceae, Araucariaceae, Cupressaceae, Sciadopityaceae, Podocarpaceae, Taxodiaceae and Taxaceae can distinguished from each other by the nature and the relative proportion of these geoterpenoids. The comparison of these molecular signatures allows to achieve intergeneric groups for each family. These groups are comparable to those of the phylogenetic classification. In the future, these results could be used for palaeobotanical, palaeoenvironmental, environmental and archaeological assessments