Geochemical evidence (C,N and Pb isotopes) of recent anthropogenic impact in south‐central Chile from two environmentally distinct lake sediment records

In this paper, we compare the elemental and isotopic (C, N, Pb) geochemistry of lake sediments from two contrasted environments in south‐central Chile. The first lake, Laguna Chica de San Pedro (LCSP), is situated in the urbanised area of the Biobio Region (36°S). The second lake, Lago Puyehue (40° S), is located 400 km to the southeast of LCSP and within an Andean national park. Our aim is to identify environmental impacts associated with increasing industrial activities and land degradation during the last 150 a. In LCSP, shifts in C/N atomic ratios, δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N from 1915–1937 to the late 1980s are attributed to successive land degradation episodes in the lake watershed. Based on a Pb isotopic mixing model, we estimate that up to 20% of lead in LCSP sediments is supplied from urban atmospheric pollution. By contrast, human impact in the watershed of Lago Puyehue is very limited. We observe no change in organic geochemistry during the last 150 a and lead contamination remains lower than 5%, even during the last decades. Although contamination levels are much higher in LCSP than in Lago Puyehue, a peak in anthropogenic Pb is recorded during the same period (1974–1976) at both sites. This maximum contamination level is consistent with increased industrial activity in the vicinity of Concepción. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Correlation of reefal Oxfordian episodes and climatic implications in the eastern Paris Basin (France)

Oxfordian reefal episodes of Lorraine and Burgundy have a long time been considered as contemporaneous. Biostratigraphic data and sequential evolutions peculiar to each region indicate their structural autonomy during Oxfordian times. A north‐south‐oriented well‐logging transect shows that, during the Middle Oxfordian, a shallow reefal platform developed in Lorraine while thin deeper deposits occurred in Burgundy. In spite of their different ages, reefal episodes of Middle Oxfordian in Lorraine and Upper Oxfordian in Burgundy exhibit a broadly similar vertical evolution of coral communities. During the Late Oxfordian, the contemporaneous occurrence of a diversified assemblage in the Burgundy region, a colder coral assemblage characterized by eurytopic genera and the decrease in seawater isotopic temperatures in Lorraine can be explained by a shift in trophic conditions, a climatic change related to structural rearrangements in this strategic place and a modification of oceanic circulations between the arctic and the Tethyan regions.     

Coupling between progressive damage and permeability of concrete: analysis with a discrete model

A significant increase of the permeability of concrete upon micro‐cracking and a good correlation between the evolution of damage (material stiffness) and permeability are observed experimentally. The present contribution investigates this correlation theoretically, with the help of lattice analyses. Scaling analysis of lattices which contain elastic brittle bonds has shown that the material degradation should be described by the evolution of the material stiffness, or compliance, in a continuum setting (damage models). This result is reviewed and further documented in the first part of the paper. In the second part, hydro‐mechanical problems are considered with the construction of a hydraulic lattice, dual to the mechanical one. We observe that the average permeability upon micro‐cracking is the lattice scale‐independent controlling variable in the hydraulic problem. Additionally, results show that in a continuum poro‐mechanical approach, the evolution of the material permeability ought to be related to the elastic unloading stiffness, described e.g. with the help of continuum damage variables. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrogeologic controls on summer stream temperatures in the McKenzie River basin,Oregon

Stream temperature is a complex function of energy inputs including solar radiation and latent and sensible heat transfer. In streams where groundwater inputs are significant, energy input through advection can also be an important control on stream temperature. For an individual stream reach, models of stream temperature can take advantage of direct measurement or estimation of these energy inputs for a given river channel environment. Understanding spatial patterns of stream temperature at a landscape scale requires predicting how this environment varies through space, and under different atmospheric conditions. At the landscape scale, air temperature is often used as a surrogate for the dominant controls on stream temperature. In this study we show that, in regions where groundwater inputs are key controls and the degree of groundwater input varies in space, air temperature alone is unlikely to explain within-landscape stream temperature patterns. We illustrate how a geologic template can offer insight into landscape-scale patterns of stream temperature and its predictability from air temperature relationships. We focus on variation in stream temperature within headwater streams within the McKenzie River basin in western Oregon. In this region, as in other areas of the Pacific Northwest, fish sensitivity to summer stream temperatures continues to be a pressing environmental issue. We show that, within the McKenzie, streams which are sourced from deeper groundwater reservoirs versus shallow subsurface flow systems have distinct summer temperature regimes. Groundwater streams are colder, less variable and less sensitive to air temperature variation. We use these results from the western Oregon Cascade hydroclimatic regime to illustrate a conceptual framework for developing regional-scale indicators of stream temperature variation that considers the underlying geologic controls on spatial variation, and the relative roles played by energy and water inputs. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Study of the June 30, 1973 trans-polar coronal hole

Radially and tangentially polarized pictures of the solar corona obtained near 4500 Å during the 30 June, 1973 solar total eclipse have been used to derive a model of a trans-polar coronal hole. The hole is identified by using OSO-7 EUV spectroheliograms. The line of sight coincides with the privileged plan of the hole over the N-polar region. A new method of absolute calibration is used. The Saito (1970) method is applied to determine the electron densities. Extrapolated values of densities down to the surface are lower than have ever been observed although derived hydrostatic temperatures are certainly not: N _e × 10⁷ cm^–3 and T = 2 × 10⁶ K. The morphological peculiarities of polar regions are considered.On leave from Institut d'Astrophysique, CNRS, Paris as NRC Research Associate.     

Observations of Saturn's inner satellites and the orbit of Janus in 1980

Systematic observations of faint satellites were conducted at Pic-du-Midi with a focal coronograph from 1980 March 20 to 24, during which 150 exposures covering 17 hr were obtained; in addition, the 1966 discovery plates of satellites S10 Janus were reexamined together with other 1966 observations. Janus had its greatest eastern elongation on 1966 December 15.720 (±0.003) + light time, at a distance of 2.53R_eq. It is recognized that some of the observations thought to be 1966 S2 were in fact reobservations of Janus a few days after its discovery. Among the 1980 observations, differences in magnitudes indicate that is satellite 1980 S1 which corresponds to Janus; its greatest eastern elongation was observed on March 23.876 (±0.002) + light time. Subjected to corrections for librations, the mean period over the past 14 years has most probably one of three values: P₁ = 0.69458 day, P₂ = 06.9448 day or P₃ = 0.69438 day. The fainter satellite, S11, which is also 1980 S3, gravitates in an orbit similar to that of Janus and was leading it by +190° in March 1980; this difference of longitude was +224° in December 1966. An object of magnitude 15–16 was seen not detached from the ring; it could be a condensation in the external part of the rings or an additional faint inner satellite.     

Observations and discussions concerning ‘high’ polarization features in the solar corona

Photographic observations were obtained of the radial and tangential polarization of the solar corona for the 1970, March 7, solar eclipse. The corona was photographed using a neutral density filter and rotating linear polaroid sectors to allow the polarization structure to be seen from 1 to 6 solar radii. Anomalously high polarizations were found for structures with the E-tangential intensity being predominantly larger than the E-radial intensity. These structures are generally filamentary in nature and radial in direction. One case with a high radial polarization was also found. The photographs were calibrated accurately against the Earth shine from the Moon. Possible source mechanisms are discussed that may explain this new component in the solar corona. Most sources may be ruled out on physical grounds. One possibility appears to be synchrotron radiation from 10 GeV electrons in a 0.4 G field. The existence of these electrons, however, is unlikely in that spacecraft observations at 1 AU do not confirm their presence.     

Abnormal features of Macoma balthica (Bivalvia) in the Baltic Sea: alerting symptoms of environmental adversity?

Recent studies of the Baltic clam Macoma balthica (L.) from the southern Baltic (the Gulf of Gdansk) have revealed striking morphological, histological and cytogenetic features. Strong deformation of the shell, including elongation of the posterior end and the appearance of an easily visible flexure in this part, has been recorded. The population contribution of the deformed blunt shelled ("irregular") clams ranged from 0% to 65% and tended to increase with depth. The morphologically "irregular" clams had higher accumulated tissue concentrations of trace metals (As, Ag, Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn), indicating a different metal handling ability. Adverse conditions in deeper water regions of the Gulf (e.g. hypoxia, hydrogen sulphide, elevated bioavailability of contaminants) have been suggested as inducers of the phenotypical changes (morphological deformation) in part of the population and, in parallel, of the specific physiological adaptations that result in higher metal accumulation in the "irregular" clams. Cytogenetic and histological analyses showed the presence of tumours in gill cells and digestive system of the affected clams, the prevalence of disseminated neoplasia ranging from 0% to 94% depending on the site. The disease was manifested by a modified karyotype (i.e. an abnormal number and morphology of chromosomes), a higher activity of nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs), and tissue lesions (enlarged cells, actively proliferative with pleomorphic nuclei). Bottom sediments showed acute toxicity and have been proposed as a source of an initialising carcinogenic factor. However, none of the ecotoxicological studies provided was successful in the clear demonstration of a single (or multifactorial) agent that can account for the disseminated neoplasia.