Eruptive history of the Piton de la Fournaise volcano, Reunion Island, Indian Ocean

In order to establish a general chronology of the volcanic evolution and to determine the temporal succession of the structural units, potassium-argon measurements were made on 15 samples selected as a function of their stratigraphical position on Piton de la Fournaise volcano.The rocks of Réunion Island are essentially oceanic and basaltic lavas of two shield volcanoes: the central, now extinct Piton des Neiges and the more recent, still active, Piton de la Fournaise. Piton de la Fournaise volcano is generally thought to have been developed unconformably on the southeastern flank of the Piton des Neiges volcano. Previous studies have shown four successive phases and three calderas in the construction of Piton de la Fournaise.The subaerial basaltic shield-building lavas of Piton de la Fournaise appear to be older than previously thought: at least 530,000 y. old instead of 360,000 years. In terms of their duration and erupted volumes, the four successive phases are not equivalent. The duration of the first two phases is 240,000 years (from 530,000 to 290,000 y. B.P.) and 155,000 years (from about 220,000 to 65,000 y. B.P.). The duration of the third phase is less than 60,000 years and the fourth phase may actually be an episode of the third. The two volcanoes, Piton des Neiges and Piton de la Fournaise, were active simultaneously for at least 500,000 years. The evolution of Réunion Island appears to be consistent with activity along a developing rift. The evolution of Piton de la Fournaise is mainly linked with the structural development of the shield and to large-scale slumpings due to instability of the slope.     

PbSrNd isotopic data of Indian Ocean ridges: new evidence of large-scale mapping of mantle heterogeneities

A PbSrNd isotope study of South West and East Indian Ridges confirms that the Indian Ocean belongs to a specific regional isotopic domain, as previously suggested by the results from islands of this ocean. The isotopic domain defined by the Indian MORB is indeed different from that of the North Atlantic and East Pacific Oceans. This demonstrates that the convective circulation of the upper mantle does not allow a rapid homogenization from one region to the other.The isotopic data of the Indian ridges can be interpreted by a contamination model, in which the depleted upper mantle (identical to that under the North Atlantic) is contaminated by two different types of contaminant, one corresponding to the source of the “central Indian Ocean” islands (Amsterdam, St. Paul, Marion, Prince Edward, Réunion, Rodriguez, Mauritius), and the other to a source similar to that of Walvis or Ninety East aseismic ridges. These two contaminants would have contributed to the ridge volcanism in different proportions over time.     

Structure of Réunion Island (Indian Ocean) inferred from the interpretation of gravity anomalies

Réunion is a volcanic edifice whose origin is related to a hot spot in the Indian Ocean. Only 3% of its volume is emergent. Many geological and geophysical studies were carried out on Réunion Island during the 1980's but few of them allow study of the internal structure of the edifice. Several gravity surveys have been carried out on the island since 1976 and we have compiled the available data set. The lack of data on the western side of the island led us to conduct a regional survey in 1993 to obtain a more homogeneous distribution of the stations. Computation of Bouguer anomalies for different correction densities accounts for the variable density of the rocks constituting the edifice and provides a distribution of gravity anomalies interpreted as dense bodies of intrusive rocks inside the edifice. Two very large intrusive complexes can be unambiguously recognised: one beneath Piton des Neiges and one beneath the Grand Brûlé area. Both have been penetrated by geothermal exploration drill holes and the first is also known from outcrop observations. 2.5D simple models were constructed to reveal the geometry and extent of the buried intrusives. They are deeply rooted, extending several kilometres below sea level, and extensive (20–25 km long and 10–13 km wide for the Piton des Neiges complex, 12–15 km long and some kilometres wide for the Grand Brûlé complex). The development of such complexes implies that the activity of the two volcanic centres was long lasting and remained stable while the volcanoes were growing. The Grand Brûlé complex has been interpreted as relics of an old volcano named Alizés Volcano. The interpretation of the gravity maps suggests the presence of a ridge of dense rocks to the North of the axis joining the centres of Piton des Neiges and Piton de la Fournaise volcanoes. By analogy with the other structures, 2.5D models show that this structure would culminate between 0 and 1 km below sea level and be 15 km wide. This complex induces a maximum anomaly in Takamaka Valley and we thus propose to name it Takamaka Volcano. No geological evidence of the nature of these dense rocks is available but the ridge coincides with structures revealed by magnetic and seismic data. Interpretation of the Bouguer anomaly maps suggests that the inner gravity structure of Piton de la Fournaise is not characterised by the presence of a voluminous dense body but probably by more restricted concentrations of dense rocks. Some structures can be recognised: along the present NE and SE rift zones and in the previous central part of Piton de la Fournaise to the West of the present summit. The recent eastward migration of the centre of activity of Piton de la Fournaise accounts for the lack of a large positive anomaly beneath the active craters.     

Cretaceous volcanic rocks of the South Tethyan suture zone, Pakistan: implications for the Réunion hotspot and Deccan Traps

The location, ages, and geochemical characteristics of marine volcanic rocks preserved in the South Tethyan suture zone of Pakistan suggest that the Réunion hotspot was active off northwestern Greater India well before the emplacement, far to the south, of the Deccan flood basalts, the great bulk of which were erupted at 65-66 Ma and are widely believed to be associated with the hotspot’s plume-head phase. Most of the suture zone samples have Nd-Pb-Sr isotopic ratios (e.g. age-corrected ?_Nd(t)=+3.0 to +4.6) close to those expected for modern-type Réunion source mantle in the Late Cretaceous, and their incompatible element patterns resemble those of recent Réunion shield lavas. ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar incremental heating yields ages of 73.4-72.0 Ma. Nevertheless, unless even older ages are discovered among the suture zone rocks, a pre-Deccan marine phase of Réunion hotspot activity on the Tethyan side of Greater India can be accommodated within the framework of the plume-head model.     

Atmospheric gravity wave propagation direction observed by airglow imaging in the South American sector

Airglow all sky imaging observation has been carried out in three different locations in south America, at Cachoeira Paulista (22.7°S, 45.0°W) in 1999, São João do Cariri (7.5°S, 36.5°W) in 2001 and Boa Vista (2.8°N, 60.7°W) in 2002. Comparing the atmospheric gravity wave characteristics retrieved from the image data for the three different sites and including a previous work at Alcântara (2.3°S, 44.5°W) carried out by Taylor et al. [1997. Journal of Geophysical Research 102 (D22) 26,283–26,299], we found that there is a preferential propagation direction, from the Continent to the Atlantic Ocean. The observed wave propagation directions reveal that a major part of the waves have their direction from Continent toward Ocean. The possible source of the wave generation is discussed.     

Détection des cavités à l'aide de mesures électriques et du géoradar dans une galerie d'amenée d'eau

Old water-delivery tunnels can become leaky and produce water losses of some economic importance. The detection of solution cavities behind the concrete lining was the purpose of an investigation in a 2 km long part of a water-delivery tunnel in Switzerland. A gypsum zone of about 700 m length was considered to be especially critical. Two geophysical methods were used at the same time: resistivity profiling with three different array lengths, and ground-penetrating radar. The cavities were characterized by higher electrical resistivity, principally for the short array (AB = 3 m). Detailed measurements with a pole-dipole array were made for a better depth interpretation of anomalies in some critical zones. The GPR investigations were made with an antenna of 500 MHz. Some transverse profiles were carried out with GPR in order to better delineate the discovered cavernous or weathered zones. GPR located cavities up to a few meters in length, at depths between 0 and 4 m behind the lining. Anomalies found by one investigation method were often confirmed by the other one. Their complementarity thus allowed a more reliable interpretation of the gathered data. Verifying drillholes have mostly confirmed the good correlation between geophysical interpretation and drilling results. Endoscopic investigations in the drillholes enabled us to have a real vision of discovered cavities.Although GPR-profiling has the advantage of a continuous underground imaging and of greater efficiency during data acquisition (investigation speed) we consider the combination of both methods in the present study as a good example of an integrated geophysical survey, which enables a more reliable interpretation of the gathered data.

