Evolution of water quality in the abandoned iron mines of Lorraine: towards a semi-distributed modelling approach

In Lorraine, flooding of the iron mines leads to a degradation of groundwater quality. Based on a global approach, a numerical simulator has been built that can reproduce and predict the evolution of water quality at the overflow point of the mining basin. In order to specify the spatial distribution of these pollutant concentrations, a new model has been developed. The basin is represented as a network of homogeneous reservoirs. Although encouraging, the results show the need to specify the spatial organisation of water flow in order to reproduce the pollutant concentrations in the different monitored wells. To cite this article: P. Collon et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).     

Prévision saisonnière du volume de crue du Fleuve Sénégal: utilisation des résultats du modèle ARPEGE Climat

Résumé

Le soutien de la crue annuelle du Fleuve Sénégal par le Barrage multi-objectifs de Manantali nécessite de fin août à début octobre de fortes lâchures qui peuvent grever la production hydroélectrique de l'ouvrage. Pour faciliter la programmation de cet objectif par estimation du stock disponible dans le réservoir en fin de mousson, on cherche à prévoir en août le volume de crue naturel du fleuve de septembre—octobre à partir d'index d'anomalies pluviométriques calculés fin juillet pour ces deux mois par le modèle ARPEGE Climat. Après analyse en composantes principales de ces index produits sur un maillage de 300 × 300 km couvrant l'Afrique de l'Ouest, on détermine une zone de 1200 × 1200 km décalée à l'est du bassin où les vecteurs propres des index sont reliés au débit naturel de septembre—octobre par une régression linéaire à cinq paramètres (R ² = 0.651). Cette relation statistique calée sur la période 1979–2000 est validée sur la période 2001–2005.     

Population biology and recruitment of a vulnerable sea cucumber,Stichopus herrmanni,on a protected reef

Populations of tropical sea cucumbers, harvested for bêche‐de‐mer, are in a perilous state of conservation, yet there remains a paucity of information on the biology of many harvested species. We examined the population biology of the commercially important curryfish, Stichopus herrmanni, across 2 years on Heron Reef, a protected zone in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) Marine Park. Stichopus herrmanni, a species recently listed as vulnerable to extinction, is a major target species for the fishery operating in the GBR. The size class distribution and density of S. herrmanni were documented for six sites across Heron Reef. There was distinct spatial variation in the size and density of S. herrmanni across sites, with no significant difference between the 2 years. The smallest individuals found were 10 cm long, some of the only juvenile S. herrmanni documented in nature. Juvenile and sub‐adult populations were found along the leeward reef edge of Heron Reef, a habitat characterized by shallow channels of sand between inter‐tidal coral reef and crustose coralline algae (CCA). Juvenile nurseries of sea cucumbers are rarely observed in nature, making this an important observation for understanding the recruitment and population biology of S. herrmanni. The presence of juveniles in the consolidated CCA habitat each year in autumn following the summer spawning period, and the absence of small individuals several months later in spring, suggests an ontogenetic migration or displacement of these individuals to adult habitat. The distribution of larger S. herrmanni suggests intra‐reef connectivity and migration into deeper lagoon areas. This study contributes to understanding the population dynamics of this vulnerable species, a consideration for fisheries management in light of increasing global harvest.     

Simultaneous Determination of Major and Trace Elements in Fused Volcanic Rock Powders Using a Hermetic Vessel Heater and LA‐ICP‐MS

Fused glass prepared without the addition of a flux is generally more homogeneous than a pressed powder pellet and thus ideal for analysis of bulk samples by LA‐ICP‐MS. In this work, a new glass‐making method using a boron nitride crucible was developed to prepare homogenous glass samples from silicate rock powder. The apparatus consisted of a small boron nitride vessel with net volume of about 34 mm³ and two molybdenum strips. Applying the summed metal oxide normalisation technique, both major and trace element contents in the fused glass were measured by LA‐ICP‐MS. Analyses of five geochemical reference materials (spanning the compositional range basalt–andesite–rhyolite) indicated that the measured SiO₂, Al₂O₃ and P₂O₅ contents matched the preferred values to within 5%, and the other major elements generally matched the preferred values to within 8%. Except for the transition metals, the measured trace element contents generally matched the preferred values to within 10%. Compared with the iridium heater method developed by Stoll et al. (2008), element volatilisation during high‐temperature melting was effectively suppressed in our method, but metal segregation caused by reduction of BN may cause loss of Cr, Ni and Cu. Although analysis with a large spot size has the advantage of improving counting statistics, matrix effects induced by mass loading of the ICP may hamper the accurate determination of some elements.     

