Caractérisation par résonance paramagnétique électronique (RPE) de quartz naturels issus de différentes sources

Natural quartz crystals coming from Madagascar, Angola, Brazil, and Spain were studied by EPR after β irradiation in order to characterise the paramagnetic centres due to impurities, and examine in which way their relative proportion could constitute a useful criterion for origin researches. In all our samples, EPR experiments revealed germanium centres [GeO₄/M⁺]° with M = Li or Na, aluminium ones [AlO₄/h]° and two titanium centres ([TiO₄/H⁺]° and [TiO₄/M⁺]°) also appeared, except for samples coming from Spain. The comparison of the relative concentrations of paramagnetic species led us on to draw diagrams that allowed distinguishing the origins of the studied samples using only EPR spectra. To cite this article: M. Duttine et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 949–955.     

Clinopyroxenes from space-and time-associated “within-plate dominant” and “subduction-related” Variscan basic rocks (Tazekka,Morocco)

A study has been made of clinopyroxene phenocrysts from within-plate dominant and subduction-related basic lavas, which are within the same volcanic pile of the Lower Namurian volcanic complex of Tazekka (Eastern Morocco). Twenty-one clinopyroxene phenocrysts (113 probe analyses in total) have been analysed from two thin sections of the within-plate lava sample, and 17 clinopyroxene phenocrysts (82 probe analyses in total) have been analysed from two thin sections of the subduction-related lava sample. Petrographic and microprobe data on clinopyroxene phenocrysts from the two lavas indicate specific textural and chemical features according to the source, namely: relatively low pressure and high temperature crystallisation conditions for the sector-zoned crystals from the basalt of the first group, although such a sector-zoned growth in clinopyroxenes is usually considered as evidence for a continental within-plate affinity of host-rocks; intermediate pressure and relatively low temperature crystallisation conditions for homogeneous crystals from the basalt of the second group. Thus distinct P-T conditions for equilibrium crystallisation of the pyroxenes in each host-magma are proposed. Clinopyroxene affinities observed in specific discriminative diagrams are in agreement with trace element geochemistry of the host-lavas, i.e. continental within-plate features for clinopyroxenes of the group 1 host-rock and subduction-related features for clinopyroxenes of the group 2 host-rock, which often exhibit extreme parameters highlighting the problem of petrogenesis of these basic lavas in an unusual continental crust subduction-related environment.     

Elimination des noeuds dans le probleme newtonien des quatre corps

Résumé Nous appliquons la méthode des transformations canoniques à variables imposées à la réduction du problème newtonien des quatre corps. L'élimination du centre de gravité étant supposée faite, le problème est ramené à celui des trois corps fictifs. Alors nous menons à bien la réduction dûe aux intégrales des aires explicitement sous forme Hamiltonienne en tenant compte de l'aspect géométrique d'élimination des noeuds préconisé par Jacobi.Nous nous imposons trois fonctions comme nouvelles variables: la troisième intégrale des aires et deux fonctions in variantes; ces deux dernières fonctions resteront nulles lorsque nous prendrons comme troisième axe de coordonnées l'axe défini par le moment cinétique des quatre corps; elles sont choisies en involution avec la troisième intégrale des aires et de crochet un entre elles. Cela nous conduit à déterminer un système de quatorze variables canoniques que nous interprétons géométriquement. Il y a effectivement élimination des moeuds: il s'introduit un pseudo-noeud commun aux deuxième et troisième corps fictifs qui concide avec le noeud du premier corps fictif; ces noeud et pseudo-noeud sont repérés par un paramètre ignorable.

