Disentangling intangible social–ecological systems

Contemporary environmental challenges call for new research approaches that include the human dimension when studying the natural environment. In spite of the recent development of several conceptual frameworks integrating human society with nature, there has been less methodological and theoretical progress on how to quantitatively study such social–ecological interdependencies. We propose a novel theoretical framework for addressing this gap that partly builds on the rapidly growing interdisciplinary research on complex networks. The framework makes it possible to unpack, define and formalize ways in which societies and nature are interdependent, and to empirically link this to specific governance challenges and opportunities using a range of theories from both the social and natural sciences in an integrated way. At the core of the framework is a set of basic building blocks (motifs) that each represents a simplified but non-trivial social–ecological systems (SES) consisting of two social actors and two ecological resources. The set represents all possible patterns of interdependency in a SES. Each unique motif is characterized in terms of social and ecological connectivity, resource sharing, and resource substitutability. By aligning theoretical insights related to the management of common-pool resources, metapopulation dynamics, and the problem of fit in SES with the set of motifs, we demonstrate the multi-theoretical ability of the framework in a case study of a rural agricultural landscape in southern Madagascar. Several mechanisms explaining the inhabitants’ demonstrated ability to preserve their scattered forest patches in spite of strong pressures on land and forest resources are presented.     

Produktionsbiologische Studien über die Moosvegetation eines klaren Gebirgssees

Ohne Zusammenfassung Mitteilung IV des Latnjajaureprojekts.     

Platform-induced clay-mineral fractionation along a northern Tethyan basin-platform transect: implications for the interpretation of Early Cretaceous climate change (Late Hauterivian-Early Aptian)

High-resolution clay-mineral analyses were performed on upper Hauterivian to lower Aptian sediments along a platform-to-basin transect through the northern Tethyan margin from the Neuchâtel area (Switzerland), to the Vocontian Trough (France) in order to investigate links between climate change, carbonate platform evolution, and fractionation patterns in clay minerals during their transport.During the Hauterivian, the northern Tethyan carbonate platform developed in a heterozoan mode, and the associated ramp-like topography facilitated the export of detrital material into the adjacent basin, where clay-mineral assemblages are dominated by smectite and kaolinite is almost absent, thereby suggesting dry-seasonal conditions. During the Late Hauterivian Balearites balearis ammonite zone, a change to a more humid climate is documented by the appearance of kaolinite, which reaches up to 30% of the clay fraction in sediments in the Vocontian Trough. This prominent change just preceded the Faraoni Oceanic Anoxic Event and the onset of the demise of the Helvetic Carbonate Platform, which lasted to the late early Barremian.From the Late Barremian onwards, the renewed growth of the northern Tethyan carbonate platform in a photozoan mode and the associated development of a marginally confined platform topography fractionated the clay-mineral assemblages exported into hemipelagic settings: kaolinite particles were preferentially retained in proximal, platform settings, due to their size and their relatively high specific weight. In the inner platform environment preserved in the Swiss Jura, an average of 32% of kaolinite in the clay fraction is observed during the latest Barremian–earliest Aptian, whereas clay-mineral assemblages of coeval sediments from deeper depositional settings are dominated by smectite and show only minor amounts of kaolinite.This signifies that besides palaeoclimate conditions, the morphology and ecology of the carbonate platform had a significant effect on the distribution and composition of clay assemblages during the Late Hauterivian–Early Aptian along the northern Tethyan margin.     

Flowpath structure in a limestone aquifer: multi-borehole logging investigations at the hydrogeological experimental site of Poitiers, France

Since 2002, a new hydrogeological experimental site (HES) has been developed in Poitiers, France. The overall research objective related to this site is to improve the understanding of flow and solute transport in carbonate aquifers. The benchmarking of various types of numerical models against the HES field data is one of the main research projects supported by three national scientific programs. Within this framework, the purpose of this report is to synthesize existing knowledge about both aquifer geology and flowpath structure, based on core analysis and well logging. The combined use of core-hole data, borehole logs and outcrop data provide valuable information about lithostratigraphy and fracturing. The comparison of flow-meter data with borehole images indicates that flowpaths in the HES aquifer are strongly constrained within (1) subhorizontal karstic structures and (2) subvertical fractures. The presence of karstic levels appears to be conditioned by the stratigraphy and are unevenly developed in the HES. The vertical interconnectivity between the three karstic levels seems to result from fractures occurrence in this limestone formation. Following the observations, data and interpretations, a conceptual model of the Dogger aquifer is proposed.

