Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Société géologique de France
Résumé : International audience
The present study proposes to estimate the influence of climate, eustatism and local tectonics on the sedimentation of a basin margin at the syn-rift to post-rift transition. For that, paleomagnetic measurements were performed on a marine marly-calcareous sedimentary succession ranging from Upper Oligocene to Lower Miocene and located on the northern margin of the Liguro-Provençal basin. The magnetostratigraphic record is correlated to the reference geomagnetic polarity scale [ATNTS04, Lourens et al. 2004] with the help of biostratigraphy based on calcareous nannofossils and planctonic foraminifers [Oudet et al., 2010]. The resulting age model shows that the 100 m-thick sedimentary succession covers a time span of 5 m.y. from the Late Chattian to the Early Burdigalian. Despite several exposure surfaces and a change in the sedimentation rate, no significant hiatus of sedimentation is documented. In addition, we also estimate the paleoenvironmental evolution through the sedimentary succession. Comparing the dated paleoenvironmental reconstruction with global {delta}18O and sea level curves [Miller et al., 2005], we show that the Carry-le-Rouet succession is an excellent paleoclimatic archive. Indeed, coral reefs developed at the glacial-interglacial stage transition marking the end of the Oligocene. In addition, the most diversified coral reefs occurred during the warmest period of the Aquitanian. During rifting, bathymetric variations recorded in the studied succession are related to local synsedimentary tectonics whereas, during oceanic crust accretion, global sea level changes influence the sedimentation. This result allows to characterise and to accurately date the break-up unconformity at 20.35 Ma.
EISSN: 1777-5817

hal-00619040
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00619040
DOI : 10.2113/gssgfbull.182.1.37

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD AGU and the Geochemical Society
Résumé : International audience
A NE-SW magnetotelluric 110 km-long profile including 18 sites was acquired across the western Rif Cordillera along the Eurasian-African plate boundary, allowing to constrain its poorly known deep structure. It extends from the Internal Zones, close to the Alboran coast, crossing the External Zones and up to the Gharb foreland basin. The periods recorded range from 0.001 s to 1000 s. The combination of magnetotelluric data with available geological data provides new insight regarding the relationship between deep and shallow crustal structures of the Rif Cordillera. Analyses of structural dimensionality suggest a preferential NW-SE direction, and a 2D joint inversion was performed. A 3D inversion extending the 2D model along the strike confirmed the reliability of this approach. The magnetotelluric model shows a heterogeneous upper crust in agreement with the geological structures observed at surface. The Internal Zones correspond to resistive (metamorphic rocks) and conductive (peridotites) bodies, while the External Zones and the foreland basin are characterized by large conductive bodies of variable thickness. A crustal detachment level separating shallow geological units from a probable variscan basement was inferred. At depth, the most relevant feature consists of large resistive bodies with a shallow irregular top, located below the frontal part of the Rif. The outcrops of exotic metapelitic, granitic and gneissic blocks in the frontal part of the Cordillera suggest that these large resistive bodies may correspond to a gneissic or granitic basement surrounded by metapelitic rocks. Late contractive thrust and diapiric processes were responsible for their uplift and shallow emplacement. The Rif constitutes an active southwestward vergent orogenic wedge, oblique to the present-day NW-SE convergent Eurasian-African plate boundary.
ISSN: 1525-2027

hal-00670999
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00670999
DOI : 10.1029/2011GC003783

