A new magnetostratigraphic framework for the Lower Miocene (Burdigalian/Ottnangian, Karpatian) in the North Alpine Foreland Basin

Oligocene–Miocene chronostratigraphic correlations within the Paratethys domain are still highly controversial. This study focuses on the late Early Miocene of the Swiss and S-German Molasse Basin (Late Burdigalian, Ottnangian–Karpatian). Previous studies have published different chronologies for this time interval that is represented by the biostratigraphically well constrained Upper Marine Molasse (OMM, lower and middle Ottnangian), Upper Brackish Molasse (OBM, Grimmelfingen and Kirchberg Formations, middle and upper Ottnangian to lower Karpatian, MN 4a–MN 4b) and Upper Freshwater Molasse (OSM, Karpatian–Badenian, MN 5). Here, we suggest a new chronostratigraphic framework, based on integrated magneto-litho-biostratigraphic studies on four sections and three boreholes. Our data indicate that the OBM comprises chrons 5D.1r and 5Dn (Grimmelfingen Fm), chron 5Cr (lower Kirchberg Fm) and the oldest part of chron 5Cn.3n (upper Kirchberg Fm). The OSM begins during chron 5Cn.3n, continues through 5Cn, and includes a long reversed segment that can be correlated to chron 5Br. The OMM-OSM transition was completed at 16.0 Ma in the Swiss Molasse Basin, while the OBM-OSM changeover ended at 16.6 Ma in the S-German Molasse Basin. As the lower Kirchberg Fm represents a facies of the Ottnangian, our data suggest that the Ottnangian–Karpatian boundary in the Molasse Basin is approximately at 16.8 Ma, close to the 5Cr–5Cn.3n magnetic reversal, and thus 0.4 Myr younger than the inferred age of 17.2 Ma used in recent Paratethys time scales. Notably, this would not be problematic for the Paratethys stratigraphy, because chron 5Cr is mainly represented by a sedimentation gap in the Central Paratethys. We also realise, however, that additional data is still required to definitely solve the age debate concerning this intriguing time interval in the North Alpine Foreland Basin. We dedicate this work to our dear friend and colleague Jean-Pierre Berger (8 July 1956–18 January 2012).     

Dissipative structures in a nonlinear dynamo

This article considers magnetic field generation by a fluid flow in a system referred to as the Archontis dynamo: a steady nonlinear MHD state is driven by a prescribed body force. The field and flow become almost equal and dissipation is concentrated in cigar-like structures centred on straight-line separatrices. Numerical scaling laws for energy and dissipation are given that extend previous calculations to smaller diffusivities. The symmetries of the dynamo are set out, together with their implications for the structure of field and flow along the separatrices. The scaling of the cigar-like dissipative regions, as the square root of the diffusivities, is explained by approximations near the separatrices. Rigorous results on the existence and smoothness of solutions to the steady, forced MHD equations are given.     

Sismique très haute résolution 3D : une nouvelle méthode d'imagerie des sols superficielsVery High Resolution 3D seismic: a new imaging tool for sub-bottom profiling

This note presents the first results of the development of a 3D Very High Resolution seismic method. Particular attention was paid to the design of an operational system to be in agreement with the expected goals in term of acquisition and processing. A set of three examples, collected in various geological environments, is presented. To cite this article: T. Marsset et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 403–408.     

Sismique marine haute résolution 3D : un nouvel outil de reconnaissance à destination de la communauté scientifique

This note presents the first results of the development of 3D high-resolution marine seismic method designed for scientific application. A particular attention was paid to the realisation of an operational system to be in agreement with the expected goals in term of acquisition and processing. To cite this article: Y. Thomas et al., C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

Application of expert rules in indirect approaches for landslide susceptibility assessment

Landslide susceptibility (LS) assessment by indirect approaches presents some limitations due to (1) the tendency to simplify the environmental factors (i.e., variables) and (2) the assumptions that landslides occur under the same combination of variables for a study site. Recently, some authors have discussed the interest to introduce expert knowledge in the indirect approaches in order to improve the quality of indirect LS maps. However, if the results are reliable, the procedures used seem fastidious and a very good knowledge of the study site is essential. The objectives of this paper are to discuss a methodology to introduce the expert knowledge in the indirect mapping process. After the definition of the expert rules associated to three landslide types, several indirect LS maps are produced by two indirect exploratory approaches, based on fuzzy set theory and on a modification of a bivariate method called expert weight of evidence. Then, the indirect LS maps are confronted to a landslide inventory and a LS map produced by a direct approach. The analyses indicate that the methodology used to introduce the expert rules in the mapping process increases the predictive power of indirect LS map. Finally, some indications about advantages and drawbacks of each approach are given to help the geoscientist to introduce his expert knowledge in the landslide susceptibility mapping process.     

The three-dimensional power spectrum of dark and luminous matter from the VIRMOS-DESCART cosmic shear survey

We present the first optimal power spectrum estimation and three-dimensional deprojections for the dark and luminous matter and their cross-correlations. The results are obtained using a new optimal fast estimator, deprojected using minimum variance and Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) techniques. We show the resulting 3D power spectra for dark matter and galaxies, and their covariance for the VIRMOS-DESCART weak lensing shear and galaxy data. The survey is most sensitive to non-linear scales   k _NL∼ 1 h Mpc⁻¹  . On these scales, our 3D power spectrum of dark matter is in good agreement with the RCS 3D power spectrum found by Tegmark & Zaldarriaga. Our galaxy power is similar to that found by the 2MASS survey, and larger than that of SDSS, APM and RCS, consistent with the expected difference in galaxy population.
We find an average bias   b = 1.24 ± 0.18  for the I -selected galaxies, and a cross-correlation coefficient   r = 0.75 ± 0.23  . Together with the power spectra, these results optimally encode the entire two point information about dark matter and galaxies, including galaxy–galaxy lensing. We address some of the implications regarding galaxy haloes and mass-to-light ratios. The best-fitting 'halo' parameter   h ≡ r / b = 0.57 ± 0.16  , suggesting that dynamical masses estimated using galaxies systematically underestimate total mass.
Ongoing surveys, such as the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope Legacy Survey, will significantly improve on the dynamic range, and future photometric redshift catalogues will allow tomography along the same principles.