Full-waveform topographic lidar: State-of-the-art

Airborne laser scanning (ALS) is an active remote sensing technique providing range data as 3D point clouds. This paper aims at presenting a survey of the literature related to such techniques, with emphasis on the new sensors called full-waveform lidar systems. Indeed, an emitted laser pulse interacts with complex natural and man-made objects leading to a temporal distortion of the returned energy profile. The new technology of full-waveform laser scanning systems permits one to digitize the complete waveform of each backscattered pulse. Full-waveform lidar data give more control to an end user in the interpretation process of the physical measurement and provide additional information about the structure and the physical backscattering characteristics of the illuminated surfaces. In this paper, the theoretical principles of full-waveform airborne laser scanning are first described. Afterwards, a review of the main sensors as well as signal processing techniques are presented. We then discuss the interpretation of full-waveform measures with special interest on vegetated and urban areas.     

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Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Tectonometamorphic evolution of the Atbashi high‐P units (Kyrgyz CAOB,Tien Shan): Implications for the closure of the Turkestan Ocean and continental subduction–exhumation of the South Kazakh continental margin

The South Tien Shan (STS) belt results from the last collision event in the western Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). Understanding its formation is of prime importance in the general framework of the CAOB. The Atbashi Range preserves high‐P (HP) rocks along the STS suture, but still, its global metamorphic evolution remains poorly constrained. Several HP units have been identified: (a) a HP tectonic mélange including boudins of mafic eclogites in a sedimentary matrix, (b) a large (>100 km long) high‐P metasedimentary unit (HPMU) and (c) a lower blueschist facies accretionary prism. Raman Spectroscopy on carbonaceous material combined with phengite and chlorite multiequilibria and isochemical phase diagram modelling indicates that the HPMU recorded homogeneous P–T conditions of 23–25 kbar and 560–570°C along the whole unit. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating on phengite from the HPMU ranges between 328 and 319 Ma at regional scale. These ages are interpreted as (re‐) crystallization ages of phengite during T_max conditions at a pressure range of 20–25 kbar. Thermobarometry on samples from the HP tectonic mélange provides similar metamorphic peak conditions. Thermobarometry on the blueschist to lower greenschist facies accretionary prism indicates that it underwent P–T conditions of 5–6 kbar and 290–340°C, highlighting a 17–20 kbar pressure gap between the HPMU‐tectonic mélange units and the accretionary prism. Comparison with available geochronological data suggests a very short time span between the prograde path (340 Ma), HP metamorphic peak (330 Ma), the T_max (328–319 Ma) and the final exhumation of the HPMU (303–295 Ma). Extrusion of the HPMU, accommodated by a basal thrust and an upper detachment, was driven by buoyant forces from 70–75 km up to 60 km depth, which directly followed continental subduction and detachment of the HPMU. At crustal depths, extrusion was controlled by collisional tectonics up to shallow levels. Lithological homogeneity of the HPMU and its continental‐derived character from the North Tien Shan suggest this unit corresponds to the hyper‐extended continental margin of the Kazakh continent, subducted southward below the north continental active margin of the Tarim craton. Integration of the available geological data allows us to propose a general geodynamic scenario for Tien Shan during the Carboniferous with a combination of (a) N‐dipping subduction below the Kazakh margin of Middle Tien Shan until 390–340 Ma and (b) S‐dipping subduction of remaining Turkestan marginal basins between 340 and 320 Ma.     

The Varre-Sai chondrite,a Brazilian fall: petrology and geochemistry

The Varre-Sai meteorite fell along the border of the states of Espirito Santo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; on 19 June 2010 at 5:40 pm. Petrography and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) indicate that the rock is an L5 S4 chondrite, with blastoporphyritic texture that has not been previously described. Geochemical data based on major and rare-earth elements (REEs) show that Varre-Sai is highly similar to the other L chondrites. In Harker diagrams, Varre-Sai, L, and LL chondrites form a single group, suggesting no significant chemical differences between them and contributing to the long-standing debate of whether LL chondrites form a distinct group or whether they are a subset of the L group. Harker diagrams also define a trend from E to H and L/LL chondrites, similar to the cosmochemical trends suggested by other authors. The behaviour of Fe₂O_3t and NiO indicates a relationship with Fe-Ni alloys, and their trend in the diagram suggests some chemical differentiation in the ordinary chondrite parental bodies. The REE content in Varre-Sai, normalized to C chondrites, falls in the field of L chondrites and others, but with slight REE enrichment. The chemical differences in chondrites, mainly in REEs, Fe₂O_3t and NiO could be alternatively interpreted as variations in the inherited agglutinated materials as chondrules, Ca–Al-rich inclusions and Fe–Ni nodules.     

Analytical study of the energy rate balance equation for the magnetospheric storm-ring current

We present some results of the analytical integration of the energy rate balance equation, assuming that the input energy rate is proportional to the azimuthal interplanetary electric field, E_y, and can be described by simple rectangular or triangular functions, as approximations to the frequently observed shapes of E_y, especially during the passage of magnetic clouds. The input function is also parametrized by a reconnection-transfer efficiency factor (which is assumed to vary between 0.1 and 1). Our aim is to solve the balance equation and derive values for the decay parameter compatible with the observed Dst peak values. To facilitate the analytical integration we assume a constant value for through the main phase of the storm. The model is tested for two isolated and well-monitored intense storms. For these storms the analytical results are compared to those obtained by the numerical integration of the balance equation, based on the interplanetary data collected by the ISEE-3 satellite, with the values parametrized close to those obtained by the analytical study. From the best fit between this numerical integration and the observed Dst the most appropriate values of are then determined. Although we specifically focus on the main phase of the storms, this numerical integration has been also extended to the recovery phase by an independent adjust. The results of the best fit for the recovery phase show that the values of may differ drastically from those corresponding to the main phase. The values of the decay parameter for the main phase of each event, _m, are found to be very sensitive to the adopted efficiency factor, , decreasing as this factor increases. For the recovery phase, which is characterized by very low values of the power input, the response function becomes almost independent of the value of and the resulting values for the decay time parameter, _r, do not vary greatly as varies. As a consequence, the relative values of between the main and the recovery phase, _m/_r, can be greater or smaller than one as varies from 0.1 to 1.     

Numerical simulation of the diurnal cycle of rainfall in SW Amazon basin during the 1999 rainy season: the role of convective trigger function

In continental areas, the maximum rainfall simulated with the Brazilian developments on the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (BRAMS) occurs around 4?h earlier than the one observed with rain gauges. This work presents the successful implementation of a new convective trigger function (CTF) in the convective parameterization scheme used in BRAMS that corrects this misfit between model and observations. The importance of the CTF formulation on the diurnal cycle of rainfall over the Amazon Basin is reflected by the following numbers: Over Rondonia (SW Amazonia), the original version of BRAMS simulates the maximum rainfall at 1400 UTC (1000 LST), with the new CTF maximum shifting to 1800?UTC (1400?LST), while the S-band radar rainfall maximum is at 1900?UTC (1500?LST). This is attributed to two factors: (1) the new CTF is now coupled to the sensible and latent heat fluxes at surface; (2) during the early morning, the convective available potential energy is reduced.     

Dissolution–precipitation processes governing the carbonation and silicification of the serpentinite sole of the New Caledonia ophiolite

The weathering of mantle peridotite tectonically exposed to the atmosphere leads commonly to natural carbonation processes. Extensive cryptocrystalline magnesite veins and stock-work are widespread in the serpentinite sole of the New Caledonia ophiolite. Silica is systematically associated with magnesite. It is commonly admitted that Mg and Si are released during the laterization of overlying peridotites. Thus, the occurrence of these veins is generally attributed to a per descensum mechanism that involves the infiltration of meteoric waters enriched in dissolved atmospheric CO₂. In this study, we investigate serpentinite carbonation processes, and related silicification, based on a detailed petrographic and crystal chemical study of serpentinites. The relationships between serpentine and alteration products are described using an original method for the analysis of micro-X-ray fluorescence images performed at the centimeter scale. Our investigations highlight a carbonation mechanism, together with precipitation of amorphous silica and sepiolite, based on a dissolution–precipitation process. In contrast with the per descensum Mg/Si-enrichment model that is mainly concentrated in rock fractures, dissolution–precipitation process is much more pervasive. Thus, although the texture of rocks remains relatively preserved, this process extends more widely into the rock and may represent a major part of total carbonation of the ophiolite.     

Impact des événements tectono-volcaniques plio-pléistocènes sur la sédimentation en République de Djibouti (Afar Central)

The volcanic and sedimentary successive paleogeographic reconstructions, as well the volcanic emissions as the fluvial, lacustrine and marine deposits, are compared to the tectonic mechanisms, and show that the geologic history is controlled:

1. During Pliocene and lower Pleistocene times, by a collapse tectonics in the Red Sea - Aden Gulf area with a correlative uplift of the Tadjoura - Ali Sabîh hörst (a southern prolongation of the Danakil horst), and by a tectonic shear according to a NE-SW trend, which gives rise to NW-SE trending uplifts and basins (Nazaret phase of the Ethiopian rift).
2. From the middle Pleistocene time, by the progressive opening, according to an EW direction, of the Gulf of Tadjoura, as a western prolongation of the Aden rift. A correlative epiglyptic arching, according to an EW direction, is located westwards. It appears as a superimposed structure with respect to the previous building.

The successive coastal uplifts since the lower Pleistocene are correlated to the successive alluvial deposits, which fit one-another, until the Holocene time included.