Earth Sciences Pakistan (ESP)

This study focuses on assessing the water quality and heavy metal contamination in surface and groundwater in the Owo metropolis. Water, a vital resource for human existence and ecosystem maintenance, plays a crucial role in various activities. The research emphasizes the significance of water quality in preventing waterborne illnesses, particularly in areas lacking proper sanitation. The physicochemical characteristics of surface and groundwater were analyzed, revealing parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), chloride (Cl), sulfate (SO4), bicarbonate (HCO3), and concentrations of various metals. The results indicate that the studied parameters generally fall below the World Health Organization (WHO) and Nigerian guidelines, suggesting a lower risk to public health. Cluster analysis revealed associations between water samples, linking certain clusters to anthropogenic activities like dumpsites, farming, and households. Correlation analysis demonstrated relationships between different hydrochemical parameters, highlighting potential sources of major ions. Geochemical assessments, illustrated through Piper and Gibbs diagrams, indicated the dominance of Ca-Cl water types and the influence of rock weathering on water composition. Bivariate plots and ion exchange processes provided insights into water-rock interactions. The study also evaluated ecological risks and water quality indices, revealing potential risks from heavy metals. Hazard and cancer risk assessments suggested the cumulative potential of heavy metals to pose health risks, particularly for children. The research emphasizes the need for urgent interventions to address water quality issues in the Owo metropolis.

This study is a seismic hazard assessment done with a high degree of detail over a central metropolitan area across Nigeria to understand the risks, vulnerabilities, and mitigative strategies. Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis shows high seismic hazard levels in the cities, for example, in Lagos (Peak Ground Acceleration – 0.432g) against lower risk areas such as Maiduguri (0.143g). A study on susceptibility analysis discovered that steel frame (77.74%) and precast concrete (71.13%) are most likely affected by seismic disturbances among the common construction materials. A spatial model comprising population density overlaid with the seismic exposure index identified the cities with high risks in the densely populated mega-cities like Lagos (population density 7231 people/square km; index of seismic exposure 0.823). Critical infrastructure comes up with significant dangers within, which include hospitals (0.8761), airports (0.771), and dams (0.63). Hazard exposure indexes concerning socioeconomic vulnerability indices map emergency hotspots in Lagos (hazard index = 0.823; socioeconomic index = 0.754), which asks for special attention or explicit planning for resilience. The study’s results call for implementing seismic-resistant building codes, retrofits of aging facilities, strengthening disaster preparedness, and a holistic approach toward dealing with the socioeconomic fragility of earthquake-prone urban locations. Multihazard speedy modeling empowers cities with quantitative information to apply uniquely customized urban policies based on the evaluation of risk factors. The main recommendations reflect the issues of resilient cities like Lagos and the mandatory seismic safety standards for essential buildings such as hospitals worldwide. The suggestions also highlight the importance of integrating joint resistance and socio-economic vulnerability reduction strategies. With data-driven risk mitigation, Nigeria can strengthen the resilience of its fast-growing urbanscapes in terms of standing against earthquakes.

Extensive growth in development, urbanization, and population has exacted more pressure on the availability and quality of groundwater resources. Human effort has been directed at solving groundwater scarcity in a crystalline basement rock environment through the identification of joints, cracks, fractures, faults, and weathered materials that may exhibit favorable disposition to groundwater accumulation for water sustainability. This research applied Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) in the context of Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) to geoelectric parameters to model Groundwater Potential Zones (GWPZ) in the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. The Electrical Resistivity method was adopted using 2D Resistivity Tomography and Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) utilizing Schlumberger configuration. 2D Resistivity Tomography was delineated to determine vertical and lateral ranges in apparent resistivity of the subsurface geological properties favorable to groundwater accumulation and development. Eighteen (18) VES were acquired across the study area. The iterated VES results were used to generate geoelectric sections, maps, and second-order parameters. The MCDA in the context of the AHP technique was used to assign scores to various contributing parameters based on their relative contribution to groundwater potential. The GWPZ was generated by incorporating the selected and weighting seven important defined variables (Coefficient of anisotropy, overburden thickness, aquifer resistivity, aquifer thickness, storativity, transmissivity, and hydraulic conductivity) in the Surfer 12 environment in reflection to their groundwater availability. The groundwater potential was categorized into high, moderate, low, and very low. Very low to low groundwater potential characterized the entire study area, occupying 75%, with moderate to high occupying 25%. The findings revealed that the study area was characterized by very low to low groundwater potential. This research will assist in the development and monitoring of groundwater occurrences by decision policymakers to improve recharge techniques, especially in very low and low groundwater recharge zones.

