Research into the deep biosphere requires an understanding of both the microbial community at a given site and the geochemical and hydrological factors that support that microbial community. To highlight the interplay between geochemistry and microbiology in these deep environments, we characterized the hydrogeologic and geochemical systems of a 2.7 Ga banded iron formation within the Canadian Shield in the Soudan Underground Mine State Park in Minnesota, USA, a site known to host a lithotrophic microbial community. Calcium-sodium-chloride brines, characteristic of deep groundwaters throughout the Canadian Shield, were found in the site with total dissolved solids as high as 116,000 ppm in one borehole. Comparison of the Soudan waters to those found at other sites in the Canadian Shield or other sites of deep biosphere research indicate that they are notable for their high magnesium concentrations relative to total salinity. Additionally, the most saline Soudan waters have distinct 2H
Apr 05 2021 Read 17 Times
Author: ABB on behalf of ABB Ltd
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The issue of methane leaks from natural gas pipelines is a very real one, requiring constant monitoring and control to minimize its impact for both environmental and safety reasons. With ABB’s UAV-based mobile gas leak detection system being launched at the end of March 2021, Doug Baer, Global Product Line Manager Laser Analyzers for ABB Measurement & Analytics, explains how the latest generation of mobile gas leak detection measurement technologies can help.
Pipeline networks, especially ones which cross entire countries and run for thousands of miles, will always present an issue when it comes to leakage. The variety of factors at play in operating and maintaining a network, including aging infrastructure, network pressures and the efficiency of any maintenance regimes, mean that leakage in a network can at best only ever be controlled rather than eliminated.