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Cette thèse est basée sur des simulations numériques régionales et aborde, d’un point de vue énergétique, la variabilité à Méso (O(10-100)km) et Sous-mésoéchelle (O(0.1-10)km) dans la région du Courant des Aiguilles.(i) La variabilité de sous-mésoéchelle à la transition entre les deux branches du Courant des Aiguilles (28◦E-26◦E) est dominée, en l’absence de méandres de mésoéchelle, par des tourbillons cycloniques frontaux formant un ‘vortex street’. La tension ambiante frontogénétique intensifie le cisaillement frontal qui déclenche l’instabilité barotrope menant à la génération de tourbillons de sous-mésoéchelle.(ii) Un budget modal d’Energie Cinétique des Tourbillons est développé pour caractériser les transferts d’énergie entre les différentes structures verticales. Les interactions canalisées par la topographie (3 processus) résultent globalement en une perte d’énergie pour les tourbillons de mésoéchelle plus grande que les processus de dissipation (friction au fond et vent) et une cascade verticale inverse (interactions triadiques) renforce les tourbillons de mésoéchelle dans les zones au large.(iii) Notre budget modal permet de caractériser la région du Courant des Aiguilles comme une source nette d’énergie pour les tourbillons de mésoéchelle en contradiction avec celui estimé à partir de données d’altimétrie. Cette différence vient des données d’altimétrie ne tenant pas compte de la contribution principale de la dynamique aux sources et puits d’énergie des tourbillons de mésoéchelle (partie linéaire de la dynamique agéostrophique du mode barotrope et du 1er mode barocline). This dissertation is based on regional numerical simulations and addresses, from an energetic perspective, the Meso (O(10-100)km) and Submesoscale (O(0.1- 10)km) variability in the Agulhas Current region.(i) Submesoscale variability at the transition between the two Agulhas Current branches (28◦E-26◦E) is dominated, in the absence of mesoscale meanders, by cyclonic frontal eddies forming a ’vortex street’. The frontogenetic background strain intensifies the frontal shear which triggers the barotropic instability leading to submesoscale eddies generation.(ii) A modal Eddy Kinetic Energy budget is derived to characterize the energy transfers between the different vertical structures. Interactions canalized by topography (3 processes) globally result in a larger energy loss for mesoscale eddies than dissipation processes (bottom friction and wind) and an inverse vertical cascade (triadic interactions) reinforces mesoscale eddies in offshore areas.(iii) Our modal budget allows to characterize the Agulhas Current region as a net energy source for mesoscale eddies in contradiction with one inferred from altimetry data. The discrepancies come from altimetry data not accounting for the main contribution of the dynamics to mesoscale eddies energy sources and sinks (ageostrophic linear part of the dynamics of the barotropic and 1st baroclinic modes).

Localisation of humanitarian aid has emerged as a major issue after the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016 which emphasised the importance of locally-led response as a corrective to power imbalances in the humanitarian system. However, the practical complexities of localised humanitarian aid are yet to be fully discussed. This paper aims to examine the concept of localisation in humanitarian aid through a case study of a local non-governmental organisation, the Cambodian Children's Trust (CCT), in Cambodia. Drawing on the framework of localisation proposed by Baguios et al., (2021), we analyse the application of localisation of child protection programs run by CCT. We provide a holistic understanding of how localisation is conducted in practice, and the impacts it has on the wider humanitarian sector. Our study illustrates that power can be effectively developed to local entities and localisation with empowerment could be achieved despite highly challenging conditions.

To mitigate the temperature increase in urban environments and reduce its impact on energy consumption and the quality of the environment, urban retrofitting technologies have been developed and applied worldwide. High albedo in urban surfaces and additional vegetation are the most efficient strategies to accomplish these goals. The objective of this study is to estimate the weight of these strategies, both individually and integrated, on the cooling potential of two Latin American cities. To do this, 36 low and high urban density scenarios were simulated with the ENVI-Met software. The simulation models were calibrated using air temperature curves which were monitored during the summer periods from 2010 to 2013. A Principal Components Analysis was carried out to establish possible associations between the proposed mitigation strategies and then the weight of anthropogenic heat was evaluated according to the configuration. The results show that the integrated mitigation strategies in urban areas -i. e. increase vegetation and albedo on horizontal surfaces- has a great potential to mitigate urban warming, showing a more significant impact on low-density urban configuration. The contribution of anthropogenic heat mainly produced by motorized transport and air conditioning systems, is a crucial input data for the urban microclimate simulations. Its impact on the urban densification processes may cancel out the benefits derived by the application of the mitigation strategies considered.

In the present study, we explored the temperature evolution and hydrogen desorption properties of the Mg50Ni50 alloy through both numerical simulation and experimental analyses. Desorption kinetics characterization was carried out using the volumetric method, specifically employing a Sievert's-type apparatus to investigate solid-gas reactions. The experiments covered a temperature range from 313 K to 353 K, with an initial hydrogen pressure of 12 bar. Simultaneously, a mathematical approach was employed to numerically investigate the temperature evolution within the hydride bed. Using COMSOL Multiphysics as a simulator, a numerical simulation was conducted based on experimental data. The study examined the impact of cooling temperature on hydride temperature evolution. Results revealed that hydrogen desorption kinetics of the amorphous Mg50Ni50 alloy are more significant compared to those of Mg2Ni compounds. Moreover, the effect of the warming temperature on the equilibrium pressure can also be observed in the hydrogen desorption isotherm curves. The experimental study of the Mg50Ni50 alloy provided activation energy data, along with determination of hydride formation enthalpy and entropy. On the other hand, we showed that the hydride temperature is maximum at the hydride-hydrogen interface within the hydride center.

Abstract Fractures along interfaces between host rock and wellbore cement have long been identified as potential CO2 leakage pathways from subsurface CO2 storage sites. As a consequence, cement alteration due to exposure to CO2 has been studied extensively to assess wellbore integrity. Previous studies have focused on the changes to either chemical or mechanical properties of cement upon exposure to CO2-enriched brine, but not on the effects of loading conditions. This paper aims to correct this deficit by considering the combined effects of the fracture pathway and changing effective stress on chemical and mechanical degradation at conditions relevant to geologic carbon storage. Flow-through experiments on fractured cores composed of cement and tight sandstone caprock halves were conducted to study the alteration of cement due to exposure to CO2-enriched brine at 3, 7, 9, and 12 MPa effective stress. We characterized relevant reactions via solution chemistry; fracture permeability via changes to differential pressure; mechanical changes via micro-hardness testing, and pore structure changes via x-ray tomography. This study showed that the nature and the rates of the chemical reactions between cement and CO2 were not affected by the effective stress. The differences in the permeability responses of the fractures were attributed to interactions among the geometry of the flow path, the porosity increase of the reacted cement, and the mechanical deformation of reacted asperities. The suite of observed chemical reactions contributed to change in cement mechanical properties. Compared to the unreacted cement, the average hardness of the amorphous silica and depleted layers was decreased while the hardness of the calcite layer was increased. Tomographic imaging showed that preferential flow paths formed in some of the core-flood experiments, which had a significant impact on the permeability response of the fractured samples. We interpreted the observed permeability responses in terms of competition between dissolution of cement phases (leading to enhanced permeability) and mechanical deformation of reacted regions (leading to reduced permeability).

FAERE Working Paper, 2019.23 ; While environmental values are spreading among societies, theyhardly lead to effective political actions. This may be due to an overestimation of the sharing of those values among people, or to a lack ofpolitical power of environmentalists vis-à-vis materialist citizens. Wepropose a theoretical model to investigate these two channels, based ona setup a la Grossman and Helpman (1994), in which lobby is a strategy available to social groups, in order to influence the government onenvironmental taxes. Because societies have being historically markedby materialist habits, citizens sharing those habits face lower costswhen getting organized. By considering endogenous lobby formation ala Mitra (1999), we show that, in order for environmental and materialist lobbies to coexist, the society must be mixed enough. Based on adynamic framework a la Besley and Persson (2019), we investigate howsocial values change over time. Whenever lobbying by materialists prevails, a unique social equilibrium exists, featuring a stable hegemonyby materialist values. If environmentalists get organized too, a secondsocial equilibrium emerges, that is locally stable and more favorableto them. However, the threshold might be very high, above which thecultural transition effectively takes off. By calibrating the model, westudy counter-acting forces allowing to improve the odds of the environmental transition, such as cultural mutations, social-signaling, andlowering organizational costs. Finally, we provide policy implications. ; Alors que les valeurs environnementales se répandent dans les sociétés, elles ne débouchent guère sur des actions politiques efficaces. Cela peut être dû à une surestimation du partage de ces valeurs entre les gens, ou à un manque de pouvoir politique des écologistes vis-à-vis des citoyens matérialistes. Nous proposons un modèle théorique pour investiguer ces deux canaux, basé sur un cadre à la Grossman et Helpman (1994), dans lequel le lobbying est une stratégie à la disposition des ...

This deliverable includes the methodology in EnergyPROSPECTS for an in-depth study of energy citizenship. It features the criteria used for selecting the cases for indepth study, the list of cases selected for in-depth study as well as key research foci and empirical research questions.

The rapidly changing climate presents unprecedented challenges, especially in permafrost regions, where its thawing directly affects houses, mines, roads, pipelines, airport runways, and rail tracks. Monitoring the dynamics of ground ice in permafrost landscapes is essential for assessing geohazards and adapting infrastructure to changing conditions. This abstract presents a new initiative utilizing cosmic neutrons metrology for permafrost studies, specifically focusing on ground-ice content monitoring. Traditional methods for assessing ground-ice content in permafrost regions involve labor-intensive surveys and analysis of geomorphological features. However, these approaches are often limited in spatial coverage and may not capture the full extent of ground-ice distribution. In response to these challenges, we propose leveraging cosmic neutrons as a non-invasive and scalable method for assessing ground-ice content. Cosmic neutrons naturally penetrate the Earth's surface and interact with hydrogen atoms in the soil, including those bound in water molecules. By measuring the cosmic neutron albedo, which is the flux of epithermal neutrons that are partially thermalized in the ground, we can infer the presence and distribution of ground ice. This approach builds upon established techniques used for soil moisture monitoring, adapting them for permafrost studies. In that regard, we conducted Monte Carlo simulations of cosmic neutron transport and interaction with modeled ground to investigate the feasibility of using cosmic neutrons for ground-ice content monitoring. Our simulations considered various ground compositions and ice concentrations to assess the sensitivity of cosmic neutron measurements to ground-ice content. The results of our simulations provide promising proof-of-concept for the proposed method, demonstrating its potential for accurately estimating ground-ice content in permafrost landscapes. Additionally, we are developing at DOSEO (CEA – Saclay, France) thermal over fast neutron reference fields that could be used to test, characterize, and calibrate detectors specifically for the presented application. The proposed method offers several advantages. Firstly, it provides measurements on a metric scale (~10m wide on ~1m depth), effectively balancing local detail with regional coverage, thus making it well-suited for mapping geohazards on a kilometric scale. Additionally, cosmic neutrons albedo measurements is non-destructive and non-invasive and can be applied across diverse permafrost landscapes, offering valuable insights into ground-ice dynamics. Moreover, mapping ground-ice content is feasible through the flexible deployment of neutron detectors. These detectors can either be moved around the study area to gather spatially distributed measurements or installed as fixed monitoring stations, enabling continuous observation of ground-ice dynamics across different seasons and over time. Integration of data from cosmic neutrons albedo measurements into Geographic Information System (GIS) applications enhances the ability to map geohazards and predict future changes in permafrost landscape stability. By combining information on ground-ice content with elevation, drainage patterns, periglacial features, and infrastructure, a better understanding of the interactions between climate change and geohazards in permafrost regions is achievable.In conclusion, cosmic neutrons metrology offers a promising approach for monitoring ground-ice content in permafrost landscapes. By advancing our understanding of permafrost dynamics, this initiative contributes to the broader goals of cryosphere monitoring and sustainable development.

Les conséquences du changement climatique sont particulièrement aiguës au Kenya, où 80 % des terres sont arides ou semi-arides. Quelle perspective critique et constructive le concept d’habitabilité peut-il offrir dans ce contexte ? Fondé sur un travail de terrain réalisé au Kenya en 2022 et 2023, cet article entend affiner une définition in situ de l’habitabilité, en utilisant exclusivement des données qualitatives issues de deux phases de recherche, complétées par des exercices de vidéo-cartographie. Loin de proposer une lecture positiviste de l’habitabilité, portée par une conception exclusivement mécanique et linéaire des dynamiques de mobilité, cette étude propose de mieux relier l’habitabilité aux pratiques quotidiennes, aux habitudes, aux solidarités, voire aux résistances qui constituent la vie ordinaire des habitants des communautés et des personnes déplacées. L’habitabilité se situerait alors au cœur de l’intrication entre socialité et spatialité, entre social et biologique, qui définit – selon Stanley Cavell – la forme de vie humaine. The consequences of climate change are particularly acute in Kenya, where 80% of the land is arid or semi-arid. What critical and constructive perspective can the concept of habitability offer in this context? Based on fieldwork carried out in Kenya in 2022 and 2023, this article aims to refine an in-situ definition of habitability, using exclusively qualitative data from two research phases, supplemented by video-mapping exercises. Far from proposing a positivist reading of habitability, driven by an exclusively mechanical and linear conception of mobility dynamics, this study proposes to better link habitability to the daily practices, habits, solidarities and even resistances that make up the ordinary lives of community dwellers and displaced persons. Habitability would then lie at the heart of the intricacy between sociality and spatiality, between the social and the biological, which defines – according to Stanley Cavell – “the human form of life.”