XMM–Newton observations of the black hole X-ray transient XTE J1650–500 in quiescence

We report the result of an XMM–Newton observation of the black hole X-ray transient XTE J1650–500 in quiescence. The source was not detected, and we set upper limits on the 0.5–10 keV luminosity of  0.9–1.0 × 10³¹ erg s⁻¹  (for a newly derived distance of 2.6 kpc). These limits are in line with the quiescent luminosities of black hole X-ray binaries with similar orbital periods (∼7–8 h).     

Hydrogeochemical processes and multivariate analysis for groundwater quality in the arid Maadher region of Hodna,northern Algeria

Acta Geochimica - This study focused on water quality and hydro-geochemical processes (evolution, origin) in the Maadher region, central Hodna in Algeria. In recent decades, the excessive...     

On several numerical strategies to solve Richards’ equation in heterogeneous media with finite volumes

Computational Geosciences - We propose several numerical approaches building on upstream mobility two-point flux approximation finite volumes to solve Richards’ equation in domains made of...     

Spatio-temporal characteristics of the Agulhas Current retroflection

A 12.7-year series of weekly absolute sea surface height (SSH) data in the region south of Africa is used for a statistical characterization of the location of the Agulhas Current retroflection and its variations at periods up to 2 years. The highest probability of presence of the retroflection point is at ～39.5°S/18–20°E. The longitudinal probability density is negatively skewed. A sharp eastward decrease at 22°E is related to detachments of the Agulhas Current from the continental slope at this longitude. The asymmetry in the central part of the distribution might reflect a westward increase of the zonal velocity of the retroflection point during its east–west pulsations. The western tail of the distribution reveals larger residence times of the retroflection at 14°E–15°E, possibly related to a slowing down of its westward motion by seamounts. While the averaged zonal velocity component of the retroflection point increases westward, its modulus exhibits an opposite trend, the result of southward velocity components more intense in the northeastern Agulhas Basin than farther west. These meridional motions likely reflect influences by cyclones adjacent to the Agulhas Current south of the Agulhas Bank, and farther west in the Cape Basin. In the latter area, variations of the meridional motions result in different positions of the westernmost retroflection patterns relative to the neighbouring seamounts, likely influencing the future behaviour of Agulhas rings shed at these locations. Agulhas ring formation at an average yearly rate of 5.8, similar to previous findings, was observed to occur west of ～19°E, in the western half of the retroflection probability domain. A well-defined seasonal signal of the retroflection longitude was found throughout the first 5 years of the time series, characterized by amplitudes of 1–1.3° of longitude, and western (eastern) extremes during austral summer (winter). This annual cycle was strongly phase shifted during and after the upstream retroflection event of 2000–2001.     

Cartographie de corps stériles sous couverture quaternaire par méthode de résistivités électriques dans le gisement phosphaté de Sidi Chennane (Maroc)Sterile bodies mapping under Quaternary cover using resistivity-sounding method in the phosphatic bearing of Sidi Chennane (Morocco)

In the Ouled Abdoun sedimentary basin (Morocco), the phosphatic series is composed of regular interbedded phosphatic and marly limestone layers. Some phosphatic deposits in this basin show sterile bodies causing two kinds of problems: (1) as they are hard, compact and masked by a Quaternary cover, they disturb the exploitation in some yards and give bad reserve calculations; (2) even the use of wells and mechanical boreholes did not evidence their delimitation. Therefore, electric prospecting method has been used to evidence their geometrical shape. Petrographical and geometrical studies on these sterile bodies allowed us to choose the appropriate geophysical method to map them. The electrical resistivity survey that we used in the Sidi Chennane area shows that this technique is a good tool to contour these sterile bodies. This method is now considered as useful to the mining engineers to get round them during the exploitation. To cite this article: A. Kchikach et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 379–386.     

