Holocene palaeoenvironments at the timberline in the French Alps—a multidisciplinary approach

An attempt is made to reconstruct the palaeoenvironmental Holocene history at the timberline on the basis of the analysis of various palaeoecological proxy indicators available on a marshy area and its surroundings in the Taillefer Massif (Isère. France). The multidisciplinary approach involves analyses of pollen assemblages. plant macrofossils, coleoptera remains. subfossil trunks extracted from lakes or peat-bogs. and charcoals derived from the surrounding soils. This enables definition of the respective roles of five forest taxa ( Pinus uncinata Mill., Pinus cembra L., Larix decidua Mill., Abies alba Mill, and Picea abies L. Karsten) in the evolution of high altitude forests during the Holocene. Pinus uncinata was present on the plateau throughout the Holocene. Larix and Pinus cembra were present only during two periods: 7500-5000 BP and 3500-2000 BP. All trees disappeared from the plateau at about 2000 BP, while, at lower altitude. Abies was replaced by Picea. The action of both climate and early human impact can explain these changes.     

ANIE: A mathematical algorithm for automated indexing of planar deformation features in quartz grains

Abstract– Planar deformation features (PDFs) in quartz, one of the most commonly used diagnostic indicators of shock metamorphism, are planes of amorphous material that follow crystallographic orientations, and can thus be distinguished from non‐shock‐induced fractures in quartz. The process of indexing data for PDFs from universal‐stage measurements has traditionally been performed using a manual graphical method, a time‐consuming process in which errors can easily be introduced. A mathematical method and computer algorithm, which we call the Automated Numerical Index Executor (ANIE) program for indexing PDFs, was produced, and is presented here. The ANIE program is more accurate and faster than the manual graphical determination of Miller–Bravais indices, as it allows control of the exact error used in the calculation and removal of human error from the process.     

Sequential and climatic framework of the growth and demise of a carbonate platform: implications for the peritidal cycles (Late Jurassic,North‐eastern France)

The Middle Oxfordian of the eastern Paris Basin constitutes a remarkable example of the growth and demise of a carbonate platform. Fischer plots, sedimentary and diagenetic features allow the identification of four depositional cycles (S5 to S8) in the Transversarium Zone; they are inserted in a lower frequency cycle of increased/decreased accommodation space (SoIII). The long‐term period of accommodation creation occurred during the older S5 and S6 cycles, the maximum accommodation zone being located in the lower part of the S6 cycle. This high accommodation period was tectonically controlled and was coeval with local distensive activity of a Hercynian fault. A major minimum accommodation zone exists during the S8 cycle. At that time, the platform was isolated and presented both a windward and a leeward margin. The growth of the platform was favoured by a warm and arid climate, oligotrophic conditions and reduced siliciclastic input during a highstand in relative sea‐level. These palaeoenvironmental features favoured the proliferation of phototrophic organisms producing carbonate material. The death of the platform was generated by a reduction in the carbonate production surface during a lowstand in relative sea‐level and by the appearance of mesotrophic conditions induced by the increase in siliciclastic inputs at the beginning of a period with a cooler and more humid climate. In the eastern Paris Basin, during the Middle Oxfordian, the parasequences are ordered and present ‘greenhouse’ characteristics. In contrast, at the beginning of the S8 cycle, the randomness in the thickness of contiguous parasequences increased. Decreased carbonate production during the lowstand caused by a transition from photozoan to heterozoan benthic communities certainly favoured this randomness and the appearance of catch‐down parasequences.     

Evolution of Dust Shells and Jets in the Inner Coma of Comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp)

Comet Hale-Bopp was observed with the 80 cm reflector + CCD at the Haute-Provence observatory (OHP) and with the 62 cm reflector + CCD at the Saint-Véran observatory (Queyras, France). The morphology of the shells was followed from their first appearence on 1997 Jan. 30, until their disappearance on May 9. These shells spread from the nucleus region with a velocity in agreement with a nuclear rotation period of about 11.33 hours. We report also a short and bright dust ejection on May 8. CN images show a long spiral jet in the tailward side invisible on continuum images. The circumnuclear structures have been followed at Saint-Véran from Apr. 5 to Apr. 11, 1997 with a high spatial resolution (200 km/pixel). We have followed the emergence of a recurrent linear polar jet. Measurements of its expansion show a constant acceleration of material with typical expansion velocity of 1 km/s. The CCD frames show the interconnection between spiral jets and the successive shells. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Keurusselkä impact structure,Finland—Impact origin confirmed by characterization of planar deformation features in quartz grains

Abstract– Although the meteorite impact origin of the Keurusselkä impact structure (central Finland) has been established on the basis of the occurrence of shatter cones, no detailed microscopic examination of the impactites from this structure has so far been made. Previous microscope investigations of in situ rocks did not yield any firm evidence of shock features (Raiskila et al. 2008; Kinnunen and Hietala 2009). We have carried out microscopic observations on petrographic thin sections from seven in situ shatter cone samples and report here the discovery of planar fractures (PFs) and planar deformation features (PDFs) in quartz and feldspar grains. The detection and characterization of microscopic shock metamorphic features in the investigated samples substantiates a meteorite impact origin for the Keurusselkä structure. The crystallographic orientations of 372 PDF sets in 276 quartz grains were measured, using a universal stage (U‐stage) microscope, for five of the seven distinct shatter cone samples. Based on our U‐stage results, we estimate that investigated shatter cone samples from the Keurusselkä structure have experienced peak shock pressures from approximately 2 GPa to slightly less than 20 GPa for the more heavily shocked samples. The decoration of most of the PDFs with fluid inclusions also indicates that these originally amorphous shock features were altered by postimpact processes. Finally, our field observations indicate that the exposed surface corresponds to the crater floor; it is, however, difficult to estimate the exact diameter of the structure and the precise amount of material that has been eroded since its formation.     

Jason-1 global statistical evaluation and performance assessment: Calibration and cross-calibration results

Since Jason-1launch, extensive validation of Jason-1 data and cross-calibration relative to TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P) have been performed by the CLS validation team within the CNES Jason-1 project. These validation activities are routinely operated as part of the Jason-1 ground segment, and often lead to in-depth studies to understand all validation conclusions. This paper presents the main results in terms of Jason-1 data quality: verification of data availability and validity, monitoring of the most relevant altimeter and radiometer parameters, assessment of the Jason-1 altimeter system performances. From global statistical analysis of more than 2 years of Jason-1 GDR data, results for all components of the altimeter measurement are derived in terms of bias, trend and precision. This work also represents a contribution to the estimation of the Jason-1 error budget. Thorough studies have been more focused on specific issues in relation to data quality: this is the case for the analysis of the high frequency content of the Jason-1 data and its impact on the T/P to Jason-1 comparison. From the results presented in this paper, it is demonstrated that the Jason-1 mission fulfils the requirements of high precision altimetry. In particular, it allows continuing the observation of the Mean Sea Level (MSL) variations at the same accuracy as T/P, which was one of the challenges of the Jason-1 mission. Potential improvements and open issues are also identified, with the objective of still making progress in terms of altimeter data quality.     

A comparison of the fabric and permeability anisotropy of consolidated and sheared silty clay

This paper reports the geotechnical aspects of an experimental programme investigating the permeability of shear zones in clay-rich sediments. Oedometric and ring shear permeameters were used to investigate and compare permeability anisotropy in consolidated and sheared silty clay, to simulate the behaviour of wall-rock sediments and shear zone sediments respectively. In line with other studies, consolidated silty clay was found to have no significant permeability anisotropy, although clay fabric anisotropy was well developed. However, sheared silty clay showed an increase in permeability anisotropy (r_k = 3−16) with decreasing void ratio (e = 0.8−0.4), corresponding to effective stresses of 100 kPa to 4 MPa. This level of anisotropy was retained during shearing along the unloading path, and no significant dilation or enhancement of permeability was observed.     

岩芯饼裂机制及其对工程地质特性影响的分析

提出了岩芯饼裂主要受地应力平均值控制的观点,说明了岩饼表面圆周状对称拉裂坎以及垂直拉裂坎方向擦痕的形成原因,结合工程地质讨论了岩体的弹性模量和内聚力。     

3D TABLE-DRIVEN MIGRATION1

An efficient full 3D wavefield extrapolation technique is presented. The method can be used for any type of subsurface structure and the degree of accuracy and dip-angle performance are user-defined. The extrapolation is performed in the space-frequency domain as a space-dependent spatial convolution with recursive Kirchhoff extrapolation operators. To get a high level of efficiency the operators are optimized such that they have the smallest possible size for a specified accuracy and dip-angle performance. As both accuracy and maximum dip-angle are input parameters for the operator calculation, the method offers the possibility of a trade-off between these quantities and efficiency. The operators are calculated in advance and stored in a table for a range of wavenumbers. Once they have been calculated they can be used many times. At the basis of the operator design is the well-known phase-shift operator. Although this operator is exact for homogeneous media only, it is assumed that it may be applied locally in case of inhomogeneities. Lateral velocity variations can then be handled by choosing the extrapolation operator according to the local value of the velocity. Optionally the operators can be designed such that they act as spatially variant high-cut filters. This means that the evanescent field can be suppressed in one pass with the extrapolation. The extrapolation method can be used both in prestack and post-stack applications. In this paper we use it in zero-offset migration. Tests on 2D and 3D synthetic and 2D real data show the excellent quality of the method. The full 3D result is much better then the result of two-pass migration, which has been applied to the same data. The implementation yields a code that is fully vectorizable, which makes the method very suitable for vector computers.