Sexual reproduction of Hippospongia communis (Lamarck, 1814) (Dictyoceratida,Demospongiae): comparison of two populations living under contrasting environmental conditions

The study of the reproductive processes of benthic invertebrates is essential to the understanding of their population dynamics and is also important in formulating conservation plans, especially for exploited species. The sexual reproduction of Hippospongia communis, the ‘honeycomb’ bath sponge, was studied at two locations in the Mediterranean Sea: the Kerkennah Islands (Tunisia, South Mediterranean), where the mean annual seawater temperature is 19 °C, and Marseille (France, Northwestern Mediterranean Sea), where the mean annual water temperature is 16 °C. The aim of this comparative study was to determine whether different environmental conditions could affect reproduction patterns. At both locations, H. communis was found to contain sexual reproductive elements year‐round. Oogenesis and embryogenesis occurred throughout the year, whereas spermatogenesis occurred during shorter periods between October and November, in both populations. While gametogenesis seemed to be synchronized, indicating that fertilization could occur at the same time at both locations, spawning was observed in late summer in Marseille, whereas it started in late spring for the Kerkennah population. Larval development of H. communis seems to take longer for sponges living at cooler locations such as Marseille. Reproductive effort calculated for both sexes showed significantly higher values for specimens from Kerkennah Islands. By comparing sexual reproductive patterns of populations living in two contrasted environments, we suggest that a change of thermal regime can affect H. communis phenology.     

Active faulting in the western Pyrénées (France): Paleoseismic evidence for late Holocene ruptures

We have identified a 50-km-long active fault scarp, called herewith the Lourdes Fault, between the city of Lourdes and Arette village in the French Pyrénées. This region was affected by large and moderate earthquakes in 1660 (Io = VIII–IX, MSK 64,), in 1750 (Io = VIII, MSK 64) and in 1967 (M_d = 5.3, Io = VIII, MSK 64). Most earthquakes in this area are shallow and the few available focal mechanism solutions do not indicate a consistent pattern of active deformation. Field investigations in active tectonics indicate an East–West trending and up to 50-m-high fault scarp, in average, made of 3 contiguous linear fault sub-segments. To the north, the fault controls Quaternary basins and shows uplifted and tilted alluvial terraces. Deviated and abandoned stream channels of the southern block are likely due to the successive uplift of the northern block of the fault. Paleoseismic investigations coupled with geomorphic studies, georadar prospecting and trenching along the fault scarp illustrate the cumulative fault movements during the late Holocene. Trenches exhibit shear contacts with flexural slip faulting and thrust ruptures showing deformed alluvial units in buried channels. ¹⁴C dating of alluvial and colluvial units indicates a consistent age bracket from two different trenches and shows that the most recent fault movements occurred between 4221 BC and 2918 BC. Fault parameters and paleoseismic results imply that the Lourdes Fault and related sub-segments may produce a M_W 6.5 to 7.1 earthquake. Fault parameters imply that the Lourdes Fault segment corresponds to a major seismic source in the western Pyrénées that may generate earthquakes possibly larger than the 1660 historical event.     

Analysis of subdiffusion in disordered and fractured media using a Grünwald-Letnikov fractional calculus model

The increasing applications of fractional calculus in simulating the anomalous transport behavior in disordered and fractured heterogeneous porous media has grown rapidly over the past decade. In the present study, a temporal fractional flux relationship is employed as a constitutive equation to relate the volumetric flow rate to the gradient of the pore pressure. The novelty of this paper entails interpreting the time fractional derivative operator in the flux relationship by the Grünwald-Letnikov (G-L) definition as opposed to the Caputo interpretation which has been widely considered. Subsequently, a numerical scheme based on the block-centered finite-difference discretization is formulated to handle the resulting non-linear fractional diffusion model. In addition, a linear stability analysis is successfully performed to establish the stability criterion of the developed numerical scheme. An expression for the modified incremental material balance index was derived to assess the effectiveness of the numerical discretization process. Finally, numerical experiments were performed to provide qualitative insights into the nature of pressure evolution in a hydrocarbon reservoir under the influence subdiffusion. In summary, the results establish that subdiffusion regime results in the development of higher pressure drop in the reservoir. This paper will provide a strong foundation for researchers interested in investigating anomalous diffusion phenomena in porous media.     

