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Incollection Reference chemical/x-molconn-Z Overview of the ground mouvements highlighted by the Persistent Scatterer Technique (PSI) in Belgium
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2016
Inproceedings Reference The map of the Brabant Massif for offshore Belgium
The cartographic boundary of the Brabant Massif in the northwest is the North Sea, which is an observational limit. Nevertheless the Lower Palaeozoic rocks continue as part of a larger unit, referred to as the Anglo-Brabant Deformation Belt. Maps of the Brabant Massif largely rely on borehole data. The latest map of the Brabant Massif (Piessens et al., 2005) uses structural concepts and direct information, rather than geophysical information. Nevertheless, an aeromagnetic survey and gravimetric data corroborate the large scale distribution of the units. This map is extrapolated to the off-shore territory of Belgium. Direct information from drillings is not available for the off-shore region, and it is therefore not possible to draw this map at the same stratigraphic resolution. The formations are therefore grouped into Cambrian, Ordovician and Silurian units. Magnetic susceptibility is high for the Cambrian, which allows tracing their continuation from on-shore to off-shore. The formations at subcrop level along the central axis of the Brabant Massif are on-shore Cambrian in age, but young in a WNW direction. Also the magnetic pattern becomes less intense, likely corresponding to an increasing depth of the more magnetic lower Cambrian units. This trend continues off-shore, indicating that the Cambrian units disappears at subcrop level. Superimposed on this general trend an aeromagnetic anomaly about 15 km off-shore of Ostend marks the probable local reappearance of the Tubize Formation. A secondary and less continuous Cambrian axis passes near Diksmuide. A second isolated off-shore aeromagnetic anomaly, indicative of the Cambrian unit, lies along the trace of this secondary axis. The gravimetric map shows a low gravimetric anomaly of which the circular shape suggests a genetic link with the chain of gravimetric lows that underlie the southern part of the on-shore part of the Brabant Massif. The higher densities in the northern part of the off-shore territory confirm, in continuation of the on-shore formation boundaries, the presence of the Silurian unit. The validity of the inferred distribution of the stratigraphic units was verified with the structural 3D concept that was developed for the on-shore part of the Brabant Massif, concluding that the inferred distribution of the geological units is in agreement with the structural model derived on-shore. It for example explains the positions of the two magnetic anomalies relative to each another. A central element in the structural model is the Asquempont Detachment System of which a limited number of possible traces is possible.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2016
Inproceedings Reference Beyond the current limits of Raman Spectroscopy: controlling fluorescence in solid bitumen with low thermal maturity
Raman spectroscopy is an interesting tool to assess the thermal maturity of solid organic matter. For carbonaceous material with moderate to high maturities, several studies have found good correlations between Raman spectral parameters and thermal maturity, expressed as vitrinite reflectance (VR) or bitumen reflectance (BR). However, at low maturities a large part of the Raman peaks is lost under an intense background radiation, caused by fluorescence. This fluorescence problem mainly occurs at 0.4-1.0% VR (the oil window), and makes it difficult to recognize the original spectrum. In this study, Raman parameters that have been put forward in literature were tested on a low maturity, solid bitumen sample of approximately 0.61% BR. The investigated parameters include the peak’s full width at half maximum FWHM, peak position W, peak area A, area ratio AD/AG and intensity ratio ID/IG. Fluorescence in this sample is very high and covers Raman peaks. It was found that during consecutive measurements at a single location (i.e. irradiation with the Raman laser), fluorescence decreases with time and Raman peaks appear. This is in line with Quirico et al. (2005), who observed the same effect at coal measurements. An interesting observation is the behaviour of Raman parameters during ongoing irradiation. The full widths at half maximum do not change at all for every investigated peak in our spectra. Also peak positions remain the same. The peak areas do change with irradiation, and show a decrease with decreasing fluorescence. Comparison of areas under individual peaks and total spectrum area however suggests that A and fluorescence decrease at equal speeds. This is the case for most important Raman peaks at 1370 (D-band), 1600 (G-band) and 3200 cm-1, with correlation coefficients of 0.66, 0.97 and 0.92 respectively. Lastly, the area ratio AD/AG and intensity ratio ID/IG(approximation) show no trend with fluorescence, indicating that the shape of the spectrum remains the same with irradiation. This is a promising result, because it suggests that fluorescence can be controlled without changing spectral parameters. Although not all peak parameters in this study (FWHM and AD/AG) correspond to parameters from literature regarding maturity, the behaviour of the Raman peak parameters in combination with the decreasing fluorescence is an exciting outcome. If further research proves that the original parameters are not altered by irradiation, this will provide an answer to the problem of fluorescence at low maturity samples.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2016
Inproceedings Reference Example of natural fracture patterns in Westphalian deposits: occurence and controls
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2016
Conference Reference What if jellyfish were swimming?