Earthquake early warning systems have become vital for minimizing damage from seismic events; however, their automated detection capabilities need strengthening to provide real-time alerts. Current algorithms have limitations in identification of P-waves and magnitude estimation, impacting warning lead times. Additionally, existing single-algorithm dependent systems are prone to errors. There is a need for standardized practices to optimally select and combine algorithms. Machine learning and artificial intelligence show promise to make detection more robust. Models trained on diverse seismological data can learn complex patterns to detect emergent P-waves earlier and refine magnitude assessment. However, research exploring such data-driven approaches within early warning systems is limited. This study aims to address this research gap and strengthen automated detection capabilities. It proposes a machine learning model integrating multiple existing algorithms using a novel prioritization framework. Performance is evaluated on real earthquake datasets through simulations vis-à-vis single algorithms. By developing an optimized multi-algorithm framework, this study seeks to improve warning lead times and reliability. The model is designed considering operational requirements of early warning systems. Comparison of results with past methods helps evaluate contributions to the field. Overall, the research strives to enhance seismic hazard mitigation through more efficient automated detection in early warning networks.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the geotechnical properties of the brackish shoreline of Abonnema, Niger Delta, Nigeria using both in-situ and laboratory means. The study aimed to provide essential information for development planning and design of structures in the area. The study utilized borehole drilling, particle size analysis, oedometer tests, and triaxial tests. Five boreholes were drilled, and four lithostratigraphic layers were identified, with silty peaty clay at the top and medium-coarse sand at the bottom. The analysis was carried out using approved methods, and the in-situ results were compared with laboratory geotechnical properties. The study found that the clay had a very high proportion of fines, with atterberg limits ranging from 21.0 to 22.9% for the plasticity index and corresponding liquidity index values of 0.49 to 0.63, respectively. The clay had an average moisture content of above 35%, which is expected to vary with the season. The coefficient of permeability (k) averaged at 1.39 x 10-4, while the coefficient of the volume of compressibility (Mv) and coefficient of consolidation (Cv) ranged from 1.65 x 10-4 to 1.98 x 104m2/MN for Mv and 1.84 to 2.48m2/yr for Cv. The strength parameters showed cohesive clay with values from 21kPa to 24kPa with an average frictional angle of 4o. The bearing capacity values increased from 75.154kPa at the top clay layer to 207.733 kPa at the bottom medium-coarse sand. The settlement values averaged 157mm for Immediate settlement and 815mm for consolidated settlement. The study provides crucial information about the geotechnical properties of the brackish shoreline of Abonnema, Niger Delta, Nigeria. The results suggest that the area has a high percentage of fine particles, and the clay is cohesive with low shear strength. The bearing capacity values increased towards the bottom medium-coarse sand, and the settlement values were significant. These findings are vital for development planning and the design of suitable structures in the area.

Geological field mapping was conducted in the Builsa South District in the Upper-East Region (Field Sheet 1002D1) and the Mamprugu-Moagduri District in the North-East Region of Ghana (Field Sheet 1002D3), with rock samples taken for geochemical and petrographic studies to investigate mineralogical composition, texture, and microstructures in the rocks; the Kwahu/Bombouaka Group, the oldest sequence, unconformably overlies the Birimian basement complex rocks and is itself unconformably overlain by sediments forming the Oti Group, with the Yabraso Sandstone Formation as the only member of the Kwahu/Bombouaka Group and the Bimbila Formation as the only constituent of the Oti Group; eight sedimentary facies were identified based on lithological characteristics in the outcrops, with three (F1, F2, F3) belonging to the Yabraso Formation and five (F4, F5, F6, F7, F8) belonging to the Bimbila Formation, where the Yabraso Sandstone Formation exhibits a fining-upward sequence and is classified as quartz arenites with a few samples plotting as sub-arkose based on Folk’s (1974) classification, while the Bimbila Formation is stratigraphically divided into four units, from oldest to youngest: Bimbila limestones, weakly micaceous siltstones and mudstones, Bimbila sandstones, and Bimbila silexites.

