On the modelling of stationary planetary waves

The structure of the atmospheric stationary planetary waves is obtained by means of the quasi‐geostrophic linear model developed by Matsuno (1 970). To show the influence of the upper boundary condition on the structure of the waves, the latter is computed using a rigid top and a radiation condition. The modifications to the wave structure obtained when the upper boundary is lowered from a height of 65 km to 42.5 km, 32.5 km, and 22.5 km are examined. The effects of varying the vertical grid increment are studied through a comparison of the wave structures obtained with 6, 12, and 24 levels between 5 and 65 km.     

A geophysical transect of the Adélie Margin,East Antarctica

In 1982, a geophysical survey of the Antarctic margin, including multichannel seismic, gravity, magnetic and bathymetric surveying, was carried out off Adélie Coast-Wilkes Land and in the eastern Ross Sea. Of the 5000 km of lines recorded, 3000 km were in the Adélie Coast area. Lines ATC 101–102, approximately following meridian 138°E, show the first complete transect of the Adélie Coast margin from the Southeast Indian abyssal plain at DSDP Site 269 to the continental shelf. These lines reveal a thick sedimentary series divided into three main acoustic units by two major unconformities considered to be Upper Eocene (42 Ma) and late Oligocene (25 Ma). Oceanic or continental basement can be traced under the whole area, and the ocean-continent boundary clearly lies beneath the lower continental slope. A deep, high-amplitude, low-frequency horizon, extending under the oceanic basement for over 300 km of line, is considered to be the Moho. Our interpretation supports a recent revision be Cande and Mutter proposing an early Upper Cretaceous opening between Australia and East Antarctica.     

CLoE,a new rate-type constitutive model for geomaterials theoretical basis and implementation

The paper describes the basic ideas and the main features of a new class of constitutive laws, in the framework of incrementally non-linear constitutive equations. CLoE is a generic name for that new class of laws, with reference to consistency at the limit surface, and explicit localization analysis. A top–down analysis of the model is presented, and illustrated by examples.     

Radio Observations of Ions in Comet Hale-Bopp

We present radio observations of HCO⁺, H₃O⁺ and CO⁺ in Hale-Bopp. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Triple close approach in the three-body problem: A limit for the bounded orbits

Using the results of Sundman and Birkhoff as also the studies on the generalized Hill's curves, we develop a new method for computing a lower bound of the moment of inertia for the bounded orbits in the general three-body problem.Thus we obtain much higher values than in the classical results. We show for instance, that when the integral of the energy goes to zero, this lower bound goes to the minimum moment of inertia of the corresponding parabolic Euler motion of the same angular momentum: it is then the greatest lower bound.

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Résumé En utilisant les résultats de Sundman et de Birkhoff ainsi que les études sur les courbes de Hill généralisées, on développe une nouvelle méthode pour calculer un minorant du moment d'inertie pour les orbites bornées dans le problème des trois corps.On obtient ainsi des valeurs beaucoup plus élevées que dans les résultats classiques. On montre en particulier que lorsque I'intégrale de I'énergie tend vers zéro ce minorant tend vers le minimum du moment d'inertie du mouvement parabolique d'Euler correspondant de même moment cinétique: c'est alors la limite inférieure.

     

The Basel 1356 earthquake: which fault produced it?

The 1356 Basel earthquake was the strongest event to have shaken NW Europe in the last thousand years. The peculiar location of this historical event makes it possible to relate it to normal faulting along the edges of the Rhine Graben, as well as to reverse faulting along the Jura frontal thrust or to fault reactivation within the Hercynian basement. Alternate hypotheses are discussed and their implications compared taking into account available structural data and results of the morphotectonic study performed in the epicentral area. This study combines field observations with the analysis of SPOT satellite imagery, aerial photographs, and detailed topography. It is concluded that the Basel earthquake most probably reactivated a basement fault (reverse or wrench fault) beneath the shallow-depth aseismic detachment that underlies the Jura Mountains.     

Remote sensing observations of biological material by LANDSAT along a tidal thermal front and their relevancy to the available field data

Two images recorded on two successive summer days by LANDSAT satellite over the western approaches to the English Channel show bright pattern of complex shape the origin of which is puzzling. Among the wavelength bands available on LANDSAT's multispectral scanner, these patterns are apparent only in the green region of the spectrum, and they are located towards the stratified side of a well marked tidal thermal front. Spectral signature analysis and available knowledge on hydrography and plankton in the area are used to derive a proposed interpretation. Phytoplankton would accordingly be the best candidate for being responsible for the observed patterns.     

A mechanism of formation for the Kirkwood gaps

In this paper an analytical model describing the effect of a displacement of the Jovian resonances in the asteroid belt is analyzed. It is found that small displacement can transform a truncated uniform density distribution of asteroids into a gap. As a possible explanation for the displacement, the effect of the removal of an accretion disk in the early stage of the solar system is investigated. It is found that removal of a disk containing a few percent of the solar mass between the orbit of the asteroids and the orbit of Jupiter is sufficient to account for the observed Hecuba gap.