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Résumé  La vocation première du Site Expérimental Hydrogéologique (SEH) de Poitiers, France, est de fournir des données pertinentes-y compris des chroniques ou expériences long terme-pour la caractérisation, la quantification et la modélisation des transferts d’eau et de solutés dans les aquifères carbonatés. Depuis 2002, les investigations menées sur le SEH ont permis de recueillir une importante quantité de données concernant un aquifère calcaire captif de 100 m d’épaisseur. Ces données servent actuellement de support à un exercice de modélisation comparée (benchmark) soutenu par trois programmes scientifiques nationaux. Dans le cadre de ce projet, l’objectif ici est de synthétiser les connaissances actuelles relatives à la géologie et la structure des écoulements dans l’aquifère du Dogger. La structure lithostratigraphique et la fracturation de l’aquifère sont analysées à partir des carottes de forages, des affleurements, et des diagraphies de puits. L’analyse croisée des données de débitmétrie verticale et des imageries de parois des forages indique que les écoulements sont principalement associés à des structures karstiques subhorizontales et des fractures subverticales. Les niveaux karstiques sont irrégulièrement répartis sur le SEH mais apparaissent fortement corrélés avec des niveaux stratigraphiques précis. La connectivité hydraulique des différents niveaux karstiques semble liée à la fracturation des calcaires.

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Resumen  Desde 2002, se desarrolló en Potiers, Francia, un sitio experimental hidrogeológico (SEH). El objetivo general de la investigación relacionada a este sitio es mejorar el entendimiento del flujo y transporte de solutos en acuíferos calcáreos. El punto de referencia de varios tipos de modelos numéricos utilizando los datos del SEH es uno de los principales proyectos de investigación financiados por tres programas científicos nacionales. Dentro de este marco, el propósito de este reporte es sintetizar el conocimiento existente tanto acerca de la geología como de la estructura de los caminos de flujo, basado en el análisis de testigos y perfiles de pozos. El uso combinado de testigos, perfiles de pozos e datos de afloramientos provee información valiosa acerca de la litoestratigrafía y el fracturamiento. La comparación de datos de medidores de flujo con imágenes de pozos indica que los caminos de flujo en el acuífero del SEH están fuertemente condicionados por (1) estructuras cársticas subhorizontales, y (2) fracturas subverticales. La presencia de niveles cársticos pareciera estar condicionada por la estratigrafía y estar desarrollada en forma no igualmente distribuida dentro del SHE. La interconectividad vertical entre tres niveles cársticos sería el resultado de la ocurrencia de fracturas en la formación de las calizas. En base a las observaciones, los datos e interpretaciones, se propone un modelo conceptual del acuífero Dogger.

     

Compatible ground-motion prediction equations for damping scaling factors and vertical-to-horizontal spectral amplitude ratios for the broader Europe region

In a companion article Akkar et al. (Bull Earthq Eng, doi:10.1007/s10518-013-9461-4, 2013a; Bull Earthq Eng, doi:10.1007/s10518-013-9508-6, 2013b) present a new ground-motion prediction equation (GMPE) for estimating 5 %-damped horizontal pseudo-acceleration spectral (PSA) ordinates for shallow active crustal regions in Europe and the Middle East. This study provides a supplementary viscous damping model to modify 5 %-damped horizontal spectral ordinates of Akkar et al. (Bull Earthq Eng, doi:10.1007/s10518-013-9461-4 2013a; Bull Earthq Eng, doi:10.1007/s10518-013-9508-6, 2013b) for damping ratios ranging from 1 to 50 %. The paper also presents another damping model for scaling 5 %-damped vertical spectral ordinates that can be estimated from the vertical-to-horizontal (V/H) spectral ratio GMPE that is also developed within the context of this study. For consistency in engineering applications, the horizontal and vertical damping models cover the same damping ratios as noted above. The article concludes by introducing period-dependent correlation coefficients to compute horizontal and vertical conditional mean spectra (Baker in J Struct Eng 137:322–331, 2011). The applicability range of the presented models is the same as of the horizontal GMPE proposed by Akkar et al. (Bull Earthq Eng, doi:10.1007/s10518-013-9461-4 2013a; Bull Earthq Eng, doi:10.1007/s10518-013-9508-6, 2013b): as for spectral periods $0.01 \hbox { s}\le \,\hbox {T}\le \,4\hbox { s}$ as well as PGA and PGV for V/H model; and in terms of seismological estimator parameters $4\le \hbox {M}_\mathrm{w} \le 8, \hbox { R} \le 200 \hbox { km}, 150\hbox { m/s}\le \hbox { V}_\mathrm{S30}\le $ 1,200 m/s, for reverse, normal and strike-slip faults. The source-to-site distance measures that can be used in the computations are epicentral $(\hbox {R}_\mathrm{epi})$ , hypocentral $(\hbox {R}_\mathrm{hyp})$ and Joyner–Boore $(\hbox {R}_\mathrm{JB})$ distances. The implementation of the proposed GMPEs will facilitate site-specific adjustments of the spectral amplitudes predicted from probabilistic seismic hazard assessment in Europe and the Middle East region. They can also help expressing the site-specific design ground motion in several formats. The consistency of the proposed models together with the Akkar et al. (Bull Earthq Eng, doi:10.1007/s10518-013-9461-4 2013a; Bull Earthq Eng, doi:10.1007/s10518-013-9508-6, 2013b) GMPE may be advantageous for future modifications in the ground-motion definition in Eurocode 8 (CEN in Eurocode 8, Design of structures for earthquake resistance—part 1: general rules, seismic actions and rules for buildings. European Standard NF EN 1998-1, Brussels, 2004).     

Resolution potential of surface wave phase velocity measurements at small arrays

The deployment of temporary arrays of broadband seismological stations over dedicated targets is common practice. Measurement of surface wave phase velocity across a small array and its depth-inversion gives us information about the structure below the array which is complementary to the information obtained from body-wave analysis. The question is however: what do we actually measure when the array is much smaller than the wave length, and how does the measured phase velocity relates to the real structure below the array? We quantify this relationship by performing a series of numerical simulations of surface wave propagation in 3-D structures and by measuring the apparent phase velocity across the array on the synthetics. A principal conclusion is that heterogeneities located outside the array can map in a complex way onto the phase velocities measured by the array. In order to minimize this effect, it is necessary to have a large number of events and to average measurements from events well-distributed in backazimuth. A second observation is that the period of the wave has a remarkably small influence on the lateral resolution of the measurement, which is dominantly controlled by the size of the array. We analyse if the artefacts created by heterogeneities can be mistaken for azimuthal variations caused by anisotropy. We also show that if the amplitude of the surface waves can be measured precisely enough, phase velocities can be corrected and the artefacts which occur due to reflections and diffractions in 3-D structures greatly reduced.     

SMART-1 mission description and development status

SMART-1 is the first of the Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology of the ESA Horizons 2000 scientific programme. The SMART-1 mission is dedicated to testing of new technologies for future cornerstone missions, using Solar-Electric Primary Propulsion (SEPP) in Deep Space. The chosen mission planetary target is the Moon. The target orbit will be polar with the pericentre close to the South-Pole. The pericentre altitude lies between 300 and 2000 km, while the apocentre will extend to about 10,000 km. During the cruise phase, before reaching the Moon, the spacecraft thrusting profile allows extended periods for cruise science. The SMART-1 spacecraft will be launched in the spring of 2003 as an auxiliary passenger on an Ariane 5 and placed into a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). The expected launch mass is about 370 kg, including 19 kg of payload. The selected type of SEPP is a Hall-effect thruster called PPS-1350. The thruster is used to spiral out of the GTO and for all orbit maneuvers including lunar capture and descent. The trajectory has been optimised by inserting coast arcs and the presence of the Moon's gravitational field is exploited in multiple weak gravity assists.The Development Phase started in October 1999 and is expected to be concluded by a Flight Acceptance Review in January 2003. The short development time for this high technology spacecraft requires a concerted effort by industry, science institutes and ESA centres. This paper describes the mission and the project development status both from a technical and programmatic standpoint.