Évolution de l'onde semi-diurne M2 de la marée à Brest de 1846 à 2005

The work of searching, recovering and quality control of ancient sea-level measurements at Brest is presented. This work enables us to complete a study carried out by Cartwright in 1972, which showed a decrease in the tidal M2 semi-diurnal amplitude of 1% per century. After including these ancient data, as well as the last four decades of observations in the analysis, our results show an increase of the amplitude of M2 after 1960 and a decrease before 1880, suggesting a long-period oscillation rather than a steady secular trend. To cite this article: N. Pouvreau et al., C. R. Geoscience 338 (2006).     

Impacts of Holocene climatic variations on alluvial fan activity below snowpatches in subarctic Québec

In the Lake Guillaume-Delisle area of subarctic Québec, storm-generated alluvial fans have been active sporadically throughout the Holocene. In this study, we propose that the persistence of late-lying snowpatches in fan catchments during Holocene cold episodes promoted alluvial fan activity by lowering the precipitation threshold required to trigger a torrential event. This hypothesis was tested by characterizing the depositional processes responsible for alluvial fan formation below snowpatches, and by reconstructing the Holocene alluvial fan activity. Stratigraphic and sedimentary analyses conducted on seven alluvial fans revealed that they were deposited by torrential activity leading to waterlaid, transient, or hyperconcentrated deposition. The chronology of the storm-generated alluvial fans — based on 22 radiocarbon dates — indicates that torrential activity was enhanced during the cooler Late Holocene (i.e., after ca. 3500 cal. yr BP). Snowier winters and cooler summers were beneficial to nival activity, allowing the persistence of larger snowpatches throughout the summer and fall seasons. Rainfall-induced thaw of such snowpatches during rainstorm events is inferred to have contributed to alluvial fan activity by increasing water availability. Three peaks of alluvial activity occurred during the Late Holocene (2950–2750, 1900–1400, and 800–300 cal. yr BP) and are indicative of increased storminess resulting in higher fan activity. Increased fan activity during cooler episodes was concurrent with increased runoff activity in the immediate pronival area. This stresses the importance of nivation below snowpatches and pinpoints the role of nivation in enhancing geomorphological activity during period of cooler and more humid climate in subarctic environments.     

Surface temperature differences between minerals in crystalline rocks: Implications for granular disaggregation of granites through thermal fatigue

Thermal expansion differences between minerals within rocks under insolation have previously been assumed to drive breakdown by means of granular disaggregation. However, there have been no definitive demonstrations of the efficacy of this weathering mechanism. Different surface temperatures between minerals should magnify thermal expansion differences, and thus subject adjacent minerals to repeated stresses that might cause breakdown through fatigue failure. This work confirms the existence of surface temperature differences between minerals in granitic rocks under simulated short-term temperature fluctuations so as to discriminate their potential for initiating granular disaggregation. The influence of colour, as a surrogate for albedo, and crystal size, as a function of thermal mass are specifically identified because of their ease of quantification. Four rock types with a range of these properties were examined, and subjected to repeated short-term temperature cycles by radiative heating and cooling under laboratory conditions. Results show that while albedo is the main control for overall and individual maximum temperatures, crystal size is the main factor controlling higher temperature differences between minerals. Thus, stones with large differences of mineral sizes can undergo magnified stresses due to thermal expansion differences.     

Deformability characteristics of brazilian laterites

This paper summarizes the resilient and permanent deformation characteristics of laterite gravels, determined by cyclic loading in triaxial tests of compacted specimens. A study of laterite pavements was carried out on eight paved road sections in the state of Mato Grosso. Also reported is the influence of fine sand admixture, specimen size and soaking in two laterite samples from Roraima and Rondônia in the North of Brazil. The experimental relationships of resilient moduli against applied stresses are interpreted empirically for models what may be incorporated in a structural analysis of full depth of laterite pavement.     

Up to what temperature is petroleum stable? New insights from a 5200 free radical reactions model

The discovery of crude oils and condensates at ever higher temperatures casts doubt on the validity of the usual geochemical modelling approach, that uses empirical reactions and rate constants. The solution used to account for such a high thermal stability is presently to adjust the rate parameters, but the physical meaning and scientific value of such a strategy can be questioned. We have developed a mechanistic model consisting of 5200 lumped free radical reactions to describe the thermal evolution of a mixture of 52 organic species meant to represent light petroleum. Rate constants used are those available in the literature or estimated using well established thermochemistry-reactivity correlations. Chemical structures included in the model are linear, branched and cyclic hydrocarbons, hydro- and alkyl-aromatics, PAHs, and three heteroatomic compounds. Reactions include cracking and alkylation chains and inhibiting and accelerating reactions from the various reactants. This model has been applied to several mixtures with various proportions of reaction inhibitors and accelerators, and to a composition representing a light mature oil. From the results obtained, we conclude that mature oils will be stable up to 240–260 °C, depending on their composition, and that the thermal cracking of oil to gas is not possible under reasonable basin conditions. The kinetics of petroleum cracking are thus much slower than generally recognized.     

Behaviour of a rupture of the 21 June 2000 earthquake in South Iceland as revealed in an asphalted car park

A major earthquake (M=6.6) occurred on 21 June 2000, in South Iceland. This paper presents an unusual example of left-lateral strike-slip displacement recorded in a newly asphalted car park surface through a mechanically consistent pattern of open fissures and pressure ridges resulting from simple shear and rotation. Measurement of these features allows accurate reconstruction of the local deformation. The behaviour of the asphalt layer resembles that of analogue physical models, especially in terms of rotations induced by shear deformation. It is finally shown that through a wide range of scales some basic patterns associating rotation and opposite senses of strike-slip exist in the South Iceland Seismic Zone.     

An X-ray absorption fine structure and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy study of gallium-silica complexes in aqueous solution

The influence of aqueous silica on gallium(III) hydrolysis in dilute (2 × 10⁻⁴ ≤ m_Ga ≤ 5 × 10⁻³) and moderately concentrated (0.02 ≤ m_Ga ≤ 0.3) aqueous solutions was studied at ambient temperature, using high resolution X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies, respectively. Results show that, in Si-free acidic solutions (pH < 3), Ga is hexa-coordinated with oxygens of H₂O molecules and/or OH groups in the first coordination sphere of the metal. With increasing pH, these hydroxyl groups are progressively replaced by bridging oxygens (-O-), and polymerized Ga-hydroxide complexes form via Ga-O-Ga chemical bonds. In the 2.5-3.5 pH range, both XAFS and NMR spectra are consistent with the dominant presence of the Ga₁₃ Keggin polycation, which has the same local structure as A1₁₃. Under basic pH (pH > 8), Ga exhibits a tetrahedral coordination, corresponding to Ga(OH)₄⁻ species, in agreement with previous NMR and potentiometric studies. Major changes in Ga hydrolysis have been detected in the presence of aqueous silica. Ga is tetra-coordinated, both in basic and acid (i.e., at pH > 2.7) Si-bearing solutions (0.01 ≤ m_Si ≤ 0.2), and forms stable gallium-silicate complexes. In these species, Ga binds via bridging oxygen to 2 ± 1 silicons, with an average Ga-Si distance of 3.16 ± 0.05 Å, and to 2 ± 1 silicons, with an average Ga-Si distance of 3.39 ± 0.03 Å. These two sets of Ga-Si distances imply the formation of two types of Ga-silicate aqueous complex, cyclic Ga-Si_2-3 species (formed by the substitution of Si in its tri-, tetra- or hexa-cyclic polymers by Ga atoms), and chainlike GaSi_2-4 species (similar to those found for A1), respectively. The increase in the number of Si neighbors (a measure of the complex concentration and stability), in alkaline media, with increasing SiO₂(aq) content and decreasing pH is similar to that for A1-Si complexes found in neutral to basic solutions. At very acid pH and moderate silica concentrations, the presence of another type of Ga-Si complex, in which Ga remains hexa-coordinated and binds to the silicon tetrahedra via the GaO₆ octahedron corners, has also been detected. These species are similar to those found for Al³⁺ in acid solutions. Thus, as for aluminum, silicic acid greatly hampers Ga hydrolysis and enhances Ga mobility in natural waters via the formation of gallium-silicate complexes.     

Premier pôle paléomagnétique,d'âge Moscovien contraint par un test du pli,obtenu dans le bassin d'Illizi (Craton saharien,Algérie)First palaeomagnetic pole,of Moscovian age constrained by a fold test,in the Illizi Basin (Saharan Craton,Algeria)

Palaeomagnetic study, carried out in the Moscovian (～305 Ma) formation in the Edjeleh anticline, shows the existence of three magnetisation components. Two of them are probably Cenozoic and Permian remagnetisations. The third component determined by both well defined ChRMs and remagnetisation circles analysis passes the fold test. Because the folding started before or during the Stephano-Autunian, this third component is the primary magnetisation. Its palaeomagnetic pole (28.3°S, 58.9°E), close to other poles from the Saharan platform obtained from neighbouring periods but without palaeomagnetic tests, confirms the age of these last data. To cite this article: B. Bayou et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 81–87.     

Sediment yield and storage variations in the Négron River catchment (south western Parisian Basin,France) during the Holocene period

In the Négron River catchment area (162 km²), surface‐sediment stores are composed of periglacial calcareous ‘grèze’ (5 × 10⁶ t) and loess (21 × 10⁶ t), and Holocene alluvium (12·6 × 10⁶ t), peat (0·6 × 10⁶ t) and colluvium (18·5 × 10⁶ t). Seventy‐five per cent of the Holocene sediments is stored along the thalwegs. Present net sediment yield, calculated from solid discharge at the Négron outlet, is low (0·6 t km^?2 a^?1) due to the dominance of carbonate rocks in the catchment. Mean sediment yield during the Holocene period is 7·0 t km^?2 a^?1 from alluvium stores and 7·6 t km^?2 a^?1 from colluvium stores. Thus, the gross sediment yield during the Holocene period is about 18·7 t km^?2 a^?1 and the sediment delivery ratio 3 per cent. The yield considerably varies from one sub‐basin to another (3·9 to 24·5 t km^?2 a^?1) according to lithology: about 25 per cent and 50 per cent of initial stores of periglacial grèze and loess respectively were reworked during the Holocene period. Sediment yield has increased by a factor of 6 in the last 1000 years, due to the development of agriculture. The very high rate of sediment storage on the slope during that period (88 per cent of the yield) can be accounted for by the formation of cultivation steps (‘rideaux’). It is predicted that the current destruction of these steps will result in a sediment wave reaching the valley floors in the coming decades. Subboreal and Subatlantic sediments and pollen assemblages in the Taligny marsh, where one‐third of the alluvium is stored, show the predominant influence of human activity during these periods in the Négron catchment. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.