Study of Seismic Clusters at Bahía de Banderas Region,Mexico

The coast in the state of Jalisco and south of Nayarit is located within a region of high seismic potential, increasing population, and tourism development. This motivated Civil Defense authorities of Jalisco and the Universidad de Guadalajara to launch in the year 2000 the assessment of the seismic risk of the region. This work focuses in the seismicity study of the area of Bahía de Banderas and northern coast of Jalisco, which is actually a seismic gap. We perform an analysis of available seismograms to characterize active crustal structures, their relationship to surface morphology, and possible extent of these structures into the bay shallow parts. The data consist of waveforms recorded during 2003 when the seismograph network spanned the region. Our method is based on the identification of seismic clusters or families using cross-correlation of waveforms, earthquake relocation and modeling of fault planes. From an initial data set of 404 located earthquakes, 96 earthquakes with M_L < 3.6 are related to 17 potentially active continental structures. We present fault plane model for 11 structures. A subgroup of 7 structures is aligned parallel to the Middle America Trench, as a possible consequence of oblique subduction. The foci of the earthquakes were grouped into clusters corresponding to fault dimensions of hundred of meters, may be considered as asperities or barriers in tectonic structures with lengths between 10 and 30 km. These structures could generate shallow earthquakes with magnitudes between 5.0 and 6.0 and represent an additional seismic threat to the region.     

On the estimation of the maximum depth of investigation of transient electromagnetic soundings: the case of the Vizcaino transect,Mexico

We test an approach proposed in the literature for estimating the maximum depth of investigation (MDI) of in-loop transient electromagnetic soundings (TEM) with data from the Vizcaino transect, a profile of 38 TEM soundings crossing the Baja California peninsula. The validity of this approach is confirmed by comparing the MDI with the deepest interface of 16 stratified models. In these soundings, all located over the Vizcaino basin, the measured data are not affected by induced polarization. The models indicate the presence of a dipping conductor interpreted as a zone of seawater intrusion with a large lateral extension of over 70 km. The remaining 22 soundings, located over igneous and metamorphic rocks, show reversals in the voltage polarity, indicating the presence of induced polarization effects. The layered Cole-Cole models for these soundings suggest a significant decrease in the MDI. This is confirmed by analyzing the depth behavior of the subsurface current densities. We further analyze the noise level of a data set comprising close to 2000 late-time voltages of about 400 TEM sites acquired in northwestern Mexico. No difference was found between the stationary noise levels of winter and summer, presumably because near thunderstorms are practically absent in this part of Mexico.     

Modélisation de l'incertitude sur les séquences futures de débits en rivière

Résumé

Le problème de la gestion du risque en ressources hydriques, tout comme celui de la gestion de réservoirs, est un problème de décision sous incertitudes, dont la qualité des solutions est extrêmement sensible à la façon dont la stochasticité des apports est prise en compte. Cet article propose une méthode pour modéliser l'incertitude sur les apports à court terme en fonction de la période de l'année. Pour cela, un modèle paramétrique markovien à temps continu, basé sur le processus de Poisson filtré, est construit et estimé grâce à des observations régulièrement espacées dans le temps puis validé sur trois stations hydrométriques situées au Québec (Canada). Les points étudiés sont sa capacité à représenter correctement les transitions de débits et ses performances en tant que prédicteur de la valeur à venir du débit. Ce dernier aspect est comparé à celui du modèle ARMA saisonnier. Les résultats montrent un bon comportement du modèle sur chacun de ces deux points.     

Calcul des pluies et débits classés sur le bassin du Bani (Mali): une approche de la vulnérabilité des ouvrages et de la population depuis la sécheresse

Résumé Dans un contexte de changement climatique, les dimensionnements d'ouvrages hydrauliques peuvent avoir un rôle crucial dans une évaluation de la vulnérabilité. Ainsi, on calcule avec les données les plus récentes possibles la pluie journalière maximale annuelle de période de retour donnée (10, 20 et 100 ans) sur 51 stations ainsi que les débits de projet pour six stations sur le bassin versant du Bani au Mali (129 000 km²). Pluies et débits sont calculés avec une méthode utilisant les L-moments et en découpant le bassin en régions climatiques homogènes. Une formule empirique d'évaluation du débit décennal est enfin réévaluée, considérant la baisse importante des débits maximaux depuis 1970. Les valeurs trouvées soulignent l'importance du choix de la période, puisque quelques années peuvent faire varier de façon importante les valeurs classées.     

DISCONTINUITY OF DISCHARGE OF UKRAINIAN RIVERS

Synopsis

The application of mathematical models for simulating the processes of the hydrological cycle is considered and the results of applying a translated version of the stanford watershed model to the River Clyde in Scotland are presented.     