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2016
Conference Reference Are juveniles from mixed spawning populations or not? Tracing juvenile sole arriving at the Belgian nursery using genomics and otolith shape
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2016
Conference Reference River-Ocean Models as Support to eutrophication management
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2016
Inproceedings Reference Manganese layered oxides (asbolane, lithipophorite and intermediates) identification and characterization by Raman and infrared spectroscopy
In this study, Raman and infrared spectroscopy is applied to investigate two manganese oxide phases: lithiophorite [(Al,Li)Mn4+O2(OH)2] and asbolane [(Ni,Co)xMn4+(O,OH)4.nH2O], along with their intermediates (“Asbolane-Lithiophorite Intermediates”: ALI). These oxides typically incorporate variable concentrations of Co, Ni, Cu and Li. They represent a group of economically interesting phases that are difficult to identify and characterize with classical X-ray diffraction techniques. They were described in many places around the world, including the oxidized horizon of large ore deposits in New-Caledonia, Australia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) amongst others. They also represents phases encountered as Ni-Co enriched manganese nodules of the deep ocean floors. Our results show that Lithium-bearing manganese oxides with typical X-ray diffraction lines of lithiophorite can exhibit two different Raman responses, namely the one of a typical lithiophorite and the one of ALI. This difference of reaction between X-ray and Raman methods strengthen the model developed in literature [2] that the X-ray diffraction lines of these oxides result primarily from one component of the structure, the MnO6 octahedra layers. In the same way, the reflectors associated with the unstructured Ni-Co oxide layers in asbolane are too weak to be visible on X-ray diffraction patterns. By contrast, the Raman responses are also driven by the chemical composition of the samples, allowing a more precise characterization. We propose reference Raman spectroscopic signatures for lithiophorite, asbolane and ALI phases. These spectra are mainly composed of two spectral domains, the first one is located between 370-630 cm-1 and the second one between 900-1300 cm-1. We then assess the impact of their highly variable chemistry on their Raman peak positions, intensities and FWHM using a semi-systematic curve-fitting method profiled for these phases. The strong affinities observed between the Raman spectral content of asbolane, lithiophorite and their intermediates, combined with the progressive trend observed for some peak parameters indicate that the studied phases represent probably a solid solution.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2016
Inproceedings Reference Aerial imagery from an high-altitude drifting balloon platform : applications in geohazards monitoring (Sierra Arana, Spain and Mons Province, Belgium)
A new type of untethered balloon based mapping platform allows affordable remote sensing applications from higher altitudes and with a greater range and payload capacity than common motorized UAV’s. The airborne device, called « Stratochip » is based on a dual helium balloons configuration. At a defined altitude (comprised between 500 and 30000m), the first balloon is released, drastically reducing the platform climbing rate. The payload (up to 10kg) can then drift in a sub-horizontal trajectory until it leaves a pre-defined area of interest. Leaving the pre-defined area, the second balloon is released and the payload is recovered after a parachute landing. The predicted flight path of the Stratochip, launch site and surveyed area are calculated using both forecasted (NOAA model) and real-time (inborne instruments) meteorological data, along with the physical parameters of the balloons and parachute. The predicted recovery area can also be refined in real-time to secure and facilitate equipment retrieval. In this study, we present the results of two cartographic campaigns made in Belgium (Ground collapse near Mons) and Spain (karstic field in the Eastern part of Sierra Arana, Granada region). Those campaigns aimed to test the usability of the Stratochip to survey a large area (up to 900km² for Spain) at medium and low altitudes (8000m - 500m) and produce an updated Digital Elevation Model and orthophoto mosaic of those regions. For that purpose, the instrument installed in the Stratochip payload was constituted of a digital camera stabilized with two IMU’s and two brushless motors. An automated routine then tilted the camera at predefined angles while taking pictures of the ground. This technique allowed to maximize the photogrammetric information collected on a single pass flight, and improved the DEM reconstruction quality, using structure-from-motion algorithms. The quality of produced DEM were then evaluated by comparing the level and accuracy of details and surface artefacts between available topographic data (LIDAR, SRTM, topographic maps) and the Stratochip sets. This evaluation showed that the models were in good correlation with existing data, and can be readily be used in geomorphology, structural and natural hazard studies.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2016
Inproceedings Reference Building a transnationally harmonised marine geological database
Within the framework of marine resource management, a common knowledge base is being developed on the distribution, composition and dynamics of various geological resources. Focus is on data from the Belgian part of the North Sea, being representative of a typical sandbank sedimentary system. To ensure harmonised seabed mapping over large, supraregional areas and to facilitate the exchange of information, special attention was paid to compatibility with marine geodatabases from the adjacent Netherlands territory. With reference to the seabed and its subsurface, two main databases are being compiled: one comprising all available lithological descriptions and one with all numerical grain-size information. To enable standardisation of the data and make them easily query-able, non-numerical descriptions are being coded to an international standard (EU FP7 Geo-Seas; www.geoseas.eu), of which the Udden-Wentworth scale is the main classifier. Several other parameters were derived, such as percentages mud, sand, gravel, shells and organic material. For the sediment database, cumulative grain-size-distribution curves were compiled, enabling calculations of any desired granulometry parameter, such as percentages of the grain-size fractions (fine, medium, coarse sand) and percentiles that are relevant in seabed-habitat mapping or sediment-transport modelling (D35, D50, D84). For both databases, the completeness and accuracy of the metadata were considered highly important. Information about sampling and coring techniques, analytical methods, horizontal and vertical positioning accuracy, and the exact timing of data acquisition is pivotal in uncertainty analyses, which are an increasingly important element of seabed mapping. The time of seabed mapping is critical to convert measured water depths to a common datum such as TAW in Belgium, facilitating integration of sample data in bathymetry data and thus their incorporation in 4D-modelling studies on morphodynamic change. For Belgium, the geological databases will be imbedded in the data infrastructure of the Belgian Marine Data Centre (www.bmdc.be), ensuring compatibility with international standards and providing easy access to a wide user community. Following processing to generate data products such as resource-related subsurface models, visualisation is foreseen through Subsurface Viewer (GmbH INSIGHT). Applied maps and models thus disseminated are crucial in decision making, and invaluable for outreach and educational purposes. The newly developed database and its associated data products will contribute to the objectives of the projects TILES (Belspo Brain-be), EMODnet-Geology (EU DG MARE), and ZAGRI (private revenues from the marine-aggregate industry).
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2016