A recent history of science cases for optical interferometry

Optical long-baseline interferometry is a unique and powerful technique for astronomical research. Since the 1980’s (with I2T, GI2T, Mark I to III, SUSI, ...), optical interferometers have produced an increasing number of scientific papers covering various fields of astrophysics. As current interferometric facilities are reaching their maturity, we take the opportunity in this paper to summarize the conclusions of a few key meetings, workshops, and conferences dedicated to interferometry. We present the most persistent recommendations related to science cases and discuss some key technological developments required to address them. In the era of extremely large telescopes, optical long-baseline interferometers will remain crucial to probe the smallest spatial scales and make breakthrough discoveries.     

Zooplankton community structure in a highly turbid environment (Charente estuary,France): Spatio-temporal patterns and environmental control

Zooplankton assemblages were studied from January 2007 to January 2008 along the salinity gradient of the Charente estuary (France). A Lagrangian survey was performed monthly at five sampling stations defined by salinity (freshwater, 0.5, 5, 15 and 25) in order to collect zooplankton and measure the main environmental parameters (concentrations of suspended particulate matter, particulate organic carbon, chlorophyll a and phaeopigments). A combination of multivariate cluster analysis, species indicator index and canonical correspondence analysis was used to relate the spatio-temporal patterns of the zooplankton assemblages with environmental drivers. The estuary was divided into three different zones by means of environmental parameters while four zooplankton assemblages were identified along the salinity gradient. The Charente estuary appeared as one of the most turbid systems in Europe, with suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentration reaching 3.5 g l⁻¹ in the Maximum Turbidity Zone (MTZ). Algal heterotrophy and microphytobenthos resuspension from the wide mudflats could be responsible for the relatively high chlorophyll a concentrations measured within this MTZ. Salinity and SPM affected significantly the spatial distribution of zooplankton species while temperature and river flow seemed to control their temporal variations. From a zooplanktonic viewpoint, the highly turbid Charente estuary seemed to match an “ecotone–ecocline” model: the succession of species assemblages along the salinity gradient matched the concept of ecocline while the MTZ, which is a stressful narrow area, could be considered as an ecotone. Although such ecoclinal characteristics seemed to be a general feature of estuarine biocenoses, the ecotone could be more system-specific and biological compartment-specific.     

郯庐断裂带(安徽段)及邻区的动力学分析与区域构造演化

依据区域构造层次划分,采用构造筛分法,层层深入,层层筛分,确定发生于各个不同时代地层/岩层内的断裂活动的同期及叠加的应力场特征。综合所有的同期应力场特征及辅以叠加的应力场特征来验证,从而确定了一个连续的、完整的断裂活动的应力场演化序列;结合区域构造变形特征分析,阐明郯庐断裂带(安徽段)的构造演化。应力场分析显示:晚三叠-早侏罗世应力场为北北西—南南东或近南北向挤压,属古特提斯构造域,断裂发生同造山走滑;早白垩世早期,应力场为北西—南东向挤压,断裂发生左行走滑运动,中国东部处于西环太平洋构造域;早白垩世晚期—古新世(始新世),区域发生北西—南东向伸展作用,断裂处于伸展断陷作用阶段;新生代,受区域上近东西向的挤压作用影响,断裂发生挤压逆冲兼右行走滑作用。     

Selection of sand models and identification of parameters using an enhanced genetic algorithm

