On the individual calibration of hailpads

This paper is a comparative study between the two most common hailpad calibration systems: one annual calibration of a whole consignment of material, and the individual calibration of each plate after a hailfall. Individual calibration attempts to minimize errors due to differences in sensitivity to the impact of hailstones between plates from the same consignment, or due to differences in the inking process before the actual measurement.The comparison was carried out using calibration data from the past few years in the hailpad network in south-western France, and data from an individual calibration process on material provided by the hailpad network in Lleida (Spain). The same type of material was used in the two cases.The results confirm that the error in measuring hailstone sizes is smaller in the case of an individual calibration of hailpads than when one single calibration process was carried out for a whole consignment. The former is approximately 80% of the latter. However, this error could have been higher if it had not been the same person carrying out the single calibration process and the measuring of the dents: it has been found that differences in the inking process may account for up to 20% of the error in the case of small hailstones. Calibration errors affecting other variables, e.g. energy or parameter λ of the exponential size distribution are generally higher (5% and 18%, respectively) than errors due to the spatial variability of the hailstones. However, the calibration method does not influence the maximum size, since the relative error attributed to the spatial variability is about 8 times the calibration error.In conclusion, if errors in determining energy or parameter λ are to be reduced to a minimum, it is highly advisable to be consistent in applying the measuring procedure (if possible with the same person carrying out the measurements all the time), and even to use individual calibration on each plate, always bearing in mind that technicians have to be trained appropriately in order to achieve the highest possible degree of uniformity.     

Dynamic dyke propagation deduced from tilt variations preceding the March 9, 1998, eruption of the Piton de la Fournaise volcano

During the hour preceding the March 9, 1998, eruption of the Piton de la Fournaise volcano, the deformation network of the Observatory recorded some large deformations in the summit area. A broadband seismic station of the GEOSCOPE global network, RER, is located about 8 km away from the summit of the volcano. Signals from that station may be interpreted as tilt changes. The combination of the above two kinds of signals allows, by using a tensile fault model, to constrain the geometry as well as some characteristics (volume, propagation velocity) of the dyke that intruded the summit area during the hour preceding the beginning of eruptive activity.     

Does carbon finance make a sustainable difference? Hydropower expansion and livelihood trade‐offs in the Red River valley,Yunnan Province,China

The Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is a carbon credit trading scheme intended to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and promote ‘sustainable development’. Hundreds of CDM‐sponsored hydroelectric dams have been constructed in southwest China's Yunnan Province, where carbon finance contributes substantial financial incentives to hydropower expansion. This article investigates whether riparian Handai farmers settled near the Madushan hydropower plant on the Chinese section of Red River have experienced positive outcomes from this project's participation in the CDM. I assess how Handai individuals' access to core livelihood assets has been modified following dam completion and probe how the CDM reconfigures scalar relations among the various stakeholders involved in hydropower governance in Yunnan. Though the CDM facilitates hydropower expansion, it fails to produce development that is more sustainable than ‘business as usual’ from a local perspective. Rather, the CDM consolidates hydropower governance in the same way as it unfolded in Yunnan before the province became an active participant in this scheme. The CDM also facilitates a national development campaign fostering specific socio‐economic modernization patterns in China's western provinces.     

A new probabilistic approach to estimating marine gastropod densities from baited traps

A new probabilistic approach is proposed to assess muricid species population abundances at scales relevant to both Ancient and Modern coastal fisheries. Motivated by the long‐term goal of reconstructing the dynamics of exploited murex populations during Antiquity, the objective was to estimate the population density of the banded dye‐murex, Hexaplex trunculus (Linnaeus, 1758) from successive captures with baited traps, using a method similar to the technique employed in the Mediterranean purple dye industry. The stochastic model developed simulates cumulative captures while accounting for high variability. It was calibrated with data acquired during a field trapping experiment (Crete Island, Greece). Traps’ catchability and Effective Area of Attraction (EAA) were estimated using the individual speed and behavioural response towards bait from laboratory experiments. Average density of H. trunculus was estimated as 2.2 ± 1.4 SE individuals per square metre, with no significant differences between seagrass and rocky habitats. The clearing time of successive capture experiments averaged 84 ± 6 SE hr. Clearing ca. 0.4 ha of subtidal area would be necessary to produce ca. 1.0 g of pure Tyrian purple pigment. The method described is generalizable to making population abundance estimates for similar groups, such as whelks, in modern fisheries.     

