Hydrodynamics in the Gulf of Aigues-Mortes,NW Mediterranean Sea: In situ and modelling data

The Gulf of Aigues-Mortes (NW Mediterranean Sea) is a midshelf zone whose scale is an intermediate between the nearshore scale (0–10 m depth) and the coastal scale (including the whole continental shelf). Its hydrodynamics is investigated for the first time. ADCP, CTD and thermosalinograph data were collected during three short cruises (HYGAM; March 6–7, 20–21, April 5–6, 2005). They were scheduled approximately every 15 days to sample the gulf circulation under different weather conditions. Moreover, the cruise data were used to validate the Symphonie model, a 3D primitive equations circulation model. The circulation features displayed by in situ data were well reproduced by Symphonie. A downscaling modelling approach was implemented, the largest scale being obtained by the replay of the MFSTEP regional model of the North-Western Mediterranean Sea.     

Insights into preservation of fossil plant cuticles using thermally assisted hydrolysis methylation

The chemical composition of Cretaceous leaf remains showing exceptionally well preserved cuticles was investigated using pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py-GC–MS) and thermally assisted hydrolysis methylation (THM)-GC–MS. Samples of Coniferales (Frenelopsis) and Ginkgoales (Nehvizdya penalveri) leaf remains were collected from freshwater and coastal marine depositional environments. Material for pyrolysis included (i) untreated leaves and cuticles obtained after extraction from mineral rock matrix and bleaching, (ii) kerogen fraction from both materials, (iii) non-hydrolysable fraction from kerogen. The THM-GC–MS data from untreated leaves and bleached cuticles show that the fossil cuticle geopolymer essentially released aliphatic components upon thermal treatment, with a dominance of fatty acids (FAs) and n-alkanes/n-alkenes. The FAs are essentially resistant to bleaching and remain after solvent extraction. They occur mainly as short chain compounds ranging from C₆ to C₁₆ and with maximum abundance at C₈–C₉. The n-alkanes/n-alkenes from kerogen and the non-hydrolysable residue occur mainly as short chain compounds in the range C₁₀–C₁₆, with the highest abundance at C₉–C₁₂. The THM-GC–MS pyrograms of the fossil cuticles differ from those of cutan from fresh living plants. They support the preservation model via polymerization of monomers derived from cutin or from unsaturated cell FAs.     

Characterization of Oscillatory Motions in the Stable Atmosphere of a Deep Valley

In a valley sheltered from strong synoptic effects, the dynamics of the valley atmosphere at night is dominated by katabatic winds. In a stably stratified atmosphere, these winds undergo temporal oscillations, whose frequency is given by $N \sin {\alpha }$ N sin α for an infinitely long slope of constant slope angle $\alpha $ α , $N$ N being the buoyancy frequency. Such an unsteady flow in a stably stratified atmosphere may also generate internal gravity waves (IGWs). The numerical study by Chemel et al. (Meteorol Atmos Phys 203:187–194, 2009) showed that, in the stable atmosphere of a deep valley, the oscillatory motions associated with the IGWs generated by katabatic winds are distinct from those of the katabatic winds. The IGW frequency was found to be independent of $\alpha $ α and about $0.8N$ 0.8 N . Their study did not consider the effects of the background stratification and valley geometry on these results. The present work extends this study by investigating those effects for a wide range of stratifications and slope angles, through numerical simulations for a deep valley. The two oscillatory systems are reproduced in the simulations. The frequency of the oscillations of the katabatic winds is found to be equal to $N$ N times the sine of the maximum slope angle. Remarkably, the IGW frequency is found to also vary as $C_\mathrm{w}N$ C w N , with $C_\mathrm{w}$ C w in the range $0.7$ 0.7 – $0.95$ 0.95 . These values for $C_\mathrm{w}$ C w are similar to those reported for IGWs radiated by any turbulent field with no dominant frequency component. Results suggest that the IGW wavelength is controlled by the valley depth.     

Mapping ethnic diversity in highland Northern Vietnam

In this paper we initially present a critical review of a range of ethnological maps produced over the last 130 years for highland northern Vietnam. In particular we illustrate the many difficulties faced when trying to represent mosaics of ethnic highland minority groups on two dimensional maps. Such historical maps included no attempts to bring topographic details into the picture, an idea that would have been virtually impossible anyway, given the cartographic technologies at the time. Yet by not including such details or not representing them clearly, a partial image of these populations has been created that, over time, has become a standardised representation. Therefore, as a more systematic approach to the analysis of these highland minority groups, we present recent attempts to create more functional maps and models for the northern Vietnam province of Lao Cai, using modern cartographic techniques and geographic information systems. Utilising tools such as digital cartography and digital elevation models a wealth of information can be gained which has the potential, amongst other possible uses, to allow for a greater understanding and sensitivity regarding ethnic minority groups in Northern Vietnam, and their use of the local environment. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Sur l'assimilation variationnelle de données par un modèle d'écosystème marin de type NPZ

A variational data assimilation method is applied to a simplified marine ecosystem model of NPZ (Nutrient Phytoplankton Zooplankton) type, which implies five parameters. The method allows us to optimise these parameters by an iterative process of minimisation of a cost function which quantifies the quadratic discrepancy between observations and simulation results. The first part of this note describes how to obtain the adjoint model of the NPZ model allowing us to compute the gradient of the cost function relative to the parameters. Two experiments of artificial data assimilation then show the efficiency of this method, but also its limitations because of non-linearities and sensitivity problems of the model relative to the parameters. To cite this article: Y. Leredde et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).     

