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International audience; Specific properties of soft condensed matter result from the control of subtle interactions which trigger macroscopic variations. In such (macro)molecular assemblies, tuning molecular interactions via external chemo/thermo/photo (…) stimuli is often the key point to control self-aggregation mechanisms and the visible properties (optical, viscosity, color …). Analysis of such multi-scale transformations requires usually a multi-technique approach to probe both structural and dynamical changes. To this respect, Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) is a central tool to probe nanometric structures while Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is a versatile technique which can easily probe dynamical information such as local reorientation mechanisms (relaxation times) and self-diffusion coefficients of molecules. In this talk, we report on an original setup which allows to measure simultaneously in-situ SANS and NMR using a low-field spectrometer [1]. We illustrate the capabilities of alliancing these experimental methods by following the critical temperature-induced phase separation of a concentrated Poly(Methacrylic Acid) (PMAA) solution at its Lower Critical Solution Temperature (LCST). The characteristic size related to the domain growth of the polymer-rich phase of the gel is monitored by the evolution of the SANS spectra, while the dynamics of the sol phase (H 2 O and polymer) is simultaneously characterized by NMR by measuring T 1 , T 2 and the diffusion coefficient. A specific cell was carefully deisigned to optimize thermalization of the sample and in particular its equilibration time. The acquisition time needed to reach good signal-to-noise ratios, for both NMR and SANS, match: it is of the order of one hour. Altogether, we show that in-situ low-field NMR/SANS coupling the NMR is meaningful and is a promising experimental approach. Such multimodal approach is of major interest when a sample experiences transient physical states or evolves rapidly and/or irreversibly.

International audience

Sediment transport processes from the slopes to the deep basins were studied in the southern Cretan margin (Eastern Mediterranean) by means of swath bathymetry, seismic reflection (airgun) profiling, and gravity coring. Mud/silt turbidites, developed in structureless or laminated patterns, appear to dominate the continental slope and the 2700–3600-m deep depressions of Samaria, Messara, and Gortys. These deposits are the result of successive mass transport events and turbidity currents. Over-steepening caused by strike–slip shearing associated with extensional tectonic activity in the shallow crustal levels, shaking due to significant seismic activity, and the presence of weak sediment layers are responsible for frequent triggering of slope failures and the subsequent formation of turbidity currents on the Gavdos slope. On the Cretan slope, sediments channeled as turbidity currents through canyons proved to be the major delivery mechanism, together with debris flows. Subordinate contributions of hemipelagic sediments occur only in the Messara basin. Moreover, steep non-incised slope areas and slope-confined canyons of the Gavdos slope were found to provide comparable sediment contribution with the fluvially connected canyons of the Cretan slope. © 2019, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

Background: Little is known about whether tolerability and adherence to treatment can be influenced by weather and temperature conditions. The objective of this study was to assess monthly and seasonal adherence to and safety of sc IFN-β1a (Rebif®, Merck) in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients using the RebiSmart® electronic autoinjector. Methods: A multicentre, prospective observational study in Greece in adult RRMS patients with EDSS < 6, under Rebif®/RebiSmart® treatment for ≤6 weeks before enrollment. The primary endpoint was monthly, seasonal and annual adherence over 12 months (defined in text). Secondary endpoints included number of relapses, disability, adverse events. Results: Sixty four patients enrolled and 47 completed all study visits (Per Protocol Set - PPS). Mean annual adherence was 97.93% ± 5.704 with no significant monthly or seasonal variations. Mean relapses in the pre- and post- treatment 12-months were 1.1 ± 0.47 and 0.2 ± 0.54 (p < 0.0001, PPS). 10 patients (22%) showed 3-month disability progression, 19 (40%) stabilization and 18 (38%) improvement. EDSS was not correlated to pre- (r = 0.024, p = 0.87) or post-treatment relapses (r = 0.022, p = 0.88). Conclusion: High adherence with no significant seasonal or weather variation was observed over 12 months. While the efficacy on relapses was consistent with published studies, we could not identify a relationship between relapses and disability. Trial registration: Greek registry of non-interventional clinical trials ID: 200136, date of registration: February 18th, 2013. © 2018 The Author(s).

We present designs for compact, inexpensive and strong dipole permanent magnets aimed primarily at magnetic resonance applications where prepolarization and detection occur at different locations. Low-homogeneity magnets with a 7.5 mm bore size and field up to nearly 2 T are constructed using low-cost starting materials, standard workshop tools and only few hours of labor – an achievable project for a student or postdoc with spare time. As an application example we show how our magnet was used to polarize the nuclear spins in approximately 1 mL of pure [$^{13}$C]-methanol prior to detection of its high-resolution NMR spectrum at zero field (measurement field below 10$^{-10}$ T), where signals appear at multiples of the carbon-hydrogen spin-spin coupling frequency $^{1}$J$_{CH}$=140.7(1) Hz.

International audience; We present an integrated approach of the seismic structure and activity along the offshore SW Hellenic subduction from combined observations of marine and land seismic stations. Our imaging of the slab top topography from teleseismic receiver function analysis at ocean bottom seismometers supports a trenchward continuation of the along‐dip slab faults beneath the Peloponnesus. We further show that their morphostructural control accounts for the backstepping of the thrust contact of the Mediterranean Ridge accretionary wedge over the upper plate. Local seismic activity offshore SW Peloponnesus constrained by ocean bottom seismometer observations reveals a correlation with specific features of the forearc: the Matapan Troughs. We study the Mw 6.8 14.02.2008 interplate earthquake offshore SW Peloponnesus and show that its nucleation, rupture zone, and aftershocks sequence are confined to one slab panel between two adjacent along‐dip faults and are thus controlled by not only the offshore slab top segmentation but also the upper plate sea‐bottom morphology.

International audience; The Corinth Rift, central Greece, enables analysis of early rift development as it is young (

We present here the first results of the analysis and interpretation of the swath bathymetry and side scan sonar data collected along the southeastern outer shelf and upper slope regions of the Cyprus insular margin (offshore Cape Greco). The resultant bathymetric model and the derivatives (e.g.: slope, aspect, benthic position index) are presented and analyzed in order to describe the morphology of the seabed and the main geomorphological features through quantitative indicators including morphometric indexes and statistical descriptors. The presence of deep sea coral communities (Dendrophylia ramea) in a particular location of the surveyed area is also discussed and tentatively related to the landscape morphology where the colonies are settled

The Corinth Rift, central Greece, enables analysis of early rift development as it is young (

International audience; 11 short gravity cores retrieved in the Western Gulf of Corinth, Greece, allowed identifying event deposits whose age ranges were compared to an updated earthquakes catalogue for the area. 210Pb-derived age-depth curves show that the majority of the event deposits may have been triggered by earthquakes. These results show that moderate earthquakes (Mw ~6.0-6.5) may significantly impact different marine settings, from shallow shelves (70-100 m deep) to the basin floor (330 m deep). The deepest coring sites show the best possible record, but one major earthquake is missing and the age of one event deposit does not fit with any known earthquake. More cores are needed to check the spatial extent of each deposit and to validate the absence of record of some earthquakes, like the 1995 Aigion earthquake.

The existence of barrier beaches is crucial, as they act as a buffer zone to the associated wetlands, whilst they are sensitive to climate change. The present study offers an insight into the processes controlling the formation and evolution of the Gyra barrier beach (NW coast of the island of Lefkada) in the microtidal, tectonically very active Ionian Sea under the influence of regional climate change and human interference. Such investigations are sparse in the literature. Existing information regarding regional geology, sediment availability and human intervention is combined with the collection of geophysical data, field observations and simulations of nearshore hydro- and sediment dynamics, analysis of climatic variations with respect to offshore wind/wave patterns (including storminess), in situ measurements of recent morphometric changes (2006–2008) and historical shoreline changes (since the 1960s). The recent formation and evolution (mostly under retreat) of the Gyra barrier beach is shown to be the combined result of the regional seismotectonic setting, relative increase of sea level, coastal sediment transport patterns, as well as human impact (negative) on primarily terrestrial sediment influxes. The current erosional trend of the barrier beach is associated with a shift in the wind and wave direction (from SW to NW) of extreme storm events in the Ionian Sea since the 1980s. The regional climatic variations of the last decades are well correlated with the trend of the North Atlantic Oscillation. © 2014, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Natural CO2 releases from shallow marine hydrothermal vents are assumed to mix into the water column, and not accumulate into stratified seafloor pools. We present newly discovered shallow subsea pools located within the Santorini volcanic caldera of the Southern Aegean Sea, Greece, that accumulate CO2 emissions from geologic reservoirs. This type of hydrothermal seafloor pool, containing highly concentrated CO2, provides direct evidence of shallow benthic CO2 accumulations originating from sub-seafloor releases. Samples taken from within these acidic pools are devoid of calcifying organisms, and channel structures among the pools indicate gravity driven flow, suggesting that seafloor release of CO2 at this site may preferentially impact benthic ecosystems. These naturally occurring seafloor pools may provide a diagnostic indicator of incipient volcanic activity and can serve as an analog for studying CO2 leakage and benthic accumulations from subsea carbon capture and storage sites.

