Le milieu karstique, et tout particulièrement sa partie superficielle, est caractérisé par une altération importante responsable sur le site de Lascaux de formations calcaires en plaquettes mais aussi de dissolutions importantes pouvant laisser place à des sables, argiles, etc. La présence de grottes ornées dans ce milieu nécessite la caractérisation du milieu environnant afin de protéger les grottes et contribuer à la conservation des œuvres pariétales. Cette thèse porte sur la caractérisation du milieu karstique à plusieurs échelles au moyen de deux méthodes : la géophysique avec la Tomographie de Résistivité Electrique (TRE), et la caractérisation pétrophysique, à l’échelle du laboratoire, avec la microscopie, la porosimétrie au mercure et des mesures électriques sur échantillons. A l’échelle du massif, nous avons caractérisé l’amont hydraulique de la grotte de Lascaux par un suivi temporel par TRE durant 6 ans et par trois modélisations géostatistique 3D, à trois dates. Le suivi temporel a permis de comprendre le fonctionnement hydrogéologique du site. Le couplage du suivi temporel avec le 3D complété par les mesures sur échantillons a en outre permis de comprendre le fonctionnement d’un drain situé dans l’épikarst susceptible d’alimenter l’émergence à l’entrée de la grotte de Lascaux. La modélisation 3D a aussi permis d’identifier un escarpement du promontoire calcaire au nord-est de la grotte de Lascaux qui laisse place à des formations argilo-sableuse. A l’échelle de la paroi et en lien avec des recherches menées sur la grotte Chauvet-Pont d’Arc, un dispositif original de micro-TRE a été mis en place à la paroi dans une carrière souterraine, permettant une mesure de TRE à une échelle submétrique et une résolution centimétrique. A cette résolution apparaît un effet d’électrode que nous corrigeons lors de l’inversion des données de TRE par l’utilisation d’une Electrode Equivalente Ponctuelle (EEP) placée à une profondeur caractéristique. La paroi étudiée a été soumise à des feux. On montre par un suivi TRE sur plusieurs mois et des analyses pétrophysiques complémentaires que les feux impactent de façon tangible les premiers centimètres de la paroi dont la porosité et la connectivité sont modifiées. On montre en outre que des variations saisonnières de saturation sont mises en évidence à cette petite échelle. Ce dispositif pourrait être appliqué au site de Lascaux pour, à terme, mesurer et prédire les arrivées d’eau à la paroi, en lien ou pas avec la circulation modélisée à l’échelle du massif. Une telle démarche pourrait devenir un outil de conservation de parois rocheuses support d’œuvres pariétales. / The karst environment and especially its superficial part is typified by an important alteration. At the Lascaux site, alteration is responsible for plate limestone and also detrital clayey-sands soils due to dissolution of limestones. The presence of painted caves in this altered environment raises the need to characterize the karst environment in order to protect the caves and contribute to mural paintings conservation. The aim of this PhD thesis is to characterize the karst environment at different scales using two main methods: (1) geophysics and in particular Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and (2), petrophysics at the Lab scale, including microscopy, mercury porosimetry and electrical measurements. At the field scale, we characterized the calcareous surroundings of the Lascaux cave relying on a 6 years-long time-lapse monitoring by ERT complemented by geostatistical 3D reconstructions of the resistivity values. The time-lapse monitoring permitted a better understanding of the hydrogeology of the site. Combining ERT time-lapse monitoring, 3D models of the resistivity distribution and additional measurements on samples allowed to identify a drain within the epikarst, which is most likely responsible for the emergence of water at the Lascaux cave entrance. The 3D modelling of the resistivity values also allowed to identify a scarp of unaltered limestones, northeast of the Lascaux cave, leaving room for clayey-sand detrital formations. In relation to a current research program on the Chauvet-Pont d’Arc cave, an original micro-ERT acquisition layout was fitted on the wall of an underground quarry, allowing measurements at a sub-metric scale with a centimetric resolution. At such a fine resolution, an unwanted electrode effect appeared. We remedied this electrode effect by inverting ERT data with an Equivalent Electrode Point (EEP) buried in the ground at a characteristic depth. The quarry wall was subjected to fires. Relying on a micro-ERT time-lapse monitoring during few months complemented by petrophysical analyses, we showed that the fires impacted the first centimeters of the quarry wall whose porosity and connectivity were modified. We also showed that seasonal water saturation variations could be detected at such a small scale. Thus, this small scale acquisition layout may ultimately be used at Lascaux to measure and predict water intakes directly at the cave walls in relation, or not, with the water flow modelled at the field scale. Such an approach may become a new tool for the conservation of painted cave walls.