Annual fossil organic carbon delivery due to mechanical and chemical weathering of marly badlands areas

A key issue in the study of the carbon cycle is constraining the stocks and fluxes in and between C‐reservoirs. Among these, the role and importance of fossil organic carbon (FOC) release by weathering of outcropping sedimentary rocks on continental surfaces is still debated and remains poorly constrained. Our work focuses on FOC fluxes due to chemical and mechanical weathering of marls in two experimental watersheds with typical badlands geomorphology (Draix watersheds, Laval and Moulin, Alpes de Haute Provence, France). Organic matter from bedrock, soil litter and riverine particles are characterized by Rock‐Eval 6 pyrolysis. FOC fluxes due to mechanical weathering are then estimated by monitoring the annual particulate solid exports at the outlets of the watersheds (1985–2005 period). FOC fluxes from chemical weathering were calculated using Ca²⁺ concentrations in dissolved loads (year 2002) to assess the amount of FOC released by the dissolution of the carbonate matrix. Results show that FOC delivery is mainly driven by mechanical weathering, with a yield ranging from 30 to 59 t km^‐2 yr^‐1 in the Moulin (0.08 km²) and Laval (0.86 km²) catchments, respectively, (1985–2005 average). The release of FOC attributed to chemical weathering was 2.2 to 4.2 t km^‐2 for the year 2002. These high FOC fluxes from badlands are similar to those observed in tectonically active mountain catchments. At a regional scale, badland outcropping within the Durance watershed does not exceed 0.25% in area of the Rhône catchment, but could annually deliver 12 000 t yr^‐1 of FOC. This flux could correspond to 27% of the total particulate organic carbon (POC) load exported by the Rhône River to the Mediterranean Sea. At a global scale, our findings suggest that erosion of badlands may contribute significantly to the transfer of FOC from continental surfaces to depositional environments. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Strontium isotope disequilibrium of plagioclase in the Upper Critical Zone of the Bushveld Complex: evidence for mixing of crystal slurries

We report in situ Sr isotope data for plagioclase of the Bushveld Complex. We found disequilibrium Sr isotopic compositions on several scales, (1) between cores and rims of plagioclase grains in the Merensky pyroxenite, the Bastard anorthosite, and the UG1 unit and its noritic footwall, (2) between cores of different plagioclase grains within thin sections of anorthosite and pyroxenite of the Merensky unit, the footwall anorthosite of the Merensky reef and the footwall norite of the UG1 chromitite. The data are consistent with a model of co-accumulation of cumulus plagioclase grains that had crystallized from different magmas, followed by late-stage overgrowth of the cumulus grains in a residual liquid derived from a different level of the compacting cumulate pile. We propose that the rocks formed through slumping of semi-consolidated crystal slurries at the top of the Critical Zone during subsidence of the center of the intrusion. Slumping led to sorting of crystals based on density differences, resulting in a layered interval of pyroxenites, norites and anorthosites.     

Variation and temporal patterns in the composition of the surface ichthyoplankton in the southern Bay of Biscay (W. Atlantic)

From September 2000 to December 2006, surface plankton samples were collected on a monthly basis, from a station located in the southern Bay of Biscay (43°37N; 1°43W France), near the deep Capbreton canyon. In this paper, the results for the ichthyoplankton assemblage are presented. Among the 62 taxa recorded, only 35 were present in the larval stage whilst only 10 were represented by their eggs. Taxa represented by both stages (eggs+larvae; N=17) had the highest abundance. The presence in the surface plankton assemblage of species, at either or both stage, is interpreted within the context of the bathymetric distribution of species. The maxima in abundance and diversity occurred in February–March, for eggs, and May–June, for larvae. This 3-month time-lag between the stages is proposed to be related to the timing of egg spawning and larval recruitment to the pelagic environment. Mean egg abundances (82.4±29.8 eggs/10 m²) were 10-fold higher than the larval abundances (7.1±1.8 larvae/10 m²). Despite pronounced monthly variability, no statistically significant decrease in either egg or larvae abundance was observed during this 6-year study period. Compared with previous published studies, this study shows that the peak in ichthyoplankton diversity occurred two months earlier. In addition, the spawning period occurred over the whole year, even during autumn and winter. Using ordination techniques, the annual sequence appearance of taxa are described at the study site: Gadiforms, Ammodytidae and Pleuronectiforms were present during the winter whilst Sparidae, Blennidae, Labridae and Gobiidae, formed the summer group. Only three species, European anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus, European pilchard Sardina pilchardus and Atlantic horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus were recorded throughout the year.     

Reply to J.J. Muñoz-Perez et al. Comments on “Confirmation of beach accretion by grain-size trend analysis: Camposoto beach, Cádiz, SW Spain” by E. Poizot et al. (2013) Geo-Marine Letters 33(4)

In a novel finding for a beach environment, Poizot et al. (2013) identified an FB+ trend (sediments becoming finer, better sorted and more positively skewed upshore) on a well-developed swash bar on the upper foreshore of the Camposoto beach of Cádiz in SW Spain. In their Discussion of that paper, Muñoz-Perez et al. (2014) provide some supporting arguments and also report grain-size, beach profile and other data from nearby beaches which differ from those of Poizot and colleagues for Camposoto beach, pointing out that a trend observed on one beach may not apply to a neighbouring beach. However, even though the absolute values differ, the overall trends actually do show the same general behaviour. In our Reply to their comments, we also address some difficulties in comparing granulometric datasets generated by different analytical techniques.