Deformation and metamorphism in the Fenes Nappe (southern Apuseni Mountains,Romania)Déformation et métamorphisme dans la nappe de Fenes (monts Apuseni méridionaux,Roumanie)

The Fenes Nappe belongs to the stack of tectonic units cropping out in the southern Apuseni Mts (Romania). It is characterised by a structural history consisting of two folding phases that developed during the time spanning from Early Aptian to Late Maastrichtian. The D1 phase produced west-northwest-verging, isoclinal to very tight folds, associated to a slaty cleavage. The main metamorphic imprint of the Fenes Nappe is linked to this deformation phase; illite and chlorite ‘crystallinity’ values indicate metamorphic conditions of the late diagenesis, close to the diagenetic zone/anchizone boundary. The subsequent D2 phase produced north-northwest-verging, parallel folds, not associated with synkinematic recrystallisation. These phases are interpreted as developed during a structural path, which includes burial at a depth of 8–10 km, followed by exhumation at shallower structural levels. To cite this article: A. Ellero et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 347–354.     

Caractérisation des variations lithologiques saisonnières des sédiments de la baie de Seine orientale ; impact des crues de la Seine (France)Characterisation of seasonal lithological variations of the superficial sediment in the eastern part of the Bay of Seine: impact of floods Seine River (France)

This paper presents the first results obtained during cruises since 1995 in the southeastern part of the Bay of Seine. New sedimentological data concerning sediment samples, box cores and water column measurements have been obtained recently in the framework of the Research Programme PNEC (French National Coastal Environment Programme). Fine sediments are deposited on form of temporary veneers of fluid-to-soft mud formed during high floods episodes. In the subtidal area (<10 m water depth), mobility of fine sediments is important and temporary mud deposited during high discharge period composes part of the distal estuarine system of the Seine River. To cite this article: S. Garnaud et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 323–330.     

Homogénéisation et validation des corrections de terrain gravimétriques jusqu'à la distance de 167 km sur l'ensemble de la FranceUpdating and validating the French gravity terrain corrections out to a distance of 167 km

For regional and national study purposes, there is a high need for updating the terrain corrections (TC) in the French gravity database. We have recomputed the TC for all the French gravity stations from 50 m out to a distance of 167 km. We compute the TC with a flat-top-prism algorithm and three DEM with grid spacing of 50, 250 and 1000 m, used in the zones 53 m/3 km, 3 km/10 km et 10 km/167 km, respectively. Analysing the DEM/station Δz and comparing our results to the ones previously obtained in the Alps area, we estimate the accuracy of our TC to be better than 1 mGal. To cite this article: G. Martelet et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 449–454.     

Peut-on évaluer le rôle de la sédimentation sur l'effet de serre à l'échelle de temps des cycles orbitaux ?Can the role of sedimentation in the greenhouse effect at the time scale of orbital cycles be evaluated?

The evolution of the atmospheric CO₂ content is partly a response to the lack of balance between oceanic sedimentation and continental weathering, because the oceanic C reservoir tends to balance net inputs or losses from slow processes by rapid exchanges with the atmospheric reservoir. This response strongly depends on both amplitudes and time scales of the related processes. At Milankovitch or lower time scales, global models generally do neglect organic matter fossilisation, but such an assumption is only valid for oligotrophic systems. In eutrophic or mesotrophic systems, organic matter is not negligible and should be considered relatively to the carbonate sedimentation in order to know whether the impact of the sedimentation was a source or a sink for atmospheric CO₂. To cite this article: P. Bertrand, C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 521–528.     

High-pressure,low-temperature metamorphism in Alpujarride Units of southeastern Betics (Spain)Métamorphisme de haute pression et basse température dans les unités Alpujarrides du Sud-Est de la cordillère Bétique (Espagne)

We present the first occurrences of high-pressure, low-temperature ferro-magnesiocarpholite-bearing mineral assemblages associated to quartz segregations in the Alpujarride units of southeastern Betics (Sierra de Almagro, Sierra de los Pinos and Sierra Cabrera). Thermobarometric results show that the carpholite-bearing rocks underwent the same P–T conditions in the three outcrops, i.e. 8–10 kbar, 350–400 °C. Metamorphic and structural data allow us to conclude that these rocks belong to the same Alpujarride unit. In the Sierra de Almagro, tectonic units with carpholite-bearing rocks overlie low-pressure, low-temperature Alpujarride units, then forming a stack with an inverted tectono-metamorphic sequence, as observed in the central and western part of the Alpujarride complex. The preservation of carpholite-bearing assemblages in these rocks implies that no significant temperature increase occurred during the exhumation history. To cite this article: G. Booth-Rea et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 857–865.     

Natural minerals and divided solids: methodology for understanding surface phenomena related to industrial uses and environmental problems

This introductory paper aims at presenting the series of articles in this special issue of Comptes Rendus Geoscience devoted to the study and use of natural minerals. The research methodology that can be applied to the investigation of surface phenomena related to adsorption, exchange and retention onto the surface of natural minerals and divided solids is presented. A special focus is given to the retention of surfactant molecules, in view of their considerable importance in numerous industrial fields, such as, for instance, mineral flotation and enhanced oil recovery. Throughout this introductory paper, the relevance of this research approach to the field of geosciences is stressed by listing various applications where it can provide conclusive answers, especially for environmentally related issues. To cite this article: J.-M. Cases, C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 585–596.     

