Geometry and kinematics of early Alpine nappes in a Briançonnais basement (Ambin Massif,Western Alps)

Petrological and structural observations from the Ambin pre-alpine basement dome and from its Briançonnais and Piedmont covers show an early D1 nappe-forming event overprinted by a major D2 (+?D3) ductile shearing deformation. The D1 event is characterised by garnet-blueschist facies metamorphic assemblages retrogressed to greenschist facies conditions during D2 then D3 stages near the top of the dome. North-verging D1 structures preserved in the core of the dome are consistent with alpine evolutionary models, in which exhumation of HP–LT metamorphic alpine rocks occurs initially in a north–south direction. To cite this article: J. Ganne et al., C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

Les surfaces boisées à l'échelle de la planète : usages conjoints pour la séquestration du carbone et la production d'énergie

The role of forest ecosystems in the regulation of greenhouse effect at the global scale is developed here, from two points of view, sometimes considered as opposed: carbon storage and wood production for energy. A nomenclature is proposed to understand all the various mechanisms implied in carbon storage. A comparison is made between the effects on carbon emissions of storage alone and storage with wood fuel production. Use of wood energy is proved to be a ‘bonus’ that could optimise, in the middle and long terms, the use of fossil fuel reserves. To cite this article: A. Prieur et al., C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

Eaux fortement minéralisées et circulations profondes dans le socle. Exemple des Alpes franco-italiennes

The presence in the French–Italian Alps of several springs characterized by a high sodium–chloride content, depleted in oxygen-18, tritium free and with low carbon-14 activity, is well known. The geological, hydrological, and geochemical studies in progress for the new high-speed railway tunnel crossing the French–Italian Alps, show, in the drilled boreholes at a mean elevation of 700 masl, the presence of brines. Brines appear to be the basis of the geological, structural, and hydrodynamic systems, and fill the largest faults and the main tectonic contacts. The brines squeezed by tectonic activity, are mobilised at depth by freshwaters from the surface. To cite this article: G.-M. Zuppi et al., C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

Activité du gaz radon dans l'air du sol et sismicité locale : exemple du bassin de l'Arax (Arménie)Radon soil-gas concentrations and local seismicity: case of the Arax basin (Armenia)

A survey of soil gas radon concentrations has been carried out at three sites, in the seismic area of Armenia, from 1996 to 1999. The seismicity generates opposed behaviours at the different sites. This heterogeneity is related to the sites locations in the tectonic frame. An increase of radon concentration occurs inside the tectonic micro-blocks during local seismic activity. On the contrary, an abrupt co-seismic decrease is recorded close to the fault area. These variations can be due to ‘pore-collapse’ phenomena which expulse the pore-gas and increases Rn concentration in soil at intra-blocs sites, but also to pore-elastic deformations and microfracturing modifications in the fault area. To cite this article: K. Kharatian et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 179–185.     

Thermicité et déformation de la marge continentale dans le Sud de la Tasmanie (Australie) : résultats préliminaires d'une analyse par traces de fission et d'une étude microstructuraleFission track reconnaissance of the thermal and tectonic settings of the South Tasman rise

We present and discuss a few fission track data, and microstructural observations, from rock samples dredged along the western and southwestern continental margin of Tasmania. The results allow assessing the thermal and tectonic regimes that were active prior to and during the margin creation. The different ages, as provided by fission tracks, and deformational styles, as evidenced from microstructures, are then tentatively correlated with the two main rifting episodes, in Late Jurassic–Cretaceous times and Eocene–Oligocene respectively, deduced from kinematical reconstructions, that have led to the present- day southern margin of Tasmania. To cite this article: M. Sélo et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 59–66     

Electrochemical properties of solids at the aqueous–solid interface and heterogeneity of surfacePropriétés électrochimiques des solides à l'interface solide–eau et hétérogénéité de surface

In aqueous medium, solid surfaces are in general electrically charged. The induced electrical and chemical properties govern numerous phenomena, such as colloidal stability or transport of pollutants. Numerous industrial processes make use of these properties. The understanding of the underlying mechanisms at molecular level is of high importance in order to predict and master the behaviour of dispersed matter in the environment and in industrial processes. The present paper shows the evolution of theories and experimental methods, their recent developments and applications. To cite this article: F. Thomas et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 633–648.     

Hydrogeological investigation in the Mekong Delta around Ho-Chi-Minh City (South Vietnam) by electric tomographyInvestigation hydrogéologique dans le delta du Mékong,autour de la ville de Ho-Chi-Minh (Sud-Vietnam), par tomographie électrique

In the Mekong Delta (South Vietnam), the agglomeration of Ho-Chi-Minh (HCM) City, with more than 5 million inhabitants, is confronted with a dramatic shortage of fresh water supply because of the pollution of several aquifers at different depths. The electric tomography, obtained by concurrent inversion of two complementary geoelectrical methods, the Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) and the Magneto-Telluric Sounding (MTS), turned out to be very efficient to provide a complete electrical image of the underground from the surface until about 800 m depth. This methodology constitutes a very cheap guide for the evaluation of the quality of the groundwater resources in the vast alluvial plain of the Mekong Delta. To cite this article: V.N. Pham et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 733–740.     

Une Microflore du Barrémien dans la Province de Valencia,Espagne

A Barremian microflora is recorded in the terrigenous facies (Weald) of the Lower Cretaceous in the northern region of the Province of Valencia (Spain), these beds have been poorly dated up to now due to the absence of fossils. The Villar del Arzobispo microflora correspond unquestionably to the Barremian-Aptien period, but the numerical importance of derived forms from the Jurassic, the remarkable variety of forms of Cicatricosisporites, and the rareness of pollen of Angiosperms, indicate a Barremian age to be more likely.This discovery permits us to establish the stratigraphical relationship of this terrigenousfacies of Villar del Arzobispo with the dated “Weald” of other areas of the Iberian Chain and to give a complete chrono-stratigraphical interpretation to the different litho-stratigraphical units that constitute the Lower Cretaceous of this region.     

Origin of Dissolved Groundwater Sulphate in Coastal Plain Sediments of the Rio de la Plata, Eastern Argentina

Groundwater of the coastal plain of the Rio de La Plata, Argentina,contains up to 17 g L^-1 SO₄ and 37 gL^-1 TDS. Some of this SO₄ is from paleo-seawater intrusion; however, SO₄ : Cl ratios can be>2 : 1, and most of the SO₄ must, therefore, have another source. Three possible sources were investigated: gypsum, organic matter,and iron sulphides. Dissolved SO₄ showed δ³⁴S valuesfrom -7 to 0‰, typical values for S from iron sulphides or organicmatter, but distinct from that of seawater (+22‰). To test whetherthe SO₄ was derived from oxidation of reduced S, four 4-mcores were taken from marine sediments of the coastal plain. Two were takenfrom higher, drier areas where the highest dissolved SO₄values were encountered, and two were taken from lower, wetter areas thathad much lower SO₄ concentrations. Pore waterSO₄, Cl and alkalinity were determined; solids were analyzedfor SO₄, sulphide-S and organic-S. Sulphide-S was the dominant form of reduced S, averaging about0.5% S in the lower interval (2.5–4 m) of the cores. Sulphidewas absent in the upper 2.5 m in both topographically higher and lowerareas. Sulphate was present in the entire unit in the higher, drier areas,but almost absent in lower areas. Organic-S was insignificant. Our model for the origin of dissolved SO₄ is: fine-grainedpyrite was oxidized during hotter or drier periods. Some resulting dissolvedSO₄ was precipitated as gypsum. Iron from the pyriteprecipitated as FeOOH. Lower, wetter areas formed over time where recharginggroundwater dissolved most of the gypsum. In higher areas with low hydraulicgradients and high net evapotranspiration, SO₄ remained asgypsum and in the dissolved phase. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

基于小波变换去除遥感图像非高斯条纹噪音方法探讨

遥感图像的条纹噪音,不但影响图像的判读,而且时图像的后续处理影响较大.利用常规处理软件去噪,在去除条纹的同时,也去除了图像的细节纹理,相当于降低了图像的几何分辨率;使用小波阈值去噪方法,效果欠佳.文章使用小波反阈值方法,不仅去除了图像上的条纹噪音,而且对图像的细节纹理不产生目视效果上的影响,达到了较好的效果.