First experimental investigation of dual-reciprocating drilling in planetary regoliths: Proposition of penetration mechanics

The search for life in the solar system requires sub-surface exploration capabilities of extra-terrestrial bodies like the Moon and Mars. To do so different techniques are being developed: from the classical rotary drilling techniques widely used on Earth to more original techniques like ultrasonic drilling. Dual-reciprocating drilling (DRD) is a bio-mimetic drilling principle inspired by the manner wood-wasps drill into wood to lay its eggs. It was proposed as an efficient extra-terrestrial drilling technique requiring low over-head force. To deepen the understanding of this novel drilling technique, DRD has been tested for the first time in planetary regolith simulants. These experiments are reported here. To do so a new test bench was built and is presented. The soil forces on the drill bit are analysed and the final depth reached by the DRD system is compared to the final depth reached by static penetration. The experiments have shown very high levels of slippage (defined here specifically for DRD). The observations of the surface deformations and the importance of slippage lead to the proposal of DRD penetration mechanics in regoliths. Finally a re-evaluation of previous DRD experiments conducted on low compressive strength rocks also show the high levels of slippage during DRD.     

On the relationships between features of the depth–latitude meridional overturning streamfunctions across global coupled climate models

A comparative analysis of the state and response of the latitude–depth meridional overturning streamfunctions in the Climate Model Inter-comparison Project 3 (CMIP3) model set is presented. Simulated overturning strengths of the North Atlantic cell tend to converge towards observational estimates. The models whose simulations of the North Atlantic cell are closest to observational estimates indicate a 29.5 ± 13 % decrease in the maximum intensity of that cell by 2,100. In contrast, agreement with regard to the state and the response to anthropogenic radiative forcing of the global Southern Ocean abyssal cell is poor among the models. A weak relationship between the mean state and the response of the abyssal cell can be used to constrain the reduction of the Southern abyssal cell by 2,100 to 29.3 ± 20.7 %, in rough agreement with the decrease predicted in the Northern cell. The biases across the CMIP3 models in the Northern deep cell and Southern abyssal cell cannot be related dynamically by a buoyancy-based seesaw-like argument. The absence or presence of characteristic relationships between the state and evolution of different features of the overturning streamfunction indicate that the main reasons for across-model spread are how each model deals with subgrid-scale processes and viscosity. This highlights the fact that subgrid-scale parameterizations and resolution improvements should be a priority of model development. These factors are able to explain qualitatively the inter-model differences between the Northern overturning cells of the different models. Across-model differences in the winds over the Southern Ocean are responsible for much of the disparity in the overturning circulation cells of the Southern Ocean.     

Recent climatic trends in the tropical Atlantic

A homogeneous monthly data set of sea surface temperature (SST) and pseudo wind stress based on in situ observations is used to investigate the climatic trends over the tropical Atlantic during the last five decades (1964–2012). After a decrease of SST by about 1 °C during 1964–1975, most apparent in the northern tropical region, the entire tropical basin warmed up. That warming was the most substantial (>1 °C) in the eastern tropical ocean and in the longitudinal band of the intertropical convergence zone. Surprisingly, the trade wind system also strengthened over the peirod 1964–2012. Complementary information extracted from other observational data sources confirms the simultaneity of SST warming and the strengthening of the surface winds. Examining data sets of surface heat flux during the last few decades for the same region, we find that the SST warming was not a consequence of atmospheric heat flux forcing. Conversely, we suggest that long-term SST warming drives changes in atmosphere parameters at the sea surface, most notably an increase in latent heat flux, and that an acceleration of the hydrological cycle induces a strengthening of the trade winds and an acceleration of the Hadley circulation. These trends are also accompanied by rising sea levels and upper ocean heat content over similar multi-decadal time scales in the tropical Atlantic. Though more work is needed to fully understand these long term trends, especially what happens from the mid-1970’s, it is likely that changes in ocean circulation involving some combination of the Atlantic meridional overtuning circulation and the subtropical cells are required to explain the observations.     

SATELLITE IMAGE ANALYSIS OF CIRCULAR ANOMALIES AND FRACTURING NETWORKS IN THE ARMORICAN MASSIF,FRANCE

This paper describes results from a detailed study of circular anomalies—related to outcrops of granitic domes over the western part of the Armorican Massif—using SPOT, Landsat TM, Seasat, and composite imagery in conjunction with aerial photographs. Two types of features have been distinguished: (1) simple and circular, related to small granitic bodies or to hidden domes, which correspond with concentric networks of fractures formed during the cooling of the granite, and (2) complex and composite of the onion skin type, related to the larger plutonic domes. This type of feature could also be related to the concentric cooling networks but would more probably correspond to the magmatic foliation planes. Semi-circular features of the “half-moon” type, derived from these described structures, are located on the periphery of plutonic domes. These could correspond to preliminary intrusions cross cut by the major structures. From the lineament maps and based on the relationship between regional foliation fracturing networks and circular features, the following networks can be distinguished: (1) radial networks centered on plutonic diapirs, which seem to be contemporary with the granitic intrusions; (2) transverse networks that pass around or across circular features, creating fan-shaped forms and which are late with respect to the granitic intrusions; (3) post-tectonic fracturing networks that cross all previously described structures; and (4) a network, parallel to the regional foliation N070, which crosses or twists the circular features. This system documents the syntectonic pattern of the granites. Translated by Judit Ozoray, Chicoutimi, Quebec from: “Structures circulaires et réseaux de fractures en pays granitique. Analyse de données SPOT, Landsat TM et Seasat sur le Massif armoricain,” Bull. Soc. géol. France, 1993, Vol. 164, No. 2, pp. 199-214, with permission of the Société Gèologique de France (please cite original paper).     

