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International audience; Particle identification at radioactive ion beam facilities requires Time-of-Flight detectors with an optimal time resolution and high rate capability. Segmented plastic scintillators are a common option for such detectors. A promising approach to cope with the high segmentation of modern devices is the use of silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) as readout of the Time-of-Flight detectors. A prototype device consisting of strips of plastic scintillator of 4.4 × 100 × 1 mm 3 readout at both ends by SiPMs of two different sizes was tested using a 124 Xe beam at 600 MeV/nucleon. Timing and time-over-threshold information were extracted. The time resolution of the prototype was found to vary with the applied voltage and the SiPM size. After optimizing the voltage, resolutions of 14.3(10) ps and 10.4(1) ps were obtained for SiPMs of 1 × 1 mm 2 and 3 × 3 mm 2 respectively. These results point to SiPMs being suitable as readout of plastic scintillators at radioactive ion beam facilities.

This paper draws on the results of a case study within the SoCo project and aims to assess the benefits and constraints in the application of conservation agriculture (CA) methods in Midi-Pyrenees, France, along with an evaluation of the coherence of the policy framework designed to improve the protection of soil resources. Inappropriate agricultural practices, under particular climate, terrain and soil conditions, have contributed to make erosion the main soil degradation phenomenon in Midi-Pyrenees, particularly under spring crops. The decrease of carbon stock is also a relevant issue. Among the various techniques applied by local farmers to reduce the impact of soil degradation on their land, CA appeared popular and was therefore analysed in detail. No specific legislation on soil protection is currently available in France, while the present agri-environmental policy, including the Rural Development Plan and the cross compliance measures, focuses mainly on water quality and biodiversity. A mixed methodological approach was used consisting of a literature review on the status of soils, of the characteristics of CA practices and of the soil-related policies in force. Semi-structured interviews with selected stakeholders on the use of soil conservation techniques and on soil legislation allowed a broader discussion of the study results. The research suggests that CA can effectively contribute to mitigate soil degradation in Midi-Pyrenees, although some implementation drawbacks seem to limit its wider use mainly due to lack of a specific support. Therefore, a better targeting of existing policies would be desirable for an improved protection of soil resources. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Due to their thermal expansion coefficient being close to those of ferritic steels, NiAl atmospheric plasma spraying (APS)-coatings have been chosen to be tested in chloridizing atmosphere. A new type of quasi-stability diagram which couples thermodynamic and kinetic approaches was developed to define the stability domains of the pure metals aluminium and nickel in dynamic chlorine- and oxygen-containing atmospheres. NiAl APS-coatings (300 µm) with low porosity on steels were applied and tested in an atmosphere containing 0.2 v/o chlorine and 3 ppm oxygen. After 280 h of exposure one quarter of the outer coating was transformed into a protective alumina layer. Much nickel depletion, due to the evaporation of nickel chlorides, was observed.

Summary The North Congo and South Gabon basins are divided into the inboard and outboard sub-basins by the Atlantic Hinge Line, which was formed in the Hauterivian (133 – 120 Ma) during the second phase of rifting. This structural segmentation directly controls the play distributions in the basins and over the past 60 years, the inboard sub-basin has been heavily explored for hydrocarbon accumulations in the post-salt and pre-salt sequences. The pre-salt sequence in the outboard sub-basin remains underexplored and as a result, is poorly understood. The purpose of this study is to (1) understand the tectonic framework and evolutionary history of the margin and outboard sub-basin, (2) investigate the relationship between tectonics and sedimentation in the outboard sub-basin, (3) identify the implications of this evolution on the pre-salt exploration. Our preliminary results show that (1) there is a northward change in rifting and structuration style along the West Africa margin as implied by our 2D deep reflection seismic, (2) the early rift sedimentary sequences are confined in the inboard sub-basin whereas the late rift sequence is prominently thicker in the outboard sub-basin.

La reduction des emissions de polluants atmospheriques et de gaz a effet de serre (GES) d’origine agricole constitue un enjeu majeur pour l’atteinte des objectifs nationaux, actuels et futurs, d’amelioration de la qualite de l’air et de contribution a l’attenuation du changement climatique. L’echelle des territoires est un maillon interessant pour le portage de projets et la mobilisation d’acteurs locaux de maniere transversale. L’outil ClimAgri®, porte par l’ADEME, permet d’effectuer un diagnostic des emissions de plusieurs polluants atmospheriques (en particulier l’ammoniac), de gaz a effet de serre, des consommations d’energie de l’agriculture et la foret, a l’echelle d’un territoire, au regard de son potentiel nourricier et de production de biomasse. Ce diagnostic constitue un support pour identifier les principaux enjeux et les leviers d’actions, notamment dans le cadre des Plans Climat Air Energie Territoriaux (PCAET). Sa mise en œuvre s’accompagne d’une demarche de projet, visant a partager ces elements avec les acteurs du territoire et a co-construire un plan d’actions concret pour favoriser le deploiement de pratiques agricoles vertueuses, adaptees aux contextes locaux. En 2015, l’outil Climagri® a notamment ete utilise au niveau national dans le cadre d’exercices de scenarisation prospective a l’horizon 2035 : les « scenarios prospectifs climat-air energie » conduits par le ministere en charge de l’energie et la mise a jour du volet agricole de la vision energetique de l’ADEME. Il a permis d’animer l’elaboration de scenarios pour le secteur agricole francais sur la base d’hypotheses d’evolution couplees entre elles et credibles.