Salinity studies in Mar Menor coastal lagoon

An experiment with different AUVs was carried out in the Mar Menor Coastal Lagoon from October 31 to November 5 in order to measure and assess the influence of the water from the Mar Menor on the adjacent area of the Mediterranean. This was carried out as a result of the meeting held between several institutions from the Iberian Peninsula and EEUU (see Vilanova Marine Science/Robotics Meeting 2010). The experiment was to launch several AUVs at the same time in different zones of the Mediterranean and Mar Menor lagoon. AUVs took salinity data trying to do a coordinated mission during two operative days (November 3 and November 5). Others days of the experiment were used to the vehicle’s preparation and error correction (November 2 and November 4). This paper presents the steps followed in preparation and operative days with the set of AUVs. This paper presents also the salinity results obtained during these missions.Postprint (published version

A new method for determining the sources of airborne particles.

Air quality is a major issue for humans owing to the fact that the content of particles in the atmosphere has multiple implications for life quality, ecosystem dynamics and environment. Scientists are therefore particularly interested in discovering the origin of airborne particles. A new method has been developed to model the relationship between the emission surface and the total amount of airborne particles at a given distance, employing olive pollen and olive groves as examples. A third-degree polynomial relationship between the air particles at a particular point and the distance from the source was observed, signifying that the nearest area to a point is not that which is most correlated with its air features. This work allows the origin of airborne particles to be discovered and could be implemented in different disciplines related to atmospheric aerosol, thus providing a new approach with which to discover the dynamics of airborne particles

Salinity studies in Mar Menor coastal lagoon

An experiment with different AUVs was carried out in the Mar Menor Coastal Lagoon from October 31 to November 5 in order to measure and assess the influence of the water from the Mar Menor on the adjacent area of the Mediterranean. This was carried out as a result of the meeting held between several institutions from the Iberian Peninsula and EEUU (see Vilanova Marine Science/Robotics Meeting 2010). The experiment was to launch several AUVs at the same time in different zones of the Mediterranean and Mar Menor lagoon. AUVs took salinity data trying to do a coordinated mission during two operative days (November 3 and November 5). Others days of the experiment were used to the vehicle’s preparation and error correction (November 2 and November 4). This paper presents the steps followed in preparation and operative days with the set of AUVs. This paper presents also the salinity results obtained during these missions

Identification of Potential Sources of Airborne Olea Pollen in the Southwest Iberian Peninsula

This study aims to determine the potential origin of Olea pollen recorded in Badajoz in the Southwest of the Iberian Peninsula during 2009–2011. This was achieved using a combination of daily average and diurnal (hourly) airborne Olea pollen counts recorded at Badajoz (south-western Spain) and Évora (south-eastern Portugal), an inventory of olive groves in the studied area and air mass trajectory calculations computed using the HYSPLIT model. Examining olive pollen episodes at Badajoz that had distinctly different diurnal cycles in olive pollen in relation to the mean, allowed us to identify three different scenarios where olive pollen can be transported to the city from either distant or nearby sources during conditions with slow air mass movements. Back trajectory analysis showed that olive pollen can be transported to Badajoz from the West on prevailing winds, either directly or on slow moving air masses, and from high densities of olive groves situated to the Southeast (e.g. Andalucía). Regional scale transport of olive pollen can result in increased nighttime concentrations of this important aeroallergen. This could be particularly important in Mediterranean countries where people can be outdoors during this time due to climate and lifestyle. Such studies that examine sources and the atmospheric transport of pollen are valuable for allergy sufferers and health care professionals because the information can be incorporated into forecasts, the outputs of which are used for avoiding exposure to aeroallergens and planning medication. The results of studies of this nature can also be used for examining gene flow in this important agricultural crop