The FETCH experiment : an overview
The “flux, etat de la mer, et télédétection en conditions de fetch variable” (FETCH) was aimed at studying the physical processes associated with air–sea exchanges and mesoscale oceanic circulation in a coastal region dominated by frequent strong offshore winds. The experiment took place in March–April 1998 in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea (Gulf of Lion). Observations were collected with the R/V L'Atalante, with an air–sea interaction spar (ASIS) buoy, with waverider buoys, and with research aircraft equipped for in situ and remote sensing measurements. The present paper is an introduction to the following special section, which groups 12 papers (including this one) presenting results on turbulent flux measurements at the ocean surface, on the behavior of the marine atmospheric boundary layer, on the ocean waves characteristics, on the ocean circulation, and on remote sensing of surface parameters. This overview presents the background and objectives of FETCH, the experimental setup and operations, and the dominant atmospheric and oceanic conditions and introduces the different papers of the special section.
(Journal of Geophysical Research. Oceans. vol. 108, n° 2169-9275, pp. 8053 (12pp.), 08/04/2026)
CETP, UVSQ, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, IRPHE, AMU, ECM, CNRS, LEPI, UTLN, RSMAS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, CNRM, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, Comue de Toulouse, CEFREM, UPVD, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, LAERO, IRD, UT3, Comue de Toulouse, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, SA, UVSQ, UPMC, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, FIMR, DIROP/MAR, DIROP, IFREMER, OOVM, UPMC, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
The "Fleuve Manche" : the sub-marine sedimentary features from the outer shelf to the deep-sea fans
(J. Quat. Res.. vol. 18, pp. 361-391, 08/04/2026)
LT, UPMC, INSU - CNRS, UCP, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
Neandertal extinction and the millennial scale climatic variability of OIS 3
Population models seeking climate as a triggering factor for the extinction of Neandertals and the colonisation of Europe by Anatomically Modern Humans are contradictory due to uncertainties in the dating methods, in the cultural attribution of archaeological layers and to the lack of terrestrial continuous and well-dated palaeoclimatic sequences. This is particularly the case for the Iberian Peninsula where Neandertal populations seemto have survived later than in other regions of Europe. A review of the available palaeoclimatic evidence for OIS3 of Iberia reveals that this mainly consists of low resolution, fragmentary, ill-dated and often ill-interpreted records. Correlation between palaeoenvironmental sequences from two IMAGES pollen-rich deep sea cores and archaeological data fromwestern Europe (the electronic archive of the radiocarbon dates is available at QSR website http:// www.elsevier.nl/locate/quascirev) indicates that Aurignacian moderns colonised France and the north of Iberia at the onset of the H4 event. During this cold episode a probable contraction of Neandertal populations is recorded in southern Iberia where no Aurignacian settlements are detected. Such a decline in population density is correlated with the particular desert-steppe-like environments, made up of Artemisia, Chenopodiaceae and Ephedra, characterising the H4 of this area. While reducing the size of Neandertal populations, this inhospitable environment may have favoured their persistence in this region. Mainly exploiting herds of herbivores adapted to Graminees-rich grasslands, the Aurignacian moderns were probably not interested in colonising these arid Mediterranean biotopes, and did that only after the H4 event.
(Quaternary Science Reviews. vol. 22, n° 0277-3791, pp. 769-788, 08/04/2026)
PACEA, UB, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
Morphodynamique d'une dune, couplage avec l'écoulement
(08/04/2026)
LEGI, UJF, Grenoble INP, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
Seasonal and interannual variability of benthic foraminiferal faunas at 550 m depth in the Bay of Biscay
Live benthic foraminiferal faunas were sampled 10 times between October 1997 and April 2000 at a 550 m depth open-slope station in the Bay of Biscay. Duplicate cores for 5 samplings allow distinguishing between spatial and temporal variability of the foraminiferal faunas. Although spatial patchiness of the foraminiferal faunas is substantial, especially in the 63-150 μm fraction, the temporal variability appears to be larger. The foraminiferal patterns are compared with surface water primary production as assessed by the study of available SeaWIFS satellite images. In the study area, the primary production regime is marked by a pulselike and prolonged spring bloom and possibly a short fall bloom. Such periods of elevated chlorophyll- a concentration are followed, after a delay of about 4-6 weeks, by a strong frequency increase of the most opportunistic taxa of benthic foraminifera. Surprisingly, no change of bottom and interstitial water oxygenation and of redox conditions within the sediment is recorded. The small taxa Epistominella exigua, Reophax guttiferus, Bolivina spathulata, Cassidulina carinata and Nuttallides pusillus appear to respond first to a labile organic matter input, by a reproductive event marked by a strong patchy spatial distribution hypothetically resulting of the spatial heterogeneity of organic matter deposits. Uvigerina peregrina and Uvigerina mediterranea, the most opportunistic larger taxa, strongly dominate the >150 μm fraction during eutrophic periods (spring and fall blooms). Intermediate and deep infaunal taxa seem to depend less on fresh organic matter input, even if a small frequency increases are recorded in the >150 μm fraction during the most productive periods; Globobulimina affinis and Melonis barleeanus show reproductive events in rather shallow sediment layers in the more oligotrophic periods of the year. A conceptual model explains the increasing delay in the response to important phytoplankton bloom periods for the successive benthic ecosystem compartments.
(Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers. vol. 50, n° 0967-0637, pp. 457-494, 08/04/2026)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
Annual dissolved fluxes from Central Nepal rivers: budget of chemical erosion in the Himalayas
Annual dissolved element fluxes of Himalayan rivers from Central Nepal are calculated using published river discharge and a new set chemical data of rivers including monsoon sampling. These are used to study the control on chemical erosion of carbonate and silicate over the whole basin. Chemical erosion of carbonate is mainly controlled by the river runoff but it can be limited by the availability of carbonate in limestone free basin. Chemical erosion of silicate is well correlated to the runoff. However differences between High Himalayan and Lesser Himalayan basins suggest that physical erosion may also play and important control on silicate weathering.
(Comptes Rendus. Géoscience. vol. 335, n° 1631-0713, pp. 1131-1140, 08/04/2026)
CRPG, INSU - CNRS, UL, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, CGS, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
Deep organic sedimentation along the atlantic south eastern margin as a paleoclimatic indicator for last glacial-interglacial studies.
The Atlantic South-eastern margin is influenced by the presence of broad upwelling cells associated with the Benguela Current System. Sedimentary records of cores taken along 2500 km from North to South show extraordinarily high organic carbon contents for this deep and oxygenated sedimentation environment. Thus this margin is different from classically known models of organic matter preservation by the bottom water anoxia.
(pp. Vol.5, 09785, 08/04/2026)
MNHN, UPMC, CNRS, ISTO, INSU - CNRS, UO, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, LMMNHN, MNHN, CNRS
Current map and bathymetry from p band sar images : preliminary results
Microwave remote sensing at very long wavelength is already used and validated for coastal zone regions and regions covered by ice (Antarctica) using airborne systems. For many other applications, a high potential exists and the PYLA 2001 experiment allowed the acquisition of data for fields still under preliminary tests. The experiment was carried on a Transall aircraft (French army/DGA) and used the SAR sensor RAMSES (multifrequency/multipolarization) from ONERA by P. Paillou et al. (2001). For the experiment, the acquisition was performed in P band (435 MHz). The aim was to explore potentials of the low frequency domain for sub-surface moisture detection (Pyla sand dune), biomass evaluation (Nezer forest), mapping of the ocean bathymetry and salinity (Arcachon inlet, estuary of the river Gironde), and archaeology (St Germain d'Esteuil, Dignac, Moulin du Fa). A dedicated P-band calibration site was set up in order to fully exploit the polarimetric information. This part of the study consists of analyzing SAR images from RAMSES (P band) in order to be able to take into account the effect of longer surface waves, winds and currents on the surface roughness in the Arcachon inlet. Tidal currents associated with long oceanic waves recorded at the mouth of the inlet, including the northern channel and sand banks of the ebb tidal delta. The analysis provides tools allowing the production of current maps, which are in turn compared to in-situ measurements by GPS on surface drifting buoys and to current velocity fields provided by a 2DH numerical model, MARS-2D. The evaluation of the ability of a 1D hydrodynamical model applied to SAR images in order to reproduce currents in the area presented. Multipolarization images can be used in order to separate the information associated with the ocean surface (tilt) modulation, which is different for each polarimetric image, from the hydrodynamic modulation, similar for each image. The tilt modulation is representative of a Real Aperture Radar-like (RAR) image. The data being available quite late, we just performed correlations between each set of data by using polarimetric coefficient. We obtain good answers on the information associated with the motion of the scatterers.
(. vol. 2, pp. 960-962, 08/04/2026)
TAMCIC, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, IFREMER
Increased input of circumpolar deep water-borne detritus to the glacial SE Atlantic Ocean
Analysis of radiogenic isotopes in marine sediments can provide useful information on the provenance and transport of detrital material, directly relevant to paleoceanographic investigations. Here we show that the detrital Nd isotopic composition of recent SE Atlantic marine sediments matches the complex modern-day hydrography. In these same cores, glacial-interglacial isotopic variations are consistent with previous investigations (using different paleoceanographic proxies), which have shown that the relative influence of North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) into the South Atlantic was reduced during glacial periods. In a novel departure, however, we also calculate the mass accumulation rates of terrigenous material delivered by each of Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) and NADW to demonstrate that the accumulation of detritus delivered by CDW was enhanced significantly in the glacial South Atlantic. This enhanced transport flux could be explained by an increased flow of CDW into the glacial South Atlantic and/or an increased concentration of suspended terrigenous material transported by glacial CDW.
(Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. vol. 4, 08/04/2026)
LDO, INSU - CNRS, UBO EPE, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
Bias in the paleoceanographic time series: Tests with a numerical model of U, C org , and Al burial
(Paleoceanography. vol. 17, n° 0883-8305, pp. 6-1-6-11, 01/09/2002)
CEREGE, IRD, INRA, AMU, CdF (institution), INSU - CNRS, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, CNRS, CEREGE, IRD, AMU, CdF (institution), INSU - CNRS, CNRS, INRAE