Heterogeneous distribution of paramagnetic radicals in insoluble organic matter from the Orgueil and Murchison meteorites

An electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) investigation was performed on the insoluble organic matter from the Orgueil and Murchison meteorites and on terrestrial coals with similar elemental composition. A complementary electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) study was also carried out. The measured g-factors of the observed paramagnetic radicals in the meteoritic organic matter exhibit a similar correlation with the chemical composition as for the type III (i.e., hydrogen-poor) terrestrial coals. The main result, obtained from EPR saturation and ¹H ENDOR enhancement measurements, showed that the effective local concentration in radicals of about 3 to 4 × 10¹⁹ spin.g⁻¹ in the meteoritic organic matter is much higher than the average concentration, hence the occurrence of radical-rich regions accounting for 5% and 20% of the total volume for Murchison and Orgueil, respectively. This heterogeneity of concentration seems to be unique among natural organic macromolecules. It is proposed that these radical-rich regions correspond to pristine parts of the organic matter synthesized in conditions close to those prevailing in the interstellar medium, and which have survived the hydrothermal process on the parent body.     

Thermal regime of fold and thrust belts—an application to the Bolivian sub Andean zone

A quantitative analysis of the various parameters influencing the thermal regime in orogenic belts and related foredeeps shows that (i) the increasing heat flow in internal zones is mainly due to the thickening of radiogenic layers, although there is no simple proportionality between crustal thickness and heat flow signal at large scale; (ii) in external zones, where the horizontal strain rate is large (such as in the Bolivian Andes), surface processes can be of first order within the first kilometers of the crust. Hence, they induce a large scatter in the thermal data which are acquired at shallow depths. The deep thermal regime can be restored only by a quantitative assessment of these parameters. Active erosion (respectively sedimentation) can increase (resp. reduce) the heat flow by a factor of 2 in the uppermost kilometers. The effects of fluid circulation percolating at depth can also generate significant local disturbances. Other processes such as heat advection during thrusting, surface morphology and climate change have a minor influence in most settings, compared to the aforesaid effects.In the Bolivian Sub Andean Zone, between 18°S and 22°S, the very active deformation enhances the surface thermal perturbations (particularly erosion and sedimentation) and disturb the thermal field. The analysis of these data accounting for the kinematics of the belt allows the lateral variations of the thermal regime at various scales to be assessed. A slight eastward increase in the thermal regime towards the Chaco plain is evidenced as well as towards the Boomerang area, as the Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary cover gets thinner.     

Origine et évolution du soufre au sein de l'aquifère des Sables infra-molassiques du Bassin aquitainOrigin and evolution of sulphur in the Infra-Molassic Sands Aquifer from the Aquitaine Basin

New data on isotopic composition of sulphur and oxygen in dissolved sulphates are used to determine the origin of sulphate ions (SO₄^2?) in the water of the Infra-Molassic Sands Eocene aquifer. Two very distinct origins appear: one is the gypsum dissolution, from the molasse, and the second is the pyrite oxidation, present at the bottom of and within the aquifer. These isotopic analyses helped, in agreement with hydrogeology, to identify geochemical basins whose properties modify the chemical water composition. They also highlight the existence of bioreduction areas. To cite this article: L. André et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 749–756.     

Stratigraphie et sédimentologie des « calcaires à Productus » du Carbonifère inférieur de la Montagne noire (Massif central,France)Stratigraphy and sedimentology of the Lower Carboniferous ‘Calcaires à Productus’ of the Montagne Noire (Massif Central,France)

The ‘Calcaires à Productus’ of the Montagne Noire are microbial build-ups. Two formations are defined and dated respectively as Uppermost Visean (Upper Warnantian–Brigantian) and Serpukhovian on the basis on corals. That makes these limestones out to be younger than previously stated (Lower and base of Upper Warnantian–Asbian and base of Brigantian) and indicates that the development of the olistoliths and thrusts including them, due to the Variscan orogeny, was at least as young as the Upper Serpukhovian. The Serpukhovian limestones of the Montagne Noire are correlated with the Lanet Limestone (Mouthoumet Massif, Corbières) and Ardengost Limestone (central Pyrenees). To cite this article: É. Poty et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 843–848.     

Evolution quantitative à long terme des rotifères au cours de l'eutrophisation du Lac Léman

Eutrophication in Lake Geneva (= Lake Léman) appears primarily as changes in chemical characteristics and plankton populations, inducing quantitative changes in the rotifer assemblages and species combinations.In the course of eutrophication, an increase of the rotifer abundance was found, together with settlement of new species and increase of eutrophication tolerant species, and despite the decrease or disappearance of eutrophication sensitive species.The new equilibrium in the trophic state of Lake Geneva related with the decreasing inputs of nutrients, induces a new structure and less abundance of the total pelagic rotatorian community.

     

Meta-igneous origin of Hercynian peraluminous granites in N.W. French Massif Central: implications for crustal history reconstructions

Seventy samples of Hercynian peraluminous granites (Guéret, Millevaches and Saint Sylvestre massifs) and metamorphic units of the Limousin area were analysed for Rb–Sr and Sm–Nd. The source rocks of the peraluminous granites can be found in the metamorphic rocks of Limousin, among them meta-igneous rocks were largely predominent over meta-sedimentary rocks in the source of the three granites. Millevaches and Guéret granites were generated by the partial melting of rocks comprising meta-volcanics and meta-sediments, whereas the Saint Sylvestre granite was produced exclusively by the melting of late Precambrian granites. This leads to confusing T _DM ^Nd values, the confusion being amplified by the segregation of monazite during the petrogenetic evolution of the peraluminous granites, which leads to dramatic fractionation in Sm/Nd ratios. The data of the present study tend to demonstrate that peraluminous granites do not give a good representation of isotopic mean crustal estimates. Late Precambrian time seems, however, to have been a period of extensive crustal generation in Western Europe.     

Lipid geochemistry of a post-glacial lacustrine sediment

The post-glacial environmental history of Voua de la Motte, a small pond, was studied by the lipid geochemistry of a 6 m long core. Palynological studies show that the deepest part of the core goes back to 10,000 yr BP corresponding to the time of formation of the lake following the retreat of the Rhodanian glacier. Hydrocarbons, aldehydes, linear alcohols, sterols, monocarboxylic and monohydroxy fatty acids, were determined throughout the core both in the free and bound lipid fractions, as well as in the tightly bound fraction for the carboxylic acids. There is no clear evidence of a transformation from the unbound to the bound form, except perhaps for the α-hydroxy acids.Qualitative as well as quantitative fluctuations in the distributions of these lipid classes were observed upward in the core. An attempt is made to correlate these fluctuations with the bioenvironmental and climatological evolution of the Basin on the basis of information obtained from palynology.     

Tectonic setting of Western Pacific marginal basins

Global kinematics as well as magnetic anomalies of marginal basins, with continental geology and paleomagnetic data as additional constraints, are used to present a set of reconstructions of the Western Pacific marginal basins between 56 Ma and the Present at key periods (56, 43, 32, 20, 12 and 3 Ma). Our model accounts for the rapid motion of “exotic terranes” along the whole of the Western Pacific convergent zone.

Marginal basins appear to open in a great variety of tectonic settings, the two extreme examples being the Mariana trough where trench suction may be the predominant driving force and the South China Sea where intracontinental deformation appears to be the major mechanism. The study of marginal basins is a 3-D problem which must take into account the whole tectonic context (subduction related tectonics in cross-section and upper plate deformation in map view) and not only a 2-D problem (the classical trench-arc-back-arc problem).     

Les Rotifères du lac Léman

The published literature on the zooplankton of Lake Léman has been reviewed and all specific names were rewritten according to the valid nomenclature. Some dubious species are reinstated in a new systematical position. Four species are new for the Lake Léman.     

Normal faulting of the Daiichi-Kashima Seamount in the Japan Trench revealed by the Kaiko I cruise, Leg 3

A detailed topographic and geophysical survey of the Daiichi-Kashima Seamount area in the southern Japan Trench, northwestern Pacific margin, clearly defines a high-angle normal fault which splits the seamount into two halves. A fan-shaped zone was investigated along 2–4 km spaced, 100 km long subparallel tracks using narrow multi-beam (Seabeam) echo-sounder with simultaneous measurements of gravity, magnetic total field and single-channel seismic reflection records. Vertical displacement of the inboard half was clearly mapped and its normal fault origin was supported. The northern and southern extensions of the normal fault beyond the flank of the seamount were delineated. Materials on the landward trench slope are displaced upward and to sideways away from the colliding seamount. Canyons observed in the upper landward slope terminate at the mid-slope terrace which has been uplifted since start of subduction of the seamount. Most of the landward slope except for the landward walls aside the seamount comprises only a landslide topography in a manner similar to the northern Japan Trench wall. This survey was conducted on R/V “Jean Charcot” as a part of the Kaiko I cruise, Leg 3, in July–August 1984 under the auspices of the French-Japanese scientific cooperative program.