Éditeur(s) : Copernicus Gesellschaft Mbh
Résumé : During the GWADASEIS cruise (Lesser Antilles volcanic arc, February-March 2009) a very high resolution (VHR) seismic-reflection survey was performed in order to constrain Late Quaternary to Present faulting. The profiles we obtained evidence frequent "ponding" of reworked sediments in the deepest areas, similar to the deposition of Mediterranean "homogenites". These bodies are acoustically transparent (few ms t.w.t. thick) and are often deposited on the hanging walls of dominantly normal faults, at the base of scarps. Their thickness appears sufficient to compensate (i.e. bury) co-seismic scarps between successive earthquakes, resulting in a flat and horizontal sea floor through time. In a selected area (offshore Montserrat and Nevis islands), piston coring (4 to 7m long) was dedicated to a sedimentological analysis of the most recent of these particular layers. It corresponds to non-stratified homogenous calcareous silty sand (reworked calcareous plankton and minor volcanoclastics). This layer can be up to 2 m thick, and overlies fine-grained hemipelagites. The upper centimeters of the latter represent the normal RedOx water/sediment interface. Pb-210 and Cs-137 activities lack in the massive sands, while a normal profile of unsupported Pb-210 decrease is observed in the hemipelagite below, together with a Cs-137 peak corresponding to the Atmospheric Nuclear Experiments (1962). The RedOx level was thus capped by a recent instantaneous major sedimentary event considered as post-1970 AD; candidate seismic events to explain this sedimentary deposits are either the 16 March 1985 earthquake or the 8 October 1974 one (M-w = 6.3 and M-w = 7.4, respectively). This leads to consider that the syntectonic sedimentation in this area is not continuous but results from accumulation of thick homogenites deposited after the earthquakes (as observed in the following weeks after Haiti January 2010 event, McHugh et al., 2011). The existence of such deposits suggests that, in the area of study, vertical throw likely results from cumulated effects of separated earthquakes rather than from aseismic creep. Examination of VHR profiles shows that all major co-seismic offsets are recorded in the fault growth sequence and that co-seismic offsets can be precisely estimated. By using a sedimentation rate deduced from Pb-210 decrease curve (0.5 mmyr(-1)) and taking into account minor reworking events detected in cores, we show that the Redonda system may have been responsible for five > M-6 events during the last 34 000 yr. The approach presented in this work differs from fault activity analyses using displaced sets of isochronous surfaces and postulating co-seismic offsets. Combining VHR seismic imagery and coring we can decipher co-seismic vs. slow continuous displacement, and thus actually estimate the amplitude and the time distribution of major co-seismic offsets.
Natural Hazards And Earth System Sciences (1561-8633) (Copernicus Gesellschaft Mbh), 2012 , Vol. 12 , N. 5 , P. 1755-1767

Droits : Author(s) 2012. CC Attribution 3.0 License.
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00089/20040/21990.pdf
DOI:10.5194/nhess-12-1755-2012
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00089/20040/

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD European Geosciences Union
Résumé : International audience
During the GWADASEIS cruise (Lesser Antilles volcanic arc, February-March 2009) a very high resolution (VHR) seismic-reflection survey was performed in order to constrain Late Quaternary to Present faulting. The profiles we obtained evidence frequent "ponding" of reworked sediments in the deepest areas, similar to the deposition of Mediterranean "homogenites". These bodies are acoustically transparent (few ms t.w.t. thick) and are often deposited on the hanging walls of dominantly normal faults, at the base of scarps. Their thickness appears sufficient to compensate (i.e. bury) co-seismic scarps between successive earthquakes, resulting in a flat and horizontal sea floor through time. In a selected area (offshore Montserrat and Nevis islands), piston coring (4 to 7 m long) was dedicated to a sedimentological analysis of the most recent of these particular layers. It corresponds to non-stratified homogenous calcareous silty sand (reworked calcareous plankton and minor volcanoclastics). This layer can be up to 2 m thick, and overlies finegrained hemipelagites. The upper centimeters of the latter represent the normal RedOx water/sediment interface. 210Pb and 137Cs activities lack in the massive sands, while a normal profile of unsupported 210Pb decrease is observed in the hemipelagite below, together with a 137Cs peak correspond- ing to the Atmospheric Nuclear Experiments (1962). The RedOx level was thus capped by a recent instantaneous major sedimentary event considered as post-1970 AD; candidate seismic events to explain this sedimentary deposits are either the 16 March 1985 earthquake or the 8 October 1974 one (Mw=6.3 and Mw=7.4, respectively). This leads to consider that the syntectonic sedimentation in this area is not continuous but results from accumulation of thick homogenites deposited after the earthquakes (as observed in the following weeks after Haiti January 2010 event, McHugh et al., 2011). The existence of such deposits suggests that, in the area of study, vertical throw likely results from cumulated effects of separated earthquakes rather than from aseismic creep. Examination of VHR profiles shows that all major co-seismic offsets are recorded in the fault growth sequence and that co-seismic offsets can be precisely estimated. By using a sedimentation rate deduced from 210Pb decrease curve (0.5 mm yr−1) and taking into account minor reworking events detected in cores, we show that the Redonda system may have been responsible for five >M6 events during the last 34 000 yr. The approach presented in this work differs from fault activity analyses using displaced sets of isochronous surfaces and postulating co-seismic offsets. Combining VHR seismic imagery and coring we can decipher co-seismic vs. slow continuous displacement, and thus actually estimate the amplitude and the time distribution of major co-seismic offsets.
ISSN: 1561-8633

