Elastic behavior of weakly cemented contact

We investigate the elastic behavior of weakly cemented contact. We show that the radial distribution of stresses and the stiffnesses of a cemented contact are governed by the ratio a/RΛ, where R, a, and Λ are, respectively, the grain radius, the contact size, and the ratio of the elastic moduli of cement and grains. Moreover, we show that a cemented contact is always less stiff than a Hertzian contact having a similar size. Finally, we propose accurate approximate expressions of the contact stiffnesses. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Development of a rain‐on‐snow detection algorithm using passive microwave radiometry

Currently observed climate warming in the Arctic has numerous consequences. Of particular relevance, the precipitation regime is modified where mixed and liquid precipitation can occur during the winter season leading to rain‐on‐snow (ROS) events. This phenomenon is responsible for ice crust formation, which has a significant impact on ecosystems (such as biological, hydrological, ecological and physical processes). The spatially and temporally sporadic nature of ROS events makes the phenomenon difficult to monitor using meteorological observations. This paper focuses on the detection of ROS events using passive microwave (PMW) data from a modified brightness temperature (T_B) gradient approach at 19 and 37 GHz. The approach presented here was developed empirically for observed ROS events with coincident ground‐based PMW measurements in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. It was then tested in Nunavik, Quebec, with the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System (AMSR‐E). We obtained a detection accuracy of 57, 71 and 89% for ROS detection for three AMSR‐E grid cells with a maximum error of 7% when considering all omissions and commissions with regard to the total number of AMSR‐E passes throughout the winter period. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Proprietes Geometriques des Equations d'Euler-Poisson du Corps Solide a Point Fixe

Introduction et résumé Le problème de la réduction à l'ordre deux des équations d'Euler-Poisson par les 3 intégrales premières classiques a été étudié par Leimanis en 1971. Dans cet article on se propose de reprendre ce problème d'un point de vue géométrique. On étudie systématiquement les propriétés géométriques des équations d'Euler-Poisson du mouvement du corps solide pesant à point fixe dans deux cas. Dans le premier cas, le corps solide est muni d'un moment gyrostatique constant par rapport à lui-même. On montre ici que la réduction des équations d'Euler-Poisson nous ramène aux trois équations d'Euler initiales avec une structure présymplectique, ceci grâce à la présence d'une forme invariante de volume. D'autres conséquences géométriques sont signalées.Dans le deuxième cas, on supprime le moment gyrostatique. On remarque alors une propriété supplémentaire par rapport au cas précédent: la présence d'une transformation infinitésimale dûe à l'homogénéité des équations. La réduction des équations peut s'effectuer d'une infinité de manières alors qu'elle était unique dans le premier cas. Ceci est illustré par le cas intégrable de la toupie symétrique où l'on met en évidence, de façon originale, les deux quadratures nécessaires.

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Geometrical properties of the Euler Poisson's equations of a heavy rigid body about a fixed point

In this paper, we study the geometrical properties of the Euler Poisson's equations of the motion of a heavy rigid body about a fixed point. Two cases are studied. In the first on the rigid body has a gyrostatic moment, constant with respect to itself. It is shown, from the reduction of Euler Poisson's equations, we that we have a presymplectic structure for the initial Euler's equations, and this fact being due to the existence of an invariant volume. Other geometrical consequences are obtained.Secondly the rigid body is considered without its gyrostatic moment. We have here a new property which is the existence of an infinitesimal transformation, due to the homogeneity of the equations. Here the reduction of the equation can be made by an infinity of ways, when it was unique precedently. This study is illustrated by the integrable case of the symetrical top.

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Paper presented at the 1981 Oberwolfach Conference on Mathematical Methods in Celestial Mechanics.     

Rhinocerotid tooth enamel 18O/16O variability between 23 and 12 Ma in southwestern France

The relationship between the oxygen isotope ratio of mammal tooth enamel and that of drinking water was used to reconstruct changes in the Miocene oxygen isotope ratio of rainfall (meteoric water ${\delta }^{18}$O_MW). These, in turn, are related to climatic parameters (temperature, precipitation and evaporation rate). ${\delta }^{18}$O values of rhinocerotid teeth from the Aquitaine Basin (southwestern France) suggest a significant climatic change between 17 and 12 Ma, characterized by cooling together with precipitation increase, in agreement with other terrestrial and oceanic records. To cite this article: I. Bentaleb et al., C. R. Geoscience 338 (2006).     

Oxygen isotope compositions of phosphate from arvicoline teeth and Quaternary climatic changes, Gigny, French Jura

Oxygen isotope compositions of biogenic phosphates from mammals are widely used as proxies of the isotopic compositions of meteoric waters that are roughly linearly related to the air temperature at high- and mid-latitudes. An oxygen isotope fractionation equation was determined by using present-day European arvicoline (rodents) tooth phosphate: δ¹⁸O_p = 20.98(±0.59) + 0.572(±0.065) δ¹⁸O_w. This fractionation equation was applied to the Late Pleistocene karstic sequence of Gigny, French Jura. Comparison between the oxygen isotope compositions of arvicoline tooth phosphate and Greenland ice core records suggests to reconsider the previously established hypothetical chronology of the sequence. According to the δ¹⁸O value of meteoric water-mean air temperature relationships, the δ¹⁸O value of arvicoline teeth records variations in mean air temperatures that range from 0° to 15°C.     

