Frequency-locked chaotic opto-RF oscillator

A driven opto-RF oscillator, consisting of a dual-frequency laser (DFL) submitted to frequency-shifted feedback, is studied experimentally and numerically in a chaotic regime. Precise control of the reinjection strength and detuning permits to isolate a parameter region of bounded-phase chaos, where the opto-RF oscillator is frequency-locked to the master oscillator, in spite of chaotic phase and intensity oscillations. Robust experimental evidence of this synchronization regime is found and phase noise spectra allows to compare phase-locking and bounded-phase chaos regimes. In particular, it is found that the long-term phase stability of the master oscillator is well transferred to the opto-RF oscillator even in the chaotic regime

Excitable-like chaotic pulses in the bounded-phase regime of an opto-radiofrequency oscillator

We report theoretical and experimental evidence of chaotic pulses with excitable-like properties in an opto-radiofrequency oscillator based on a self-injected dual-frequency laser. The chaotic attractor involved in the dynamics produces pulses that, albeit chaotic, are quite regular: They all have similar amplitudes, and are almost periodic in time. Thanks to these features, the system displays properties that are similar to those of excitable systems. In particular, the pulses exhibit a threshold-like response, of well-defined amplitude, to perturbations, and it appears possible to define a refractory time. At variance with excitability in injected lasers, here the excitable-like pulses are not accompanied by phase slips.Comment: 2nd versio

Approche hydrochimique de la dégradation mécanique du versant instable de Séchilienne

National audienceLa chimie des eaux est un signal très fin qui permet la localisation dans le temps et dans l'espace de l'arrivée des eaux d'infiltration à l'origine des impulsions mécaniques des instabilités de versant. Il s'agit de comprendre comment s'organise la relation complexe entre altération chimique, modifications hydromécaniques et fragilisation/mouvements du versant rocheux instable. Pour cela, un suivi hydrogéochimique des eaux souterraines a été mis en place depuis 2010 sur le site de Séchilienne (France). La conductivité électrique est représentative du signal chimique engendré par la dégradation du massif. L'acquisition en continu de ce paramètre est pertinente pour le site de Séchilienne et peut se substituer au suivi chimique. L'avantage de l'acquisition de cette donnée est triple, ce qui peut en faire un outil pour la gestion du risque : mesure en temps réel, avec un pas de temps très fin et mise en œuvre peu coûteuse

Mouvements de fluides et processus de déstabilisation des versants alpins : Apport de l'étude de l'instabilité de Séchilienne

Pore water pressure build-up by recharge of underground hydrosystems is one of the main triggering factors ofdeep-seated landslides. Consequently, the characterization of landslide deformation mechanisms requires athorough knowledge of the hydrogeological processes triggering the destabilization. Anisotropic andheterogeneous media combined with landslide deformation render classical hydrogeological investigationsunsuitable. Hydro-mechanical processes which lead to slope failure of deep-seated landslides are complex andare influenced by the evolution of the landslide deformation through time. This thesis aims at improving theunderstanding of the relationships between precipitation and displacement velocity based on the study of theSéchilienne deep-seated landslide. A time-related monitoring of natural and artificial tracers allows to define aconceptual groundwater flow model despite a limited number of hydrogeological points of interest. Fluid porepressures are rarely measured on landslide sites and, instead the groundwater recharge is generally used as themost relevant parameter. A parsimonious, yet robust, guideline workflow to calculate time series of groundwaterrecharge is developed. Based on the conceptual groundwater flow model and the recharge calculation, a waveletanalysis coupled to a numerical model integrating time-dependent parameters allows to characterize therelationship between precipitation and displacement velocity and to simulate the creep deformation resulting ofindirect hydro-mechanical coupling (multi-year trend of displacement velocities). The characterization of thehydrogeological processes controlling the destabilization allowed to define a statistical rainfall threshold basedon an innovative multi-dimensional approach.L’eau, par l’intermédiaire de la pression de fluides, est un phénomène déclencheur majeur de la déstabilisation des mouvements de terrain profonds. En conséquence, la caractérisation des mécanismes de déformation nécessite une bonne compréhension des processus hydrogéologiques contrôlant la déstabilisation. Les milieux fissurés et de surcroit les milieux instables présentent de fortes hétérogénéités, ce qui rend les études hydrogéologiques classiques peu adaptées. De plus, les mouvements de terrain profonds présentent des relations hydromécaniques complexes avec des évolutions significatives dépendantes du temps (déformation de type fluage). Cette thèse s’attache à caractériser les relations précipitations-déplacement du mouvement de terrain profond de Séchilienne. Un suivi saisonnier de traceurs naturels et artificiels a permis de définir un schéma conceptuel d’écoulement de l’eau souterraine sur l’ensemble du massif malgré un nombre limité de points d’intérêt hydrogéologiques. Les données de pression de fluides étant rarement mesurées, les paramètres indirects, tels que la recharge, sont souvent les seules données hydrogéologiques qui permettent de caractériser la relation précipitations-déstabilisation. Une méthode d’estimation de la recharge basée sur un calcul de bilan du sol a été développée afin d’estimer la recharge avec précision. En se basant sur le schéma conceptuel d’écoulement et le calcul de la recharge, une analyse en ondelettes couplée à un modèle numérique a permis de caractériser la relation précipitations-vitesse de déplacement. Cette modélisation tient compte de paramètres dépendant du temps et permet de simuler une déformation de type fluage (tendance pluriannuelle des vitesses de déplacement), conséquence des couplages hydro- mécaniques indirects. La caractérisation des processus hydrogéologiques contrôlant la déstabilisation a permis de définir un seuil statistique d’activation de la déstabilisation, basé sur une approche multi-dimensionnelle innovante

Nitrate and phosphorous evolution in surface water and groundwater across space and time scales – the example of the Jura Mountains

International audienceThe aim of this study is to explore the changes in water quality from local to large spatial scale and from short to long term periods, in order to better understand the fate and transport of pollutants. Our work focused on the analysis of nutrients in surface and groundwaters in the karstic catchment of the Loue river (~ 1000 km²) in the French Jura Mountains. The hydrological behavior of this large basin is highly controlled by surface water-groundwater interactions. Recurrent algae proliferation and a scarcity of species considered to be sensitive are indices of a chronic degradation of the water quality.A first analysis of long term evolution of nitrate over 45 yrs in surface water shows that the nitrate concentration in waters (mean value of 10 mg/l) is controlled mainly by a seasonal effect (from 2 to 40 mg/l). A long term component is also observed showing an increase of several mg/l from 70's to 90's and then a decrease from 2000 to present. This long-term evolution is correlated to the annual amount of synthetic fertilizers used in cultivated areas of the Jura Mountains. On the contrary to nitrate, phosphorous evolution shows no long-term trend. Changes are mostly controlled by several peaks often superior to 0.2 mg/l, and occurring more frequently during autumn.A second analysis of short-term evolution was carried out at the seasonal and event-time scales comparing concentrations and fluxes at 5 gauging stations over the catchment. This analysis showed contrasted nitrate and phosphorous evolutions depending the location. High level nitrate concentrations occurred after recharge events in autumn and winter. The nitrate decrease during spring and summer reaches in some locations the detection limit. This pattern is attributed to the biomass productivity during hottest and driest months. Regarding phosphorous evolution, erratic peaks occurred after rainfalls without their amplitude being correlated with that one of the rainfalls, meaning that it originated probably from effluents from wastewater treatment plants.Finally, these first results showed the spatial and temporal variability of water contamination by nutrients, highlighting the complex hydrological and ecological behaviour on the various sub-catchments. The spatio-temporal variability of anthropogenic activities associated with the complexity of transport processes and with the hydrological conditions are the key processes that explain these contrasting responses within the same hydrosystem

Apport de l'hydrogéochimie pour la caractérisation des mouvements gravitaires

National audienceLes travaux menés depuis plus d'une dizaine d'années sur différents massifs instables ont montré les potentialités des observations hydrogéochimiques (suivi à long-terme et expérimentations) pour une meilleure compréhension du comportement hydro-mécanique des instabilités de versant et potentiellement l'identification de précurseurs de la rupture ou d'accélération

Quantification de la dégradation mécanique et chimique d'un versant instable : approche géologique, hydromécanique et hydrochimique Etude du versant instable de Séchilienne, Isère (38)

National audienceLa déstabilisation du versant instable de Séchilienne est très sensible aux événements pluviométriques. La compréhension de la circulation des fluides dans le versant ainsi que les effets hydromécaniques associés est primordiale pour caractériser les mécanismes de déformation. L'objectif de cette étude est de déterminer (i) l'influence des fluides sur les processus de déstabilisation du versant instable, ainsi que (ii) la relation entre la chimie des eaux et la déformation de ce versant

An integrated analysis of surface velocities induced by rainfall in the Séchilienne landslide (Western Alps, France)

International audienceAn integrated analysis on the relationship between rainfall and displacement in the most active area of the Séchilienne unstable slope was performed. This study combines several techniques and models to adequately reproduce the landslide movement induced by the rainfall. The analysis of available time series shows a long term trend and seasonal variations in the displacement, respectively independent and synchronous to precipitations. In particular wavelet analysis highlights that the movement is rather linked to groundwater recharge than to precipitation (rainfall + snowfall), involving then the importance of groundwater process in the area. A first and simple relationship between the water input and the fluctuations of displacements apart from the general trend is shown using a tank model. Moreover, a seasonal analysis of this relationship was performed, showing that displacement rate follows the behavior of the hydrological cycle. Two different models were applied to the long temporal series of extensometric and precipitation data: the FLAME model, from BRGM and the FORESEES model, from Univ. Lausanne. These tools are based on a combined statistical-mechanical approach to predict changes in landslide displacement rates from observed changes in precipitation amounts. The forecasting tool FLAME associates 1) a statistical impulse response (IR) model to simulate the changes in landslide rates by computing a transfer function between the rainfall and the displacements, and 2) a 1D mechanical (ME) model (e.g. visco-plastic rheology), in order to take into account changes in pore water pressures. The performance of different combinations of models was evaluated against observed displacement rates at the selected pilot study area. Our results indicate that both models are able to reproduce, with a high degree of accuracy, the observed displacement pattern in the general kinematic regime. Finally the variability of the results, depending in particular on the input data, is discussed

A cross-sectional study to assess job strain of emergency healthcare workers by Karasek questionnaire: The SEEK study

BackgroundEmergency healthcare workers (eHCWs) are particularly at risk of stress, but data using the gold standard questionnaire of Karasek are scarce. We assessed the level of stress of eHCWs and aimed to compare it with the general population.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional nationwide study in French Emergency Departments (EDs), using the job-content questionnaire of Karasek, compared with the 25,000 answers in the French general population (controls from the SUMER study). The descriptions of job demand, job control, and social support were described as well as the prevalence of job strain and isostrain. Putative factors were searched using mixed-method analysis.ResultsA total of 166 eHCWs (37.9 ± 10.5 years old, 42% men) from five French EDs were included: 53 emergency physicians and 104 emergency paramedics, compared to 25,000 workers with other occupations. Job demand was highest for physicians (28.3 ± 3.3) and paramedics (25.9 ± 3.8), compared to controls (36.0 ± 7.2; p < 0.001). Job control was the lowest for physicians (61.2 ± 5.8) and paramedics (59.1 ± 6.8), compared to controls (70.4 ± 11.7; p < 0.001). Mean social support did not differ between groups (23.6 ± 3.4 for physicians, 22.6 ± 2.9 for paramedics, and 23.7 ± 3.6 for controls). The prevalence of job strain was massively higher for physicians (95.8%) and paramedics (84.8%), compared to controls (23.9%; p < 0.001), as well as for isostrain (45.1% for physicians, 56.8% for paramedics, and 14.3% for controls, p < 0.001). We did not find any significant impact of sociodemographic characteristics on job control, job demand, or social support.ConclusionEmergency healthcare workers have a dramatic rate of job strain, necessitating urgent promotion of policy to take care of them