Interaction between a surface quasi-geostrophic buoyancy filament and an internal vortex

This paper focuses on the nonlinear interaction between a surface quasi-geostrophic buoyancy filament and an internal vortex. We first revisit the stability of an isolated buoyancy filament. The buoyancy profile considered is continuous and leads to a continuous velocity field, albeit one with infinite shear just outside its edge. The stability properties of an isolated filament help to interpret the unsteady interaction with a sub-surface (internal) vortex studied next. We find that, in all cases, the filament breaks into billows, analogous in form to those occurring in Kelvin–Helmholtz shear instability. For intense buoyancy filaments, the vortex itself may undergo strong deformations, including being split into several pieces. Generally, the nonlinear interaction causes both the filament and the vortex to lose their respective “self”-energies to the energy of interaction. The flow evolution depends sensitively on whether the vertical vorticity of the filament and the vortex have the same or opposite signs – termed “cooperative” and “adverse” shear respectively. In cooperative shear, the filament rolls up into a coherent surface eddy above a vortex initially placed below it, whereas in adverse shear, buoyancy is expelled above the vortex. Although sufficiently great shear induced by the buoyancy filament may split the vortex in both cases, adverse shear is significantly more destructive.     

Influence of damage on pore size distribution and permeability of rocks

The model proposed in this article relates permeability to porosity measurements that can easily be performed in the laboratory. The pore size distribution (PSD) curve is updated with strains and damage. The updated volumetric fractions of natural pores and cracks are introduced in the expression of permeability. Contrary to classical permeability models based on PSD integrations, the model proposed in this article accounts for possible changes in the porosity modes: one mode for undamaged samples and two modes for cracked samples. The proposed approach also accounts for varying states of damage, as opposed to classical fracture network models, in which the cracks pattern is fixed. The only material parameters that are required to describe the microstructure are the lower and upper bounds of the pores size for both natural pores and cracks. All the other PSD parameters involved in the model are related to macroscopic parameters that can easily be determined in the laboratory, such as the initial void ratio. The framework proposed in this article can be used in any damage constitutive model to determine the permeability of a brittle porous medium. Drained triaxial compression tests have been simulated. Before cracks initiation, permeability decreases while the larger natural pores are getting squeezed. After the occurrence of damage, permeability grows due to the increase of cracks density. The model performs well to represent the influence of the confining pressure on damage evolution and permeability variations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Single Column Sequential Extraction of Ra,Nd, Th,Pa and U from a Natural Sample

A new procedure allowing the sequential extraction of Ra, Nd, Th, Pa and U from the same initial natural sample (sea or river waters, particles, sediments, rocks) is proposed. Extraction recoveries were better than 90%. Procedural blanks ranged from 80 pg (for Nd) to below 1 fg, the detection limit of the MC‐ICP‐MS used (for Pa); all were negligible compared with the amounts of elements currently determined. Based on classical anionic resins attached to a peristaltic pump allowing precise flow rate control, this procedure allowed a consequent reduction of the sample size, which improved the sampling resolution and reduced the sampling cost. It also ensured a better consistency of the samples for the five tracers.     

Effects of slope angle and aspect on plant cover and species richness in a humid Mediterranean badland

Soil erosion is one of the most severe land degradation processes in the Mediterranean region. Although badlands occupy a relatively small fraction of the Mediterranean area, their erosion rates are very high. Many studies have investigated to what extent vegetation controls soil erosion rates. This study, however, deals with the impact of erosion on vegetation establishment. In semi‐arid badlands of the Mediterranean, soil water availability constitutes the main limiting factor for vegetation development. As a consequence, south‐facing slopes are typically less vegetated due to a very large water stress. However, these findings do not necessarily apply to humid badlands. The main objective of this paper is to determine the topographic thresholds for plant colonization in relation to slope aspect and to assess the spatial patterns of vegetation cover and species richness. We surveyed 179 plots on highly eroded badland slopes in the Central Pyrenees. We defined four aspect classes subdivided into slope angle classes. Colonization success was expressed in terms of vegetation cover and species richness. Slope angle thresholds for plant colonization were identified for each slope aspect class by means of binary logistic regressions. The results show that a critical slope angle exists below which plants colonize the badland slopes. Below this critical slope angle, plant cover and species richness increase with a decreasing slope angle. The largest critical slope angles in humid badlands are observed on south‐facing slopes, which contrasts with the results obtained in semi‐arid badlands. North‐facing slopes however are characterized by a reduced overall vegetation cover and species richness, and lower topographic threshold values. The possible underlying processes responsible for this slope‐aspect discrepancy in vegetation characteristics are discussed in terms of environmental variables that control regolith development, weathering and erosion processes. Moreover, possible restoration strategies through the use of vegetation in highly degraded environments are highlighted. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Holocene circum-Mediterranean vegetation changes: Climate forcing and human impact

