Mediterranean Sea and anthropogenic influences on ambient vibration amplitudes in the low-frequency and high-frequency domains in the Algiers region

Ambient vibrations have been continuously recorded at Dar El Beida, about 20 km from Algiers (Algeria). This data set allows determining that, in the low-frequency domain (<1 Hz), ambient vibration sources are mainly linked to Mediterranean Sea effects, while in the high-frequency domain, they are closely related to anthropogenic activity. Climatic conditions have an influence on the ambient vibration spectral amplitudes in the low-frequency domain, which is not the case in the high-frequency domain. The limit between the low-frequency and high-frequency domain, based on natural versus anthropogenic activity, is not clear cut and lies between 1.25 and 1.50 Hz. Variations of H/V peak amplitudes in the low-frequency domain are clearly linked to the climatic conditions. In the high-frequency domain, H/V peaks are not related to climatic conditions and cannot be clearly related to anthropogenic source changes.     

Numerical modeling to predict the spread of landslide of schist’s area under climatic event of Ain El Hammam (Algeria)

The several reactivations of the landslide of Ain El Hammam (AEH) after each important weather event compel us to look closely at its triggering factors and predict its mechanisms and its evolution at the longer term. In this sense, the prediction of the slope behavior becomes necessary. This paper presents a numerical model of the AEH landslide using Plaxis® software. This model considers hydraulic effects such as precipitation and pore pressure even in the unsaturated parts. Soil and rock behaviors are described with proper elasto-plastic models named Hardening Soils and Jointed Rocks. The first model takes into account hardening on isotropic and deviatoric mechanism as well as a non-associated flow rule. The second model considers a non-isotropic elasticity with perfect plasticity along with given sliding directions. The hydraulic and mechanical models are coupled with an effective stress concept. To detect unstable areas in the landslide, we developed a Matlab® program to take into account the Hill’s bifurcation criterion, which is based on sign of the second-order work. It has been proved that this criterion allows detecting all failure modes that can appear in rate-independent materials and especially the ones that develop before the plasticity limit criterion. From such computations, we can predict the shape and position of slip surface responsible of the actual ground movement of the slope. To validate the numerical results, analysis of field measurement is included. We use high resolution of electrical tomography to delineate the geometry and position of failure surface and approve our results.     

Characteristics of the 1912 co-seismic rupture along the North Anatolian Fault Zone (Turkey): implications for the expected Marmara earthquake

Evidence of right‐lateral offsets associated with the 1912 earthquake (M_w 7.4) along the North Anatolian Fault (Gaziköy–Saros segment) allow us to survey (using DGPS) the co‐seismic and cumulative slip distribution. The damage distribution and surface breaks related with the earthquake show an elongated zone of maximum intensity (X MSK) parallel to the fault rupture on land but this may extend offshore to the north‐east and south‐west. Detailed mapping of the fault using topographic maps and aerial photographs indicates the existence of pull‐apart basins and pressure ridges. At several localities, the average 1912 offset along strike is 3.5–4 m and cumulative slip is 2–6 times that of individual movement. The fault rupture geometry and slip distribution suggest the existence of three subsegments with a combined total length of 110–120 km, a fault length and maximum slip similar to those of the 1999 Izmit earthquake. The amount of slip at the north‐easternmost section and in the coastal region of the Sea of Marmara reaches an average 4 m, thereby implying the offshore extension of the 1912 rupture. The results suggest that the 1912 event generated up to 150 km of surface faulting, which would imply a M_w 7.2–7.4 earthquake and which, added with rupture lengths of the 1999 earthquakes, help to constrain the remaining seismic gap in the Sea of Marmara.     

Ion-acoustic rogue waves in a plasma with a q-nonextensive electron velocity distribution

Ion-acoustic rogue waves (IARWs) are addressed in a two-component plasma with a q-nonextensive electron velocity distribution. A weakly nonlinear analysis is carried out to derive a Korteweg-de Vries (K-dV) equation with a particular emphasis on its application to the IARWs. This K-dV equation is transformed to a nonlinear Schr?dinger equation, provided that the frequency of the carrier wave is much smaller than the ion plasma frequency. Interestingly, it is found that the IARWs may be drastically affected by electron nonextensivity depending on whether the entropic index q is positive or negative. In view of the crucial importance of RWs in space environments, our results should be useful in understanding the basic features of the nonextensive IARGs that may occur in space plasmas.     

Two-stage reverse flotation process for removal of carbonates and silicates from phosphate ore using anionic and cationic collectors

Phosphate rock contains various gangue minerals including silicates and carbonates which need to be reduced in content in order to meet the requirements of the phosphate industry. Froth flotation has become an integral part of phosphate concentration process. In this study, double reverse flotation was applied to recover apatite from phosphate ore. H₃PO₄ and CaO were used as phosphate depressants, in acidic and alkaline conditions. Fatty acids and amines were added as carbonate and silicate collectors respectively. An experimental protocol devised to optimize the grade and recovery of phosphate using anionic–cationic method was found effective. Consequently, a required high quality of phosphate concentrate containing 30.1% P₂O₅ was obtained, with a recovery of 94%. X-ray diffraction and optical microscopy studies were performed to define the main minerals.     

Qualité des eaux du cours principal de la Medjerda (Tunisie et Algérie) et trois de ses affluents Nord

Résumé

Une étude a été effectuée dans la zone Nord-Ouest du bassin versant de la Medjerda avec pour objectif de fournir de nouvelles connaissances sur la qualité des eaux ainsi que sur le type de relation qui peut exister entre les variables physico-chimiques, bactériologiques et les indices de diversité/densité de la méiofaune. Les résultats montrent une dégradation de la qualité du cours principal de la Medjerda et de trois de ses affluents Nord (augmentation de la salinité, teneur en nitrate, matière organique, coliformes…). Les indices de diversité et d’équitabilité suivent cette évolution régressive des variables physico-chimiques et apportent de nouvelles connaissances sur le type et la qualité du sédiment.

