Global occurrence models for human and economic losses due to earthquakes (1967–2018) considering exposed GDP and population

Natural Hazards - In moderate-to-low seismic hazard regions, estimating the socio-economic consequences of an earthquake on the regional scale is a costly and difficult task. This study analyses...     

Modeling of damage-related earthquake losses in a moderate seismic-prone country and cost–benefit evaluation of retrofit investments: application to France

We performed large-scale earthquake economic loss estimations for France and cost–benefit analyses for several French cities by developing a semiempirical, intensity-based approach. The proposed methodology is inexpensive and easily applicable in case of a paucity of detailed information regarding the specific regional seismic hazard and the structural characteristics of the building stock, which is of particular importance in moderate-to-low seismic hazard regions. The exposure model is derived from census datasets, and the seismic vulnerability distribution of buildings is calculated using data mining techniques. Several hypothetical, large-scale retrofit scenarios are proposed, with increasing levels of investment. These cities, in their respective reinforced states, are then subjected to a series of hazard scenarios. Seismic hazard data for different return periods are calculated from regulatory accelerations from French seismic zoning. Loss estimations for the original (non-reinforced) configuration show high levels of expected building repair and replacement costs for all time spans. Finally, the benefits in terms of damage avoidance are compared with the costs of each retrofit measure. Relatively limited strengthening investments reduce the probability of building collapse, which is the main cause of human casualties. However, the results of this study suggest that retrofitting is, on average, only cost-effective in the parts of France with the highest seismicity and over the longest time horizons.     

Modelling a geo-composite cell using discrete analysis

Reinforced soil structures can be used to protect infrastructures against rockfalls. An innovative way to implement such protection is to construct the front face using a cellular assembly. This paper focuses on the cellular scale, with the cell a complex heterogeneous material, composed of a wire netting box filled with rocky particles. The behaviour of a single cell was modelled using the discrete element method, thus accounting for the interaction between the rocky particles and the interaction between the box and the rocky particles. A constitutive model was developed and calibrated along confined compression loading paths, then preliminary elements of validation were obtained from the simulation of unconfined compression tests.     

Global significance of oxygen and carbon isotope compositions of pedogenic carbonates since the Cretaceous

Few global syntheses of oxygen and carbon isotope composition of pedogenic carbonates have been attempted,unlike marine carbonates.Pedogenic carbonates represent in-situ indicators of the climate conditions prevailing on land.The δ~(18)O and δ~(13)C values of pedogenic carbonates are controlled by local and global factors,many of them not affecting the marine carbonates largely used to probe global climate changes.We compile pedogenic oxygen and carbon isotopic data(N= 12,167) from Cretaceous to Quaternary-aged paleosols to identify potential trends through time and tie them to possible controlling factors.While discrete events such as the PaleoceneEocene Thermal Maximum are clearly evidenced,our analysis reveals an increasing complexity in the distribution of the δ~(18)O vs δ~(13)C values through the Cenozoic.As could be expected,the rise of C_4 plants induces a shift towards higher δ~(13)C values during the Neogene and Quaternary.We also show that the increase in global hypsometry during the Neogene plays a major role in controlling the δ~(18)O and δ~(13)C values of pedogenic carbonates by increasing aridity downwind of orographic barriers.Finally,during the Quaternary,an increase of 3‰ inδ~(18)O values is recorded both by the pedogenic carbonates and the marine foraminifera suggesting that both indicators may be used to track global climate signal.     

Comparison between modelling and measurement of marine dispersion,environmental half-time and 137Cs inventories after the Fukushima Daiichi accident

Contamination of the marine environment following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (FDNPP) represents the most important influx of artificial radioactivity released into the sea ever recorded. The evaluation, in near real time, of the total amount of radionuclide released at sea and of the residence time in coastal waters were ones of challenges for nuclear authorities during this event. In the framework of a crisis situation, a numerical hydrodynamical model has been built and used ‘as is’. The concomitant use of this numerical model and in situ data allows the comparison of the simulated and measured environmental half-times. A tuning of the wind drag coefficient has been nevertheless necessary to reproduce the evolution of measured inventories of ¹³⁷Cs and ¹³⁴Cs between April and June 2011. After tuning, the relative mean absolute error between measured and simulated concentrations for the 849 measurements in the dataset is 69 %, while the relative bias indicates a model underestimation of 4 %. These results confirm the estimates of the source term, i.e. 27 PBq (12–41 PBq) for direct releases and 3 PBq for atmospheric deposition onto the sea. The parameters applied here to simulate atmospheric deposition onto the sea are within the correct order of magnitude for reproducing seawater concentrations. Quantitative inventories of tracers which integrate dispersion and transport processes are useful to test model reliability. It exhausts the model sensibility to meteorological forcing, which remains difficult to appraise to reproduce mid- to long-term transport.     

Predicting the impact of land use on the major element and nutrient fluxes in coastal Mediterranean rivers: The case of the Têt River (Southern France)

This study presents a detailed discrimination between the natural and anthropogenic sources of dissolved major elements in the Têt River, a typical small coastal river in the south of France. The main objectives were to quantify the materials that were released by human activities in the basin, and to determine the specific element inputs for the major land use forms. The dissolved material fluxes were estimated by weekly monitoring over a hydrological year (2000–2001) along the major water gauging stations, and the flux relationships were examined in the context of anthropogenic and natural basin characteristics as determined by a Geographical Information System (GIS). Intensive agricultural land use in the form of fruit tree cultures and vineyards has a strong control on the dissolved element fluxes in the river. Area specific element releases for these cultures are greatest for SO₄, with an estimated average of about 430 ± 18 keq km⁻² a⁻¹. This is ?11 times the natural SO₄ release by rock weathering. Also for K, NO₃, PO₄ and Mg, the specific releases were ?6 times the natural weathering rates (respectively about 44, 60, 4 and 265 keq km⁻² a⁻¹). Waste-waters are the other major source of anthropogenic elements in the river. They have an important role for the fluxes of inorganic P and N, but they are also a considerable source of Cl and Na to the river. For example, the average annual release of Cl is around 150 moles/inhabitant in the rural basin parts. Further downstream, however, where population density strongly increases, industrial effluents can enhance this value (>300 moles/inhabitant). The waste-waters contribute more than 70% of the dissolved inorganic N export to the sea, although their contribution to the average DOC export is almost negligible (3%).     

Effects of the inhibitor ellipticine on cytochrome P450-reductase and cytochrome P450 (1A) function in hepatic microsomes of flounder (Platichthys flesus)

The effects of the mammalian inhibitor ellipticine (5,11-dimethyl-[6H]-pyrido[4,3b] carbazole) were examined in a mechanistic study of the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase system of control and β-naphthoflavone (βNF)-induced hepatic microsomes of Platichthys flesus. Ellipticine was indicated to bind to the haem moiety of cytochrome P450s (gave type II binding spectra) and to inhibit the transfer of electrons from both the hydrophobic binding site of cytochrome P450 reductase (P450R) to P450 (inhibited P450R reductase activity) and the hydrophilic binding site of P450R to soluble electron acceptors (inhibited NAD(P)H-cytochrome c reductase activity). No effect was seen on cytochrome b₅ reductase activity. Ellipticine inhibition indicated the involvement of (i) P450R (possibly also P450s) in NADPH- but not NADH- dependent hydroxyl radical production, and (ii) electron transfer and P450/P450R interaction in NADPH-dependent cytochrome P450 1A-catalysed monooxygenation (7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activity and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) metabolism). Differential effects of ellipticine on cumene hydroperoxide (CHP)-dependent BaP metabolism (P450 peroxidase activity) with CHP concentration indicated the existence of at least two forms of P450 with different substrate affinities for CHP, and different mechanisms of formation for protein adducts and free metabolites. Overall, the studies indicate the primary site of action of ellipticine in P. flesus is binding between Fe³⁺-P450 and P450R.     

Seston fatty acid composition and copepod RNA:DNA ratio with respect to the underwater light climate in fluvial Lac Saint-Pierre

The relationship between the underwater light availability at different wavelengths (from 351 to 700?nm) and the fatty acid (FA) composition of seston, as well as the trophic transfer of fatty acids from producers to consumers and its influence on copepod growth condition, were investigated throughout fluvial Lac Saint-Pierre (Québec, Canada). Seston and zooplankton were collected at 11 sampling sites located within distinct water masses discriminated according to their underwater spectral characteristics. Diffuse light attenuation coefficients (K_d(??)) varied among sampling sites and wavelengths (??) and were negatively correlated to seston composition in some essential fatty acids. Particularly, the relationships between K_d(??) and the seston concentration in 20:5n3 and 22:6n3 differed and were wavelength dependent, being stronger for ?? close to the absorption maxima of chlorophyll a, suggesting a potential link with photosynthetic processes. The concentrations of 16:1n7, 18:3n3 and 20:5n3 in copepods were strongly correlated to those in the seston, which points towards the trophic transfer of these fatty acids between primary producers and herbivorous consumers. Moreover, the growth condition of copepods, as expressed by their RNA:DNA ratio, was correlated to the concentrations of 16:1n7, 18:3n3 and 20:5n3 in the seston and in copepods. Our field study sheds light on the potential importance, yet to be precised, of specific wavelengths as a driver of Lac Saint-Pierre??s productivity through their influence on fatty acids composition of seston and its nutritional quality for primary consumers.     

Magnetic properties and neutron diffraction study of two manganese sulfosalts: monoclinic MnSb<Subscript>2</Subscript>S<Subscript>4</Subscript> and benavidesite (MnPb<Subscript>4</Subscript>Sb<Subscript>6</Subscript>S<Subscript>14</Subscript>)

Mn²⁺Sb₂S₄, a monoclinic dimorph of clerite, and benavidesite (Mn²⁺Pb₄Sb₆S₁₄) show well-individualized single chains of manganese atoms in octahedral coordination. Their magnetic structures are presented and compared with those of iron derivatives, berthierite (Fe²⁺Sb₂S₄) and jamesonite (Fe²⁺Pb₄Sb₆S₁₄). Within chains, interactions are antiferromagnetic. Like berthierite, MnSb₂S₄ shows a spiral magnetic structure with an incommensurate 1D propagation vector [0, 0.369, 0], unchanged with temperature. In berthierite, the interactions between identical chains are antiferromagnetic, whereas in MnSb₂S₄ interactions between chains are ferromagnetic along c-axis. Below 6 K, jamesonite and benavidesite have commensurate magnetic structures with the same propagation vector [0.5, 0, 0]: jamesonite is a canted ferromagnet and iron magnetic moments are mainly oriented along the a-axis, whereas for benavidesite, no angle of canting is detected, and manganese magnetic moments are oriented along b-axis. Below 30 K, for both compounds, one-dimensional magnetic ordering or correlations are visible in the neutron diagrams and persist down to 1.4 K.