Differential rotation of relativistic superfluid in neutron stars

It is shown how to set up a mathematically elegant and fully relativistic superfluid model that can provide a realistic approximation (neglecting small anisotropies due to crust solidity, magnetic fields, etc., but allowing for the regions with vortex pinning) of the global structure of a rotating neutron star, in terms of just two independently moving constituents. One of these represents the differentially rotating neutron superfluid, while the other part represents the combination of all the other ingredients, including the degenerate electrons, the superfluid protons in the core, and the ions in the crust, the electromagnetic interactions of which will tend to keep them locked together in a state of approximately rigid rotation. Order of magnitude estimates are provided for relevant parameters such as the resistive drag coefficient.     

Meteorological inventory of rain-on-snow events in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and satellite detection assessment using passive microwave data

The spatial and temporal distributions of rain-on-snow (ROS) events across the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) remain poorly understood owing to their sporadic nature in time and space. This situation motivated the development of remote sensing detection algorithms. This paper uses a large meteorological dataset across the CAA to adapt an existing ROS-detection algorithm developed in a previous study by our group. Results highlight the spatial distribution and evolution of ROS occurrences reported since 1985 at 14 weather stations across the CAA. Results show that >600 ROS events were inventoried since 1985, for which >70% were classified as pure rain (liquid form) and 30% as mixed precipitation (solid/liquid). Of the pure rain events, 75% occurred during spring, 14% during fall, 8% during summer and <1% during winter. Such events can have significant impacts on ungulate grazing conditions through the creation of ice layers, causing serious problems for caribou calf survival, especially during the migration period. This paper introduces an adaptation for larger scale Arctic application of a detection algorithm (sensitivity analysis on the detection threshold) with an error of ~5%. The validation, however, remains limited due to a short study period and limited number of sites.     

Evaluation of the SNOWPACK model’s metamorphism and microstructure in Canada: a case study

The snow thermodynamic multi-layer model SNOWPACK was developed to address the risk of avalanches by simulating the vertical properties of snow. Risk and stability assessments are based on the simulation of the vertical variability of snow microstructure, as well as on snow cohesion parameters. Previous research has shown systematic error in grain size simulations (equivalent optical grain size) over several areas in northern Canada. To quantify the simulated errors in snow grain size and uncertainties in stability, the snow specific surface area (SSA) was measured with a laser-based instrument. Optical grain size was retrieved to validate the optical equivalent grain radius from SNOWPACK. The two study plots are located in Glacier National Park, BC, and Jasper National Park, AB, Canada. Profiles for density and stratigraphic analysis were obtained as well as grain size profiles, combined with snow micropenetrometer (SMP) measurements. Density analysis showed good agreement with the simulated values (R² = 0.76). Optical grain size analysis showed systematic overestimation of the modeled values, in agreement with the current literature. The error in SSA evolution for a rounding environment was mostly constant, whereas error for conditions driven by a temperature gradient was linked to the size of the facetted grains.     

Two years of magnetotelluric measurements in Abitibi, western Québec, using a telephone line

Continuous magnetotelluric measurements were made over a period of 600 days, with 100-m-, 30-km- and 100-km-long dipoles and a period range of 40–4000 s. Data analysis for different dipole lengths indicates the presence of static shift at various scales. It is shown that the longer the telluric dipole, the less statically shifted the resistivity curves; nevertheless, static shifts can still be present due to geological structures causing anomalies exhibiting wavelengths comparable to the dipole length. Also, a relationship is observed between the coherence and the main impedance components. This relation is explained in terms of signal-to-noise ratio. A way to reduce the bias on the impedance estimates is suggested. The apparent resistivities and phases computed from three different impedance estimates using 100-km-long dipoles are then compared to those observed in similar studies made near our observation region.     

Sur une generalisation des equations lagrangiennes permettant une extension de la transformation KS

Résumé Cet arricle est composé de deux parties, l'une établie par M. Langlois, l'autre par Mme Losco. La première partie est consacrée à l'étude des équations de Poincaré qui sont les équations de Lagrange du mouvement lorsqu'on introduit des pseudo-paramètres. Une application de ces équations est intéressante à envisager lorsque l'on mélange coordonnées et pseudo-paramètres et que les coordonnées sont ignorables dans le lagrangien. On établit alors un théorème de réduction des équations du mouvement par des relations invariantes. La transformation KS entre dans ce cadre. La seconde partie concerne la construction de matrices généralisant KS. Ce sont des matrices dont les premières lignes définissent des variablesQ , les dernières lignes des pseudo-paramètres et pour lesquelles on peut appliquer le théoreme de réduction établi précédemment.Le mouvement général du corps solide dansR ⁿ permet une construction de telles matrices, de même que KS est associée à une rotation deR ⁿ.

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This paper is composed of two parts, the first one established by M. Langlois, the other one by L. Losco. First a study of Poincaré's equations is made, which are Lagrangian equations where use is made of some quasi-coordinates. One application of these equations is very interesting when some coordinates are ignorable in the Lagrangian. A theorem of reduction is obtained with invariant relations. KS is of this kind. Then matrices are constructed which generalize KS. There are matrices of coordinates and quasi-coordinates, which allow application of the theorem of reduction previously obtained. The general motion, helicoidal motion, of a rigid body inR ⁿ-space allows to obtain such matrices, just as KS corresponds to a rotation inR ⁴.Some results have been briefly published in two notes mentioned at the end.