Interpreting maps through the eyes of expert and novice users

The experiments described in this article combine response time measurements and eye movement data to gain insight into the users' cognitive processes while working with dynamic and interactive maps. Experts and novices participated in a user study with a ‘between user’ design. Twenty screen maps were presented in a random order to each participant, on which he had to execute a visual search. The combined information of the button actions and eye tracker reveals that both user groups showed a similar pattern in the time intervals needed to locate the subsequent names. From this pattern, information about the users' cognitive load could be derived: use of working memory, learning effect and so on. Moreover, the response times also showed that experts were significantly faster in finding the names in the map image. This is further explained by the eye movement metrics: experts had significantly shorter fixations and more fixations per second meaning that they could interpret a larger part of the map in the same amount of time. As a consequence, they could locate objects in the map image more efficiently and thus faster.     

A thermal model for the origin of post-erosional alkalic lava, Hawaii

The model of lithospheric thinning and reheating for the origin of the Hawaiian swell assumes that the lower lithosphere (> 60 km) is rapidly reset to an asthenospheric temperature as it passes over the hot spot. It is shown that this heat input induces melting in a few kilometer thick layer of lithosphere just above the thermal anomaly. By solving the appropriate energy equation, the mean degree of melting in the molten layer was estimated to be 1–5% with a total melt thickness of 25–150 m. The minimum width of the thermal anomaly required to account for the observed rate of post-erosional eruptions is of the order of 10–40 km which is probably satisfied. The melt generated by this process matches the petrological and geochemical characteristics of Hawaiian post-erosional lava and their typical MORB-related isotopic signature. Because small degrees of melting are involved, the extraction time scale is long (a few million years) and is consistent with the time span of post-erosional eruptions. Also, the characteristic sequence of Hawaiian volcanism can be explained if the source for Hawaiian lava is considered as a molten layer with melt fraction decreasing upward.     

Submesoscale vortex structures at the entrance of the Gulf of Lions in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea

The meanders of a baroclinic coastal current in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea have already been reported in the literature. These meanders can be surrounded by vortices. Such vortices have been observed in the western part of the Gulf of Lions but the location and the mechanism of their formation are poorly documented. In this paper, we use the current measurements of a one-year experiment, which was conducted in the eastern part of the Gulf of Lions to detect and characterize the vortex activity. A vortex detection algorithm based on few velocity data was developed. Current measurements were available at the sea surface (HF radars) and in the water column from 50 to 140 m depth (four current meter moorings). SST images and hydrologic data were also used. Results focus on observations that are coherent 50 m and at the surface. Vortices are anticyclonic, of submesoscale size and present maximal velocities of 30–50 cm/s. The drift speed of the vortices is comparable to but less than the velocity of the Northern Current. These observations enable to estimate the minimum vortex occurrence in this area. The presence of vortex structures is strongly correlated with a specific sequence of wind patterns.     

The impact of future climate change on West African crop yields: What does the recent literature say?

In West Africa, agriculture, mainly rainfed, is a major economic sector and the one most vulnerable to climate change. A meta-database of future crop yields, built up from 16 recent studies, is used to provide an overall assessment of the potential impact of climate change on yields, and to analyze sources of uncertainty.Despite a large dispersion of yield changes ranging from −50% to +90%, the median is a yield loss near −11%. This negative impact is assessed by both empirical and process-based crop models whereas the Ricardian approach gives very contrasted results, even within a single study. The predicted impact is larger in northern West Africa (Sudano-Sahelian countries, −18% median response) than in southern West Africa (Guinean countries, −13%) which is likely due to drier and warmer projections in the northern part of West Africa. Moreover, negative impacts on crop productivity increase in severity as warming intensifies, with a median yield loss near −15% with most intense warming, highlighting the importance of global warming mitigation.The consistently negative impact of climate change results mainly from the temperature whose increase projected by climate models is much larger relative to precipitation change. However, rainfall changes, still uncertain in climate projections, have the potential to exacerbate or mitigate this impact depending on whether rainfall decreases or increases. Finally, results highlight the pivotal role that the carbon fertilization effect may have on the sign and amplitude of change in crop yields. This effect is particularly strong for a high carbon dioxide concentration scenario and for C3 crops (e.g. soybean, cassava). As staple crops are mainly C4 (e.g. maize, millet, sorghum) in WA, this positive effect is less significant for the region.     