The main aim of this work was to identify pathfinder elements associated with gold mineralization at
Aboduabo and identify the different elements associated with mineralization within the Aboduabo prospect. The geochemical data was obtained from 107 soil samples which were analyzed for 50 elements. The 50 elements were evaluated using multivariate statistical methods. Principal Components and Factor Analyses were used to reduce the data into ten groups and Cluster Analysis conducted to find elements associated with gold hence serving as pathfinders for gold. In order to identify the pathfinders for gold, descriptive statistics, scatterplot diagrams, component matrix, and a dendrogram was made. Principal Components, Factor and Cluster Analyses were conducted using the SPSS software. The ten Components extracted 85.656% of the explained variance in the variables. The first principal component extracted 34.040% of variability with large positive loadings from titanium, tin, germanium, and manganese which have their sources from the Birimian metasediments such as phyllite, schist and greywacke. The third loading although it has Au as the dominant factor, also has some positive associations with As, Na, Co, Ni, Sr, Rb, Ce, Mn, and Te which explained 8.856% of the total variance, Ni, Co, Mn, and Sr which are linked to the underlying mafic rocks such as basalts, dolerites, and diorites. Cluster Analysis on the elements reduced the whole data to four clusters. The first cluster consisted of Ga, Sc, Fe, Zr, Pb, La, Sr, Y, Li, Al, Th, As, Au, Cr, V, Cu, Zn, Ni, Ce, Ba, and Co. In the study area, As, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Ba, Ce, Co, Cr, La, Sr, Y, and Li were shown to be gold pathfinders. These findings suggest that both primary and secondary processes contributed to the occurrence of gold and the elements it is associated with. Copper, nickel, lead, zinc, barium, cerium, cobalt, chromium, lanthanum, strontium, yttrium, lithium can be used as pathfinders for gold in the area whiles arsenic can be used as the main pathfinder for gold mineralization at Aboduabo.

The modern taxonomical consideration of the twenty seven Paleogene-Neogene smaller benthic foraminiferal species belonging to seven genera from the Northern Tethyan of Romania (East Europe), and other countries with nearly synchronous stratigraphic level represent good example of the Tethyan assemblage. Seven of the identified species are believed here to be new: Laevidentalina popescui, Annulofrondicularia crihanae, Tollmannia haidari, T. omari, T. romanica, Percultazonaria romanica and Lenticubella romanica. Environmental conditions of the identified species represent outer shelf-Bathyal environment (~200-2000m).

The Copper-Gold (Cu-Au) ore-bearing veins in Ruwan Gora, Anka, were studied using ground magnetic, resistivity, and induced polarisation (IP) geophysics methods. The study indicated that shallow/deep tectonic structures in the Precambrian Basement Complex may retain sulphide ores, while shallow granitic intrusive/volcanic rocks have high magnetic susceptibility values. Basement rock ore-bearing veins have susceptibilities of ≤ 50 nT because of the removal of IGRF, resistivity of ≥ 100 Ωm, and IP of > 203 ms. The ores’ electrical data demonstrates mineral zoning. High and low magnetic anomalies which amplitudes of 50nT and -50nT reside in the examined area. This is commendable given the slight magnetic anomaly. The residual magnetic field intensity map, down to the Interpreted Structural Map with an identification number, indicated considerable anomalies with trends in the NE-SW and N-S and few in E-W ones, which matched various structural trends in the region. IP and resistivity models identified shallow veins and bodies with considerable resistivity and chargeability. Large charged bodies were detected at a depth of ≥ 60m. Most magnetic anomalies examined by the IP survey are charged, and their chargeability increases with depth.

A continuation of this study of Uvigerina and its related genera has resulted in numerous studies which may be of general interest. Thirty-two Paleogene small Rotaliid benthic foraminiferal species of this genus and other related genera are common in eighteen localities in the Northern and Southern Tethys (USA, Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela, Cuba, Caribbean, Chile, Argentina, France, Germany, Italy, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Nigeria, Jordan, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Pakistan). The taxonomy of the genus Uvigerina d’Orbigny with the other three related genera (i.e. Rectuvigerina Mathews, Euuvigerina Thalmann and Uvigerinella Cushman are presented and discussed.