Investigating the causes of reduced dissolved oxygen concentrations in Kickapoo Creek, TX.

Excessive organic matter and nutrients can depress dissolved oxygen concentration (DOC) in streams. The aim of this study was to understand the depressed DOC of Kickapoo Creek in Texas, USA, which is an impaired stream; identify the possible sources causing the depressed DOC and elevated Escherichia coli levels; and identify possible remedial measures. Monthly grab water quality data was monitored for nine stations in the watershed. For three of the nine stations, 24-h DOC was also monitored for a comparison with the minimum and average DOC criteria. Correlational, graphical, spatial, and temporal analyses were carried out for DOC concentration with other water quality variables which have the potential to depress DOC in the stream. The correlational analyses show a weak to moderate correlation for DOC with nutrient and oxygen-demanding substance concentrations present in the stream. However, there are spatial and temporal trends in DOC data that can be attributed to the nutrient influx into the stream. A pattern of increasing nutrient concentrations from upstream to downstream partially explains the decreasing dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations observed towards the lower reaches. Visual interpretations of riparian vegetation and sediment influx also support the spatial patterns in DO concentrations. The majority of the depressed DOC occurs in the summer months when streamflow is at a minimum. The depressed DOC during summer is partially explained by the increasing daily temperatures for the summer months as revealed by the trend analysis of the daily temperature data from 1981 to 2020 using the modified Mann-Kendall test, Pettitt test, and Sen's slope.

Characterization of MBa2Cu3O7-x thin films by Raman microspectroscopy.

Thin film embodiments of MBa2Cu3O7-x (MBCO, M = yttrium or a rare-earth metal) prepared by several different deposition methods on a variety of substrates were investigated by Raman microspectroscopy. Several of the unique characterization capabilities of Raman spectroscopy in the analysis of MBCO thin films are highlighted by the results of these investigations. The Raman active phonons of the orthorhombic and tetragonal forms of MBCO that are most useful for characterization of textured MBCO films are diagrammed and discussed. A rapid procedure for qualitative texture mapping of MBCO thin films using Raman microscopy techniques is presented, and a new approach for investigating phase separation at the sub-micrometer level in MBCO thin films based on curve resolution of the MBCO Cu2 phonon is described. The assignment of a particular feature often observed in Raman spectra of MBCO films to cation disorder is reinforced by results of a cation substitution study. The depth of penetration of the laser into MBCO films and the type of information that can be obtained by varying the extent of defocusing of the laser are also discussed.