Integration of seismic, well, potential-field and geological data for ore prospecting in the Iberian Pyrite Belt

Ore prospecting using gravimetric and magnetic data has become one of the traditional approaches in the last decades, often complemented with electric and electromagnetic methods. However, due to the problem of non-uniqueness inherent to potential-filed modelling, constrains provided by structural methods such as seismic reflection are often used. During the exploration of massive sulphide polimetallic minerals in the Iberian Pyrite Belt Figueira de Cavaleiros sector, located in the Sado Tertiary Basin, several gravimetric and magnetic anomalies were considered as interesting targets. In order to reduce ambiguity of the gravimetric modelling and to confirm the geological model of the area, two seismic reflection profiles were acquired. The interpretation of these profiles was assisted by three mechanical boreholes, two of them located in the research area, in order to make a seismostratigraphic interpretation. Unfortunately, the gravimetric modelling suggests that the anomaly has a lithological and structural origin and is not related with massive sulphides. Nevertheless, a good agreement between the seismic and potential-field data was achieved and new insights into the geological model for the region were obtained form this work, with accurate data about the Tertiary cover and Palaeozoic basement

Shine on you crazy diamond: Symbolism and social use of fluorite ornaments in Iberia’s late prehistory

Fluorite ornaments have been recorded in different sites of Europe since Upper Paleolithic. Due to its visual appearance and physical properties, some translucent or transparent mineralogies like fluorite were searched for or casually acquired by late prehistory’s human communities. After intensive research on archaeological contexts from the Iberian Peninsula with personal ornaments from 4th to 2nd millennia BCE, we have recently identified and characterized for the first time an important number of fluorite ornaments, confronting a previous background where little attention was paid. Our work has been carried out in different archaeological collections and museums from the whole Iberian Peninsula by non-destructive techniques (Raman spectroscopy, portable X-ray fluorescence (p-XRF) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD), that revealed the nature of fluorite ornaments and points to its consideration as scarce and highly symbolic items during late prehistory. A total of 36 fluorite beads from 23 sites are here recorded and studied, many of them unpublished or wrong catalogued as other mineralogies. These adornments could have important roles in trade and use among the communities of Iberia from the 4th millennium BCE onwards, because of their scarcity and its recurrent association with important funerary complex and exotic materials. Fluorite ornaments could have been significant and special symbols in the development of new and exclusive raw materials in the context of increasing social complexity and inequality

Distribución y consumo de cuentas de fluorita y translúcidas en la península ibérica del VI al II milenios ANE

Translucent minerals were valued in prehistoric societies for their rarity and socially used as highly symbolic elements. This work addresses the use and nature of Iberian translucent beads. We present the results of chemical (Raman spectroscopy, portable X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction and visible (Vis)/near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy) and contextual analyses and provide a review of the archaeological literature on the manufacture and use of translucent items during Iberian Late Prehistory. A total of 54 translucent beads from 47 sites, primarily burials, were analyzed; 33 were made from fluorite, while the remaining 21 were made of diverse translucent minerals (calcite, quartz and different silicates). The scarcity of translucent items in the archaeological record, the regional and supraregional scale of its exchange, and its recursive association to other valuables in singular contexts reinforces the idea that their owners/wearers enjoyed a high status.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Towards an ergonomic assessment framework for industrial assembly workstations - a case study

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) are one of the main occupational health problems. The best strategy to prevent them lies on ergonomic interventions. The variety of industrial processes and environments, however, makes it difficult to define an all-purpose framework to guide these ergonomic interventions. This undefinition is exacerbated by recurrent introduction of new technologies, e.g., collaborative robots. In this paper, we propose a framework to guide ergonomics and human factors practitioners through all stages of assessment and redesign of workstations. This framework was applied in a case study at an assembly workstation of a large furniture enterprise. Direct observation of work activity and questionnaires were applied to characterize the workstations, the process, and the workers’ profiles and perceptions. An ergonomic multi-method approach, based on well-known and validated methods (such as the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and Rapid Upper Limb Assessment), was applied to identify the most critical risk factors. We concluded that this approach supports the process redesign and tasks’ allocation of the future workstation. From these conclusions, we distill a list of requirements for the creation of a collaborative robot cell, specifying which tasks are performed by whom, as well as the scheduling of the human-robot collaboration (HRC).This work has been supported by NORTE-06-3559-FSE-000018, integrated in the invitation NORTE-59-2018-41, aiming the Hiring of Highly Qualified Human Resources, co-financed by the Regional Operational Programme of the North 2020, thematic area of Competitiveness and Employment, through the European Social Fund (ESF). This work has been also supported by FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the R&D Units Project Scope: UIDB/00319/2020

PDMS based hybrid sol-gel materials for sensing applications in alkaline environments: synthesis and characterization