La compression pré-campano-maastrichtienne dans le Mésozoïque des Andes de Bolivie : l’exemple de Tica Tica (20°01’lat. S et 66°17’ long. W)

Résumén

Dans la Cordillère Orientale des Andes de Bolivie, le Mésozoïque est eonservé le plus souvent dans des synclinaux discontinus, fréquemment chevauchés par des écailles de Paléozoïqne. Les sédiments mésozoïques, marins et continentaux de plateforme d’arrière-arc, ont jusqu’à présent été considérés comme déposés en régime extensif. Ils recouvrent en discordance le Paléozoïque plissé et l’aillé à l’Hercynien et, postérieurement, profondément érodé avant la sédimentation mésozoïque. Des paléofailles majeures N-S, NW-SE et NE-SW, héritées de structurations antérieures, ont influencé l’évolution géodynamique du bassin mésozoïque depuis la lin du Jurassique.

Dans la partie méridionale de la Cordillère Orientale, la région de Tica Tica présente de nombreux indices de serrage synsédimentaire depuis le début des dépôts mésozoïques jusqu’à la discordance campano-maastriehtienne (phase « péruvienne »). Le domaine de la Cordillère Orientale, avant-pays du bassin d’arrière-arc chiléno-péruvien, peut être ainsi interprété comme un secteur en compression sur lequel les transgressions successives, au Cénomanien, au Turonien et au Campano-Maastrichtien. soulignent divers instants d’un processus pratiquement continu de déformation.

Pendant le Tertiaire, les chevauchements andins réactivent les accidents majeurs préexistants : ils en inversent le mouvement, ou les déforment, ou bien les utilisent comme zones de coulissage. Ainsi, contrairement à ce qui a pu être proposé, le raccourcissement de la chaîne des Andes boliviennes, initié à la fin du Jurassique et faisant intervenir des fractures profondes, implique une participation, non seulement de la totalité de la pile séilimeutaire, mais très vraisemblablement aussi de son substratum précambrien comme c’est le cas dans le Nord-Ouest argentin.     

Determination of Platinum‐Group Elements in Geological Samples by Isotope Dilution‐Inductively Coupled Plasma‐Mass Spectrometry Combined with Sulfide Fire Assay Preconcentration

A method was developed for the determination of platinum‐group elements (PGE) in geological samples by isotope dilution‐inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry combined with sulfide fire assay preconcentration. Samples were fused and PGE analytes were concentrated in sulfide buttons. The buttons were dissolved using HCl leaving PGE analytes in insoluble residues, which were digested in HNO₃ and simultaneously processed for the distillation of Os. The remaining solutions were further prepared for the purification of Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir and Pt using a tandem assembly of cation and Ln resin columns. The eluents were directly analysed by membrane desolvation‐ICP‐MS. Ruthenium, Pd, Os, Ir and Pt were determined by isotope dilution, whereas Rh was determined by conventional reference material calibration combined with ¹⁹³Ir as the internal standard element. The method was validated using a series of PGE reference materials, and the measurement data were consistent with the recommended and the literature values. The measurement precision was better than 10% RSD. The procedural blanks were 0.121 ng for Ru, 0.204 for Rh, 0.960 ng for Pd, 0.111 ng for Os, 0.045 ng for Ir and 0.661 ng for Pt, and the limits of detection (3s) were 0.011 ng g^?1 for Ru, 0.008 ng g^?1 for Rh, 0.045 ng g^?1 for Pd, 0.009 ng g^?1 for Os, 0.006 ng g^?1 for Ir and 0.016 ng g^?1 for Pt when a test portion mass of 10 g was used. This indicates that the proposed method can be used for the determination of trace amounts of PGE in geological samples.     

伸展作用序列及其深部背景: 以晚中生代以来鲁西隆起和济阳坳陷为例

露头区野外地质调查、隐伏区地质与地球物理资料研究表明,晚中生代-新生代鲁西隆起区和济阳坳陷区正断层发育,包括陡倾斜的控凹边界断层和缓倾斜的滑脱断层两类,两者构成伸展滑脱半地堑,且滑脱构造在隆起北部和坳陷南部最发育。K Ar和FT测年结果指示伸展断层的发育时间为176~103 Ma、67～49 Ma和42～25 Ma 3个时期。隆起区、坳陷区陡断层分别在中地壳22 km 和15 km左右变平,成为拆离滑脱断层。构造物理模拟表明,在伸展＋塑性物质上涌机制下隆起区和坳陷区正断层均具有由南向北的发育极性,大致对应中侏罗世-早白垩世、古新世-早始新世、中始新世-渐新世3个发育阶段,且伴随控凹断层发育的同时,断块掀斜引起滑脱断层同步发育。层析成像表明中生代早期扬子板块沿作为转换断层的郯庐断裂以近EW向与华北板块俯冲的残留体可能导致晚中生代地幔物质上涌,新生代地幔上涌则可能与太平洋板块与欧亚板块俯冲及印欧板块碰撞的远程效应有关。研究区正断层受控于地幔物质上涌+伸展作用,以齐河-广饶断层为界呈前展式分别由南向北发育,并控制着坳陷区油气的形成、运聚和分布向北迁移。     