Kolumbo submarine volcano, located NE of Santorini caldera in the Aegean Sea, has only had one recorded eruption during historic times (1650 AD). Tsunamis from this event severely impacted the east coast of Santorini with extensive flooding and loss of buildings. Recent seismic studies in the area indicate a highly active region beneath Kolumbo suggesting the potential for future eruptive activity. Multibeam mapping and remotely operated vehicle explorations of Kolumbo have led to new insights into the eruptive processes of the 1650 AD eruption and improved assessments of the mechanisms by which tsunamis were generated and how they may be produced in future events. Principal mechanisms for tsunami generation at Kolumbo include shallow submarine explosions, entrance of pyroclastic flows into the sea, collapse of rapidly accumulated pyroclastic material, and intense eruption-related seismicity that may trigger submarine slope collapse. Compared with Santorini, the magnitude of explosive eruptions from Kolumbo is likely to be much smaller but the proximity of the volcano to the eastern coast of Santorini presents significant risks even for lower magnitude events. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

The Corinth rift is one of the fastest spreading rifts on Earth. 5 earthquakes of magnitude greater than 5.8 occurred during the last 40 years. The question of seismic hazard is consequently particularly relevant. Despite a long earthquake catalogue, estimations of earthquake hazard remain problematic because of the difficulty to associate each historical event to one of the many active faults mapped in the area. Consequently, combining seismology, history and paleoseismology in an interdisciplinary approach is here necessary and is the goal of the ANR-SISCOR project. In this framework, we investigated the offshore sediments in order to (1) better constraint the length of the active offshore faults, and (2) look for sedimentary signature of historical earthquakes. 600 km of high resolution seismic reflexion data have been acquired during two surveys and 12 short gravity cores have been retrieved. The latter are 0.5 to 1 m long, allowing us to analyze about 500 yrs of sedimentation. Two new faults potentially able to trigger M>5.5 earthquakes have been mapped in the northern part of the gulf based on seismic data. Sedimentary events (turbidites and mud flows) have been identified in some cores, essentially in the deep basin and in a 180mdeep sub-basin close to the northern coast. The comparison with the critically reviewed historical records shows that some of these events could have been triggered by historical earthquakes. The link between these potential earthquakes sedimentary signatures, historical events and active faults is discussed based on intensity maps and our new active fault map.

Hummocky seafloor features were discovered on the eastern flank of Santorini volcano, Greece. Multibeam bathymetric mapping, airgun seismic profiling, side scan sonar survey, and remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dives have been carried out to characterize the nature of the hummocks. These hummocks appear to be composed of several tens of blocks that are up to several hundredmeters in diameter, and are the surface expression of amuch larger deposit than is observed in the bathymetry. The sidescan and airgun data show that the deposit covers an area of approximately 6 km wide by 20 km long, and is up to 75 mthick.We estimate the total volume of the deposit to be approximately 4.4×109 m3. Sampling of these blocks show they are composed of pyroclastic flowdeposits produced during theMinoan eruption of Santorini (ca. 3600 BP).Wepropose that the deposit is the result of a multi-stage landslide event that was caused by one of the several large earthquakes or volcanic eruptions that have occurred in the vicinity of Santorini since theMinoan eruption. One ormore of these events likely triggered the destabilization of a part of the eastern flank of Santorini,which led to a debris avalanche, depositing blocks and forming a hummocky terrain at the base of the island's slope. Themassmovement later evolved into a turbulent suspension flow that traveled 20 km or more from the presumed initial failure. Given the size of the landslide deposit, it might have a tsunami potentially affecting the islands across the southern Aegean Sea. The understanding of earthquake-landslide dynamics has important implications for hazard assessment in this seismically active, historical, and highly populated region of the world. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Aegean volcanic arc has been investigated along its offshore areas and several submarine volcanic outcrops have been discovered in the last 25 years of research. The basic data including swath bathymetric maps, air-gun profiles, underwater photos and samples analysis have been presented along the four main volcanic groups of the arc. The description concerns: (i) Paphsanias submarine volcano in the Methana group, (ii) three volcanic domes to the east of Antimilos Volcano and hydrothermal activity in southeast Milos in the Milos group, (iii) three volcanic domes east of Christiana and a chain of about twenty volcanic domes and craters in the Kolumbo zone northeast of Santorini in the Santorini group and (iv) several volcanic domes and a volcanic caldera together with very deep slopes of several volcanic islands in the Nisyros group. The tectonic structure of the volcanic centers is described and related to the geometry of the arc and the neotectonic graben structures that usually host them. The NE-SW direction is dominant in the Santorini and Nisyros volcanic groups, located at the eastern part of the arc, where strike-slip is also present, whereas NW-SE direction dominates in Milos and Methana at the western part, where co-existence of E-Wdisrupting normal faults is observed. The volcanic relief reaches 1100-1200 m in most cases. This is produced from the outcrops of the volcanic centers emerging usually at 400-600 mdepth and ending either below sea level or at high altitudes of 600-700 m on the islands. Hydrothermal activity at relatively high temperatures observed in Kolumbo is remarkable whereas low temperature phenomena have been detected in the Santorini caldera around Kameni islands and in the area southeast of Milos. In Methana and Nisyros, hydrothermal activity seems to be limited in the coastal areas without other offshore manifestations. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.