Decompression sickness (DCS) is a risk associated with high-altitude aviation and diving. During these activities, decompression may lead to supersaturation of inert gas dissolved in bodily tissues and subsequently activate bubble formation in various bodily tissues, including in venous blood, known as venous gas emboli (VGE). It has been shown that the amount of VGE detected during and after decompression is linked to the risk of developing DCS. Thus, lowering the incidence of VGE would lower the risk of developing DCS. Previous studies have demonstrated that a session of whole-body vibration prior to a diving session is effective in lowering VGE formation. However, no study has investigated the effect of whole-body vibration on high-altitude-induced VGE. For the present study, 3 participants were recruited. The subjects performed on separate days (interspaced by 48 h) and in a randomised manner, three different preconditioning strategies: (A) 40-min seated rest, (B) 30-min seated rest followed by 150 knee squats performed over a 10 min period and (C) 30-min whole-body vibration (40 Hz) proceeded by a 10 min seated rest. Thereafter, subjects were exposed to an altitude of 24,000 ft continuously for 90 min, whilst laying in a supine position and breathing a normoxic gas mixture (PIO2 = 21 kPa). Heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO) and stroke volume (SV) were monitored throughout the high-altitude exposure. Every 5 min, VGE prevalence was assessed ultrasonically and graded according to the Eftedal-Brubakk 5-point scale. In addition, every 15 min, subjects were asked to perform three fast, unloaded knee-bends while in their left-side horizontal recumbent position, with VGE prevalence being estimated both before and after the three knee-bends. The control strategy was associated with a higher VGE scores (2.7 ± 1.2) compared to vibration (1.0 ± 1.0) and squats (1.3 ± 0.6) strategies. VGE appeared earlier during the control strategy (35 ± 23 min) compared to the vibration (65 ± 31 min) and squats (50 ± 17 min) strategies. A strong negative correlation was only observed in the control strategy between VGE and CO (r = -0.63) and SV (r = -0.64). This study demonstrated that whole-body vibration is the most effective preconditioning strategy in lowering the amount of high-altitude-induced VGE compared with 40-min of seated-rest and 150 knee squats performed over a period of 10 min. / Att drabbas av dekompressionssjuka (DKS) utgör en risk vid såväl höghöjdsflygning som dykning. I samband med dessa aktiviteter, kan dekompression leda till övermättnad av inert-gas löst i kroppens vävnader, vilket i sin tur kan leda till bubbelformation i olika vävnader, inklusive i venblodet, där bubblorna benämns venösa gasembolier (VGE). Det har visats föreligga ett samband mellan mängden VGE som uppmäts under och efter dekompression och risken att utveckla DKS. Således kan det antas att en minskad incidens av VGE är förknippad med minskad risk att utveckla DKS. Tidigare undersökningar har påvisat att en period med helkroppsvibration före dykning påtagligt minskar bildningen av VGE. Hittills har man dock inte undersökt om helkroppsvibration påverkar höghöjdsinducerade VGE. I föreliggande undersökning, medverkade tre försökspersoner. De exponerades vid separata tillfällen (med 48 timmars mellanrum), och i olika ordningsföljd, för tre prekonditioneringsstrategier: (A) 40 min sittande vila, (B) 30 min sittande vila följt av 150 djupa knäböjningar som genomfördes under en 10-minutersperiod och (C) 10 min sittande vila följt av 30 min helkroppsvibration (40 Hz). Därefter exponerades försökspersonerna för en simulerad höjd motsvarande 24,000 fot ö.h. kontinuerligt under 90 min, under det att de i liggande ryggläge andades en normoxisk gasblandning (inspiratoriskt syrepartialtryck = 21 kPa). Hjärtfrekvens (HF), hjärtminutvolym (HMV) och hjärtats slagvolym (SV) mättes kontinuerligt under höghöjdsexponeringen. Var femte min bedömdes prevalensen av VGE med hjälp av ultraljudsteknik och en 5-gradig skattningsskala. Var femtonde min genomförde försökspersonerna 3 obelastade knäböjningar, liggande i vänster sidoläge, varvid VGE-prevalensen bedömdes såväl före som efter knäböjningarna. Kontrollbetingelsen (A) framkallade högre VGE-nivå (2,7 ± 1,2) än vibrationsbetingelsen (B; 1 ± 1) och knäböjbetingelsen (C; 1,3 ± 0,6). VGE uppträdde tidigare under kontrollbetingelsen (35 ± 23 min) än i vibrations- (65 ± 31 min) och knäböj-betingelserna (50 ± 17 min). Starka negativa samband påvisades mellan VGE och CO (r = -0,63) respektive SV (r = -0,64). Således visade föreliggande undersökning att helkroppsvibration.

No description available.

Most of the navigation systems used in today’s aircraft rely on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). However, GNSS is not fully reliable. For example, it can be jammed by attacks on the space or ground segments of the system or denied at inaccessible areas. Hence to ensure successful navigation it is of great importance to continuously be able to establish the aircraft’s location without having to rely on external reference systems. Localization is one of many sub-problems in navigation and will be the focus of this thesis. This brings us to the field of visual odometry (VO), which involves determining position and orientation with the help of images from one or more camera sensors. But to date, most VO systems have primarily been established on ground vehicles and low flying multi-rotor systems. This thesis seeks to extend VO to new applications by exploring it in a fairly new context; a fixed-wing piloted combat aircraft, for vision-only pose estimation in applications of extremely large scene depth. A major part of this research work is the data gathering, where the data is collected using the flight simulator X-Plane 11. Three different flight routes are flown; a straight line, a curve and a loop, for two types of visual conditions; in clear weather with daylight and during sunset. The method used in this work is ORB-SLAM3, an open-source library for visual simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM). It has shown excellent results in previous works and has become a benchmark method often used in the field of visual pose estimation. ORB-SLAM3 tracks the straight line of 78 km very well at an altitude over 2700 m. The absolute trajectory error (ATE) is 0.072% of the total distance traveled in daylight and 0.11% during sunset. These results are of the same magnitude as ORB-SLAM3 on the EuRoC MAV dataset. For the curved trajectory of 79 km ATE is 2.0% and 1.2% of total distance traveled in daylight and sunset respectively.  The longest flight route of 258 km shows the challenges of visual pose estimation. Although it is managing to close loops in daylight, it has an ATE of 3.6% during daylight. During sunset the features do not possess enough invariant characteristics to close loops, resulting in an even larger ATE of 14% of total distance traveled. Hence to be able to use and properly rely on vision in localization, more sensor information is needed. But since all aircraft already possess an inertial measurement unit (IMU), the future work naturally includes IMU data in the system. Nevertheless, the results from this research show that vision is useful, even at the high altitudes and speeds used by a combat aircraft.

The increasing shift towards more electric or all electric aircraft urgently necessitates dc/ac converter systems with high power density. Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices, known for their superior performance over traditional silicon-based devices, facilitate this increase in power density. Nonetheless, achieving optimal power density faces challenges due to the unique requirements and conditions of aircraft applications. A primary obstacle is optimizing the topology and parameters of the dc/ac converter system to achieve high power density while adhering to the stringent aerospace EMI standard DO-160 and bearing current limitations. Electric aircraft demand unmatched reliability, necessitating strict control over EMI noise and bearing currents. These considerations significantly impact the selection of topology and parameters to maximize power density. This dissertation assesses how dc voltage, topology, and switching frequency affect component weight, seeking an optimal mix to enhance power density. The methodology and conclusions are validated through a 200-kW motor drive system designed for electric aircraft. Moreover, traditional dc/ac systems are burdened by the weight and space occupied by separate current sensors and short-circuit protection circuits. This work introduces two innovative current sensors that integrate device current sampling with the functionality of traditional shunt resistors, AC hall sensors, and short-circuit protection circuits, thus improving system density and bandwidth. The first sensor, a PCB-based Rogowski coil, integrates with the gate driver and commutation loops, enhancing power density despite challenges in managing CM noise. The second sensor utilizes parasitic inductance in the power loop, with an integrator circuit and an adaptive compensation algorithm correcting errors from parasitic resistance, ensuring high bandwidth accuracy without needing parasitic resistance information. Variable operation conditions from motors pose another challenge, potentially leading to oversized inverters due to uneven loss distribution among switching devices, exacerbated at extreme operating points like motor start-up. This dissertation investigates the loss distribution in multi-level T-Type neutral point clamped (NPC) topology and proposes a novel loss-balance modulation scheme. This scheme ensures even loss distribution across switches, independent of power factor and modulation index, and is applicable to T-type inverters of any level count. Finally, thermal management and insulation at high altitudes present significant challenges. While power devices may be cooled using conventional liquid cooling solutions, components like AC and EMI filters struggle with complex geometries that can create hot spots or high E-field points, complicating filter design for high current applications. A comprehensive design and optimization methodology based on planar heavy-copper PCB design is proposed. By utilizing flexible 2D or 3D E-field shaping and maximizing thermal transfer from copper to ambient, this methodology significantly improves power density and ensures effective heat dissipation and insulation at altitudes up to 50,000 feet. / Doctor of Philosophy / The increasing shift towards more electric or all electric aircraft urgently necessitates dc/ac converter systems with high power density. Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices, known for their superior performance over traditional silicon-based devices, facilitate this increase in power density. Nonetheless, achieving optimal power density faces challenges due to the unique requirements and conditions of aircraft applications. A primary obstacle is optimizing the topology and parameters of the dc/ac converter system to achieve high power density while adhering to the stringent aerospace EMI standard DO-160 and bearing current limitations. Electric aircraft demand unmatched reliability, necessitating strict control over EMI noise and bearing currents. These considerations significantly impact the selection of topology and parameters to maximize power density. This dissertation assesses how dc voltage, topology, and switching frequency affect component weight, seeking an optimal mix to enhance power density. The methodology and conclusions are validated through a 200-kW motor drive system designed for electric aircraft. Moreover, traditional dc/ac systems are burdened by the weight and space occupied by separate current sensors and short-circuit protection circuits. This work introduces two innovative current sensors that integrate device current sampling with the functionality of traditional shunt resistors, AC hall sensors, and short-circuit protection circuits, thus improving system density and bandwidth. The first sensor, a PCB-based Rogowski coil, integrates with the gate driver and commutation loops, enhancing power density despite challenges in managing CM noise. The second sensor utilizes parasitic inductance in the power loop, with an integrator circuit and an adaptive compensation algorithm correcting errors from parasitic resistance, ensuring high bandwidth accuracy without needing parasitic resistance information. Variable operation conditions from motors pose another challenge, potentially leading to oversized inverters due to uneven loss distribution among switching devices, exacerbated at extreme operating points like motor start-up. This dissertation investigates the loss distribution in multi-level T-Type neutral point clamped (NPC) topology and proposes a novel loss-balance modulation scheme. This scheme ensures even loss distribution across switches, independent of power factor and modulation index, and is applicable to T-type inverters of any level count. Finally, thermal management and insulation at high altitudes present significant challenges. While power devices may be cooled using conventional liquid cooling solutions, components like AC and EMI filters struggle with complex geometries that can create hot spots or high E-field points, complicating filter design for high current applications. A comprehensive design and optimization methodology based on planar heavy-copper PCB design is proposed. By utilizing flexible 2D or 3D E-field shaping and maximizing thermal transfer from copper to ambient, this methodology significantly improves power density and ensures effective heat dissipation and insulation at altitudes up to 50,000 feet.

This thesis is focused on aspects of mountains activities as a ski touring, hiking and mountaineering. This field of sports are associated with the risk of altitude sickness. The thesis examines key parameters that contribute to the emergence of altitude sickness. The other examinees parameters are weather conditions, influence of high altitude, physical training and physiological manifestations of individual person. The aim of this thesis was find out which sports are the most affected by high altitude sickness. And what are the most common symptoms of altitude sickness. It was based on the literature and questionnaire.

