A study of transient variations in the Earth’s electromagnetic field at equatorial electrojet latitudes in western Africa (Mali and the Ivory Coast)

In the framework of the French-Ivorian participation to the IEEY, a network of 10 electromagnetic stations were installed at African longitudes. The aim of this experiment was twofold: firstly, to study the magnetic signature of the equatorial electrojet on the one hand, and secondly, to characterize the induced electric field variations on the other hand. The first results of the magnetic field investigations were presented by Doumouya and coworkers. Those of the electric field experiment will be discussed in this study. The electromagnetic experiment will be described. The analysis of the electromagnetic transient variations was conducted in accordance with the classical distinction between quiet and disturbed magnetic situations. A morphological analysis of the recordings is given, taking into consideration successively quiet and disturbed magnetic situations, with the results interpreted in terms of the characterization of external and internal sources. Particular attention was paid to the effects of the source characteristics on the induced field of internal origin, and to the bias they may consequently cause to the results of electromagnetic probing of the Earth; the source effect in electromagnetic induction studies. During quiet magnetic situations, our results demonstrated the existence of two different sources. One of these, the S_R^E source, was responsible for most of the magnetic diurnal variation and corresponded to the well-known magnetic signature of the equatorial electrojet. The other source (the S_R*^E source) was responsible for most of the electric diurnal variation, and was also likely to be an ionospheric source. Electric and magnetic diurnal variations are therefore related to different ionospheric sources, and interpreting the electric diurnal variation as induced by the magnetic field diurnal variation is not relevant. Furthermore, the magnetotelluric probing of the upper mantle at dip equator latitudes with the electromagnetic diurnal variation is consequently impossible to perform. In the case of irregular variations, the source effect related to the equatorial electrojet is also discussed. A Gaussian model of equatorial electrojet was considered, and apparent resistivities were computed for two models of stratified Earth corresponding to the average resistive structure of the two tectonic provinces crossed by the profile: a sedimentary basin and a cratonic shield. The apparent resistivity curves were found to depend significantly on both the model used and the distance to the center of the electrojet. These numerical results confirm the existence of a daytime source effect related to the equatorial electrojet. Furthermore, we show that the results account for the observed differences between daytime and night-time apparent resistivity curves. In particular, it was shown that electromagnetic probing of the Earth using the classical Cagniard-Tikhonov magnetotelluric method is impossible with daytime recordings made at dip latitude stations.     

Equatorial electrojet at African longitudes: first results from magnetic measurements

In the framework of the French participation in the International Equatorial Electrojet Year (IEEY), ten magnetotelluric stations were installed between November 1992 and November 1994 along a 1200-km-long meridian profile, between Lamto (latitude 6.2°N, CôCte dIvoire) to the south and Tombouctou (latitude 16.7°N, Mali) to the north. These stations measured digitally the three components of the magnetic field and the two components of the telluric electric field, and operated over a period of 20 months. The magnetic data is used to study the features of the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) in West African longitude. The measurement of the telluric electric field variations will be presented elsewhere. Hourly mean values are used to study the morphological structure of the regular diurnal variation S_R of the three components (H, D, and Z) of the earth magnetic field and to characterize the EEJ during magnetically quiet days. The occurrences of the counter-electrojet (CEJ) are set forth, emphasizing its seasonal variability. Assumed to be a current ribbon, the EEJ main parameters (the position of its center, its width, and the amplitude of its current density at the center) are determined. A preliminary analysis of the time variations of these parameters is presented over period of 20 months (from January 1993 to August 1994). Results are compared with those obtained during previous experiments of the same kind.     

Modelling of favourable zones for the establishment of water points by geographical information system (GIS) and multicriteria analysis (MCA) in the Aboisso area (South-east of C?te d’Ivoire)

Aboisso is faced with drinking water supply problems despite its abundant rainfall (2,000?mm/year) and large river assets. These difficulties are exacerbated by the existence of large pollution sources caused by agro-industrial plantations. This paper mainly deals with the combined approach of geographic information systems and multicriteria analysis to delineate potential groundwater zones in the Aboisso area. The multicriteria analysis method includes both Boolean method and the linear combination of weights based on the comparison per pair. Two types of indicator were used: the evaluation indicators, which combine accessibility, exploitability and availability of the groundwater, and the monitoring indicator, which is represented by groundwater vulnerability to pollution. It appears that the favourable zones for water point establishment represent 54?% of the Aboisso area. This class is distributed throughout the area, with an exception in the East. The uncertainty and sensitivity analyses indicate that parameters causing high sensitivity on the potentiality map are made up of the slope, the total depth and the induced permeability while the topography and depth are the most sensitive parameters for the vulnerability map. This study appears to be a substantial contribution to overcoming the problem of drinkable water, which the rural populations were facing.     

The Southern Region of Peru Earthquake of June 23rd, 2001

The western border of South America is one of the most important seismogenic regions in the world. In this region the most damaging earthquake ever recorded occurred. In June 23rd, 2001, another very strong earthquake (Mw = 8.1–8.2) occurred and produced death and damages in the whole southern region of Peru. This earthquake was originated by a friction process between Nazca and South American plates and affected an area of about 300 km × 120 km defined by the distribution of more than 220 aftershocks recorded by a local seismic network that operated 20 days. The epicenter of the main shock was localized in the northwestern extremity of the aftershock area, which suggests that the rupture propagated towards the SE direction. The modeling of P-wave for teleseismic distances permitted to define a focal mechanism of reverse type with NW-SE oriented nodal planes and a possible fault plane moving beneath almost horizontally in NE direction. The source time function (STF) suggests a complex process of rupture during 85 sec with 2 successive sources. The second one of greater size, and located approximately 100–120 km toward the SE direction was estimated to have a rupture velocity of about 2 km/sec on a 28°-dipping plane to the SE (N135°). A second event happened 45 sec after the first one with an epicenter 130km farther to the SE and a complex STF. This event and the second source of the main shock caused a Tsunami with waves from 7 to 8 meters that propagated almost orthogonally to the coast line, by affecting mainly the Camaná area.Three of all the aftershocks presented magnitudes greater or equal to Mw = 6.6, two of them occurred in front of the cities of Ilo and Mollendo (June 26th and July 7th) with focal mechanisms similar to the main seismic event. The aftershock of July 5th shows a normal mechanism at a depth of 75 km, and is therefore most likely located within the subducting Nazca plate and not in the coupling. The aftershocks of June 26th (Mw = 6.6) and July 5th (Mw = 6.6) show simple short duration STF. The aftershock of July 7th (Mw = 7.5) with 27-second duration suggests a complex process of energy release with the possible occurrence of a secondary shock with lower focal depth and focal mechanism of inverse type with a great lateral component. Simple and composed focal mechanisms were elaborated for the aftershocks and all have similar characteristics to the main earthquake.The earthquake of June 23rd caused major damages in the whole southern Peru. The damage in towns of Arequipa, Moquegua allow to consider maximum intensities from 6 to 7 (MSK79). In Alto de la Alianza and Ciudad Nueva zones from Tacna, the maximum intensity was of 7⁻ (MSK79).