Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : Une approche par datations multiples a été menée sur les dépôts de sédiments de crue retrouvés dans les gorges du Gardon (Languedoc). Le plomb-210, le césium-137 et l’analyse géochimique des sédiments contaminés par les mines ont été utilisés pour reconstruire l’histoire des dépôts de crue. Cette approche a été combinée avec l’historique des crues du Gardon depuis 1890 pour affiner l’approche géochronologique. Au niveau de la cavité GG et de la terrasse GE les analyses ont permis d’illustrer les mécanismes d’érosion-redéposition pouvant perturber les séquences de sédiments. Les enregistrements des dépôts de sédiments de crue sont complets sur la terrasse GE située à 10 m au-dessus du lit mineur à partir de 1958, et incomplets auparavant. Sur la période 1880-1958, 25 crues ont eu un débit suffisant (>1450 m3/s) pour recouvrir la terrasse, alors que l’on recense seulement 5 à 6 crues depuis 1958 (pour un débit de submersion supérieur à 1700 m3/s). L’augmentation progressive du débit de submersion et la fréquence moindre d’inondation de la terrasse ont pu permettre sur la période récente la stabilisation de la couche de surface par la végétation et limiter l’érosion lors de crues importantes. Les enregistrements semblent complets dans la cavité GG située à 15 m au-dessus du lit mineur. La fréquence moindre de submersion à ce niveau plus élevé peut expliquer une meilleure stabilisation des dépôts de crue, rendus moins vulnérables à l’érosion. La datation au radiocarbone a été testée même si elle ne permet pas de dater avec précision les dépôts de crue des derniers siècles. Sur la terrasse GE, 80% des dates au carbone 14 sur charbon de bois sont beaucoup trop vieilles par rapport aux autres techniques de datation, ce qui peut s’expliquer par une remobilisation/déstockage de charbons de bois anciens. Les datations radiocarbone sur graines donnent de meilleurs résultats, car issues d’une production annuelle, plus facilement décomposable et moins sujette à des dépôts intermédiaires. Au final, il apparaît que la technique de datation par radiocarbone sur des charbons de bois retrouvés dans les séquences sédimentaires n’est pas fiable, alors qu’elle est la plus pratiquée en paléo-hydrologie. L’utilisation combinée du plomb-210, du césium-137, de l’analyse géochimique des sédiments et des informations sur les crues historiques a permis de discriminer et de dater les différents dépôts de crue de ce dernier siècle dans la cavité GG et la terrasse GE. / A multidating approach was carried out on slackwater flood deposits, preserved in valley side rock cave and terrace, of the Gardon River in Languedoc, southeast France. Lead-210, caesium-137, and geochemical analysis of mining-contaminated slackwater flood sediments have been used to reconstruct the history of these flood deposits. These age controls were combined with the continuous record of Gardon flow since 1890, and the combined records were then used to assign ages to slackwater deposits. The stratigraphic records of terrace GE and cave GG were excellent examples to illustrate the effects of erosion/preservation in a context of a progressively self-censoring, vertically accreting sequence. The sedimentary flood record of the terrace GE located at 10 m above the channel bed is complete for years post-1958 but incomplete before. During the 78-year period 1880-1958, 25 floods of a sufficient magnitude (> 1450 m3/s) have covered the terrace. Since 1958, however, the frequency of inundation of the deposits has been lower:only 5 or 6 floods in 52 years have been large enough to exceed the necessary threshold discharge (> 1700 m3/s). The progressive increase of threshold discharge and the reduced frequency of inundation at the terrace could allow stabilisation of the vegetation cover and improved protection against erosion from subsequent large magnitude flood events. The sedimentary flood record seems complete for cave GG located at 15 m above the channel bed. Here, the low frequency of events would have enabled a high degree of stabilisation of the sedimentary flood record, rendering the deposits less susceptible to erosion. Radiocarbon dating are used in this study and compared to the other dating techniques.Eighty percent of radiocarbon dates on charcoals were considerably older than those obtained by the other techniques in the terrace. On the other hand, radiocarbon dating on seeds provided better results. This discrepancy between radiocarbon dates on charcoal and seeds is explained by the nature of the dated material (permanent wood vs. annual production and resistance to degradation process). Finally, we showed in this study that although the most common dating technique used in paleoflood hydrology is radiocarbon dating, usually on charcoal preserved within slackwater flood sediments, this method did not permitus to define a coherent age model. Only the combined use of lead-210, caesium-137, and geochemical analysis of mining-contaminated sediments with the instrumental flood record can be applied to discriminate and date the recent slackwater deposits of the terrace GE and cave GG.
ISSN: 0169-555X

hal-01059669
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01059669
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01059669/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01059669/file/ly2014-pub00040953.pdf
IRSTEA : PUB00040953

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD SAGE Publications
Résumé : International audience
The distribution of redox-sensitive elements (V, U, Mo, Mn) was studied in a sedimentary archive of the Pierre-Blanche lagoon encompassing 3500 years of sedimentation. Between 240 and 255 cm (i.e. between 0 and 350 cal. ad) in the core, there was a dark layer with no mollusc shells. Enrichments of V, U and Mo and depletion of Mn were observed in this layer compared with overlying and underlying sediments. This was attributed to the occurrence of anoxia in bottom water or at the sediment/water interface during the Roman period. This episode was concomitant with the formation of a sandy barrier, which now isolates the lagoon from the sea. Our results suggest that the isolation of the lagoon, which was deeper in the period concerned than at present, favoured stagnation of the water. Combined with the excess nutrient inputs because of human activities in Lattara harbour, stagnation may have caused anoxia in bottom water at least in some parts of the Palavasian lagoon system. Bottom conditions nevertheless remained sufficiently reducing for the accumulation of U and Mo to persist until around 800 cal. ad. Although the lagoon has been hyper-eutrophic since at least the middle of the 20th century and although anoxia occurs frequently in summer, redox proxies show no evidence for their occurrence. The shallow water and associated resuspension and reoxidation events explain the lack of V, Mo and U enrichment in recent sediments.
ISSN: 0959-6836

hal-01062151
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01062151

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : Les dossiers thématiques d'Agropolis, n° 11
Dans le contexte actuel de contraintes climatiques et socioéconomiques, les agricultures des zones sèches doivent évoluer afin de s’adapter et de répondre à un double défi : produire plus pour satisfaire les besoins alimentaires importants de populations en croissance, mais aussi produire mieux de façon viable et durable. Pour cela, les agricultures de ces zones doivent évoluer vers des modes de production à la fois plus productifs, économes en ressources naturelles et résistants aux aléas climatiques.Dans ce cadre, l’ingénierie écologique propose de nouvelles alternatives de gestion des systèmes agro-sylvo-pastoraux caractéristiques des régions arides et semi-arides d’Afrique subsaharienne. Ceci implique de maitriser la complexité des systèmes étudiés et de s’inspirer à la fois du fonctionnement des écosystèmes naturels de référence à la région agroécologique concernée — les savanes pour les zones sèches ouest-africaines — et des pratiques traditionnelles et savoir-faire locaux issus d’une longue adaptation face aux contraintes environnementales.À partir des expériences ouest-africaines notamment, différentes options pratiques sont exposées dans ce dossier. On pourra ainsi agir sur la biodiversité des organismes, que ce soit les plantes ou les microorganismes du sol par exemple, favoriser le recyclage des matières organiques et des éléments nutritifs pour les plantes qui sont associées, maitriser les cycles de l’eau et, enfin, agir sur l’organisation des paysages pour favoriser un meilleur contrôle des ravageurs de culture.Cependant, développer une telle approche demande une vision intégrée du fonctionnement et de l’évolution des systèmes agro-sylvo-pastoraux. Les questions sociales — le foncier, l’urbanisation et les migrations — et économiques — les marchés des denrées de première nécessité, la pauvreté, etc. — sont des déterminants essentiels qu’il convient de prendre en compte pour le développement durable des populations dans les zones sèches en Afrique subsaharienne.
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01585038

hal-01585038
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01585038

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Oxford University Press (OUP)
Résumé : International audience
Advances in groundwater storage monitoring are crucial for water resource management and hydrological processes understanding. The evaluation of water storage changes (WSC) often involve point measurements (observation wells, moisture probes, etc.), which may be inappropriate in heterogeneous media. Over the past few years, there has been an increasing interest in the use of gravimetry for hydrological studies. In the framework of the GHYRAF (Gravity and Hydrology inAfrica) project, 3 yr of repeated absolute gravity measurements using a FG5-type gravimeter have been undertaken at Nalohou, a Sudanian site in northern Benin. Hydrological data are collected within the long-term observing system AMMA-Catch. Once corrected for solid earth tides, ocean loading, air pressure effects, polar motion contribution and non-local hydrology, seasonal gravity variations reach up to 11 μGal, equivalent to a WSC of 260-mm thick infinite layer of water. Absolute temporal gravity data are compared to WSC deduced from neutron probe and water-table variations through a direct modelling approach. First, we use neutronic measurements available for the whole vertical profile where WSC occur (the vadose zone and a shallow unconfined aquifer). The RMSD between observed and modelled gravity variations is 1.61 μGal, which falls within the error bars of the absolute gravity data. Second, to acknowledge for the spatial variability of aquifer properties, we use a 2-D model for specific yield (Sy) derived from resistivity mapping and Magnetic Resonance Soundings (MRS). The latter provides a water content (θMRS) known to be higher than the specific yield. Hence, we scaled the 2-D model of θMRS with a single factor (α). WSC are calculated from water-table monitoring in the aquifer layer and neutronic measurements in the vadose layer. The value of α is obtained with aMonte-Carlo sampling approach, minimizing the RMSD between modelled and observed gravity variations. This leads to α = Sy/θMRS = 0.63 ± 0.15, close to what is found in the literature on the basis of pumping tests experiments, with a RMSD value of 0.94 μGal. This hydrogeophysical experiment is a first step towards the use of time-lapse gravity data as an integrative tool to monitor interannual WSC even in complicated subsurface distribution.
ISSN: 0956-540X

hal-00821181
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00821181
DOI : 10.1093/gji/ggt146

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD EDP Sciences
Résumé : International audience
This paper presents a comparison of models for extreme rainfall and flood values. Based on a large set of thousands of rainfall and discharge data, the French ExtraFlo project showed that design estimate of extreme values based on the fitting of a distribution on a limited sample of maximum values is very inaccurate when only a few decades of observation are available. Some interesting alternatives are possible, using a regional approach, or historical data when available, or simulation methods, or sedimentological or geochemical signatures of flood deposits.
Cette communication présente les principaux résultats du projet ExtraFlo sur l'estimation des pluies et crues extrêmes. A partir d'un jeu de données conséquent de plusieurs milliers de stations, une procédure d'inter-comparaison a permis d'évaluer les performances d'une trentaine d'implémentations différentes issues de différentes combinaisons (modèle probabiliste, méthode d'estimation, cadre local / régional / mixte local et régional). Le projet ExtraFlo a permis de mettre en évidence le manque de robustesse des approches basées sur le traitement statistique d'une série de quelques dizaines d'années d'observation. Des alternatives intéressantes existent, basées sur l'exploitation des records de pluie et de débit à l'échelle d'une région, de la collecte de données historiques quand cela est possible, de méthodes de simulation basées sur le couplage d'un générateur d'averses avec un modèle hydrologique pour la transformation des pluies en débit, ou des traces morphologiques laissées par les crues anciennes.
ISSN: 0018-6368

hal-01128341
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01128341
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01128341/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01128341/file/ly2014-pub00041933.pdf
DOI : 10.1051/lhb/2014010

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Météo et Climat
Résumé : International audience
D'initiative française, le projet international HyMeX a pour objectif d'améliorer la compréhension du cycle de l'eau en Méditerranée, de sa variabilité, de l'échelle de l'événement météorologique aux échelles saisonnières et interannuelles, et de ses caractéristiques sur une décennie, dans un contexte de changement global. Le projet est motivé par le rôle déterminant des processus de mésoéchelle, couplés entre l'atmosphère, la mer et la terre, sur la variabilité du système climatique et sur le déclenchement d'événements hydrométéorologiques extrêmes (précipitations et inondations, vents forts et convection océanique, canicules et sécheresses). Le projet vise enfin à évaluer les conséquences de ces événements extrêmes sur la vulnérabilité sociale et économique de cette région et sa capacité d'adaptation.
ISSN: 0026-1181

hal-00828758
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00828758
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00828758/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00828758/file/meteo_2013_80_23%20%281%29.pdf
DOI : 10.4267/2042/48792

