The relief of the Hesperic Massif: genesis and chronology of the main morphological elements

[Abstract] Erosion surfaces are the main geomorphological features ofthe Hesperian Massif. However, three other physiographic elements define the present state of the landscape. Such are big mountain blocks with polygonal borders building at great scale mountain chains, sorne more modest ridges following hercynian structural trends, and finally the strong incision of the fluvial neto On the other hand, paleoalterations and associated sediments are the only available ways for relief correlation and interpretation. The relief can be associated to the sedimentary record through the study ofpaleoalterations. It consists ofa triple relationship giving good results when the regional stratigraphy is well known. Tectonicmassijs, differential reliejs and incisions are originated by geotectonic alpine disturbances during the Tertiary. The three events are consecutive in time with overlapping lapses with the prior and following element: differential reliefs as a mesozoic heritage occur first, afterwards morphostructural blocks responding directly to the alpine deformation, and finally the fluvial incision as a delayed answer to the preceding morphostructural changes. The relationship relief/sedimentation confirms widely this idea, since an association exists between a siderolitic Cretaceous-lower Paleogene and the differential reliefs, between arkoses from the upper Paleogene and the tectonic morphostructural blocks, and between the Neogene Series Ocres and the terraces

Double concentration explaining the outstanding increase in Spanish crop production

Aim of study: To evaluate the changes in Spanish agricultural production since 1950s in a context of intense transformations in terms of the regional and crop composition. Area of study: Spanish provinces during the second half of the twentieth century. Material and methods: We use index decomposition analysis to evaluate the changes in the value and volume of crop production, as well as the role of product composition and the regional distribution of production. Main results: Spanish agriculture have focused on certain regions in the south or in the east of Spain. Some products like vegetables or fruits have a positive prices and composition effects, encouraging the production in these provinces. Research highlights: We found a ‘double concentration’: Spanish agriculture has increasingly tended to produce high value-added pro-ducts, such as vegetables, fruit and olive oil. On the other hand, crop production is concentrated in the southern and eastern provinces of Spain

Técnicas SIG aplicadas al estudio del relieve de los Montes de León (NO de la Península Ibérica)

En este trabajo se presenta un método basado en el análisis de modelos digitales de elevación (MDE) a través de SIG, encaminado a realizar una cartografía preliminar de antiguas superficies de aplanamiento en los relieves que bordean la cuenca del Bierzo (oeste de la provincia de León, noroeste de la Península Ibérica). El área de estudio es un complejo sistema escalonado de niveles de aplanamiento elaborados sobre el basamento del Macizo Ibérico, constituyente de los relieves montañosos de la zona, deformado por la Orogenia Alpina durante el Cenozoico, en donde las superficies se encuentran elevadas, basculadas, fragmentadas y muy degradadas. Partiendo del MDE con paso de malla de 25 m del PNOA se realizó una caracterización general de la zona de estudio mediante la obtención de mapas derivados: pendientes, orientaciones de pendiente y sombreado, así como de la red de drenaje. Empleando la extensión EZ Profile para ArcGIS 9.3 se generaron 213 perfiles topográficos, sobre los principales cordales e interfluvios, con los que se localizaron y correlacionaron los elementos culminantes (indicios y restos de superficies de aplanamiento) presentes en toda la zona de estudio, lo que permitió reconstruir el relieve previo al desmantelamiento por parte de la red de drenaje. Una vez delimitadas las superficies de aplanamiento se procedió a su caracterización, agrupación y jerarquización, mediante el estudio de superficies de tendencia, el análisis de la red de drenaje y la relación con la actividad tectónica. Se realizó una reconstrucción teórica de cada uno de los aplanamientos a través de la interpolación de los puntos pertenecientes al antiguo relieve, generando así una superficie de tendencia de primer orden, de donde se obtuvo la orientación y pendiente de cada una de ellas. A su vez, se buscaron anomalías en los cauces de los ríos que atraviesan los aplanamientos, que pudieran indicar actividad tectónica reciente. Asimismo, se llevó a cabo un estudio de las cuencas de drenaje, sobre las que se realizaron cálculos de hipsometría y de asimetría (Factor de Asimetría). Por último, se calculó la incisión del drenaje sobre las superficies de aplanamiento cartografiadas. Como resultado se obtuvieron veinte superficies clasificadas en ocho niveles, desde los 1000m a los 2100m, en donde se observa cómo los distintos elementos de un mismo nivel se encuentran en extremos opuestos de la zona de estudio, ubicados en forma de orla perdiendo altura hacia la cuenca del Bierzo.Trabajo financiado por el proyecto de la Junta de Castilla y León LE311A12-2 y por el proyecto Consolider Ingenio 2006 CSD-2006, TopoIberia Geociencias en Iberia