Résumé

Les galeries d'amenée d'eau d'un certain âge peuvent poser des problèmes à cause de pertes d'eau parfois importantes. L'objectif de cette étude a été la mise en évidence et le positionnement de cavités derrière le revêtement d'une galerie en Suisse, sur une longueur de 2 km. Une zone de gypse longue de 700 m était considérée comme particulièrement critique. Deux méthodes géophysiques ont été conjointement utilisées: le traîné électrique multiple avec trois longueurs de ligne d'envoi de courant et le géoradar. Les cavités, caractérisées par des résistivités élevées, ont surtout été mises en évidence par le dispositif le plus court (AB = 3 m). Des mesures de détail ont été réalisées dans les zones critiques avec un dispositif pôle-dipôle en vue d'une meilleure interprétation des anomalies en profondeur. Les mesures de géoradar ont été exécutées avec une antenne de 500 MHz. Quelques profils transversaux ont été effectués pour vérifier l'extension des zones d'altérations ou des cavités. Le géoradar a pu localiser des cavités mesurant jusqu'à plusieurs mètres en longueur à des profondeurs variant entre 0 et 4 m derrière le revêtement de la galerie. Les anomalies décelées par une méthode ont souvent pu être confirmées par l'autre et leur complémentarité a permis une interprétation plus sûre. Des forages carottés ont montré une bonne corrélation entre les anomalies géophysiques et la réalité. Des mesures de fibroscopie dans les forages nous ont permis de déterminer la géométrie des cavités.Le géoradar possède des avantages certains: imagerie continue du massif rocheux et grande rapidité dans l'acquisition des données. Néanmoins, nous considérons la combinaison des deux méthodes utilisées dans cette étude comme le bon exemple d'une investigation géophysique combinée permettant une interprétation optimale de tous les résultats.     

Utilisation des données d''un radar météorologique pour la simulation des écoulements en rivière à l''aide d''un modèle hydrologique matriciel

A good knowledge of the spatial and temporal distribution of precipitation is required for streamflow forecasting with a mathematical model. Thus, an operational method for correcting and integrating radar and station data with a minimum of operator intervention is under development. A total of 297 CAPPI maps at a height of 2 km have been used, each map representing a 2 h accumulation for 43 rainy days in the summer of 1978.Preliminary results have shown that it is necessary to detect and correct ground clutter as well as echoes coming from anomalous propagation. Thus, an algorithm has been developed to do so. In order to obtain a better idea on the necessity of correcting those echoes and on the efficiency of the algorithm, estimations of the mean areal daily rainfalls on the basin calculated from station data, are compared to estimations computed from (a) raw radar data, (b) radar data corrected with a ground clutter mask, and (c) radar data corrected with the developed algorithm, before and after calibration with station data. Similar comparisons between measured streamflows and streamflows computed by the CEQUEAU model, are presented, except for raw radar data. Actual results show that the identification and correction algorithm behaves very satisfactorily and could permit the operational use of radar data with hydrological models. Moreover, the sensitivity of the calibration factor on the number of meteorological stations is studied. It is shown that a relatively small number of stations may be used to calibrate the radar data. However, this number should be greater for convective than for continuous rain.

Résumé

La prévision des écoulements sur un bassin versant à l'aide d'un modèle mathématique requiert la connaissance de la distribution spatiale et temporelle des précipitations. Pour ce faire, une méthode opérationnelle de correction et d'intégration des images de radar et des données des pluviomètres demandant un minimum d'intervention de l'opérateur est actuellement en cours de développement. Les recherches effectuées jusqu'à maintenant ont porté sur l'étude de 297 images de radar de type CAPPI cumulées sur 2 h à une altitude de 2 km et réparties sur 43 jours pluvieux de l'été 1978.Les premiers résultats obtenus ont vite démontré la nécessité de détecter et de corriger les échos de montagnes et les échos provenant de propagation anormale. Un algorithme a donc été développéà cet effet. Afin de mieux juger de la nécessité de corriger ces échos et de l'efficacité de l'algorithme, des estimations de la pluie moyenne sur le bassin effectuées à l'aide des données aux stations, ont été comparées aux estimations obtenues à l'aide (a) des données de radar brutes, (b) des données de radar corrigées à l'aide d'un masque d'échos de montagnes, et (c) des données de radar corrigées à l'aide de l'algorithme développé, avant et après étalonnage par les données des pluviomètres. Des comparaisons similaires ont été effectuées entre les débits observés et les débits simulés à l'aide du modèle CEQUEAU sauf pour les données de radar brutes. Les résultats obtenus démontrent que l'algorithme d'identification et de correction développé se comporte de façon très satisfaisante et pourrait permettre d'utiliser de façon opérationnelle des données de radar avec un modèle hydrologique. De plus, une étude de la sensibilité du coefficient d'étalonnage en fonction du nombre de stations météorologiques utilisées indique qu'un nombre relativement restreint de stations peut être utilisé pour étalonner les données de radar. Toutefois, ce nombre doit être plus élevé pour un épisode de pluie convective que pour un épisode de pluie continue.     