The Mediterranean climate and its variability depend on global-scale climate patterns. Close correlations appear when comparing Holocene palaeoenvironmental data (lake levels, fluvial activity, Mediterranean surface temperature and salinity, marine sedimentation) with the main stages of the history of the circum-Mediterranean vegetation. They indicate an evolution of the Mediterranean biome controlled by the climate and emphasize the teleconnections between the climate of the Mediterranean area and the global climatic system. In the circum-Mediterranean area, the Holocene can be divided into three periods: a lower humid Holocene (11 500–7000 cal BP) interrupted by dry episodes; a transition phase (7000–5500 cal BP) during which occurred a decrease in insolation as well as the installation of the present atmosphere circulation in the northern hemisphere; and an upper Holocene (5500 cal BP—present) characterized by an aridification process. Throughout the Holocene, humans used and modified more or less strongly the environment but the climatic changes were the determining factors of the evolution of the Mediterranean biome. Societies had to adapt to natural environmental variations, their impact on the environment increasing the ecological consequences of the global changes.     

Clay mineral assemblages of Mesozoic pelagic and flysch sediments of the Lombardian Basin (Southern Alps): implications for palaeotectonics,palaeoclimate and diagenesis

Clay mineral assemblages determined by X-ray diffraction, in the Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous hemipelagic/pelagic sediments and in the Upper Cretaceous flysch sequences of the Lombardian Basin (Southern Alps) record tectonic and possibly climatic changes in the source areas and to a lesser extent, alterations during burial diagenesis.In the hemipelagic/pelagic sediments exposed in the Breggia valley in southern Switzerland, the clay fraction is dominated by illite and smectite and seems not to be altered much by burial diagenesis. The varied clay mineral assemblages of the Liassic sediments result from intense erosion of emergent source areas exposed during early rifting phases. A distinction between smectite-rich limestones and illite-rich marls in these syn-rift to early post-rift sediments could reflect short-term climatic fluctuations or, alternatively, a preferential replacement of smectite by illite during incipient burial diagenesis in the marls. The predominantly smectitic composition of the clay fraction in the upper Middle Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous sediments documents gentle erosion of smectite-rich soils developing under a warm and seasonally humid climate on a relatively stable distant source area.In the Aptian, an increase in illite in the clay fraction of the hemipelagic Scaglia Lombarda Group points to an increased detrital influx from emergent source areas. This influx is related to the onset of orogenic movements along the Austroalpine/South Pennine active margin, resulting in Middle Cretaceous flysch sedimentation in the Austroalpine realm.Increasing influx from emergent continental crust is reflected by the high amounts of illite and chlorite in the Upper Cretaceous flysch sequences of the eastern Brianza area. However, the high amounts of chlorite in limestone turbidites in the lower part of the flysch sequence (Pontida Formation, Turonian) suggest transformation of smectite to chlorite under conditions of burial diagenesis. In the younger flysch deposits (Bergamo Flysch, Upper Santonian-Campanian) detrital clay minerals are preserved. The occurrence of kaolinite and smectite beside illite and minor chlorite suggests intense weathering and less relief during deposition of the Bergamo Flysch.

