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In order to prevent reservoir sedimentation, sediment bypass tunnels can be an efficient countermeasure restoring sediment continuity of impounded rivers. Although supercritical open channel flow conditions in these tunnelsprevent tun-nel blockage, in combination with the high bypassed sediment volume it may lead tosevere abrasion damages on inverts. Consequently,wear termed hydroabra-sionoccurs. Based on laboratoryexperiments, a theoretical model was devel-oped to predict abrasion rates and service life timeof sediment bypass tunnels. Insituexperiments are further conducted for model calibration to provide an abrasion prediction approach for field applications.Finally,recommendations concerning the hydraulic design of the tunnel as well as the structural design ofthe invertareprovided.

Worldwide, a large number of reservoirs impounded by dams are rapidly filling up with sediments. As on a global level the loss of reservoir volume due to sedimentation increases faster than the creation of new storage volume, the sustainability of reservoirs may be questioned if no countermeasures are taken. This paper gives an overview of the amount and the processes of reservoir sedimentation and its impact on dams and reservoirs. Furthermore, sediment bypass tunnels as a countermeasure for small to medium sized reservoirs are discussed with their pros and cons. The issue of hydroabrasion is highlighted, and the main design features to be applied for sediment bypass tunnels are given.

Sedimentumleitstollen leiten die sedimentreichen Hochwasserspitzen um die Tal-sperre herum in den Unterlauf des Flusses und verhindern so eine fortschreitende Verlandung des Stauraums. Aufgrund der hohen Fließgeschwindigkeiten und gro-ßen Sedimentfrachten in Umleitstollen weisen diese starke Verschleißerscheinun-gen auf, die zu hohen Unterhaltskosten führen. Es gibt verschiedene Konzepte um diesem Problem entgegen zu wirken. Einerseits kann der Umleitstollen hydrau-lisch optimiert werden, um die Belastung auf die Sohle zu minimieren. Auf der anderen Seite kann der Widerstand der Stollensohle verbessert werden. An der Versuchsanstalt für Wasserbau, Hydrologie und Glaziologie (VAW) der ETH Zü-rich werden zur Zeit zwei Forschungsarbeiten durchgeführt, die sich diesen zwei Aspekten widmen. In großskaligen Laborversuchen erfolgt eine systematische Untersuchung und Optimierung der maßgebenden Parameter wie Fortbewegungs-art des Sediments und Abrasionstiefe der Stollensohle. Anhand von Prototypver-suchen im neu errichteten Sedimentumleitstollen Solis in Graubünden (Schweiz) werden die Zusammenhänge zwischen Beanspruchung, Materialeigenschaften und Abrasion im Prototyp ermittelt. Darauf basierend können Empfehlungen be-züglich Materialwahl, konstruktiver Durchbildung und Dimensionierung abgege-ben und so zu einer nachhaltigen und wirtschaftlichen Wasserbewirtschaftung in Stauseen beigetragen werden.

The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite mission will measure river width, water surface elevation, and slope for rivers wider than 50–100 m. SWOT observations will enable estimation of river discharge by using simple flow laws such as the Manning-Strickler equation, complementing in situ streamgages. Several discharge inversion algorithms designed to compute unobserved flow law parameters (e.g., friction coefficient and bathymetry) have been proposed, but to date, a systematic assessment of factors controlling algorithm performance has not been conducted. Here, we assess the performance of the five algorithms that are expected to be used in the construction of the SWOT product. To perform this assessment, we used synthetic SWOT observations created with hydraulic model output corrupted with SWOT-like error. Prior information provided to the algorithms was purposefully limited to an estimate of mean annual flow (MAF), designed to produce a “worst case” benchmark. Prior MAF error was an important control on algorithm performance, but discharge estimates produced by the algorithms are less biased than the MAF; thus, the discharge algorithms improve on the prior. We show for the first time that accuracy and frequency of remote sensing observations are less important than prior bias, hydraulic variability among reaches, and flow law accuracy in governing discharge algorithm performance. The discharge errors and error sensitivities reported herein are a bounding benchmark, representing worst possible expected errors and error sensitivities. This study lays the groundwork to develop predictive power of algorithm performance, and thus map the global distribution of worst-case SWOT discharge accuracy.

DNA methylation in bacteria is important for defense against foreign DNA, but is also involved in DNA repair, replication, chromosome partitioning, and regulatory processes. Thus, characterization of the underlying DNA methyltransferases in genetically tractable bacteria is of paramount importance. Here, we characterized the methylome and orphan methyltransferases in the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Single molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing revealed four DNA methylation recognition sequences in addition to the previously known motif m5CGATCG, which is recognized by M.Ssp6803I. For three of the new recognition sequences, we identified the responsible methyltransferases. M.Ssp6803II, encoded by the sll0729 gene, modifies GGm4CC, M.Ssp6803III, encoded by slr1803, represents the cyanobacterial dam-like methyltransferase modifying Gm6ATC, and M.Ssp6803V, encoded by slr6095 on plasmid pSYSX, transfers methyl groups to the bipartite motif GGm6AN7TTGG/CCAm6AN7TCC. The remaining methylation recognition sequence GAm6AGGC is probably recognized by methyltransferase M.Ssp6803IV encoded by slr6050. M.Ssp6803III and M.Ssp6803IV were essential for the viability of Synechocystis, while the strains lacking M.Ssp6803I and M.Ssp6803V showed growth similar to the wild type. In contrast, growth was strongly diminished of the Δsll0729 mutant lacking M.Ssp6803II. These data provide the basis for systematic studies on the molecular mechanisms impacted by these methyltransferases.

Wear due to sediment particles in fluid flows, also termed ‘hydroabrasion’ or simply ‘abrasion’, is an omnipresent issue at hydraulic structures as well as in bedrock rivers. However, interactions between flow field, particle motion, channel topography, material properties and abrasion have rarely been investigated on a prototype scale, leaving many open questions as to their quantitative interrelations. Therefore, we investigated hydroabrasion in a multi-year field study at two Swiss Sediment Bypass Tunnels (SBTs). Abrasion depths of various invert materials, hydraulics and sediment transport conditions were determined and used to compute the abrasion coefficients kv of different abrasion models for high-strength concrete and granite. The results reveal that these models are useful to estimate spatially averaged abrasion rates. The kv‑value is about one order of magnitude higher for granite than for high-strength concrete, hence, using material-specific abrasion coefficients enhances the prediction accuracy. Three-dimensional flow structures, i.e., secondary currents occurring both, in the straight and curved sections of the tunnels cause incision channels, while also longitudinally undulating abrasion patterns were observed. Furthermore, hydroabrasion concentrated along joints and protruding edges. The maximum abrasion depths were roughly twice the mean abrasion depths, irrespective of hydraulics, sediment transport conditions and invert material., Water, 12 (2), ISSN:2073-4441

This report draws together the key strands of analysis and results from capacity support activities undertaken as part of the “Ambition to Action” (A2A) project in Argentina between March 2017 and October 2019. Overall, the A2A project supported NDC processes in partner countries with a view to accelerate implementation of current NDCs and inform the setting of more ambitious NDC targets for upcoming NDC cycles. The underlying rationale of the project was to support policy makers to better understand the broader implications of higher ambition in key NDC sectors by comparing alternative sector pathways in terms of their socio-economic impacts and technical implications. The analysis involved the development of assessment tools to allow for the quantification of impacts or so-called co-benefits and was undertaken in close consultation with local experts.

A significant part of global primary productivity is provided by cyanobacteria, which areabundant in most marine and freshwater habitats. In many oceanographic regions, however, theconcentration of iron can be so low that it limits growth. Cyanobacteria respond to this condition byexpressing a number of iron stress inducible genes, of which the isiA gene encodes a chlorophyll-binding protein known as IsiA or CP43?. It was recently shown that 18 IsiA proteins encircle trimeric photosystem I (PSI) under iron-deficient growth conditions. We report here that after prolonged growth of Synechocystis PCC 6803 in an iron-deficient medium, the number of bound IsiA proteins can be much higher than previously known. The largest complexes bind 12-14 units in an inner ring and 19-21 units in an outer ring around a PSI monomer. Fluorescence excitation spectra indicate an efficient light harvesting function for all PSI-bound chlorophylls. We also find that IsiA accumulates in cyanobacteria in excess of what is needed for functional light harvesting by PSI, and that a significant part of IsiA builds supercomplexes without PSI. Because the further decline of PSI makes photosystem II (PSII) increasingly vulnerable to photooxidation, we postulate that the surplus synthesis of IsiA shields PSII from excess light. We suggest that IsiA plays a surprisingly versatile role in cyanobacteria, by significantly enhancing the light harvestingability of PSI and providing photoprotection for PSII.

A series of measurements have been performed at KVI to obtain the vector analyzing power Ay of the 2H(p→,pd) reaction as a function of incident beam energy at energies of 120, 135, 150, and 170 MeV. For all these measurements, a range of ϑc.m. from 30° to 170° has been covered. The purpose of these investigations is to observe possible spin-dependent effects beyond two-nucleon forces. When compared to the predictions of Faddeev calculations, based on two-nucleon forces only, significant deviations are observed at all energies and at center-of-mass angles between 70° and 130°. The addition of present-day three-nucleon forces does not improve the description of the data, demonstrating the still insufficient understanding of the properties of three-nucleon systems.