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Numerical analysis of multiphase flow in porous material

Recent developments in the application of x-ray micro-tomography in laboratory geomechanics have allowed all the individual grains of sand in a test sample to be seen and identified uniquely in 3D. Combining such imaging capabilities with experiments carried out “in situ” within an imaging set-up has led to the possibility of directly observing the mechanisms of deformation as they happen. The challenge has thus become extracting pertinent, quantified information from these rich time-lapse 3D images to elucidate the mechanics at play. This paper presents a new approach (ID-Track) for the quantification of individual grain kinematics (displacements and rotations) of large quantities of sand grains (tens of thousands) in a test sample undergoing loading. With ID-Track, grains are tracked between images based on some geometrical feature(s) that allow their unique identification and matching between images. This differs from Digital Image Correlation (DIC), which makes measurements by recognising patterns between images. Since ID-Track does not use the image of a grain for tracking, it is significantly faster than DIC. The technique is detailed in the paper, and is shown to be fast and simple, giving good measurements of displacements, but suffering in the measurement of rotations when compared with Discrete DIC. Subsequently, results are presented from successful applications of ID-track to triaxial tests on two quite different sands: the angular Hostun sand and the rounded Caicos Ooids. This reveals details on the performance of the technique for different grain shapes and insight into the differences in the grain-scale mechanisms occurring in these two sands as they exhibit strain localisation under triaxial loading.     

Dimensional Reduction of Pattern-Based Simulation Using Wavelet Analysis

A pattern-based simulation technique using wavelet analysis is proposed for the simulation (wavesim) of categorical and continuous variables. Patterns are extracted by scanning a training image with a template and then storing them in a pattern database. The dimension reduction of patterns in the pattern database is performed by wavelet decomposition at certain scale and the approximate sub-band is used for pattern database classification. The pattern database classification is performed by the k-means clustering algorithm and classes are represented by a class prototype. For the simulation of categorical variables, the conditional cumulative density function (ccdf) for each class is generated based on the frequency of the individual categories at the central node of the template. During the simulation process, the similarity of the conditioning data event with the class prototypes is measured using the L ₂-norm. When simulating categorical variables, the ccdf of the best matched class is used to draw a pattern from a class. When continuous variables are simulated, a random pattern is drawn from the best matched class. Several examples of conditional and unconditional simulation with two- and three- dimensional data sets show that the spatial continuity of geometric features and shapes is well reproduced. A comparative study with the filtersim algorithm shows that the wavesim performs better than filtersim in all examples. A full-field case study at the Olympic Dam base metals deposit, South Australia, simulates the lithological rock-type units as categorical variables. Results show that the proportions of various rock-type units in the hard data are well reproduced when similar to those in the training image; when rock-type proportions between the training image and hard data differ, the results show a compromise between the two.     

Wave climate simulation for southern region of the South China Sea

This study investigates long-term variability and wave characteristic trends in the southern region of the South China Sea (SCS). We implemented the state-of-the art WAVEWATCH III spectral wave model to simulate a 31-year wave hindcast. The simulation results were used to assess the inter-annual variability and long-term changes in the SCS wave climate for the period 1979 to 2009. The model was forced with Climate Forecast System Reanalysis winds and validated against altimeter data and limited available measurements from an Acoustic Wave and Current recorder located offshore of Terengganu, Malaysia. The mean annual significant wave height and peak wave period indicate the occurrence of higher wave heights and wave periods in the central SCS and lower in the Sunda shelf region. Consistent with wind patterns, the wave direction also shows southeasterly (northwesterly) waves during the summer (winter) monsoon. This detailed hindcast demonstrates strong inter-annual variability of wave heights, especially during the winter months in the SCS. Significant wave height correlated negatively with Niño3.4 index during winter, spring and autumn seasons but became positive in the summer monsoon. Such correlations correspond well with surface wind anomalies over the SCS during El Nino events. During El Niño Modoki, the summer time positive correlation extends northeastwards to cover the entire domain. Although significant positive trends were found at 95 % confidence levels during May, July and September, there is significant negative trend in December covering the Sunda shelf region. However, the trend appears to be largely influenced by large El Niño signals.     

3-D crustal structure in the Agadir region (SW High Atlas,Morocco)

The 1960 Agadir earthquake (Mw 6.0) constitutes the most damaging earthquake event in Morocco. With the expansion of seismic networks during the last decade in Morocco, new seismic data have been collected in this region. The P and S arrivals at 19 stations located in Southern Morocco are used to investigate the lithosphere in the Agadir region. In this study, we use a linearized inversion procedure comprising two steps: (1) finding the minimal 1-D model and simultaneous relocation of hypocentres and (2) determination of local velocity structure using linearized inversion. The model parameterization in this method assumes a continuous velocity field. The resolution tests indicate that the calculated images give near true structure for the studied region from 0- to 45-km depth. The results show that the total crust thickness varies from 30 to 40 km in SW High Atlas and confirm the modest crustal tectonic shortening and thickening in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. The inferred geological structure reconstructed from the calculated image illustrates the existence of fault-related folding. The evidence for coseismic ruptures in 1960 on the Kasbah anticline combined with the 1960 earthquake hypocentre located in the tomographic image determines the seismic potential of the active fault and related fold. The resulting tomographic image shows a high-velocity anomalies that could be associated with the location of deep active fault (10–30 km) associated with the fold structure. In the South Atlas, theses anomalies could be associated with the South atlas thrust front structure.     

Long-term seismicity in regions of present day low seismic activity: the example of western Europe

In western Europe, the knowledge of long-term seismicity is based on reliable historical seismicity and covers a time period of less than 700 years. Despite the fact that the seismic activity is considered as low in the region extending from the Lower Rhine Embayment to England, historical information collected recently suggests the occurrence of three earthquakes with magnitude around 6.0 or greater. These events are a source of information for the engineer or the scientist involved in mitigation against large earthquakes. We provide information relevant to this aspect for the Belgian earthquake of September 18, 1692. The severity of the damage described in original sources indicates that its epicentral intensity could be IX (EMS-98 scale) and that the area with intensity VII and greater than VII has at least a mean radius of 45 km. Following relationships between average macroseismic radii and magnitude for earthquakes in stable continental regions, its magnitude M_s is estimated as between 6.0 and 6.5. To extend in time our knowledge of the seismic activity, we conducted paleoseismic investigations in the Roer Graben to address the question of the possible occurrence of large earthquakes with coseismic surface ruptures. Our study along the Feldbiss fault (the western border of the graben) demonstrates its recent activity and provides numerous lines of evidence of Holocene and Late Pleistocene large earthquakes. It suggests that along the 10 km long Bree fault scarp, the return period for earthquakes with magnitude from 6.2 to 6.7 ranges from 10,000 to 20,000 years during the last 50,000 years. Considering as possible the occurrence of similar earthquakes along all the Quaternary faults in the Lower Rhine Embayment, a large earthquake could occur there each 500–1000 years. These results are important in two ways. (i) The evidence that large earthquakes occur in western Europe in the very recent past which is not only attested by historical sources, but also suggested by paleoseismic investigations in the Roer Graben. (ii) The existence of a scientific basis to better evaluate the long-term seismicity in this part of Europe (maximal magnitude and return period) in the framework of seismic hazard assessment.     

Nonextensive dust acoustic waves in a charge varying dusty plasma

Our recent analysis on nonlinear nonextensive dust-acoustic waves (DA) [Amour and Tribeche in Phys. Plasmas 17:063702, 2010] is extended to include self-consistent nonadiabatic grain charge fluctuation. The appropriate nonextensive electron charging current is rederived based on the orbit-limited motion theory. Our results reveal that the amplitude, strength and nature of the nonlinear DA waves (solitons and shocks) are extremely sensitive to the degree of ion nonextensivity. Stronger is the electron correlation, more important is the charge variation induced nonlinear wave damping. The anomalous dissipation effects may prevail over that dispersion as the electrons evolve far away from their Maxwellian equilibrium. Our investigation may be of wide relevance to astronomers and space scientists working on interstellar dusty plasmas where nonthermal distributions are turning out to be a very common and characteristic feature.