Large scale studies of the surroundings of GRS 1915+105

We have carried out radio studies of the surroundings of the superluminal microquasar GRS 1915+105. Our main goal was to understand the possible relation of GRS 1915+105 with two infrared/radio sources that appear symmetrically located with respect to GRS 1915+105 and aligned with the position angle of the relativistic ejecta. We have also studied a nearby supernova remnant to test if the event that created the remnant could have been the progenitor of this hard X-ray binary.     

Neutron stars in the bimetric scalar—tensor theory of gravitation. II. solutions with a variable scalar field

Solutions of the equations of the bimetric scalar—tensor theory of gravitation with a variable scalar field are found for configurations of superdense matter with different versions of the equation of state. The possible existence of static superdense and supermassive configurations is established for all of the versions of the equation of state of superdense matter used. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 131–135, January-March, 1998.     

Sediment budget of the Napo River,Amazon basin,Ecuador and Peru

The upstream‐downstream sediment budget along the Napo River (100 520 km², 6300 m³ s^?1) was studied in the Andean foothills of Ecuador, at the west of the Amazon basin. A comparative study was made during four hydrological cycles (2001–2005) for three hydrological stations located upstream, and during one hydrological cycle (2004–2005) for the fourth one located near the mouth of the Napo River (region of Iquitos in Peru). This analysis showed an unusual increase in the concentration of suspended sediment recorded for the western part of the Amazon plain. Like the runoff (81 l s^?1 km²), which is a world's maximum, the erosion rate (1160 t km^?2 year^?1, i.e. 47% of total suspended solid (TSS) export at the exit of Ecuador), one of the highest for a floodplain basin is the result of a stepper slope than in the rest of the Andean foothills, where typically sedimentation phenomena are predominant, and can be explained in part by a greater tectonic activity. Similar phenomenes were evidenced in small mountainous rivers in New Guinea (Milliman and Syvitski, 1992; Milliman, 1995). On the headwaters of the Napo River drainage basin, the tectonic uplift causes the Pastaza Megafan's existence. This progressively diverts the course of Napo River towards north and also provokes the remobilization of fine fluvial deposits. Moreover, this geodynamic trend is completed by the impact of volcanic eruption, earthquakes and landslides. The combination of these phenomena, so common in the region, has provided a large sediment transfer, not only at present but also in the past, as can be confirmed by the presence of incised terraces, mainly formed by volcanic materials. Then, these results were compared with a similar study carried out further south in the Madeira basin at the Bolivian foothills. These studies show the spatio‐temporal variability of the relation between sediment transfer and geodynamic processes at the Andean Piedmont. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Streambank dewatering for increased stability

Streambank erosion is often the dominant source of sediment leaving modified watersheds. Mass failure of high, steep banks is one of the most serious forms of streambank erosion. The risk of a given bank experiencing mass failure is a function of bank height, angle, and soil strength, which is governed by soil moisture. Two methods for bank dewatering were tested in adjacent sections of streambank bordering a deeply incised channel in northern Mississippi: a low‐cost pump system and subsurface horizontal drains. Pore water pressures (both positive and negative pressures, or matric suction) were continuously monitored for 2 years at the pumped site, at an adjacent untreated control section, and for 1 year at the site stabilized with horizontal drains. Resulting data were used to calculate a time series of the factor of safety using a computer model. Over the course of two wet seasons, average bank retreats for the control and pumped plots were 0·43 and 0·21 m, respectively. More limited monitoring revealed that the site with passive drains retreated about 0·23 m. At the pumped site pore water pressure was 3–4 kPa lower than at the control site during the most critical periods. Accordingly, computed factors of safety were above the failure threshold at the pumped site, but fell below unity at the control site on 11 occasions over the period of observation. Similarly, the drained site displayed generally lower pore water pressure and higher safety factors except for two events when drains were evidently overwhelmed with the volume of local surface and subsurface flows. These results suggest, but do not prove, that bank dewatering promoted lower rates of bank retreat and higher levels of stability since the three sites had slight differences in soils, geometry and boundary conditions. Initial cost of the dewatering treatments were significantly less than orthodox bank stabilization measures, but operation and maintenance requirements may be greater. Published in 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Construction of bacterial artificial chromosome libraries for Zhikong Scallop <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chlamys farreri</Emphasis>

Two Large-insert genomic bacterial artificial chromosome （BAC） libraries of Zhikong scallop Chlamys farreri were constructed to promote our genetic and genomic research. High-quality megabase-sized DNA was isolated from the adductor muscle of the scallop and partially digested by BamH I and Mbo I, respectively. The BamH I library consisted of 53 760 clones while the Mbo I library consisted of 7 680clones. Approximately 96 % of the clones in BamH I library contained nuclear DNA inserts in average size of 100 kb, providing a coverage of 5.3 haploid genome equivalents. Similarly, the Mbo I library with an average insert of 145 kb and no insert-empty clones, thus providing a genome coverage of 1.1 haploid genome equivalents.     

A synthesis of morphological evolutions and Holocene stratigraphy of a wave-dominated estuary: The Arcachon lagoon,SW France

This work presents the first synthesis of secular to millenary morphological evolutions and stratigraphy of a wave-dominated estuary, the Arcachon lagoon, from a combination of unpublished bathymetric maps (1865 and 2001), core results and high-resolution seismic profiles recorded for the first time in this lagoon. The Arcachon lagoon is located on the Atlantic coast of France, facing the wave-dominated shelf of the Bay of Biscay. It is a mesotidal semi-enclosed environment of about 160 km².The sediment budget of the Arcachon lagoon was computed by subtracting the 1865 bathymetric map from that of 2001. The computed volume difference is low (?9.9±35×10⁶ m³ in 136 yrs) and is the result of the balance between erosion and accretion that occurs within tidal channels and tidal flats, respectively. This morphological evolution pattern is explained by low sediment supply and also by the tidal distortion resulting from the morphology of the lagoon. Deep channels connected to the inlet are dominated by ebb currents inducing erosion. Tidal flats and transverse channels display weak or flood-dominated tidal currents leading to the deposition of silts. The areas of tidal flat siltation locally correlate with the presence of oyster farms, suggesting the influence of Man on the lagoon sediment-fill. Transverse channel-infill is related to weak tidal currents resulting from the hydraulically inefficient orientation of these channels which served as an ancient drainage network.Evidence for tidal channel-infill and channel abandonment are also provided by seismic profiling and cores. The upper stratigraphic succession of the lagoon (about 10 m thick) includes four main stratigraphic units dominated by channel-fills. The two lower units (around 7500–2800 yrs BP) display tabular-shape sandy channels interpreted to be records of the open estuarine phase of the Arcachon lagoon. The two upper units (around 2800 yrs BP to present-day) display U-shaped mixed sand-and-mud channel-fills interpreted to be records of the closure of the lagoon. Given that the basal estuarine units are transgressive and the upper lagoonal units are regressive, the main stratigraphic change at around 2800 yrs BP is interpreted as being the maximum flooding surface (MFS). This late MFS is explained by the low sediment supply. It is proposed that the transition from the estuarine to the lagoonal phase is related to the development of the Cap-Ferret spit in response to an increase in the ratio between wave power to tide power. This change in wave-to-tide ratio may be triggered by wave power increase following the Subboreal/Subatlantic climate instability or a decrease in tide power following a decrease in tidal prism related to the lagoon sediment-fill.Thus, the evolution of the Arcachon lagoon over the last millenaries was mainly controlled by its spit development, leading to a wave-dominated estuary in terms of its geomorphology. Once it was partially closed, extensive mud flats developed in the lagoon which became ebb-dominated.     

Temperature variability in the Bay of Biscay during the past 40 years,from an in situ analysis and a 3D global simulation

A global in situ analysis and a global ocean simulation are used jointly to study interannual to decadal variability of temperature in the Bay of Biscay, from 1965 to 2003. A strong cooling is obtained at all depths until the mid-1970's, followed by a sustained warming over ～30 years. Strong interannual fluctuations are superimposed on this slow evolution. The fluctuations are intensified at the surface and are weakest at ～500 m. A good agreement is found between the observed and simulated temperatures, in terms of mean values, interannual variability and time correlations. Only the decadal trend is significantly underestimated in the simulation. A comparison to satellite sea surface temperature (SST) data over the last 20 years is also presented. The first mode of interannual variability exhibits a quasi-uniform structure and is related to the inverse winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index. Regarding the vertical structure, most cool and warm anomalies are generated at the surface, with the strongest ones penetrating down to 700 m and lasting up to 5 years. The complete heat budget from 1965 to 2004 is presented, including the contributions of vertical transport, freshwater flux and surface elevation. Interannual anomalies are mainly generated by the surface heat flux, while oceanic transports may become more important at longer time scales.