Abstract Oxygen is vital for human survival. To ensure its sufficient supply, the body has an intricate system, which involves the circulatory, respiratory and neuroendocrine systems. When oxygen is lacking, a state of hypoxia occurs, and adaptive changes in gene expression increase oxygen delivery to promote survival. The key regulator of the transcriptional hypoxia response is hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) which targets over 1000 genes. The HIF prolyl 4-hydroxylases (HIF-P4Hs) govern the stability of HIF in an oxygen-dependent fashion. In our studies we investigated whether activation of the hypoxia response through inhibition of either of two distinct HIF-P4Hs, HIF-P4H-2 or P4H-TM would reduce atherosclerosis in mice. We found that inhibition of HIF-P4H-2 led to reductions in numbers of atherosclerotic plaques, and levels of serum cholesterol and inflammation in white adipose tissue and aortic plaques. In addition, HIF-P4H-2 deficient mice had elevated levels of modified LDL-targeting, atheroprotective circulating autoantibodies. The P4H-TM knockout mice also had reduced numbers of atherosclerotic plaques and increased levels of atheroprotective autoantibodies in their sera, but in contrast to the HIF-P4H-2 deficient mice, they also showed a reduction in serum triglyceride levels. To determine how hypoxia alters maternal glucose and lipid metabolism in pregnancy, we studied pregnant mice that were predisposed to a hypoxic condition (15% ambient O2). We found that they had enhanced glucose metabolism due to reduced insulin resistance and an increased flux of glucose to maternal tissues. The hypoxic dams also failed to gain weight and store adipose tissue in the anabolic phase to the same extent as normoxic control dams. These results implicate HIF-P4H inhibition as a novel therapeutic mechanism for atherosclerosis, and suggest that the small molecule HIF-P4H inhibitors currently in clinical trials for renal anemia may have further possible therapeutic applications. In addition, greater understanding of the changes in maternal metabolism that underly reduced fetal growth in hypoxic conditions, and the development of targeted interventions may allow the preservation of fetal growth in cases of maternal hypoxia. / Tiivistelmä Happi on ihmiselle elintärkeää. Tämän vuoksi meille on kehittynyt pitkälle jalostunut verenkierto-, hengitys- ja neuroendokriininen järjestelmä sekä sellaisten geenien ilmentymisen muutoksia, jotka joko lisäävät hapen kuljetusta tai auttavat selviytymään hypoksisissa oloissa, jotta taataan riittävä hapen saanti. Hapen puutteessa hypoksiavaste, jonka tärkein säätelijä on hypoksiassa indusoituva transkriptiotekijä (HIF), aktivoituu. HIF:lla on yli 1000 kohdegeeniä joiden kautta sen vaikutukset välittyvät. HIF-prolyyli-4-hydroksylaasit (HIF-P4H:t) säätelevät HIF:n stabiilisuutta hapesta riippuvaisesti. Tutkimuksessamme selvitimme, vähentääkö hypoksiavasteen aktivointi HIF-P4H-2:n tai P4H-TM:n inhibition kautta ateroskleroosia hiirillä. Tuloksena oli, että HIF-P4H-2:n inhibitio vähensi ateroskleroottisia plakkeja, seerumin kolesterolia ja inflammaatiota valkoisessa rasvakudoksessa sekä plakeissa. Lisäksi hiirillä, joilta puuttui HIF-P4H-2, oli lisääntynyt määrä ateroskleroosilta suojaavia muokattua LDL:ää sitovia autovasta-aineita seerumissa. P4H-TM-poistogeenisillä hiirillä todettiin vastaavasti vähemmän ateroskleroottisia plakkeja ja lisääntynyt määrä ateroskleroosilta suojaavia autovasta-aineita seerumissa. Poiketen HIF-P4H-2-puutteisista hiiristä, niillä oli matalammat seerumin triglyseridi-tasot. Tutkimme raskaina olevia hiiriä, jotka altistimme hypoksisille olosuhteille (15% O2), jotta pystyisimme määrittämään, kuinka hypoksia vaikuttaa äidin sokeri- ja rasva-aineenvaihduntaan. Hypoksiassa raskaana olevilla hiirillä todettiin tehostunut sokeriaineenvaihdunta, joka oli seurausta alentuneesta insuliiniresistenssistä sekä lisääntyneestä sokerin sisäänotosta äidin kudoksiin. Hypoksiassa eivät raskaana olevien hiirten paino eivätkä rasvavarastot lisääntyneet samassa suhteessa normoksiassa raskaana olevien hiirten kanssa. Nämä tulokset tarjoavat uusia mahdollisuuksia HIF-P4H-inhibition käyttämiseen terapeuttisena vaihtoehtona ateroskleroosin hoidossa ja ehkäisemisessä. Kliinisissä kokeissa munuaisperäisen anemian hoidossa olevat HIF-P4H-estäjät voisivat näin ollen saada lisää indikaatioita. Lisäksi korkean ilmanalan aiheuttaman pienipainoisuuden takana olevien aineenvaihdunnan muutoksien ymmärtäminen voi mahdollistaa sikiön kasvun turvaamisen spesifein interventioin.

New and future telecommunication networks are and will be broadband type. The existing terrestrial and space radio communication infrastructures might be supplemented by new wireless networks that make and will make use of aeronautics-technology. Our study/contribution is referring to radio communications based on radio stations aboard a stratospheric platform named, by ITU-R, HAPS (High Altitude Platform Station). These new networks have been proposed as an alternative technology within the ITU framework to provide various narrow/broadband communication services. With the possibility of having a payload for Telecommunications in an aircraft or a balloon (HAPS), it can be carried out radio communications to provide backbone connections on ground and to access to broadband points for ground terminals. The latest implies a complex radio network planning. Therefore, the radio coverage analysis at outdoors and indoors becomes an important issue on the design of new radio systems. In this doctoral thesis, the contribution is related to the HAPS application for terrestrial fixed broadband communications. HAPS was hypothesised as a quasi-static platform with height above ground at the so-called stratospheric layer. Latter contribution was fulfilled by approaching via simulations the outdoor-indoor coverage with a simple efficient computational model at downlink mode. This work was assessing the ITU-R recommendations at bands recognised for the HAPS-based networks. It was contemplated the possibility of operating around 2 GHz (1820 MHz, specifically) because this band is recognised as an alternative for HAPS networks that can provide IMT-2000 and IMT-Advanced services. The global broadband radio communication model was composed of three parts: transmitter, channel, and receiver. The transmitter and receiver parts were based on the specifications of the IEEE Std 802.16TM-2009 (with its respective digital transmission techniques for a robust-reliable link), and the channel was subjected to the analysis of radio modelling at the level of HAPS and terrestrial (outdoors plus indoors) parts. For the channel modelling was used the two-state characterisation (physical situations associated with the transmitted/received signals), the state-oriented channel modelling. One of the channel-state contemplated the environmental transmission situation defined by a direct path between transmitter and receiver, and the remaining one regarded the conditions of shadowing. These states were dependent on the elevation angle related to the ray-tracing analysis: within the propagation environment, it was considered that a representative portion of the total energy of the signal was received by a direct or diffracted wave, and the remaining power signal was coming by a specular wave, to last-mentioned waves (rays) were added the scattered and random rays that constituted the diffuse wave. At indoors case, the variations of the transmitted signal were also considering the following matters additionally: the building penetration, construction material, angle of incidence, floor height, position of terminal in the room, and indoor fading; also, these indoors radiocommunications presented different type of paths to reach the receiver: obscured LOS, no LOS (NLOS), and hard NLOS. The evaluation of the feasible performance for the HAPS-to-ground terminal was accomplished by means of thorough simulations. The outcomes of the experiment were presented in terms of BER vs. Eb/N0 plotting, getting significant positive conclusions for these kind of system as access network technology based on HAPS.

South America and the Andes harbour a rich biodiversity. High levels of in-situ speciation, survival of relict lineages into modern times, and mixing of biotas (Gondwanian and North American), have been demonstrated to contribute to the extant biodiversity. Here I examined the four species in the shorebird family Thinocoridae (seedsnipes) as a test case of complementary hypotheses about the origins of this diversity: 1) that some lineages arose from cold-adapted Antarctic ancestors (post-Gondwana), and 2) that the Andes have promoted diversification through vicariance and via the creation of novel alpine niches. First, I reviewed the tectonic and environmental history of the Andes, and the major biogeographic patterns in South America. Second, I reviewed Antarctic and Southern Hemisphere paleoenvironments, putative refugia, colonisation routes, molecular and biogeographic studies, and found strong evidence supporting the role of Antarctica as a source of global cold-hardy biodiversity. Third, I developed universal protocols to purify mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Using these methods, I uncovered nuclear pseudogenes, true mtDNA heteroplasmy, and possible hybridisation between seedsnipe lineages. Fourth, I investigated geographic patterns in seedsnipe morphology in four species. I also investigated the relationships of ecogeographic variables related to cold on morphology. I found strong and significant regional differences particularly in the smaller Thinocorus species, including an effect of the high Central Andes. Altitude, latitude, and wind (the effect of cold) have shaped seedsnipe morphology; Thinocoridae as a group generally support Bergmann’s and Allen’s rules. Fifth, based on phylogeographic and phylogenetic analyses of mtDNA and hemoglobin sequences, a putative southern origin for seedsnipes was supported, and an early origin in alpine habitats is suggested. Sixth, I compared data on Andean uplift and glaciation in South America, and found concordance between seedsnipe diversity, known areas of endemism in other taxa, and paleoenvironmental history. Finally, I briefly examined molecular evolution in hemoglobins and mtDNA and found preliminary evidence of adaptations to high altitude (hemoglobins) and to cold (mtDNA and hemoglobins). In summary, an Antarctic ancestor for seedsnipes, pre-adapted for life in the Andes, is supported. Antarctica may have contributed a great proportion of cold-hardy biodiversity to the South and globally. / Thesis (Ph.D, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2011-08-17 23:30:31.324

Ce travail de thèse vise à reconstituer les conditions paléo-environnementales ayant eu lieu dans la vallée de l’Oisans à partir des archives naturelles représentées par les sédiments lacustres. Par une approche multi-marqueurs, nous visons à reconstituer tout à la fois : i) les fluctuations glaciaires en Oisans; ii) les modifications des activités humaines en montagne et leurs influence sur les flux de matière lors d’événements extrêmes ; iii) comprendre la relation entre changements climatiques, changements d’usage et évolution des aléas en haute montagne. Cette étude a permis de mettre en évidence les changements globaux, regroupant la variabilité climatique et les pratiques humaines, ayant influencés l’érosion autour des lacs de La Muzelle et du lac du Lauvitel durant les derniers millénaires.Les résultats principaux ont montrés que l’érosion du lac de la Muzelle a été largement dominé par l’activité glaciaire notamment avec la présence à certaines époques de fines particules détritiques liées à l’abrasion sous glaciaire. Ces dernières ont révélées une relation aux pluies torrentielles encore jamais observées auparavant, leur présence en période d’extension glaciaire étant synonyme d’une augmentation du nombre de dépôts lacustres de crues. Les activités humaines, en majeure partie représentées par l’utilisation agro-pastorale de l’espace avoisinant les lacs, ne sont clairement identifiables que lors des 300 dernières années au lac de la Muzelle. Le lac de Lauvitel est situé à une altitude moindre, dont la majorité du bassin versant est maintenant une réserve intégrale. Les études palynologiques ont mis en évidence certaines périodes d’activités humaines plus marquées. Les événements extrêmes enregistrés dans les sédiments dulac regroupent d’une part les crues, dont l’enregistrement permet une comparaison régionale de l’occurrence de ces événements et de mettre en évidence les changements de circulations atmosphériques à l’échelle des Alpes. D’autre part, les avalanches de neige lourde, dont peu d’enregistrements sont disponibles dans la bibliographie. Nous les avons identifiés grâce à l’utilisation du CT scan l’élaboration d’une nouvelle méthodologie basée sur la différence de densité relative des sédiments. Le comptage et la quantification des apports de matériel détritique grossier aux seins d’une matrice de sédiment lacustre fin, a permis d’identifier les apports liés à cet aléa au cours du temps. Nous avons ensuite reconstitué les événements d’avalanche de neige lourde déposés dans le lac de Lauvitel sur les derniers 3500 ans, dont l’occurrence intervient préférentiellement lors des périodes de retraits glaciaires. / This doctoral thesis aims to a paleo-environmental reconstitution of the Oisans valley based on the natural archive of lake sediments. From a multi-proxy approach, we aim to reconstruct: i) Glacial fluctuation reconstruction in Oisans valley; ii) human activities evolution in mountain area and their influences on sediment fluxes especially during extreme events; iii)understand the relationship between climate change, use of mountain lands and natural hazard.Through this study, we identified processes of global change, comprising natural climate variability and human practices, which affected erosion patterns around Lakes Muzelle and Lauvitel during the last millennia. Main results have shown that erosion in the lake Muzelle watershed was dominated in the past by glacial activity, in particular with the presence of fine detrital particles related to subglacial abrasion. They were identified to have a relationship never observed before; during glacial extension their presence is triggering a higher number of flood deposits. At this location, human activities were identified through agro-pastoral activities and more precisely by the coprophilous fungi spore counting, revealing cattle presence since 300 years. Lake Lauvitel is located at lower altitude, which most of the watershed is now situated in an Integral Reserve. Palynological investigations lead to identification of periods of higher human activities in the valley. Extreme events recorded in Lake Lauvitel sediment are on the one hand torrential floods, which allowed a comparison with other reconstructions highlighting changes in the climatic settings in the Alps. On the other hand, wet avalanches deposits were identified with the use of a CT scan and the development of a new methodology based on relative density differences in the sediment. The counting and the quantification of coarse detrital matter within the lacustrine fine sediment matrix allowed income identification of this hazard though time. We then reconstructed wet avalanches events deposited in Lake Lauvitel during the last 3500 years, which occurrence is preferentially during glacial retreats.

Le développement et la certification de systèmes propulsifs aéronautiques nécessitent une phase d'essais sur banc moteur. Ces essais permettent entre autres de caractériser les limites d'allumage des foyers de combustion de turbomachines, mais sont extrêmement coûteux et générateurs de délais pour l'industriel. Afin de limiter leur recours, il est nécessaire de développer des méthodes permettant de prévoir de la façon la plus fiable possible les performances d'allumage d'un prototype de chambre de combustion, et ce aussi bien pour des conditions de décollage au niveau de la mer que pour le cas critique de la haute altitude.L'objectif de cette thèse est de contribuer au développement et à la validation d’outils numériques pour la prévision de l'allumage des foyers de combustion à partir de données expérimentales obtenues sur le banc MERCATO de l’ONERA. Ces travaux ont été conduits en étroite coopération avec TURBOMECA. Des améliorations ont été apportées à un modèle permettant de simuler l'allumage d'un brouillard de carburant suite à un dépôt d'énergie par bougie à arc électrique. Ce modèle a été couplé à un code de calcul multiphysique (code CEDRE) afin d'établir des cartographies d'allumage à partir d'un champ aérodiphasique moyenné, mais également de simuler la phase de propagation de la flamme à l’ensemble du foyer par approche RANS pseudo-stationnaire. Afin de valider ces deux approches, une caractérisation expérimentale d'une maquette de chambre mono-secteur a été réalisée sur le banc d'essai MERCATO. Ces essais ont permis de constituer une banque de données très fournie pour différents cas tests. La comparaison de la cartographie d’allumage expérimentale à celle fournie par la simulation numérique donne des résultats très satisfaisants et encourageants en vue d’une application à un foyer réel de turbomachine. En parallèle, des résultats très prometteurs ont été obtenus sur une nouvelle maquette de chambre de combustion trisecteur,dérivée d'un foyer industriel, permettant de comparer ses limites d’allumage à celles obtenues sur la chambre réelle. Cette configuration fera l’objet par la suite d’une étude détaillée de la propagation de la flamme intersecteurs, impossible à réaliser sur la géométrie d'un foyer annulaire complet. / Design of aircraft engines requires tests on engine benches. These tests allow characterizing combustor ignition limits, but are extremely expensive and time consuming. In order to limit their number, it is necessary to develop alternative methods enabling to predict the ignition performances of a combustor prototype, for both ground conditions and high altitude conditions, the latter being particularly critical.The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to the development and validation of numerical tools enabling to predict ignition performances of combustor. Validation will be possible using an experimental data base obtained on the MERCATO test bench, at ONERA. This work results from a close cooperation with TURBOMECA. A numerical model, previously developed to predict the ignition of fuel spray following a spark discharge, has been improved. This model has been combined to a multiphysics CFD code (CEDRE) in orderto build ignition map from a mean two-phase flow field, and also to compute the flame propagation stage using RANS approach. In order to validate both methods, experimental characterization of a one-sectorcombustor has been performed on the MERCATO test rig. A complete data base for validation of CFD code isnow available. Comparison of experimental and numerical ignition mapping showed good agreements for the different tests cases, and seems encouraging for an application on an industrial combustor. In the same time,promising results have been obtained with a new experimental three-sector combustor. Its geometry is basedon an industrial combustor, allowing a comparison of ignition performances between the simplified and the industrial combustors