Assessment of climate information needs in the Argentinean Agro-business sector

The present investigation aims at identifying the needs of the Argentinean agro-business sector for climate research and information. Our approach is focused on any type of climate information from past observations to seasonal prediction and climate change projections. We tried, in particular, to evaluate the possible existence of specific research themes that would be of major interest for these agriculture end-users. We interviewed representatives of seventeen companies from three major agrobusiness sectors: (1) regional/national entities such as agricultural associations, cooperatives and commercial trade boards; (2) insurance companies in the Argentinean agro-insurance market; and (3) large national and international companies representing cereal producers, agro-chemistry and agro-seeds. While all the interviewees recognized the strong influence of climate on their activities, they all pointed out that, at the time of making decision, they considered the political and economic risks rather than the climate one. In many aspects, climate is often considered as a fatality against which it is difficult to be protected. An interesting result is the confidence of the private sectors in the climate information provided by public sources (INTA, SMN, Universities) although they contract private consultants for frequent reports and tendencies. Finally, we explain how such sectors could make a better use of climate information (seasonal prediction, climate change scenarios) that could be integrated in their business projections. In particular, the development of new financial contracts (climate derivatives) open in countries with a relatively poor insurance history new ways to protect the different agricultural sectors, from the producer to large companies.     

Variations of the low‐degree solar p‐mode frequencies for 10 years of GOLF observations

We experiment with a method of measuring the frequency of solar p modes, intended to extend the passband for the variations of the frequency spectrum as high as possible. So far this passband is limited to a fraction of μ Hz for the classical analysis based on numerical fits of a theoretical line profile to a power spectrum averaged over periods lasting at least several weeks. This limit for the present analysis can be shifted to the mHz range, corresponding to some of the “5 min” oscillations, but in this range we use a lower resolution which allows us to separate odd and even p modes. We show an example of the results for long term variations and apply this analysis to search for a modulation of the p‐mode frequency spectrum by asymptotic series of solar g modes. A faint signal is found in the analysis of 10 years of GOLF data. This very preliminary result possibly indicates the detection of a small number of g modes of degree l = 1. A tentative determination of an observational value of the parameter P₀ follows. P₀ is the scaling factor of the asymptotic series of g modes and is a key data for solar core physics. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

First View of the Solar Core from Golf Acoustic Modes

After 8 months of nearly continuous measurements the GOLF instrument, aboard SOHO, has detected acoustic mode frequencies of more than 100 modes, extending from 1.4 mHz to 4.9 mHz. In this paper, we compare these results with the best available predictions coming from solar models. To verify the quality of the data, we examine the asymptotic seismic parameters; this confirms the improvements achieved in solar models during the last decade. Using the GOLF set of frequencies for l=0, 1, 2, 3 combined with the LOWL second year data set for l > 3 we then carry out inversions to infer properties of the solar core. This largely confirms the previous results down to around 0.1 R⊙, while there remain differences, even closer to the centre, where the present study shows an extreme sensitivity of the inversion results to the values of the frequencies. We finally consider physical processes which may influence directly or indirectly the solar core structure.     

Un nouveau critere de sens de mise en place dans une caisse filonienne: Le “pincement” des mineraux aux epontes : Orientation des minéraux dans un magma en écoulement

The flow of a magma into a dike, sill, laccolite, pipe or batholith leads to a preferential orientation of crystals in the magma. A study by computer simulation has brought to light certain types of fabric for oblate and prolate minerals in the case of a plane deformation, on the one hand by pure shear, and on the other hand by simple shear. Theoretical and practical studies suggest a new method for determining the direction of injection (“injection axis”) in a dike, based on the angular relations of minerals near the walls.New developments are proposed on the relations between plane and linear flow-lines, on the distinction between “apparent flow-lines” and the transport-plane of the magma (“real flow-lines”) and on the amount of magma deformation.

Résumé

La mise en place d'un magma dans une caisse filonienne (ou dans des sills, dykes, laccolites, batholites, etc.) s'accompagne d'une orientation préférentielle des minéraux déjà formés. Une étude par simulation sur ordinateur a mis en évidence certains types de fabrique pour les minéraux phylliteux et les minéraux aciculaires dans le cas d'une déformation plane, d'une part par aplatissement pur et d'autre part, par cisaillement simple.En application théorique puis pratique, un nouveau critère de sens de mise en place (axe d'injection) dans une caisse filonienne est défini: le pincement des minéraux aux épontes; en effet, à chacune d'elles, les fluidalités apparentes, observées sur les minéraux, font un angle avec la paroi du filon.Des développements nouveaux sont proposés concernant les relations entre fluidalités planaire et linéaire, la distinction entre fluidalité apparente et plan de transport du magma (fluidalité réelle), le taux de déformation subi par le magma,....     

