La génesis del título universitario de arqueología: Desde mi ángulo

Se presenta un análisis personal de las iniciativas llevadas a cabo desde 1997 para realizar una petición de especialidad de Segundo Ciclo en Arqueología. Ante la renovación de la enseñanza universitaria siguiendo las directrices de la Declaración de Bolonia para la creación de un Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior se aportan los argumentos para defender la creación de un Grado de Arqueología, y poder contar así con un título específico. Estos son: la complejidad de la disciplina, la demanda social, la necesidad de contar con titulados que permitan cumplir las legislaciones actuales, la urgencia de converger con Europa con una titulación específica y por último, la existencia de un profesorado en la materia numeroso y cualificado para afrontar el reto.This paper presents a personal view of the initiatives conducted since 1997 in order to demand an archaeological degree in the Second Cycle of Spanish university system. The Bologna Process for the implementation of the European Space for Higher Education means that the Spanish university system has to be reorganize and in that horizon we need an own degree in archaeology. There are solid arguments to defend the creation of a degree in archaeology: the complexity of modern discipline, the social demand of this humanistic studies, the necessity of having qualified staff for accomplishing legislation in archaeology, the urgency for sharing an archaeological degree as other European countries, and finally the existence of a qualified and numerous professorship to face the challenge

Numerical Simulations of the Monotonic and Cyclic Behaviour of Offshore Wind Turbine Monopile Foundations in Clayey Soils

Most of the reported centrifuge tests available in the existing literature on offshore wind turbine foundations are focused on the behaviour of monopiles in sands, but very few studies on clayey soils can be found, due to the very long saturation and consolidation periods required to properly conduct experiments in such materials. Moreover, most of the reported numerical simulations using finite element analyses have been validated with monotonic centrifuge tests only. In this research, both monotonic and cyclic performance of offshore wind turbines in clay are validated and justified. The relationship between the monopile rotation in clays and the geometry and strength of the soil has been found and quantified. A prediction of the rotation for a high number of cycles of loading, based on the one experienced by the pile during the first cycle, can be obtained using the correlation derived in the paper. For those cases in which the rotation does not reach a steady value after a high number of cycles, the cumulative rate has been found significantly larger than the prediction conducted with standard analytical methods. A new design methodology for the design of offshore monopile foundations in clay is presented

Variability of aerosol optical properties in the Western Mediterranean Basin

Aerosol light scattering, absorption and particulate matter (PM) concentrations were measured at Montseny, a regional background site in the Western Mediterranean Basin (WMB) which is part of the European Supersite for Atmospheric Aerosol Research (EUSAAR). Off line analyses of 24 h PM filters collected with Hi-Vol instruments were performed for the determination of the main chemical components of PM. Mean scattering and hemispheric backscattering coefficients (@ 635 nm) were 26.6±23.2 Mm<sup>−1</sup> and 4.3±2.7 Mm<sup>−1</sup>, respectively and the mean aerosol absorption coefficient (@ 637 nm) was 2.8±2.2 Mm<sup>−1</sup>. Mean values of Single Scattering Albedo (SSA) and Ångström exponent (<i>å</i>) (calculated from 450 nm to 635 nm) at MSY were 0.90±0.05 and 1.3±0.5 respectively. A clear relationship was observed between the PM<sub>1</sub>/PM<sub>10</sub> and PM<sub>2.5</sub>/PM<sub>10</sub> ratios as a function of the calculated Ångström exponents. Mass scattering cross sections (MSC) for fine mass and sulfate at 635 nm were 2.8±0.5 m<sup>2</sup> g<sup>−1</sup> and 11.8±2.2 m<sup>2</sup> g<sup>−1</sup>, respectively, while the mean aerosol absorption cross section (MAC) was 10.4±2.0 m<sup>2</sup> g<sup>−1</sup>. The variability in aerosol optical properties in the WMB were largely explained by the origin and ageing of air masses over the measurement site. The MAC values appear dependent of particles aging: similar to the expected absorption cross-section for fresh emissions under Atlantic Advection episodes and higher under aerosol pollution episodes. The analysis of the Ångström exponent as a function of the origin the air masses revealed that polluted winter anticyclonic conditions and summer recirculation scenarios typical of the WMB led to an increase of fine particles in the atmosphere (<i>å</i> = 1.5±0.1) while the aerosol optical properties under Atlantic Advection episodes and Saharan dust outbreaks were clearly dominated by coarser particles (<i>å</i> = 1.0±0.4). The sea breeze played an important role in transporting pollutants from the developed WMB coastlines towards inland rural areas, changing the optical properties of aerosols. Aerosol scattering and backscattering coefficients increased by around 40 % in the afternoon when the sea breeze was fully developed while the absorption coefficient increased by more than 100 % as a consequence of the increase in the equivalent black carbon concentration (EBC) observed at MSY under sea breeze circulation

The impact of online technologies and English Medium Instruction on university lectures in international learning contexts: A systematic review

