L'inversion des marges passives apparaît comme le premier stade vers l'initiation de nouvelles zones de subduction. Cette étape cruciale dans la tectonique des plaques soulève néanmoins encore de nombreuses questions. L'étude des marges actuellement réactivées en compression apparaît ainsi comme essentielle pour mieux comprendre ce processus. Ces marges sont peu nombreuses, situées dans des contextes géodynamiques variés, et les facteurs déterminant leur évolution mal contraints. Située au nord de l'Afrique, la marge algérienne fait partie de ces rares exemples potentiels à travers le monde. L'évolution de cette marge formée au Miocène en contexte d'arrière-arc s'intègre dans le puzzle complexe de l'histoire de la Méditerranée occidentale. Elle est depuis quelques millions d'années réactivée en compression dans le cadre de la convergence lente entre les plaques européenne et africaine, générant un potentiel sismogène fort au nord de l'Algérie. La relative jeunesse du bassin algérien, la charge sédimentaire, les forces aux limites compressives, constituent des conditions favorables à la formation d'une future subduction. A la suite des travaux menés depuis une dizaine d'années, les principales lacunes de connaissances identifiées portent sur (1) la structuration profonde du bassin algérien et de sa marge sud (type de marge, nature du socle,dimension et nature de la transition océan-continent, style et distribution de la déformation compressive), et (2) l'histoire de l'évolution cinématique et géodynamique du bassin, ce qui limite à l'heure actuelle une analyse approfondie des modalités d'inversion de cette marge. L'étude menée se focalise sur la marge centre-algérienne, dans le secteur de Tipaza (à l'ouest d'Alger), un endroit clé pour la compréhension des mécanismes d'ouverture du bassin algérien. Le traitement et l'analyse de nouvelles données de sismique profonde grand-angle et multitraces acquises dans le cadre du projet franco-algérien SPIRAL (Sismique Profonde et Investigations Régionales en Algérie, 2009) ont notamment permis de déterminer la structure crustale du bassin algérien et de sa marge sud, ainsi que la structuration pseudo-3D d'une structure spécifique au secteur d'étude constituée par le haut topographique sous-marin de Khayr-al-Din. L'analyse de la structure profonde de la marge indique un certain nombre de structures héritées de son évolution complexe : (1) une croûte de nature continentale de plus de 15 km d'épaisseur sur le haut de marge (banc de Khayr-al-Din), (2)une croûte fine de nature océanique de 5-6 km d'épaisseur dans le bassin incluant des vitesses légèrement élevées à sa base (7,2 km/s - 7,3 km/s), (3) des similitudes avec des marges formées dans des contextes de déformation transformante, (4) un approfondissement progressif de l'ensemble de la pile sédimentaire et l'épaississement des sédiments Plio-Quaternaire, depuis le bassin profond distal vers le pied de marge,coïncidant avec (5) une flexuration à grande longueur d'onde du socle. Les résultats obtenus apportent de nouvelles contraintes sur (1) la géométrie et la nature de la marge et du bassin, (2) l'évolution de la marge,suggérant une histoire multiphasée comprenant un stade de rifting et/ou d'accrétion océanique, suivi d'un épisode de déformation coulissante tardive liée à la migration du bloc Alboran vers l'ouest, et d'une reprise en compression distribuée du bassin profond au haut de la marge au Plio-Quaternaire; (3) les modalités de réactivation qui se traduisent par des chevauchements aveugles néoformés à pendages sud, notamment au pied du banc de Khayr-al-Din, suggérant un soulèvement du banc de 0,2 mm/an à 0,75 mm/an au Plio-Quaternaire et un début d'écaillage crustal. / The inversion of passive margins appears to be one of the first steps towards the initiation of new subduction zones. This crucial step in plate tectonics nevertheless still raises many questions. The study of margins currently reactivated by compressional tectonics is thus essential to better understand this process. These margins are uncommon, located in different geodynamic settings, and the factors determining their evolution are poorly constrained. The Algerian margin, located in North Africa, is one of handful of modern examples worldwide. The evolution of this margin, rifted during the Miocene, in a back-arc setting, is part ofthe complex puzzle of the western Mediterranean. Since a few million years, the margin has suffered inversion and compression in the framework of slow on going convergence between the European and African plates. This convergence generates moderate to strong earthquakes in North Algeria. The relatively young age of the Algerian basin, the large sediment load, and the compressive forces, constitute favorable conditions to the formation of a future subduction zone. Studies from the past ten years indicate, that themain unresolved questions are related to (1) the deep structure of the Algerian basin and its southern margin (the type of margin, the nature of the basement, the dimension and nature of the ocean-continent transition, the style and the distribution of the compressional deformation), and (2) the history of the kinematic and geodynamic evolution of the basin. All of these unknowns have prevented a complete and thorough analysis of modalities of the Algerian margin inversion. This study focuses on the Central Algerian margin, in the area of Tipaza (West of Algiers), a key region to understand the mechanism of the opening of the Algerian basin. Processing and analysis of a deep wide-angle and multichannel seismic new data set acquired in the context of the French-Algerian project SPIRAL (Sismique profonde et Investigation Régionales en Algérie, 2009)have enabled us to determine the crustal structure of the Algerian basin and its southern continental margin,as well as the pseudo-3D structure of a specific feature in the study area: the submarine topographic highformed by the Khayr-al-Din bank. The analysis of the deep structure of the margin reveals features inherited from its complex evolution: (1) a crust of continental nature of more than 15 km thick at the upper margin(Khayr-al-Din Bank), (2) a thin crust of oceanic nature, 5-6 thick in the deep basin, including slightly high velocities at its base (7.2 km/s - 7.3 km/s), (3) similarities with margins formed in context of transform deformation, (4) a progressive deepening of the whole sedimentary cover and the thickening of the Plio-Quaternary sediments, from the distal deep basin towards the margin foot, coeval with (5) a long wavelengthflexuration of the basement in the basin. Results from this study provide new constraints on (1) the geometryand nature of the margin and the basin, (2) the evolution of the margin, suggesting a multiphased history including a stage of rifting and/or oceanic spreading, a transcurrent episode due to the westward migration of the Alboran block, and a diffuse Plio-Quaternary compressional reactivation distributed from the deep basinto the upper margin; (3) the mechanisms of the reactivation marked by newly formed south-dipping blind-thrusts, especially at the foot of the Khayr-al-Din bank, and suggesting a Plio-Quaternary uplift of the bankof 0.2 mm/y to 0.75 mm/y and the early stages of imbricate thrusting of crustal scales.