Editeur Z.W. Kundzewicz ; Editeur associé B. Touaïbia     

Nonplanar ion-acoustic Gardner solitons in a pair-ion plasma with nonextensive electrons and positrons

The properties of nonplanar (cylindrical and spherical) ion-acoustic solitary waves (IA SWs) in an unmagnetized, collisionless electron-positron-ion (e-p-i) plasma, whose constituents are q-distributed electrons and positrons and inertial ions, are investigated by deriving the modified Gardner (MG) equation. The well known reductive perturbation method is employed to derive the MG equation. The basic features of nonplanar IA Gardner solitons (GSs) are discussed. It is found that the properties of nonplanar IA GSs (rarefactive and compressive) are significantly affected by the particle nonextensivity.     

Oxidation modes and thermodynamics of Fe oxyhydroxycarbonate green rust: Dissolution-precipitation versus in situ deprotonation

Fe^II-III hydroxycarbonate green rust GR(CO₃²⁻), Fe^II₄ Fe^III₂ (OH)₁₂ CO₃·3H₂O, is oxidized in aqueous solutions with varying reaction kinetics. Rapid oxidation with either H₂O₂ or dissolved oxygen under neutral and alkaline conditions leads to the formation of ferric oxyhydroxycarbonate GR(CO₃²⁻)∗, Fe^III₆ O₁₂ H₈ CO₃·3H₂O, via a solid-state reaction. By decreasing the flow of oxygen bubbled in the solution, goethite α-FeOOH forms by dissolution-precipitation mechanism whereas a mixture of non-stoichiometric magnetite Fe_(3−x)O₄ and goethite is observed for lower oxidation rates. The intermediate Fe^II-III oxyhydroxycarbonate of formula Fe^II_6(1−x) Fe^III_6x O₁₂ H_2(7−3x) CO₃·3H₂O, i.e. GR(x)∗ for which x ? [1/3, 1], is the synthetic compound that is homologous to the fougerite mineral present in hydromorphic gleysol; in situ oxidation accounts for the variation of ferric molar fraction x = [Fe^III]/{[Fe^II]+[Fe^III]} observed in the field as a function of depth and season but limited to the range [1/3, 2/3]. The domain of stability for partially oxidized green rust is observed in the E_h-pH Pourbaix diagrams if thermodynamic properties of GR(x)∗ is compared with those of lepidocrocite, γ-FeOOH, and goethite, α-FeOOH. Electrochemical equilibrium between GR(x)∗ and Fe^II in solution corresponds to E_h-pH conditions close to those measured in the field. Therefore, the reductive dissolution of GR(x)∗ can explain the relatively large concentration of Fe^II measured in aqueous medium of hydromorphic soils containing fougerite.     

High-order Statistics of Spatial Random Fields: Exploring Spatial Cumulants for Modeling Complex Non-Gaussian and Non-linear Phenomena

The spatial distributions of earth science and engineering phenomena under study are currently predicted from finite measurements and second-order geostatistical models. The latter models can be limiting, as geological systems are highly complex, non-Gaussian, and exhibit non-linear patterns of spatial connectivity. Non-linear and non-Gaussian high-order geostatistics based on spatial connectivity measures, namely spatial cumulants, are proposed as a new alternative modeling framework for spatial data. This framework has two parts. The first part is the definition, properties, and inference of spatial cumulants—including understanding the interrelation of cumulant characteristics with the in-situ behavior of geological entities or processes, as examined in this paper. The second part is the research on a random field model for simulation based on its high-order spatial cumulants. Mathematical definitions of non-Gaussian spatial random functions and their high-order spatial statistics are presented herein, stressing the notion of spatial cumulants. The calculation of spatial cumulants with spatial templates follows, including anisotropic experimental cumulants. Several examples of two- and three-dimensional images, including a diamond bearing kimberlite pipe from the Ekati Mine in Canada, are analyzed to assess the relations between cumulants and the spatial behavior of geological processes. Spatial cumulants of orders three to five are shown to capture directional multiple-point periodicity, connectivity including connectivity of extreme values, and spatial architecture. In addition, they provide substantial information on geometric characteristics and anisotropy of geological patterns. It is further shown that effects of complex spatial patterns are seen even if only subsets of all cumulant templates are computed. Compared to second-order statistics, cumulant maps are found to include a wealth of additional information from underlying geological patterns. Further work seeks to integrate this information in the predictive capabilities of a random field model.     

Report on the Diatoms and Dinoflagellates Distribution along the Algerian Coasts: Inter-Region Comparison

The phytoplankton group’s composition is an excellent indicator of the state of coastal waters. The aim of this study is to explore spatial variability of phytoplankton in shallow coastal areas from different regions (East, Center and West) of the Algerian coast. The quantitative and qualitative study of the phytoplankton population was conducted on samples taken during the 2012-2013 period by the research vessel GRINE BELKACEM. The qualitative results show a significant diversity of diatoms and dinoflagellates, which rank first and second in the total flora (Fr > 50%). This finding is also confirmed quantitatively by the abundance values in both 2013 and 2012 samples which largely exceeds the average value in most other areas of the western region (56%) and slightly exceeding 52% in all central areas which represent an equi-distribution between diatoms and dinoflagellates. The Dinoflagellates contribute significantly to the quantitative richness in the eastern region (>60%). The minimum value of Dia/Dino index, recorded in the eastern region confirms the dominance of the dinoflagellates especially in Skikda (0.31) (Skikda).However, our results reveal the presence, in smaller proportion, of other groups such as the cocolithophoridae and euglenophyceae.