Synchrotron x-ray reflectivity measurements of the interface between water and methyl-terminated octadecylsilane monolayers with stable contact angle >100 degrees conclusively show a depletion layer, whether or not the water is degassed. The thickness is of order one water molecule: 2-4 Angstrom with electron density <40% that of bulk water. Considerations of coherent and incoherent averaging o...

The water table in unconfined aquifers is often believed to be a subdued replica of the topography or land surface. However, this assumption has not been widely tested and in some cases has been found to be in error. An analysis of ground water rise in regional unconfined aquifers, using both a two-dimensional boundary element model and a one-dimensional Dupuit-Forchheimer model, reveals the co...

An algorithm was developed to estimate aerosol optical depth (AOD) from geostationary satellite data. The 6S radiative transfer computer code was employed to generate a look-up table (LUT) which incorporates several combinations of satellite-derived variables including earthatmospheric reflectivity, atmospheric reflectivity and surface albedo. The parameterization of the satellite-derived atmos...

Understanding groundwater-vegetation interactions is crucial for sustaining fragile environments of desert areas such as the Horqin Sandy Land (HSL) in northern China. This study examined spatio-temporal variations in the water table and the associated vegetation status of a 9.71 km2 area that contains meadowland, sandy dunes, and intermediate transitional zones. The depth of the water table an...

AIM To contrast the effects of various modifications of body fluid volumes on thirst as reported by healthy volunteers. METHODS Ten male volunteers aged between 19 and 37 years (mean 22 years) underwent four experiments each, which comprised infusion of 400-800 mL of acetated Ringer's solution and intake of 600 mL of tap water. Half of the experiments were preceded by volume depletion (median...

A patient with protracted vomiting was noted to have hyponatraemia and hypokalaemia on admission. Isotope dilution studies before treatment revealed profound body depletion of sodium, potassium and water. Treatment with potassium chloride tablets produced a simultaneous rise in serum sodium and potassium concentration without change in urine volume or osmolality, or body weight. Potassium deple...

[1] We explore the mechanisms whereby groundwater influences terrestrial water storage (TWS) in the Amazon using GRACE observations and two contrasting versions of the LEAF-Hydro-Flood hydrological model: one with and the other without an interactive groundwater. We find that, first, where the water table is shallow as in northwestern Amazonia and floodplains elsewhere, subsurface stores (vados...

Riparian plants in arid regions face a highly variable water environment controlled by hydrological processes. To understand whether riparian plants adapt to such environments through plastic responses, we compared the root traits, biomass allocation and growth of Populus euphratica Oliv. Seedlings grown in lysimeters filled with clay or clay/river sand sediments under inundation and varying wa...