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Elimination of nodes in the Newtonian four-body problem

We apply the method of canonical trasformations with imposed variables to the reduction of the Newtonian four-body problem. After the elimination of the center of gravity, the problem is reduced to that of three fictitious bodies. Then we proceed to the actual reduction using the integrals of angular momentum, in Hamiltonian formulation, and considering the geometrical aspects of the elimination of the nodes advocated by Jacobi.We impose three functions as new variables: the third integral of angular momentum and two invariant functions; these last two functions will remain null when we take as third coordinate axis the axis, defined by the momentum vector of the four bodies; they are chosen in involution with the third integral of momentum and so that their Poisson bracket is equal to one. Then we determine a system of fourteen canonical variables which have a simple geometrical interpretation. It is an actual elimination of the nodes: a pseudonode for the second and third fictitious bodies is introduced which coincides with the node of the first fictitious body; the node and the pseudo-node are referred to by an ignorable parameter.

     

Late Devonian and Triassic basalts from the southern continental margin of the East European Platform,tracers of a single heterogeneous lithospheric mantle source

In Late Devonian and Early-to-Late Triassic times, the southern continental margin of the Eastern European Platform was the site of a basaltic volcanism in the Donbas and Fore-Caucasus areas respectively. Both volcanic piles rest unconformably upon Paleoproterozoic and Late Paleozoic units respectively, and emplaced during continental rifting periods some 600 km away from expected locations of active oceanic subduction zones. This paper reports a comparative geochemical study of the basaltic rocks, and views them as the best tracers of the involved mantle below the Eastern European Platform. The Late Devonian alkaline basic rocks differ from the calc-alkaline Triassic basic rocks by their higher alkali-silica ratio, their higher TiO₂, K₂O, P₂O₅ and FeO contents, their higher trace element contents, a higher degree of fractionation between the most and the least incompatible elements and the absence of Ta-Nb negative anomalies. These general features, clearly distinct from those of partial melting and fractional crystallization, are due to mantle source effects. With similar Nd and Sr isotopic signatures indicating mantle-crust mixing, both suites would originate from the melting of a same but heterogeneous continental mantle lithosphere (refertilized depleted mantle). Accordingly the Nd model ages, the youngest major event associated with mantle metasomatism occurred during Early Neoproterozoic times (∼650Ma).     

Synoptic hydrography of a highly stratified estuary

This study investigates the hydrodynamic characteristics of the lower, middle, and upper sectors of a highly stratified estuary, the Itajaí-Açu river estuary (south of Brazil ∼27° S/48.5° W). The study is based on a 25-h field campaign with three sampling stations positioned at 2, 17, and 38 km inward from the river mouth, during low river discharge condition and spring tide. The experimental data gathered was reduced and analyzed in terms of distribution of variables in time and space tide average vertical profiles and decomposition of the advective transport of salt and suspended particulate matter (SPM). Tidal range was nearly constant along the estuary, presenting time lag of about 2 h between lower and upper estuary. The ebb discharge peaks were about twice the discharge flood peaks and occurred simultaneously. The tide was the main determining agent in the lower estuary, where currents, salt stratification, and SPM distributions presented a repetitive behavior. In the middle estuary, the tide effects were also observed, but the presence of saline waters decreased along the time due to increasing river discharge during the campaign. The distribution of SPM in the mid- and upper estuary presented patched pattern not associated with tides and may be attributed to short-term flood contributions of tributaries. Currents presented ebb dominance in all three sectors; in the middle and upper estuary, they presented also a time asymmetry, with ebb currents longer than flood. The advective transport of salt in the lower estuary was upstream, with dominance of gravitational circulation term. In the mid-estuary, there was practically no transport, with balance between fluvial discharge (downstream) and tidal correlation (upstream). The advective transport of SPM was upstream in the lower estuary and downstream in the mid- and upper estuary, being dominated by gravitational circulation in the former and fluvial discharge in the others.     

Investigation on Planetary Atmospheres Using Laboratory Simulation Experiments The Example of Saturn's Moon (Titan)

The main goals of experimental simulation in the laboratory of a planetary atmosphere are to feed the theoretical models, and to help the treatment of observations. This type of simulation permits the direct study of objects that space missions can't study or have not studied yet, through the production of laboratory analogues of gaseous or solid phases. But the representativity of these laboratory analogues is of crucial importance. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.