City regions geoscience in Wales : scoping study

Several individuals from the public and private sector in Wales contributed to the initial consultation process and their assistance is gratefully acknowledged. We would particularly like to thank Cardiff Council, Newport City Council, City and County of Swansea Council, Neath Port Talbot Council, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, Torfaen County Borough Council, Caerphilly County Borough Council, Atkins Global, Parsons Brinkerhoff, Welsh Water, Celtic Ltd, Natural Resources Wales, and Welsh Government. This report describes the results of a scoping study to identify key geoscientific knowledge gaps in City Regions in South Wales. The study involved consultation meetings with key stakeholders and reviewed planning policy documents and development plans to establish the demand for subsurface knowledge in City Regions to reduce risk, support urban redevelopment and underpin growth. The first part of the report provides a background to the study placing it in context. The report then goes on to review national and regional policy documents followed by detailed summaries of the Local Development Plans for all councils in South and Mid Wales. A review of these documents has established sustainable development as a priority for the Welsh Government. Councils have been required to produce Local Development Plans which address a number of key issues related to the sustainable development of each area. These include climate change, flooding, sustainable housing, resource efficient construction, employment, brownfield redevelopment, sustainable drainage, waste management, energy and minerals. Several of these key topics require geoscience knowledge and data to underpin planning decisions. The extent to which this is understood by local authorities varies between counties. The second part of this report provides a discussion of information gathered through stakeholder engagement and includes a number of case studies which outline how subsurface data has been shared and reused for the greater benefit to society. Talks with local councils, ground engineering consultancies and water companies have identified the types of data in demand from BGS; these include: existing ground investigation data, information on contaminated land and groundwater, the nature of artificial ground, Infiltration SuDS suitability information and land stability data

Characterisation of seasonal temperature variation in a shallow, urban aquifer: implications for the sustainable development of ground source heating systems

Groundwater thermally enhanced by the Urban Heat Island effect can be utilised by ground source heating systems (GSHSs). However, the near subsurface is subject to seasonal temperature variation reflected in shallow groundwater that can differ by several degrees throughout the year. To sustainably manage the near surface thermal resource an understanding of factors which control variation in groundwater temperature and how these are transmitted through the aquifer is needed. We show that even in relatively small urban areas (Cardiff, U.K., situated on a shallow gravel aquifer) the Zone of Seasonal Fluctuation (ZSF) can vary in depth by 8m. GSHSs are more efficient if they are sited below the ZSF, where temperatures are more stable. In Spring 2014, 48 groundwater monitoring boreholes were profiled at a 1m resolution to measure groundwater temperature across Cardiff. These were reprofiled that Autumn and compared to the Spring temperatures, defining the ZSF. The average depth to the base of the ZSF was 9.5mbgl but ranged from 7.1-15.5mbgl. The amplitude of the differences between Spring and Autumn temperatures also varied. To better understand the high spatial variability 60 boreholes were instrumented with in situ temperature loggers, recording at half-hourly intervals. The first year’s data revealed the amplitudes of temperature variation within boreholes with loggers at similar depths were not always consistent. It was also noted that lag times between air temperature and groundwater temperature were not uniform across the sites. The data also showed that where gravels occurred at shallower depths the ZSF tended to be shallower and lag times shorter. The wide spatial variability of the ZSF may be partially explained by differing landuse. Those boreholes in open, grassed areas showed a deeper ZSF than those in built-up areas but built-up areas generally showed the greatest variation between Spring and Autumn temperature profiles, suggesting heat loss from buildings and underground infrastructure plays a part. Natural and anthropogenic factors affecting spatial and temporal groundwater temperatures, either separately or in combination, that have been considered in this study include landuse, depth, lithology/lithostratigraphy, material properties, hydrogeological setting, thermal conductivity, buried infrastructure, land surface temperature, weather effects and solar radiation. This study shows that urban groundwater temperatures can vary greatly across a small area, which has implications for the successful development, and long-term performance of open- and closed-loop GSHSs, and the environmental regulation of these systems. Key to the effective wide-scale use of GSHSs is an understanding of the hydrogeological setting, chiefly how heat is transferred across the aquifer. This study attempts to provide insight into an array of factors which determine heat transfer in the ZSF

Mapping shallow urban groundwater temperatures, a case study from Cardiff, UK

Low-enthalpy ground source heating systems can help to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, in turn reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing energy security. To de-risk and support the sustainable development, regulation and management of ground source heating systems in urban areas, detailed baseline mapping of groundwater temperatures is required. Groundwater temperatures were measured in 168 monitoring boreholes primarily within a Quaternary sand and gravel aquifer in the city of Cardiff, UK. The data have been used to create the first city-wide map of shallow groundwater temperatures in the UK. This map can be used both to support development of ground source heating and to act as a detailed baseline from which to measure change. Shallow groundwater temperatures under the city were found to be 2°C warmer than the UK average groundwater temperature and this additional heat is attributed to the urban heat island. The zone of seasonal fluctuation varies from 7.1 and 15.5 m below ground level (mbgl) within the shallow Quaternary aquifer, averaging 9.5 mbgl. Deeper groundwater temperature profiles incorporating both the Quaternary and bedrock aquifers suggest that a ‘zone of anthropogenic influence’ exists down to about 70 mbgl. Around a third of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions are produced by space heating, and the UK Government recognizes the need to change the way heat is produced and consumed so as to reduce the impacts of climate change and improve energy security (DECC 2013). In response to this driver the UK Government has established targets in the legally binding Climate Change Act 2008 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% from the 1990 baseline by 2050. In Wales the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 requires public bodies to take action to undertake sustainable development to drive social, economic and environmental benefits, both now and into the future. Low-enthalpy ground source heating systems, when deployed in a sustainable manner, can provide a low-cost, low-carbon and secure form of heating (e.g. Allen et al. 2003). Ground source heat pumps can broadly be classified as either ‘open-loop’ or ‘closed-loop’ systems. Open-loop systems require the abstraction of groundwater, which is passed through a heat exchanger before being returned to the aquifer. Open-loop systems can have a higher coefficient of performance (COP) and require fewer boreholes where shallow groundwater is available. Open-loop systems may not be suitable if water cannot be successfully recharged to the same aquifer and there are also requirements for abstraction licences and discharge permits or exemptions. The closed-loop system uses a sealed pipe that can be either laid flat or installed vertically into a borehole. These systems often require a greater number of boreholes, increasing cost; however, in the UK they do not require licensing and this can reduce costs. Sustainable development of ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems for both heating and cooling requires characterization of baseline groundwater temperatures. Knowledge of baseline conditions is important to support the design and regulation of GSHP. Baseline temperature data are required to assess the potential impacts of multiple ground source heating and cooling systems so as to avoid interactions between neighbouring systems (Fry 2009; Headon et al. 2009). It is anticipated that if negative interactions between ground source heating and cooling systems continue, some aquifers, mainly in densely populated cities, will need to be managed in terms of heat as well as groundwater resources (Banks et al. 2009). Regulators need legal, policy and scientific tools to support risk-based management of the subsurface, and one such tool is baseline temperature data and mapping of groundwater heat resources. The shallow gravel aquifer in Cardiff is a favourable geological setting in which to develop open-loop ground source heating systems. To support the sustainable development of this technology we have produced the first city-wide baseline map of groundwater temperatures and better defined the depth of the zone of seasonal fluctuation. The data and supporting map outputs will provide an independent source of information for system designers and installers, housing developers, space planners and regulators that is intended to help inform planning decisions and optimize design of GSHP schemes. Additionally, we describe observed seasonal groundwater temperature variation and define the base of the ‘zone of seasonal fluctuation’, which will allow developers to locate abstraction boreholes at depths unaffected by seasonal temperature changes. An initial estimate of available thermal energy that could be transferred from existing dewatering abstractions is made as an illustration of the city-wide potential

Shallow groundwater temperatures and the urban heat island effect: the first U.K. city-wide geothermal map to support development of ground source heating systems strategy

U.K. Government aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 (Climate Change Act, 2008). Ground source heating systems could contribute to the U.K.’s energy future but uptake has been slow due to a lack of case studies. The aim of this work was to produce the 1st U.K. city-wide heat map to support the development of ground source heating. We also sought to describe groundwater temperature variation with lithology & estimate the available thermal energy beneath the city

Cardiff Urban Geo-Observatory : groundwater temperature data 2014-2018, metadata report

This report provides the metadata to accompany the first open source data release of groundwater temperature time series measurements from the ‘Cardiff Urban Geo-Observatory’ project. Groundwater temperatures were measured in 53 boreholes at a sampling frequency of 30 minutes between 2014 to 2018. The dataset comprises over 3.5 million temperature measurements. Boreholes are located within the urban area of the City of Cardiff, Wales, UK. The majority of temperature sensors were installed within boreholes that monitor a shallow (maximum ~30m thickness) Quaternary aged sand and gravel aquifer, which is the target aquifer for the Cardiff Urban Geo-Observatory project. Representative groundwater temperature data from the Made Ground and the Triassic Mercia Mudstone are also reported. We hope that by releasing this open-source data we can provide an evidence base to support the public, developers, planners, regulators, utility companies and policy makers that have an interest in the urban subsurface. We also hope to engage with other researchers and welcome collaborative research and innovation projects using this publically funded data. The open access data can be downloaded from: http://bgsintranet/resources/data/accessions/index.html?simpleText=ukgeos#item13016

A city scale 3D geological model to support ground source heat recovery and storage

The Cardiff Urban Geo Observatory was established to characterise, monitor and model groundwater and heat flow in a shallow urban aquifer. Mapping showed that shallow ground groundwater temperatures exceeded 150C, due to effects of the subsurface urban heat island (Farr et al, 2017). A 3D model of the superficial deposits was created to better understand the aquifer dimensions and as a framework for a hydrogeological heat flow model

An exploration of concepts of community through a case study of UK university web production

The paper explores the inter-relation and differences between the concepts of occupational community, community of practice, online community and social network. It uses as a case study illustration the domain of UK university web site production and specifically a listserv for those involved in it. Different latent occupational communities are explored, and the potential for the listserv to help realize these as an active sense of community is considered. The listserv is not (for most participants) a tight knit community of practice, indeed it fails many criteria for an online community. It is perhaps best conceived as a loose knit network of practice, valued for information, implicit support and for the maintenance of weak ties. Through the analysis the case for using strict definitions of the theoretical concepts is made

Towards coherent optical control of a single hole spin: rabi rotation of a trion conditional on the spin state of the hole

A hole spin is a potential solid-state q-bit, that may be more robust against nuclear spin induced dephasing than an electron spin. Here we propose and demonstrate the sequential preparation, control and detection of a single hole spin trapped on a self-assembled InGaAs/GaAs quantum dot. The dot is embedded in a photodiode structure under an applied electric field. Fast, triggered, initialization of a hole spin is achieved by creating a spin-polarized electron-hole pair with a picosecond laser pulse, and in an applied electric field, waiting for the electron to tunnel leaving a spin-polarized hole. Detection of the hole spin with picoseconds time resolution is achieved using a second picosecond laser pulse to probe the positive trion transition, where a trion is created conditional on the hole spin being detected as a change in photocurrent. Finally, using this setup we observe a Rabi rotation of the hole-trion transition that is conditional on the hole spin, which for a pulse area of 2 pi can be used to impart a phase shift of pi between the hole spin states, a non-general manipulation of the hole spin. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Dialectic tensions in the financial markets: a longitudinal study of pre- and post-crisis regulatory technology

This article presents the findings from a longitudinal research study on regulatory technology in the UK financial services industry. The financial crisis with serious corporate and mutual fund scandals raised the profile of compliance as governmental bodies, institutional and private investors introduced a ‘tsunami’ of financial regulations. Adopting a multi-level analysis, this study examines how regulatory technology was used by financial firms to meet their compliance obligations, pre- and post-crisis. Empirical data collected over 12 years examine the deployment of an investment management system in eight financial firms. Interviews with public regulatory bodies, financial institutions and technology providers reveal a culture of compliance with increased transparency, surveillance and accountability. Findings show that dialectic tensions arise as the pursuit of transparency, surveillance and accountability in compliance mandates is simultaneously rationalized, facilitated and obscured by regulatory technology. Responding to these challenges, regulatory bodies continue to impose revised compliance mandates on financial firms to force them to adapt their financial technologies in an ever-changing multi-jurisdictional regulatory landscape

Actitudes y percepciones de los docentes universitarios en el proceso de adopción de una innovación. La iniciativa OpenCourseWare en la Universidad de Valencia (España)

El proyecto OpenCourseWare, repositorio de recursos educativos en abierto, se inició en la Universidad de Valencia en 2008 y en 2009, sólo incluía 10 asignaturas, ninguna de ellas del área de ciencias de la salud. El objetivo de este trabajo es investigar las actitudes de los docentes de esta área así como sus percepciones con relación a este repositorio para determinar cuáles son las estrategias necesarias para extender su uso. Se parte de la teoría de la difusión de las innovaciones de Rogers (2003) y de un enfoque cualitativo a través del muestreo teórico, entrevistas semiestructuradas y codificación abierta. Los resultados indican la existencia de dos grandes grupos de profesores. Los adoptantes tempranos con una predisposición alta a participar en la iniciativa y con una percepción positiva de sus atributos y los mainstream o corriente principal más reacios a participar y con una percepción negativa respecto a alguno de sus atributos. La identificación de las características de estos dos grandes grupos marca las líneas de acción y de investigación futura en el ámbito del marketing y difusión, formación, sensibilización y motivación para extender el uso del OCW. The OpenCourseWare project, an open learning resource repository, was set up at the University of Valencia between 2008 and 2009. It initially consisted of only 10 subjects, none of which was in the field of health sciences. The objective of this research is to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of teaching staff in the field of health sciences with regard to the project in order to identify strategies to increase its use and expand its coverage. The diffusion of innovations theory as propounded by Rogers is used, along with a qualitative approach using theoretical sampling, semi-structured interviews and open coding. The results indicate the existence of two categories of teaching staff. Firstly, those who adopt an innovation early, have a marked inclination to participate in the initiative and a positive perception of the characteristics of the innovation. Secondly, a larger category of those more reluctant to participate in it and with a negative perception of one or more of its characteristics. Identifying the nature of these two groups provides guidelines for future action and research in the marketing and distribution of such projects, and the training, awareness and motivation required in order to extend the use of OCW