The Alleret maar (Massif Central, France): A new lacustrine sequence of the early Middle Pleistocene in western Europe

The Alleret maar (Massif Central, France) provides a long lacustrine sequence (40.6 m) attributed to the early Middle Pleistocene. Sediment, pollen and diatoms analysis of its upper part (AL2 core, 14.6 m) indicates two temperate phases marked by high lake levels, forest development and vegetation expansion. They are separated by a cold period during which lake level drops, coarse sediment input increases and steppic and xerophilous plants develop. Pollen data suggests that this sequence belongs to the upper part of the Cromerian complex. These results are in agreement with the 557 ± 3 ka (±12 ka, including all errors) ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age obtained from an interbedded tephra layer emitted by the Mont-Dore/Sancy strato-volcano and establish that this sequence probably covers the MIS 15 substages.     

Determination of source and palaeoclimate from the comparison of grain and clay fractions in sandstones: A case study

The Paleogene Ke?an Formation of southwestern Turkish Thrace (Alpine Ergene basin) which is dominantly a sandy facies, comprises the Çinarlidere (Lower) and ?aplidere (Upper) members. The turbidite sandstones of the Formation are petrologically defined as multicycle, moderately sorted, angular to subrounded, coarse-skewed, submature graywackes with a detrital clayey matrix of over 15%.The quantitative analyses of light, heavy and clay fractions of sandstone samples from the Ke?an Formation showed marked petrographic variations with grouping of these sediments as Lower- and Upper-member mineralogical facies and led to the following conclusions: a southern terrain with a relatively warm and tropical climate on a terrestrial source of a peneplain topography provided detrital material for the Lower-member sediments (the Biga Massif), while the Upper-member sediments were derived from a rapid erosion of an area of high relief with a uniform supply and continuous infilling of the basin of deposition (a western source terrain: the Rhodope Massif).     

Relations entre les données isotopiques océaniques et l'histoire des grandes faunes européennes plio-pleistocenes

This study is the first test of correlation between the results obtained on the large Plio-Pleistocene European faunas and the main climatic stages (cold as well as temperate) demonstrated in marine isotopic records. In particular, there are cold stages which often explain the disappearance of some species, as well as climatic events that promote the substitution of some species by other groups. A rather evident parallelism appears between the European succession of large faunal associations and paleoclimatic stages revealed in oceanic areas, but some discordance occurs in the later periods. Faced with the great diversification of the Quaternary faunas, probably due to the multiplicity of climatic environments, and with global information from oceanic records, only local biostratigraphic studies will allow precise reconstruction of the different biotopes.     

Analysis and application of a non-conventional underwater geoelectrical method in Lake Geneva,Switzerland

The electrical method presented is used for determining the resistivity of lake-bottom sediments and is based on the d.c. electrical sounding principles. The electrode array, called the fishing rod (FR), is of pole-pole type and is orientated vertically on a line perpendicular to the surface of the water. The technique is used for mapping resistivity anomalies located deep underwater. This paper presents an analysis of the resolution capabilities of the FR method and the results of a case study carried out in Lake Geneva, where measurements were interpreted using a one-dimensional (1D) multilayer earth model. The analysis of the uncertainty in the model parameters of a 1D multilayer earth model is carried out using the covariance matrix of the linearized inversion problem. The results of the analyses show that when the thickness and resistivity of the water layer is known, the resistivity of the sediment layer is well determined under most circumstances. The thickness of the sediment layer is well determined when resistivity contrasts are not too low. In Lake Geneva the FR method has been used to study an old depression with a resistive channel. This application shows the efficiency of the method compared with conventional electrical methods, where water depth becomes a limiting factor. The use of an automated iterative inversion scheme in this particular case is advantageous, as a joint interpretation of the three different data sets measured with the FR method can be carried out. Finally, the result of the inversion is compared with the trial-and-error interpretations of a previous study.     

Twenty Years Seismic Monitoring of Induced Seismicity in Northern Albania

—The northern part of Albania has been the focus of an intense effort by the Seismological Institute of Albania, for in this area two of the country’s biggest reservoirs are located. Three years before the impounding of the Fierza reservoir, a four-station network was installed around it. The possibility of induced seismicity continued after the impoundment of the Fierza reservoir in 1978 and the Komani reservoir, in 1985. The seismicity of the zone and some aspects of induced seismicity including temporal correlation of seismicity with water level changes, spatial patterns in seismicity, frequency-mag nitude relations, fault plane solutions etc., are studied during this period. The presence in this zone of a very important transverse fault, the Shkoder-Peja fault, makes the study of induced seismicity from Fierza and Komani reservoirs even more significant. The studies have shown that the impounding of the Fierza and Komani reservoirs has modified the natural course of microearthquake energy release, increasing the number of swarms in this area.¶The fluctuation of the water level in these two reservoirs, in due course, is a potentially important factor in the evaluation of seismicity for Northern Albania and especially in the hazard assessment of this region.     

Production of radionuclides by cosmic rays at mountain altitudes

Production rates of²²Na (T_1/2 = 2.6years) from aluminium by the action of cosmic rays are measured at the Mont Blanc (altitude 4600 m), the Aiguille du Midi (3840 m), and the Col du Lautaret (2070 m). They are2.3 ± 0.5,1.8 ± 0.3,and0.77 ± 0.18 atoms min^?1 kg^?1, respectively, in good agreement with the calculated production rates, 2.4, 1.7 and 0.6 atoms min^?1 kg^?1, respectively, at the three stations.Production rates of²⁴Na (T_1/2 = 15hours) from aluminium and magnesium are also measured at the Aiguille du Midi; the observed rates of3.4 ± 0.4and6.0 ± 1.7 atoms min^?1 kg^?1, respectively, agree well with the theoretically expected rates of 3.7 and 5.6 atoms min^?1 kg^?1.The production rates of³H,⁷Be,¹⁰Be,¹⁴C,²²Na,²⁶Al,³⁶Cl,³⁷Ar,³⁹Ar,⁵³Mn,⁵⁴Mn, and⁵⁵Fe in terrestrial rocks by the action of cosmic rays are calculated in order to show the possibility of applying the measurements of these cosmogenic radionuclides to the earth science.