[pt] Ésteres de glicerol derivados de ácidos graxos são surfactantes não iônicos com aplicação como lubrificantes, agentes anti-estáticos, auxiliares de processamento, plastificantes, anti-espumas, agentes de dispersão e de outras aplicações que requerem atividade bifuncional. Os monoésteres de glicerol derivados de ácidos graxos naturais, tais como ácido octanóico (C menos 8), decanóico (C menos 10) e octadecanóico (C menos 18), foram sintetizados e caracterizados por técnicas de infravermelho e ressonância magnética nuclear de hidrogênio e carbono 13. Eles foram espalhados sobre uma subfase aquosa formando filmes de Langmuir em uma cuba de teflon. As propriedades interfaciais destes surfactantes foram investigadas na interface ar-água. Desta forma, foi também possível avaliar a isoterma de Langmuir Pi-A e as propriedades mecânicas das monocamadas através do módulo de compressão (Cs elevado a potencia negativa 1). As monocamadas mostraram um comportamento na fase de líquido expandido confirmado pelo módulo de compressão de 10 a 70 mN/m e na fase de líquido condensado confirmado pelo módulo de compressão de 70 a 175 mN/m. Por meio da espectroscopia de reflexão-absorção de infravermelho com fotomodulação (PM-IRRAS) e a microscopia no ângulo de Brewster (BAM) foi avaliada a organização dos filmes de Langmuir dos surfactantes. A elasticidade superficial dilatacional (E) dos filmes adsorvidos foram analisadas pelo método da gota pendente em um goniômetro. / [en] Fatty acid glycerol esters are non-ionic surfactants with application as lubricants, antistatic agents, processing aids, plasticizers, defoamers, dispersion aids and other applications requiring bifunctional activities. Monoesters of glycerol based on natural fatty acids such as octanoic acid (C less 8), decanoic acid (C less 10) and octadecanoic acid (C less 18), were synthesized and characterized by infrared and hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance and carbon 13 nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. They were spread over the water subphase forming Langmuir films in a Teflon trough. The interfacial properties of these surfactants at the air/water interface have been investigated. Thus it was also possible to evaluate the Langmuir Pi-A isotherm and mechanical properties of the monolayers by calculating the compression modulus (Cs elevated to negative power 1). The monolayers showed a behavior in the expanded liquid phase, confirmed by the compression modulus between 10 and 70 mN/m and a behavior in the condensed liquid phase confirmed by the compression modulus between 70 and 175 mN/m. Through photomodulated-infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) was evaluated organization of Langmuir films of surfactants. The surface dilatational elasticity (E) of the adsorbed films were analyzed by the pendant drop method with a goniometer apparatus.

Detailed information about the oceanic environment is essential for many applications in the field of marine geology, marine biology, coastal engineering, and marine operations. Especially, knowledge of the properties of the sediment body is often required. Acoustic remote sensing techniques have become highly attractive for classifying the sea bottom and for mapping the sediment properties, due to their high coverage capabilities and low costs compared to common sampling methods. In the last decades, a number of different acoustic devices and related techniques for analyzing their signals have evolved. Each sensor has its specific application due to limitations in the frequency range and resolution. In practice, often a single acoustic tool is chosen based on the current application, supported by other non-acoustic data where required. However, different acoustic remote sensing techniques can supplement each other, as shown in this thesis. Even more, a combination of complementary approaches can contribute to the proper understanding of sound propagation, which is essential when using sound for environmental classification purposes. This includes the knowledge of the relation between acoustics and sediment properties, the focus of this thesis. Providing a detailed three dimensional picture of the sea bottom sediments that allows for gaining maximum insight into this relation is aimed at.<p><p><p>Chapters 4 and 5 are adapted from published work, with permission:<p>DOI:10.1121/1.3569718 (link: http://asadl.org/jasa/resource/1/jasman/v129/i5/p2878_s1) and<p>DOI:10.1109/JOE.2010.2066711 (link: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?tp=&arnumber=5618582&queryText%3Dsiemes)<p>In reference to IEEE copyrighted material which is used with permission in this thesis, the IEEE does not endorse any of the Université libre de Bruxelles' products or services.<p> / Doctorat en Sciences de l'ingénieur / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished