L'extension à Madagascar du Néogène à l'Actuel: arguments structuraux et géophysiques

Field studies and observations from aerial photographs, remote sensing and numerical field models show that the Meso-Cenozoic and Recent sedimentary sequences of Madagascar are affected by normal faults. These faults, north-south, north-northeast-south-southwest and north-northwest-south-southwest trending, are responsible for the following morphological effects: scarps, block tilting and opening of faulted basins, the most important of which being the Lake Alaotra Basin. The general orientation of these brittle structures and some observations in the field show tha the horizontal maximum extension isroughly east-west directed. Other lines of evidence, seismic and gravimetric, confirm that Madagascar is presently submitted to a crustal and lithospheric extension, parallel to that in East Africa and the Mozambique Channel.     

The impact of atmospheric sodium on erodibility of clay in a coastal Mediterranean region

 Heavy rainfalls, between 25 and 100 mm·h–1, were simulated on Pliocene/Quaternary sediments. To reproduce the heterogeneity of natural environments, 231 small plots of various sizes (between 2.5 and 3.5 m²; mean: about 3 m²) were used. The duration of all simulations was 1 h. We used water that had been collected during natural rainfall. The concentration of clay particles in the sheet wash depended upon the concentration of dissolved sodium in the wash (for about 42%) and of the sheet wash quantity (for about 37%). Under natural water conditions colloidal matter, like clay minerals, is charged negatively and therefore is destabilized by metal cations such as in the case of Na⁺. Results suggest that relatively higher concentrations of montmorrillonite were related to higher concentrations of sodium as opposed to illite and kaolinite. Microflakes of up to 25 μ were observed to vary between face-to-edge and face-to-face modes (competition between protons and other cations). The concentration of dissolved sodium (Na⁺) in the runoff water depends on water and sodium balances such as atmospheric input, infiltration, evaporation and surface water runoff. The reduction of vegetation cover increases the amount of salt and amorphous matter in/on the topsoil between heavy rainfall generations. The best predictor to explain montmorillonite, illite and kaolinite in % of mineral clay-sized matter in the surface water runoff (sheet wash) is the percentage of each clay mineral in the topsoil. As opposed to illite and kaolinite, more sheet wash indicate for montmorillonite relatively higher concentrations in the wash. The results of model simulations were confirmed on different field plots of about 1 ha and small catchments during natural heavy rainfall events. Models can also be used to understand and to better simulate sheet, rill and gully erosion, micropedimentation; and pedimentation.     

Mesoscale slope current variability in the Gulf of Lions. Interpretation of in-situ measurements using a three-dimensional model

The ECOLOPHY experiments aimed at investigating physical exchanges between coastal and open sea. They were carried out in June and December 2005 over the shelf-break in the North-eastern part of the Gulf of Lions (Northwestern Mediterranean Sea). This area is considered to be the generation zone for the eddy and meandering structures of the Northern Current (NC). The objective of the present work is to examine mesoscale variability of this coastal slope current in the light of available data. Numerical modeling is used to support the field data analysis. ADCP current measurements over a one-year period show that mesoscale activity is maximal in late winter, correlating with the seasonal variability of the NC and, also, partly with local winds. Measured currents exhibit mesoscale fluctuations with periods ranging from 3 to 30 days, in agreement with previous analyses. Fluctuations of periods longer than 10 days are found to be mainly oriented in the direction of the mean current, whereas more frequently observed high frequency fluctuations tend to be oriented cross-slope, suggesting a relationship with the NC mesoscale meandering. Moreover, trajectories of surdrift buoys launched in the NC vein exhibit mesoscale phenomena, such as current meanders or eddies and on-shelf intrusions. Numerical modeling provides a synoptic point of view and is used hereafter to support physical interpretation of punctual eulerian or lagrangian measurements. Therefore, modeled hydrodynamic fields are used to analyze surdrift buoy trajectories and computed vertically averaged current and Ertel potential vorticity provide a better understanding of these behaviors.     

Assessment of the ecological status of Mediterranean French coastal waters as required by the Water Framework Directive using the Posidonia oceanica Rapid Easy Index: PREI

This paper describes the PREI (Posidonia oceanica Rapid Easy Index), a method used to assess the ecological status of seawater along Mediterranean French coasts. The PREI was drawn up according to the requirements of the Water Framework Directive (WFD 2000/60/EC) and was tested on 24 and 18 stations in PACA (Provence-Alpes-Côtes d’Azur) and Corsica, respectively. The PREI is based on five metrics: shoot density, shoot leaf surface area, E/L ratio (epiphytic biomass/leaf biomass), depth of lower limit, and type of this lower limit. The 42 studied stations were classified in the first four levels of status: high, good, moderate and poor. The PREI values ranged between 0.280 and 0.847; this classification is in accordance with our field knowledge and with our knowledge of the literature. The PREI was validated regarding human pressure levels (r² = 0.74). (http://eurex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2000:327:0001:0072:EN:PDF).     

Isotopic fractionation of zinc in tektites

Tektites are terrestrial natural glasses produced during a hypervelocity impact of an extraterrestrial projectile onto the Earth's surface. The similarity between the chemical and isotopic compositions of tektites and terrestrial upper continental crust implies that the tektites formed by fusion of such target rock. Tektites are among the driest rocks on Earth. Although volatilization at high temperature may have caused this extreme dryness, the exact mechanism of the water loss and the behavior of other volatile species during tektite formation are still debated. Volatilization can fractionate isotopes, therefore, comparing the isotope composition of volatile elements in tektites with that of their source rocks may help to understand the physical conditions during tektite formation.For this study, we have measured the Zn isotopic composition of 20 tektites from four different strewn fields. Almost all samples are enriched in heavy isotopes of Zn compared to the upper continental crust. On average, the different groups of tektites are isotopically distinct (listed from the isotopically lightest to the heaviest): Muong-Nong type indochinites (δ^66/64Zn = 0.61 ± 0.30‰); North American bediasites (δ^66/64Zn = 1.61 ± 0.49‰); Ivory Coast tektites (δ^66/64Zn = 1.66 ± 0.18‰); the Australasian tektites (others than the Muong Nong-type indochinites) (δ^66/64Zn = 1.84 ± 0.42‰); and Central European moldavites (δ^66/64Zn = 2.04 ± 0.19‰). These results are contrasted with a narrow range of δ^66/64Zn = 0–0.7‰ for a diverse spectrum of upper continental crust materials.The elemental abundance of Zn is negatively correlated with δ^66/64Zn, which may reflect that isotopic fractionation occurred by evaporation during the heating event upon tektite formation. Simple Rayleigh distillation predicts isotopic fractionations much larger than what is actually observed, therefore, such a model cannot account for the observed Zn isotope fractionation in tektites. We have developed a more realistic model of evaporation of Zn from a molten sphere: during its hypervelocity trajectory, the molten surface of the tektite will be entrained by viscous coupling with air that will then induce a velocity field inside the molten sphere. This velocity field induces significant radial chemical mixing within the tektite that accelerates the evaporation process. Our model, albeit parameter dependent, shows that both the isotopic composition and the chemical abundances measured in tektites can be produced by evaporation in a diffusion-limited regime.     

Biochemical indicators for the bioavailability of organic carbon in ground water

The bioavailability of total organic carbon (TOC) was examined in ground water from two hydrologically distinct aquifers using biochemical indicators widely employed in chemical oceanography. Concentrations of total hydrolyzable neutral sugars (THNS), total hydrolyzable amino acids (THAA), and carbon-normalized percentages of TOC present as THNS and THAA (referred to as "yields") were assessed as indicators of bioavailability. A shallow coastal plain aquifer in Kings Bay, Georgia, was characterized by relatively high concentrations (425 to 1492 μM; 5.1 to 17.9 mg/L) of TOC but relatively low THNS and THAA yields (∼0.2%–1.0%). These low yields are consistent with the highly biodegraded nature of TOC mobilized from relatively ancient (Pleistocene) sediments overlying the aquifer. In contrast, a shallow fractured rock aquifer in West Trenton, New Jersey, exhibited lower TOC concentrations (47 to 325 μM; 0.6 to 3.9 mg/L) but higher THNS and THAA yields (∼1% to 4%). These higher yields were consistent with the younger, and thus more bioavailable, TOC being mobilized from modern soils overlying the aquifer. Consistent with these apparent differences in TOC bioavailability, no significant correlation between TOC and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), a product of organic carbon mineralization, was observed at Kings Bay, whereas a strong correlation was observed at West Trenton. In contrast to TOC, THNS and THAA concentrations were observed to correlate with DIC at the Kings Bay site. These observations suggest that biochemical indicators such as THNS and THAA may provide information concerning the bioavailability of organic carbon present in ground water that is not available from TOC measurements alone.     