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Wiley
Résumé : International audience
The natural river water certified reference material SLRS-5 (NRC-CNRC) was routinely analysed in this study for major and trace elements by ten French laboratories. Most of the measurements were made using ICP-MS. Because no certified values are assigned by NRC-CNRC for silicon and 35 trace element concentrations (rare earth elements, Ag, B, Bi, Cs, Ga, Ge, Li, Nb, P, Rb, Rh, Re, S, Sc, Sn, Th, Ti, Tl, W, Y and Zr), or for isotopic ratios, we provide a compilation of the concentrations and related uncertainties obtained by the participating laboratories. Strontium isotopic ratios are also given. Le matériau de référence certifié d'eau de rivière naturelle SLRS-5 (NRC-CNRC) est analysé régulièrement comme contrôle qualité par dix laboratoires français étudiant les éléments majeurs et en trace dans les solutions naturelles. La plupart des mesures sont réalisées par ICP-MS. Le silicium et 35 éléments en trace (terres rares, Ag, B, Bi, Cs, Ga, Ge, Li, Nb, P, Rb, Rh, Re, S, Sc, Sn, Th, Ti, Tl, W, Y et Zr) ne sont pas certifiés par NRC-CNRC. Aucun rapport isotopique n'est disponible. Nous proposons, pour ces éléments, des valeurs moyennes et leurs incertitudes associées obtenues par les différents laboratoires participants. Le rapport isotopique de Sr est aussi mesuré.
ISSN: 1639-4488

hal-00906166
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00906166
DOI : 10.1111/j.1751-908X.2013.00232.x

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD EDP Sciences
Résumé : International audience
This paper presents a paleo-hydrological study conducted on sediment flood deposits at two sites located in the Gardon Gorges, Southeast France. The first study site is a valley‑side terrace (referred to as site GE, located 10m above the channel bed) and the second is located in a cave (referred to as site GG, perched 15m above the bed level). Paleo‑flood events were identified by carefully analyzing each slackwater flood deposits. The flood units were then dated using a variety of dating techniques, namely 137Cs, 210Pbex, 14C geochemical analysis of mining‑contaminated slackwater flood sediments, archeological objects and the historic flood record. Hydraulic modeling was also carried out in order to verify the coherence between the stratigraphic records of flood deposits at the sites and the historic flood levels known along the river Gardon. It is demonstrated that all the major flood events of the 20th century can be identified at terrace GE. This type of geomorphological unit can therefore be used as a sound basis for a paleo-hydrological analysis of the Gardon Gorges. Furthermore, the analysis of the stratigraphic record at site GG demonstrates that the site can be used to trace the largest flood events that have occurred within the past 600 years. The study reveals that the frequency of extreme flood events increased during the Little Ice Age
Une étude paléo-hydrologique a été entreprise dans les Gorges du Gardon, où deux coupes sédimentaires ont été étudiées. La première provient d'une terrasse (coupe GE située à 10 m de hauteur au dessus de la rivière) et l'autre, d'une cavité (coupe GG localisée à 15 m au-dessus de la rivière). L'identification et la mise en évidence des différents paléo-événements de crue ont été établies grâce à l'inspection minutieuse de chaque dépôt sédimentaire et d'une étude géochronologique fine (137Cs, 210Pbex, 14C, métaux traces, objets archéologiques, historiques des crues). Nous avons souhaité évaluer la capacité des terrasses fluviatiles du Gardon à enregistrer des paléo-événements en comparant les coupes sédimentaires aux données historiques des hauteurs d'eau et aux résultats d'un modèle hydraulique 1D. Nous montrons que la terrasse GE enregistre la quasi-totalité des évènements du 20ème siècle et qu'à priori, ce type d'objet géomorphologique peut être utilisé pour toute étude paléo-hydrologique sur le Gardon. De plus, l'étude de la coupe GG (cavité perchée à 15 m) permet de reconstituer les évènements intenses au cours des 600 dernières années. Nous montrons une augmentation des crues extrêmes dans le Haut-Languedoc au cours du "Petit âge glaciaire".
ISSN: 0018-6368

hal-01108400
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01108400
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01108400/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01108400/file/ly2014-pub00041935.pdf
DOI : 10.1051/lhb/2014037

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Météo et Climat
Résumé : International audience
Les risques hydrométéorologiques sont au coeur du programme de recherche HyMeX sur le cycle de l'eau en Méditerranée. HyMeX a pour ambition d'améliorer leur prévision, de mieux connaître leur variabilité à l'échelle pluriannuelle et de renseigner sur leur évolution, dans le contexte du changement climatique. À cette fin, deux campagnes de mesures dédiées à ces événements extrêmes (SOP1 : pluies intenses et crues rapides ; SOP2 : vents forts et formation d'eaux denses) sont organisées en Méditerranée nord-occidentale, entre septembre 2012 et mars 2013.
ISSN: 0026-1181

hal-00829760
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00829760
DOI : 10.4267/2042/48793

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
A new portable sampling system was developed to extract Radium isotopes from large volumes (up to 300 L) of fresh surface- and ground-waters of low Ra-activities (<5 mBq/L). Ra is quantitatively adsorbed on a small amount (6.5 g) of MnO2-coated acrylic fibers, which are then dried and burned at 600 °C in the laboratory. The resulting Mn-oxide powder (about 2 cm3 when compacted) is then analyzed through gamma-ray spectrometry which allows measurement of the whole Ra quartet (226Ra, 228Ra, 224Ra and 223Ra) in a single counting of a few days. The usual relative standard combined uncertainties (1σ) are 2–3% for 226Ra, 228Ra and 224Ra; and less than 10% for 223Ra. This method was applied to the analysis of Ra in karstic waters of the Lez aquifer, and surface- and ground-waters of the upper and middle Vidourle watershed (South of France). The analyzed waters have relatively low 226Ra activities (1–4 mBq/L) in both cases, regardless of the contrasted geology (Mesozoic limestone vs crystalline Variscan basement), but clearly distinct (228Ra/226Ra) ratios in agreement with the differences in Th/U ratios of the two drained areas. Short-lived Ra isotopes (224Ra and 223Ra) appear to be mainly influenced by near-surface desorption/recoil processes for most of the sampling sites.
ISSN: 0969-8043

hal-01491281
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01491281
DOI : 10.1016/j.apradiso.2016.12.010

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
The present study reports data on CO2-rich geothermal waters and their associated carbonate deposits from the SW part of the Permian Lodève Basin (South of France). Both waters and carbonates are enriched in 226Ra, with activities up to 2.2 Bq/L and 3.5 Bq/g respectively. A series of carbonate samples precipitated around the studied wells since 1990 were dated through the 226Ra-210Pb and 228Ra-228Th methods, and the results are discussed in a new Concordia diagram. While both methods give comparable dates for many samples, Ra-Pb ages are sometimes much older than Ra-Th ages. We propose that these discrepancies result from the adsorption of 222Rn daughter nuclides in such a Rn-rich environment. The (228Ra/226Ra)0 activity ratios calculated at the time of deposition are remarkably constant for about 12 years, suggesting the presence of a steady-state aquifer. The low (228Ra/226Ra)0 ratios (0.348 ± 0.008) are best explained if most of the Ra derives from the Cambrian carbonate series (mainly dolostone) underlying the Permian Basin, which have low Th/U and similar (228Ra/226Ra) ratios. This study suggests that Ra and other alkaline-earth elements do not necessarily originate from the rocks surrounding the deep geothermal reservoir, but rather may be introduced into the CO2-rich water during its transfer towards the surface and interaction with carbonate rocks.
ISSN: 0009-2541

hal-01053715
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01053715
DOI : 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2014.02.008

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Springer
Résumé : International audience
Thiswork examines the relevance of the inclusion of ground-based gravity data in the calibration process of a global rainfall-discharge reservoir model. The analysis is performed for the Durzon karst system (Larzac, France). The first part of the study focuses on the hydrological interpretation of the ground-based gravity measurements. The second part of the study investigates further the information content of the gravity data with respect to water storage dynamics modelling.The gravity-derived information is found unable to either reduce equifinality of the single-objective, dischargebased model calibration process or enhance model performance through assimilation.
ISSN: 1866-6280

hal-00812624
https://hal-brgm.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00812624
DOI : 10.1007/s12665-012-1856-z

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
The behaviour of the four Ra isotopes (measured by gamma spectrometry) and 222Rn (measured with an AlphaGUARD ionisation chamber) has been investigated in NaCl-rich thermal waters of Balaruc-les-Bains on the Mediterranean coast (South of France). This study allows identification of the deep thermal water signature and reveals the influence of seawater or karst water inflows on Ra isotopes and 222Rn. The deep thermal water has 226Ra and 222Rn activities of 840 and 1900 mBq/l, respectively, a (228Ra/226Ra) activity ratio of 0.59, and low (224Ra/228Ra) and (223Ra/226Ra) ratios of 0.67 and 0.025, respectively. Several arguments suggest a dominant role of radioactive decay for short-lived Ra isotopes and Rn during the relatively rapid ascent of thermal water through wide open fractures and drains. The low (223Ra/226Ra) ratio constrains the maximum ascent velocity of thermal water to 8-10 m/h. Seawater inflow into the hydrothermal system results in an enrichment in short-lived Ra isotopes and 222Rn. The high (223Ra/226Ra) ratio (0.23) suggests that 223Ra, 224Ra and 222Rn produced by alpha-recoil in the upper-Jurassic limestone are entrained by seawater percolation through the coastal basement, due to active pumping in one of the near shore production well. This process would be enhanced by a low water/rock ratio (i.e. in a low-porosity, micro-fractured limestone). Mixing of this enriched seawater with thermal water induces barite precipitation with co-precipitation of a large fraction of Ra. Short-lived Ra isotopes may thus be useful tracers of seawater flux towards the continent. Conversely, the inflow and mixing of karst groundwater result in a general dilution of all dissolved elements, only a small enrichment in 224Ra and 223Ra, but a large enrichment in 222Rn (up to 26 Bq/l). The combination of Ra isotopes and 222Rn data provides a good way to trace the dynamics of different water masses along coastal areas.
ISSN: 0016-7037

hal-00795512
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00795512
DOI : 10.1016/j.gca.2012.09.010

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : In this study, we assessed past and present influence of ancient mining activity on metal(loid) enrichment in sediments of a former mining watershed (Gardon River, SE France), that is now industrialized and urbanized. A sedimentary archive and current sediments were characterized combining geochemical analyses, zinc isotopic analyses and sequential extractions. The archive was used to establish local geochemical background and recorded (i) increasing enrichment factors (EFs) for Pb, Zn, Cd, Tl, Hg, As and Sb throughout the industrial era, (ii) a contamination peak in 1976 attributed to a tailings dam failure, and (iii) current levels in 2002 and 2011 similar to those of 1969, except for Sb and Hg, reflecting a persisting contamination pattern. Inter-element relationships and spatial distribution of EF values of current sediments throughout the watershed suggested that both ancient and current contamination had a common origin for Pb, Zn, Cd, Tl and As related to the exploitation of Pb/Zn mineralization while old Sb mines and coal extraction area were the main sources for Sb and Hg respectively. This prevailing mining origin was reflected for Zn by a relatively uniform isotopic composition at δ66Zn = 0.23 ± 0.03‰, although slight decrease from 0.23‰ to 0.18‰ was recorded from upstream to downstream sites along the river course in relation with the contribution of the lighter δ66Zn signature (~ 0.08‰) of acid mine drainage impacted tributaries. Results from sequential extractions revealed that the potential mobility of the studied metal(loid)s varied in the order Sb < Tl ≈ As < Zn < Pb < Cd, with an increase of the mobile pool for Cd, Pb, Zn and to a lesser extent for As and Tl associated to increased enrichment. Altogether, these results tend to demonstrate that ancient mining activity still contributes to metal enrichment in the sediments of the Gardon River and that some of these metals may be mobilized toward the water compartment.
ISSN: 0048-9697

hal-01054163
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01054163
DOI : 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.02.078

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : Our method for the simultaneous determination of the four natural Ra isotopes (Ra-226, Ra-228, Ra-224 and Ra-223) in thermal waters involves a separation of Ra on a selective filter (3 M EMPORE (TM) Radium Rad disk), and a single counting using a broad-energy HPGe detector (BE Ge manufactured by CANBERRA (TM)). The calculation of Ra-223 and (228)a activities requires interference and cascade summing corrections. The Ra-226 activities in CO2-rich thermal waters of the Lodeve Basin (South of France) range from 530 to 2240 mBq/l. The low (Ra-228/Ra-226) activity ratios (0.19-0.29) suggest that Ra is mostly derived from the aquifer carbonates. The short-lived Ra-224 and Ra-223 are probably added to the water through recoil or desorption processes from Th-enriched coatings on the fracture walls.
ISSN: 0969-8043

hal-00475587
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00475587
DOI : 10.1016/j.apradiso.2009.10.056

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Society of Exploration Geophysicists
Résumé : Read More: http://library.seg.org/doi/10.1190/geo2015-0411.1
International audience
Understanding the role of the unsaturated zone in aquifer recharge and contaminant attenuation processes is a major challenge for the protection and management of karstic water resources. We present the potential of the magnetic resonance soundings (MRS) geophysical method for characterizing the vadose zone of karst aquifers composed of epikarst and infiltration layers. To investigate the hydraulic functioning of the Durzon karst system located on the Larzac plateau (southern France), we used the MRS method at 16 sites. The MRS results have been compared with available geologic information and to core water content measurements. The remarkable spatial variability of the MRS response observed in the study area makes it possible to determine ranges of water storage properties in relation to the lithology of the investigated carbonate formations (dolomite, marly, and siliceous limestone). All soundings found either constant or increasing MRS water content with depth, which demonstrates that the infiltration zone might be the major water storage entity for permanent water storage, with important consequences for recharge quality and quantity. These results show the feasibility and potential of the MRS method for the characterization of the karst unsaturated zone and for understanding the vertical distribution of water content, which impacts the overall functioning of karst systems.Read More: http://library.seg.org/doi/10.1190/geo2015-0411.1
ISSN: 0016-8033

hal-01412654
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01412654
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01412654/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01412654/file/mazilli2016.pdf
DOI : 10.1190/GEO2015-0411.1

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD EDP Sciences
Résumé : Cette communication présente les principaux résultats du projet ExtraFlo sur l'estimation des pluies et crues extrêmes. A partir d'un jeu de données conséquent de plusieurs milliers de stations, une procédure d'inter-comparaison a permis d'évaluer les performances d'une trentaine d'implémentations différentes issues de différentes combinaisons (modèle probabiliste, méthode d'estimation, cadre local / régional / mixte local et régional). Le projet ExtraFlo a permis de mettre en évidence le manque de robustesse des approches basées sur le traitement statistique d'une série de quelques dizaines d'années d'observation. Des alternatives intéressantes existent, basées sur l'exploitation des records de pluie et de débit à l'échelle d'une région, de la collecte de données historiques quand cela est possible, de méthodes de simulation basées sur le couplage d'un générateur d'averses avec un modèle hydrologique pour la transformation des pluies en débit, ou des traces morphologiques laissées par les crues anciennes.
ISSN: 0018-6368

hal-01054313
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01054313
DOI : 10.1051/1hb/2014010

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD American Geophysical Union
Résumé : The acquisition of reliable data sets representative of hydrological regimes and their variations is a critical concern for water resource assessment. For the subsurface, traditional approaches based on probe measurements, core analysis, and well data can be laborious, expensive, and highly intrusive, while only yielding sparse data sets. For this study, an innovative field survey, merging relative microgravimetry, magnetic resonance soundings, and hydrological measurements, was conducted to evaluate both surface and subsurface water storage variations in a semiarid Sahelian area. The instrumental setup was implemented in the lower part of a typical hillslope feeding to a temporary pond. Weekly measurements were carried out using relative spring gravimeters during 3 months of the rainy season in 2009 over a 350 × 500 m2 network of 12 microgravity stations. Gravity variations of small to medium amplitude (≤220 nm s−2) were measured with accuracies better than 50 nm s−2, revealing significant variations of the water storage at small time (from 1 week up to 3 months) and space (from a couple of meters up to a few hundred meters) scales. Consistent spatial organization of the water storage variations were detected, suggesting high infiltration at the outlet of a small gully. The comparison with hydrological measurements and magnetic resonance soundings involved that most of the microgravity variations came from the heterogeneity in the vadose zone. The results highlight the potential of time lapse microgravity surveys for detecting intraseasonal water storage variations and providing rich space-time data sets for process investigation or hydrological model calibration/evaluation
ISSN: 0043-1397

hal-00857351
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00857351
DOI : 10.1002/wrcr.20235

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD American Chemical Society
Résumé : International audience
A sediment core encompassing 3500 years of continuous sedimentation has been collected from a coastal lagoon located on the southwestern French Mediterranean coast. Lead concentrations and stable isotopes show that the sediments have recorded the three major periods of Pb pollution: the Etruscan-Greek-Roman period (650 BC to AD 50), the medieval period (AD 650 to AD 1450), and the modern period (from around AD 1850 to the present). These periods were separated by low pollution periods during the Dark Ages (between AD 50 and 650) and during the 16th century. From the end of the 19th century to the 1960s, Pb pollution increased exponentially. Coal combustion was the major source of Pb in the lagoon in the second half of the 20th century. Both the decrease in coal consumption and the ban on leaded gasoline resulted in a decrease in Pb pollution by a factor of 1.5 between 1973 and 1995. From 1991, sewage treatment plants and incinerators could be the major source of Pb. The average baseline Hg concentration from 1525 BC to AD 900 was 0.017 ± 0.003 μg g(-1) (n = 54). The Hg concentrations profile shows three major peaks: in AD 1150, AD 1660, and AD 1969, with the concentrations being respectively 8, 5, and 34 times higher than the baseline levels. The medieval peak (AD 1150) is attributed the medical use of Hg in the town of Montpellier and/or the burning of soil and vegetation. Noticeable Hg pollution was also detected during the 17th century in relation to gold and silver amalgamation in Europe. From the end of the 19th century, Hg concentrations increased exponentially until 1969. This modern pollution is attributed to the burning of coal.
ISSN: 0013-936X

halsde-00639280
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/halsde-00639280

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
We present in this study the first data on Ra isotopes, 222Rn, and 210Pb in waters from the Lez karst system, one of the main ground-water resources in the South of France. The low Ra isotope activities of the Lez system waters (from 0.35 to 3.45 mBq/L of 226Ra) were measured by gamma spectrometry using the method developed in our previous work. Our data reveal the coherent behavior of 226Ra in Lez spring waters, well correlated to other major and trace elements, like Cl, Na, K, Mg, Li, Rb and Ba. The (228Ra/226Ra) ratios are distinct between the Lez spring (0.60 to 0.72) and two neighboring springs (0.52 to 0.65), showing the spatial variability in karst systems. In spite of their small variations in the Lez spring, it was possible to trace different water components and mixing processes from Lower-Cretaceous, Upper-Jurassic and Middle Jurassic end-members, in agreement with previous studies based on major and trace elements. Data obtained on waters derived from the Upper-Jurassic karst reveal that their (228Ra/226Ra) ratios are not related to the Th/U ratio of the Jurassic limestone, but are rather influenced by the soil and alterite cover of the recharge area.222Rn activities in the Lez spring are relatively low (0.5 to 3.7 Bq/L) compared to other karst regions. The highest 222Rn activities are found in diluted waters following heavy rainfall episodes, suggesting a subsurface origin of Rn. Soil and alterite samples that have much higher 226Ra activities (from 51 to 130 Bq/kg), compared to those from the main aquifer rocks (from 2.9 to 16 Bq/kg), are probably the main source of Rn, rather than the rocks of the karst itself. The study of several flood episodes reveals the correlation between Rn peak-values or total activity discharged at the spring with cumulative rainfall. Finally, 222Rn dissolved in water decays to 210Pb, and our data show that constraints on transfer times of underground waters can potentially be obtained from their coupled measurement.
ISSN: 0009-2541

hal-01622749
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01622749
DOI : 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2017.06.022