Hydrological processes and their seasonal controls in a small Mediterranean mountain catchment in the Pyrenees

The Vallcebre catchments are located in a middle mountain area of the Pyrenean ranges, built up by sedimentary rocks and loamy soils. The vegetation cover is pastures and forests of <i>Pinus sylvestris</i>, mostly occupying former agricultural terraces. Some relatively small, heavily eroded landscapes (badlands) occur in the catchments, playing a relevant hydrological and geomorphic role. Annual precipitation is 924 mm and potential (reference) evapotranspiration is about 700 mm. Rainfall interception in forests represents about 24% of precipitation; interception rates were similar throughout the seasons because of a compensation between rainfall intensities and atmospheric conditions. Soil moisture showed a temporal pattern characterised by the occurrence of marked deficit periods in summer and also, but less pronounced, in winter. During most of the year, subsurface flows on hillslopes drove the spatial organisation of soil moisture and the occurrence of saturated areas. Nevertheless, this spatial organisation was also controlled by the patterns of vegetation cover. During dry periods, subsurface flow ceased, saturated areas disappeared and the spatial patterns of soil moisture changed. Stream flow from these catchments was dominated by storm flow, and the runoff generating mechanisms showed a clear seasonal pattern, controlled mainly by the soil moisture and the extent of saturated areas. During the dry periods, runoff was produced only on impervious areas and badlands. At the end of the dry periods, some large rainfall events generated significant runoff because of the perched saturation of the shallow soil horizons. Thereafter, runoff generation was dominated by the role of saturated areas. Stream waters in catchments with badlands had very high suspended sediment concentrations. The seasonal pattern of erosion processes in badlands was characterised by physical weathering during winter, regolith breakdown and vigorous hillslope erosion during spring and summer, and efficient transport of sediments in autumn

Perfilru: un programa para el análisis de la rugosidad de perfiles microtopográficos mediante el estudio de la geometría fractal

[Resumen] Presentamos un programa de ordenador para el estudio de la rugosidad de perfiles y su variación con la escala. El análisis se basa en la obtención de la dimensión fractal del perfil para intervalos de escala seleccionables, calculada mediante métodos de regresión lineal, lo que permite su análisis estadístico. Este método ha sido puesto a punto para estudiar los efectos meteorizantes causados por ciclos de helada experimentales sobre muestras de roca arcillosa.[Abstract] A computer program for the analysis of profile roughness and its variation with scale is presented. The analysis is based on the calculation of the fractal dimension of the profile for selectable ranges of scale, performed through lineal regression method, that enables further statistical analysis. This program has been set up in order to study the weathering effects of experimental freezing cicles on mudrock samples

Surface Brightness and Stellar Populations at the Outer Edge of the Large Magellanic Cloud: No Stellar Halo Yet

We present a high quality CMD for a 36'x 36' field located 8 degrees (7 kpc) from the LMC center, as well as a precise determination of the LMC surface brightness derived from the resolved stellar population out to this large galactocentric radius. This deep CMD shows for the first time the detailed age distribution at this position, where the surface brightness is V=26.5 mag/sq". At a radius R=474' the main sequence is well populated from the oldest turnoff at I=21.5 to the 2.5 Gyr turnoff at I=19.5. Beyond this radius, a relatively strong gradient in the density of stars with ages in the 2.5-4 Gyr range is apparent. There are some stars brighter and bluer than the main population, quite uniformly distributed over the whole area surveyed, which are well matched by a 1.5 Gyr isochrone and may be indicative of a relatively recent star formation, or merger, event. The surface brightness profile of the LMC remains exponential to this large galactocentric radius and shows no evidence of disk truncation. Combining the information on surface brightness and stellar population we conclude that the LMC disk extends (and dominates over a possible stellar halo) out to a distance of at least 7 kpc. These results confirm that the absence of blue stars in the relatively shallow off-center CMDs of dIrr galaxies is not necessarily evidence for an exclusively old stellar population resembling the halo of the Milky Way.Comment: ApJLett, in press 13 pages including 3 color figure

Characterizing temporary hydrological regimes at a European scale

Monthly duration curves have been constructed from climate data across Europe to help address the relative frequency of ecologically critical low flow stages in temporary rivers, when flow persists only in disconnected pools in the river bed. The hydrological model is 5 based on a partitioning of precipitation to estimate water available for evapotranspiration and plant growth and for residual runoff. The duration curve for monthly flows has then been analysed to give an estimate of bankfull flow based on recurrence interval. The corresponding frequency for pools is then based on the ratio of bank full discharge to pool flow, arguing from observed ratios of cross-sectional areas at flood 10 and low flows to estimate pool flow as 0.1% of bankfull flow, and so estimate the frequency of the pool conditions that constrain survival of river-dwelling arthropods and fish. The methodology has been applied across Europe at 15 km resolution, and can equally be applied under future climatic scenarios

Transpiration of montane <I>Pinus sylvestris</I> L. and <I>Quercus pubescens</I> Willd. forest stands measured with sap flow sensors in NE Spain

International audienceStand transpiration was measured during the 2003 and 2004 growing seasons using heat dissipation sap flow sensors in a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and a pubescent oak (Quercus pubescens Willd.) forest located in a montane area of the Eastern Pyrenees (NE Spain). The first aim of the study was to assess the differences in quantitative estimates of transpiration (Ec) and the response to evaporative demand of the two stands. Over the studied period of 2003, characterised by a severe drought episode during the summer, the oak stand Ec was only 110mm compared to the 239 mm transpired by the Scots pine stand, although the ratio of transpiration to reference evapotranspiration (Ec/ET0) in the oak stand compares well with the expected values predicted for low leaf area index (LAI) oak forests in southern Europe. Scots pine showed a strong reduction in Ec/ET0 as the drought developed, whereas pubescent oak was less affected by soil moisture deficits in the upper soil. As a second objective, and given the contrasting meteorological conditions between 2003 and 2004 summer periods, the interanual variability of transpiration was studied in the Scots pine plot. Rainfall during the summer months (June-September) in 2003 was almost 40% less than in the same interval in 2004. Accordingly, transpiration was also reduced about 25% in 2003. Finally, Scots pine data from 2003 and 2004 was used to calibrate a simple transpiration model using ET0 and soil moisture deficit (SMD) as input variables, and implicitly including stomatal responses to high vapour pressure deficits (D?) and soil water status

Evolución de la respuesta hidrológica de un área arcillosa acarcavada, en relación con el estado físico superficial mediante experiencias de simulación de lluvia

[Resumen] Las geomorfologías acarcavadas desarrolladas en áreas de montaña, suelen mostrar condiciones físicas superficiales altamente dinámicas. Como consecuencia, la producción de escorrentía y de transporte sedimento muestran una marcada variabilidad estacional. Para adquirir un mayor conocimiento al respecto, fueron realizadas periódicamente simulaciones de lluvia, durante tres años y en dos litologías representativas del área de Vallcebre. Los resultados confirmaron claramente esta estacionalidad y su dependencia del estado de alteración física del regolito, más determinante que las condiciones hídricas previas al experimento.[Abstract] Badland geomorphologies developed on mountainous areas usually show a high dynamics of the surface. In consequence, runoff and sediment production rates show clear seasonal changes. In order to increase knowledge on this subject, periodical rainfall simulations were carryed out during three years in the Vallcebre badlands area. Results clearly confirm the seasonality and its relationship with antecedent regolith physical conditions, more determinant that previous hydric conditions

Stellar populations in the dwarf spheroidal galaxy Leo I

We present a detailed study of the color magnitude diagram (CMD) of the dwarf spheroidal galaxy Leo I, based on archival Hubble Space Telescope data. Our photometric analysis, confirming previous results on the brighter portion of the CMD, allow us to obtain an accurate sampling of the stellar populations also at the faint magnitudes corresponding to the Main Sequence. By adopting a homogeneous and consistent theoretical scenario for both hydrogen and central helium-burning evolutionary phases, the various features observed in the CMD are interpreted and reliable estimations for both the distance modulus and the age(s) for the main stellar components of Leo I are derived. More in details, from the upper luminosity of the Red Giant Branch and the lower luminosity of the Subgiant Branch we simultaneously constrain the galaxy distance and the age of the oldest stellar population in Leo I. In this way we obtain a distance modulus (m-M)_V=22.00$\pm$0.15 mag and an age of 10--15 Gyr or 9--13 Gyr, adopting a metallicity Z=0.0001 and 0.0004, respectively. The reliability of this distance modulus has been tested by comparing the observed distribution of the Leo I anomalous Cepheids in the period-magnitude diagram with the predicted boundaries of the instability strip, as given by convective pulsating models.Comment: 19 pages, 3 tables, 14 figures To be published in A

Modelos de erosión de base física: características y utilidades

[Resumen] El desarrollo de los modelos de erosión tiene como objetivo facilitar la predicción de la erosión y diseñar así, las posibles medidas de prevención para evitar la pérdida de suelo. Actualmente, estos modelos de erosión tienden a describir los procesos mediante aproximaciones de tipo físico, y han aumentado su complejidad en el tratamiento de datos. En el presente trabajo se analizan las diferencias y semejanzas de 5 modelos principales de erosión de los últimos 20 años (ANSWERS, CREAMS, KINEROS, EUROSEM y WEPP), y se plantean los posibles errores que involucran estos modelos "avanzados", ya sea por su complejidad, como por su utilización.[Abstract] At present, erosion models are common too1s to cope with erosive processes. These models are aimed to predict erosion, thus helping to design management actions oriented to prevent soil loss. Nowadays, erosion models represent physica1 processes, and their comp1exity increas. Diferences and resemblances between 5 main erosion models developed in the 1ast 20 years (ANSWERS, CREAMS, KINEROS, EUROSEM and WEPP), and it's questioned the possible errors associated with these "advanced" models are discussed