La vallée d'Ys : un paléoréseau hydrographique immergé en baie de Douarnenez (Finistère,France)

Interpretation of the recent high-resolution survey, CANADOU 2000, in the Bay of Douarnenez (Finistère, France) allowed us to restore the morphology of the substratum and the sedimentary filling of the bay. The Brioverian and Palaeozoic substratum reveals a well-defined network of incised valleys as results of successive emergence stages of the Bay during the Quaternary. Valleys join in a westward-widened mean valley, called Ys Valley. The present-day sedimentary fill of the bay of Douarnenez appears mainly controlled by the Holocene rise and the consecutive highstand. It comprises fluvial and estuarine deposits filling up incised valleys and marine sedimentation extending out of the incised valleys. To cite this article: G. Jouet et al., C. R. Geoscience 335 (2003).To cite this article: G. Jouet et al., C. R. Geoscience 335 (2003).     

Magnetic activity inside the auroral zones and field-aligned currents

Big perturbations of the magnetic field (amplitudes larger than 250 nT) are simply detected by subtracting the values of a model from the measurements of CHAMP satellite. Taking a full year of CHAMP data and organizing them in four subsets of three months length (spring, summer, autumn, winter), it is found that: (a) the two domains where such big perturbations mainly exist are limited, in both hemispheres, by a parallel of high latitude of the corrected geomagnetic coordinates system; (b) a conspicuous seasonal (annual) variation affects the density of the perturbations and is opposite in the two hemispheres. We hold that these perturbations are linked to the midday magnetic activity within the auroral zone, long ago described by one of us (Mayaud, 1956). The source of the perturbations observed at the satellite altitude would be field-aligned currents resulting from the penetration of the solar wind into the magnetospheric cusps. To cite this article: J.-L. Le Mouël et al., C. R. Geoscience 335 (2003).     

Effect of the chemical composition of the crust on the metamorphic evolution of orogenic wedges

Petrological data provide a good record of the thermal structure of deeply eroded orogens, and, in principle, might be used to relate the metamorphic structure of an orogen to its deformational history. In this paper, we present two‐dimensional thermal modelling of various subduction models taking into account varying wedge geometry as well as variation of density and topography with metamorphic reactions. The models clearly show that rock type accreted in the wedge has important effects on the thermal regime of orogenic wedges. The thermal regime is dominated by radiogenic heat production. Material having high radioactive heat production, like the granodioritic upper crust, produces high temperature metamorphism (amphibolitic conditions). Material with low radioactive heat production results in low temperature metamorphism of greenschist or blueschist types depending on the thickness of the wedge. Application of this model to seemingly unrelated areas of the Central Alps (Lepontine Dome, Grisons) and Eastern Alps (Tauern Window) explains the coexistence and succession of distinct Barrovian and blueschist facies metamorphic conditions as the result of a single, continuous tectonic process in which the main difference is the composition of the incoming material in the orogenic wedge. Accretion of the European upper continental crust in the Lepontine and Tauern Domes produces Barrovian type metamorphism while accretion of oceanic sediments results in blueschist facies metamorphism in the Valaisan domain.     

中国硫的供求现状和展望

从工业和农业两个方面供需现状分析，中国目前硫的供需基本平衡，且供略大于求。展望２０００年，中国硫的供求关系将出现缺口，需进一步开拓硫的潜在资源。从总体上看，目前中国土壤供硫情况尚好，但一些地区已开始出现缺硫和严重缺硫的状况，预测今后土壤缺硫状况将会加剧，希望各有关部门对此应给予充分注意     

Mineralogy and origin of stichtite in chromite-bearing serpentinites

Stichtite, a rare (14 known localities worldwide) hydrated carbonate-hydroxide of Mg and Cr with ideal formula Mg₆Cr₂ (OH)₁₆ CO₃ · 4H₂O, occurs exclusively in Cr-rich serpentinites of ophiolites or greenstone belts. Physical properties (hardness = 1.5–2, specific gravity = 2.16–2.2, perfect basal [0001] cleavage, grain size commonly < 100 μm) resemble talc, but the mineral has an attractive purple to lilac color; chemical analyses demonstrate it to be a non-silicate. Stichtite generally occurs as irregular to rounded masses (< 1 cm – 30 cm across) and as veinlets (< 1 mm – > 2 cm wide) within serpentinite. Macroscopic and microscopic textures, such as crosscutting veinlets and stringers, demonstrate that stichtite formation invariably post-dated serpentinization. In some specimens stichtite surrounds relict grains of Cr-rich spinel; in others stichtite has completely replaced euhedral or subhedral chromites. Chemical analyses of stichtites reveal substantial substitution of Al and Fe³⁺ for Cr in specimens from many localities, reflecting a possible compositional continuum between stichtite and rhombohedral polymorphs hydrotalcite (Mg₆Al₂ (OH)₁₆ CO₃ · 4H₂O) and pyroaurite (Mg₆Fe₂ (OH)₁₆ CO₃ · 4H₂O). We report the first electron microprobe analyses of stichtites from seven localities, and summarize all available published chemical data. Stichtites very likely inherited part of their trivalent cation chemistry from precursor Cr-rich spinels, but stichtite growth apparently post-dated characteristic “ferritchromit” alteration, as demonstrated by the depletion of Al and enrichment in Fe³⁺ in stichtite relative to primary chromite core compositions. Stichtite appears to form by reaction between serpentine and altered chromite, during addition of substantial fluid, either as separate H₂O and CO₂ phases, or as a mixed volatile phase. Such reactions must involve removal of substantial SiO₂, possibly by transport and remote deposition of silica by throughgoing aqueous and carbonic fluid. Received: 4 April 1996 / Accepted: 16 September 1996     

Time-dependent, coupled, Ekman boundary layer solutions incorporating Stokes drift

Recent technological advances in current measuring devices has resulted in a large observational database related to wind-driven motions in the upper ocean mixed layer. This has served to highlight the fact that transient motions make up a substantial contribution of the resulting Ekman currents. At the same time, certain discrepancies have emerged between the observed angular deflections of the steady-state currents from the surface wind stress, both at the surface and at sub-surface depths, which cannot be reconciled using the classical Ekman model. This paper seeks to tackle these two issues.First a general analytical method is presented for solving the time dependent horizontal momentum Ekman equations. Analysis of the unsteady terms that arise from simple special cases shows how the evolution proceeds through three stages. At early times, the Coriolis acceleration is insignificant, and the current is unidirectional and deepens through downward diffusion of momentum. Later Coriolis acceleration deflects the current vectors in the upper layers, whilst downward diffusion of momentum continues to deepen the layer. Finally, once diffusion has penetrated down to the depth of the steady-state current, then the transients decay on the inertial or diffusive timescale, depending upon the boundary conditions of the particular problem.In the second half of the paper, a new steady-state model is developed that includes the effects of wind-generated waves, through the action of their Stokes drift on the planetary vorticity. Comparisons between observations and the theoretical predictions, demonstrate that inclusion of the Stokes drift is the key to reconciling the discrepancies in the angular deflections of the steady-state currents. This leads to the conclusion that Ekman layer currents are significantly influenced by the surface waves.     

Field and petrological evidence for a Late Palaeozoic (Upper Carboniferous–Permian) age of the Erfaulet orthogneiss (Gran Paradiso,western Alps)

In the Gran Paradiso massif (western Alps), the boundary between the Erfaulet orthogneiss and the overlying metasediments (Money Complex) is interpreted as a Late Palaeozoic intrusive contact. Major arguments in favour of this hypothesis are: (i) the obliquity of the sedimentary layering with respect to the contact; (ii) the presence of aplitic dykes within the Money Complex; (iii) the lack of a mylonitic zone; and (iv) rare relics of an early generation of garnet in the Money metasediments, interpreted as evidence of the contact metamorphism of the Erfaulet granite. To cite this article: B. Le Bayon, M. Ballèvre, C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

Modélisation morphodynamique cross-shore d'un estran vaseux

Numerical experiments were performed to simulate the profile evolution of an intertidal mudflat with a 1D cross-shore morphodynamical model. First, the hydrodynamical forcing is a cross-shore tidal current due to semi-diurnal variations of the free surface elevation at the open boundary. Further, considering the conservation of the action density of surface gravity waves, a wave height (and resulting bottom shear stress) calculation is added to the morphodynamical model. Results of the numerical experiments show that the shape of the profile reaches equilibrium. The mudflat progrades continually when the forcing is tide only, whereas it can be steady under the simultaneous action of tide and waves. To cite this article: B. Waeles et al., C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

An automated salt‐tracing gauge for flow‐velocity measurement

This article introduces the SVG (salt‐velocity gauge), a novel automated technique for measuring flow velocity by means of salt tracing. SVG allows a high measuring rate (up to one every 2 seconds), short control section length (down to 10 cm), high accuracy (+[sol ]?1·5 cm s^?1), and unbiased calculation of the mean velocity in experimental conditions with turbulent, supercritical flow. A few cubic centimetres of saturated salt solution (NaCl) are injected into the flow at regular time intervals using a programmable solenoid valve. The tracer successively passes two conductivity probes placed a short distance downstream. The transformation of the signal between the two probes is modelled as a one‐dimensional diffusion wave equation. Model calibration gives an estimation of the mean velocity and the diffusion for each salt plume. Two implementations of the SVG technique are described. The first was an outdoors simulated rainfall experiment in Senegal (conductivity probes at 40 cm apart, 8 Hz measurement rate, salt injections at 10 second intervals). Mean velocity was estimated to range between 0·1 and 0·3 m s^?1. The second was a laboratory‐based flume experiment (conductivity probes at 10 cm apart, 32 Hz, salt injections at 2 second intervals). Another SVG with probes at 34 cm apart was used for comparison. An acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV) was also used to give an independent assessment of velocity. Using the 10 cm salt gauge, estimated mean velocity ranged from 0·6 to 0·9 m s^?1 with a standard deviation of 1·5 cm s^?1. Comparisons between ADV, 10 cm SVG and 34 cm SVG were consistent and demonstrated that the salt‐tracing results were unbiased and independent of distance between probes. Most peaks were modelled with r² > 90 per cent. The SVG technology offers an alternative to the dye‐tracing technique, which has been severely criticized in the literature because of the wide interval of recommended values for the correction factor α to be applied to the timings. This article demonstrates that a fixed value of α is inappropriate, since the correction factor varies with velocity, diffusion and the length of the control section. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Radiative Feedbacks and Monsoon Circulations: A View from Simplified Models

The modulation of radiative processes by changes in water vapor and cloudiness is at the origin of important feedbacks which control climate variability as well as climate changes. These feedbacks are especially active in the intertropical area, where it is possible to diagnose a combination of partially compensating positive and negative feedbacks. The characteristics and the strength of those feedbacks is closely associated with the dynamical regimes in which they develop. Reverse changes in dynamical patterns may cause a modulation of the radiative processes. A first approach to these problems is to distinguish between two ascending and subsiding circulation patterns. This bimodality of the circulation is well established in the tropical area, and favors the use of simplified models as an appropriate tool to carry out a first-order quantification of these processes. In particular, this combination of radiative and dynamical feedbacks characterizes the development of the monsoons and their variability. Simple conceptual models can thus serve to characterize some of the factors which will affect the intraseasonal variations of the monsoon.