Recherche d''une politique de gestion des stocks d''eau de barrages-réservoirs en vue de soutenir les étiages : 2. Utilisation d''un modèle alterné annuel apports-déficits pour la recherche des conditions de gestion

In the upper catchment of the River Loire, France, the construction of five reservoir dams has been planned to sustain the low flows in the Loire valley. The management of these reservoirs, to be built successively, must be approached from partial or complete points of view in order to establish the daily draft decisions at every stage of the project.A hydrological criteria concerning the low flows at a station in the valley (namely the “objective point”) is used to judge the results. It is possible to determine the optimal carry-over storage for this criterion with the use of a long series of simulated inflows to reservoirs and annual deficits, when the future conditions are presumed to be known. The statistical analysis of the results helps in the formulation of the objectives for long-term Q₁ assuring the carry-over storage for a predetermined risk of failure.This objective for long-term Q₁ will not hold good if the low flow is severe. Thus some deterministic and statistical hypotheses have been used to formulate an objective for the mean term of flow Q₂ (t_j) which is calculated each day t_j and adjusted to the hydrological conditions of the year. The target draft C_b at the objective point is the minimum of the pair [(Q₁, Q₂ (t_j)].Water is discharged each day to meet this target flow, while maintaining all the constraints of the flows downstream to the reservoirs. It takes into account the time needed for transfer of water and permits a good prediction of either the flow propagation in the upper watershed or the evolution of the inflows from downstream catchments.A modular model is used to calculate the daily flow. The results obtained from simulation were satisfactory.

Résumé

La construction de cinq barrages réservoirs est envisagée sur le haut-bassin de la Loire, en vue de soutenir les débits d'étiage dans la basse vallée. Une gestion en temps réel s'exprime par une formulation journalière des débits à lacher aux ouvrages de retenue. Cette formulation résulte d'une optimisation de la gestion des volumes d'apports, compte tenu d'une contrainte de défaillance liée à un état vide des réserves en cours d'étiage.La recherche de la gestion optimale des reports interannuels est faite au moyen d'un critère purement hydrologique: la distribution de probabilité des débits d'étiage en une station de la vallée, appelée point objectif. Une longue série simulée d'apports annuels aux réservoirs et de déficits au point objectif permet de déterminer les reports interannuels optimaux vis-à-vis de ce critère dans le cas d'un avenir certain. L'analyse statistique des reports effectués dans ces conditions permet de dégager la formulation d'un objectif à long terme assurant un report interannuel pour un risque déterminé de défaillance. Cet objectif défini en début de saison d'étiage et optimisant le report envisagé est appelé l'objectif à long terme Q₁. En cas de réserves assez faibles en début de saison, et d'étiage plus sévère que prévu, le maintien “ne varietur” de cet objectif peut conduire à la vidange totale des réservoirs en cours d'étiage. Une contrainte journalière a été ajoutée pour limiter ce risque. La répartition de la totalité des réserves disponibles sur la période probable d'étiage restant à courir, définit un objectif à moyen terme Q₂ (t_j). Sa réactualisation chaque jour évite toute défaillance brusque de la gestion. Le débit que l'on cherche à maintenir au point objectif ou débit cible est défini chaque jour par le minimum du couple [Q₁, Q₂ (t_j)].La réalisation pratique de ce débit cible à partir des délestages effectués aux différents barrages tient compte de la propagation des débits lachés et des prévisions d'apports des bassins intermédiaires. Un modèle modulaire de bassin a été conçu qui permet le calcul des lachures journalières réalisant un débit cible défini.La simulation de la méthode proposée sur les séries historiques disponibles fournit des résultats très satisfaisants.     

The geoid in southeastern Brazil and adjacent regions: new constraints on density distribution and thermal state of the lithosphere