Adaptation of the SNOWMAP algorithm for snow mapping over eastern Canada using Landsat-TM imagery

Abstract

The snow mapping algorithm SNOWMAP was adapted to Landsat-TM data and to the context of eastern Canada. Six Landsat-5 TM scenes were used. It was found that the original version of SNOWMAP greatly underestimates snow cover extent. The modification made to the original algorithm, by cancelling the minimum threshold of 0.1 on the NDVI value, allows gaps to be filled in. In addition, a spatial correction procedure applied to the modified SNOWMAP algorithm results improves snow detection under coniferous forests. Based on a limited data set of ground-based observations (only 40 sites were available), the modified SNOWMAP seems to perform better in snow detection than the original version of the algorithm. An application case is presented in order to demonstrate the relevance of the modified SNOWMAP results as a high spatial-resolution reference for the validation of historical snow maps derived from medium spatial-resolution satellite data.

Citation Chokmani, K., Dever, K., Bernier, M., Gauthier, Y. & Paquet, L.-M. (2010) Adaptation of the SNOWMAP algorithm for snow mapping over eastern Canada using Landsat-TM imagery. Hydrol. Sci. J. 55(4), 649–660.     

Evaluation of satellite-based rainfall products for hydrological modelling in Morocco

ABSTRACT

Several satellite-based precipitation estimates are becoming available at a global scale, providing new possibilities for water resources modelling, particularly in data-sparse regions and developing countries. This work provides a first validation of five different satellite-based precipitation products (TRMM-3B42 v6 and v7, RFE 2.0, PERSIANN-CDR, CMORPH1.0 version 0.x) in the 1785 km² Makhazine catchment (Morocco). Precipitation products are first compared against ground observations. Ten raingauges and four different interpolation methods (inverse distance, nearest neighbour, ordinary kriging and residual kriging with altitude) were used to compute a set of interpolated precipitation reference fields. Second, a parsimonious conceptual hydrological model is considered, with a simulation approach based on the random generation of model parameters drawn from existing parameter set libraries, to compare the different precipitation inputs. The results indicate that (1) all four interpolation methods, except the nearest neighbour approach, give similar and valid precipitation estimates at the catchment scale; (2) among the different satellite-based precipitation estimates verified, the TRMM-3B42 v7 product is the closest to observed precipitation, and (3) despite poor performance at the daily time step when used in the hydrological model, TRMM-3B42 v7 estimates are found adequate to reproduce monthly dynamics of discharge in the catchment. The results provide valuable perspectives for water resources modelling of data-scarce catchments with satellite-based rainfall data in this region.

Editor M.C. Acreman; Associate editor N. Verhoest     

Comparison of two snowmelt modelling approaches in the Dudh Koshi basin (eastern Himalayas,Nepal)

Abstract

The glaciers in the Nepalese Himalayas are retreating due to rising temperatures. Lack of data and information on Nepal’s cryosphere has impeded scientific studies and field investigations in the Nepalese Himalayas. Therefore, IRD France and Ev-K2 CNR Italy have conducted the PAPRIKA (CryosPheric responses to Anthropogenic PRessures in the HIndu Kush-Himalaya regions: impacts on water resources and society adaptation in Nepal) project in Nepal with the financial support of the French and Italian scientific agencies. This project aims to address the current and future evolution of the cryosphere in response to overall environmental changes in South Asia, and its consequences for water resources in Nepal. Thus, two hydrological models, the GR4J lumped precipitation–runoff model and the snowmelt runoff model (SRM), were used in the Dudh Koshi basin. The GR4J model has been successfully applied in different parts of Europe. To obtain better results in such a harsh and rugged topography, modifications needed to be made, particularly in the snow module. The runoff pattern is analysed herein both for past years and, in a sensitivity analysis, for possible future climatic conditions (i.e. precipitation and temperature) using the SRM and GR4J modelling approaches. The results reveal a significant contribution of snow- and glacier-melt to runoff, and the SRM model shows better performance in Nepalese catchments than the GR4J model.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor D. Gerten     

Internal waves near the turning point

Abstract

A uniformly valid solution of internal wave equations is presented, using Langer's method, for an arbitrary density profile. The dispersion relation and mean square values of the velocity components are obtained. Particular emphasis is placed on the turning point problem and on estimating the errors involved in the approximations in a recent paper by Garrett and Munk (1972). Expressions are given for various spectral ratios of interest.     

A hierarchical generalized linear model with variable selection: studying the response of a representative fish assemblage for large European rivers in a multi-pressure context

Global change calls for an understanding of how temperature and flow regimes influence aquatic ecosystems. Fish assemblages are a major component of river ecosystems and are thought to exhibit more integrative informative responses than single species to environmental variations, whether rare and sudden or gradual and continuous. The use of long-term datasets is thus of primary importance, allied to statistical modeling. For each of three previously identified species clusters, we performed Bayesian variable selection and inference within a hierarchical log Poisson Generalized Linear Model using a spike and slab normal prior to pinpoint which subset of environmental variables is of importance for each fish assemblage. Fish counts from electrofishing experiments are known to provide overdispersed data and, not surprisingly, the contribution of recorded environmental effects is found to be weak compared with those of other intra-assemblage sources of variation. The posterior distribution of the regression parameters is in coherence with what was expected from biological knowledge of the three species clusters. In particular, thermophilic species tend to benefit from warmer waters, whereas the recruitment of cold water species decreases due to global warming effects. Our study provides an example of the advantages of hierarchical modeling for quantifying interspecies ecological effects and selecting common environmental variables of importance.