Review of Ray Theory Applications in Modelling and Imaging of Seismic Data

Throughout the last twenty years, 3D seismic ray modelling has developed from a research tool to a more operational tool that has gained growing interest in the petroleum industry. Various areas of application have been established and new ones are under development. Many of these applications require a modelling system with flexible, robust and efficient modelling algorithms in the core. The present paper reviews the basic elements of such a system, based on the open model concept and the wavefront construction technique. In the latter, ervený's dynamic ray tracing is an intrinsic part. The modelling system can be used for generating ray attributes and synthetic seismograms for realistic 3D surveys with tens of thousands of shots and receivers. Moreover, some other types of application areas are illustrated: Production of Green's functions for prestack depth migration and hybrid modelling (combined ray and finite-difference modelling), attribute mapping and illumination analysis, both for survey planning and interpretation. Finally, the concepts of isochron rays and velocity rays related to seismic isochrons have been introduced recently, with very interesting future applications.     

Cretaceous seamounts along the continent-ocean transition of the Iberian margin: U-Pb ages and Pb-Sr-Hf isotopes

To elucidate the age and origin of seamounts in the eastern North Atlantic, 54 titanite and 10 zircon fractions were dated by the U-Pb chronometer, and initial Pb, Sr, and Hf isotope ratios were measured in feldspars and zircon, respectively. Rocks analyzed are essentially trachy-andesites and trachytes dredged during the “Tore Madeira” cruise of the Atalante in 2001. The ages reveal different pulses of alkaline magmatism occurring at 104.4 ± 1.4 (2σ) Ma and 102.8 ± 0.7 Ma on the Sponge Bob seamount, at 96.3 ± 1.0 Ma on Ashton seamount, at 92.3 ± 3.8 Ma on the Gago Coutinho seamount, at 89.3 ± 2.3 Ma and 86.5 ± 3.4 Ma on the Jo Sister volcanic complex, and at 88.3 ± 3.3 Ma, 88.2 ± 3.9, and 80.5 ± 0.9 Ma on the Tore locality. No space-time correlation is observed for alkaline volcanism in the northern section of the Tore-Madeira Rise, which occurred 20-30 m.y. after opening of the eastern North Atlantic. Initial isotope signatures are: 19.139-19.620 for ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, 15.544-15.828 for ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, 38.750-39.936 for ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, 0.70231-0.70340 for ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, and +6.9 to +12.9 for initial epsilon Hf. These signatures are different from Atlantic MORB, the Madeira Archipelago and the Azores, but they lie in the field of worldwide OIB. The Cretaceous seamounts therefore seem to be generated by melts from a OIB-type source that interact with continental lithospheric mantle lying formerly beneath Iberia and presently within the ocean-continent transition zone. Inheritance in zircon and high ²⁰⁷Pb of initial Pb substantiate the presence of very minor amounts of continental material in the lithospheric mantle. A long-lived thermal anomaly is the most plausible explanation for alkaline magmatism since 104 Ma and it could well be that the same anomaly is still the driving force for tertiary and quaternary alkaline magmatism in the eastern North Atlantic region. This hypothesis is agreement with the plate-tectonic position of the region since Cretaceous time, including an about 30° anti-clockwise rotation of Iberia.     

Correction to: Using Causal Inference in Field Development Optimization: Application to Unconventional Plays

Mathematical Geosciences - Unfortunately, in the original version of the article the first and second name of the fourth author were wrong.     

Detecting co-seismic displacements in glaciated regions: An example from the great November 2002 Denali earthquake using SPOT horizontal offsets

We use SPOT image pairs to determine horizontal offsets associated with the Mw 7.9 November 2002 Denali earthquake in the vicinity of Slate Creek, AK. Field measurements and aerial photographs are used to further characterize the geometry of the surface rupture. Aerial photographs show that shear localization occurs where the rupture trace is linear, and distributed off-fault deformation is common at fault bends and step-overs, or at geologic contacts between rock, glacial sediments, and ice. The displacement field is generated using a sub-pixel cross correlation technique between SPOT images taken before and after the earthquake. We identify the effects of glacier motion in order to isolate the tectonic displacements associated with the Denali earthquake. The resulting horizontal displacement field shows an along-strike variation in dextral shear, with a maximum of approximately 7.5 m in the east near 144° 52′W, which decreases to about 5 m to the west near 145° 45′W. If the November 2002 earthquake represents the long-term behavior of the Denali fault, it implies a westward decrease in the long-term dextral slip rate. A possible mechanism to accommodate the westward decreasing slip on the Denali fault is to transfer fault slip to adjacent east-trending contractional structures in the western region of the central Alaskan Range.     

Late Pleistocene and Holocene activity of the Atacazo–Ninahuilca Volcanic Complex (Ecuador)

The Atacazo–Ninahuilca Volcanic Complex (ANVC) is located in the Western Cordillera of Ecuador, 10 km southwest of Quito. At least six periods of Pleistocene to Holocene activity (N1 to N6) have been preserved in the geologic record as tephra fallouts and pyroclastic flow deposits. New field data, including petrographic and whole-rock geochemical analyses of over forty soil and tephra sections, 100 pumice and lithic samples, and 10 new ¹⁴C ages allow us to constrain: (1) the tephra fall isopachs and detailed characteristics of the last two events (N5–N6) including volume estimates of the tephra and pyroclastic flow deposits and the corresponding volcanic explosivity index (VEI); (2) the petrographical and geochemical correlations between domes, tephras, and pyroclastic flow deposits; and, (3) the timing of the last 4 eruptive events and a period of quiescence that endured a few thousand years (1000–4000).