Least-squares collocation technique was used to process regional gravity data of the SE South American lithospheric plate in order to map intermediate (10–2000 km) wavelength geoid anomalies. The area between 35–10° S and 60–25° W includes the Paraná CFB Province, the Southern São Francisco Craton and its marginal fold/thrust belts, the Brazilian continental margin and oceanic basins. The main features in the geoid anomaly map are: (a) Paraná CFB Province is characterized by a 1000 km long and 500 km wide, NE-trending, 9 m-amplitude negative anomaly which correlates with the distribution of sediments and basalts within the Paraná basin. (b) A circular (600–800 km in diameter) positive, 8 m-amplitude geoid anomaly is located in the southern S. Francisco craton and extends into the northeastern border of the Paraná CFB Province. This anomaly partially correlates with Alto Paranaíba Igneous Province (APIP), where alkalic volcanism and tholeiitic dikes of ages younger than 80 Ma are found and where a low-velocity zone in the mantle has been mapped using seismic tomography. This positive geoid anomaly extends towards the continental margin at latitude 21° S and joins a linear sequence of short wavelength positive geoid anomalies associated with Vitoria–Trindade seamounts. (c) A NE-trending, 1000 km long and 800 km wide, 4 m-amplitude, positive geoid anomaly, which is located along the southeastern coast of Brazil, from latitude 24 to 35° S. The northern part of this anomaly correlates with the Ponta Grossa Arch and Florianopolis dyke swarm provinces. The age of this intrusive volcanism is 130–120 Ma. (d) A circular positive anomaly with 9 m of amplitude, located over the Rio Grande and Uruguay shields and offshore Pelotas basin. Few alkaline intrusives with ages between 65 and 80 Ma are found in the region and apatite fission track ages in basement rocks indicates cooling at around 30 Ma. A semi-quantitative analysis of the observed geoid anomalies using isostatic considerations suggests that the mechanism which generated Paraná CFB Province did not change, in a significant manner, the lithospheric thermal structure, since the same geoid pattern observed within this province continues northward over the Neoproterozoic fold/thrust belts systems separating the São Francisco and Amazon cratons. Therefore, this observation favours Anderson’s idea of rapid basaltic outpouring through a pull-apart mechanism along a major suture zone. A thermal component may still be present in the Southern São Francisco Craton and in the Rio Grande Shield and contiguous continental margins, sites of Tertiary thermal and magmatic reactivations.     

Geothermal study of reunion island: Audiomagnetotelluric survey

In 1979 and 1980, 535 magnetotelluric soundings using a frequency range of 1700 Hz-8 Hz were performed on the island of Réunion for geothermal exploration.Few direct hot-water discharges were observed. Consequently, geophysical methods, particularly the audiomagnetotelluric method, were used extensively. Favourable geological conditions for this method were encountered and the results, which were controlled using classical electrical methods on test areas, suggest an unusual distribution of resistivities for lava flows situated above suspected geothermal areas. These layers progressively decrease in resistivity down to a very conductive layer. In areas where these conductive layers were nearest the surface, detailed studies were carried out showing a close correlation between decreasing resistivity and increasing hydrothermal alteration. In addition, gradient wells reveal high geothermal gradients in such areas. The conductive layers revealed by audiomagnetotelluric soundings seem to correlate with thermal effects creating progressive hydrothermal alteration from an inferred hot-water reservoir up toward the surface.     

Geomagnetic field intensity between 70 000 and 130 000 years B.P. from a volcanic sequence on La Réunion, Indian Ocean

A detailed paleointensity study was made of a sequence of 70 successive lava flows of the Piton des Neiges volcano on the island of La Réunion (Indian Ocean). Radiometric dating brackets the age of this sequence between 130 ± 3 ka and 72 ± 3 ka. Rock magnetic investigations show that titanomagnetites in the pseudo single domain range are the main magnetic carrier of the Natural Remanent Magnetisation (NRM). Over 350 samples were used for paleointensity determinations carried out with the Thellier method in vacuum or in an argon atmosphere. Of these, 89 samples yielded reliable results, with within-flow scatter often lower than 20%. These results indicate that the geomagnetic field intensity has varied at La Réunion between 13 and 65 μT during the period of time explored. The average value, 42 μT, is higher than the present field at La Réunion (35 μT). The results from the upper part of the section are consistent with previous results obtained for the 82–98 ka period also at La Réunion [1] and document a broad low around 95 ka. not associated with large directional changes. On a larger geographic scale, the paleointensity values from La Réunion are significantly higher than those obtained from Mount Etna [2]. Precise comparison is, however, difficult because of the lack of detail in the Etna results. In the lower part of the section, a marked intensity low, coinciding with significant deviation from the dipole field direction is observed at 115 ka and could correspond to the end of the Blake event.     

Utilisation de la radio-magnétotellurique pour la reconnaissance en site aquatique

The radio-magnetotelluric method (Radio-MT) can be operated in water tanks to an adaptation of the electric field transducer. Measurements are very easy to carry out: the set of transducers (electric and magnetic field transducers) is towed on a raft behind a boat. The small dimension of the system makes it possible to perform resistivity profiling across rivers and thus to assess lateral variations of the underground proprieties across the watercourse with a better accuracy than is possible with the direct current prospecting method where the total length of the measurement array is over about 200 m. With the latter method only profiles parallel to the watercourse are possible if the river is not wider than a few hundred metres. This means that the two methods are complementary.We have performed several experiments and survey campaigns with this new method. With one of them, we have compared the resistivity results obtained by both methods along a 7 km long profile. The second survey campaign has helped to understand the geological structure of the surroundings of a river across which a dam construction is planned. Lastly, we have carried out resistivity measurements along the same profile, some 50 m long, three times, in a lake with three different water depths: dry lake, and waterdepths of 30 cm and 1 m. With this comparison we have been able to experimentally confirm the theoretical modelling of the effect of water on the Radio-MT resistivity measurements.The applications of Radio-MT in water are the same as those of DC prospecting: geological surveying and survey of the sediment on the water floor (mud, sands and gravels). Of course, unlike DC resistivity prospecting, Radio-MT cannot be used at sea where the skin depth of the electromagnetic waves is too small.

Résumé

La radio-magnétotellurique (Radio-MT) peut être mise en œuvre dans l'eau grâce à l'adaptation du capteur de champ électrique. Les mesures sont très simples: il suffit de remorquer l'ensemble des deux capteurs (de champ électrique et de champ magnétique) sur un flotteur derrière un bateau. Le faible encombrement du matériel permet de réaliser des profils de résistivité apparente en travers des cours d'eau et donc d'évaluer, avec une meilleure précision qu'en prospection électrique par courant continu, les variations des propriétés du sous-sol en travers de la rivière. En effet, en courant continu la longueur totale d'un dispositif est au minimum de 200 m et seuls les profils en long sont possibles si le cours d'eau étudié a une largeur inférieure à quelques centaines de mètres. En revanche, en Radio-MT, les sondages ne sont pas possibles, ce qui rend les deux méthodes complémentaires.Nous avons effectué plusieurs expérimentations et campagnes de reconnaissance avec cette nouvelle méthode: L'une a consisté à comparer le long d'un profil de 7 km les mesures obtenues avec les deux méthodes. La deuxième campagne de reconnaissance a aidé à comprendre la structure géologique détaillée dans l'environnement d'une riviére où la construction d'un barrage est projetée. Enfin, nous avons réalisé trois fois le même profil de 50 m de long sur un lac avec trois profondeurs d'eau différentes: lac à sec, 30 cm et 1 m d'eau environ. Nous avons pu ainsi confirmer expérimentalement les résultats de la modélisation théorique concernant l'effet de la couche d'eau sur les mesures.Les applications de la Radio-MT en site aquatique sont les mêmes que celles de la prospection électrique par courant continu: reconnaissance géologique, étude du sédiment formant le fond des cours d'eau (vase, sables, graviers). Naturellement, contrairement au courant continu, la Radio-MT n'est pas applicable en mer où la profondeur de pénétration des ondes électromagétiques est trop faible.     

Remarques sur le geothermometre Na---K---Ca

In this paper we try to explain the empirical Na---K---Ca geothermometer introduced by Fournier and Truesdell (1973).At high temperatures (100°C < t < 370°C), the geothermometer can be related to an equilibrium between plagioclase, K-feldspar and water. If this is true, plagioclase must have a nearly constant composition, rich in albite. At low temperatures, the relation between temperature and the Fournier and Truesdell formula can be explained by an increase of the total concentration of dissolved salts with temperature. This increase and the increase of temperature calculated by the Fournier and Truesdell relation can be related to other effects, among which one of the most important is that we deal with a quasi-closed system.

Résumé

Dans cet article on essaye d'expliquer le géothermométre empirique de Fournier et Truesdell (1973) utilisant les concentrations en sodium, potassium et calcium dissous dans les eaux.A haute température (100°C < t < 370°C), le thermométre peut être expliqué par un équilibre entre plagioclase, feldspath potassique et eau, á condition que le plagioclase ait une composition á peu prés constante et trés proche du pôle albite. A basse température, la liaison entre la température et la formule de Fournier et Truesdell peut s'expliquer par une augmentation de la concentration globale en sels dissous, á composition relative constante, avec la température. Mais l'augmentation de la concentration globale et par suite l'augmentation de la température calculée peut être également due á d'autres facteurs dont le principal est le confinement de la solution.     