This paper addresses how the university lecture is evolving in response to new realities in international higher education driven by two important trends: innovative online instructional technologies and the rise of English Medium Instruction (EMI). Following a brief review of the lecture as the core instructional channel in universities, we offer a detailed overview of the new technology-driven lecture formats that are now available to learners worldwide. We then shift the focus to the role of EMI, with particular attention to understanding how both instructors and students view this relatively new approach to learning. This was accomplished through a systematic review of EMI-related literature available on scholarly databases. Findings showed that most research has focused on the language-related issues of learners, and little attention has been paid to the crucial issue of lecture comprehension, which is mainly caused by the low level of proficiency of students/instructors and domain-specific vocabulary. Moreover, studies have almost exclusively addressed face-to-face settings, indicating a need to expand EMI research to include online lecture settings that are increasingly frequent in international higher education. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge relating to new trends in how lectures are experienced and perceived in international educational settings

2005-2017 Ozone trends and potential benefits of local measures as deduced from air quality measurements in the north of the Barcelona metropolitan area

We analyzed 2005–2017 data sets on ozone (O3) concentrations in an area (the Vic Plain) frequently affected by the atmospheric plume northward transport of the Barcelona metropolitan area (BMA), the atmospheric basin of Spain recording the highest number of exceedances of the hourly O3 information threshold (180¿µg¿m-3). We aimed at evaluating the potential benefits of implementing local-BMA short-term measures to abate emissions of precursors. To this end, we analyzed in detail spatial and time variations of concentration of O3 and nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2, including OMI remote sensing data for the latter). Subsequently, a sensitivity analysis is done with the air quality (AQ) data to evaluate potential O3 reductions in the north of the BMA on Sundays compared with weekdays as a consequence of the reduction in regional emissions of precursors. The results showed a generalized decreasing trend for regional background O3 as well as the well-known increase in urban O3 and higher urban NO decreasing slopes compared with those of NO2. The most intensive O3 episodes in the Vic Plain are caused by (i) a relatively high regional background O3 (due to a mix of continental, hemispheric–tropospheric and stratospheric contributions); by (ii) intensive surface fumigation from mid-troposphere high O3 upper layers arising from the concatenation of the vertical recirculation of air masses; but also by (iii) an important O3 contribution from the northward transport/channeling of the pollution plume from the BMA. The high relevance of the local-daily O3 contribution during the most intense pollution episodes is clearly supported by the O3 (surface concentration) and NO2 (OMI data) data analysis. A maximum decrease potential (by applying short-term measures to abate emissions of O3 precursors) of 49¿µg¿O3¿m-3 (32¿%) of the average diurnal concentrations was determined. Structurally implemented measures, instead of episodically, could result in important additional O3 decreases because not only the local O3 coming from the BMA plume would be reduced, but also the recirculated O3 and thus the intensity of O3 fumigation in the plain. Therefore, it is highly probable that both structural and episodic measures to abate NOx and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions in the BMA would result in evident reductions of O3 in the Vic PlainPeer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Aplicaciones del uso de la técnica de espectroscopía de reflectancia difusa en química forense para la carcterización de autenticidad de los sellos de correos de España

Dentro del área de las Ciencias Forenses, la Documentoscopia es una de sus secciones más atractivas. Tan atractiva como es la Filatelia, el coleccionismo de efectos postales, en el mundo moderno. La Espectroscopía de Reflectancia Difusa, debido a tener como principal característica el ser una técnica no destructiva y de fácil manejo, puede ser una herramienta de gran valor para el estudio de la autenticidad de piezas filatélicas. En este trabajo, presentamos un análisis cualitativo de varios sellos antiguos españoles procedentes de diferentes emisiones desde el reinado de Isabel II hasta Alfonso XIII, profundizando en la Serie del Gobierno Provisional de 1870 -caracterizada por la profusión de los variados colores encontrados a lo largo de los 13 valores que componen la serie completa-, e incluso estudiando efectos auténticos frente a otros ejemplares falsos indubitadosIn the area of forensic sciences, the questioned document examination is one of its most attractive sections. As attractive as philately, the collecting of postal effects, in the modern world. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, due to have as main characteristic being a technique of non-destructive and easy to use, can be a tool of great value to the study of the philatelic pieces authenticity. In this work, using Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy, we present qualitative analysis of several early Spanish stamps issued from different emissions since the reign of Queen Isabel II to King Alfonso XIII, deepening over the series of the Provisional Government issued in 1870 - characterized by the profusion of variations of the colors found among the 13 values that compose the complete series-, and even studying authentic effects against other counterfeit recognized as fake copies

Performance of heterogeneous earthfill dams under earthquakes: optimal location of the impervious core

Earthfill dams are man-made geostructures which may be especially damaged by seismic loadings, because the soil skeleton they are made of suffers remarkable modifications in its mechanical properties, as well as changes of pore water pressure and flow of this water inside their pores, when subjected to vibrations. The most extreme situation is the dam failure due to soil liquefaction. Coupled finite element numerical codes are a useful tool to assess the safety of these dams. In this paper the application of a fully coupled numerical model, previously developed and validated by the authors, to a set of theoretical cross sections of earthfill dams with impervious core, is presented. All these dams are same height and have the same volume of impervious material at the core. The influence of the core location inside the dam on its response against seismic loading is numerically explored. The dams are designed as strictly stable under static loads. As a result of this research, a design recommendation on the location of the impervious core is obtained for this type of earth dams, on the basis of the criteria of minor liquefaction risk, minor soil degradation during the earthquake and minor crest settlement

Paso a paso: el tratamiento de los bienes arqueológicos en las leyes de patrimonio de Valencia y Madrid

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