Signification des ferruginisations des formations néoprotérozoı̈ques du Nord-Burkina Faso (Afrique de l'Ouest)Meaning of ironstones in the sedimentary Neoproterozoic formations of the northern Burkina Faso (western Africa)

There are many small ferruginous outcrops of different facies, often breccia-like, in the Neoproterozoic sedimentary formations in northern Burkina. These outcrops are made up of goethite and quartz, and are often along with high grades of various elements. It could be a question of gossans. Their large distribution in this part of the Taoudéni Basin offers it prospects as a province geochemically rich in Cu, Pb, Zn, Mo, As, Cd, Co... This basin would be a geochemical bin for ancient formations, which would have been evacuated before the Neoproterozoic. The ironstones would be the mark of further concentrations. To cite this article: A. Blot, C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 909–915.     

Définition de la perméabilité équivalente des massifs fracturés par des méthodes d'homogénéisationDefinition of the permeability of fractured rock masses by homogenisation methods

In the methods used for determination of the hydraulic behaviour at large scale of fractured rock masses, based on the simulation of flow in a fracture network, the mean flux and the mean pressure gradient in the network are not rigorously determined. A method is given for deriving these quantities, in a heterogeneous permeable block, from pressure and flux values on the boundary of the block. A block conductivity tensor is then defined, based on the condition of linear variation of the pressure on the boundary of the block. It is shown that this conductivity tensor is symmetric and positive-definite. An example of application to a model of fractured medium is given. To cite this article: A. Pouya, A. Courtois, C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 975–979.     

Geological interpretation of Landsat TM imagery and aeromagnetic survey data, northern Precordillera region, Argentina

Este estudio de caso muestra una metodología para obtener el máximo valor geocientífico de datos aeromagnéticos regionales (espaciamiento entre líneas: 1000 m), a través de su integración con imágenes satelitarias de alta resolución. En este estudio, la interpretación litoestratigráfica de las imágenes Landsat TM a escala regional (1:100,000) ha sido llevada a cabo como precursor de la interpretación geofísica, proveyendo el marco geológico-estructural de base para el análisis de las imágenes geofísicas. Este marco geológico-estructural derivado de las imágenes Landsat muestra las posiciones y vergencias correctas de las estructuras mayores; en este marco, las ubicaciones de las anomalías aeromagnéticas mayores de origen somero relacionadas con rocas extrusivas y subvolcánicas intermedias/máficas, como así también de las estructuras que controlan estos eventos magmáticos de importancia económica, pueden ser correctamente interpretadas.Los resultados del estudio indican la existencia de un centro volcánico/subvolcánico no reconocido previamente, de edad post-pérmica y pre-miocena, probablemente asociado con fallamiento regional transcurrente sinistral desarrollado a lo largo de una sutura acrecional norte-sur reactivada y a una estructura preexistente del basamento precámbrico/paleozoico. El subsecuente evento de corrimientos de tipo ‘piel gruesa’ y vergencia oeste al que está asociado el ascenso del bloque precámbrico de la Sierra de Valle Fértil, desarrolló un distintivo juego de fallas transcurrentes de orientación NO–SE en el área del centro volcánico. Estas estructuras de orientación NO–SE cortan y rotan a estructuras miocenas tardías correspondientes a la tectónica de tipo ‘piel fina’ de la faja plegada y corrida de la Precordillera. Las rocas intrusivas asociadas con el centro volcánico de edad oligocena inferida, forman anomalías dipolares parcialmente remanentes fácilmente reconocibles, están asociadas con alteración y mineralización de oro (minas Cerro Guachi, El Pescado, Gral. Belgrano) y están ubicadas a lo largo de fallas ‘en cola de caballo’ sinistrales de orientación NO–SE. Este evento tectónico-magmático relacionado con la deformación transcurrente es considerado como oligoceno y puede estar relacionado con la convergencia oblicua oligocena y la mineralización de pórfiros de esta misma edad en Chile.     

Raman spectroscopy of natural silica in Chicxulub impactite,MexicoSpectroscopie Raman de silices naturelles dans l'impactite de Chicxulub,Mexique

A series of natural silica impactite samples from Chicxulub (Mexico) was investigated by Raman microprobe (RMP) analysis. The data yield evidence for high-pressure shock metamorphism in the rock. The impactite contains three polymorphs of silica: the original α-quartz, and two high-pressure varieties – coesite and disordered quartz representing various degrees of crystallinity. We found systematic changes in frequencies and half-widths of the Raman bands, caused by increasing irregularities of bond-lengths and bond-angles and a general breaking-up of the structure as a result of impact events. Therefore, RMP is an adequate tool for measuring the crystallinity of disordered quartz. The half-width Γ and the frequency ω of the symmetric SiOSi stretching vibrational band (A₁ mode) of the SiO₄ tetrahedra are the most amenable parameters for estimating the degree of crystallinity. In well-crystallized quartz, Γ=5 cm^?1 and ω=464 cm^?1, while in highly disordered quartz this line shifts up to ω=455 cm^?1 and broadens up to Γ=30 cm^?1. The Raman lineshapes appear to depend strongly on the degree of lattice disorder subsequent to impact events. To cite this article: M. Ostroumov et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 21–26