Forced regressive deposits of a deglaciation sequence: Example from the Late Quaternary succession in the Lake Saint‐Jean basin (Québec,Canada)

Differentiating between forced regressive deposits from deglacial periods in high latitude domains and forced regressive deposits from the onset of glacial periods in low latitude domains is fundamental for the accurate interpretation of glacial cycles within the geological record and then for the reconstruction of palaeogeography and palaeo‐climate. A forced regressive deglacial sequence is documented from the Lake Saint‐Jean basin (Québec, Canada). In this area, the Late Pleistocene to Holocene sediments have recorded the Laurentide ice sheet retreat accompanied by the invasion of marine waters (Laflamme Gulf) from ca 12·9 cal kyr bp . Subsequently, fluvio‐deltaic and coastal prograding wedges were deposited; they followed the base‐level fall due to glacio‐isostatic rebound. This succession, representing a transition from glacial to post‐glacial periods within a previously glaciated area, was investigated through recent mapping, preserved landforms, facies analysis, and new optical stimulated luminescence and radiocarbon dates. Three basin‐scale geological sections share a common lower part made of isolated ice‐contact fan deposits overlying bedrock. Throughout the entire basin, ice‐contact fans are capped by glacimarine muds. Above, fluvial and coastal prograding systems were deposited and evolved through four steps: (i) deltaic systems progressively increased in width; (ii) coastal influence on sedimentation increased; (iii) hydrographic drainage systems became more organised; and (iv) deltas graded from steep (Gilbert delta) to low‐angle foresets (mouth‐bar delta). Deposited during the base‐level fall from glacio‐isostatic rebound, the complete succession has been designated as a single falling stage system tract referred to as a deglacial falling stage system tract. It is representative of a deglaciation sequence in areas previously covered by ice during glacial periods (i.e. medium to high latitude domains). Diagnostic criteria are provided to identify such a deglacial falling stage system tract in the geological record, which may aid identification of previously unknown glacial cycles.     

The influence of lateral mixing on a phytoplankton bloom: Distribution in the Kerguelen Plateau region

A unique phytoplankton bloom appears every year during the austral spring/summer in the northern Kerguelen Plateau region. The Kerguelen Ocean and Plateau compared Study (KEOPS) showed that an increase in subsurface iron coming up from the seafloor through vertical mixing was responsible for the observed increase in chlorophyll-a above the plateau. We demonstrate that the bloom pattern is not a simple increase of biomass over shallow water: it is strongly influenced by the bathymetry and its spatial extent controlled by strong currents around the plateau. Here we focus on lateral mixing process to explain the particular shape of the bloom. We use the Smagorinsky [1963. General circulation experiments with the primitive equations. I. The basic experiment. Monthly Weather Review 91 (3), 99–164] formula to estimate and map fields of lateral mixing time scales (τ) due to barotropic tidal currents, barotropic atmospheric forced currents, Ekman velocities and geostrophic velocities. Results show that short time scale mixing is strongly influenced by the tides while the other processes have minor influences. Comparisons of τ and satellite chlorophyll-a images show that the spatial pattern of the bloom seems to be delimited by a barrier of high lateral mixing that is essentially due to tides. This emphasises the role played by the tides over the Kerguelen Plateau in supplying iron to the phytoplankton and containing the horizontal shape of the bloom. This is one of the first times such a link has been demonstrated, which has implications for the study of iron advection in the ocean.     

Effective stress concept in unsaturated soils: Clarification and validation of a unified framework

The effective stress principle, conventionally applied in saturated soils, is reviewed for constitutive modelling purposes. The assumptions for the applicability of Terzaghi's single effective stress are recalled and its advantages are inventoried. The possible stress frameworks applicable to unsaturated soil modelling are reassessed in a comparative manner, specifically the Bishop's single effective stress, the independent stress variables approach and the generalized stress framework. The latter considerations lead to the definition of a unified stress context, suitable for modelling soils under different saturation states. In order to qualify the implications brought by the proposed stress framework, several experimental data sets are re‐examined in the light of the generalized effective stress. The critical state lines (CSLs) at different saturation states tend to converge remarkably towards a unique saturated line in the deviatoric stress versus mean effective stress plane. The effective stress interpretation is also applied to isotropic paths and compared with conventional net stress conception. The accent is finally laid on a second key feature for constitutive frameworks based on a unified stress, namely the sufficiency of a unique mechanical yield surface besides the unique CSL. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Constitutive analysis of the mechanical anisotropy of Opalinus Clay

This paper aims to analyse the anisotropic features of behaviour of Opalinus Clay using the theory of plastic multi-mechanisms. The results of triaxial tests conducted with different load levels and directions showed that the mechanical behaviour of this shale is cross-anisotropic. The stiffer samples are those in which the loading direction is parallel to the bedding plane. This indicates that the preconsolidation stress depends on the orientation of the load with respect to the fabric of Opalinus Clay. It is proposed to interpret the observed cross-anisotropy with an elastoplastic model based on four plastic strain mechanisms that may be successively mobilised depending on the loading direction. The predicted stress–strain responses vary according to the directions of the space as a result of the hardening process, depending on the number of plastic strain mechanisms that have been mobilised. The numerical predictions show overall good agreement with the experimental data in terms of deviatoric stress versus axial strain, demonstrating that multi-mechanism plasticity is a suitable constitutive tool for the interpretation of the mechanical anisotropy of this shale.     

African monsoon teleconnections with tropical SSTs: validation and evolution in a set of IPCC4 simulations

A set of 12 state-of-the-art coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation models (OAGCMs) is explored to assess their ability to simulate the main teleconnections between the West African monsoon (WAM) and the tropical sea surface temperatures (SSTs) at the interannual to multi-decadal time scales. Such teleconnections are indeed responsible for the main modes of precipitation variability observed over West Africa and represent an interesting benchmark for the models that have contributed to the fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC4). The evaluation is based on a maximum covariance analysis (MCA) applied on tropical SSTs and WAM rainfall. To distinguish between interannual and multi-decadal variability, all datasets are partitioned into low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) components prior to analysis. First applied to HF observations, the MCA reveals two major teleconnections. The first mode highlights the strong influence of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The second mode reveals a relationship between the SST in the Gulf of Guinea and the northward migration of the monsoon rainbelt over the West African continent. When applied to HF outputs of the twentieth century IPCC4 simulations, the MCA provides heterogeneous results. Most simulations show a single dominant Pacific teleconnection, which is, however, of the wrong sign for half of the models. Only one model shows a significant second mode, emphasizing the OAGCMs’ difficulty in simulating the response of the African rainbelt to Atlantic SST anomalies that are not synchronous with Pacific anomalies. The LF modulation of these HF teleconnections is then explored through running correlations between expansion coefficients (ECs) for SSTs and precipitation. The observed time series indicate that both Pacific and Atlantic teleconnections get stronger during the twentieth century. The IPCC4 simulations of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries do not show any significant change in the pattern of the teleconnections, but the dominant ENSO teleconnection also exhibits a significant strengthening, thereby suggesting that the observed trend could be partly a response to the anthropogenic forcing. Finally, the MCA is also applied to the LF data. The first observed mode reveals a well-known inter-hemispheric SST pattern that is strongly related to the multi-decadal variability of the WAM rainfall dominated by the severe drying trend from the 1950s to the 1980s. Whereas recent studies suggest that this drying could be partly caused by anthropogenic forcings, only 5 among the 12 IPCC4 models capture some features of this LF coupled mode. This result suggests the need for a more detailed validation of the WAM variability, including a dynamical interpretation of the SST–rainfall relationships.     

Small-scale variations in mussel (Mytilus spp.) dynamics and local production

A mussel bed was sampled monthly at four intertidal levels (mid: 2.15; mid-low: 1.65; low: 1.2 and sublittoral fringe: 0.7 m from chart datum) from July 1979 to July 1980 at Pointe-Mitis in the St. Lawrence estuary. A strong spring reduction of abundance (both in density and biomass) suggested that the mussel bed was being degraded. Community perturbation was attributed to ice scour. Partial reestablishment of the mussel bed (all age classes) was observed during late spring and early summer and occurred mainly at the mid-low intertidal level. Changes in the size structure of the mussel bed with level suggest that the annual windstorm regime may be an important factor in the dynamics of the bed. Mean body mass decreased at the three lower shore levels but increased at the highest shore level. Overall, net secondary production (assessed by the increment-summation method) was negative due to the decrease in mean body mass. Annual production rates (kJ m⁻² y⁻¹) from the mid intertidal level to the sublittoral fringe were 1130, − 4072, − 4013 and − 3258, respectively, while P/B ratios (y⁻¹) were 0.17, − 0.69, − 0.50 and − 0.45. The calculated production and the productivity (potential production) are compared and used to provide insight into the condition of the mussel bed.     

Comparing the spectral settings of the new generation broad and narrow band sensors in estimating biomass of native grasses grown under different management practices

The challenge of assessing and monitoring the influence of rangeland management practices on grassland productivity has been hampered in southern Africa, due to the lack of cheap earth observation facilities. This study, therefore, sought to evaluate the capability of the newly launched Sentinel 2 multispectral imager (MSI) data, in relation to Hyperspectral infrared imager (HyspIRI) data in estimating grass biomass subjected to different management practices, namely, burning, mowing and fertilizer application. Using sparse partial least squares regression (SPLSR), results showed that HyspIRI data exhibited slightly higher grass biomass estimation accuracies (RMSE = 6.65 g/m², R² = 0.69) than Sentinel 2 MSI (RMSE = 6.79 g/m², R² = 0.58) across all rangeland management practices. Student t-test results then showed that Sentinel 2 MSI exhibited a comparable performance to HyspIRI in estimating the biomass of grasslands under burning, mowing and fertilizer application. In comparing the RMSEs derived using wave bands and vegetation indices of HyspIRI and Sentinel, no statistically significant differences were exhibited (α = 0.05). Sentinel (Bands 5, 6 and 7) and HyspIRI (Bands 730 nm, 740 nm, 750 nm, 710 nm), as well as their derived vegetation indices, yielded the highest predictive accuracies. These findings illustrate that the accuracy of Sentinel 2 MSI data in estimating grass biomass is acceptable when compared with HyspIRI. The findings of this work provide an insight into the prospects of large-scale grass biomass modeling and prediction, using cheap and readily available multispectral data.