Investigating strong ground-motion variability using analysis of variance and two-way-fit plots

A statistical method to quantitatively assess the relative importance of unmodelled site and source effects on the observed variability (σ) in ground motions is presented. The method consists of analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the computed residuals with respect to an empirical ground-motion model for strong-motion records of various earthquakes recorded at a common set of stations. ANOVA divides the overall variance (σ ²) into the components due to site and source effects (respectively σ _S ² and σ _E ²) not modelled by the ground-motion model plus the residual variance not explained by these effects (σ _R ²). To test this procedure, four sets of observed strong-motion records: two from Italy (Umbria-Marche and Molise), one from the French Antilles and one from Turkey, are used. It is found that for the data from Italy, the vast majority of the observed variance is attributable to unmodelled site effects. In contrast, the variation in ground motions in the French Antilles and Turkey data is largely attributable, especially at short periods, to source effects not modelled by the ground-motion estimation equations used.     

Effects of persistent organic pollutants on the thyroid function of the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) from the Aegean sea, is it an endocrine disruption?

We evaluated the alterations of organochlorinated compounds such as polychlorobiphenyls (PCB), dichloro-diphenyl-dichloroethylene (DDE) and dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) on the thyroid in wild and cultured sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) at environmental concentrations. These compounds influence the endocrine system of many fish species and are qualified as endocrine disruptors. The thyroid seems to be a target organ. Two alteration endpoints: the thyroid histology and the muscular thyroid hormone concentrations, were used simultaneously.High concentrations in PCBs and DDT were detected in muscles, supporting the idea that the Mediterranean fauna could be more polluted than the Atlantic fauna. The high abundance of DDE indicates a progressive degradation of remnant DDT load and the absence of new inputs in this area. Aquaculture sea bass shows a significant higher amount of pollutants on fresh weight basis (especially PCBs) in their muscles compared to the wild sea bass. Those differences may be related mainly to the contaminations of diet.Thyroid parameters vary between wild and aquaculture sea bass, wild sea bass were characterized by higher follicle diameters, epithelial cell heights and muscular T₄ concentrations. A significant relationship between persistent organic pollutants (muscular PCBs and DDT concentration) and the different thyroid parameters (diameters of follicles, epithelial cell heights and muscular T₄ levels) could be observed, which support the hypothesis that these compounds have an adverse impact on thyroid morphometry and function.     

Analytical Solution for Modeling Discharge into a Tunnel Drilled in a Heterogeneous Unconfined Aquifer

Predicting transient inflow rates into a tunnel is an important issue faced by hydrogeologists. Most existing analytical solutions overestimate the initial discharge due to the assumption that drilling was instantaneous over the entire tunnel length. In addition, they assume a homogeneous system. An alternative model was recently developed for tunnels intersecting heterogeneous formations, but its application was reduced to the case of confined flow to deep tunnels in weakly diffusive aquifers. In this paper, we adapt existing analytical solutions for drainage systems to the specific case of a tunnel progressively drilled in a highly diffusive heterogeneous unconfined aquifer. The case of a tunnel overlying an impervious layer is analytically solved by applying the superposition principle, while the case of a tunnel constructed some distance above an impervious layer is solved by discretizing the tunnel length into subsectors. Both models can simulate transient discharge into a tunnel drilled at various speeds through a heterogeneous unconfined aquifer, and allow the prediction of discharge rates in shallow tunnels located in highly diffusive aquifers. We successfully applied this approach to a tunnel in heterogeneous volcanic rock.     

Initial versus tangent stiffness‐based Rayleigh damping in inelastic time history seismic analyses

In the inelastic time history analyses of structures in seismic motion, part of the seismic energy that is imparted to the structure is absorbed by the inelastic structural model, and Rayleigh damping is commonly used in practice as an additional energy dissipation source. It has been acknowledged that Rayleigh damping models lack physical consistency and that, in turn, it must be carefully used to avoid encountering unintended consequences as the appearance of artificial damping. There are concerns raised by the mass proportional part of Rayleigh damping, but they are not considered in this paper. As far as the stiffness proportional part of Rayleigh damping is concerned, either the initial structural stiffness or the updated tangent stiffness can be used. The objective of this paper is to provide a comprehensive comparison of these two types of Rayleigh damping models so that a practitioner (i) can objectively choose the type of Rayleigh damping model that best fits her/his needs and (ii) is provided with useful analytical tools to design Rayleigh damping model with good control on the damping ratios throughout inelastic analysis. To that end, a review of the literature dedicated to Rayleigh damping within these last two decades is first presented; then, practical tools to control the modal damping ratios throughout the time history analysis are developed; a simple example is finally used to illustrate the differences resulting from the use of either initial or tangent stiffness‐based Rayleigh damping model. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.