Numerous constitutive models of granular soils have been developed during the last few decades. As a consequence, how to select an appropriate model with the necessary features based on conventional tests and with an easy way of identifying parameters for geotechnical applications has become a major issue. This paper aims to discuss the selection of sand models and parameters identification by using genetic algorithm. A real‐coded genetic algorithm is enhanced for the optimization with high efficiency. Models with gradually varying features (elastic‐perfectly plastic modelling, nonlinear stress–strain hardening, critical state concept and two‐surface concept) are selected from numerous sand models as examples for optimization. Conventional triaxial tests on Hostun sand are selected as the objectives in the optimization. Four key points are then discussed in turn: (i) which features are necessary to be accounted for in constitutive modelling of sand; (ii) which type of tests (drained and/or undrained) should be selected for an optimal identification of parameters; (iii) what is the minimum number of tests that should be selected for parameter identification; and (iv) what is the suitable and least strain level of objective tests to obtain reliable and reasonable parameters. Finally, a useful guide, based on all comparisons, is provided at the end of the discussion. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Internal erosion of chemically reinforced granular materials: a mathematical modeling approach

Internal erosion (IE) affects the stability of natural and reinforced materials by causing instability within their granular structure. The dislodgement and transport of eroded particles affect both the particulate concentration of eroding fluid and the pore network of eroded material. In this study, we examined these modifications using a transport model with a finite element code. First, IE tests on chemically reinforced sand columns were performed to obtain information about eroded material loss of mass, particulate concentration of effluent, porosity and permeability modifications, and existing IE stages. Second, based on experimental results, a mathematical one‐dimensional model has been formulated to monitor the evolution and spatial distribution of erodible solids, fluidized particles, porosity, permeability, and seepage stresses. The model consists of a set of coupled nonlinear differential equations solved in sequence. It provides valuable information about the extent and the dynamics of structural changes, which can be used to estimate an IE time for the hydraulic work to reach failure. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Oxygen and organic carbon fluxes in sediments of the Bay of Biscay

The relationship between particulate organic carbon (POC) concentrations measured in modern sediment and fluxes of exported POC to the sediment surface needs to be understood in order to use POC content as a proxy of paleo-environmental conditions. The objective of our study was to compare POC concentrations, POC mineralization rates calculated from O₂ consumption and POC burial rates. Benthic O₂ distributions were determined in 58 fine-grained sediment cores collected at different periods at 14 stations in the southeastern part of the Bay of Biscay with depths ranging from 140 to 2800 m. Depth-dependent volume-specific oxygen consumption rates were used to assess rates of aerobic oxidation of organic matter (OM), assuming that O₂ consumption solely was related to heterotrophic activity at the sediment–water interface. Heterogeneity of benthic O₂ fluxes denoted changes in time and space of fresh organic material sedimentation. The most labile fraction of exported POC engendered a steep decrease in concentration in the upper 5 mm of vertical O₂ profiles. The rupture in the gradient of O₂ microprofile may be related to the bioturbation-induced mixing depth of fast-decaying carbon. Average diffusive O₂ fluxes showed that this fast-decaying OM flux was much higher than buried POC, although diffusive O₂ fluxes underestimated the total sediment oxygen demand, and thus the fast-decaying OM flux to the sediment surface. Sedimentary POC burial was calculated from sediment mass accumulation rate and the organic carbon content measured at the top of the sediment. The proportion of buried POC relative to total exported POC ranged at the most between 50% and 10%, depending on station location. Therefore, for a narrow geographic area like the Bay of Biscay, burial efficiency of POC was variable. A fraction of buried POC consisted of slow-decaying OM that was mineralized within the upper decimetres of sediment through oxic and anoxic processes. This fraction was deduced from the decrease with depth in POC concentration. At sites located below 500 m water depth, where the fast-decaying carbon did not reach the anoxic sediment, the slow-decaying pool may control the O₂ penetration depth. Only refractory organic material was fossilized in sedimentary records at locations where labile OM did not reach the anoxic portion of the sediment.     

Lacustrine sedimentation in a semiarid alpine setting: An example from Ladakh, northwestern Himalaya

The Lamayuru lacustrine strata in Ladakh typify many of the carbonate-rich Pleistocene alpine lakes found in the semiarid environment of the northern Himalaya. Created by a 200-m-thick landslide, the lake was in existence by at least 35,000 yr ago, and may have persisted until 500–1000 yr ago. Represented in the center by thin turbidites and laminated muds, the lacustrine sedimentation along the lake margins and low-relief deltas characteristically displays a marked contrast between (1) clastic lenses representing rapid, sporadic, matrix-poor debris flows and periglacial inputs from the alpine slopes and (2) abundant, diverse, shallow-water, biologically dominated carbonate strata, among which organism-rich, chalky beds and oncolithic and encrusted stem-rich strata predominate. Resemblances of the Lamayuru lacustrine strata and their setting to those of former lakes throughout areas north of the Greater Himalayan crest suggest that the alpine, semi-arid environment would favor diversified, spacially restricted carbonate sedimentation punctuated by occasional clastic influxes. Such a depositional regime contrasts strongly with that found immediately south of the Himalayan crest where more humid conditions promote a more continuous clastic influx into intramontane lakes.     

Etude de la couche limite de surface sahelienne — Experience Yantala

This paper presents data concerning the energy budget in the surface layer in the Sahel region (a semi-desert area). The results are drawn from a measurement campaign made in the Niamey region in the Niger, in April–May 1984 (the Yantala Campaign). The sensible heat flux is computed with the profile method, the ground heat flux is deduced from measurement of the temperature field, and the radiative net flux is measured directly with a balancemeter. The latent heat flux, which is deduced from the energy budget balance is very weak and within the accuracy limit of the method. The diurnal variation of the net flux is symmetrical, with a maximum at noon. On the other hand, the sensible heat flux variation is asymmetrical, with an afternoon decrease much slower than the morning increase. After 3.30 pm, it becomes higher than the net flux. This is compensated for by the sign change of the ground heat flux, whose maximum is found in the morning at 11 am. The second part of this paper shows the importance of one term in the surface-layer energy budget: the long-wave radiative divergence between the ground and the top of the surface layer in high superadiabatic conditions. We show, with a radiative model on the one hand and direct measurement of the radiative divergence on the other hand, that this term reaches several tens of W m^-2 in the superadiabatic conditions found in the Sahel region.      

Energy budget for the Sahel surface layer during the ECLATS experiment

The measurements obtained during the ECLATS experiment were used in order to determine the surface energy budget of the Sahel region (Niamey, Niger). This expedition was carried out from November 15 to December 10, 1980, during the dry period. Some data were collected by an instrumented aircraft, from which the turbulent fluxes were obtained in the boundary layer around midday; data were also collected at a surface station in order to estimate the surface energy budget continuously by the profile method. The aircraft measurements show the homogeneity of the vertical fluxes over large areas, allowing generalization to the bushy steppe of the Sahel region. The mean diurnal cycle of the energy budget is characterized by high values of ground heat flux and weak values of latent heat flux (deduced from the balance of the energy budget). This cycle is compared with that of the Koorin expedition, performed in similar conditions (tropical savanna in the dry period). We compare the three midday budgets: during Koorin; during ECLATS, at the ground station, and with the aircraft. The important differences that appear in the net radiative flux are explained by the difference in surface albedo.Ecole des Sciences, Université de Niamey, B.P. 10662 Niamey, Niger.     

Penetration of bomb radiocarbon in the tropical Indian Ocean measured by means of accelerator mass spectrometry

Radiocarbon measurements performed on seawater samples by means of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) enable to reduce by a factor of 2000 the water sample size needed for the¹⁴C measurements. Therefore no chemical treatment on board the oceanographic vessel is required. Seventy-four AMS¹⁴C determinations on samples collected in the tropical-equatorial Indian Ocean during the second leg of the INDIGO program (1986) are presented and compared with the β-counting results obtained during the same campaign and the GEOSECS program (1978). A pronounced reduction of the equatorial¹⁴C deficit suggests that substantial amounts of bomb-¹⁴C are associated with the westward flowing Pacific water which enters the Indian Ocean via passages through the Indonesia archipelago and/or to meridional mixing with¹⁴C-rich water of the southern subtropical gyre.