The time traveler's guide to the quantization of zero modes

We study the relationship between the quantization of a massless scalar field on the two-dimensional Einstein cylinder and in a spacetime with a time machine. We find that the latter picks out a unique prescription for the state of the zero mode in the Einstein cylinder. We show how this choice arises from the computation of the vacuum Wightman function and the vacuum renormalized stress-energy tensor in the time-machine geometry. Finally, we relate the previously proposed regularization of the zero mode state as a squeezed state with the time-machine warp parameter, thus demonstrating that the quantization in the latter regularizes the quantization in an Einstein cylinder

Modeling the external flow of a novel HorseShoe receiver and the evaluation of thermal performance

The linear receiver of a Parabolic Trough Collector is the most critical element in the entire system. The Universal Vacuum Air Collector concept is the most extended type of receiver in both experimental and industrial facilities. Besides their considerable cost, their efficiency usually drops as operation time passes. This is mainly due to a partial loss of vacuum in the evacuated annulus between the absorber and the glass cover. An alternative design called HorseShoe receiver is proposed in this work, whose main goal is to maintain the thermal performance throughout its entire lifespan. This innovative receiver is indicated for low-to-medium temperature ranges, which is particularly suitable for solar heat for industrial processes. It consists of a horseshoe-like cavity absorber having its upper border insulated. In addition, two main advantages can be taken by using two symmetric lenses as glass cover: reconcentrate solar radiation into the cavity (improvement of the intercept factor) and protect stratification conditions (reduction of thermal losses). A transient numerical model with customized boundary conditions has been implemented to evaluate both thermal performance and temperature difference in the absorber domain, which is critical for the thermal stress conditions. For that purpose and as a key contribution, not only the Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) temperature but also the heat transfer coefficient in the duct are set. In particular, HTF temperature ranges from 80 °C to 220 °C and the inner heat transfer coefficient from 600 W/(mK) to 1800 W/(mK). Results show that numerical thermal performance is above 96%, which is mainly due to the reduction of thermal radiation losses, where the absorber active surface emittance is . (...)Second (corresponding) author J.J. Serrano-Aguilera acknowledges the support provided by Junta de Andalucía (Government of Andalusia) and Universidad de Málaga for the source of funding for the HERTERSOL project (UMA18-FEDERJA-195), as well as to Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación Universidades (Spain) by means of the postdoc position: Ref No. FJCI-2017-32403 (Juan de la Cierva-Formación Postdoc Grant). Third author acknowledges the support of Universidad de Málaga, Spain through the Project WALICON, 2021. Authors also acknowledge funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBUA

How sustainable is the increase in the water footprint of the Spanish agricultural sector? A provincial analysis between 1955 and 2005-2010

In the context of a relatively scarce water country, the article analyzes the changes in 50 years in the water footprint (WF) in Spain evaluating its sustainability. For that purpose, firstly we make use of the regional information of the water footprints and crop production to estimate the WF of production over the 50 provinces in Spain, looking at the variation between the years 1955 and 2005–2010. The detail in the information of crops (more than 150 of them) statistics allows us to examine the types and origin of changes (in volume produced, shifts towards more or less water intensive crops). Secondly, we estimate sustainability indicators also at the provincial level, which let us evaluate whether this change has created or incremented the risk of physical and economic water stress. Thirdly, we introduce the economic perspective, providing evidence on the infrastructures built and public sector expenditure, as an approximation to the costs of the increases in WF, particularly meaningful for those water stressed areas

Interacción entre cuencas sedimentarias intra-continentales y volcanismo monogenético de pequeño volumen: Cuencas de Argamasilla y Calzada-Moral - Región Volcánica del Campo de Calatrava, España

We study the volcaniclastic lithofacies interbedded between siliciclastic and carbonate sediments of Cenozoic-Quaternary age (8.7 Ma to 7,000 BP) in Argamasilla and Calzada-Moral basins (Central Spain). The siliciclastic and carbonate deposits correspond to fluvio-lacustrine sedimentary environments. The volcanic materials consist of primary and reworked volcaniclastic successions sourced from the Campo de Calatrava Volcanic Field. Pyroclastic deposits are related to monogenetic and small-volume volcanic centres, such as scoria cones, tuff rings and maars, corresponding to Strombolian and phreatomagmatic eruptive styles. Taking into account sedimentological constraints seven volcaniclastic lithofacies were distinguished. Type A corresponds to subaerial pyroclastic fall deposits, as is inferred by the common disorganization of the deposit, their breccia-like aspect with presence of large bombs, poor sorting and lack of tractional sedimentary structures. Types B1, B2, B3 and B4 have different volcanic sources and are interpreted to be the product of low-density (dilute) pyroclastic surges, with textural features indicative of fluctuations in flow regime. This interpretation is based on the fabric and grain size of pyroclasts, together with the size and geometry of the internal sedimentary structures. Type C represents a secondary volcanic deposit related to volcanic sediments reworked by transitional hyperconcentrated flows and dilute fluvial processes, having subsequently accumulated in braided fluvial systems. Finally, the Type D is interpreted as an intra-maar scoria/spatter cones related to the development of maars. The most important factors that determined the sedimentation in these basins were orientation of basement faults, paleogeographic and sedimentological controls, style of eruption and volcaniclastic lithofacies type.Cenozoica y Cuaternaria (8,7 Ma a 7.000 BP) en las cuencas de Argamasilla y de Calzada-Moral (centro de España). Los depósitos carbonatados y siliciclásticos corresponden a ambientes sedimentarios fluvio-lacustres. Los materiales volcánicos se componen de sucesiones primarias y retrabajadas originadas en el Campo Volcánico del Campo de Calatrava. Los depósitos piroclásticos están relacionados con centros volcánicos monogenéticos y de pequeño volumen, como conos de escoria, anillos de tobas y maars, correspondientes a erupciones estrombolianas y freatomagmáticas. Teniendo en cuenta el análisis sedimentológico se han distinguido siete litofacies volcanoclásticas. El Tipo A corresponde a depósitos de caída piroclástica subaérea, como se infiere por la desorganización común del depósito, su aspecto de breccia con presencia de grandes bombas, mala clasificación y la ausencia de estructuras sedimentarias de tracción. Los tipos B1, B2, B3 y B4 tienen diferentes fuentes volcánicas y se interpretan como productos de oleadas piroclásticas de baja densidad (diluidas), con características texturales indicativas de las fluctuaciones del régimen de flujo. Esta interpretación se basa en el tamaño de grano de los piroclastos, y el tamaño y la geometría de las estructuras sedimentarias internas. El Tipo C representa un depósito volcánico secundario relacionado con sedimentos volcánicos retrabajados por flujos hiperconcentrados de transición y procesos fluviales diluidos, habiéndose acumulado posteriormente en sistemas fluviales trenzados. Por último, el Tipo D se interpreta como un cono de escoria/salpicaduras intra-maar relacionado con el desarrollo de un maar. Los principales factores que determinaron la sedimentación en estas cuencas fueron la orientación de las fallas del basamento, los controles sedimentológicos y paleogeográficos, así como el estilo eruptivo y el tipo de litofacies volcanoclástica

Physicochemical properties and bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds of dietary fibre concentrates from vegetable by-products

The agro-food industry generates a large volume of by-products, whose revaluation is essential for the circular economy. From these by-products, dietary fibre concentrates (DFCs) can be obtained. Therefore, the objective of this study was to characterise (a) the proximal composition by analysing soluble, insoluble and total Dietary Fibre (DF), (b) the physicochemical properties, and (c) the phenolic profile of artichoke, red pepper, carrot, and cucumber DFCs. In addition, the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds was also evaluated after in vitro gastrointestinal and colonic digestions. The results showed that the DFCs had more than 30 g/100 g dw. The water holding and retention capacity of the DFCs ranges from 9.4 to 18.7 g of water/g. Artichoke DFC presented high concentration of phenolic compounds (8340.7 mg/kg) compared to the red pepper (304.4 mg/kg), carrot (217.4 mg/kg) and cucumber DFCs (195.7 mg/kg). During in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, soluble phenolic compounds were released from the food matrix, chlorogenic acid, the principal compound in artichoke and carrot DFCs, and hesperetin-7-rutinoside in red pepper cucumber DFCs. Total phenolic content decreased after in vitro colonic digestion hence the chemical transformation of the phenolic compounds by gut microbiota. Based on the results, DFCs could be good functional ingredients to develop DF-enriched food, reducing food waste.This research was funded by Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Gobierno de Espana: AGLRTI-2018-094268-B-C21

Sustainability in the design of an itinerant cultural exhibition. Study of two alternatives

The sustainability improvement of museums and exhibitions is a recent concern for multiple organisations. The application of sustainability criteria is one of the most important strategies of innovation in design activities, products, and service systems. This study analyses the sustainability of two alternatives to an itinerant cultural exhibition service. The exhibition travels to 12 destinations over 3 years and is within a space of 300 m2. In the first alternative, the contents are printed and exposed on a physical medium, and in the second, audiovisual media projects the contents on the walls. Life cycle sustainability assessment is applied to evaluate the impacts in the environmental dimension and the economic and social dimensions. The calculation of indicators, such as the greenhouse gas emissions, total costs, and working time, which are referred to each sustainability dimension, is conducted. A descriptive, comparative study was performed to identify the impact factors with a higher incidence. The results demonstrate that the audiovisual exhibition is more sustainable than the printed exhibition, with a difference of 8.7%, 7%, and 6.6% in GWP100, CE, and TW indicators, respectively. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland