Isostatic response of the large-offset Atlantic Equatorial fracture zones

Spectral analysis techniques have been applied to data sets of gravity and topography selected across fracture zones with large offset in the Equatorial and Central Atlantic Ocean and processed independently for each fracture zone. Three simple compensation models, two in local isostatic equilibrium (Airy I and II) and one in regional equilibrium (Plate model) have been tested. It is found that the free-air anomalies are primarily controlled by the topography and its isostatic response. For short wavelengths, admittance can be explained either by the effect of uncompensated sea floor topography with high density basement or by the effect of uncompensated sea floor topography with normal oceanic basement density but accompanied by a crust of constant thickness. For intermediate wavelengths, admittance for the Romanche fracture zone agrees best with a local isostatic model in which compensation is achieved by a less dense material in the upper mantle. No such evidence exists for the Vema and Chain fracture zones for which topography could just as well be regionally supported by an elastic plate 3 to 10 km thick. For longer wavelengths, the admittances computed for the three fracture zones are compatible with a thermal compensation of the topography.     

Evidence of change in the winter mixed layer in the Northeast Pacific Ocean

Sea-surface temperatures in the Northeast Pacific Ocean show a warming trend, and salinities show a declining trend, in data collected over the last 60 years. These changes combine to reduce the density of the surface layer over a large area of the Northeast Pacific. The declining surface density changes the energetic requirements for the formation of a surface mixed layer, and observations at Ocean Station Papa indicate that mid-winter mixed layer depths are showing a marked decline. The reduction in the depth of penetration of the winter-time mixed layer should reduce the nutrients entrained into the upper ocean each winter. Observations suggest that near surface nutrient levels are declining at Papa but remain well above levels that might inhibit productivity. However, at present the productivity of large phytoplankton appears to be limited by iron supply which is thought to be mainly from the atmosphere. A shallower mixed layer depth could increase the concentration of iron in this layer. The increase in iron would increase the utilization of nitrate, mainly by diatoms, and new production and the f ratio would increase.     

Biological evidence of sea-level rise during the last 4500 years on the rocky coasts of continental southwestern France and Corsica

On the rocky coasts of the northwestern Mediterranean basin, biogenic littoral rims built by the coralline rhodophyte Lithophyllum lichenoides develop, whose remains may be preserved for millennia when submerged in a rising sea environment. These remains can be used as biological indicators of recent sea-level variations. Our survey of the continental coasts of Var and Bouches du Rhône, west of Marseilles (southern France) and of northern Corsica shows that relative sea level rose about 1.6 m in the study area during the last 4500 years without exceeding the present datum. The rate of sea-level rise was 0.4 mm per year between 4500 and 1500 yr B.P. and slowed down to 0.2 mm per year from 1500 yr B.P. to present time. There are also morphological indications of an acceleration of the rate of sea-level rise during the last century, supporting the evidence of tide gauges. Regions at the periphery of the above zone (Alpes Maritimes, Italian border zone, and the French and Spanish Catalonia regions) were also surveyed, but a weaker development of Lithophyllum rims and bad preservation of algal remains led to unconvincing dates which could also be linked to regional tectonic trends.     

Active oceanic spreading in the northern North Fiji Basin: Results of the NOFI cruise of R/V L'Atalante (newstarmer project)

The South Pandora and the Tripartite Ridges are active spreading centers located in the northern part of the North Fiji Basin. These spreading centers were surveyed over a distance of 750 km during the NOFI cruise of R/V L'Atalante (August–September 1994) which was conducted in the frame of the french-japanese Newstarmer cooperation project. SIMRAD EM12-dual full coverage swath bathymetric and imagery data as well as airgun 6-channel seismic, magnetics and gravity profiles were recorded along and offaxis from 170°40 E to 178° E. Dredging and piston coring were also performed along and off-axis. The axial domain of the South Pandora Ridge is divided into 5 first-order segments characterized by contrasted morphologies. The average width of the active domain is 20 km and corresponds either to bathymetric highs or to deep elongated grabens. The bathymetric highs are volcanic constructions, locally faulted and rifted, which can obstruct totally the axial valley. The grabens show the typical morphology of slow spreading axes, with two steep walls flanking a deep axial valley. Elongated lateral ridges may be present on both sides of the grabens. Numerous volcanoes, up to several kilometers in diameter, occur on both flanks of the South Pandora Ridge. The Tripartite Ridge consists of three main segments showing a sigmoid shape. Major changes in the direction of the active zones are observed at the segment discontinuities. These discontinuities show various geometrical patterns which suggest complex transform relay zones. Preliminary analysis of seismic reflection profiles suggest that the Tripartite Ridge is a very young feature which propagates into an older oceanic domain characterized by a significant sedimentary cover. By contrast, a very thin to absent sedimentary cover is observed about 100 km on both flanks of the South Pandora Ridge active axis. The magnetic anomaly profiles give evidence of long and continuous lineations, parallel to the South Pandora Ridge spreading axis. According to our preliminary interpretation, the spreading rate would have been very low (8 km/m.y. half rate) during the last 7 Ma. The South Pandora and Tripartite Ridges exhibit characteristics typical of active oceanic ridges: (1) a segmented pattern, with segments ranging from 80 to 100 km in length; (2) an axial tectonic and volcanic zone, 10 to 20 km wide; (3) well-organized magnetic lineations, parallel to the active axis; (4) clear signature on the free-air gravity anomaly map. However, no typical transform fault is observed; instead, complex relay zones are separating first-order segments.     

Acoustics in Fisheries and Aquatic Ecology: Part 1 Introduction

The ICES Symposium on Acoustics in Fisheries and Aquatic Ecology(SAFAE) was held in Montpellier, France, from 10 to 14 June2002. There were 303 participants from 37 countries, emphasizingthe strongly international character of the meeting. This Symposiumwas the fifth organized by ICES in a series concerned with acousticsin fisheries and related fields. The first two were held inBergen (1973 and 1982), the third in Seattle (1987), and thefourth in Aberdeen     

Solar Scintillometry: Calibration of Signals and its Use for Seeing Measurements

Since 1993 it is known that there is a good correlation between the scintillation in the solar irradiance and solar image quality (Seykora, 1993). This effect is now being used in a number of experiments to evaluate solar image quality and to measure site seeing. In this paper we explore further the calibration of this scintillation (_I) in terms of the Fried parameter (_r0) taking into account variations in the refractive index structure constant C _N ² with height (h), zenith distance () dependence and the effects of wind velocities. A variant in the scintillometer setup is proposed which decreases sharply the dependance on C _N ² , , and the wind velocities. It uses an array of scintillometers. The same array can be used to measure theC _N ² profile with height. Some preliminary results of the calibration of current NSO site survey measurements are presented.     

The Wuqbah peridotite, central Oman Ophiolite: Petrological characteristics of the mantle in a fossil overlapping ridge setting

The Wuqbah peridotites (Wuqbah massif, central Oman Ophiolite) constitute the mantle part of a complete ophiolitic sequence and their field deformation geometry is thought to reflect mantle dynamics in a fossil overlapping ridge settings (Girardeau et al., 2002). These peridotites comprise dominantly residual harzburgites and dunites. Nearly 70% of the harzburgites are clinopyroxene-free, and the rest contains less than 1%. The mineral chemistry of olivine, pyroxenes and spinel, and whole rock major and rare-earth element data, indicate that the Wuqbah peridotites are all strongly refractory and that they record a major percolation event, marked by strong enrichments in incompatible elements. At the massif scale, the Central Zone contains rocks with the most refractory features (20% melt extraction), as expected in an area of mantle upwelling. In the overlapping ridge senario, it corresponds to the overlap zone whose formation is discussed.