insu-00844581
https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-00844581
https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-00844581/document
https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-00844581/file/nhess-12-1755-2012.pdf
DOI : 10.5194/nhess-12-1755-2012

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Oxford University Press (OUP)
Résumé : International audience
To estimate the seismic hazard, the geometry (dip, length and orientation) and the dynamics (type of displacements and amplitude) of the faults in the area of interest need to be understood. In this paper, in addition to geomorphologic observations, we present the results of two ground penetrating radar (GPR) campaigns conducted in 2010 and 2011 along the Emeelt fault in the vicinity of Ulaanbaatar, capital of Mongolia, located in an intracontinental region with low deformation rate that induces long recurrence time between large earthquakes. As the geomorphology induced by the fault activity has been highly smoothed by erosion processes since the last event, the fault location and geometry is difficult to determine precisely. However, by using GPR first, a non-destructive and fast investigation, the fault and the sedimentary deposits near the surface can be characterized and the results can be used for the choice of trench location. GPR was performed with a 50 MHz antenna over 2-D lines and with a 500 MHz antenna for pseudo-3-D surveys. The 500 MHz GPR profiles show a good consistency with the trench observations, dug next to the pseudo-3-D surveys. The 3-D 500 MHz GPR imaging of a palaeochannel crossed by the fault allowed us to estimate its lateral displacement to be about 2 m. This is consistent with a right lateral strike-slip displacement induced by an earthquake around magnitude 7 or several around magnitude 6. The 2-D 50 MHz profiles, recorded perpendicular to the fault, show a strong reflection dipping to the NE, which corresponds to the fault plane. Those profiles provided complementary information on the fault such as its location at shallow depth, its dip angle (from 23 • to 35 •) and define its lateral extension. Central Asia is known for its high level of seismic hazards, especially Mongolia, which has been one of the most seismically active intracontinental regions in the world with four large earthquakes (magnitude around 8) along its active faults in the western part of the country during the last century (Khilko et al. 1985). The deformation in Mongolia is located between compressive structures related to the collision and penetration of the Indian plate into the Eurasian plate and extensive structures in the north of the country related with the Baykal rift (Tapponnier & Molnar 1979; Baljinnyam et al. 1993; Schlupp 1996; Bayasgalan & Jackson 1999). The seismic activity observed in the vicinity of Ulaanbaatar (UB), capital of Mongolia, is relatively low compared to the activity observed in western Mongolia. Nevertheless, since 2005, the seismic activity around UB not only has increased, but is also organized (see Fig. 1) at the west of UB along two perpendicular directions, which determine two active faults: Emeelt fault, discovered in 2008 (NNW-SSE direction, 25-km-long minimum and situated about 10 km W of UB) and Hustai fault (WSW–ENE direction, 80 km long, with its NE tip at less than 20 km west of UB); their length and morphology indicate that they can produce earthquakes of magnitude 6.5–7.5 (Schlupp et al. 2012). Most of the Mongolian population (1.2 million over 3 million) is concentrated at UB, which is the main political and economical centre of the country. Hence, the study of seismic hazard and the estimation of the probability of future destructive earthquakes are of primary importance for the country (Dugarmaa et al. 2006). Since the last large earthquake, the faults geomorphology has been highly smoothed by erosional processes and the exact location of the fault plane surface rupture is thus hidden within a several metre wide strip. The GPR method has been proven to give good and useful results to characterize faults by identifying offsets of radar reflections (Malik et al. 2007; Christie et al. 2009; Yalçiner et al. 2013) and
ISSN: 0956-540X

hal-01342629
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01342629
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01342629/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01342629/file/Dujardin_Bano_etal_Geoph.%20J.%20Int._2014_final.pdf
DOI : 10.1093/gji/ggu130

