Lead-lead age of komatiitic lavas and limitations on the structure and evolution of the Precambrian mantle

Using lead isotopes, we have studied komatiites and associated sulfides from three complexes. At Barberton, the lead-lead isochron gives an age of 3.46 ± 0.07Gy in good agreement with the Sm—Nd age. At Munro Township, three distinct komatiitic flows yield significantly different ages: Pyke Hill is 2.72 ± 0.02Gy, Theo's Flow is 2.47 ± 0.13Gy and Fred's Flow is 2.58 ± 0.02Gy old. 2.72 Gy is the emplacement age while the alignment obtained on Theo's Flow and Fred's Flow clearly points out the effect of a metamorphism posterior to 2.7 Gy. At Cape Smith, the age obtained by the lead-lead method is 1.6 ± 0.13Gy. This age is younger than that obtained by other methods. In contrast the isochron obtained on sulfide gives an age of 1.88 ± 0.17Gy in agreement with Sm/Nd methods. These results together with others from the literature are used to describe the evolution of Pb in the mantle. The important result inferred is that the mantle 2.70 Gy ago was very different from the primitive mantle according to both Th/U and U/Pb values. Indeed, the latter are lower than the planetary values. This evolution is the result of the formation of the continental crust.     

Two methods with different objectives: Splines and kriging

When drawing a contour map from a set of irregularly spaced data points, two methods are often used: The first corresponds to a rather aesthetic criterion and consists of obtaining contour lines which will be as “smooth”as possible and will honor the data points. This generally is the objective of the draftsman, and it can be automatically performed by the method of spline interpolation. The other method, used in kriging, is to compute the Best Linear Unbiased Estimator (B.L.U.E.),that is, to obtain a map as accurate as possible. Is it possible, in practice, to predict whether the aesthetic map will also be accurate? In this paper, we first examine the theoretical point of view: Spline interpolation is equivalent to kriging with a given (generalized)covariance. We then take an example to show how this question can be answered in practice: by testing how well the spline covariance is suited to the data.     

High-pressure,low-temperature metamorphism in Alpujarride Units of southeastern Betics (Spain)Métamorphisme de haute pression et basse température dans les unités Alpujarrides du Sud-Est de la cordillère Bétique (Espagne)

We present the first occurrences of high-pressure, low-temperature ferro-magnesiocarpholite-bearing mineral assemblages associated to quartz segregations in the Alpujarride units of southeastern Betics (Sierra de Almagro, Sierra de los Pinos and Sierra Cabrera). Thermobarometric results show that the carpholite-bearing rocks underwent the same P–T conditions in the three outcrops, i.e. 8–10 kbar, 350–400 °C. Metamorphic and structural data allow us to conclude that these rocks belong to the same Alpujarride unit. In the Sierra de Almagro, tectonic units with carpholite-bearing rocks overlie low-pressure, low-temperature Alpujarride units, then forming a stack with an inverted tectono-metamorphic sequence, as observed in the central and western part of the Alpujarride complex. The preservation of carpholite-bearing assemblages in these rocks implies that no significant temperature increase occurred during the exhumation history. To cite this article: G. Booth-Rea et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 857–865.     

Les « Porphyroı̈des » de Bretagne méridionale : une unité de HP–BT dans la chaı̂ne hercynienneEvidence for HP–LT Hercynian metamorphism within the ‘Porphyroı̈des’ of South Brittany (France)

The so-called ‘Porphyro??des’ Unit of South Brittany is located below units marked by an early HP–LT event (blueschists from the Île de Groix) and above units marked by Upper Carboniferous HT metamorphism. P–T estimates in the Porphyro??des (at Belle-Île-en-Mer), using the phengite–chlorite thermobarometer, indicate pressures around 8 kbar and temperatures of 350–400 °C. These new estimates suggest that the early tectonic history of the ‘Porphyro??des’ should be linked to that of the overlying Blueschists, and imply a much larger areal extension of the HP–LT domain in this part of the Hercynian Belt. To cite this article: F. Le Hébel et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 205–211.     

Coastal Precipitation Regimes in Kenya

Kenya is under the influence of the seasonal reversal of the Indian ocean monsoons. However, its coastal belt, up to about 50 km inland, exhibits original climatic features. Hierarchical clustering of mean monthly rainfall for a large number of stations, particularly in the south-eastern region, strongly differentiate a maritime climate characterised by enhanced and delayed "long rains" and no dry season in the northern summer. Most of these rains fall at night or in the morning. Using daily rainfall data and twice-daily surface and upper-air wind observations, monsoon-breeze interactions and their role on April–August coastal precipitation are assessed. Rain spells common to the whole Kenya coast are associated to a slight weakening of the sea breeze, a strong easterly or south-easterly wind anomaly over most of Kenya at around 850–700 hPa, and sea surface temperatures greater than air temperatures.     

Evidence of a major environmental change recorded in a macrotidal bay (Marennes-Oléron Bay, France) by correlation between VHR seismic profiles and cores

New, very high-resolution (25 cm) seismic profiles have revealed the internal architecture of the infilling of a macrotidal bay, the Marennes-Oléron Bay, France. Within this geometry, a major seismic unconformity has been correlated with core data. This correlation provides evidence that the seismic unconformity corresponds to a sharp grain-size decrease. Both seismic and core data indicate that this change of grain size can be interpreted as a record of a recent (around 1,000 years b.p.) decrease in hydrodynamical energy with time and/or a larger supply of fine-grained material. This recent environmental change can be related to natural infilling of the Marennes Oléron Bay, and to tidal prism decrease, increasing human activities (e.g. land reclamation, deforestation, agricultural land use) and climate fluctuations during the late Holocene, such as the transition between the cold period of the Dark Ages (1,550–1,050 years b.p.) and the Medieval warm period (1,050–550 years b.p.).     

Effects of epibionts on Sabellaria alveolata (L.) biogenic reefs and their associated fauna in the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel

Biogenic structures built by ecosystem engineers such as corals, bivalves, polychaetes, and sea grasses provide habitat for benthic vertebrates and invertebrates. The polychaete Sabellaria alveolata is an important foundation species whose reef structure adds topographic complexity and high levels of biodiversity to the otherwise low-relief, low diversity, soft-bottom environments in the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel, France, where the largest such reef formations in Europe are found. In this bay, reefs are being increasingly colonised by oysters (Crassostrea gigas) from local aquaculture operations and by green algae (Ulva sp.) due to the increasing inputs of nitrates from terrestrial origin. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible impacts of epibiotic oysters and green algae on the S. alveolata population and reef community structure in the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel, France. Univariate and multivariate comparisons of macrofauna were conducted for five reef types: controls (no epibionts), low oyster density, high oyster density, green algae, and oyster and green algae. Results showed that all the three reef types with oysters had significantly higher species richness and diversity values than control and algae-only reef types. Pairwise ANOSIM and SIMPER comparisons of controls versus the four reef types with epibionts revealed that all three of the reef types with oysters were significantly different from controls, but there was no significant difference between controls and algae-only reef types. A striking feature of the reef comparisons is that no single species in this species-rich system contributed more than 8.86% to the dissimilarity between the reef types. Thus, k-dominance curves for species abundances were not effective in revealing differences among the reef types. Our results demonstrate that recent anthropogenic inputs of oysters affect the reef species assemblage more strongly than algal epibionts. In addition, epibionts, especially green algae, alter S. alveolata population structure, causing a reduction in new recruits that over the long run may cause significant damage to the reef structure itself. These results are a first step towards understanding anthropogenic threats to S. alveolata reefs and may be useful in the development of strategies for their protection and management.     

The Role of Laser Ranging for Calibrating Jason-1: The Corsica Tracking Campaign

The French Transportable Laser Ranging System (FTLRS), a highly transportable Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) instrument, was set up in Corsica (from January to September 2002) for participating to the JASON-1 altimeter verification phase. In addition to the tracking of oceanographic satellite missions and in order to perform an accurate positioning, the FTLRS also acquired laser ranging data on geodetic satellites, STARLETTE and STELLA essentially.

The paper describes the analysis strategy mainly based on the use of a short-arc orbit technique to compute accurate 1 cm local orbits, and then the geocentric positioning (2-3 mm relative to GPS). Finally, we established the JASON-1 absolute calibration value, based on 9 SLR short-arcs (between cycles 1 and 26), at 108.2 ± 8.7 mm; the 10-day repeatability is of 26.1 mm showing that a great accuracy has been reached.