Loose Sediments Research Articles

Model test on the entrainment phenomenon and energy conversion mechanism of flow-like landslides

A reduced-scale physical model test with a scale of 1:2000 is designed based on the Wenjia Gully landslides. By changing the volume and kinetic energy of the sliding mass, we find that the material grading and bed-sediment thickness exert an important effect on the movement process of the landslide. To investigate the dependence of the entrainment on the grade of the sliding material and bed-sediment thickness, a series of comparison experiments with sliding masses of different grades and loose sediment bed materials of different thickness values are conducted. Furthermore, a high-speed camera is used to record the runout process. The experimental results indicate that because of the entrainment effect, the erosion depth of the substrate increases when the grade of the sliding mass increases. In addition, different characters appear in the erosion depth, volume of the accumulated area and entrainment length with the increase in bed-sediment thickness. Furthermore, the entrainment depth may increase when the bed-sediment thickness increases. The velocity of the sliding mass is reduced with the increase in basement thickness. Finally, based on the analysis of landslides and the previous experimental results, the energy conversion can be calculated to analyze the process of substrate entrainment for each sliding phase.

Can luxury and environmental sustainability co-exist? Assessing the environmental impact of resort tourism on coral reefs in the Maldives

Tourism is a mainstay of the Maldivian economy, with approximately 1 million tourists a year attracted by the rich tropical marine ecosystems and the luxurious service and experience offered in the country's resorts. However, developing and running resorts to cater for tourists on relatively small and remote islands presents various environmental challenges for surrounding coral reefs. We investigated the potential impacts of tourism operations, including construction, sewage, pollution and sand pumping, on reef condition around seven islands exclusively leased for resorts. We reported variable environmental sustainability of resort practices, with some in particular being damaging. The initial construction of the resort represented an acute impact on reef condition, inferred from the lower coral cover and lower abundance of large and mature coral colonies around the newest resorts investigated. Levels of algal cover and loose sediment were higher on reef sites near the resorts, where the majority of the damaging activities take place. However, resorts activities were less important for explaining reef condition than the differences between habitats, such as the reef flat or slope, and the atoll where the resort was located. Compared to other regions globally, tourist development appeared to have less impact on reef condition in the Maldives maintaining moderately high coral cover and features of a resilient ecosystem. It is important to note that better waste management and the use of environmentally friendly infrastructure development is needed to reduce the impacts of resorts in the Maldives.

Quantitative characterization of grain shape: Implications for textural maturity analysis and discrimination between depositional environments

AbstractGrain shape plays an important role in textural analysis of sedimentary grains. Textural analysis helps to determine the formation, transportation and deposition processes of sedimentary rocks. However, there is a lack of standardized methodology for quantitative characterization of grain shapes. The utility of fully automated image analysis for grain shape measurement is assessed in this paper. This research aimed to identify the most useful shape parameters for textural characterization of populations of grains and determine the relative importance of the parameters. A key aspect of this study is to determine whether, in a particular sedimentary environment, textural maturity of the samples can be ranked based on their grain shape data. Furthermore, discrimination of sedimentary depositional environments is explored on the basis of grain shape. In this study, 20 loose sediment samples from four known depositional environments (beach, aeolian, glacial and fluvial) were analysed using newly implemented automatic image analysis methods. For each sample, a set of 11 shape parameters were calculated for 200 grains. The data demonstrate a progression in textural maturity in terms of roundness, angularity, irregularity, fractal dimension, convexity, solidity and rectangularity. Furthermore, statistical analysis provides strong support for significant differences between samples grouped by environment and generates a ranking consistent with trends in maturity. Based on novel application of machine learning algorithms, angularity and fractal dimension are found to be the two most important parameters in texturally classifying a grain. The results of this study indicate that textural maturity is readily categorized using automated grain shape parameter analysis. However, it is not possible to absolutely discriminate between different depositional environments on the basis of shape parameters alone. This work opens up the possibility of detailed studies of the relationship between textural maturity and sedimentary environment, which may be more complicated than previously considered.

КІЛЬЦЯ ЛІЗЕҐАНҐА У ЛЕСОВО -ҐРУНТОВІЙ СЕРІЇ ЯК ОБ’ЄКТ ДОСЛІДЖЕНЬ У НАУКАХ ПРО ЗЕМЛЮ (приклади з Хмельницького плато, Подільська височина)

In the Earth sciences (e.g. soil sciences, geochemistry, geology, paleogeography, geomorphology) the analysis of ironand calcite-pedofeatures or iron and carbonate content in soils and rocks is the usual source of information about environmental conditions of their sedimentation and different types of changes. But it doesn't apply to the Liesegang rings. The Liesegang rings are not well-known phenomenon if we talk about loose sediments, including loess and paleosols. These mainly round structures present a specific type of spreading in sediment layers the iron- and calcite-bearing pedofeatures. In 1970s and 1980s for unofficial use were made some geotechnical tests of Upper Pleistocene loess and paleosols monoliths from Khmelnytskyi plateau area, and first of all they had shown a difference in results of subsidence evaluation (in this case as compaction caused by first-time wetting of moisture-deficient clay or silty soils) between the ordinary samples and sample with iron-bearing Liesegang rings. According to recent research of samples from boreholes and pit excavation, iron-bearing rings occur in Upper Pleistocene loess and paleosols, calcite-bearing rings occur in Middle Pleistocene paleosols. In both cases they have rare representation, diameter up to 10 cm. There are not only geological and geotechnical engineering reasons for bigger scientific interest in the Liesegang rings, but also paleogeographic, for example, to answer the question, when and why these structures appeared if groundwater table lies more than 12 m deeper, and opposite to modern fertile soils, oversaturation seemly is not here a cause of forming of iron-bearing pedofeatures. This study is primarily an attempt to engage colleagues in research of Liesegang rings phenomenon in loose sediments, especially in the loess-paleosol sequence, as well as the invitation to discussion.

Research on the development of the Nankai gas hydrates field

The analysis of the development of the world’s first shelf field of methane hydrates on the east coast of Japan was carried out. To develop the marine Nankai gas hydrate deposit, a highly concentrated hydrate deposit discovered in turbidite sediments in the Nankai East Trough area, seismic exploration and exploratory drilling were performed. After intensive study of core samples and geophysical logging data obtained in previous studies, as well as additional engineering and geological studies, a development site was selected on the northern slope of Daini Atsumi Knoll. There were a number of goals: 1) to determine the production rate in a short period (from one to several weeks), 2) to achieve stability, integrity of wells drilled in loose sediments, 3) to implement monitoring technology to collect information on the state of methane hydrate during development. During the experimental work on the development of the gas hydrate deposit, the deep-water drilling vessel Chikyu was used. The water management system on the ship processed water from the reservoir, the degasser had removed dissolved methane, which was burned in the installed burner on the stern of the ship. Filters with gravel packing reduced the concentration of suspended particles associated with sand ingress when affected by a productive formation. The results of the 6-day stable development proved that the dissociation of methane hydrate is possible in marine sediments.

Improved imaging and analysis of chlorite in reservoirs and modern day analogues: new insights for reservoir quality and provenance

Abstract Chlorite is a key mineral in the control of reservoir quality in many siliciclastic rocks. In deeply buried reservoirs, chlorite coats on sand grains prevent the growth of quartz cements and lead to anomalously good reservoir quality. By contrast, an excess of chlorite – for example, in clay-rich siltstone and sandstone – leads to blocked pore throats and very low permeability. Determining which compositional type is present, how it occurs spatially, and quantifying the many and varied habits of chlorite that are of commercial importance remains a challenge. With the advent of automated techniques based on scanning electron microscopy (SEM), it is possible to provide instant phase identification and mapping of entire thin sections of rock. The resulting quantitative mineralogy and rock fabric data can be compared with well logs and core analysis data. We present here a completely novel Quantitative Evaluation of Minerals by SCANning electron microscopy (QEMSCAN®) SEM–energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS) methodology to differentiate, quantify and image 11 different compositional types of chlorite based on Fe : Mg ratios using thin sections of rocks and grain mounts of cuttings or loose sediment. No other analytical technique, or combination of techniques, is capable of easily quantifying and imaging different compositional types of chlorite. Here we present examples of chlorite from seven different geological settings analysed using QEMSCAN® SEM–EDS. By illustrating the reliability of identification under automated analysis, and the ability to capture realistic textures in a fully digital format, we can clearly visualize the various forms of chlorite. This new approach has led to the creation of a digital chlorite library, in which we have co-registered optical and SEM-based images, and validated the mineral identification with complimentary techniques such as X-ray diffraction. This new methodology will be of interest and use to all those concerned with the identification and formation of chlorite in sandstones and the effects that diagenetic chlorite growth may have had on reservoir quality. The same approach may be adopted for other minerals (e.g. carbonates) with major element compositional variability that may influence the porosity and permeability of sandstone reservoirs.

Anomalous Geomagnetic Field Modeling for Crustal Structure of a Graben in West Siberia

An intensive magnetic anomaly within the limits of West Siberia Danilov graben-rift indicates magnetic rocks while numerous wells encountered only weakly magnetized Triassic basalts and liparites in the basement covered by thick loose Jurassic and younger sediments. The wells penetrated only the first tens meters of the basement and could not tell us about the liparites structure at depth where supposedly they may form a big single body and magnetic rocks may be situated deeper. Geological ideas on a graben-rift structure may be proved (or rejected) by a computer modeling of its magnetic properties. For the anomalous geomagnetic field interpretation, a method of volume integral equations taking into account demagnetization effect was employed. To fit a model a trial-and-error procedure was utilized. The results show that 1) at the depth some rocks are magnetized in opposite direction to the present field; 2) highly magnetized rocks (magnetic susceptibility 0.06 - 0.1SI) coming up continuously from the bottom of the model and situated under the graben; 3) the studied structure is not a graben but the rift because the continental light crust is absent.

SEDIMENTOLOGY OF STREAM SEDIMENTS ALONG THE BED OF FAMGBE RIVER IN YENAGOA AREA OF BAYELSA STATE, NIGERIA

Sedimentological studies of samples from Famgbe River were carried out with aid of a mechanical sieve method. 10 loose sediment samples collected along the bank of Famgbe River were subjected to granulometric analysis to determine their textural characteristics and depositional processes. Standard sedimentological methods involving sieve analysis were utilized to determine the various size distribution of each sample. This was further subjected to statistical analysis (mean size, sorting, kurtosis, skeweness). Results show that the samples were very coarse to coarse grain in size (-0.77ϕ to 0.77ϕ), poorly to moderately sorted (0.53ϕ-1.48ϕ), nearly symmetrical to positively skewed (-0.01ϕ to 0.25ϕ) and very platykurtic to leptokurtic (0.14ϕ t0 1.4ϕ) with dominantly coarse grained. Most of the samples are moderately sorted, positively skewed and leptokurtic nature of sediments. This suggests that the sediments were transported by saltation and traction and being deposited during a high energy condition in a fluvial environment.

Ancient Glaciation of the Caucasus

The paper deals with important, different views on the old glaciation of the Caucasus based on the literary sources and the latest data obtained through the expeditions. Our researches are mostly of complex character where petrographic, palynological and paleontological methods are widely used. The petrographic method allowed us to connect block debris of the moraine with the main centers and to determine the directions of the glaciers movement and their distribution boundaries. The palynological method was used to determine the genesis of loose sediments considered as moraines and their sedimentation conditions. The palynological spectrum of deposits shows that they are river sediments and their sedimentation took place under humid, moderately warm climate conditions that is not associated with glaciation.

Использования радионуклидов ряда 232 Th для изучения экзогенных процессов

The potential of application of 232Th daughter radionuclides as tracer in lithodinamic and geomorphic investigations was explored. It was analyzed geochemical particularities of this radionuclide, its occurrence in rocks and sediments and ways of migration. A series of samples of sediments and river waters was collected within the Hackman canyon in the Khibiny Massif (the Kola Peninsula) and analyzed by a semiconductor gamma spectrometer to recognize activity of 232Th daughter radionuclides: 228Ac and 212Pb. In the 1930-s there was a lovchorrite mining within Hackman canyon, which tailings were enriched in 232Th. Their material is moved by different natural processes: mudflows, snow-water flows, erosion and complex slope processes. The spatial heterogeneity of radionuclide composition of loose sediments is detected, the analysis of which allowed to identify promising areas of geological-geomorphological studies and environmental risk assessment in the areas of production of radioactive thorium-containing rocks in the mountain conditions of Subarctic and protection of the natural environment.

The deformation analysis of Wenjiagou giant landslide by the distributed scatterer interferometry technique

After the deadly Ms 8.0 Wenchuan earthquake, the Wenjiagou landslide produced steep topography, a narrow gully and abundant loose sediments; these factors have contributed to the high debris flow risk in the Wenjiagou area during subsequent rainy seasons. At least five debris flows have occurred in the Wenjiagou area between September 24, 2008, and September 18, 2010, which resulted in seven casualties and an economic loss of approximately 446 million RMB. To reduce the risk of debris flows and landslides, the Wenjiagou Valley Debris Flow Control Project (WVDFCP), which cost over 2 billion RMB, was carried out and completed in 2011. The control measures of the project effectively reduced the scale and damage of the following debris flows. In this paper, the recent deformation of the giant landslide and its effect on the WVDFCP are evaluated by applying a time-series interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) technique based on distributed scatterers (DSs) to the Radardat-2 SAR data collected from June 2014 to September 2015. In addition, the experimental results show that most areas of the landslide are stable, with an average deformation rate of less than 5.0 mm/year. The results demonstrate that the control measures of the WVDFCP not only reduced the damage caused by the later debris flows but also contributed to the consolidation of the loose sediments in the Wenjiagou landslide area. The time-series InSAR technique based on the DSs of high-resolution SAR images is an important tool for deformation monitoring of earthquake-induced landslides.

Cases, causes and classifications of craters above salt caverns

Based on the description of a dozen of cases, this paper suggests a categorization of craters formed above brine-production caverns for “piston” and “hourglass” types. The deliberate creation of three craters in Lorraine (France) above the Keuper salt formation is described first. After the cavern roof reaches the top of the salt formation, stoping takes place. A rigid cylinder of rock (a piston) drops abruptly in the cavern, experiencing no deformation and creating vertical crater edges. In the same mining district, a room-and-pillar panel collapsed abruptly in 1873. Multiple pieces of evidence have proven that, here again, no deformation occurred in the cylinder that dropped into the mine. These examples prove that cavern drop is more abrupt when the cavern is filled partly with air, as less brine must be evacuated from the cavern during collapse. The Haoud Berkaoui (Algeria) and Bereznikovsky (Russia) craters also belong to the piston type; less information is available. The main features of the piston mechanism can be captured by a simple model: failure takes place when vertical shear forces along the cylinder edge, plus cavern internal pressure, are not able to balance cylinder weight. This model suggests that the contour of the crater must be a circle and that collapse is easier when the ratio between cavern radius and cavern depth is larger. This may explain why no example of a collapse above a hydrocarbon storage cavern is known: in most cases, this ratio is very small. Three sinkholes formed above salt caverns leached out from the Hutchinson salt formation in Kansas (USA) epitomize the hourglass type. Here, again, stoping occurs until the cavern roof reaches loose sediments at shallow depth. A sinkhole grows when sediments flow to a central hole to fill the cavern underneath, generating an upward flow of brine to the sinkhole. Such a phenomenon also can occur in a salt dome. At Bayou Choctaw (Louisiana, USA) a brine cavern rose through the caprock, allowing loose shallow sediments to flow to the cavern. At Bayou Corne (near Napoleonville in the same state), a cavern was within a short distance from the flank of a dome; a 1500-m-deep breach was created, and loose sediments in the dome sheath, accumulated during geological times, filled the cavern—a process that lasted more than one year and created a sinkhole at ground level. In both cases (piston and hourglass) lakes form in the crater and gravity-driven waves are observed. Sinkhole creation can be prevented when the distance between the cavern roof and the salt top (or dome flanks) is large enough and when the ratio between cavern radius and cavern depth is small enough.

Prediction for potential landslide zones using seismic amplitude in Liwan gas field, northern South China Sea

The Liwan (Lw) gas field located in the northern slope of the South China Sea (SCS) is extremely complex for its sea-floor topograghy, which is a huge challenge for the safety of subsea facilities. It is economically impractical to obtain parameters for risk assessment of slope stability through a large amount of sampling over the whole field. The linkage between soil shear strength and seabed peak amplitude derived from 2D/3D seismic data is helpful for understanding the regional slope-instability risk. In this paper, the relationships among seabed peak, acoustic impedance and shear strength of shallow soil in the study area were discussed based on statistical analysis results. We obtained a similar relationship to that obtained in other deep-water areas. There is a positive correlation between seabed peak amplitude and acoustic impedance and an exponential relationship between acoustic impedance and shear strength of sediment. The acoustic impedance is the key factor linking the seismic amplitude and shear strength. Infinite slope stability analysis results indicate the areas have a high potential of shallow landslide on slopes exceeding 15° when the thickness of loose sediments exceeds 8 m in the Lw gas field. Our prediction shows that they are mainly located in the heads and walls of submarine canyons.

Microbialite Biosignature Analysis by Mesoscale X-ray Fluorescence (μXRF) Mapping.

As part of its biosignature detection package, the Mars 2020 rover will carry PIXL, the Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry, a spatially resolved X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) spectrometer. Understanding the types of biosignatures detectable by μXRF and the rock types μXRF is most effective at analyzing is therefore an important goal in preparation for in situ Mars 2020 science and sample selection. We tested mesoscale chemical mapping for biosignature interpretation in microbialites. In particular, we used μXRF to identify spatial distributions and associations between various elements ("fluorescence microfacies") to infer the physical, biological, and chemical processes that produced the observed compositional distributions. As a test case, elemental distributions from μXRF scans of stromatolites from the Mesoarchean Nsuze Group (2.98 Ga) were analyzed. We included five fluorescence microfacies: laminated dolostone, laminated chert, clotted dolostone and chert, stromatolite clast breccia, and cavity fill. Laminated dolostone was formed primarily by microbial mats that trapped and bound loose sediment and likely precipitated carbonate mud at a shallow depth below the mat surface. Laminated chert was produced by the secondary silicification of microbial mats. Clotted dolostone and chert grew as cauliform, cryptically laminated mounds similar to younger thrombolites and was likely formed by a combination of mat growth and patchy precipitation of early-formed carbonate. Stromatolite clast breccias formed as lag deposits filling erosional scours and interstromatolite spaces. Cavities were filled by microquartz, Mn-rich dolomite, and partially dolomitized calcite. Overall, we concluded that μXRF is effective for inferring genetic processes and identifying biosignatures in compositionally heterogeneous rocks. Key Words: Stromatolites-Biosignatures-Spectroscopy-Archean. Astrobiology 17, 1161-1172.

Liquefaction response of loose gassy marine sand sediments under cyclic loading

Gassy sediments have often been encountered in the marine seabed, and they have different features from common saturated and unsaturated soil. By developing and improving an effective methodology, triaxial gassy sand specimens with different initial gas content (saturation ≥85%) were prepared in the laboratory. Their state parameters can be controlled in real time. A series of undrained dynamic triaxial tests by a Global Digital System (GDS) dynamic testing apparatus were conducted to investigate the liquefaction characteristics of gassy sand sediments. The results show that the gassy sand can liquefy the same as the fully saturated sand, but gas existence monotonically increases the sand liquefaction resistance. The occluded gas bubbles have significant influences on sand liquefaction properties. The dynamic pore pressure of gassy sand shows obvious features of slower accumulation, greater amplitude fluctuation, and deeper groove shape in time history curves of pore water, resulting from the effects of gas compression/expansion, migration, and dissolution/exsolution. By introducing a parameter of saturation, a modified model was proposed to describe the evolution of dynamic pore pressure of gassy sands. It was found that the model parameter θ is linearly dependent on the initial gas content (or initial saturation degree Sr).

Impacts of category 5 tropical cyclone Fantala (April 2016) on Farquhar Atoll, Seychelles Islands, Indian Ocean

This paper provides new insights on the impacts of a category 5 tropical cyclone on Indian Ocean atoll reef islands. Using multi-date aerial imagery and field observations, the contribution of tropical cyclone Fantala to shoreline and island change, and to sediment production and transport, was assessed on Farquhar Atoll, Seychelles Islands. Results show that the two largest islands (>3km2) only suffered limited land loss (−1.19 to −8.35%) while small islets lost 13.17 to 28.45% of their initial land area. Islands and islets exhibited contrasting responses depending on their location, topography and vegetation type. Depending on islands, the retreat of the vegetation line occurred either along all shorelines, or along ocean shoreline only. The structure (wooded vs. grassy) and origin (native vs. introduced) of the vegetation played a major role in island response. Five days after the cyclone, beach width and beach area were multiplied by 1.5 to 10, depending on the setting, and were interpreted as resulting from both sediment reworking and the supply of large amounts of fresh sediments by the reef outer slopes to the island system. Fourth months after the cyclone, extended sheets of loose sediments were still present on the reef flat and in inter-islet channels and shallow lagoon waters, indicating continuing sediment transfer to islands.

Morphological variations of the shell of the bivalve Lucina pectinata (Gmelin, 1791)

In Martinique, the species Lucina pectinata (Gmelin, 1791) is called "mud clam, white clam or mangrove clam" by bivalve fishermen depending on the harvesting environment. Indeed, the individuals collected have differences as regards the shape and colour of the shell. The hypothesis is that the shape of the shell of L. pectinata (P. pectinatus) shows significant variations from one population to another. This paper intends to verify this hypothesis by means of a simple morphometric study. The comparison of the shape of the shell of individuals from different populations was done based on samples taken at four different sites. The standard measurements (length (L), width or thickness (E - épaisseur) and height (H)) were taken and the morphometric indices (L/H; L/E; E/H) were established. These indices of shape differ significantly among the various populations. This intraspecific polymorphism of the shape of the shell of P. pectinatus could be related to the nature of the sediment (granulometry, density, hardness) and/or the predation. The shells are significantly more elongated in a loose muddy sediment than in a hard muddy sediment or one rich in clay. They are significantly more convex in brackish environments and this is probably due to the presence of more specialised predators or of more muddy sediments.
 

Seismic Attenuation for Characterization of Gas Hydrate Reservoir in Krishna-Godavari Basin, Eastern Indian Margin

ABSTRACT Gas hydrates have received global attention as a possible alternative non-conventional energy resource. Hence, the detection, characterization and quantification of gas hydrates are very important for evaluating the resource potential. Presence of gas hydrates in sediments above the bottom simulating reflector or BSR is associated with low attenuation or high quality factor (Q), whereas, free gas bearing sediments below the BSR exhibit high attenuation or low seismic Q. Here the logarithm spectral ratio (LSR) method is applied to marine seismic reflection data along two cross lines (18 and 46) in the Krishna-Godavari (KG) basin in eastern Indian margin, where gas hydrates have already been established by drilling/coring. The interval Qs is calculated for three sedimentary layers (A, B, and C) bounded by the seafloor, BSR, one reflector above and another reflector below the BSR at some common depth points (CDPs) to study the attenuation characteristics of sediments across the BSR. The estimated average interval Q (160) for the hydrate bearing sediments (layer B) is much higher than the average interval Q (80) for both the loose clayey sediments (Layer A) and underlying free gas saturated sediments (layer C). This demonstrates that estimation of seismic quality factor Q can be used for characterization of gas hydrate reservoir.

Field sampling of loose erodible material: A new system to consider the full particle-size spectrum

A new system is presented to sample and enable the characterization of loose erodible material (LEM) present on a soil surface, which may be susceptible for entrainment by wind. The system uses a modified MWAC (Modified Wilson and Cooke) sediment sampler connected to a corded hand-held vacuum cleaner. Performance and accuracy of the system was tested in the laboratory using five reference soil samples with different textures. Sampling was most effective for sandy soils, while effectiveness decreases were found for soils with high silt and clay contents in dry dispersion. This effectiveness decrease can be attributed to loose silt and clay-sized particles and particle aggregates adhering to and clogging a filter attached to the MWAC outlet. Overall, the system was found to be effective in collecting sediment for most soil textures and theoretical interpretation of the measured flow speeds suggests that LEM can be sampled for a wide range of particle sizes, including dust particles. Particle-size analysis revealed that the new system is able to accurately capture the particle-size distribution (PSD) of a given sample. Only small discrepancies (maximum cumulative difference <10% at 63 μm) were found between the PSDs before and after vacuuming for all test soils. Despite limitations of the system, it is an advance toward sampling the full particle-size spectrum of loose sediment available for entrainment with the overall goal to better understand the mechanisms of dust emission and their variability.

Determination of optimal parameters for the production of copper-containing particles during plasma-chemical treatment of aqueous solutions

The process of obtaining copper-containing particles from aqueous solutions is considered when using contact non-equilibrium plasma of reduced pressure.One of the most problematic areas of this technology is the need for the difficulty in choosing the parameters of the plasma-chemical treatment of the solution leading to the production of the desired quality. This is due to the fact that the physical and chemical mechanisms of the reactions are rather complex and when they occur, synergistic effects are observed, the dependencies of which are not entirely clear.In the course of the analysis, the possibilities of improving the technological scheme are revealed through:1) control of the inlet pH of the solution, ensuring the optimal yield of copper compounds;2) use of the spent solution in the tank with the initial solution for its acidification;3) refinement of the reactor block for the purpose of processing the solution in film or close to it, which should lead to an increase in the yield of copper oxides and a decrease in the particle size.The characteristics of the process of obtaining sediments are studied. At a concentration of C (Cu)=10-1–10-2 mol/l, the optimum pH range lies in the range 3.5–4.5. Let’s note that an increase in the current intensity of the process is accompanied by an increase in both the yield of the sediment and its density. Reducing the Cu concentration at the same current parameters gives more loose sediments. At the same time, a decrease in the liquid layer promotes an increase in the yield of oxide compounds. Also, when the thickness of the processed liquid layer is reduced, the particle size of the sediment decreases. The composition and sizes of the obtained particles are determined. With a thickness of the treated solution layer of 0.25 m, the oxide part is 50 % and 49 % at 0.1 and 0.2 bar, respectively, and at 0.01 m – 86 %, and 87 %. The dimensional characteristics of the particles are in the range 10–100 nm.