Space–time variability of the Plata plume inferred from ocean color

Satellite ocean color and surface salinity data are used to characterize the space–time variability of the Río de la Plata plume. River outflow and satellite wind data are also used to assess their combined effect on the plume spreading over the Southwestern South Atlantic continental shelf. Over the continental shelf satellite-derived surface chlorophyll-a (CSAT) estimated by the OC4v4 SeaWiFS retrieval algorithm is a good indicator of surface salinity. The log (CSAT) distribution over the shelf presents three distinct modes, each associated to: Subantarctic Shelf Water, Subtropical Shelf Water and Plata Plume water. The log (CSAT) 0.4–0.8 range is associated with a sharp surface salinity transition across the offshore edge of the Plata plume from 28.5 to 32.5. Waters of surface salinity <31, derived from mixtures of Plata waters with continental shelf waters, are associated to log (CSAT)>0.5. In austral winter CSAT maxima extend northeastward from the Plata estuary beyond 30°S. In summer the high CSAT waters along the southern Brazil shelf retreat to 32°S and extend south of the estuary to about 37.5°S, only exceeding this latitude during extraordinary events. The seasonal CSAT variations northeast of the estuary are primarily controlled by reversals of the along-shore wind stress and surface currents. Along-shore wind stress and CSAT variations in the inner and mid-shelves are in phase north of the estuary and 180° out of phase south of the estuary. At interannual time scales northernmost Plata plume penetrations in winter (∼1200 km from the estuary) are associated with more intense and persistent northeastward wind stress, which in the period 2000–2003, prevailed over the shelf south of 26°S. In contrast, in winter 1999, 2004 and 2005, characterized by weaker northeastward wind stress, the plume only reached between 650 and 900 km. Intense southwestward plume extensions beyond 38°S are dominated by interannual time scales and appear to be related to the magnitude of the river outflow. The plume response to large river outflow fluctuations observed at interannual time scales is moderate, except offshore from the estuary mouth, where outflow variations lead CSAT variations by about 2 months.     

胡安·德·富卡洋中脊(Juan de Fuca Ridge)上拉斑玄武岩的研究

该岩样系太平洋东北部胡安·德·富卡洋中脊上底拖所取得的岩石样品,其表面具有黑色玻璃质,由表面向下逐渐过渡为晶质。 对该岩样的化学成分做了较全面的(化学、X光、红外光谱、电镜等)分析。其化学成分虽与大洋拉斑玄武岩的平均值相近似,但Ca、Mg略高于大洋拉斑玄武岩的平均值;而Si,K含量又稍低于大洋拉斑玄武岩。表明该岩石系地幔岩浆分异早期溢出而成的。其主要矿物成分是拉长石和普通辉石,其中拉长石占斑晶的70—80％左右。 镜下研究表明该岩石从顶面到底部可被划分成若干层次,并具有气孔的存在,表明该岩石系水下溢出而生成的。 电子探针分析发现Cu、Co、Ni三元素在冷却玻璃质部份的含量较结晶主体部份的含量为高,而Rb、Sr、Cs三元素在岩石冷却边部份与结晶主体中的含量上没有什么显著的差别。 根据扫描电镜和电子探针的微区元素分析研究,结晶表明铁镁硅酸盐先结晶,随后结晶的为基性斜长石。     

Classical and New Procedures of Whole Rock Dissolution for Trace Element Determination by ICP‐MS

Sample digestion is a critical stage in the process of chemical analysis of geological materials by ICP‐MS. We present a new HF/HNO₃ procedure to dissolve silicate rock samples using a high pressure asher system. The formation of insoluble AlF₃ was the major obstacle in achieving full recoveries. This was overcome by setting an appropriate digestion temperature and adding Mg to the samples before digestion. Sodium peroxide sintering was also investigated and the inclusion of a heating step to the alkaline sinter solution improved the recoveries of thirteen elements other than the lanthanides. The results of these procedures were compared with data sets generated by common acid decomposition techniques. Forty‐one trace elements were determined using an ICP‐QMS equipped with a collision cell. Under optimum conditions of gas flow and kinetic energy discrimination, polyatomic interferences were eliminated or attenuated. The measurement bias obtained for eight reference materials (BCR‐2, BHVO‐2, BIR‐1, BRP‐1, OU‐6, GSP‐2, GSR‐1 and RGM‐1) and intermediate precision (RSD) were generally better than ± 5%. The expanded measurement uncertainties estimated for two certified reference materials were mostly between 7 and 15%. New data sets for the reference materials are provided, including constituents with previously unavailable values and also for the USGS candidate reference material G‐3.