A method to estimate the longshore sediment transport at ebb-tidal deltas based on their volumetric growth: Application to the Guadiana (Spain–Portugal border)

Current techniques assessing longshore sediment transport rates have large uncertainties, pleading for the development of alternative and complementary approaches. The present study proposes a method to estimate the decadal average rate of longshore transport at modern ebb-tidal deltas based on a sediment budget analysis of the outer shoal growth. This transport is obtained as the balance of the other contributions to the shoal with the total sediment input rate obtained from an inverse application of the inlet reservoir model. The method is applied to the Guadiana ebb-tidal delta, yielding an average longshore sediment transport rate (~85 000 m3 year⁻¹) in good agreement with expectations for the region. It is exemplified that this decadal averaged rate can be used to improve longshore sediment transport expressions in order to study its variability over shorter time scales. At the Guadiana, the yearly longshore sediment transport from the improved formula ranges from ~25 000 m³ (westward) to ~245 000 m³ (eastward) and is related to the North Atlantic Oscillation index. Overall, the proposed method constitutes an alternative tool to constrain the average longshore sediment transport rate over decades in the vicinity of tidal inlets. It is applicable to ebb-tidal deltas where the outer shoal growth (from an early to a mature stage) is well documented by bathymetric maps, and where the main transport pathways towards the outer shoal can be specified. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Water temperature modelling: comparison between the generalized additive model,logistic, residuals regression and linear regression models

Water temperature has a significant influence on aquatic organisms, including stenotherm fish such as salmonids. It is thus of prime importance to build reliable tools to forecast water temperature. This study evaluated a statistical scheme to model average water temperature based on daily average air temperature and average discharge at the Sainte-Marguerite River, Northern Canada. The aim was to test a non-parametric water temperature generalized additive model (GAM) and to compare its performance to three previously developed approaches: the logistic, residuals regression and linear regression models. Due to its flexibility, the GAM was able to capture some of the nonlinear response between water temperature and the two explanatory variables (air temperature and flow). The shape of these effects was determined by the trends shown in the collected data. The four models were evaluated annually using a cross-validation technique. Three comparison criteria were calculated: the root mean square error (RMSE), the bias error and the Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient of efficiency (NSC). The goodness of fit of the four models was also compared graphically. The GAM was the best among the four models (RMSE = 1.44°C, bias = ?0.04 and NSC = 0.94).     

Abrupt axial variations along the slow to ultra-slow spreading centers of the northern North Fiji Basin (SW Pacific): Evidence for short wave heterogeneities in a back-arc mantle

This study presents results of surveys conducted along the slow to ultra-slow spreading axis of the Northern North Fiji Basin (NNFB), including the Hazel Holmes, Tripartite and South Pandora Ridges, and the newly discovered Futuna and North Cikobia spreading centers. Spreading segments along these axes display highly contrasted axial morphologies, ranging from a rift valley to a prominent axial high. In some places, abrupt inversions of topography are observed between neighboring segments. Detailed analyses of bathymetry and backscatter maps reveal that axial highs are spotted with numerous coalescent volcanoes forming features ranging from irregular terrains to well-organized ridges. The volcanic edifices are distributed over a wide neovolcanic zone, which corresponds to the axial relief, suggesting on important contribution of volcanism to the relief construction. Comparisons between various ridge-shaped segments reveal that axial volcano-tectonic patterns are directly related to the local magma production and delivery, in a context of tectonic extension related to plate divergence, and suggest that coalescent volcanoes are fed from multiples short-lived and unconnected magma lenses. In the competition between horizontal and vertical accretion of oceanic crust, the spreading centers of the NNFB represent a special case where lava production is locally high enough and spreading rate is low enough to allow prominent axial highs to develop. The along axis morphologic variability is related to intermittent volcanic activity that may result from rapid temporal and spatial variations in the distribution of upper mantle convection cells below accretion centers, superimposed on the regional thermal anomaly located under the whole basin.     

Study of the spatial and historical distribution of sediment inorganic contamination in the Toulon bay (France)

This study presents trace elements levels in surface and deep sediments of the Toulon bay (SE France) subjected to anthropogenic inputs (navy base, harbors, etc.). The studied elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn) are defined as priority contaminants in aquatic systems. Fifty-five points scattered on the entire bay were sampled, allowing the determination of contaminants distribution with a high resolution. Several approaches were used to assess the degree of contamination and the potential toxicity of the Toulon bay sediments: comparison to the French legislation, surface-weighted average metal concentrations, enrichment factors (EF), geoaccumulation indices (Igeo), trace element stock calculation and comparison to sediment quality guidelines. A principal component analysis was performed to reveal common behavior of the studied contaminants. Results demonstrated the very high contamination of the small bay, especially in Hg (EF up to 1500), Cu, Pb and Zn, with export to the large bay further governed by hydrodynamics.     

Physical models of magmatic intrusion during thrusting

To investigate how magma rises through the brittle upper crust in a context of compressional tectonics, we have performed experiments on scaled physical models. Powdered silica (having a cohesion of 300 Pa and an angle of internal friction of 38°) was used to represent brittle crust. A vegetable oil (with a Newtonian viscosity of 10^?2 Pa·s at 50 °C) was used to represent magma. A moving piston shortened the models in a box, while oil was injected steadily at the base. On cooling to room temperature, the oil solidified. The resulting intrusions were thin sills, dykes and laccoliths. Their shapes and emplacement modes depended on the ratio R between rates of shortening and injection. From shapes and orientations of intrusions, we infer that hydraulic fracturing was one mechanism of emplacement. Unconsolidated intrusions strongly influenced thrust formation. On the basis of our experiments, we suggest that magmas in orogenic belts can rise along thrust faults.