Earth Sciences / Sciences de la Terre - Master's Theses

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Browsing Earth Sciences / Sciences de la Terre - Master's Theses by Subject "British Columbia"

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    Phytoavailability, mobility, and solid-phase speciation of antimony (Sb) and lead (Pb) in brunisolic soils surrounding a Pb-Zn smelting complex, Trail, British Columbia, Canada
    (2017-01-13) Caplette, Jaime Nicole
    Smelting activities in the Trail, British Columbia region since the late 1890’s has emitted metal(loid) contamination in the region (Pb, Zn, Cu, As, and Cd). The objective of this study was to determine the potential availability, mobility and operationally defined speciation of Sb and Pb in contaminated soils. Total Sb and Pb are strongly enriched in surface horizons in the profile (maximum of 737 and 26 376 mg kg-1), with concentrations decreasing with depth. Sequential extractions on soils indicate an enrichment of Sb in the operationally-defined residual > reducible > oxidizable > easily extractable fractions (< below detection limits), whereas Pb shows residual > oxidizable > reducible > easily extractable fractions. Electron optical and microchemical analysis of selected magnetic grains from LFH horizons indicate the anthropogenically derived Sb- and Pb particles to be present as discrete oxide- and sulfide/sulfate particles. The mineralogical and morphological nature of Sb- and Pb- particulate matter is diverse, ranging from angular massive Sn- bearing Sb- Pb oxides, euhedral and subrounded Sboxides, and Pb-sulfides and sulfates. These results indicate that, although soils are highly enriched in Sb and Pb relative to soil quality guidelines, minimal biological uptake and mobility should exist for both elements.
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    Proximal braided-river morphodynamics reconstructed through groundpenetrating radar and multi-temporal remote sensing: Kicking Horse River, British Columbia, Canada
    (2018-12-07) Cyples, Natasha Nicole
    Located in southeastern British Columbia, the Kicking Horse River is a gravel-bed braided river that flows westward through the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Prior studies focused on using ground observations to describe processes of bar formation and sediment distribution patterns; however, a complete model of planform evolution and related stratigraphic signature is lacking. The river was re-examined combining ground observations, multi-temporal remote sensing, discharge data, and ground-penetrating radar to develop three-dimensional models of bar geometry and to highlight changes in alluvial morphology. Remote sensing indicates extensive lateral channel migration over an eight-year period and demonstrates how varying flood stages are associated with episodes of channel braiding. Ground-penetrating radar imaging and analysis identified the distribution of sedimentary facies in the subsurface, which were used to understand the river’s depositional history. The Kicking Horse River’s sedimentary signature is compared to those of both proximal, coarse-grained and more distal, mixed sandy-gravel fluvial systems where similarities in sedimentary architecture and fluvial processes are observed.