Prevalence of Trichinella sp. in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from northeastern Greenland

The occurrence of infections with Trichinella sp. in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from northeastern Greenland has been studied by examination of muscle samples, mainly diaphragm, from 38 animals shot during the period 1983-1987. Trichinella larvae were demonstrated in 12 bears (32%) with an average of 9.2 larvae/g muscle tissue. No bears younger than three years old were infected. The prevalence of Trichinella among bears of the age group 3-4 years was 25% and 53% among older animals.     

Preuves de la discordance de l'Ordovicien supérieur dans la zone axiale des Pyrénées : exemple du dôme de la Garonne (Espagne,France)

The geological mapping of the Garonne Dome had already shown an angular unconformity between the Upper Ordovician and the underlying series. This paper presents data from a nearby location, Planelh deth Pas Estret, southeast of the Garonne Dome, where the unconformity can be seen at outcrop scale. The unconformity angles amount to up to 20°. This unconformity is interpreted as a result of an extensional event of pre-Upper Ordovician age. To cite this article: J. Garc??a-Sansegundo et al., C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

Monitoring the Performance of Unsaturated Soil Slopes

Field monitoring is necessary for the geotechnical engineer to verify design assumptions. More importantly, the field data may also be assembled into a comprehensive case record that is available for use when checking validity of any analytical and numerical models. The ongoing process of back-analysis in unsaturated soil engineering can help to refine and improve our understanding, providing guidance for future designs, where the effects of soil suction and hydraulic hysteresis are still being explored. A range of recent field studies of the mechanisms of rainfall infiltration into slopes is presented. In addition, some physical simulations of unsaturated soil slopes subjected to rainfall, rising ground water table and changes of moisture in centrifuge model tests are reported.     

Provenance and tectonic implications of Orán Group foreland basin sediments,Río Iruya canyon,NW Argentina (23° S)

Foreland basins are important recorders of tectonic and climatic processes in evolving mountain ranges. The Río Iruya canyon of NW Argentina (23° S) exposes ca. 7500 m of Orán Group foreland basin sediments, spanning over 8 Myr of near continuous deposition in the Central Andes. This study presents a record of sedimentary provenance for the Iruya Section in the context of a revised stratigraphic chronology. We use U‐Pb zircon ages from six interbedded ash layers and new magnetostratigraphy to constrain depositional ages in the section between 1.94 and 6.49 Ma, giving an average sedimentation rate of 0.93 ± 0.02 (2σ) km Myr^?1. We then pair U‐Pb detrital zircon dating with quartz trace‐element analysis to track changes in sedimentary provenance from ca. 7.6 to 1.8 Ma. Results suggest that from ca. 7.6 to ca. 6.3 Ma, the Iruya watershed did not tap the Salta Group or Neogene volcanics that are currently exposed in the eastern Cordillera and Puna margin. One explanation is that a long‐lived topographic barrier separated the eastern Puna from the foreland for much of the mid‐late Miocene, and that the arrival of Jurassic‐Neogene zircons records regional tectonic reactivation at ca. 6.3 Ma. A second major provenance shift at ca. 4 Ma is marked by changes in the zircon and quartz populations, which appear to be derived from a restricted source region in Proterozoic‐Ordovician meta‐sediments. Considered in conjunction with the onset of coarse conglomerate deposition, we attribute this shift to accelerated uplift of the Santa Victoria range, which currently defines the catchment's western limit. A third shift at ca. 2.3 Ma records an apparent disconnection of the Iruya with the eastern Puna, perhaps due to defeat of the proto Rio‐Iruya by the rising Santa Victoria range. This study is one of the first applications of quartz trace‐element provenance analysis, which we show to be an effective complement to U‐Pb detrital zircon dating when appropriate statistical methods are applied.     

The Canary Debris Flow: source area morphology and failure mechanisms

The morphology of the source area of the Canary Debris Flow has been mapped using both GLORIA reconnaissance and TOBI high-resolution sidescan sonar systems. West of ≈19°W, the seafloor is characterized by a strongly lineated downslope-trending fabric. This fabric can be interpreted as being caused by streams of debris separated by longitudinal shears. Multiple flow pulses are indicated by a series of asymmetrical lateral ridges which mark the northern boundary of the flow. East of ≈19°W, GLORIA data show only a weak fabric of irregular patches and alongslope lineaments. The TOBI data show the patches to be coherent sediment blocks up to 10 km across, surrounded by debris flow material. These are interpreted as in situ areas of seafloor sediment which have survived the slope failure and debris flow event rather than transported fragments of a failed sediment slab. TOBI data from the best developed area of alongslope lineaments show a series of small faults downstepping to the west. This area of seafloor is interpreted as one of partial sediment failure, where the failure process became ‘frozen’ before total mobilization of the seafloor sediments could occur. The overall morphology of the failure area indicates removal of a slab-like body of sediment, although we cannot distinguish between retrogressive and slab-slide failure mechanisms. If the latter mechanism is applicable, fragmentation of the failing ‘slab’ must have commenced concurrently with the onset of downslope transport. Immediately upslope from the debris flow source area, a seafloor of characteristic rough blocky texture is interpreted as the surface of a debris avalanche derived from the slopes of the island of El Hierro. The debris flow and avalanche appear to be simultaneous events, with failure of the slope sediments occurring while the avalanche deposits were still mobile enough to fill and disguise the topographic expression of the debris flow headwall. Loading of the slope sediments by the debris avalanche most probably triggered the Canary Debris Flow.     

Diagnosis and numerical simulation of a torrential precipitation event in Catalonia (Spain)

Summary A torrential precipitation event occurred in Catalonia (northeastern part of Spain) during 9 and 10 October 1994. More than 400mm were registered in the south of Catalonia. A diagnostic study shows that most of the ingredients to produce heavy rain (large scale upward vertical motion, instability, high moisture content in all the troposphere) were present over the Spanish coast and western Mediterranean. Mesoscale triggering mechanisms have been associated with the orographic forcing, not only through physical lifting of moist air by the coastal mountains, but also by the redistribution of the surface pressure field induced by the Atlas and Pyrenees ranges. A numerical simulation of the event using a meso- model has been performed. The model forecasts qualitatively well the rainfall distribution but underestimates the maximum rainfalls. The effects of the orography and the evaporation from the sea have been also studied. The simulations have shown that the action of the orography is decisive for the rainfall, pressure and wind distrbutions over the Spanish coast and the western Mediterranean. The isolated action of the evaporation turns to be much less important. However the combined effect of orography and evaporation is the most important factor in the areas where the greatest amount of rainfall occurred.With 26 Figures     

Sedimentary evolution of the northwestern Alboran Sea during the Quaternary

Five depositional bodies occur within the Quaternary deposits of the northwestern Alboran Sea: Guadalmedina-Guadalhorce prodelta, shelf-edge wedges, progradational packages, Guadiaro channel-levee complex, and debris flow deposits. The sedimentary structure reflects two styles of margin growth characterized: 1) by an essentially sediment-starved outer, shelf and upper slope and by divergent slope seismic facies; 2) by a prograding sediment outer shelf, and parallel slope seismic facies. Eustatic oscillations, sediment supply, and tectonic tilting have controlled the type of growth pattern, and the occurrence of the depositional bodies. Debris flows were also controlled locally by diapirism.     

Post-Calabrian sequence stratigraphy of the northwestern Alboran Sea (southwestern Mediterranean)

The post-Calabrian sedimentary column of the northwestern Alboran Sea comprises three depositional sequences. The two older depositional sequences are defined by lowstand systems tracts (shelf-margin deltas, slope, base-of-slope, and basin deposits, and the Guadiaro channel-levee complex). In contrast, the most recent depositional sequence also includes transgressive (relict shelf facies) and high-stand (the Guadalmedina-Guadalhorce prodelta and hemipelagic facies) systems tracts. The stratigraphic architecture of these depositional sequences is controlled by the synchronism between high frequency sea-level changes, variations in sediment supply, and sedimentary processes. The configuration of the depositional sequences is variable and their distribution is complex, as a result of the relative importance played by sea-level changes and tectonism through the area.

The sequence boundaries are represented by polygenetic surfaces in the proximal margin, and by monogenetic surfaces in the distal margin and basin. Each polygenetic surface results from the interaction between the sequence boundary with the lowstand erosional truncation surface and the transgressive surface, both developed during the previous sea-level cycle. The monogenetic surfaces correspond to unconformities and their correlative conformities, formed during sea-level lowstands. This pattern of depositional sequences developed in the margin and basin of the northwestern Alboran Sea shows differences with the Exxon Sequence Stratigraphy Model as traditionally applied: sea-level change control is essentially recognized through lowstand systems tracts, and sequence boundary coincides with lowstand erosional truncation surface and transgressive surface, both developed during the previous sea-level cycle.     

Plio-Quaternary margin growth patterns in a complex tectonic setting: Northeastern Alboran Sea

Four main seismic sequences of Plio-Quaternary age identified in the northeastern Alboran Sea record the main phases of margin and basin development. The geometry and thickness of these sequences reveal that the Motril and Almeria basins contain the main sediment depocenters. Sea level fluctuations and sediment input were probably the most significant factors controlling growth patterns, but the presence of structural barriers and the active tectonism influenced sediment traps and downslope gravity processes.