Influencia del campo de temperaturas en la dinámica ambiental de la cueva de Altamira

RESUMEN: El estudio de las condiciones climáticas de una cueva como la de Altamira es fundamental para determinar los factores que conducen al deterioro de su arte rupestre. La evolución temporal de la temperatura de la cavidad viene determinada principalmente por la propagación de la onda térmica del exterior a través de la masa rocosa que la encierra e influye sobre los demás parámetros ambientales. A partir de la variación periódica tanto de la temperatura del exterior como del interior, se ha desarrollado un modelo predictivo con el fin de estimar la temperatura de la cueva y así poder planificar la entrada de visitantes teniendo en cuenta los límites de accesibilidad establecidos. El intercambio gaseoso de la cavidad con el exterior se ha estudiado a partir de la evolución del dióxido de carbono y el radón. La influencia antrópica sobre el ambiente de la cueva se ha analizado en base a las visitas públicas estandarizadas que se realizan en la actualidad.ABSTRACT: The study of the climatic conditions of a cave such as Altamira is essential to determine the factors that lead to the deterioration of its rock art. The temporal evolution of the temperature of the cavity is determined mainly by the thermal wave propagation through the rocky mass that encloses it and it influences the other environmental parameters. A predictive model has been developed from the periodic variation of the outside and interior temperatures in order to estimate the temperature of the cave and thus be able to plan the entrance of visitors taking into account the established accessibility limits. The air exchange of the cavity with the outside has been studied from the evolution of carbon dioxide and radon. The anthropic influence on the cave environment has been analyzed based on standardized public visits that are currently carried out

A new methodology for defining radon priority areas in spain

One of the requirements of EU-BSS (European Basic Safety Standards) is the design and implementation of a National Radon Action Plan in the member states. This should define, as accurately as possible, areas of risk for the presence of radon gas (222Rn) in homes and workplaces. The concept used by the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council (CSN), the body responsible for nuclear safety and radiation protection in Spain, to identify "radon priority areas" is that of radon potential. This paper establishes a different methodology from that used by the CSN, using the same study variables (indoor radon measurements, gamma radiation exposure data, and geological information) to prepare a radon potential map that improves the definition of the areas potentially exposed to radon in Spain. The main advantage of this methodology is that by using simple data processing the definition of these areas is improved. In addition, the application of this methodology can improve the delimitation of radon priority areas and can be applied within the cartographic system used by the European Commission-Joint Research Center (EC-JRC) in the representation of different environmental parameters

Characterizing the automatic radon flux transfer standard system autoflux: laboratory calibration and field experiments

High-quality, long-term measurements of terrestrial trace gas emissions are important for investigations of atmospheric, geophysical and biological processes to help mitigate climate change and protect the environment and the health of citizens. High-frequency terrestrial fluxes of the radioactive noble gas 222Rn, in particular, are useful for validating radon flux maps and used to evaluate the performance of regional atmospheric models, to improve greenhouse gas emission inventories (by the radon tracer method) and to determine radon priority areas for radiation protection goals. A new automatic radon flux system (Autoflux) was developed as a transfer standard (TS) to assist with establishing a traceability chain for field-based radon flux measurements. The operational characteristics and features of the system were optimized based on a literature review of existing flux measurement systems. To characterize and calibrate Autoflux, a bespoke radon exhalation bed (EB) facility was also constructed with the intended purpose of providing a constant radon exhalation under a specific set of controlled laboratory conditions. The calibrated Autoflux was then used to transfer the derived calibration to a second continuous radon flux system under laboratory conditions; both instruments were then tested in the field and compared with modeled fluxes. This paper presents (i) a literature review of state-of-the-art radon flux systems and EB facilities; (ii) the design, characterization and calibration of a reference radon EB facility; (iii) the design, characterization and calibration of the Autoflux system; (iv) the calibration of a second radon flux system (INTE_Flux) using the EB and Autoflux, with a total uncertainty of 9% (k=1) for an average radon flux of ~1800mBqm-2s-1 under controlled laboratory conditions; and (v) an example application of the calibrated TS and INTE_Flux systems for in situ radon flux measurements, which are then compared with simulated radon fluxes. Calibration of the TS under different environmental conditions and at lower reference fluxes will be the subject of a separate future investigation.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

