Clasificación multitemporal de usos del suelo en la Cuenca del Río Vinalopó (Comunidad Valenciana) mediante diferentes algoritmos de clasificación supervisada y variables auxiliares

La dificultad y coste de obtener información en continuo dificulta la cuantificación de los procesos que intervienen en el ciclo hidrológico. Se requieren por tanto métodos de obtención indirecta como la teledetección. El objetivo de este trabajo es la caracterización espacio-temporal de los usos del suelo en la cuenca del Vinalopó, representativa de paisajes fuertemente antropizados y heterogéneos del sureste español. Como información de partida se han utilizado imágenes del sensor Landsat TM para la serie temporal 2000-2010. Se evalúan diferentes aspectos como la mejora en la estimación al incluir imágenes de varias estaciones para un mismo año, (hasta cuatro fechas representativas de las cuatro estaciones del año) o variables auxiliares derivadas del relieve (elevaciones, pendientes y orientaciones) y texturales (semivariograma del albedo y el NDVI). Así mismo se evalúan diferentes métodos de clasificación. Un método paramétrico: Máxima Verosimilitud (ML); dos no paramétricos: Random Forest (RF) y Máquinas de Vectores Soporte (SVM) con kernel radial; y el método paramétrico contextual Sequential Maximum a Posteriori (SMAP). Los parámetros de RF y SVM se optimizan mediante validación cruzada y minimización del error de clasificación. Como medida de bondad en la clasificación se ha utilizado el índice kappa, estimado mediante intervalos de confianza. El proceso de trabajo se desarrolla sobre una plataforma de bajo coste, utilizando programas Open Source (GRASS y R) y como fuentes de información las plataformas liberalizadas de productos Landsat y el Plan Nacional de Teledetección. Los resultados revelan que el uso de imágenes de varias estaciones y variables auxiliares mejora las clasificaciones en todos los algoritmos. En lo referente a los algoritmos de clasificación, el exhaustivo trabajo realizado sobre los polígonos de entrenamiento y validación mejora los resultados de ML, no siendo significativamente peor al resto, a priori más robustos en estas zonas, caracterizadas por la alta variabilidad y falta de normalidad de las variables. También se aprecia una mejora en los resultados de RF y SVM al optimizar sus parámetros.Esta investigación se ha desarrollado bajo el proyecto Modelización Hidrológica en Zonas Semiáridas, realizado por la Fundación Instituto Euromediterráneo del Agua, financiado por la Consejería de Educación, Ciencia e Investigación de la Región de Murcia. De igual forma, ha sido parcialmente financiado por el Proyecto Prometeo de la Secretaría de Educación Superior, Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación del Gobierno de Ecuador

Numerical simulation of density-driven flow and heat transport processes in porous media using the network method

Density-driven flow and heat transport processes in 2-D porous media scenarios are governed by coupled, non-linear, partial differential equations that normally have to be solved numerically. In the present work, a model based on the network method simulation is designed and applied to simulate these processes, providing steady state patterns that demonstrate its computational power and reliability. The design is relatively simple and needs very few rules. Two applications in which heat is transported by natural convection in confined and saturated media are studied: slender boxes heated from below (a kind of Bénard problem) and partially heated horizontal plates in rectangular domains (the Elder problem). The streamfunction and temperature patterns show that the results are coherent with those of other authors: steady state patterns and heat transfer depend both on the Rayleigh number and on the characteristic Darcy velocity derived from the values of the hydrological, thermal and geometrical parameters of the problems.The first author acknowledges the support of the Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena through a pre-doctoral scholarship and the economic support of the Universidad Católica del Norte to cover the costs to publish in open access

An educational software for teaching soil consolidation

[EN] The educational tool SICOMED_3D has been created to simulate problems of soil consolidation by prefabricated vertical drains. Thanks to its nice interface of windows, the introduction of data is very fast and easy for the students, while providing users with simple handling and powerful calculations. Its graphical environment allows to get representations of the excess pore pressure, local settlements and total surface settlement. SICOMED_3D can also generate an animation that recreates the evolution of the surface settlement during the consolidation process. The software presents, like commercial softwares, the most common options (e.g., save and open cases files, save animations and representations, etc.). Although the program is created to be used in several fields, among others as an engineering or research tool, the main use of interest for this work is for educational purposes. Another important application is as low-cost laboratory practices, as students can experiment by modifying the soil properties, including the depth of penetration of the vertical drain, in a quick, simple and intuitive way.García Ros, G.; Alhama Manteca, I.; Cánovas Vidal, M.; Sánchez Pérez, JF. (2017). An educational software for teaching soil consolidation. En Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Higher Education Advances. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 865-872. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD17.2017.5447OCS86587

Self-learning of the direct soil tomography problem using a specific educational software

[EN] The educational tool DITPRO has been created to simulate problems of direct soil tomography problem. The introduction of data is very easy for the students, because the software has an interactive grid window. Moreover, provides to the users an easy handling and powerful calculations. Its graphical environment allows access to a graphical representation of potential functions. The software presents, like commercial softwares, the most common options (e.g., save and open cases files and representations, etc.). Although the program is created to be used in several fields, among others as investigation tool, the mainly use of interest for this work is as educational tool. Another important use is as low-cost laboratory practices. The student has the possiblity to obtain system information of the Spice code text file, whose rules are well known by students with knowledge of electrical circuit theory. The student must to design and implement several sceneries and explain it to check his/her understanding of the problem.http://ocs.editorial.upv.es/index.php/HEAD/HEAD17Sánchez Pérez, JF.; Alhama Manteca, I.; García Ros, G.; Cánovas Vidal, M. (2018). Self-learning of the direct soil tomography problem using a specific educational software. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD17.2017.5451OCS1

Validación de las estimaciones de precipitación horaria de un radar meteorológico banda S para el seguimiento en tiempo real de extremos meteorológicos

[SPA] En este trabajo se presenta una validación de las imágenes de acumulación horaria de uno de los radares de la Agencia Estatal de Meteorología de España empleando dos redes de pluviómetros durante dos episodios tormentosos de elevado periodo de retorno. El área de estudio corresponde a la Demarcación Hidrográfica del Segura situada en el sureste de la Península Ibérica, la cual abarca una superficie de más de 18.000 km2. Para validar las imágenes de precipitación del radar se han analizado estadísticos como el sesgo, la RMSD y el coeficiente de correlación de Pearson. Si bien en algunos casos la precipitación es capturada en algunos pluviómetros, las altas intensidades no son representadas adecuadamente. El error en la estimación está correlacionado con la precipitación del pluviómetro, pero no en el mismo grado con la precipitación del radar. La tormenta ha sido correctamente identificada por las imágenes de precipitación, pero la estimación cuantitativa de la precipitación presenta subestimaciones en varios casos. [ENG] This paper presents a validation of hourly rainfall values from one of the radars of the Agencia Estatal de Meteorología de España. Two rain gauge networks in two storm episodes of high return period were used. The study area is the Segura Hydrographic Demarcation, located in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula, which covers an area of more than 18,000 km2. Several statistics, such as bias, RMSD and correlation coefficient were calculated. Although in some cases precipitation is, in some rain gauges, well reproduced, high intensity rainfall is not adequately represented. The estimation error is strongly correlated with the amount of precipitation recorded in the rain gauge, but not with amount recorded by the weather radar. Although the storms were correctly identified in precipitation images, the rainfall was underestimated in several cases.Este trabajo es el resultado de un contrato posdoctoral financiado por el programa Saavedra Fajardo de la Fundación Séneca-Agencia de Ciencia y Tecnología de la Región de Murcia (Ref. 20023/SF/16) de la Consejería de Educación y Universidades de la CARM (Comunidad Autónoma de la Región de Murcia)

Harmonic model of electronically controlled loads

The use of electronically controlled loads is the way used to improve the efficiency as well as the power factor of normal elec- tric loads, obtaining thus energy efficient loads. This electronic con- trol changes the load’s global behavior resulting in a strongly non- linear one, at this regards, the available models used to represent loads are not accurate enough, especially in the context of an iterative frequency domain harmonic penetration program/algorithm. In this article, we propose an extension of the crossed-frequency admittance matrix, in order to get a better representation of these electronic loads. The extension is done by adding another dimension to the matrix, the harmonic phase. The model is obtained using a programmable power source connected to a PC, and by means of an acquisition board, we measure voltage and intensity. Due to the large number of tests needed we have developed a software tool that auto- mates the process giving as result the load model. Therefore, the proposed model linearizes loads according to three variables: Amplitude, Frequency and Phase of the harmonic with regard to the fundamental

Approach to multivariable predictive control applications in residential HVAC direct load control

The purpose of this paper is to describe a new constrained multivariable predictive control strategy applied in Residential HVAC Direct Load Control. In this way, starting from a target load profile prefixed by the utility in order to achieve several objectives - economic, technical- and taking into account customer constraints - minimum “fort levels, HVAC limits- this control algorithm provides, in a multiobjective hework, the most suitable HVAC load control strategy to minimize the discrepancies between the controlled load curve and the predefined target load curve. The control system has a close-loop behavior with a proper and consistent treatment of modeling errors and other disturbances. It is allowed a dynamic modification of the target load me according to the real-time system behavior. In order to demonstrate its qualities widely, this control system has been applied to modify a real load curve profile under different operating conditions

The glutamine synthetase gene family in Populus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Glutamine synthetase (GS; EC: 6.3.1.2, L-glutamate: ammonia ligase ADP-forming) is a key enzyme in ammonium assimilation and metabolism of higher plants. The current work was undertaken to develop a more comprehensive understanding of molecular and biochemical features of <it>GS </it>gene family in poplar, and to characterize the developmental regulation of <it>GS </it>expression in various tissues and at various times during the poplar perennial growth.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The <it>GS </it>gene family consists of 8 different genes exhibiting all structural and regulatory elements consistent with their roles as functional genes. Our results indicate that the family members are organized in 4 groups of duplicated genes, 3 of which code for cytosolic GS isoforms (GS1) and 1 which codes for the choroplastic GS isoform (GS2). Our analysis shows that <it>Populus trichocarpa </it>is the first plant species in which it was observed the complete <it>GS </it>family duplicated. Detailed expression analyses have revealed specific spatial and seasonal patterns of <it>GS </it>expression in poplar. These data provide insights into the metabolic function of GS isoforms in poplar and pave the way for future functional studies.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our data suggest that <it>GS </it>duplicates could have been retained in order to increase the amount of enzyme in a particular cell type. This possibility could contribute to the homeostasis of nitrogen metabolism in functions associated to changes in glutamine-derived metabolic products. The presence of duplicated <it>GS </it>genes in poplar could also contribute to diversification of the enzymatic properties for a particular GS isoform through the assembly of GS polypeptides into homo oligomeric and/or hetero oligomeric holoenzymes in specific cell types.</p

Considerations about the Continuous Assay Methods, Spectro-Photometric and Spectrofluorometric, of the Monophenolase Activity of Tyrosinase

With the purpose to obtain the more useful tyrosinase assay for the monophenolase activity of tyrosinase between the spectrofluorometric and spectrophotometric continuous assays, simulated assays were made by means of numerical integration of the equations that characterize the mechanism of monophenolase activity. These assays showed that the rate of disappearance of monophenol () is equal to the rate of accumulation of dopachrome () or to the rate of accumulation of its oxidized adduct, originated by the nucleophilic attack on o-quinone by a nucleophile such as 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone (MBTH), (), despite the existence of coupled reactions. It is shown that the spectrophotometric methods that use MBTH are more useful, as they do not have the restrictions of the L-tyrosine disappearance measurement method, of working at pH = 8 and not having a linear response from 100 μM of L-tyrosine. It is possible to obtain low LODM (limit of detection of the monophenolase activity) values with spectrophotometric methods. The spectrofluorimetric methods had a lower LODM than spectrophotometric methods. In the case of 4-hydroxyphenil-propionic acid, the LODM obtained by us was 0.25 U/mL. Considering the relative sensitivities of 4-hydroxyanisole, compared with 4-hydroxyphenil-propionic acid, LODM values like those obtained by fluorescent methods would be expected