Sur la structure,l'âge et l'origine des « brèches de Bosmendiette » (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)

By us considered as Albo-Aptian in age and generated through halokinetic processes, the Bosmendiette breccias have been recently interpreted as Selandian (Palaeocene) globigerine-bearing sediments deposited in sub-marine canyons within a deep trough crossing the Pyrenees, from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. These breccias are really azoic in their lower part and contain a scarce microfauna including radolarians and benthic foraminifera at the top of the formation. They are unconformably covered by the Urgo-Aptian limestones and marls and indicate, under opening marine conditions, Lower Cretaceous collapse movements and northward sliding of the Jurassic slumped cover, related to the growth of the Béloscare–Apoura diapir. To cite this article: J. Canérot et al., C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

Hydrochemical dynamics of TOC and NO3 − contents as natural tracers of infiltration in karst aquifers

Analysis of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and NO₃ ^? contents in the water at six springs in the province of Malaga (Southern Spain), sampled under different hydrologic conditions, revealed two different hydrochemical behaviour patterns for these natural tracers of infiltration. TOC content increased during every recharge period, following the rapid arrival of water infiltrating through the soil. On the other hand, NO₃ ^? content only rose during the first flood episodes (normally in autumn), and fell during the winter and spring ones. This difference is consequence of the distinctive biogeochemical kinetics of nitrogen with respect to organic carbon, both in the soil and within the aquifer. Unlike the mineralisation undergone by TOC from the surface to the spring, the NO₃ ^? ion remains in the aquifer almost unaffected, due to the oxidizing conditions prevailing within the karst medium, which do not allow its denitrification and favour its preservation within the saturated zone. In non-polluted aquifers, TOC and NO₃ ^? have a common origin in the soil and can be used to determine infiltration processes and the hydrogeological functioning of karst aquifers. Their different hydrochemical evolution provides information about mineralization and degradation processes of organic matter within karst aquifers, which can be used to validate the vulnerability to contamination in this type of medium.     

Apport des marqueurs isotopiques et biogéochimiques dans la reconstitution du paléoenvironnement de la grotte du Lazaret (Nice,Alpes-Maritimes) au cours du Pléistocène supérieur (stade isotopique 5)

The isotopic composition of calcite from the stalagmitic floor E of the Lazaret Cave is interpreted as proxy of atmospheric circulation and vegetal cover changes during IOS 5. The ${\delta }^{18}\mathrm{O}$ variations could indicate change in precipitation sources, which could originate from the Mediterranean Sea during warm periods and from the Atlantic Ocean during colder periods. The ${\delta }^{13}\mathrm{C}$ variations could be related to vegetal cover and soil type. Tree cover appears to be dominant according to pollen spectra, and organic molecules trapped into calcite (sterols, terpenoids, humic acids). To cite this article: L. Rousseau et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).     

Thermal anomalies and paleoclimatic diffusive and advective phenomena: example of the Anglo-Paris Basin,northern France

This study is the first quantification of the combined impact of diffusive and advective paleoclimatic phenomena to explain the weak vertical thermal flux anomaly in the upper part of the Anglo-Paris intracratonic sedimentary basin in northern France. The aim of the research is to understand the mechanisms at the origin of the thermal flux anomaly at the level of the Meso-Cenozoic sediment pile. Based on a temperature profile representative of the basin, transient thermo-hydraulic simulations were performed along a representative vertical cross-section of about 400 km within the Lower Cretaceous multi-layer aquifer. Four paleoclimatic scenarios are the combination of two paleotemperature climatic forcings and two hydrodynamic regimes, one of them taking into account the interruption of the recharge linked to permafrost development. The simulation results clearly show the transient nature of the basin’s thermal regime. Then, for the reference well, the majority of the thermal flux anomaly can be explained by advective and paleoclimatic mechanisms with a decrease in geothermal flux simulated up to a little over 30 mW/m², depending on the scenarios. Decrease in heat flux because of basin-scale subsurface flows in the Lower Cretaceous is around 15 mW/m². There are several ways forward from this first simple model, including simulation of development of permafrost and also the integration of vertical flows in the basin by use of a three-dimensional model to better explain the data.     

Strain response and re-equilibration of CH4-rich synthetic aqueous fluid inclusions in calcite during pressure drops

Aqueous fluids in sedimentary basins often contain dissolved methane, particularly in petroleum environments. PVTX (Pressure-Volume-Temperature-Composition) reconstructions performed using fluid inclusion data are largely based on the assumption that inclusions do not change from the time of trapping until the present. Many authors, however, consider that fluid inclusions can re-equilibrate, particularly in fragile minerals like calcite. In order to understand this re-equilibration phenomenon in the metamorphic domain, previous experiments have been performed under high PT conditions, but few have been performed at low to medium PT conditions such as those associated with sedimentary burial diagenesis, and no previous studies have examined CH₄-bearing aqueous inclusions in calcite.An experimental study of the preservation/modification of CH₄-rich synthetic fluid inclusions in calcite during isothermal decompression was conducted. An autoclave was used for accurate PTX control allowing equilibrium between liquid and vapour in the CH₄-H₂O system. PTX conditions were maintained at four stages of decreasing pressure, with each stage held for 7 days to simulate an isothermal pressure drop. In order of decreasing pressure, the pressure-temperature conditions monitored were 276 ± 10 bar at 180 ± 7 °C, 176 ± 10 bar at 180 ± 7 °C, 76 ± 10 bar at 180 ± 7 °C and 10 ± 3 bar at 180 ± 15 °C. At the end of the experiment, the calcite was recovered and analyzed by microthermometry and Raman microspectroscopy for PTX reconstruction. A careful procedure was adopted to limit re-equilibration of inclusions during analytical procedures. Four types of inclusion shapes and four types of strain patterns were differentiated. Classification of the petrographic strain patterns was carried out. These strain patterns were associated with inclusion stretching and/or leakage regarding CH₄, T_h and P_h compared to experimental conditions. Factors controlling the preservation or acquisition of strain patterns included the initial shape and size of the inclusion, and the pressure differential (ΔP) between the confining pressure (P_cf) and the internal pressure (P_i) within the inclusion. Most fluid inclusions seemed to be trapped during the first 7 days of the experiment, although few (4%) of these preserved the initial PT conditions of 276 ± 10 bar, whereas 8% preserved the second and third run of PT conditions. Overall, the majority of inclusions (88%) did not reflect accurately the PTX trapping conditions. A petrographic guide to the inclusions is presented here that allows strain identification for PVT reconstructions. Re-equilibration patterns and evidence for preferential methane leakage from aqueous inclusions in calcite are important findings revealed by this study, and may be useful for the reconstruction of post-trapping events in investigations of natural samples, and in other experiments using synthetic inclusions in calcite.     

Drag on non-spherical particles in power law non-Newtonian media

The free settling velocity of cylinders and disks falling in quiescent Newtonian and power law liquids has been measured over wide ranges of experimental conditions of the particle Reynolds number (10^− 5–∼300), power law flow behaviour index (0.31–1) and the length-to-diameter ratio, ∼0.4–∼14. The corresponding range of sphericity is 0.62 to 0.86. An existing drag expression which has been tested extensively for spherical particles falling in Newtonian and in power law fluids has been slightly modified here for non-spherical particles. In particular, the use of this drag expression necessitates a knowledge of an equal volume sphere diameter (to evaluate the Reynolds number and drag coefficient) and the ratio of the surface area to the projected area of a non-spherical particle. With these modifications, the approach outlined here reproduces the present and the literature data for a wide range of non-spherical particles including cones, prisms, needles, cylinders settling in both Newtonian and power law fluids with reasonable levels of accuracy.     

Evolution of calc-alkaline to alkaline magmatism through Carboniferous convergence to Permian transcurrent tectonics,western Chinese Tianshan

Continuous magmatic activity occurred in the western Chinese Tianshan, Central Asia, from the Carboniferous to the Permian, i.e. before and after the Late Carboniferous amalgamation of Junggar and the Yili Blocks. Zircon U–Pb LA-ICPMS and Ar–Ar data reveal a coincidence in time between regional wrench faulting and granitoid emplacement. Permian post-collisional granitoids crop out within or at the margins of large-scale dextral strike-slip shear zones, some of them show synkinematic fabrics. The whole rock geochemical features of the Early-Middle Permian granitoids indicate an evolution from high-K calc-alkaline towards alkaline series. In other places of the North Tianshan, alkaline magmatism occurred together with deep marine sedimentation within elongated troughs controlled by wrench faults. Therefore, in contrast with previous interpretations that forwarded continental rift or mantle plume hypotheses, the coexistence of diverse magmatic sources during the same tectonic episode suggests that post-collisional lithosphere-scale transcurrent shearing tightly controlled the magmatic activity during the transition from convergent margin to intraplate anorogenic processes.     

Kinetics and mechanism of natural fluorapatite dissolution at 25 °C and pH from 3 to 12

The dissolution rates of natural fluorapatite (FAP), Ca₁₀(PO₄)₆F₂, were measured at 25 °C in mixed-flow reactors as a function of pH from 3.0 to 11.7, and aqueous calcium, phosphorus, and fluoride concentration. After an initial preferential Ca and/or F release, stoichiometric Ca, P, and F release was observed. Measured FAP dissolution rates decrease with increasing pH at 3 ? pH ? 7, FAP dissolution rates are pH independent at 7 ? pH ? 10, and FAP dissolution rates again decrease with increasing pH at pH ? 10. Measured FAP dissolution rates are independent of aqueous Ca, P, and F concentration at pH ≈ 3 and pH ≈ 10.Apatite dissolution appears to be initiated by the relatively rapid removal from the near surface of F and the Ca located in the M1 sites, via proton for Ca exchange reactions. Dissolution rates are controlled by the destruction of this F and Ca depleted surface layer. The destruction of this layer is facilitated by the adsorption/penetration of protons into the surface at acidic conditions, and by surface hydration at neutral and basic conditions. Taking into account these two parallel mechanisms, measured fluorapatite forward dissolution rates can be accurately described using

     

Energetics of water dissolution in trachyte glasses and liquids

Enthalpies of dissolution in HF solutions have been measured at 323 K for a series of hydrous trachyte glasses. Enthalpies of mixing between water and molten trachyte have then been calculated from heat capacity data for the same set of samples and available enthalpy for pure water. The moderately negative enthalpies of mixing suggested at 1 bar by the measurements made on glasses almost disappear when trachyte liquids and water are referred to the same temperature, and particularly so when enthalpies of mixing are calculated for a few kbars pressure. As found for albite and phonolite liquids, trachyte melts thus appear to mix nearly ideally as far as enthalpy is concerned. These results imply that the enthalpy of exsolution of water from magmas is very small or negligible under the P-T-X conditions relevant to trachytic volcanism, even for complete degassing of up to 5 wt% H₂O. Furthermore, the viscosity increase associated with exsolution-driven cooling is negligible compared to the decrease caused directly by water exsolution.     

Volcans de la chaîne des Puys (Massif central,France) : point sur la chronologie Vasset–Kilian–Pariou–Chopine

On the basis of radiocarbon ages obtained on wood burned by base surges and tephrochronological observations, it has been possible to assess that the Puy Chopine, aged ca 9700 yr is older by a few centuries than both the Vasset and Kilian volcanoes. The last two have nearly the same age, ca 9300–9400 yr. Layers of trachytic tephra, most probably originated from Kilian or Vasset, can be observed overlapping those from the Pariou. This last volcano had been previously thought to be the younger of the area on the basis of the observation of trachytic tephra beneath its own tephra. However, new observations allow us to assume that those trachytes originated from the acid phase of the Pariou itself. Therefore, it can be assessed that the four volcanoes erupted according to the following sequence: Chopine/Pariou/?Vasset?/Kilian; the chronological situation of Vasset lies on poor arguments and it should be confirmed. To cite this article: D. Miallier et al., C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).