Éditeur(s) : American Geophysical Union
Résumé : Thick forced regressive units on the wide continental shelf of the Gulf of Lions (western Mediterranean) recorded the composite effect of sea level changes during the Quaternary. They are mostly composed of coastal siliciclastic and bioclastic wedges showing clinoform geometry. These deposits have been intensively explored through high-resolution seismic investigations, but only recently it was possible to ground truth seismic interpretations, based on a long (100 m) borehole that crossed the succession and recovered a large part of the mainly sandy deposits (similar to 84% recovery). A multiproxy analysis of the sedimentary succession shows that (1) the stratal architecture of the shelf margin is defined by major bounding surfaces that are polygenic erosion surfaces associated with coarse-grained material incorporating abundant and diverse shells, including cold-water fauna (presently absent from the Mediterranean Sea). Between each surface, coarsening upward units with steep (up to 5 degrees) foresets are made of massive (more than 20 m thick) sands with possible swaley and hummocky cross-stratification, passing seaward to sands with muddy intervals and, further offshore, alternating highly boiturbated sands and silts. Each prograding wedge corresponds to a forced-regressive shoreface (or delta front/prodelta), deposited during the overall sea level falls occurring at (relatively slow) interglacial/glacial transition and therefore represents the record of 100 ka cyclicity. Higher-frequency Milankovitch cyclicities are also probably represented by distinct shoreface/delta front wedges; (2) detailed examination of the architecture and chronostratigraphy of the most recent sequence shows that minor bounding surfaces, corresponding to abrupt shallowing of sedimentary facies, separate downward stepping parasequences within the last 100 ka sequence. These events are in phase with millennial-scale glacial climatic and sea level variability, the downward shift surfaces corresponding to the falls during the coldest stadials. These deposits provide a comprehensive and well-constrained Pleistocene analog to the numerous shoreface deposits attributed to falling-stage systems tracts recognized in ancient stratigraphic records, studied at the outcrop scale.
Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems - G3 (1525-2027) (American Geophysical Union), 2008-11 , Vol. 9 , N. Q11R05 , P. NIL_40-NIL_66

Droits : 2008 American Geophysical Union
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2008/publication-4929.pdf
DOI:10.1029/2007GC001854
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/4929/

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
The coastal sediments of Rhodes in the eastern Mediterranean have recorded transgression-regression cycles that took place during the early Pleistocene. The sedimentary deposits from the Kritika Member of the Rhodes Formation consist in conglomerates, sandstones, siltstones and clays deposited in brackish to shallow marine environments. Faunal associations are dominated by molluscs and reveal rapid ecological changes. Carbon and oxygen isotope ratios of aquatic skeletal carbonates show that these ecological changes were most likely driven by large salinity changes while water temperature remained rather constant at about 22.0 ± 1.5 °C. The tectonic activity of the island rather than glacio-eustatic variations of climatic origin is advocated to be responsible for the ecological and salinity changes and sea-level variations recorded in the sedimentary sequence.
ISSN: 0031-0182

hal-00767568
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00767568
DOI : 10.1016/j.palaeo.2012.06.009

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Springer Verlag
Résumé : International audience
Selected high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles and multibeam bathymetry acquired along the convergent Ecuador margin during the ATACAMES cruise on onboard the R/V L’Atalante (Jan.15–Feb.18, 2012) allow a preliminary evaluation of the neotectonic development and stratigraphic evolution of the margin based on the sismo-stratigraphic analysis of Quaternary sediment preserved on the margin shelf and upper slope. We present three major preliminary results. (1) The evolution of the Esmeraldas, Guayaquil and Santa Elena canyons. The head of the Esmeraldas canyon is the location of a continuous significant sediment transport. The Guayaquil canyon shows several episodes of deposition and incision. Aggrading sedimentation pattern in the canyon records several changes in relative sea-level. The subsidence of the Gulf of Guayaquil probably contributes to the good preservation of the canyon filling stages. The Santa Elena canyon is controlled by a SW–NE trending normal fault. (2) Variations of sediment accumulation and relative vertical motions are shown along-strike the shelf edge. Offshore the uplifted Manta peninsula, a pronounced subsidence of the shelf edge is documented by sedimentary clinoforms that have deposited in a morphological reentrant, and have migrated upslope testifying of a local subsidence meanwhile the adjacent La Plata Island area underwent uplift. In the Esmeraldas canyon area, a local uplift of the shelf is documented. (3) Two neotectonic fault systems with a possible transcurrent component are imaged across the shelf edge and upper margin slope offshore Jama, and Cape Galera. This possible transcurrent motion could be related to the reactivation of ancient faults of the upper plate by the subduction. These preliminary results indicate that the ATACAMES data set has a strong potential to evaluate the spatial and temporal contribution of tectonic and climate changes on the structural development and stratigraphic evolution of the Ecuador continental margin.
ISSN: 0025-3235

insu-01131151
https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-01131151
DOI : 10.1007/s11001-014-9231-y

Éditeur(s) : Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd
Résumé : We report rare earth element (REE) and neodymium (Nd) isotope data for the organic fraction of sediments collected from various depositional environments, i.e. rivers (n=25), estuaries (n=18), open-ocean settings (n=15), and cold seeps (n=12). Sedimentary Organic Matter (SOM) was extracted using a mixed hydrogen peroxide/nitric acid solution (20%-H2O2 – 0.02M-HNO3), after removal of carbonate and oxy-hydroxide phases with dilute hydrochloric acid (0.25M-HCl). A series of experimental tests indicate that extraction of sedimentary organic compounds using H202 may be complicated occasionally by partial dissolution of sulphide minerals and residual carbonates. However, this contamination is expected to be minor for REE because measured concentrations in H2O2 leachates are about two-orders of magnitude higher than in the above mentioned phases. The mean REE concentrations determined in the H2O2 leachates for samples from rivers, estuaries, coastal seas and open-ocean settings yield relatively similar levels, with ΣREE = 109 ± 86 ppm (mean ± s; n=58). The organic fractions leached from cold seep sediments display even higher concentration levels (285 ± 150 ppm; mean ± s; n=12). The H2O2 leachates for most sediments exhibit remarkably similar shale-normalized REE patterns, all characterized by a mid-REE enrichment compared to the other REE. This suggests that the distribution of REE in leached sedimentary organic phases is controlled primarily by biogeochemical processes, rather than by the composition of the source from which they derive (e.g. pore, river or sea- water). The Nd isotopic compositions for organic phases leached from river sediments are very similar to those for the corresponding detrital fractions. In contrast, the SOM extracted from marine sediments display εNd values that typically range between the εNd signatures for terrestrial organic matter (inferred from the analysis of the sedimentary detrital fractions) and marine organic matter (inferred from the analysis of local surface seawater). A notable exception is the case of organic matter (OM) fractions leached from cold seep sediment samples, which sometimes exhibit εNd values markedly different from both terrigenous and surface seawater signatures. This suggests that a significant fraction of organic compounds in these sediments may be derived from chemosynthetic processes, recycling pore water REE characterized by a distinct isotopic composition. Overall, our results confirm that organic matter probably plays an important role in the oceanic REE budget, through direct scavenging and remineralization within the water column. Both the high REE abundances and the shape of shale-normalized patterns for leached SOM also suggest that OM degradation in sub-surface marine sediments during early diagenesis could control, to a large extent, the distribution of REE in pore waters. Benthic fluxes of organic-bound REE could hence substantially contribute to the exchange processes between particulates and seawater that take place at ocean margins. Neodymium isotopes could provide useful information for tracing the origin (terrestrial versus marine) and geographical provenance of organic matter, with potential applications in paleoceanography. In particular, future studies should further investigate the potential of Nd isotopes in organic compounds preserved in sedimentary records for reconstructing past variations of surface ocean circulation.
Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta (0016-7037) (Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd), 2014-09 , Vol. 140 , P. 177-198

Droits : 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00191/30250/28682.pdf
DOI:10.1016/j.gca.2014.05.016
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00191/30250/

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union
Résumé : International audience
During the GWADASEIS cruise (Lesser Antilles volcanic arc, February–March 2009) a very high resolution (VHR) seismic-reflection survey was performed in order to constrain Late Quaternary to Present faulting. The profiles we obtained evidence frequent " ponding " of reworked sediments in the deepest areas, similar to the deposition of Mediterranean " homogenites ". These bodies are acoustically transparent (few ms t.w.t. thick) and are often deposited on the hanging walls of dominantly normal faults, at the base of scarps. Their thickness appears sufficient to compensate (i.e. bury) co-seismic scarps between successive earthquakes, resulting in a flat and horizontal sea floor through time. In a selected area (offshore Montserrat and Nevis islands), piston coring (4 to 7 m long) was dedicated to a sedimento-logical analysis of the most recent of these particular layers. It corresponds to non-stratified homogenous calcareous silty sand (reworked calcareous plankton and minor volcanoclas-tics). This layer can be up to 2 m thick, and overlies fine-grained hemipelagites. The upper centimeters of the latter represent the normal RedOx water/sediment interface. 210 Pb and 137 Cs activities lack in the massive sands, while a normal profile of unsupported 210 Pb decrease is observed in the hemipelagite below, together with a 137 Cs peak corresponding to the Atmospheric Nuclear Experiments (1962). The RedOx level was thus capped by a recent instantaneous major sedimentary event considered as post-1970 AD; candidate seismic events to explain this sedimentary deposits are either the 16 March 1985 earthquake or the 8 October 1974 one (M w = 6.3 and M w = 7.4, respectively). This leads to consider that the syntectonic sedimentation in this area is not continuous but results from accumulation of thick homogen-ites deposited after the earthquakes (as observed in the following weeks after Haiti January 2010 event, McHugh et al., 2011). The existence of such deposits suggests that, in the area of study, vertical throw likely results from cu-mulated effects of separated earthquakes rather than from aseismic creep. Examination of VHR profiles shows that all major co-seismic offsets are recorded in the fault growth sequence and that co-seismic offsets can be precisely estimated. By using a sedimentation rate deduced from 210 Pb decrease curve (0.5 mm yr −1) and taking into account minor reworking events detected in cores, we show that the Redonda system may have been responsible for five > M 6 events during the last 34 000 yr. The approach presented in this work differs from fault activity analyses using displaced sets of isochronous surfaces and postulating co-seismic offsets. Combining VHR seismic imagery and coring we can decipher co-seismic vs. slow continuous displacement, and thus actually estimate the amplitude and the time distribution of major co-seismic offsets.
Natural Hazards and Earth System Science

insu-01585969
https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-01585969
https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-01585969/document
https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-01585969/file/nhess-12-1755-2012-beck.pdf
DOI : 10.5194/nhess-12-1755-2012

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
The barrier reef tract of New Caledonia is the second largest in the world enclosing lagoons of variable width. The Late Quaternary evolution of these barrier reefs and lagoons is poorly known. A recent high resolution seismic and multibeam bathymetry survey was carried out in the south-western lagoon from shoreline to open ocean across the barrier reef pass systems to perform sequence stratigraphy and to better understand the Quaternary evolution of the lagoon. Two depositional sequences bounded by type-1 erosional surfaces can be identified. The bounding surfaces delineate the bottom of two generations of incised valleys. System tracts comprising a complete succession of regressive, lowstand, transgressive and highstand tracts were observed only in the upper sequence. Chronostratigraphic and sedimentological interpretations of the seismic data are based on correlations with the chronology defined in the nearby cores drilled through the reefs and in the gravity cores previously recovered in the inner lagoon. Interpretation of seismic data is also carried out on the basis of correlation with multibeam bathymetric data. Our results indicate that the history of the New Caledonian lagoon probably does not exceed 200ka marked by two or three brief episodes each of immersion of about ten thousand years. The bathymetric data reveal that during successive low sea level stands, the lagoon was dependent upon erosional fluvial networks. The deep fluvial valleys were connected to the continental slope through the passes. Seismic records reveal that upstream palaeo-channels are not connected to the modern coastal rivers. In contrast, many aggrading deposits, including numerous stacking channels, and extending across the proximal part of the outer lagoon, can be identified. Examination of drainage network morphology suggests a progressive tilt of the outer lagoon. Such evolution reveals that the Nouméa lagoon which is one of the widest in the world is an exceptional modern example of a rimmed shelf providing data to analyze the past counterparts.
ISSN: 0031-0182

insu-00338953
https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-00338953
DOI : 10.1016/j.palaeo.2008.08.012