Routes of Agulhas rings in the southeastern Cape Basin

Using weekly sea surface height data, Agulhas rings from the period October 1992 to December 2006 are detected and tracked, from their formation dates and throughout the Cape Basin. While 102 of them formed at the Agulhas Current retroflection, their subsequent subdivisions and junctions led to 199 trajectories. The rings geographical probability of presence shows two maxima. One, related to numerous ring passages, lies in the submarine bight formed by the Erica seamount, the Schmitt-Ott seamount, and the northeastern tip of the Agulhas Ridge. The other one, to be ascribed to topographic blocking of the eddies, is southeast of the latter obstacle. On the basis of topographic effects three routes for Agulhas rings are distinguished, a Northern route for rings that enter the south-Atlantic northeast of the Erica seamount, a Central one for those passing westward between this seamount and the tip of the Agulhas Ridge, and a Southern one farther south. Despite its bathymetric obstacles, the central route is the dominant one, both in terms of percentage of eddy crossings at its definition segment, and in terms of conveyed volume transport. Specific behaviours of rings along each route are described, referring to observations in previous studies. Some rings from the Northern route interact with the flow regime of the South African continental slope. The southernmost trajectories of the Central route are thought to settle the location of the climatological Subtropical Front in that region. The rings of the Southern route experience important core property alteration as they transit through the subantarctic domain.     

Cs baseline levels in the Mediterranean and Black Sea: A cross-basin survey of the CIESM Mediterranean Mussel Watch programme

The common mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis was selected as unique biomonitor species to implement a regional monitoring programme, the CIESM Mediterranean Mussel Watch (MMW), in the Mediterranean and Black Seas. As of today, and upon standardization of the methodological approach, the MMW Network has been able to quantify ¹³⁷Cs levels in mussels from 60 coastal stations and to produce the first distribution map of this artificial radionuclide at the scale of the entire Mediterranean and Black Seas. While measured ¹³⁷Cs levels were found to be very low (usually <1 Bq kg⁻¹ wet wt) ¹³⁷Cs activity concentrations in the Black Sea and North Aegean Sea were up to two orders of magnitude higher than those in the western Mediterranean Basin. Such effects, far from representing a threat to human populations or the environment, reflect a persistent signature of the Chernobyl fallout in this area.     

Airborne detection of ecosystem responses to an extreme event: Phytoplankton displacement and abundance after hurricane induced flooding in the Pamlico-Albemarle Sound system,North Carolina

Airborne laser-induced fluorescence measurements were used to detect and monitor ecosystem wide changes in the distribution and concentration of chlorophyll biomass and colored dissolved organic matter in the Pamlico-Albemarle Sound system, North Carolina, U.S., following massive flooding caused by a series of three hurricanes in the late summer of 1999. These high-resolution data provided a significantly more detailed representation of the overall changes occurring in the system than could have been achieved by synoptic sampling from any other platform. The response time for the distribution of chlorophyll biomass to resume pre-flood conditions was used as a measure of ecosystem stability. Chlorophyll biomass patterns were reestablished within four mo of the flooding, whereas higher chlorophylla biomass concentrations persisted for approximately 6 mo. The primary trophic level in the Pamlico-Albemarle Sound system returned to equilibrium in less than a year of a major perturbation.     

Geodetic techniques applied to the study of the Etna volcano area (Italy)

Volcanic behaviour of Mt. Etna is due to the complex interaction between both the local and the regional stress field involving the eastern Sicily. Eruptions could trigger (be triggered?) during crust extension and/or compression, which are strictly linked with the dynamics of the lower mantle. In this study, very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) space geodesy technique has been used in order to study Etna volcano’s activity by means of the crustal deformations between Noto and Matera (located on the African and the Eurasian Plates, respectively). By analysing VLBI data, we obtained the behaviour of the baseline which crosses the Etnean area, from 1990 December to 2003 March, representing the time variations of the distance between the two geodetic stations; the linear trend of the baseline shows a general increasing, pointing out an extension of the crust between them. A detailed analysis of the Noto-Matera baseline allows the identification of three parts of the VLBI curve in the considered period. In the first part of the curve (from 20/12/90 to 09/02/94), VLBI data are rather poor and therefore no reliable consideration about correlation between crust movements and volcanic and seismicity activity has been made. In the second part of the curve (from 09/02/94 to 04/09/00), VLBI data are more frequent and show slightly fluctuations in the distance. Increasing in the extension and compression were observed in the central and in the final part of this period. In the third period (from 04/09/00 to 25/03/03), VLBI data are very sparse even if the time series was quite long; therefore, to fill gaps in the information, we analysed global positioning system (GPS) data. GPS technique performs continuous observations, and we were able to highlight both extensions and compressions in detail. Comparisons between the trend of Noto-Matera baseline length variations, volcanic activity and seismicity in the Etna area show the complexity of the development over time and space of the phenomenology determined by a deep cause which can be traced, in our opinion, to the interaction between the asthenospheric mantle, deep crust and surface crust. Therefore, we state that crustal distension and compression are determined by the lower pulsating mantle.