Recherche d''une politique de gestion des stocks d''eau de barrages-réservoirs en vue de soutenir les étiages : 1. Élaboration d''un modèle alterné annuel apports-déficits

Lack of water supply during periods of deficient flow affects the economic potentiality of the great river valleys which are the most developed areas in the country. Reservoir dams built in the upper stream catchments store excess flow and provide controlled release in the dry season. Capital costs of construction and the consequences of failures justify a thorough study of operating rules.The low flows and conditional variability of availability of water call for carry-over procedures (reservoir capacity is sometimes greater than the mean available water). It is not possible to predict future sequence of flows, thus the carry-over rule is a statistical decision-making tool. The flow data are only one of the very many possible sources of information. But the analysis of flow data provides us with statistical measures to generate long series of synthetic inflows associated with summer deficits.A simplification has been introduced by choosing only the values which are absolutely necessary for optimal management research: available water volumes and reserve volumes for a flow threshold.Yearly alternate periods of excess and deficiency of water are defined by the values above and below a threshold of flow discharge at a location gage named “objective point”, where the reservoir effects are to be estimated. Yearly periods are described by water volumes, either inflows into reservoirs, or deficits below various thresholds of summer flow discharges. Marginal and conditional probability distributions of these volumes and the physical laws which mark their bounds and relationships were estimated on the basis of 31 years of daily flow records.The synthetic simulated series for 1000 years was compared to records of historical levels (since 1863). Extreme events such as sequences of dry years, have return periods of comparable magnitude.This synthetic series has a similar statistical character of short historical series and makes the analysis of operating rules possible.

Résumé

Les moyennes et basses vallées des fleuves ont en général polarisé le développement industriel et agricole, créant ainsi des besoins en eau croissants. L'implantation de barrages-réservoirs dans les hauts bassins peut contribuer à atténuer les graves conséquences de pénuries. Ils emmagasinent l'eau en période d'abondance et la restituent en étiage. L'importance des investissements et les conséquences d'une défaillance justifient une analyse minutieuse des conditions de gestion de ces retenues.L'aménagement du bassin de la Loire (France) prévoit des réservoirs de capacités importantes vis-à-vis des apports annuels moyens. La variabilité liée des étiages et des apports aux réservoirs, conduit à envisager des reports interannuels. La valeur optimale du report a un caractère statistique, en raison de l'indépendance des caractères hydrologiques des années successives.Une simplification a été recherchée, ne comportant que les grandeurs strictement indispensables à la recherche de la gestion optimale: volumes d'apports et volumes de soutien à un seuil de débit. Les périodes d'apports et de déficits sont définies annuellement par le franchissement d'un seuil de débit à la section objectif du soutien. Les états alternés ainsi obtenus sont caractérisés: (1) pour la période d'apports: par les volumes apportés aux divers réservoirs; et (2) pour la période de déficit: par les volumes déficitaires sous différents seuils de débit au point objectif.Les 31 années d'observations de débits dans le bassin ont permis l'estimation des lois de distributions marginales et liées de ces variables, ainsi que des contraintes physiques qui les bornent. Cette analyse a permis l'élaboration d'un modèle de génération simultanée d'apports aux réservoirs et d'étiages dans la vallée. Une série longue de 1000 ans a ensuite été générée par une méthode de Monte-Carlo.Les résultats de la simulation ont été confrontés aux observations historiques de hauteurs d'eau (110 ans). Les événements exceptionnels ont des fréquences d'ordre de grandeur comparable.Cette série synthétique permet d'envisager une analyse de la gestion dégagée du caractère particulier lié à la brièveté de la série historique.     

Geothermal model of the Salazie Cirque (Reunion Island): Volcanic and structural implications

A programme of geothermal exploration on Réunion Island resulted in the siting of an exploration geothermal borehole in Salazie Cirque. The borehole attained a depth of 2108 m and encountered temperatures of 192 ± 8°C; no aquifer was found.The geological information obtained made it possible to propose a stratigraphy for the deep underlying rocks beneath the Salazie Cirque on the Piton des Neiges and thus to interpret the events that followed the emergence of the island. A large gabbroic mass was intersected and found to comprise several successive intrusions, the principal one of which is continuously zoned from melagabbro to monzonite. Modeling of geophysical data on the drillhole results enabled the distribution of the different geological units to be interpreted.A geothermal model is proposed taking into account the dynamic evolution of the hydrothermal processes that preceded and accompanied emplacement of the gabbro responsible for the geothermal anomaly underlying the three cirques that sculpt the flanks of the Piton des Neiges.     

Alfvén intermittency in space plasmas

The onset of Alfvén intermittent chaos in space plasmas is studied by numerically solving the derivative non-linear Schrödinger equation (DNLS) under the assumption of stationary Alfvén waves. We describe how the Alfvénic fluctuations of the magnetic field can evolve from periodic to chaotic behavior through a sequence of bifurcations as the plasma dissipation is varied. The collision of a chaotic attractor with an unstable periodic orbit leads to the generation of strongly chaotic behavior, in an event known as interior crisis. We also show that in the DNLS equation, chaotic attractors coexist with nonattracting chaotic sets responsible for transient chaotic behaviors. After the interior crisis point, a wide chaotic attractor can be decomposed into two coupled nonattracting chaotic sets, resulting in intermittent chaotic time series. Understanding transient chaos is a key to understand intermittency in space plasmas.     

Wavelet analysis of lightning return stroke

In this investigation, time series consisting of electric field waveforms of 15 positive return strokes and 10 negative return strokes were analyzed. The data came from a summer thunderstorm in March in a range of about 200 km around São José dos Campos, São Paulo. The electric field recording system consisted of a flat plate antenna with a decay time constant of 260 μs and a sample rate of 800,000 samples per second. The bandwidth observed was up to 100 kHz and the recording system was synchronized with GPS time and located at São José dos Campos. Wavelet analysis of the electric field waveforms was done in order to investigate the behavior of the return stroke spectrum in time. The return stroke was suggested to be divided into two portions: initial stage and overshoot (for far return stroke) and initial stage and ramp (for close return stroke). The return stroke power spectrum was observed to be distributed in a frequency range with the peak value also distributed in a fraction of this range. Power peaks for ramps are stronger than power peaks for initial stage and overshoot. Finally, it was observed how powerful the wavelet is in the analysis of lightning.     

Lidar observations of atmospheric sodium at an equatorial location

Lidar measurements of upper atmospheric sodium were made at Alcântara (2°20′ S, 44°30′ W), Brazil, on 8 days during the month of November 1996. These are the first sodium measurements to be reported from an almost equatorial location. The average sodium distribution at Alcântara was found to be very similar to the annual mean for São José dos Campos (23° S), but about 1 km higher than the November mean value of 92 km for the latter site. Only one, weak, sporadic sodium layer was observed during more than 26 h of observations, an occurrence frequency much less than that seen at low latitude sites in the northern hemisphere. A survey of the observations of sporadic layers at various locations suggests that both magnetic dip and declination angles might influence their rate of occurrence.     

Relative hotspot motions versus True Polar Wander

The fixity of hotspots and mantle plume locations has long been axiomatic. If the assumption of fixed hotspots is granted, ‘absolute’ plate motions and movements of the spin axis with respect to the hotspot framework, defined by some as True Polar Wander (TPW), can be determined. However, this assumption can be tested by paleomagnetic data, and such tests are gradually raising some doubts about the fixity of hotspots. The result is that discrepancies between Cretaceous and Tertiary hotspot and paleomagnetic reference frames are now beginning to be interpreted as the result of plume drift within a convective mantle. In the Indo-Atlantic, hotspots have remained relatively stationary with respect to the spin axis for the last 95 million yr. However, the Pacific hotspots, notably Hawaii, appear to have undergone large-scale southward drift with respect to the spin axis during the Early Tertiary. Global paleomagnetic data do not indicate that any TPW occurred during the Late Cretaceous or Tertiary. Although the Early Cretaceous paleomagnetic and hotspot frames for the Indo-Atlantic realm can be interpreted as slow TPW, direct estimates of paleolatitude and hotspot motion, in particular the Kerguelen hotspot, challenge TPW as a global phenomenon. At present, we consider that the large Early Cretaceous discrepancy between hotspot and paleomagnetic data is best explained by southward drift of the Atlantic hotspots prior to ∼95 Ma.     

Volcanic plume thermal radiation: 1972 eruption of piton de la fournaise, Réunion Island

Using an infrared radiometer, the authors measured the infrared radiation emitted by the plume during the 1972 Piton de la Fournaise (Réunion Island) eruption in the 9.1- to 11.9-μm range.Eight histograms summarize twenty hours of continuous measurements and show a flux between 0.557 and 1.279 W/cm² with an average of 0.88 W/cm². The greatest number of events correspond to the flux emitted by lava fountains, while the high and rare flux values (4–6 W/cm²) correspond to detonations of chemical explosions, probably of H₂ and O₂.After calibration in the laboratory on a reference black body and in the field by correlation with field observations, such a technique can be used to follow changes of volcanic activity in remote and dangerous spots. Information on the number of explosions, their magnitude, and the presence and relative significance of hot magma can be transmitted continuously to a safe place.