Atténuation de l'intensité macrosismique pour la France métropolitaine : importance de l'intensité épicentrale

The main result of this work is to show that macroseismic intensity decay with distance strongly depends on the epicentral intensity. An attenuation law that takes this parameter into account is proposed for Metropolitan France, from the analysis of SISFRANCE macroseismic database. Such a model significantly reduces the difference between observed and theoretical intensities. A map of the attenuation variations is also set up for Metropolitan France. No major site effects are observed, but at a broad scale, young Alpine regions display a stronger attenuation than old Hercynian regions. To cite this article: P. Arroucau et al., C. R. Geoscience 338 (2006).     

A high resolution relative paleointensity record from the Gerlache-Boyd paleo-ice stream region, northern Antarctic Peninsula

Herein we document and interpret an absolute chronological dating attempt using geomagnetic paleointensity data from a post-glacial sediment drape on the western Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf. Our results demonstrate that absolute dating can be established in Holocene Antarctic shelf sediments that lack suitable material for radiocarbon dating. Two jumbo piston cores of 10-m length were collected in the Western Bransfield Basin. The cores preserve a strong, stable remanent magnetization and meet the magnetic mineral assemblage criteria recommended for reliable paleointensity analyses. The relative paleomagnetic intensity records were tuned to published absolute and relative paleomagnetic stacks, which yielded a record of the last ∼8500 years for the post-glacial drape. Four tephra layers associated with documented eruptions of nearby Deception Island have been dated at 3.31, 3.73, 4.44, and 6.86 ± 0.07 ka using the geomagnetic paleointensity method. This study establishes the dual role of geomagnetic paleointensity and tephrochronology in marine sediments across both sides of the northern Antarctic Peninsula.     

Characterization of cristobalite in ash and dome rock from the Soufriere Hills volcano, Montserrat： Implications for respiratory health hazards

A link between the inhalation of respirable silicas （SiO2） and respiratory diseases such as silicosis is widely recognized. Ash from dome collapse eruptions on Montserrat has been found to contain high levels （〉20%） of silicas in the form of cristobalite, tridymite, quartz and/or amorphous silica. The toxicity of these silica polymorphs varies widely. Cristobalite and quartz （tridymite less well established） are viewed as carcinogenic to humans whereas amorphous silica generally shows a reduced biological response. In assessing the potential health effects of volcanic ash particulates it is vital to determine the types and concentration of silicas as well as their size （respirable fraction）, shape and surface properties. The aim of this study is to develop methods to assess potentially toxic respirable airborne silicas in the dome collapse ash （applicable to a range of ash types） and to develop a model to predict the levels and types of respirable silicas from future eruptions. The model is being developed by comparing dome rock with related ash from a series of previous eruption events. Mineralogical assessment using conventional scanning X-ray diffraction （XRD） was hampered by difficulties in differentiating characteristic peaks for cristobalite and tridymite in complex multi-component ash samples （containing high levels of plagioclase）. These difficulties have been largely overcome using an Enraf-Nonius PDS120 diffractometer with curved （120 degrees 20） position sensitive detector （PSD）. The determination of size, shape and elemental characteristics of ash particulate and dome rock samples has been carried out using automated analytical scanning electron microscopy. The quantification of mineral proportions using PSD-XRD was highly successful with an accuracy of 1 to 2 wt%. However, the determination of phase proportions using automated analytical SEM was problematic due to scattering effects and the multiphase nature of many of the particles.     

In situ time resolved synchrotron powder diffraction study of thaumasite

Structural changes during dehydration and subsequent decomposition in thaumasite Ca₃Si(SO₄)(CO₃)(OH)₆·12 H₂O were studied by in situ synchrotron powder diffraction between 303 and 1,098 K. Evolution of the crystal structure was observed through 28 structure refinements, by full profile Rietveld analysis performed in the P6₃ space group, between 300 and 417 K, whereupon the thaumasite structure was observed to breakdown. Within this temperature range, the cell parameters of thaumasite increased as a function of temperature in a nearly linear fashion up to about 393 K, at which temperature, a slight slope change was observed. Above 400 K, the thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the dehydration process proceeded very rapidly while the refined occupancy of water molecules dropped below a critical level, leading to instability in the thaumasite structure. At a same time, a remarkable change in the unit cell parameters occurring at about 417 K indicated that the crystal structure of thaumasite collapsed on losing the crystallization water and it turned amorphous. This result indicated that the dehydration/decomposition of thaumasite was induced by the departure of the crystallization water. At about 950 K, anhydrite and cristobalite crystallized from the thaumasite glass.     

Alteration, evaluation and use of extremaduran granite residues

The necessity of eliminating debris from a granite quarry has awakened an interest in applications of by-products, called “marginal arids”, in different fields, like construction and foundations for roadways, restoration, material for the manufacture of artificial rocks, and artesian products etc. Conclusions obtained from the results of tests carried out by X-ray diffraction of granite quarry by-products in Extremadura, Spain, submitted to different treatments, are established. Test pieces from two quarries are analyzed and compared generally and specifically, for commercial use. Finally, conclusions relating to essays in test pieces and mineral dynamics of marginal arid granite are exposed.     

The effect of composition and cation ordering on the compressibility of columbites up to 7 GPa

The unit-cell parameters of two columbite samples along the (Fe,Mn)Nb₂O₆ solid solution were measured by means of high-pressure single-crystal X-ray diffraction up to pressures of 7 GPa. The compressional behaviour of these minerals was studied as a function of composition and degree of order. The P–V data of all the samples were fitted with a third-order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state. For the two samples with different compositions but identical degree of order the substitution of Mn for Fe causes a decrease of the bulk modulus K _T0, from 153(1) to 146(1) GPa, without any effect on the pressure first derivative K′. For the two samples with the same composition, cation ordering causes an increase of the bulk modulus from 149(1) to 153(1) GPa and of the pressure first derivative from 4.1(2) to 4.8(3). The compressional behaviour is anisotropic with a linear axial compressibility scheme β _b > β _c ≥ β _a for all samples, regardless of composition and degree of order. Such anisotropy increases sligthly with increasing Mn content.     

Regional disparity in the changes of agricultura land use intensity in China during 1980-2002

Based on the cost-benefit data （1980-2002） of farm products and China Agriculture Yearbooks, this paper studies the regional disparity in the changes of the agricultural land use in China during the period 1980-2002 from three aspects such as the degree of intensity, the sown area and the abandoned farmland. The results show that： （1） The degree of intensity of land use in the westena region during 1980-2000 has a strong uptrend, but in the eastern and central regions the degree of intensity descends obviously and has shown a continuous downtrend since 1997. （2） The total sown area shrinks notably in the eastern region, while it enlarges constantly in the western region. （3） The sown area in the eastern, central and western regions has gone through a similar cyclic process： down （1980-1985）-up （1985-1991）-down （1991-1994）-up （1994-1999）-down （1999-2002）. However, there are obvious differences in amplitude variation and tendency among them. The sown area has shrunk in the eastern region and expanded in the central and western regions especially before 1999. （4） The most cases of abandoned farmland are reported in the central region, the second in the eastern region and the least in the western region. The abandonment phenomena chiefly occurred during 1992-1995 in the eastern region, and during 1998-2002 in the central region.     

小岩头滑坡稳定性分析

小岩头滑坡位于贵州省威宁县二(连浩特)河(口)高速公路K255 010~K255 240里程右侧,属一个大型古滑坡,发育于二叠系上统峨嵋山组玄武岩(P2β)地层中。在高速公路施工中对路堑进行深挖削坡,可能导致古滑坡中部、线路右侧斜坡失稳破坏,发生滑坡。因此,滑坡稳定性评价是重大工程地质问题之一。根据大量勘察试验资料,系统地揭示了滑坡的特征,分析了滑坡形成的控制因素、成因和形成机制,建立了滑坡体稳定性计算模型,利用反演计算法进行稳定性分析与评价,认为两滑体均处于滑动失稳状态。建议对滑坡体进行处理,采用排水、支挡、减压等措施进行整治。     

利用激光强度信息分类激光扫描测高数据

三维机载激光扫描测高数据中不仅含有每个激光脚点的位置和高程信息，而且越来越多的系统同时能提供激光脚点回波信号的强度信息。不同反射面介质对激光信号的反射特性不一样．用实测的数据对激光回波信号的强度信息进行统计标定，并基于标定结果．实现了联合激光强度信息和高程信息进行分类的算法．获得了较为满意的结果。     

微量相X射线衍射定量分析的一种简便方法

阐述了关于微量相X射线衍射定量分析的一种简便方法———近似线性关系法,它适用于二相体系(或基体吸收系数基本恒定的多相体系)材料中微量相的定量分析。该方法不需要在待测样品中加入参考物相,分析时仅需对一条衍射线进行测定,因而分析时间很短,其测定结果与实际含量的相对误差为-10.2%～ 21.4%,与外标法和内标法的测量结果的精度相当。