The Pliocene Mediterranean infilling of the Messinian Erosional Surface: New biostratigraphic data based on calcareous nannofossils (Bajo Segura Basin, SE Spain)

The Bajo Segura Basin (eastern Betic Cordillera) is a Mediterranean marginal basin where the Messinian Erosional Surface (MES), formed during the Messinian Salinity Crisis sea-level fall, is well developed. Overlying this major discontinuity the lower Pliocene transgressive sediments record the reflooding of the Mediterranean and the return to an open marine environment, the continental shelf being rebuilt after the Messinian erosion. The stratigraphic and biostratigraphic study of six sections allows two transgressive-regressive sequences filling the MES to be distinguished, correlated with the previously distinguished Mediterranean offshore seismic units. Ten calcareous nannofossil bioevents have been identified. The lower sequence can be dated according to nannofossil biozones NN12 to NN14 and the upper sequence by NN15 to NN16. The boundary between both lower Pliocene sedimentary sequences occur after the first common occurrence (FCO) of Discoaster asymmetricus found in the uppermost sediments of the lower sequence and before the first occurrence (FO) of Discoaster tamalis in the lowermost part of the upper sequence. Thus this sequence boundary can be estimated at between 4.1 and 4.0Ma ago.This work has been supported by projects: CGL2007-65832/BTE Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia, CGL2009-07830/BTE Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, and PASUR.CGL2009-08651 Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación Projects and BEST/2010/068 Generalitat Valenciana

The Bajo Segura Basin (SE Spain): implications for the Messinian salinity crisis in the Mediterranean margins

The analysis of the Messinian and Pliocene stratigraphy of the Bajo Segura Basin (a marginal basin of the western Mediterranean) has revealed three synthems deposited in a high sea-level context: T-MI (late Tortonian-Messinian), MII (Messinian), and P (early Pliocene), bounded by two lowstand erosional surfaces (intra-Messinian and end-Messinian unconformities). With respect to the salinity crisis, we propose the following series of events: 1) pre-evaporitic or pre-crisis phase (T-MI synthem); 2) first sea-level fall and subaerial exposure (intra-Messinian unconformity), possibly related to the precipitation of the Lower Evaporites; 3) syn-evaporitic phase (MII synthem), recorded both by selenitic gypsum (Upper Evaporites) as well as by lagoon deposits (Lago-Mare); 4) second sea-level fall and subaerial exposure (end-Messinian unconformity), characterized by deeply incised palaeovalleys; and 5) postevaporitic or post-crisis phase (P synthem), which coincides with the definitive restoration of open marine conditions in the basin. A combined biostratigraphic and magnetostratigraphic study revealed that all the events linked to the salinity crisis (from the end of the pre-evaporitic phase to the beginning of the post-evaporitic phase) occurred within the chron C3r (c. 5.9-5.2 Ma).Financial aid was provided by Research Projects BTE2003-05047, CGL2005-06224BTE (MEC), CGL2007-65832/BTE (MEC), GV04B-629 (Generalitat Valenciana) and “Paleoenvironmental Changes” Group (UA)

INVES: Docencia en Iniciación a la Investigación en Biología

Un equipo multidisciplinar de profesores y profesoras que imparten docencia en la asignatura Iniciación a la Investigación en Biología, constituyen la Red Docente INVES con el fin de desarrollar una metodología propia de trabajo en equipo, en coordinación con el profesorado de la asignatura Estadística, con la que se comparten objetivos de aprendizaje comunes. Durante el desarrollo de la asignatura, el alumnado diseña y ejecuta un proyecto de investigación bibliométrico de temática biológica sobre un tema actual y de interés. Con ello se favorece la adquisición de competencias transversales del módulo básico del título de grado. La dinámica de trabajo en grupo culmina en la edición de unas Jornadas Científicas, donde los estudiantes exponen los trabajos realizados. Se han consensuado modificaciones en las metodologías y actividades de aprendizaje, mejorando en la eficiencia de la experiencia de enseñanza-aprendizaje

Roadmap on optical security

Information security and authentication are important challenges facing our society. Recent attacks by hackers on the databases of large commercial and financial companies have demonstrated that more research and developments of advanced approaches are necessary to deny unauthorized access to critical data. Free space optical technology has been investigated by many researchers in information security, encryption, and authentication. The main motivation for using optics and photonics for information security is that optical waveforms possess many complex degrees of freedom such as amplitude, phase, polarization, large bandwidth, nonlinear transformations, quantum properties of photons, and multiplexing that can be combined in many ways to make the information encryption more secure and more difficult to attack. This roadmap article presents an overview of the potential, recent advances, and the challenges of optical security and encryption using free space optics. The roadmap on optical security is comprised of six categories that together include 16 short sections written by authors who have made relevant contributions in this field. The first category of this roadmap describes novel encryption approaches, including secure optical sensing which summarizes double random phase encryption applications and flaws [Yamaguchi], digital holographic encryption in free space optical technique which describes encryption using multidimensional digital holography [Nomura], simultaneous encryption of multiple signals [Pérez-Cabré], asymmetric methods based on information truncation [Nishchal], and dynamic encryption of video sequences [Torroba]. Asymmetric and one-way cryptosystems are analyzed by Peng. The second category is on compression for encryption. In their respective contributions, Alfalou and Stern propose similar goals involving compressed data and compressive sensing encryption. The very important area of cryptanalysis is the topic of the third category with two sections: Sheridan reviews phase retrieval algorithms to perform different attacks, whereas Situ discusses nonlinear optical encryption techniques and the development of a rigorous optical information security theory. The fourth category with two contributions reports how encryption could be implemented in the nano- or microscale. Naruse discusses the use of nanostructures in security applications and Carnicer proposes encoding information in a tightly focused beam. In the fifth category, encryption based on ghost imaging using single-pixel detectors is also considered. In particular, the authors [Chen, Tajahuerce] emphasize the need for more specialized hardware and image processing algorithms. Finally, in the sixth category, Mosk and Javidi analyze in their corresponding papers how quantum imaging can benefit optical encryption systems. Sources that use few photons make encryption systems much more difficult to attack, providing a secure method for authentication

Nannoplankton and planktonic foraminifera biostratigraphy of the eastern Betics during the Tortonian (SE Spain)

El final del Serravalliense y principio del Tortoniense es un periodo de fuerte actividad tectónica en la Cordillera Bética. Además, existe un debate sobre la existencia de sedimentos de edad Tortoniense inferior al no existir claras atribuciones fósiles en esa edad. Estos sedimentos se asignan a dicha edad por criterios indirectos, tanto estratigráficos como por la ausencia de contenido fósil más antiguo o más reciente. En este trabajo se describe la sección compuesta de Les Moreres-Albatera, que es probablemente una de las secciones más completas de edad Tortoniense en la bibliografía de la Cordillera Bética, pese a tener un importante hiato de cerca de 1 Millón de años ligado a un evento tectónico intra-Tortoniense. La sección presenta dos unidades litológicas calizas a la base (El Castellà) y al techo (Las Ventanas) y dos unidades intermedias margosas, la inferior, llamada Les Moreres, y la superior, Galería de los Suizos se encuentran separadas por el conglomerado de la Raya del Búho. Se han identificado las biozonas de nanofósiles calcáreos CN5b/NN7 a CN9a/NN11a (Okada & Bukry, 1980; Martini, 1971) y de foraminíferos planctónicos de MMi9 a MMi12a (Lourens et al., 2004). La biostratigrafía de los primeros ha permitido identificar un hiato que incluye la parte alta de las biozonas CN7/NN9 hasta la parte baja de CN9a/NN11a (Okada & Bukry, 1980; Martini, 1971). La integración de los datos biostratigráficos con los paleomagnéticos en la sección Albatera permite la calibración del límite de los magnetocrones C4r.1r/C4n.2n.The Serravallian-Tortonian boundary was a time of strong tectonic activity in the Betic Cordillera. The Early Tortonian sediments continue to be under debate because no clear fossil attributions are available. These sediments have been assigned an Early Tortonian age by indirect stratigraphic criteria or by the absence of fossil content older or younger in age. The present work documents the Les Moreres-Albatera composite section, probably the most complete section of the Tortonian age in the Betic Cordillera, despite a major time gap of about 1 Ma due to an intra-Tortonian tectonic event. The section has two limestone units at the bottom (El Castellà) and the top (Las Ventanas) and two intermediate marly units, the lower Les Moreres and the upper Galería de los Suizos divided by the Raya del Búho Conglomerate. The calcareous nannoplankton biozones from CN5b/NN7 to CN9a/NN11a (Okada & Bukry, 1980; Martini, 1971) have been identified, as have the planktonic foraminifera biozones from MMi9 to MMi12a (Lourens et al. 2004). The calcareous nannoplankton biostratigraphy has allowed the identification of a time gap that includes the upper part of the CN7/NN9 biozones to the lower part of the CN9a/NN11a (Okada &Bukry, 1980; Martini, 1971). The integrated palaeomagnetic and biostratigraphic study of Albatera section has allowed to calibrate the C4r.1r/C4n.2n chron boundary.This work has been supported by the projects CGL2007-65832/BTE, PASUR CGL2009-08651 MCI, and CGL2009-07830 MCI, and the research group VIGROB-167. CL was funded by the research grant BEST/2010/068 GVA