A precipiton‐based approach to model hydro‐sedimentary hazards induced by large sediment supplies in alluvial fans

Mountain ranges are frequently subjected to mass wasting events triggered by storms or earthquakes and supply large volumes of sediment into river networks. Besides altering river dynamics, large sediment deliveries to alluvial fans are known to cause hydro‐sedimentary hazards such as flooding and river avulsion. Here we explore how the sediment supply history affects hydro‐sedimentary river and fan hazards, and how well can it be predicted given the uncertainties on boundary conditions. We use the 2D morphodynamic model Eros with a new 2D hydrodynamic model driven by a sequence of flood, a sediment entrainment/transport/deposition model and a bank erosion law. We first evaluate the model against a natural case: the 1999 Mount Adams rock avalanche and subsequent avulsion on the Poerua river fan (West Coast, New Zealand). By adjusting for the unknown sediment supply history, Eros predicts the evolution of the alluvial riverbed during the first post‐landslide stages within 30 cm. The model is subsequently used to infer how the sediment supply volume and rate control the fan aggradation patterns and associated hazards. Our results show that the total injected volume controls the overall levels of aggradation, but supply rates have a major control on the location of preferential deposition, avulsion and increased flooding risk. Fan re‐incision following exhaustion of the landslide‐derived sediment supply leads to sediment transfer and deposition downstream and poses similar, but delayed, hydro‐sedimentary hazards. Our results demonstrate that 2D morphodynamics models are able to capture the full range of hazards occurring in alluvial fans including river avulsion aggradation and floods. However, only ensemble simulations accounting for uncertainties in boundary conditions (e.g., discharge history, initial topography, grain size) as well as model realization (e.g., non‐linearities in hydro‐sedimentary processes) can be used to produce probabilistic hazards maps relevant for decision making. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hybrid simulation of a multi‐span RC viaduct with plain bars and sliding bearings

This paper deals with the seismic response assessment of an old reinforced concrete viaduct and the effectiveness of friction‐based retrofitting systems. Emphasis was laid on an old bridge, not properly designed to resist seismic action, consisting of 12 portal piers that support a 13‐span bay deck for each independent roadway. On the basis of an OpenSEES finite element frame pier model, calibrated in a previous experimental campaign with cyclic displacement on three 1:4 scale frame piers, a more complex experimental activity using hybrid simulation has been devised. The aim of the simulation was twofold: (i) to increase knowledge of non‐linear behavior of reinforced concrete frame piers with plain steel rebars and detailing dating from the late 1950s; and (ii) to study the effectiveness of sliding bearings for seismic response mitigation. Hence, to explore the performance of the as built bridge layout and also of the viaduct retrofitted with friction‐based devices, at both serviceability and ultimate limit state conditions, hybrid simulation tests were carried out. In particular, two frame piers were experimentally controlled with eight‐actuator channels in the as built case while two frame piers and eight sliding bearings were controlled with 18‐actuator channels in the isolated case. The remaining frame piers were part of numerical substructures and were updated offline to accurately track damage evolution. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Trial Embankment Analysis to Predict Smear Zone Characteristics Induced by Prefabricated Vertical Drain Installation

In this study, FLAC finite difference software has been adopted to simulate the performance of the ground improved using prefabricated vertical drains assisted preloading, considering smear zone characteristics. The numerical code has been applied to predict smear zone properties employing a back calculation procedure using the results of several case studies. The construction of a trial embankment is proposed as a reliable method to predict the smear zone characteristics. The proposed back calculation method is applied to estimate the minimum required degree of consolidation and consequently the minimum required preloading time, resulting in a reliable estimation of the smear zone permeability and extent. Three preloading case studies considering both conventional preloading and vacuum assisted preloading have been simulated to verify the numerical code and to conduct the parametric study using the back calculation procedure. According to the results, the properties of the smear zone can be back-calculated reliably, when at least 33 % degree of consolidation due to trial embankment construction is achieved.     

The South Eastern Durance fault permanent network: Preliminary results

The Durance fault area is located in South EasternFrance. This fault system is characterized byhistorical earthquakes (one every century, since 1509,with a magnitude between 5.0 and 5.3). This is theonly fault in France with such a periodic historicalseismic activity. In order to study an active fault ina moderate seismic context, the IPSN (Institute forNuclear Safety and Protection) decided to install apermanent network in 1992, surrounding the fault area.Such a permanent seismic network has been installed inthe french Pyrenees in the Arette area (Gagnepain etal., 1980). While the Arette network covers a regionaffected by several major faults, our network isdevoted to the study of the specific Durance fault.Major historical earthquakes are clearly associatedwith this structure. From an instrumental point ofview, few earthquakes have been recorded since 1962with the national network. Our network shows a smallseismic activity, with the epicenters well alignedalong the fault direction. Moreover, focal mechanismscomputed for two events agree with the regionalmicrostructural studies (Cushing et al., 1997).Finally, a study of the shear wave splittingunderlines preferential S wave polarization for twostations. The H/V ratio on noise microtremors has beencomputed for each station in order to check theirpositions in term of site effects. It does not exhibitany amplification effect (except for two stations).The comparisons with H/V ratio on earthquake datasetshow the important biases we can obtain with realearthquakes.