Éditeur(s) : Gauthier-Villars
Résumé : Global changes in marine geochemistry, on scales between one thousand and one million years permit the detailed correlation of sedimentary sequences in different ocean basins. The condition is that the geochemical signals are at least approximately dated by biostratigraphy (and magnetostratigraphy, where applicable). Through mutual reenforcement of chemostratigraphy and biostratigraphy unusually high stratigraphic resolution can be obtained. The integration of chemostratigraphy and biostratigraphy opens new avenues for analyzing the record-producing system within the framework of systemic stratigraphy. This type of stratigraphy focuses on global change in sea level, climate, and general geologic setting. It attempts to identify the underlying causes of global stratigraphic signals by considering 1) changes in input of matter and energy ; 2) changes in spatial distribution of sediments ; and 3) temporary changes in the partitioning of materials between active geochemical reservoirs. Examples from Pleistocene and Neogene deep-sea records illustrate the concepts and tools of this type of analysis.
Oceanologica Acta, Special issue (0399-1784) (Gauthier-Villars), 1981

Droits : info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00246/35689/34197.pdf
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00246/35689/

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Nature Publishing Group
Résumé : International audience
Three-quarters of the oceanic crust formed at fast-spreading ridges is composed of plutonic rocks whose mineral assemblages, textures and compositions record the history of melt transport and crystallization between the mantle and the sea floor. Despite the importance of these rocks, sampling them in situ is extremely challenging owing to the overlying dykes and lavas. This means that models for understanding the formation of the lower crust are based largely on geophysical studies1 and ancient analogues (ophiolites)2, 3, 4, 5 that did not form at typical mid-ocean ridges. Here we describe cored intervals of primitive, modally layered gabbroic rocks from the lower plutonic crust formed at a fast-spreading ridge, sampled by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program at the Hess Deep rift. Centimetre-scale, modally layered rocks, some of which have a strong layering-parallel foliation, confirm a long-held belief that such rocks are a key constituent of the lower oceanic crust formed at fast-spreading ridges3, 6. Geochemical analysis of these primitive lower plutonic rocks--in combination with previous geochemical data for shallow-level plutonic rocks, sheeted dykes and lavas--provides the most completely constrained estimate of the bulk composition of fast-spreading oceanic crust so far. Simple crystallization models using this bulk crustal composition as the parental melt accurately predict the bulk composition of both the lavas and the plutonic rocks. However, the recovered plutonic rocks show early crystallization of orthopyroxene, which is not predicted by current models of melt extraction from the mantle7 and mid-ocean-ridge basalt differentiation8, 9. The simplest explanation of this observation is that compositionally diverse melts are extracted from the mantle and partly crystallize before mixing to produce the more homogeneous magmas that erupt.
ISSN: 0028-0836

hal-00950085
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00950085
DOI : 10.1038/nature12778

Éditeur(s) : Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd
Résumé : The environment is impacted by natural and anthropogenic disturbances that occur at different spatial and temporal scales, and that lead to major changes and even disequilibria when exceeding the resiliency capacities of the ecosystem. With an annual mean flow of 1700 m(3) s(-1), the Rhone River is the largest of the western Mediterranean basin. Its annual solid discharges vary between 2 and 20 Mt, with flood events responsible for more than 70% of these amounts. In the marine coastal area, close to the mouth, both flocculation and aggregation lead to the formation of fine-grained deposits, i.e. the prodelta. This area is characterized by sediment accumulation rates up to 20-50 cm yr(-1) and high accumulations of particle reactive contaminants such as various man-made radionuclides released into the river by nuclear facilities or arising form prior atmospheric nuclear tests (1954-1980) and the Chernobyl accident (April 1986). This prodelta, however, cannot be considered as a permanent repository for particle reactive pollutants since it is subjected to reworking processes. Sediment dynamics had to be linked to the influences of hydrodynamic and atmospheric events such as high flow rates or storms close to the Rhone River mouth. An experiment was carried out during the winter 2006 based on the deployment of two ADCPs and six altimeters at the Grand Rhone mouth for several months. This type of installation has never been used before in this area because of the hard meteorological conditions and the strong fishing activities. However, results showed pluricentimetric rises of the sedimentary level just after river flood events and decreases during storms, generated by southeast winds. Radiotracers and grain size depth profiles helped to characterise the studied events and to establish inventories of sediments and radionuclides. A cruise (CARMEX) was carried out during this same period to collect water samples, suspended particles and sediment cores. The results enabled us to link both river flow and wind characteristics to events recorded on the sea floor, i.e. resuspension, accumulation, consolidation, etc. Deposits of 11 cm of sediments were estimated during flood periods and bottom shear stresses up to 5 N m(-2) were calculated during sediment erosion phases. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Continental Shelf Research (0278-4343) (Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd), 2010-05 , Vol. 30 , N. 9 , P. 1095-1107

Droits : 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00006/11695/8479.pdf
DOI:10.1016/j.csr.2010.02.015
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00006/11695/

Éditeur(s) : American Geophysical Union
Résumé : Noise with periods 3 to 10 s, ubiquitous in seismic records, is expected to be mostly generated by pairs of ocean wave trains of opposing propagation directions with half the seismic frequency. Here we present the first comprehensive numerical model of microseismic generation by random ocean waves, including ocean wave reflections. Synthetic and observed seismic spectra are well correlated (r > 0.85). On the basis of the model results, noise generation events can be clustered in three broad classes: wind waves with a broad directional spectrum (class I), sea states with a significant contribution of coastal reflections (class II), and the interaction of two independent wave systems (class III). At seismic stations close to western coasts, noise generated by class II sources generally dominates, but it is intermittently outshined by the intense class III sources, limiting the reliability of seismic data as a proxy for storm climates. The modeled seismic noise critically depends on the damping of seismic waves. At some mid-ocean island stations, low seismic damping is necessary to reproduce the observed high level and smoothness of noise time series that result from a spatial integration of sources over thousands of kilometers. In contrast, some coastal stations are only sensitive to noise within a few hundreds of kilometers. This revelation of noise source patterns worldwide provides a wealth of information for seismic studies, wave climate applications, and new constraints on the possible directional distribution of wave energy.
Journal of Geophysical Research ( JGR ) - Oceans (0148-0227) (American Geophysical Union), 2011-09 , Vol. 116 , N. C09004 , P. 21 p.

Droits : 2011 by the American Geophysical Union
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00044/15531/12926.pdf
DOI:10.1029/2011JC006952
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00044/15531/

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
The Taiwan area, where the Philippine Sea Plate collides with Eurasia, is one of the most seismically active areas in the world and has been consequently struck repeatedly by destructive earthquakes. To better constrain the occurrence of large earthquakes, we have conducted two cruises in 2012 and 2013 from which five piston, gravity and box-cores were retrieved from selected sites in targeted areas that contain continuous and accurate turbidite deposition offshore eastern Taiwan. Forty-seven turbidite layers deposited between 675 BC and 2012 AD have been described in the cores with facies varying from silty clay to coarse sand. We modeled each turbidite layer using the sedimentation rate deduced from radiocarbon age measurements performed on planktonic foraminifers. Precise dating based on 210Pb–137Cs chronology provided ages for the XXth century turbidites. Coring sites' locations, biotic association within turbidites beds and seismic calibration over the instrumental period, suggest that earthquakes are the most likely triggering mechanisms of turbidity currents over the last 2700 years. Calibration of correlations between turbidites and instrumental earthquakes allowed us to determine the minimum magnitude of recorded events (Mw = 6.8) and the maximum distance between the epicenter and the slope failure. Turbidites' synchroneity between cores has been tested but results showed that this criterion cannot be used in our study area because of the high level of seismicity, i.e., a M > 6.8 earthquake recurrence interval much smaller than the uncertainty on radiocarbon ages. The excellent accuracy of dating allows correlating all the turbidites deposited since 1920 with instrumental earthquakes. For each core, we established a return time ranging between 112 and 147 years for the period pre-1900 and ~ 27 and 34 years for the period post-1900. The discrepancy between pre-1900 and post-1900 recurrence either suggests, that slope stability varies, with higher slope instability after 1900 possibly due to increased sediment delivery by rivers.
ISSN: 0040-1951

hal-01467627
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01467627
DOI : 10.1016/j.tecto.2016.04.030