Messinian stratigraphy and biomagnetostratigraphy in the Garruchal section (Bajo Segura Basin). Implications for the Mediterranean salinity crisis

The Messinian and Pliocene stratigraphic record in the Garruchal section (Bajo Segura Basin) has been divided into three allostratigraphic units, whose timing were established through combined calcareous nannoplankton biostratigraphy and magnetostratigraphy. The T-MI Unit (late Tortonian – Messinian) recorded the pre-evaporitic marine sedimentation (pre-Messinian salinity crisis deposits). This Unit is limited at the top by the intra-Messinian unconformity, representing a subaerial erosive phase related to a first major sea-level fall. The MII Unit (late Messinian) is characterized by lagoonal sedimentation, related to the socalled Lago Mare episode of the Mediterranean. At the top of this MII Unit is located the end-Messinian unconformity, caused by a second major sea-level fall. Over this unconformity lies the P Unit (early Pliocene), represented by marine deposit which marks a transgression, and the subsequent final of the Messinian salinity crisis.Este trabajo se ha realizado en el marco del proyecto de investigación BTE2003-05047 MCYT

Registro de eventos del Messiniense y Plioceno (Cuenca del Bajo Segura, Alicante)

Este itinerario de campo recoge parte de los resultados de los proyectos de investigación BTE2003-05047 y BTE2003-01113 ambos del MCYT y GV04B-629 (Generalitat Valenciana) y el grupo AVCiT - GRUPOS03/085

The San Miguel de Salinas section (Bajo Segura Basin): palaeoenvironmental significance of the foraminiferal assemblages related to the Messinian Salinity Crisis

In the composite section of San Miguel de Salinas the following synthems are represented: MI (preevaporitic Messinan), MII (syn-evaporitic Messinian) and P (post-evaporitic Pliocene). The foraminiferal assemblages of these synthems have been studied in order to reveal the palaeoenvironmental changes related to the Mediterranean Salinity Crisis. The change between MI and MII synthems is characterized by the reduction of the foraminiferal biodiversity. Synthem MII records palaeoenvironmental stress related to the evaporitic deposition during the Salinity Crisis. Synthem P marks an abrupt increase of the foraminiferal biodiversity in coincidence with the Pliocene reflooding of the Mediterranean Sea.Este estudio se ha realizado en el marco del proyecto de investigación CGL2007-65832 (MCyT), la Beca FPU AP2005-1908 y el grupo de investigación Cambios Paleoambientales de la Universidad de Alicante (VIGROB-167)

Iterative Learning Control of a Flexible Mechanical System Using Accelerometers

Control of a flexible mechanical system using Iterative Learning Control (ILC) is studied using a linear two-mass model. The available signals are position of the first mass and acceleration of the second mass. An ILC algorithm using an estimate of the position of the second mass is evaluated in simulations showing promising properties

Biostratigraphic calibration of the evaporitic events in the Fortuna basin (SE Spain)

Resumen de la comunicación presentada en el R.C.M.N.S. Interim Colloquium “The Messinian salinity crisis revisited-II” Parma (Italy), 7th-9th September 2006Regione Emilia Romagn