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Zusammenfassung Röntgendiffraktometrisch bestimmte Tonmineral-Assoziationen in den jurassisch-unterkretazischen hemipelagischen und pelagischen Sedimenten sowie in den Oberkreide-Flyschen des Lombardischen Beckens der Südalpen erlauben wichtige Rückschlüsse über tektonische und eventuell klimatische Änderungen in den Liefergebieten sowie, in etwas geringerem Maße, über Veränderungen während der Uberlagerungs-Diagenese.Die vorwiegend illitisch-smektitische Tonfraktion der hemipelagisch/pelagischen Sedimente der Breggia-Schlucht (Tessin, Süd-Schweiz) scheint wenig verändert durch die Überlagerungs-Diagenese. Die stark variable Zusammensetzung der Tonfraktion der liassischen Sedimente deutet auf eine intensive Erosion der während des frühen Riftings herausgehobenen Liefergebiete. Eine Differenzierung zwischen Smektit-reichen Kalken und Illitreichen Mergeln in den syn- und frühen post-rift-Sedimenten des Lias deutet auf kurzfristige klimatische Fluktuationen (Milankovitch-Zyklen) oder auf einen Ersatz von Smektit durch Illit während der beginnenden Überlagerungs-Diagenese in den Mergeln. Die hauptsächlich smektitische Zusammensetzung der Tonfraktion in den mittel-jurassischen bis unter-kretazischen Sedimenten weist auf eine weniger intensive Erosion Smektit-reicher Böden in relativ stabilen, weit entfernten Liefergebieten mit einem warmen und saisonal humiden Klima.Eine deutliche Zunahme der Sedimentationsraten und des Illits in der Tonfraktion der hemipelagischen Scaglia Lombarda belegt einen zunehmenden detritischen Einfluß vom Aptian an. Dieser detritische Einfluß läßt sich mit dem Einsetzen orogener Heraushebung längs des aktiven Kontinentalrandes an der Süd-Penninikum/Ostalpin-Grenze in Verbindung bringen, da er mit Flysch-Ablagerungen in Süd-Penninikum und Ostalpin zeitlich zusammenfällt.Eine zunehmend detritische Schüttung aus kontinentalen kristallinen Liefergebieten läßt sich in den Illit- und Chlorit-reichen Tonmineral-Assoziationen der Oberkreide-Flysche der östlichen Brianza (Provinz Como, Nord-Italien) erkennen. Die hohen Chlorit-Konzentrationen in Kalk-Turbiditen im unteren Teil der Flysch-Abfolge (Pontida-Formation, Turonian) lassen hingegen eher eine diagenetische Umwandlung von Smektit in Chlorit vermuten. In den jüngeren Flysch-Ablagerungen (Bergamo-Flysch, Oberes Santonian bis Campanian) läßt sich die ursprüngliche detritische Tonmineral-Vergesellschaftung noch erkennen. In dieser Formation deutet das Vorkommen von Kaolinit und Smektit neben Illit und wenig Chlorit auf eine intensive Verwitterung und ein kleineres Relief im Hinterland.

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Résumé Les minéraux argileux des formations jurassiques et crétacées du Bassin Lombard (Alpes méridionales) sont étudiés par diffraction des rayons X. Les variations des cortèges argileux des sédiments pélagiques et des flyschs du Crétacé supérieur résultent de modifications tectoniques, climatiques et dans une moindre mesure d'évolutions diagénétiques liées à l'enfouissement.L'illite et la smectite dominent très largement les assemblages minéralogiques dans les sédiments pélagiques et hémipélagiques étudiés dans les gorges de la Breggia (Tessin, Suisse méridionale). L'influence de la diagenèse d'enfouissement paraît modérée et les assemblages argileux très diversifiés des formations liasiques reflètent une érosion active des zones continentales au début du rifting. Dans les formations syn-rift alternantes calcaire-marne, la fraction argileuse des marnes est systématiquement enrichie en illite par rapport à celle des calcaires. Ces relations entre minéralogie des argiles et lithologie résultent soit de fluctuations climatiques, soit d'une illitisation préférentielle des smectites dans les intervalles marneux.A partir du Jurassique moyen et supérieur et jusqu'au Barrémien inclus, la fraction argileuse des sédiments est très smectitique. Elle reflète l'érosion superficielle de sols riches en smectites développés sous climat chaud à humidité saisonnière contrastée sur des domaines continentaux aplanis et probablement très éloignés. A l'Aptien, les apports illitiques importants traduisent, le long de la marge active Austroalpine/Sud Pennique, le début de mouvements orogéniques responsables du dépôt des flyschs dans le domaine Austro-alpin.Dans les faciès flysch du Crétacé supérieur de la Brianza orientale, les apports d'illites et de chlorites s'accordent avec l'augmentation de l'érosion sur les domaines continentaux. Cependant, l'influence d'une diagenèse d'enfouissement est attestée en particulier par les très fortes proportions de chlorites présentes dans les turbidites calcaires (Pontida formation, Turonien). Dans les dépôts de flysch plus récents (Bergamo flysch, Santonien-Campanien), les minéraux argileux détritiques sont mieux préservés. La présence systématique de kaolinite et de smectite suggère le développement d'une altération continentale importante sur des reliefs moins marqués par rapport aux périodes plus anciennes du Crétacé supérieur.

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