The principle of time-lapse system is based on the continuous sensing of the development of the pre-implantation embryo and the assessment of its morphology. This is advantageous in assessing the quality and implantation potential of embryos, which are subsequently evaluated according to certain established criteria. This gives the opportunity to select the highest quality embryo to be implanted into the mother's womb during embryo transfer. This system also allows us to detect any abnormalities in embryo development. This is very important, because the occurrence of abnormalities in early embryonic cell division is quite common. Morphological evaluation of embryos indicates a high incidence of tripolar mitosis during this early embryo development. The result of this division is three blastomers instead of two, which is associated with an irregular chromosome separation, each of them may contain a different number of chromosomes. In the case where conventional embryo observation is used to observe embryo morphology at longer intervals, it may be that the changes associated with tripolar mitosis are not detected at all, and such embryos appear to be falsely prosperous and are often selected for transfer. This can have serious consequences in the case of implantation, because these embryos are not...

In the southern Appalachians, the dominant soil order, Ultisols, is highly susceptible to erosion. If left unmanaged these soils can develop into gully systems resulting in land degradation. This study examines gully development through sidewall mass-wasting events at a high temporal resolution using 30 minute time-lapse photography. Prior research at this site found significant mass wasting events occurring between weekly monitoring periods. By shortening the interval of observation to 30-minutes, a more accurate understanding of the frequency and intensity of these mass-wasting events, and their relation to meteorological factors, can be determined. Photographs of a gully (approximately 1.5 m deep by 3 m wide at the top) were captured every 30 minutes from 11/29/17 - 2/18/2018 with a WingScape outdoor time-lapse camera mounted on a plastic stake 3.16 m from the gully facing northwest and upstream into the gully channel. A total of n=1648 images were coded using presence/absence indices for six observed geomorphic processes: creep on NE facing sidewall, creep on SW facing sidewall, slump on NE facing sidewall, slump on SW facing sidewall, channel aggradation, and channel development. Precipitation and temperature data were collected every 5 minutes using a Davis Vantage Pro 2 weather station located 240 m from the gully, and were aggregated to various time intervals. Precipitation received in previous 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 hours were calculated for each image. Two binary temperature variables were generated with values of “1” if temperature dropped below 0 °C (32 °F) during the prior 30 minutes or 24 hours, respectively, and “0” otherwise. Logistic regression models (forward conditional method) for the six geomorphic index variables were generated using the precipitation and temperature data. For creep on the NE facing sidewall, the significant independent variables are 3 hour and 72 hour prior rain, and freeze conditions in the previous 0.5 and 24 hours. On the SW facing sidewall, rain and temperature variables were also important for creep; rain in the previous 12 and 24 hours, and freeze conditions within the previous 24 hours were retained in the model. For slumping on both the NE and SW facing sidewall, recent and prolonged rain were important. Specifically, 1, 6, 12, and 24 hour rainfall were retained in both models, with the addition of 3 hour rainfall in the NE facing sidewall slump model. No temperature variables were retained. For channel aggradation (deposition of material in the channel), rain in the prior 12 and 72 hours, and freezing in the prior 24 hours were important, suggesting that freeze-thaw processes loosen the soil, and subsequent rain events carry material into the channel. When rain stops, the material is then deposited in the channel. Interestingly, no viable model could be developed for channel development (erosion) using these parameters. These results will be useful to quantify meteorological controls on gully erosion at short temporal scales.

