Short news science

The Centre states that CO2 gas samples from the soil at the Kerr family farm have been falsely identified as coming from a fossil source. The fossil origin was claimed by Petro-Find on the basis of the carbon-isotope composition. Citing a much wider spread in isotope composition in the soil, the Centre now denies the leakage.

www.ptrc.ca

Transparent delta

The development of rivers and deltas over time can better be understood by including information about the deeper soil structures in dedicated computer models, according to an article in Geophysical Research Letters authored by researcher Nathanaël Geleynse and colleagues at the faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences. Geleynse: “The structure of waterways carries the signature of the subsurface. We weren’t aware of that previously.” By adding information of deeper geological layers into the computer models, one can better predict future developments of the waterways.

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Kite science

Kites have been around for 3,000 years, but until recently on an artisanal basis only. Dr Jeroen Breukels and his students (Aerospace Engineering) have developed a scientific kite design based on theory, measurement and design software. He applied his methodology to improve the stability of the kiteplane, a plane-shaped kite with a 10 square metre surface. Dr Breukels believes his methodology will contribute to the creation of better kites, which can then be used to support transporting goods and harvesting energy.

‘No CO2 leakage’
Reacting to the news that CO2 gas had escaped from Canada’s Weyburn oil field, the Petroleum Technology Research Centre has published its own findings. The Centre states that CO2 gas samples from the soil at the Kerr family farm have been falsely identified as coming from a fossil source. The fossil origin was claimed by Petro-Find on the basis of the carbon-isotope composition. Citing a much wider spread in isotope composition in the soil, the Centre now denies the leakage.

www.ptrc.ca

Transparent delta
The development of rivers and deltas over time can better be understood by including information about the deeper soil structures in dedicated computer models, according to an article in Geophysical Research Letters authored by researcher Nathanaël Geleynse and colleagues at the faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences. Geleynse: “The structure of waterways carries the signature of the subsurface. We weren’t aware of that previously.” By adding information of deeper geological layers into the computer models, one can better predict future developments of the waterways.

Kite science
Kites have been around for 3,000 years, but until recently on an artisanal basis only. Dr Jeroen Breukels and his students (Aerospace Engineering) have developed a scientific kite design based on theory, measurement and design software. He applied his methodology to improve the stability of the kiteplane, a plane-shaped kite with a 10 square metre surface. Dr Breukels believes his methodology will contribute to the creation of better kites, which can then be used to support transporting goods and harvesting energy.