Revisiting wintertime cold air intrusions at the east of the Andes: propagating features from subtropical Argentina to Peruvian Amazon and relationship with large-scale circulation patterns

This study investigates the spatial and temporal characteristics of cold surges that propagates northward along the eastern flank of the Andes from subtropical to tropical South America analysing wintertime in situ daily minimum temperature observations from Argentina, Bolivia and Peru and ERA-40 reanalysis over the 1975–2001 period. Cold surges usually last 2 or 3 days but are generally less persistent in the southern La Plata basin compared to tropical regions. On average, three to four cold surges are reported each year. Our analysis reveals that 52 % of cold episodes registered in the south of La Plata basin propagate northward to the northern Peruvian Amazon at a speed of around 20 m s^?1. In comparison to cold surges that do not reach the tropical region, we demonstrate that these cold surges are characterized, before they reach the tropical region, by a higher occurrence of a specific circulation pattern associated to southern low-level winds progression toward low latitudes combined with subsidence and dry condition in the middle and low troposphere that reinforce the cold episode through a radiative effect. Finally, the relationship between cold surges and atmosphere dynamics is illustrated for the two most severe cold intrusions that reached the Peruvian and Bolivian Amazon in the last 20 years.     

西昆仑新藏公路118～323km段基性、酸性岩脉K—Ar年龄

在西昆仑西段新藏公路沿线广泛发育数量众多的岩脉，野外出露有煌斑岩脉、辉绿岩脉、闪长岩脉、花岗岩脉。对以上岩脉进行了全岩K-Ar同位素测年，其侵位年龄与该区的地质构造事件有很好的对应关系：辉绿岩脉273～280Ma的侵位年龄对应着弧后扩张的时间，闪长岩脉和花岗岩脉230～244Ma的侵位年龄对应着碰撞造山的时间。     

Delineation of groundwater potential zones in Wadi Saida Watershed of NW-Algeria using remote sensing,geographic information system-based AHP techniques and geostatistical analysis

Sustainable management of groundwater resources has now become an obligation,especially in arid and semi-arid regions given the socio-economic importance of this resource.The optimization in zoning for groundwater exploitation helps in planning and managing groundwater supply works such as boreholes and wells in the catchment.The objective of this study is to use remote sensing and GIS-based Analytical Hierarchy Process(AHP)techniques to evaluate the groundwater potential of Wadi Saida Watershed.Spatial analysis such as geostatistics was also used to validate results and ensure more accuracy.Through the GIS tools and remote sensing technique,earth observation data were converted into thematic layers such as lineament density,geology,drainage density,slope,land use and rainfall,which were combined to delineate groundwater potential zones.Based on their respective impact on groundwater potential,the AHP approach was adopted to assign weights on multi-influencing factors.These results will enable decision-makers to optimize hydrogeological exploration in large-scale catchment areas and map areas.According to the results,the southern part of the Wadi Saida Watershed is characterized as a higher groundwater potential area,where 32%of the total surface area falls in the excellent and good class of groundwater potential.The validation process revealed a 71%agreement between the estimated and actual yield of the existing boreholes in the study area.     

Vulnerability of existing buildings: empirical evaluation and experimental measurements

The aim of this study is the comparison between the fundamental periods identified experimentally and those calculated using the formulas given in the Algerian Seismic Code (RPA 99) for vulnerability assessment and for experimental data collection of selected sample of old buildings. The results obtained for vulnerability assessment will then be extrapolated to buildings of the same typology built during the 1949 to 1954 period in the northern part of Algeria. From 1949 to 1954, the reinforced concrete constructions in Algeria were built before the first generation of the Algerian Seismic Code. These buildings being old are certainly weakened by the occupancy activities and seismic event loads. Hence, the evaluation of their vulnerability with respect to the regional seismic hazard requires the knowledge of their structure on a site capacity. The empirical formulas to calculate the fundamental period of a building are based on the Algerian Earthquake Code (RPA 99) .These formulas consider only the geometrical dimension (length, width and height) and the structural design of the buildings. The fundamental periods of vibration of twenty-two buildings, located in Algiers, calculated using the empirical formulas given in the RPA 99 are lower than those identified experimentally. A question then rises, do these tested buildings present any damage or not? As five of these buildings were tested before the 21 May 2003 earthquake, the experimental testing highlighted a decrease in the fundamental frequency which means that these buildings are damaged. Hence, for vulnerability assessment, the empirical formulas given in the Algerian Seismic Code (RPA 99) may not be appropriate for vulnerability assessment of the old buildings built during the 1949 to 1954 period.     

Use of Landsat 7 ETM+ for lithological and structural mapping of Wadi Afara Heouine area (Tahifet–Central Hoggar, Algeria)

Wadi Afara Héouine area (Tahifet, Central Hoggar) is marked by the existence of very diversified lithologies affected by big submeridian accidents, of which Wadi Afara Héouine, who represents a "linear discontinuity" on near 80 km forming a morphological limit which separates, a strongly gneissic domain (Oua Hellèdjène) of a domain with metasedimentary dominant (Aghefsa). Lithologies not described in the former works were defined by the application of specific treatments (color composite, band ratios, and selective PCA). They also allow us to suggest some modifications to the geologic map of Tahifet. Directional filters associated to the previous treatments helped us in the elaboration of lineament map which accentuates the various accidents affecting the region. It seems clearly that treatments applied to the images ETM contribute in an undeniable way to the geologic study of this region especially since a big part of this region is inaccessible