Tidal dynamics of the Terminos Lagoon,Mexico: observations and 3D numerical modelling

The tidal circulation patterns in the Terminos Lagoon were studied based on the analysis of 1 year of measurements and numerical simulations using a baroclinic 3D hydrodynamic model, the MARS3D. A gauging network was installed consisting of six self-recording pressure–temperature sensors, a tide gauge station and two current profilers, with pressure and temperature sensors moored in the main lagoon inlets. Model simulations were validated against current and sea level observations and were used to analyse the circulation patterns caused by the tidal forcing. The numerical model was forced with eight harmonic components, four diurnal (K ₁, O ₁, P ₁, Q ₁) and four semi-diurnal (M ₂, S ₂, N ₂, K ₂), extracted from the TPX0.7 database. The tidal patterns in the study area vary from mixed, mainly diurnal in the two main inlets of the lagoon, to diurnal in its interior. The tidal residual circulation inside the lagoon is dominated by a cyclonic gyre. The results indicate a net flux from the southwest Ciudad del Carmen inlet (CdC) towards the northeast Puerto Real inlet (PtR) along the southern side of the lagoon and the opposite in the northern side. The results indicate two areas of strong currents in the vicinity of the inlets and weak currents inside the lagoon. The area of strong currents in the vicinity of the CdC inlet is larger than that observed in the PtR inlet. Nevertheless, the current analysis indicates that the highest current speeds, which can reach a magnitude of 1.9 m s^?1, occurred in PtR. A further analysis of the tide distortion in the inlets revealed that both passages are ebb dominated.     

Comparison between modelling and measurement of marine dispersion,environmental half-time and 137Cs inventories after the Fukushima Daiichi accident

Contamination of the marine environment following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (FDNPP) represents the most important influx of artificial radioactivity released into the sea ever recorded. The evaluation, in near real time, of the total amount of radionuclide released at sea and of the residence time in coastal waters were ones of challenges for nuclear authorities during this event. In the framework of a crisis situation, a numerical hydrodynamical model has been built and used ‘as is’. The concomitant use of this numerical model and in situ data allows the comparison of the simulated and measured environmental half-times. A tuning of the wind drag coefficient has been nevertheless necessary to reproduce the evolution of measured inventories of ¹³⁷Cs and ¹³⁴Cs between April and June 2011. After tuning, the relative mean absolute error between measured and simulated concentrations for the 849 measurements in the dataset is 69 %, while the relative bias indicates a model underestimation of 4 %. These results confirm the estimates of the source term, i.e. 27 PBq (12–41 PBq) for direct releases and 3 PBq for atmospheric deposition onto the sea. The parameters applied here to simulate atmospheric deposition onto the sea are within the correct order of magnitude for reproducing seawater concentrations. Quantitative inventories of tracers which integrate dispersion and transport processes are useful to test model reliability. It exhausts the model sensibility to meteorological forcing, which remains difficult to appraise to reproduce mid- to long-term transport.     

Emergent geomorphic–vegetation interactions on a subalpine alluvial fan

Following perturbation, an ecosystem (flora, fauna, soil) should evolve as a function of time at a rate conditioned by external variables (relief, climate, geology). More recently, biogeomorphologists have focused upon the notion of co‐development of geomorphic processes with ecosystems over very short through to very long (evolutionary) timescales. Alpine environments have been a particular focus of this co‐development. However, work in this field has tended to adopt a simplified view of the relationship between perturbation and succession, including: how the landform and ecosystem itself conditions the impact of a perturbation to create a complex spatial response impact; and how perturbations are not simply ecosystem destroyers but can be a significant source of ecosystem resources. What this means is that at the within landform scale, there may well be a complex and dynamic topographic and sedimentological template that co‐develops with soil, flora and fauna. Here, we present and test a conceptual model of this template for a subalpine alluvial fan. We combine detailed floristic inventory with soil inventory, determination of edaphic variables and analysis of historical aerial imagery. Spatial variation in the probability of perturbation of sites on the fan surface was associated with down fan variability in the across‐fan distribution of fan ages, fan surface channel characteristics and fan surface sedimentology. Floristic survey confirmed that these edaphic factors distinguished site floristic richness and plant communities up until the point that the soil–vegetation system was sufficiently developed to sustain plant communities regardless of edaphic conditions. Thus, the primary explanatory variable was the estimated age of each site, which could be tied back into perturbation history and its spatial expression due to the geometry of the fan: distinct plant communities were emergent both across fan and down fan, a distribution maintained by the way in which the fan dissipates potentially perturbing events. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of lithostratigraphy on the retreat of an unconsolidated sedimentary coastal cliff (St. Lawrence estuary,eastern Canada)

This paper investigates the processes involved in unconsolidated cliff recession using LiDAR surveys (2005, 2010 and 2013) and aerial photographs (1964–2012) at Pointe‐au‐Bouleau, on the north shore of the St. Lawrence estuary, in eastern Canada. The high lithostratigraphic variability of the sediments allowed for the identification of stratigraphic and lithological variables that explain the evolution of coastal cliffs. Space‐for‐time substitution was also used to assess how lithostratigraphy controls the evolution of emerged glaciomarine coastal cliffs over decadal to centennial timescales. This case study presents new quantitative data that contributes to a better understanding of the role of sediment architecture, stratigraphy and geomorphology on coastal evolution. The methodological approach includes the development of a new conceptual model suitable for identifying erosion on cliff coastlines. The high spatial resolution methodology (<5 cm) used herein demonstrates the need for further research using LiDAR data in order to quantify the processes involved in the evolution of coastal cliffs. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Provenance analysis of the Voirons Flysch (Gurnigel nappe,Haute-Savoie,France): stratigraphic and palaeogeographic implications

International Journal of Earth Sciences - The Chablais Prealps (Haute-Savoie, France) represent a well-preserved accretionary wedge of the Western Alpine Tethys. They comprise a stack of...     

SORTAN: An Analytical Method to Determine Fault Slip as Induced by Stress

We propose an analytical method, namely the SORTAN method, to determine the sense of slip on faults as induced by stresses. This method is useful to infer the sense of motion along faults whose surface cannot be directly accessed, such as faults imaged in the subsurface. Because the SORTAN method is based on the Wallace–Bott hypothesis, we assume that the shear stress vector applied to a given fault is parallel to the slip vector on this fault. The assumptions allow for simplification of the method that in turn implies very short calculation times. A concise formalism is adopted. We introduce the stress ratio ' that accounts for (1) the type of stress regime (i.e., strike-slip, reverse or normal) and (2) the degree of anisotropy of the stress state. The formalism of the SORTAN method permits an easy exploration and imaging of the complete collection of slip motions that may theoretically occur on fault planes. The input parameters are the fault plane orientation, the type and anisotropy of the stress regime, and the azimuth of the horizontal stress axes.     

Observation of sections of oceanic crust and mantle cropping out on the southern wall of Kane FZ (N. Atlantic)

The objective of the 20 Nautile dives of the recent Kanaut cruise was to study the southern wall of the Kane Fracture Zone from its eastern intersection with the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) to 5 Myr in age. The geological mapping shows four successive massifs, wrench faulted and slightly tilted. The transform-facing walls of these massifs exhibit outcrops of fresh and serpentinized peridotites, gabbros and basalts. The entire crustal exposure is cataclased and metamorphosed to greenschist facies.     

Orbit of an Astrometric Binary System

We present a new method to solve the problem of initial orbit determination of any binary system. This method is mainly based on the material available for an observer, for example relative positions at a given time of the couple in the “plane of sky”, namely the tangent plane to the celestial sphere at the position of the primary component. The problem of orbit determination is solved by splitting in successive stages in order to decorrelate the parameters of each other as much as possible. On one hand, the geometric problem is solved using the first Kepler’s law from a single observing run and, on the other hand, dynamical parameters are then inferred from the fit of the Kepler’s equation. At last, the final stage consists in determining the main physical parameters involved in the secular evolution of the system, that is the spin axis and the J₂ parameter of the primary if we assume that it is a quasi-spherical body. As a matter of fact there is no need to make too restrictive initial assumptions (such as circular orbit or zero eccentricity) and initial guesses of parameters required by a non-linear least-squares Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm are finally obtained after each stage. Such a protocol is very useful to study systems like binary asteroids for which all of the parameters should be considered a priori as unknowns. As an example of application, we used our method to estimate the set of the Pluto–Charon system parameters from observations collected in the literature since 1980.     

Enhancement of regional variations in salinity and temperature in a coral reef lagoon, New Caledonia

The variability in salinity and temperature in the southwest lagoon of New Caledonia (2100 km²) under non-storm conditions is analysed using a 4-year dataset (1997–2001). Seasonal and interannual variations in salinity are amplified nearshore. Temperature is larger in bays than in the open lagoon during summer, the reverse is true in winter. El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) related nearshore temperature variations parallel those at regional scale, but with seasonal variations amplified. Haline stratification, if any, is enhanced in coastal areas. To cite this article: S. Ouillon et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).