Effet auto-épurateur de la lithologie des affleurements géologiques dans un climat semi-aride: cas du bassin versant de l'Oued Mellègue (Nord-Ouest de la Tunisie)

Résumé

Le Nord-Ouest de la Tunisie renferme plus que 81% des eaux de surface et 95% des mines et gîtes miniers. Le bassin versant de l'Oued Mellègue, situé dans cette zone, englobe 13 mines de plomb, zinc, fer, strontium, fluor, barium et phosphates. L'impact des rejets de ces mines sur les eaux de surface a été apprécié grâce à plusieurs compagnes d’échantillonnage. Les résultats d'analyse par ICP/MS de ces échantillons montrent qu'ils renferment des quantités non négligeables d'Al, As, B, Ba, Br, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Sr, U et de Zn. L'analyse des ces éléments dans les eaux du Mellègue, de ses affluents et dans la retenue de Nebeur montre que leurs concentrations sont inférieures aux normes d'eau potable. Ce comportement pourrait être dû à la nature des affleurements géologiques formés par des carbonates des argiles et des évaporites, à l'absence de cours d'eau drainant directement les rejets, à la formation de minéraux secondaires caractérisés par une importante rétention des métaux et à l’étendue des bassins versants non pollués.     

The role of GPR techniques in determining ice cave properties: Peña Castil ice cave,Picos de Europa

The structure and ice content of ice caves are poorly understood. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) can provide useful insights but has only rarely been applied to ice caves. This paper interprets GPR images (radargrams) in terms of internal structure, stratification, compaction, thickness and volume of the ice block in the Peña Castil ice cave (Central Massif of Picos de Europa, northern Spain), providing the endokarst geometry of the ice cave in GPR data reflections. Eight radargrams were obtained by applying a shielded ground‐coupled antenna with a nominal frequency of 400 MHz. Although the radargrams do not depict the ice–basal bedrock interface, they suggest that the ice block is at least 54 m deep and similarly thick. Some curved reflection signatures suggest a potential vertical displacement in the block of ice, and thus certain dynamics in the ice body. Other images show numerous interbedded clasts and thin sediment layers imaged as banded reflections. In this particular cave a direct visual inspection of the ice stratigraphy is a difficult task but GPR provides clear reflectivity patterns of some of its internal features, making GPR a suitable instrument for this and future studies to achieve a better and broader understanding of the internal behavior of ice caves.     

Iron Distribution in Size‐Resolved Aerosols Generated by UV‐Femtosecond Laser Ablation: Influence of Cell Geometry and Implications for In Situ Isotopic Determination by LA‐MC‐ICP‐MS

The influence of ablation cell geometry (Frames single‐ and HelEx two‐volume cells) and laser wavelength (198 and 266 nm) on aerosols produced by femtosecond laser ablation (fs‐LA) were evaluated. Morphologies, iron mass distribution (IMD) and ⁵⁶Fe/⁵⁴Fe ratios of particles generated from magnetite, pyrite, haematite and siderite were studied. The following two morphologies were identified: spherules (10–200 nm) and agglomerates (5–10 nm). Similarity in IMD and ablation rate at 198 and 266 nm indicates similar ablation mechanisms. ⁵⁶Fe/⁵⁴Fe ratios increased with aerodynamic particle size as a result of kinetic fractionation during laser plasma plume expansion, cooling and aerosol condensation. The HelEx cell produces smaller particles with a larger range of ⁵⁶Fe/⁵⁴Fe ratios (1.85‰) than particles from the Frames cell (1.16‰), but the bulk aerosol matches the bulk substrate for both cells, demonstrating stoichiometric fs‐LA sampling. IMD differences are the result of faster wash out of the HelEx cell allowing less time for agglomeration of small, low‐δ ⁵⁶Fe particles with larger, high‐δ ⁵⁶Fe particles in the cell. Even with a shorter ablation time, half the total Fe ion intensity, and half the ablation volume, the HelEx cell produced Fe isotope determinations for magnetite that were as precise as the Frames cell, even when the latter included an aerosol‐homogenising mixing chamber. The HelEx cell delivered a more constant stream of small particles to the ICP, producing a more stable Fe ion signal (0.7% vs. 1.5% RSE for ⁵⁶Fe in a forty‐cycle single analysis), constant instrumental mass bias and thus a more precise measurement.     

Impact ejecta and carbonate sequence in the eastern sector of the Chicxulub crater

The Chicxulub 200 km diameter crater located in the Yucatan platform of the Gulf of Mexico formed 65 Myr ago and has since been covered by Tertiary post-impact carbonates. The sediment cover and absence of significant volcanic and tectonic activity in the carbonate platform have protected the crater from erosion and deformation, making Chicxulub the only large multi-ring crater in which ejecta is well preserved. Ejecta deposits have been studied by drilling/coring in the southern crater sector and at outcrops in Belize, Quintana Roo and Campeche; little information is available from other sectors. Here, we report on the drilling/coring of a section of der="0">34 m of carbonate breccias at 250 m depth in the Valladolid area (120 km away from crater center), which are interpreted as Chicxulub proximal ejecta deposits. The Valladolid breccias correlate with the carbonate breccias cored in the Peto and Tekax boreholes to the south and at similar radial distance. This constitutes the first report of breccias in the eastern sector close to the crater rim. Thickness of the Valladolid breccias is less than that at the other sites, which may indicate erosion of the ejecta deposits before reestablishment of carbonate deposition. The region east of the crater rim appears different from regions to the south and west, characterized by high density and scattered distribution of sinkholes.