Nowadays, concrete degradation is a major problem in the civil engineering field. Concrete carbonation, one of the main sources of structures’ degradation, causes concrete’s pH to decrease; hence, enabling the necessary conditions for corrosion reinforcement. An accurate, non-destructive sensor able to monitor the pH decrease resistant to concrete conditions is envisaged by many researchers. Optical fibre sensors (OFS) are generally used for concrete applications due to their high sensitivity and resistance to external interferences. Organic-inorganic hybrid (OIH) films, for potential functionalization of OFS to be applied in concrete structures, were developed. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based sol-gel materials were synthesized by the formation of an amino alcohol precursor followed by hydrolysis and condensation. Different ratios between PDMS and (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (3-APTES) were studied. The synthesized OIH films were characterized by Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–Vis spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The OIH films were doped with phenolphthalein (Phph), a pH indicator, and were characterized by UV–Vis and EIS. FTIR characterization showed that the reaction between both precursors, the hydrolysis and the condensation reactions occurred successfully. UV–Vis characterization confirmed the presence of Phph embedded in the OIH matrices. Dielectric and thermal properties of the materials showed promising properties for application in contact with a high alkaline environment.This research was funded by the Program Budget COMPETE—Operational Program Competitiveness and Internationalization—COMPETE 2020, and the Lisbon Regional Operational Program (its FEDER component), and by the budget of FCT Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P, grant number POCI-01-0145-FEDER-031220

The compound event that triggered the destructive fires of October 2017 in Portugal

Portugal is regularly affected by destructive wildfires that have severe social, economic, and ecological impacts. The total burnt area in 2017 (∼540,000 ha) marked the all-time record value since 1980 with a tragic toll of 114 fatalities that occurred in June and October events. The local insurance sector declared it was the costliest natural disaster in Portugal with payouts exceeding USD295 million. Here, the 2017 October event, responsible for more than 200,000 ha of burnt area and 50 fatalities is analyzed from a compound perspective. A prolonged drought led to preconditioned cumulative hydric stress of vegetation in October 2017. In addition, on 15 October 2017, two other major drivers played a critical role: 1) the passage of hurricane Ophelia off the Coast of Portugal, responsible for exceptional meteorological conditions and 2) the human agent, responsible for an extremely elevated number of negligent ignitions. This disastrous combination of natural and anthropogenic drivers led to the uncontrolled wildfires observed on 15 October

Holocene evolution of a barrier island system, Ria Formosa, South Portugal

Holocene evolution of the Ria Formosa barrier island system was studied through the examination of a large subsurface dataset acquired from 191 boreholes and five seismic refraction profiles. Two boreholes with total depths of 26 and 16.5 m were selected for a multi-proxy detailed laboratory analysis, including mean grain size distribution, organic matter (OM) content, color variation, shell identification, and benthic foraminifera assemblages. Selected cores are thought to be representative of the identified depositional sub-basins. Subsurface age data from 16 AMS C-14 dated samples were plotted against depth and resulted in a coherent age model of sedimentary infill. The system evolution was largely controlled by sediment availability, accommodation space, and Holocene sea level rise, first at a rapid rate of 7 mm/yr from 10 kcal yr BP to 7.25 kcal yr BP, followed by a slowdown to 1.1 mm/yr until present. A conceptual model for the origin and Holocene evolution of the Ria Formosa barrier island system implies three main steps, leading to the present system geomorphology: (1) marine flooding of incised palaeovalleys by the rapid transgression of palaeovalleys in the early Holocene(2) development of a proto-barrier island chain perched on Pleistocene detritic headlands and steeper interfluve areas during the early to middle Holoceneand (3) full development of the barrier islands chain and enclosing of the coastal lagoon, followed by the maturation of the system with subsequent siltation and salt marsh expansion from the middle Holocene until present. The onset of barrier system formation dates back to ca. 8 kcal yr BP, predating previously proposed age.SIHER project [PTDC/CTE-GIX112236/2009]EU Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate in Marine and Coastal Management (MACOMA) fellowship grant, under University of AlgarveEU Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate in Marine and Coastal Management (MACOMA) fellowship grant, under University of Cadi

Combining high pressure and electric fields towards nannochloropsis oculata eicosapentaenoic acid-rich extracts

Nannochloropsis oculata is naturally rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). To turn this microalga into an economically viable source for commercial applications, extraction efficiency must be achieved. Pursuing this goal, emerging technologies such as high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and moderate electric fields (MEF) were tested, aiming to increase EPA accessibility and subsequent extraction yields. The innovative approach used in this study combined these technologies and associated tailored, less hazardous different solvent mixtures (SM) with distinct polarity indexes. Although the classical Folch SM with chloroform: methanol (PI 4.4) provided the highest yield concerning total lipids (166.4 mglipid/gbiomass), diethyl ether: ethanol (PI 3.6) presented statistically higher values in terms of EPA per biomass, corresponding to 1.3-fold increase. When SM were used in HHP and MEF, neither technology independently improved EPA extraction yields, although the sequential combination of technologies did result in 62% increment in EPA extraction. Overall, the SM and extraction methodologies tested (HHP—200 MPa, 21 °C, 15 min, followed by MEF processing at 40 °C, 15 min) enabled increased EPA extraction yields from wet N. oculata biomass. These findings are of high relevance for the food and pharmaceutical industries, providing viable alternatives to the “classical” extraction methodologies and solvents, with increased yields and lower environmental impact.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio