The distribution of Titan's high-altitude (out to ∼50,000 km) exosphere from energetic neutral atom (ENA) measurements by Cassini/INCA

We report observations of Titan's high-altitude exosphere detected out to about 50,000 km altitude. The observations were made by the Ion Neutral Camera (INCA) on board the Cassini spacecraft. INCA detects energetic neutral atoms (ENA) that are formed when the ambient magnetospheric ions charge exchange with Titan's neutral atmosphere and exosphere. We find that Titan's exospheric H₂ distribution follows closely a full Chamberlain distribution including ballistic, escaping and satellite distributions. As expected, neutral densities are dominated by a satellite distribution above about 10,000 km. The maximum detectable extent of the exosphere (～50,000 km) coincides with the radius of the Hill sphere of gravitational influence from Saturn. While we find no direct indications of a neutral Titan torus with densities greater than about 1000 cm^?3, we observe interesting asymmetries in the distribution that warrants further investigation. Based on these findings we compute the average precipitating ENA flux to be about 5×10⁶ keV/(cm² s), or 8×10^?3 erg/(cm² s), which is directly comparable to that of precipitating energetic ions (Sittler, et al., 2009) and slightly higher than that of solar EUV (Tobiska, 2004). Thus, the energy deposited by precipitating ENAs must also be taken into consideration when studying the energy balance of Titan's thermosphere.     

Using Lead Isotopes to Determine Pottery Provenance in Cyprus: Clay Source Signatures and Comparison with Late Bronze Age Cypriote Pottery

This paper presents the lead isotopic composition of potential clay sources for pottery production, collected in the four major geological zones of Cyprus (Troodos Ophiolite, Circum Troodos Sedimentary Succession, Mamonia Terrane, Kyrenia Terrane) and evaluates its usefulness in Cypriote pottery provenance studies. The clay isotopic signatures from the four zones are compared to each other and to the isotopic composition of various utilitarian pottery wares from three Late Bronze Age sites, respectively located in southern Cyprus (Alassa‐Pano Mandilaris), east Cyprus (Enkomi), and southeast Cyprus (Hala Sultan Tekke). It also explores the potential of this method to better discriminate between potential raw materials used for the production of Base‐ring ware, one of the most characteristic fine pottery of Late Bronze Age Cyprus, which was widely spread in the Eastern Mediterranean (Courtois, 1981; Vaughan, 1991, 1994). Results show that three main lead isotopic fields can be distinguished among the Cypriote clay sources and the comparison of Plain sherds with the clay sources allows discrimination between local products and imports. They also clearly indicate that all the Base‐ring sherds analyzed in this study were made of the clays from the Kathikas Formation that crops out in only limited parts of southwest Cyprus.     

Climate variability of southern Chile since the Last Glacial Maximum: a continuous sedimentological record from Lago Puyehue (40°S)

This paper presents a multi-proxy climate record of an 11 m long core collected in Lago Puyehue (southern Chile, 40°S) and extending back to 18,000 cal yr BP. The multi-proxy analyses include sedimentology, mineralogy, grain size, geochemistry, loss-on-ignition, magnetic susceptibility and radiocarbon dating. Results demonstrate that sediment grain size is positively correlated with the biogenic sediment content and can be used as a proxy for lake paleoproductivity. On the other hand, the magnetic susceptibility signal is correlated with the aluminium and titanium concentrations and can be used as a proxy for the terrigenous supply. Temporal variations of sediment composition evidence that, since the Last Glacial Maximum, the Chilean Lake District was characterized by three abrupt climate changes superimposed on a long-term climate evolution. These rapid climate changes are: (1) an abrupt warming at the end of the Last Glacial Maximum at 17,300 cal yr BP; (2) a 13,100–12,300 cal yr BP cold event, ending rapidly and interpreted as the local counterpart of the Younger Dryas cold period, and (3) a 3,400–2,900 cal yr BP climatic instability synchronous with a period of low solar activity. The timing of the 13,100–12,300 cold event is compared with similar records in both hemispheres and demonstrates that this southern hemisphere climate change precedes the northern hemisphere Younger Dryas cold period by 500 to 1,000 years. This is the third in a series of eight papers published in this special issue dedicated to the 17,900 year multi-proxy lacustrine record of Lago Puyehue, Chilean Lake District. The papers in this special issue were collected by M. De Batist, N. Fagel, M.-F. Loutre and E. Chapron.     

From noise correlation to resonant ultrasound spectroscopy in rock acoustics

This article introduces an alternative experimental procedure for measuring the elastic properties of a solid material at laboratory scale, using both the principles of passive seismic interferometry and resonance ultrasound spectroscopy. We generate noise into the studied sample with a pneumatic air blow gun, and we cross‐correlate the signals recorded with two passive piezoelectric sensors put in soft contact with the sample surface. Resonance phenomena are induced in the sample, but in contrast with conventional resonance ultrasound spectroscopy experiments, we have no control over the injected frequencies that are sent all together within the noise spectrum. The spectrum of the correlogram is a good approximation of the resonance spectrum of the vibrating sample and can be inverted in terms of the elastic moduli of the constituent material of the sample. The experimental procedure is validated on samples made of standard materials (here, aluminium and Plexiglas) by consistently comparing the inverted elastic velocities with the velocities independently measured with the conventional technique of ultrasonic pulse transmission. Moreover, we got similar positive results on dry rock samples, such as Vilhonneur limestone. These encouraging preliminary results open up promising prospects for monitoring fluid substitution in rock samples using the technique described in this paper.     

Seasonal dynamics and stoichiometry of the planktonic community in the NW Mediterranean Sea: a 3D modeling approach

The 3D hydrodynamic Model for Applications at Regional Scale (MARS3D) was coupled with a biogeochemical model developed with the Ecological Modular Mechanistic Modelling (Eco3M) numerical tool. The three-dimensional coupled model was applied to the NW Mediterranean Sea to study the dynamics of the key biogeochemical processes in the area in relation with hydrodynamic constraints. In particular, we focused on the temporal and spatial variability of intracellular contents of living and non-living compartments. The conceptual scheme of the biogeochemical model accounts for the complex food web of the NW Mediterranean Sea (34 state variables), using flexible plankton stoichiometry. We used mechanistic formulations to describe most of the biogeochemical processes involved in the dynamics of marine pelagic ecosystems. Simulations covered the period from September 1, 2009 to January 31, 2011 (17 months), which enabled comparison of model outputs with situ measurements made during two oceanographic cruises in the region (Costeau-4: April 27–May 2, 2010 and Costeau-6: January 23–January 27, 2011).     

Modeling the response of shoreface-connected sand ridges to sand extraction on an inner shelf

Shoreface-connected sand ridges are rhythmic bedforms that occur on many storm-dominated inner shelves. The ridges span several kilometers, are a few meters high, and they evolve on a timescale of centuries. A process-based model is used to gain a fundamental insight into the response of these ridges to extraction of sand. Different scenarios of sand extraction (depth, location, and geometry of the extraction area; multiple sand extractions) are imposed. For each scenario, the response timescale as well as the characteristics of the new equilibrium state are determined. Results show that ridges partially restore after extraction, i.e., the disturbed bathymetry recovers on decadal timescales. However, in the end, the ridge original sand volume is not recovered. Initially, most sand that accomplishes the infill of the pit originates from the area upstream of the extraction, as well as from the areas surrounding the pit. The contribution of the latter strongly decreases in the subsequent time period. Depending on the location of the pit, additional sand sources contribute: First, if the pit is located close to the downstream trough, the pit gains sand by reduction of sand transport from the ridge to this trough. Second, if the pit is located close to the adjacent outer shelf, the ridge recovery is stronger due to an import of sand from that area. Furthermore, pits that are located close to the nearshore zone have a weak recovery, deeper pits have longer recovery timescales, wide and shallow pits recover most sand, while multiple sand pits slow down the recovery process.     

Centrifuge modelling of raked piles

Inclined piles are prohibited by many codes in seismic areas. Nevertheless the battered effect has not yet been clarified because very few data are available. The present work is a comparison, at reduced scale in the centrifuge, of the response of two simplified pile groups: a 1 × 2 vertical piles and 1 × 2 pile group with one inclined pile. Two configurations are considered: end-bearing and floating pile group, both with pile heads rigidly fixed with a massive cap. First, repeatability tests under horizontal cyclic loading were performed on both floating pile groups. Secondly, repeated horizontal impact tests were performed on both end-bearing pile groups. These impact tests, which highlight the influence of inclined piles on the inertial response of a group, are a first step for the more complex analysis of the performance of such groups under seismic loads where inertial and kinematic interactions are combined. The first part of this work revealed the influence of sand structure around the inclined pile tip on the repeatability of the tests performed on floating pile groups. The second part highlighted differences in the dynamic response between the two end-bearing pile groups through measurements of the pile cap acceleration, the bending moment profile and the axial load in the piles.     

Total organic carbon fluxes of the Red River system (Vietnam)

Riverine transport of organic carbon from terrestrial ecosystems to the oceans plays an important role in the global carbon cycle. The Red River is located in Southeast Asia where river discharge, sediment loads and fluxes of elements (carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus) associated with suspended solids have been dramatically altered over past decades as a result of reservoir impoundment and land use, population, and climate change. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and particulate organic carbon (POC) concentrations were measured monthly at four stations of the Red River system from January 2008 to December 2010. The results reveal that POC changed synchronically with total suspended solids (TSS) concentration and with the river discharge, whereas no clear trend was observed for DOC concentration. The mean value of total organic carbon (TOC = DOC + POC) flux in the delta of the Red River was 31.5 × 10¹³ ± 4.0 × 10¹³ MgC.yr^?1 (range 27.9–35.8 × 10¹³ MgC.yr^?1 which leads to a specific TOC flux of 2012 ± 255 kgC.km^?2.yr^?1 during this 2008–2010 period. About 80% of the TOC flux was transferred to the estuary during the rainy season as a consequence of the higher river water discharge. The high mean value of the POC:Chl‐a ratio (1585 ± 870 mgC.mgChl‐a^?1) and the moderate C:N ratio (7.3 ± 0.1) in the water column system suggest that organic carbon in the Red River system is mainly derived from erosion and soil leaching in the basin. The effect of two new dam impoundments in the Red River was also observable with lower TOC fluxes in 2010 compared with 2008. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.