¿Cómo medir el estatus migratorio de la población infantil y juvenil? Estudios sobre salud y desigualdades en salud en Europa

OBJECTIVE: To analyse how the migration status of the child and young population is measured in the scientific literature on health and social inequalities in health in Europe. METHOD: A systematic search of the literature published in Spanish, English and French between 2007 and 2017 in PubMed and Social Sciences Citation Index was carried out. The included studies analysed health and social inequalities in health of a population under 18 years old according to its migration origin in Europe. The variables used to measure the migration status were described. RESULTS: 50 articles were included. Twenty studies analysed perinatal health, eleven mental health, nine dental health, and ten studies other variables. The main variables to define migration status were the country of birth (32 studies), either of the child, the mother, or one of the parents, and sometimes in a complementary way. Less frequent was the use of nationality (15 studies), of the child, or of the parents, especially the mother. Migration status is referred to in very different ways, not always comparable and sometimes the variable used is not clearly explained. CONCLUSIONS: There is a great diversity of ways to measure migration status in the child and young population. A better definition and consensus is needed to improve the temporal and geographical comparability of knowledge in this area, which will help to design public policies aimed at reducing social inequalities in health from childhood

Use of radon and CO2 for the identification and analysis of short-term fluctuations in the ventilation of the polychrome room inside the Altamira Cave

A study is presented on rapid episodes of air exchange in the Polychrome Room of the Altamira Cave (Cantabria, Spain) using continuous monitoring of radon and CO2 tracer gases, as well as environmental parameters such as internal and external air temperature. For this, criteria have been developed to carry out an inventory of these types of events during the 2015–2020 period. Most of the degassing-recharging events occur over several hours or days, especially during spring and autumn. This means that the room can be significantly ventilated during these short periods of time, posing an exchange of energy and matter with potential impact in the preservation of the rock art present inside. In addition, the hypothesis that temperature gradients between the internal and external atmosphere is one of the main factors that induces degassing has been tested.This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Culture and Sport, grant number J200028

Incidencia de los tiros libres en partidos de baloncesto profesional = Incidence of free throws in professional basketball games

P. 73-82El objetivo del presente estudio es describir la incidencia que tiene el tiro libre sobre el resultado final del encuentro, además de ver que otros factores pueden influir en el porcentaje final de aciertos de tiros libres, comparando para ello las ligas profesionales nacionales con la competición europea. Para ello se han analizado un total de 59364 tiros libres efectuados en 1722 partidos correspondientes a dos temporadas de las ligas profesionales de baloncesto españolas (ACB y LFB) y europeas (Euroleague y Euroleague Women). Se ha realizado un análisis descriptivo, un análisis de sincronía y un análisis de los residuos tipificados corregidos. Los resultados evidencian la importancia de los tiros libres en el resultado final, en especial en las ligas masculinas y cuando el marcador final es ajustado. Así mismo, el factor cancha como local tiene relación con una mayor eficacia en los tiros libres y en lograr la victoriaS

Continuous monitoring of radon gas as a tool to understand air dynamics in the cave of Altamira (Cantabria, Spain)