The diploma thesis deals with time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (TL-ERT) of active slope deformations. Slope deformations represent one of the important land-forming processes. Frequently, they can cause considerable property damages and can endanger health and lives of inhabitants. Therefore, we can consider them as potentially dangerous so complete understanding of their dynamics, and their mechanisms of origin, is essential. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) then represents an effective geophysical tool for slope deformation investigation. Within diploma thesis, the evaluation of the several different time-series of the ERT measurements was performed. Based on findings of the one- year (August 1013 to July 2014) monitoring of resistivity changes by ERT, and also, based on daily and hourly recurrences of measured resistivity data, the optimum measuring interval has been determined, namely 12 hours. The most applicable electrode arrays and their combinations were suggested based on a testing of different electrode configurations. The results of detailed measurement with 1 m electrode spacing offered the idea of shortening of the total length of the present permanent TL-ERT profile as well as shortening the electrode spacing. These conclusions and proposed adjustments then resulted in...

La grotte de Lascaux (inscrite au patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO et l’une des plus connues au monde) nécessite, dans le cadre de sa conservation et suite aux aléas subis depuis sa découverte, une attention particulière tant pour elle-même que pour son environnement. L’utilisation d’une méthode géophysique, la Tomographie de Résistivité électrique (TRE) qui est une méthode non intrusive par excellence, est donc proposée pour la reconnaissance du milieu karstique l’environnant.Un suivi temporel par TRE a été mise en oeuvre pour caractériser l’amont hydraulique de la grotte et surveiller la variation temporelle de la résistivité des terrains. A l’aide d’analyses statistiques, et en couplant les données microclimatiques aux résultats d’un suivi temporel de vingt-deux mois, nous avons montré la capacité de ce type de mesures à caractériser l’environnement épikarstique de la grotte, particulièrement les zones d’alimentation et celles permettant l’infiltration des eaux pluviales. Une modélisation du débit d’un écoulement situé à l’entrée de la grotte est proposée à partir des données de résistivité dans la zone d’alimentation identifiée au cours du suivi. Ce modèle a la capacité de prédire les arrêts et les reprises des écoulements dans la grotte, éventuellement des évènements journaliers.A partir des données de résistivité issues d’une prospection 3D du site, des modélisations géostatistiques par krigeage ordinaire et par indicatrice ont été effectuées permettant des représentations spatiales en fonction de la résistivité des terrains. Ces modèles se sont révélés extrêmement instructifs par l’imagerie de l’environnement karstique de la grotte de Lascauxqui en a résulté. Les limites des formations détritiques et des calcaires sont identifiées à l’est et l’ouest du site. A l’intérieur des calcaires, on retrouve, bien sûr, les anomalies conductrices déjà identifiées au cours du suivi temporel mais aussi leur extension spatiale. Ainsi, on a pu mettre en évidence la continuité spatiale de certaines anomalies.Le suivi temporel par TRE a permis la compréhension de la structure et du fonctionnement de l’alimentation de l’épikarst. Les modèles géostatistiques 3D ont montré leur efficacité pour la caractérisation de l’environnement de la grotte. Les résultats aideraient à proposer des conseils pour la protection du milieu environnant la grotte et ainsi pour la préservation de cette dernière. / The Lascaux cave, one of the most important prehistoric caves in the world, located in Dordogne (24, France) needs particular attention both for itself and for the environment interms of conservation and vulnerability since its discovery. Geophysical methods in particular Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) enable us, in a non-invasive way, to monitor the karsticenvironment.A Time-Lapse monitoring by ERT was carried out next to the cave. Together with analysis of the local effective rainfall (ground water recharge) and the flow in the cave, the monitoringhelped us to identify an area where upstream underground water is probably stored e.g. arecharge zone. There is a large electrical contrast between the surrounding limestone and theprobable recharge zone. Then, a multivariate analysis through the resistivity values allowed usto characterize the model blocks, showing a specific behavior over time, especially the blockswith the lowest electrical resistivity. A prediction model of the flow in relation with the recharge zone succeeded to predict the beginning and the end of flow, even the daily event withextremely high value of flow.In order to visualize the environment in 3D condition, a geostatistical modelling was then applied to the resistivity values. The geostatistical models can emphasize the limit betweenthe limestone promontory and the clayey/sandy formations to the east/west part of the site. In the limestone promontory, the models also showed the possible connection between theanomalous conductive areas that may have a special consequence in this karstic environment.The Time-Lapse monitoring by ERT allows us to understand the karstic structures andrecharge phenomena. The 3D geostatistical modeling showed efficiency for the characterization of the cave environment. Those results can help to provide advices for the cave preservation.