Determination of the origin of mineralization and groundwater salinity in the Adrar region in the southwest of Algeria

To some extent, the sedimentary sequence with the largest groundwater reserves in northern Sahara is marked by a certain water table level, regionally known as the "Continental Intercalaire"(CI). "Continental Intercalaire"(CI) refers to "Continental Intercalary" widely distributed among three countries. Algeria, Tunisia and Libya, which have significant potential of water resources. As it is the only water resource relatively easily accessible to the inhabitants of the Sahara, it is widely developed. The physico-chemical characteristics of statistical processing in principal component analysis(PCA) and the chemical phase measurement of groundwater in the unconfined aquifer captured by "Foggaras"(traditional system irrigation composed of well system linked by a horizontal channel from their bases) and the deep drillings located in the study area were accessible. Therefore, there were some favorable conditions for comparing the chemistry of these waters with the standards of potability established by the World Health Organization. Then, the study detected the origin of excessive mineralization and the excessive content of Na, Cl, K, Mg and Ca that originated from the leaching of the clay and carbonate layers of the "Continental Intercalaire". In addition, the enrichment in NO_2~-, NO_3~- and SO_4~(2-) was due to the excessive use of fertilizer in the whole region for shallower Foggaras waters, and this study also showed the dominant chemical facies of groundwater related to the significant abundance of these mineral salts in this thick aquifer horizon.     

Contribution of 19F resonances on 18O(p,α)15N reaction rate

The ¹⁸O(p,α)¹⁵N reaction influences the isotopes production such as ¹⁹F, ¹⁸O, and ¹⁵N which can be used to test the models of stellar evolution. ¹⁹F is synthesized in both asymptotic giant branch (AGB) and metal-rich Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars. Using R-matrix theory we allow new values of resonances parameters in ¹⁹F. We show that the most important contribution to the differential and total cross section at low energies, comes from the levels in ¹⁹F situated at resonances energies E _R =151, 680 and 840 keV with spin and parity 1/2⁺. The total width of the 680 keV resonance is badly known. So, we have focused on this broad resonance corresponding to the 8.65 MeV level in ¹⁹F. We delimit the temperature range in which each resonance contribution to the total reaction rate occurs by analyzing the ratio (N _A 〈σν〉 _i /N _A 〈σν〉). This allowed us to show that the 680 and 840 keV broad resonances strongly dominate the reaction rate over the stellar temperature range T ₉=0.02–0.06 and T ₉=0.5–5. Finally, these results were compared to NACRE and Iliadis astrophysical compilations.     

Use of discriminant statistical analysis to determine the origin of an industrial pollution type in the aquiferous system of the area of Berrahal, Algeria

The continuous increase of industrial activities in the area of Berrahal (northeast of Algeria) resulted in an increase of waste disposal, inducing environmental pollution and contamination of groundwater. Available data on groundwater contamination were used to develop a statistical study for contaminated regions and to identify exposure scenarios of pollution. Chemical analysis of the samples shows that water of most wells and drillings is in bad quality or not drinkable, whereas statistical processing of these data by principal component analysis and discriminant factorial analysis suggests that wastewater coming from companies of the industrial park of Berrahal is very rich in organic pollutants (high percentages of BOD₅ and NO₂ ^?) and has high mineralization (has strong concentration in major elements and high electric conductivity); these constitute the main factors of the deterioration of the quality of this water. The considered exposure pathways were drinking water exploited from wells and drillings implanted in this area and its contact with soil (ingestion and dermal contact) that could threaten either humans or wildlife, on site or off site. In addition, groundwater was considered to be a potential risk pathway, especially for the ecosystem of Lake Fetzara and for the aquiferous system.     

The use of Artificial Neural Networks in the modeling of socioeconomic category of Integrated Water Resources Management (Case study: Saf-Saf River Basin, North East of Algeria)

This research work has an objective to determine the effective variables in socioeconomic category of Integrated Water Resources Management for Saf-Saf river basin characterized by fast growing demand of urban and rural populations and the demand of economic sectors including industry and agriculture. In this paper, the artificial neural network models were used to model and predict the relationship between water resources mobilization and socioeconomic variables in the Saf-Saf river basin. The study area chosen is Saf-Saf river basin and real data were collected from 30 municipalities for reference year 2010. The results indicate that the feed-forward multilayer perceptron models with back-propagation are useful tools to define and prioritize the most effective variable on water resources mobilization and use. The model evaluation shows that the correlation coefficients are more than 94 % for training, verification, and testing data. The model aims to link the water resources mobilization and driving forces variables with the objective to strengthen the Integrated Water Resources Management approach.     

Geochemical characterization of groundwater from shallow aquifer surrounding Fetzara Lake N. E. Algeria

Hydrogeochemical investigations were carried out around Fetzara Lake, Northeast Algeria, to assess the quality of groundwater for its suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes. The groundwater chemistry is mainly controlled by the water?Crock interactions, but also influenced by other processes such as evapotranspiration and ion exchange. Groundwater samples collected, during two periods (1993 and 2007) from wells in the area were analyzed for pH, EC, TDS, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, CO ₃ ^2? , HCO ₃ ^? , Cl^?, SO ₄ ^2? , and NO ₃ ^? . The chemical relationships in Piper??s diagram and Gibbs??s diagram suggest that groundwaters mainly belong to noncarbonate alkali type and Cl^? group and are controlled by evaporation dominance, respectively, due to the sluggish drainage conditions, greater water?Crock interaction, and anthropogenic activities. A comparison of the groundwater quality in relation to drinking water quality standards proves that most of the water samples are not suitable for drinking. US Salinity Laboratory??s and Wilcox??s diagrams and %Na⁺ used for evaluating the water quality for irrigation suggest that the majority of the groundwater samples are not good for irrigation.     

Volatile transport on inhomogeneous surfaces: I – Analytic expressions,with application to Pluto’s day

The two orders of magnitude drop between the measured atmospheric abundances of non-radiogenic argon, krypton and xenon in Earth versus Mars is striking. Here, in order to account for this difference, we explore the hypothesis that clathrate deposits incorporated into the current martian cryosphere have sequestered significant amounts of these noble gases assuming they were initially present in the paleoatmosphere in quantities similar to those measured on Earth (in mass of noble gas per unit mass of the planet). To do so, we use a statistical-thermodynamic model that predicts the clathrate composition formed from a carbon dioxide-dominated paleoatmosphere whose surface pressure ranges up to 3 bars. The influence of the presence of atmospheric sulfur dioxide on clathrate composition is investigated and we find that it does not alter the trapping efficiencies of other minor species. Assuming nominal structural parameters for the clathrate cages, we find that a carbon dioxide equivalent pressure of 0.03 and 0.9 bar is sufficient to trap masses of xenon and krypton, respectively, equivalent to those found on Earth in the clathrate deposits of the cryosphere. In this case, the amount of trapped argon is not sufficient to explain the measured Earth/Mars argon abundance ratio in the considered pressure range. In contrast, with a 2% contraction of the clathrate cages, masses of xenon, krypton and argon at least equivalent to those found on Earth can be incorporated into clathrates if one assumes the trapping of carbon dioxide at equivalent atmospheric pressures of ～2.3 bar. The proposed clathrate trapping mechanism could have then played an important role in the shaping of the current martian atmosphere.     

Impact des rejets urbains et industriels sur la qualité des eaux de la plaine de la Meboudja (Algérie)

Un site aquifère contaminé, situé en bordure de l’oued Meboudja (Annaba, Algérie), a été caractérisé en mettant en place une surveillance de la qualité des eaux de surface et souterraines affectées par les nombreux rejets industriels et urbains sur une période de 11 ans (1999?2009). Les déchets industriels sont déposés directement sur le sol et les effluents sont déversés dans l’oued Meboudja sans aucun traitement préalable. Les eaux souterraines présentent une conductivité électrique élevée (de 1000 à 6000 μS/cm), de fortes teneurs en chlorure et en sodium avec respectivement un maximum de 1400 et 730 mg/L. Partant des résultats de l’analyse en composantes principales effectuée sur 33 puits en juillet 2009, les trois principaux processus responsables de l’évolution chimique observée au niveau de l’aquifère ont été identifiés: (a) l’apport salifère du lac Fetzara et le lessivage des formations métamorphiques carbonatées (responsables de l’augmentation de la minéralisation) ; (b) l’alimentation de la nappe par les eaux de l’oued Meboudja, recevant de nombreux polluants industriels (responsable des fortes teneurs en fer et en manganèse) ; et (c) l’utilisation des produits chimiques dans l’agriculture (responsable de l’augmentation des teneurs en nitrates). Les fortes minéralisations sont enregistrées notamment dans les puits situés à proximité des rejets industriels. En outre, de fortes concentrations métalliques en fer et en manganèse sont observées dans les eaux de l’oued. L’évolution de ces deux éléments dans les eaux de la nappe au cours d’un cycle hydrologique montre que l’augmentation des teneurs est liée notamment à une réalimentation de la nappe par l’oued et à une mauvaise oxygénation de la nappe. L’existence de niveaux argileux peut en effet jouer le rôle d’écran en surface et favoriser les conditions réductrices dans la nappe. La Meboudja agit par conséquent comme une source diffuse de contaminants tout au long de son parcours. Les caractéristiques hydrodynamiques de l’aquifère ont été estimées à l’aide de l’interprétation des données des pompages d’essai effectués dans plus d’une dizaine de puits. Des modèles d’écoulement et de transport de polluants ont été élaborés en utilisant le code MODFLOW-MT3D. L’ampleur de la migration des contaminants a été évaluée pendant une période de 11 ans (1999?2009). L’interaction oued-nappe est considérée comme responsable de la migration des contaminants dans la plaine de la Meboudja.

EDITEUR Z. W. Kundzewicz

EDITEUR ASSOCIÉ C. Leduc     

Découverte d’un chevauchement d’âge quaternaire au sud de la Grande Kabylie (Algérie)

Résumé

À l’échelle du Maghreb, la Kabylie (Algérie) est considérée comme une région asismique. L’étude détaillée des données de la sismicité historique et instrumentale de cette région montre une activité sismique modérée depuis au moins un siècle et demi (M₁ = 5,0). Les observations géomorphologiques faites sur le versant sud du massif kabyle, s’appuyant sur l’analyse d’images satellites, de photos aériennes et de la topographie, nous ont permis de démontrer la présence d’une activité tectonique quaternaire le long de la rupture de pente au sud de ces massifs. Elle correspond à la réactivation de chevauchements d’âge miocène qui se manifestent par des escarpements d’au moins 10 m affectant le glacis d’âge quaternaire ainsi que les cônes de déjection. Ces escarpements sont interprétés comme des ruptures probablement associées à une succession de séismes de forte magnitude. Les observations que nous décrivons se situent dans la région de Tazmalt et de Boüira où ces déformations sont les plus spectaculaires. L’ampleur des déformations quaternaires qui affectent l’ensemble de cette région considérée jusqu’à l’heure actuelle comme asismique ou faiblement sismique pose, comme dans la plupart des régions intracontinentales, le problème de la période de retour des séismes de forte magnitude. © Elsevier, Paris     

Seismic risk and damage prediction: case of the buildings in Constantine city (Algeria)

Located at the North-Eastern part of Algeria (Tellian Atlas), Constantine has crucial administrative, economic, scientific and cultural importance. It has continuously experienced significant urban evolutions during the different periods of its history. The city is located in an active seismic region within Algeria and has been struck in the past by several moderate and strong earthquakes. The strongest earthquake recorded since the beginning of instrumental seismology took place on October 27, 1985 with a magnitude M \(_\mathrm{S}=\) 5.9. Constantine presents a high seismic risk, because of its dense housing and high population density (2,374 inhabitants/km \(^{2})\) . This requires a risk assessment in order to take preventive measures and reduce the losses in case of potential major earthquake. For this purpose, a scenario based approach is considered. The building damage assessment methodology adopted for the Algerian context is adapted from HAZUS approach. In the present case, the effective Algerian seismic code response spectrum (RPA 99/2003) is considered as a seismic hazard model. The prediction of the expected damages is performed for a set of almost 29,000 buildings.