WAVERYS: a CMEMS global wave reanalysis during the altimetry period

Ocean Dynamics - As part of the Copernicus Marine Service, WAVERYS is the multi-year wave reanalysis that provides global wave data with a fine grid resolution of 1/5°. This wave reanalysis...     

Depositional processes and gas pore pressure in pyroclastic flows: an experimental perspective

The depositional processes and gas pore pressure in pyroclastic flows are investigated through scaled experiments on transient, initially fluidized granular flows. The flow structure consists of a sliding head whose basal velocity decreases backwards from the front velocity (U _f) until onset of deposition occurs, which marks transition to the flow body where the basal deposit grows continuously. The flows propagate in a fluid-inertial regime despite formation of the deposit. Their head generates underpressure proportional to U _f ² whereas their body generates overpressure whose values suggest that pore pressure diffuses during emplacement. Complementary experiments on defluidizing static columns prove that the concept of pore pressure diffusion is relevant for gas-particle mixtures and allow characterization of the diffusion timescale (t _d) as a function of the material properties. Initial material expansion increases the diffusion time compared with the nonexpanded state, suggesting that pore pressure is self-generated during compaction. Application to pyroclastic flows gives minimum diffusion timescales of seconds to tens of minutes, depending principally on the flow height and permeability. This study also helps to reconcile the concepts of en masse and progressive deposition of pyroclastic flow units or discrete pulses. Onset of deposition, whose causes deserve further investigation, is the most critical parameter for determining the structure of the deposits. Even if sedimentation is fundamentally continuous, it is proposed that late onset of deposition and rapid aggradation in relatively thin flows can generate deposits that are almost snapshots of the flow structure. In this context, deposition can be considered as occurring en masse, though not strictly instantaneously.     

Assessment of the coastal dynamics in a nested zoom and feedback on the boundary current: the North-Western Mediterranean Sea case

The Northern Current (hereafter NC), the major current in the North-Western Mediterranean (hereafter NWM) basin, has been largely investigated in the litterature for its mesoscale features. Its behaviour in the Var region can strongly condition the downstream flow along the Gulf of Lions shelf and Spain coast, making this zone a key area. However, the sub-mesoscale dynamics of the area and its potential impacts on the rest of the flow are not well known. This work reveals the potential interest of better simulating high-resolution dynamics in a restricted area and how this could improve the circulation representation in a larger area. To address this question, a very high resolution configuration (1/192^°) nested in an already existing high-resolution configuration (1/64^°) has been developed, using the NEMO model. Comparisons with observations show that the very high-resolution changes only weakly the mean NC characteristics but can significantly modify individual mesoscale events such as eddies and meanders occurring in the zoomed area. Furthermore, the coastal dynamics and episodic intrusions of a NC secondary branch inside a semi-enclosed bay appear to be significantly enhanced. In a second stage, the assessment of the feedback of this improved dynamics on the regional mesoscale dynamics is shown, this being allowed by the two-way coupling option of the embedded configuration using AGRIF.     

Failure deconstructed: Histories and geographies of soldier settlement in New Zealand circa 1917–39

Abstract:  The New Zealand discharged soldier settlement scheme of the 1920s has been much criticized as being a failure. This paper draws on the existing literature and new case study research to break open 'failure' as an undifferentiated term and proposes that it was of three different types relating to what was termed the 'personal equation', to debt levels and to broader structural adjustment problems in farming. Each operated at differing scales. This is incorporated into a typology of failure and is put forward as basis for further research.     

2013年芦山地震序列震源机制与震源区构造变形特征分析

基于四川区域地震台网记录的波形资料,利用CAP波形反演方法,同时获取了2013年4月20日芦山M7.0级地震序列中88个M≥3.0级地震的震源机制解、震源矩心深度与矩震级,进而利用应变花（strain rosette）和面应变（areal strain）As值,分析了芦山地震序列震源机制和震源区构造运动与变形特征.获得的主要结果有：（1）芦山M7.0级主震破裂面参数为走向219°/倾角43°/滑动角101°,矩震级为M_W6.55,震源矩心深度15 km.芦山地震余震区沿龙门山断裂带走向长约37 km、垂直断裂带走向宽约16 km.主震两侧余震呈不对称分布,主震南西侧余震区长约27 km、北东侧长约10 km.余震分布在7~22 km深度区间,优势分布深度为9~14 km,序列平均深度约13 km,多数余震分布在主震上部.粗略估计的芦山地震震源体体积为37 km×16 km×16 km.（2）面应变As值统计显示,芦山地震序列以逆冲型地震占绝对优势,所占比例超过93%.序列主要受倾向NW、倾角约45°的近NE-SW向逆冲断层控制;部分余震发生在与上述主发震断层近乎垂直的倾向SE的反冲断层上;龙门山断裂带前山断裂可能参与了部分余震活动.P轴近水平且优势方位单一,呈NW-SE向,与龙门山断裂带南段所处区域构造应力场方向一致,反映芦山地震震源区主要受区域构造应力场控制,芦山地震是近NE-SW向断层在近水平的NW-SE向主压应力挤压作用下发生逆冲运动的结果.序列中6次非逆冲型地震均发生在主震震中附近,且主震震中附近P轴仰角变化明显,表明主震对其震中附近局部区域存在明显的应力扰动.（3）序列整体及不同震级段的应变花均呈NW向挤压白瓣形态,显示芦山地震震源区深部构造呈逆冲运动、NW向纯挤压变形.各震级段的应变花方位与形状一致,具有震级自相似性特征,揭示震源区深部构造运动和变形模式与震级无关.（4）不同深度的应变花形态以NW-NWW向挤压白瓣为优势,显示震源区构造无论是总体还是分段均以NW-NWW向挤压变形为特征.但应变花方位与形状随深度仍具有较明显的变化,可能反映了震源区构造变形在深度方向上存在分段差异.（5）芦山地震震源体尺度较小,且主震未发生在龙门山断裂带南段主干断裂上,南段长期积累的应变能未能得到充分释放,南段仍存在发生强震的危险.     

Geology,geochemistry and 40Ar/39Ar dating of Sevan ophiolites (Lesser Caucasus,Armenia): Evidence for Jurassic Back-arc opening and hot spot event between the South Armenian Block and Eurasia

In the Lesser Caucausus the Sevan-Akera ophiolites of N Armenia have lithological features of a slow-spreading oceanic lithosphere: serpentinites are frequently exposed and hydrothermalized at sea-floor level, plutonic rocks and dykes are rare. A complete differentiation trend is observed from mafic norites evolving to diorites and plagiogranites. Normal faults have exposed some of the deep magmatic rocks at sea-floor level. Geochemically, two distinct lava flow series have been distinguished: (1) a contaminated Mid-Oceanic Ridge Basalt (MORB) series evolving from gabbros to plagiogranites and from basalts to basaltic andesites, exhibiting slight calc-alkaline features (enrichments in Large Ion Lithophile Elements (LILE); negative anomalies in Nb–Ta and Ti relative to N-MORB); (2) an alkaline series evolving from basanites to trachy-andesites (on anhydrous basis). ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age on amphibole-bearing gabbros evidence a Middle Jurassic age (165.3 ± 1.7 Ma, 2σ) for oceanic crust formation. Structural data, including geological cross-sections and logs of the ophiolite along the northern part of Sevan Lake allow discussing the geodynamic evolution of that segment of the Amassia-Sevan-Akera ophiolitic suture zone.