The use of radon as an atmospheric tracer in the Altamira Cave over the past 30 years has provided relevant information about gaseous exchanges between the Polychromes Room, the adjoining Chambers inside the cave, and the outside atmosphere. The relatively simple physico-chemical behaviour of radon gas provides a marked advantage over other tracer gases that are usually present in high concentrations in hypogeous environments, such as CO2. Two types of continuous radon measurement were undertaken. The first involves active detectors located in the Hall and Polychromes Room, which provide radon concentration values at 1-hour intervals. In addition, nuclear solid track etched detectors (CR-39) are used in every chamber of the cave over 14-day exposure periods, providing average radon concentrations. In this paper we show some of the specific degassing and recharge events identified by anomalous variations in the concentration of radon gas in the Polychromes Room. In addition, we update knowledge regarding the degree of connection between chambers inside the cave and with the outside atmosphere. We verify that the connection between the Polychromes Room and the rest of the cave has been drastically reduced by the installation of the second closure in 2008. Except for point exchanges with the Crossing zone generated by a negative temperature gradient in that direction, the atmosphere of the Polychromes Room remains stable, or else it exchanges matter with the outside atmosphere through the karst interface. The role of radon as a tracer is demonstrated to be valid both to reflect seasonal cycles of degassing and recharge, and to analyse shorter (daily) period fluctuations.This research was funded by the Project “Estudios analíticos para una propuesta de accesibilidad pública de la Cueva de Altamira” funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, Spain (MECD)

Incidence of free throws in professional basketball games

El objetivo del presente estudio es describir la incidencia que tiene el tiro libre sobre el resultado final del encuentro, además de ver que otros factores pueden influir en el porcentaje final de aciertos de tiros libres, comparando para ello las ligas profesionales nacionales con la competición europea. Para ello se han analizado un total de 59364 tiros libres efectuados en 1722 partidos correspondientes a dos temporadas de las ligas profesionales de baloncesto españolas (ACB y LFB) y europeas (Euroleague y Euroleague Women). Se ha realizado un análisis descriptivo, un análisis de sincronía y un análisis de los residuos tipificados corregidos. Los resultados evidencian la importancia de los tiros libres en el resultado final, en especial en las ligas masculinas y cuando el marcador final es ajustado. Así mismo, el factor cancha como local tiene relación con una mayor eficacia en los tiros libres y en lograr la victoria.The aim of this study is to describe the incident of the free throw on the final results of the basketball match, and see how other factors may influence the final average of successful free throws, comparing national leagues with European competition. A total of 59,364 free throws have been analyzed, corresponding to 1722 matches from two seasons of the Spanish professional basketball league (ACB and LFB) and European league (Euroleague Euroleague and women). Has been made descriptive analysis, an analysis of synchrony and an analysis of the residuals corrected. The results demonstrate the importance of free throws for the final score, especially in male and when is a close match. Likewise, the home court advantage is related to higher efficiency in free throws and win the match.peerReviewe

Methodological Approaches to Radon in Water Measurements: Comparative Experiences between Romania and Spain

The EC Directive 2013/51/EURATOM of 22 October 2013 represents the first time that a radon limit for drinking water has been proposed. Transposition of this Directive into Spanish legislation was by means of the recent RD 314/2016 which sets a limit value of 500 Bq l?1 for radon (222Rn) in water for human consumption while that in Romanian legislation the Law 301/2015 provides a limit value of 100 Bq l-1 for 222Rn concentration in water for human consumption as well as a total effective dose of 0.1 mSv y-1 from all radionuclides present in water (same dose value established by Spanish law). For several years, both in Romania and in Spain, there have been campaigns to measure the concentration of 222Rn in waters of different origins in order to determine the possible exposure of the population through this irradiation path, and also to use the presence of radon dissolved in water as a source of indoor radon in thermal spa facilities, and also as a tracer of dynamic processes (C. Sainy et al., Sci. Tot. Envir. 543, 460 (2016); 1). In this article, an assessment of the results from measurement campaigns in both countries will be presented and compared. In addition, the different measurement techniques used will be described, and the description of an intercomparison exercise on radon measurement in water organized by the Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory of the University of Cantabria (LaRUC) will be presented, in order to evaluate the quality of the performance of the techniques used.This work was partially supported by the project ID P_37_229, Contract No. 22/01.09.2016, with the title Smart Systems for Public Safety through Control and Mitigation of Residential Radon linked with Energy Efficiency Optimization of Buildings in Romanian Major Urban Agglomerations SMART-RAD-EN of the POC Programme

The use of tracer gases to study the air exchange in the Altamira cave

Póster elaborado para la European Geosciences Union General Assembly, celebrada en Viena del 8 al 13 de abril de 2018