Este trabalho de pesquisa apresenta uma nova abordagem para calibrar uma sonda helicoidal TDR, usada para medir o teor de umidade do solo. Foi empregada uma aproximação tomando em consideração a interpretação física dos valores de constantes dielétricas. As equações de calibração foram determinadas mediante um modelo dielétrico misto, quais relacionam a constante dielétrica da mistura multifase com a constante dielétrica e frações de volumes dessas componentes. Ensaios realizados em laboratório permitirem o desenvolvimento de duas equações de calibração para a avaliação de teor de umidade volumétrico e gravimétrico dos solos. A calibração foi executada com medições de constante dielétrica em diferentes líquidos e solos, usando uma sonda convencional TDR e a sonda helicoidal TDR. As leituras realizadas com as duas sondas foram depois comparadas. O modelo dielétrico das duas fases permitiu descrever a contribuição dos materiais dielétricos do corpo da sonda helicoidal e os materiais investigados. Mostrou-se que o conhecimento das características físicas e geométricas da sonda TDR usada nos ensaios é de crucial para garantir a qualidade das constantes dielétricas lidas, e conseqüentemente a determinação do teor de umidade in situ. / The objective of this work was to calibrate a coiled TDR probe used to measure the water content of soil. It was used an approach that takes into account a physical interpretation of the values of the dielectric constants. The calibration equations were determined by means of a mixed dielectric model, which relates the dielectric constant of a multi-phase mixture with the dielectric constants and volume fractions of its components. Tests carried out in the laboratory allowed development of two calibration equations for the assessment of the volumetric and gravimetric soil water content. Calibration was performed with measurements of dielectric constants in different liquids and soils, using a conventional TDR probe and a coiled TDR. The readings performed with the two probes were then compared. The dielectric model of two phases permitted describing the contribution of the dielectric material of the body of the probe coil and the materials investigated. It has been shown that knowledge of the physical and geometrical characteristics of the TDR probe used in the tests is crucial for the quality of the dielectric constant readings, and consequently the determination of water content in situ.

O Estado do Tocantins vem a cada dia recebendo mais investimentos públicos e privados para desenvolvimento da agricultura irrigada. Esse crescimento não está sendo acompanhado com o desenvolvimento suficiente de pesquisas e difusão de técnicas aplicáveis para irrigação nessa região. Esse trabalho é um experimento no município de Porto Nacional, região central do Estado do Tocantins, com o cultivo de meloeiros irrigados sob diferentes intensidades e freqüências. Foram aplicadas três lâminas diárias: uma calculada cientificamente, outra aplicando métodos usuais praticados na região e outra com métodos usuais menos 10%. Todas as doses foram aplicadas de duas maneiras: aplicação diária única da dose e aplicação dessa mesma dose fracionada em duas aplicações ao dia. O experimento demonstrou que a quantidade de água aplicada tradicionalmente pelos irrigantes da região é aproximadamente 75 % e 95% maior do que a calculada pelo método de Penman-Monteith. Esta aplicação tradicional, em comparação com a dose determinada a partir do cálculo da evapotranspiração, não melhora os resultados obtidos nas lavouras quanto a: produtividade, brix, comprimento dos frutos, perímetro dos frutos, peso dos frutos, espessura da polpa e número de frutos descartados e que o fracionamento da dose diária em duas aplicações, uma pela manhã e outra à tarde, melhora a produtividade e aumenta a espessura da polpa, ambas características de interesse geral de produtores. / The state of Tocantins is every day getting more public and private investments for development of irrigated agriculture. This growth is not accompanied with sufficient development of researching and dissemination of technical requirements for irrigation in this region. This work is an experiment in Porto Nacional, the central region of Tocantins State, with the irrigated cultivation of melon under different intensities and frequencies. We applied three doses daily: a scientifically calculated, another applying the usual methods applied in the region and the other with the usual methods 10%. All doses were applied in two ways: application of a single daily dose and application of the same dose split in two applications a day. The experiment showed that the amount of water applied traditionally by irrigators in the region is approximately 75% and 95% higher than that calculated by the Penman-Monteith. This traditional application, compared with the dose determined from the calculation of evapotranspiration, does not improve the results in crops as the yield, brix, fruit length, fruit girth, fruit weight, flesh thickness and fruit number discarded and the fractioning of the daily dose into two applications, one in the morning and afternoon, improves productivity and increases the thickness of the pulp, both features of interest of farmers.

Vários trabalhos relacionados ao tema produção de água estão sendo realizados, tendo em comum a associação da cobertura florestal com o escoamento em bacias hidrográficas. Entretanto, não existem estudos onde foram verificados os locais onde esta cobertura tem efeito ótimo, pois, este é dependente das condições edafoclimáticas de cada bacia. O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar as alterações na produção de água ocasionadas pela posição das áreas com cobertura florestal em relação às de solos rasos em uma bacia hidrográfica. Os estudos foram realizados na Bacia Hidrográfica do Ribeirão dos Marins em Piracicaba, SP, Brasil, por meio da modelagem hidrológica utilizando o modelo distribuído GSSHA. Para a calibração foram utilizados dados meteorológicos, fluviométricos e pluviométricos dos anos de 1999 e 2000, além da obtenção, em laboratório, da condutividade hidráulica e da curva de retenção dos solos da bacia. Foram realizadas sondagens SPT e testes de infiltração de água no solo para determinar a espessura dos solos na bacia e a condutividade hidráulica da zona saturada (lençol freático) desta. A espessura dos solos foi representada por um modelo numérico, elaborado a partir das espessuras medidas e da utilização do modelo HAND. A profundidade do lençol freático foi representada por outro modelo numérico, elaborado a partir da espessura do solo e da profundidade deste lençol medida em campo. Uma nova metodologia que, a partir do coeficiente CN, estima o coeficiente de rugosidade de Manning foi utilizada, apresentando resultados satisfatórios. Nos processos de calibração e validação o modelo apresentou coeficientes de índices de correlação adequados. Foram feitas simulações hidrológicas para 15 anos em três cenários de uso e ocupação do solo, que foram elaborados de modo a comparar uma mesma área de cobertura florestal em diferentes posições da bacia, em função da presença de solos rasos nas proximidades dos cursos d\'água. Foram analisados, entre os cenários para todo o período simulado: o escoamento total e o de base; parâmetros dos hidrogramas (em eventos selecionados da série histórica); posição do lençol freático; umidade do solo; e, curva de permanência. Os resultados permitiram concluir que na área de estudo não há influência da posição da cobertura florestal em relação aos solos rasos para a produção de água. Devido à existência de poucos trabalhos a campo e, também, de modelagem que abordem o efeito da localização da cobertura florestal na produção de água, incentiva-se a realização de novas pesquisas, necessárias, entre outras razões, para a determinação dos locais prioritários a reflorestar ou manter florestado em programas de conservação ambiental. / Several works related to the theme of water production are being made, having in common the association of forest cover with runoff in watersheds. However, no studies were found where the places where this land cover has optimum effect, because it is dependent on climatic and physiographic conditions of each watershed. The objective of this study is to evaluate changes in water yield caused by the spatial distribution of forest cover in relation to the shallow soils in a watershed. The studies were conducted in the watershed \"Ribeirão dos Marins\" in Piracicaba, SP, Brazil, through the hydrologic modeling using the distributed model GSSHA. For calibration were used data of meteorological, rainfall and stream flow to the years 1999 and 2000, in addition of the hydraulic conductivity and soil water retention curve obtained in laboratory. SPT tests and water infiltration tests were conducted to determine the thickness of the soils and hydraulic conductivity of the saturated zone (water table) in the watershed. The thickness of the soil was represented by a numerical model, based on those thicknesses measures and the model HAND. The depth of the water table was represented by another numerical model, drawn from the soil thickness and depth of field measured. A new methodology that estimates the Manning coefficient from the CN coefficient was used with satisfactory results. In the processes of calibration and validation of the model, the coefficients showed adequate correlation indexes. Hydrological simulations were made for 15 years in three land cover and land use scenarios, which have been prepared in order to compare the same area of forest cover in different positions of the basin, due to the presence of shallow soils near watercourses. Were analyzed, among the scenarios simulated for the entire period: total flow and baseflow; parameters of hydrographs (in selected events of the series); position of the water table, available water content; and flow duration curves. The results showed that in the study area there is no influence of the position of forest cover in relation to shallow soils to the water yield. Because there are few studies that address the effect of the location of forest cover in water yield is encouraged to conduct further research, among other reasons, for the determination of the priority sites to the reforestation in environmental conservation programs.

Este trabalho de pesquisa apresenta a avaliação de uma sonda TDR helicoidal para estimar o teor de umidade dos solos, em diferentes profundidades, através da técnica da reflectometria no domínio do tempo (TDR). Essa sonda, desenvolvida especificamente para esse fim, foi devidamente calibrada em laboratório para diferentes tipos de solo. O processo de calibração consistiu na determinação da constante dielétrica aparente (Ka) e condutividade elétrica volumétrica (ECb) de um mesmo solo com diferentes teores de umidade. Posteriormente foram buscadas correlações entre Ka e o teor de umidade gravimétrico (w), obtido em estufa. São propostas correlações entre w e Ka, entre w e \'KA POT. 1/2\' e entre teor de umidade volumétrico (\'teta\') e Ka. Também foram consideradas as correlações propostas por Yu e Drnevich (2004), visando estimar também a massa específica seca dos solos. Foram realizados ensaios de campo para a validação das equações de calibração. Os valores dos teores de umidade estimados através da técnica da reflectometria no domínio do tempo, tanto em laboratório como em campo, foram comparados com os valores de teor de umidade obtidos com o método da estufa. Com base nos resultados foram determinados os erros referentes às calibrações. Nos ensaios de campo, os teores de umidade obtidos através da correlação entre w e \'KA POT. 1/2\' apresentaram melhores resultados, quando comparados com aqueles estimados com as outras correlações. Pelos resultados obtidos conclui-se que a técnica TDR é uma alternativa viável para a estimativa em campo do teor de umidade em grandes profundidades. / In this work is presented the evaluation of a recently developed helicoidal probe used for estimating the soil water content through the time domain technology (TDR). This probe has been calibrated in laboratory for different types of soils. The calibration process consisted in assessing the values of the apparent dielectric constant (Ka) and the bulk electric conductivity (ECb) of a specific soil at different levels of water content (w). Subsequently, correlations between the apparent dielectric constant and the water content have been established. The same has done with the bulk electric conductivity. Correlations between Ka and w, \'KA POT. 1/2\' and w, \'teta\' (volumetric water content) and Ka have been proposed. Also, the correlations proposed by Yu and Drnevich (2004) have been considered. To validate the proposed correlations, tests using the helicoidal probe were performed in the field. Estimated values of field water content, using the TDR technology have been compared to the correspondent oven water content values. Based on these comparisons, errors regarding the calibrations have been calculated. In the field tests, the correlations between \'KA POT. 1/2\' and w have presented more accurate results than those obtained with the other correlations. Experimental results have shown that the TDR technology for estimating water content at different depths in the field is feasible and expedite.

Glaciers cover ca 10% of the Earth's land and are found in the high altitudes and latitudes. They are important components of environmental systems due to the multiple feedbacks linking them with the atmosphere, hydrosphere and periglacial landscapes. The cold sloping surfaces of glaciers change the patterns of atmospheric circulation at different scales and at the same time glaciers are largely controlled by climate. They are commonly used as climatic archives for reconstruction of the past environmental changes based on evidences from the areas affected by glaciation at the moment and in the past. Glaciers are the largest fresh-water reservoirs on our planet and runoff thereof significantly affects the global sea level and life in glaciated catchments. However, melt- and rain-induced runoff from glaciers greatly depends on the subsurface conditions which thus need to be taken into account, particularly in a changing climate. This thesis focuses on the processes of subsurface mass and energy exchange in the accumulation zones of glaciers, which are largely driven by the climate at the surface. Results are largely based on empirical data from Lomonosovfonna ice cap, Svalbard, collected during field campaigns in 2012-2017. Observations of subsurface density and stratigraphy using shallow cores, video records from boreholes and radar surveys returned detailed descriptions of the snow and firn layering. The subsurface temperature data collected using multiple thermistor strings provided insights into several subsurface processes. The temperature values measured during three summer seasons were used to constrain the suggested parameterization of deep preferential water flow through snow and firn. The part of data recorded during the cold seasons was employed for an inverse modelling exercise resulting in optimized values of effective thermal conductivity of the subsurface profile. These results are then used to compute the subsurface water content by comparing the simulated and measured rates of freezing front propagation after the melt season in 2014. The field observations and quantitative estimates provide further empirical evidences of preferential water flow in snow/firn packs at glaciers. Results presented in the thesis call for implementation of description of the process in layered models simulating the subsurface fluxes of energy and mass at glaciers. This will result in a better understanding of glacier response to the past and future climatic changes and more accurate estimates of glacier runoff. / Stability and Variations of Arctic Land Ice (SVALI)

Skanskas bergtäkt, Vikan kross, i Göteborg producerar ett ersättningsmaterial till naturgruset i form av helkrossad betongballast. Utvinningen av naturgrus ska fasas ut eftersom det utvinns från grusåsar vilket är negativt för naturen då grusåsarna renar vatten och fungerar som naturliga vattenreservoarer. Historiskt sett har naturgruset använts till betongtillverkning under en väldigt lång tid och år 2013 investerade Vikan kross i en anläggning för att kunna producera helkrossad betongballast och på så vis fasa ut naturgruset från deras betongtillverkning. År 2014 stod anläggningen klar för att börja tillverka helkrossad betongballast. En lång uppstartsperiod där många tester utfördes för att få den helkrossade betongballasten att efterlikna naturgruset i form och egenskaper. I dagsläget producerar Vikan kross en bra ersättningsprodukt till naturgruset men produktionsledning har kommit underfund med att fuktkvoten på det ingående materialet till vindsikten har en stor påverkan på slutprodukten. Skanska gav mig i uppdrag att undersöka hur vindsiktens inställningar bör justeras beroende på vilken fuktkvot det ingående materialet har för att kunna bibehålla en acceptabel kornstorleksfördelning. Skanska har även önskemål att mängden filler (ballastkorn mindre än 63 μm) i slutprodukten skall öka från den mängd som finns i slutprodukten i dagsläget. En provtagningsplan baserad på tidigare tester och erfarenheter upprättades för att på så vis kunna följa vägen fram till ett bra resultat. Metoden som använts är provtagning av det ingående materialet samt det utgående materialet från vindsikten. Materialen har analyserats med hjälp av siktanalyser där kornstorleksfördelning har tagits fram. Vindsiktens inställningar har sedan varierats och ytterligare provtagning samt analyser har genomförts. När vindsikten ansågs producera helkrossad betongballast med så bra kornstorleksfördelning som möjligt bevattnades det ingående materialet till vindsikten. Vatten tillfördes för att höja fuktkvoten och på så vis förstå hur vindsiktens inställningar bör justeras för att behålla kornstorleksfördelningen inom de gränsvärden som finns. Resultatet visar att om det ingående materialet till vindsikten har en avvikande fuktkvot (> 1 vikt-%) är det möjligt att erhålla en kornstorleksfördelning som efterliknar den kornstorleksfördelning som erhålls när materialet har en normal fuktkvot (< 1 vikt-%). Mängden filler har inte ökat i slutprodukten eftersom att den ingående mängden filler till vindsikten redan är så låg att den inte går att justera med hjälp av enbart vindsikten. Orsaken till att mängden filler är lägre än vad som tidigare observerats kopplas till bergets geologi. Det berg som krossats under testperioden var väldigt hårt och där med produceras en mindre mängd filler. För en ökad mängd filler i slutprodukten krävs en förändring i krossprocessen före vindsikten. / Skanska Asfalt och Betong AB is the owner of the quarry Vikan kross in Gothenburg. They produce manufactured sand as a replacement product for the natural sand that is used in todays fin aggregates for concrete production. The Swedish government is limiting the extraction of natural sand because of environmental reasons. In 2013 Vikan kross invested in a plant to produce manufactured sand thus phasing out the natural sand from their concrete production. In 2014 the plant was ready to start producing manufactured sand. Through a long start-up period, many tests were done to get the manufactured sand to mimic the natural sand as much as possible. Today Vikan kross is producing a good replacement product for the natural sand, but the production team has come to the conclusion that the moisture content in the input material to the air classifier has a major impact on the final product. Skanska assigned me to investigate how the air classifiers settings should be adjusted depending on the moister content of the input material in order to maintain an acceptable particle size distribution. Skanska also wished that the amount of fines (particles smaller than 63 μm) in the manufactured sand should increase from the amount present today. A plan based on previous tests and experiences was set up in order to reach a good result. The method used was to take tests of the input materials as well as the output materials from the air classifier. The materials have been analyzed by using sieving methods to determinate the particle size distribution. The settings of the air classifier were then adjusted and further tests and analysis was done. When the air classifier was producing manufactured sand with a particle size distribution as good as possible, the input material was watered. Water was added to raise the moisture content to understand how the settings of the air classifier should be adjusted to maintain a particle size distribution within the limit values. The result shows that if the input material to the air classifier has a deviating moisture content (> 1 wt-%) it is possible to obtain a particle size distribution that mimics the particle size distribution obtained when the material has a normal moisture content (<1 wt-%). The amount of fines has not increased in the manufactured sand because the amount of fines in the input material is already so low that it can’t be adjusted by only changing the settings of the air classifier. The reason for the amount of fines being lower than previously observed is linked to the geology of the material. The material that had been crushed during this test period was very hard and thus produced a small amount of fines. For an increased amount of fines in the manufactured sand, a change is necessary in the process prior to the air classifier.

Ces travaux traitent de l'utilisation de la thermographie infrarouge dans le cadre du contrôle non destructif des ouvrages de génie civil.Une première partie, traite de l’étude des paramètres influençant la mesure in situ, de la capacité de la technique à détecter la variation de propriétés intrinsèques au matériau, et de la détection de délaminations. Les résultats présentés sont issus de mesures expérimentales appuyées par une approche numérique aux éléments finis. Dans un premier temps, une étude sur la capacité de la thermographie infrarouge à détecter des variations de porosité ou de teneur en eau a été réalisée. Dans un second temps, des travaux sont menés sur la détermination des seuils de détection des délaminations en fonction des conditions d’exposition. Ils ont montré un seuil de détection correspondant à un rapport de 2, entre l’extension latérale du défaut et sa profondeur, pour un ensoleillement direct, et à un rapport de 3,3 pour un ouvrage soumis uniquement aux variations de température de l’air. La réalisation d’un suivi temporel combiné à l’étude de l’évolution des gradients temporels de température permet d’améliorer ces seuils de détection. Enfin, une étude originale sur le pontage présent au niveau des délaminations, a montré la prédominance de l’influence de celui‐ci sur la profondeur des délaminations.Une deuxième partie porte sur les travaux réalisés dans le cadre du projet ANR‐SENSO. Ils traitent de la combinaison des résultats issus de différentes techniques de CND dans le cadre plus large de l'amélioration des diagnostics pour la gestion du patrimoine. / This thesis focuses on the use of infrared thermography as a tool for non destructive testing ofbuildings. Mainly, the application is on civil engineering projects.The first part includes identifying the parameters that can affect this in situ technique. Thisparticularly deals with the infrared thermography capacity to detect intrinsic property variations, anddelamination detection. Combination of experiments on concrete slabs and numerical simulationsare used. In a first step, a study on the capacity of thermography to detect porosity and watercontent variation was conducted. In a second step a study on the thresholds for detectingdelaminations based on exposure conditions is carried out. As an outcome, the threshold that hasbeen detected corresponds to a ratio of 2 between the lateral extension of the defect and its depthto direct sunlight; while a ratio of 3,3 if it is exposed to air temperature variations. This studysuggests that a time monitoring combined with the study of the evolution of temporal temperaturegradients can improve the detection limits. Finally, an original study showed the predominance ofthe influence of bridging on the depth of delamination.The second part tackles the works carried out during the ANR project SENSO. Results fromdifferent non destructive tools were coupled for the purpose of improving diagnosis in the assetmanagement.

In Canada, about 60% of contaminated sites involve petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) contamination and most of these sites have been abandoned due to contamination. Among current technologies used for soil remediation, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is a relatively recent and potentially viable method. The main aim of this research was to investigate the application of SFE for removal of PHCs from contaminated soils. In the first phase, the effects of SFE operational parameters including fluid pressure, fluid temperature, time duration and mode of extraction on the removal efficiency of PHCs from a spiked sandy soil (with diesel fuel with a ratio of 5 wt%) were investigated. SFE experiments were performed at different pressures (15, 33 and 50 MPa) and temperatures (30, 75 and 120 °C). The combination of 10 min static mode followed by 10 min dynamic mode, repeated for 3 cycles (60 min in total) led to the highest PHC removal percentage. According to response surface methodology (RSM), the optimum pressure and temperature were found to be 50 MPa and 69.3 °C, respectively. According to experimental results, the optimum combination of pressure and temperature determined to be 33 MPa and 75 °C; which resulted in the extraction percentages of 99.2%, 91.7% and 86.1% for PHC F2, F3 and F4 fractions, respectively. In the second phase, the influence of several parameters including soil water content, soil pH and addition of modifier on PHCs removals from a field-contaminated sandy soil using SFE were experimentally investigated. SFE experiments were performed at 33 MPa pressure and temperatures of 45 and 75 °C. Three water content levels of 8%, 14% and 20% at two levels of pH 6.5 and 7.5 were investigated. The extraction of total petroleum hydrocarbon fractions (TPHF), the sum of F2, F3, and F4 fractions, decreased due to the increase in the water content from 8% to 20% at both pH 6.5 and 7.5. The difference of extractions of all PHC fractions at pH values of 6.5 and 7.5 were not statistically significant (at p < 0.05 confidence level) at all three water content levels and pH did not have a significant influence on the PHC removal efficiency. Addition of acetone as a modifier (33.7% TPHF removal) was more effective than hexanes (24.3% TPHF removal) to decrease the concentrations of PHCs for the field contaminated soil. In the third phase, the influence of soil texture and grain size on the extraction of PHC fractions was investigated. SFE experiments were performed at 33 MPa pressure and 75 °C temperature. Three types of soils (soil A, B and C) were spiked with diesel fuel with a ratio of 5 wt%. Soil A, B and C had different particle sizes and were categorized as sand, silt loam and clay, respectively. Soil A (sand) which had the largest particle size resulted in the highest TPHF removal percentage while soil C (clay) with the smallest particle size led to the lowest TPHF removal percentage. A higher clay content in soil C resulted in a lower extraction of PHCs. In the fourth phase, the effects of pressure and temperature on the extraction of PHC fractions from a clay soil spiked with diesel fuel with a ratio of 5 wt% were investigated. SFE experiments were performed at three pressures (15, 33 and 50 MPa) and temperatures (30, 75 and 120 °C). According to the statistical analysis including factorial design and RSM, the optimized combination of pressure and temperature was selected at 42.8 MPa and 120 °C; which resulted in the removal percentages of 74.9% and 65.6% for PHC F2 and F3 fractions, respectively. The optimum combination of pressure and temperature based on the experimental results was selected at 33 MPa and 120 °C that led to 70.3%, 58.4% and 32.6% removal of PHC F2, F3 and F4 fractions, respectively.

En réponse à un stress nutritif, les espèces du genre Bacillus sont susceptibles de former desspores métaboliquement dormantes résistantes à d’autres formes de stress. Ces spores peuventse retrouver à forte concentration dans beaucoup d’aliments secs, ce qui peut provoquer desintoxications alimentaires ou dégrader les aliments lorsqu’ils sont réhydratés. Comme leurdestruction est très difficile, la plupart des méthodes couramment utilisées pour décontaminerles aliments secs sont peu efficaces. L’objectif de ce travail est de comprendre l’influence del’hydratation de la spore sur l’inactivation des spores sèches de B. subtilis. Une étudefondamentale a été menée en soumettant les spores placées dans les capsules d’AnalyseEnthalpique Différentielle à différent traitements thermiques et en associant simultanémentles thermogrammes obtenus à la viabilité des spores traitées. Les résultats montrent lapersistance d’une teneur en eau relativement élevée dans le protoplaste des spores équilibréesà faible aw (0,13). De plus, une relation forte a été mise en évidence entre la teneur en eau duprotoplaste de la spore et sa sensibilité thermique. La spectroscopie IR à transformée deFourier a montré que cette sensibilité est fortement reliée à la dénaturation/agrégation desprotéines et à la libération de l’acide dipicolinique. Ces résultats ont finalement permis dedévelopper un procédé d’inactivation thermique sous pression (entre 2 et 7 bar) des sporessèches. Le maintien d’une pression d’azote dans le réacteur chauffé permet d’empêcherl’évaporation de l’eau du protoplaste des spores et donc de favoriser leur inactivation. A termeet après développement, ce procédé peut être un moyen original de décontaminationd’aliments secs. / In response to starvation, species from the genre Bacillus are able to form metabolicallydormant spores which are very resistant to multiple forms of stress. They are found in quitehigh concentrations in some dried foods which, upon rehydration, may lead to food deterioration or food-borne diseases. Moreover, their destruction is rather difficult and mostof the techniques commonly used to treat dry foods result in a very low spore inactivation.The aim of this work is to better understand the role spore hydration in the inactivation ofdried Bacillus subtilis spores. A fundamental study was conducted using DifferentialScanning Calorimetry pans as reactors to perform a heat treatment in dried spores andsimultaneously relate the thermograms to spore viability. Results show the persistence of arelatively high water concentration in the core of extremely dry spores. Besides, a strongrelation between this core water concentration and spore thermal sensitivity wasdemonstrated. This destruction was found to be highly related to proteindenaturation/aggregation and dipicolinic acid release through Fourier Transform InfraredSpectroscopy analysis. From this fundamental study, a procedure for the inactivation of driedspores using low pressures (2-7 bar) and high temperature was developed. The systemconsisted of a heated reactor in which gaseous nitrogen was compressed to prevent theevaporation of water from the spores and so favor spore inactivation (> 5 log10). This methodof inactivation could be an interesting new way to optimize the decontamination of driedfoods.

The Cape Verde archipelago is located 2000 km east of the Atlantic oceanic ridge and 500 km west of the western part of Africa. The plateau of the archipelago rises on average 2 km above the seafloor, which makes it one of the highest oceanic plateaus on Earth. Cape Verde originates from hotspot formation, a geological phenomenon which takes place beyond the tectonic plate boundaries where magma rises to the surface. In this thesis, volcanic material taken from the Charles Darwin volcanic field at a depth of more than 3000 meter and made up by four basaltic rocks and one agglomerate will be investigated. The agglomerate and vesicles in the rock shows that explosive volcanism occurs in high water depths, which is generally not common. Therefore, the material will be investigated to find out how explosive volcanism can occur at high water depths. The investigation will be based on quantifying the number of vesicles to able to calculate their area and analyze the magmatic water content in clinopyroxene crystals taken from the agglomerate by FTIR spectroscopy. Water is a volatile substance in the composition of magma and has a huge effect on its behavior at eruption. The results of quantification show that the area taken by vesicles varies from 7- 54 % which shows that magmatic products with high number of vesicles are common. The FTIR analysis shows that the magmatic water content can be high enough to cause an oversaturated magma system, which creates explosive eruptions. This statement is based on only one clinopyroxene crystal that had a magmatic water content of 3,87 ± 0,77 %. Other possible reasons for explosive eruptions at high water depth are the CO2 content in the magma and the size of volcanic vent. / Kap Verde är en arkipelag, situerad cirka 2000 km öster om den mittatlantiska spridningsryggen och 500 km väster om det afrikanska fastlandet. Arkipelagens platå har en genomsnittlig höjd på 2 km, vilket gör den till en av världens högsta oceaniska platåer. Arkipelagen har uppkommit av hetfläcksbildning, ett geologiskt fenomen baserad på att magma erupteras till ytan där jordskorpan är förtunnad och inte har någon anknytning till de tektoniska plattgränserna. Det som undersöks i detta kandidatarbete är vulkaniskt material, taget från den vulkaniska undervattensön Charles Darwin vulkanfält som ligger i den västra del Kap Verdes norra ö-grupp på över 3000 meterdjup. Materialet består av ett agglomerat och fyra stenstuffer av basaltisk komposition. Agglomeratet tyder på att explosiva vulkanutbrott förekommer, vilket även bekräftas av stenstufferna som har rikligt förekomst av luftbubblor. Explosiva vulkanutbrott är generellt inte förekomliga vid höga vattendjup, därav undersöks materialet för att kunna reda ut orsakerna som ger upphov till förekomsten av explosiva vulkanutbrott. Undersökningen baseras på att kvantifiera luftbubblor hos stenstufferna för att kunna räkna ut arean som upptas och analysera vattenhalten i klinopyroxenkristaller i agglomeratet med hjälp av FTIR spektroskopi. Vatten tillhör de flyktiga beståndsdelar i magmas sammansättning som kallas för volatiler och utgör en viktig parameter för magmans uppträdande vid eruption. Resultatet kvantifiering av luftbubblor visar att arean som upptas av luftbubblor varierar mellan 7–54 % av stenstufferna total area, vilket understryker att magmatiska produkter med hög andel luftbubblor är förkomliga. FTIR analysen visar att det finns tillräckliga höga vattenhalter för ett övermättat magmasystem som ger upphov till vulkanutbrott med explosiva förlopp, baserat på vattenhalten 3,87 ± 0,77 % av en klinopyroxenkristall. Andra möjliga orsaker till uppkomsten av magmatiska produkter med hög andel luftbubblor är koldioxidhalten i magman och storleken på vulkanrören.