Geological materials as sources of Rn emissions

This is an author’s version (C. Alves) and not the final published text. The final published text can be found in Proceedings 2019, 24(1), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/IECG2019-06193Geological materials are a potential source of pollutants, among which there is the radioactive isotope 222Rn, which result of radioactive decay of daughter radionuclides of uranium (238U). It is emitted as a gas that it can be released to the air to enter the human body, with the potential to affect internal organs (mostly the lungs) by alpha particles production. While the presence of uranium in the materials is a necessary condition for the production of Rn-222, the amount of gas emitted by the material depends on other characteristics that allow the migration of the gas. The main aim of this communication concerns a statistical analysis of results from diverse types of rocksThe Lab2PT—Landscapes, Heritage and Territory laboratory - AUR/04509 is supported by the Portuguese “Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia” (Portuguese funds and where applicable the FEDER cofinancing, in the aim of the new partnership agreement PT2020 and COMPETE2020 - POCI 010145 FEDER 007528)

Effects of quark family nonuniversality in SU(3)_c X SU(4)_L X U(1)_x models

Flavour changing neutral currents arise in the $SU(3)_c\otimes SU(4)_L\otimes U(1)_X$ extension of the standard model because anomaly cancellation among the fermion families requires one generation of quarks to transform differently from the other two under the gauge group. In the weak basis the distinction between quark families is meaningless. However, in the mass eigenstates basis, the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa mixing matrix motivates us to classify left-handed quarks in families. In this sense there are, in principle, three different assignments of quark weak eigenstates into mass eigenstates. In this work, by using measurements at the Z-pole, atomic parity violation data and experimental input from neutral meson mixing, we examine two different models without exotic electric charges based on the 3-4-1 symmetry, and address the effects of quark family nonuniversality on the bounds on the mixing angle between two of the neutral currents present in the models and on the mass scales $M_{Z_2}$ and $M_{Z_3}$ of the new neutral gauge bosons predicted by the theory. The heaviest family of quarks must transform differently in order to keep lower bounds on $M_{Z_2}$ and $M_{Z_3}$ as low as possible without violating experimental constraints.Comment: 27 pages, 10 tables, 2 figures. Equation (19) and typos corrected. Matches version to appear in Phys. Rev.

Assessment by portable gamma spectrometry of external gamma radiation hazard due to granitic materials and indoor space typology

Building materials can contribute to ionizing radiation hazards due to their variable content in radioactive isotopes. Uranium, thorium, and potassium radioisotopes are present in various building materials due to their presence in raw materials: minerals and rocks. Among natural building materials, granite is one of those deserving more attention in terms of radioactive hazards. Granites are commonly used in historical buildings of NW Portugal and NW Spain, due to the geological characteristics of these areas. However, radioactive isotopes are present in variable proportions in granites, and thus, in relation to other potential building materials, granites might present a higher radiological hazard. This work discusses multivariate analysis results obtained by spectrometry of a portable range in indoor spaces, presenting different proportions of granite used as a building material in order to evaluate a typology proposed for assessing gamma radiation hazards.The Lab2PT—Landscapes, Heritage and Territory laboratory—AUR/04509 is supported by the Portuguese “Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia” (Portuguese funds and where applicable the FEDER co-financing, in the aim of the new partnership agreement PT2020 and COMPETE2020—POCI 01 0145 FEDER 007528). The University Institute of Geology of the University of A Coruña (Spain) received support from Xunta de Galicia with funds from “Consolidación y estructuración de unidades de investigación competitivas—Grupo de potencial de crecimiento” (GPC2015/024) and “Redes de Investigación (ED431D 2017/08). We also would like to thank Mara Dória and Tomaz Assunção for their collaboration in the field work.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Electronic systems and offsite touristic activities based on geological concepts: a speculative discussion

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused havoc in many economic areas such as those related to tourism. This creates the need for alternative activities in this sector, especially given that it is not clear when the present emergency will end and there could be new situations of this kind. We consider here two main possibilities (virtual models and remote observations) for tourism related to geological objects (including those used by humans) and processes. These approaches could help to promote remote-operated tourism in other celestial bodies, helping to promote this kind of enterprise. These activities could be prepared with variable connection to education (for publics with diverse age ranges), prompting their use at any time of the year (hence minimizing the issue of seasonality). Our discussion suggests that remote observations will be the most interesting option since they could potentially give the users an unlimited diversity of experiences, it might give higher returns to local communities (but also higher loads on local environments) and they could find additional value in other geological applications. While our analysis is certainly very speculative at present, it can be submitted to falsification by the financial resultsThe Lab2PT‐Landscapes, Heritage and Territory laboratory ‐ UIDB/04509/2020 is supported by the Portuguese FCT ‐ “Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia”. The authors also gratefully acknowledge the support of the CERENA (funded by a strategic project of the FCT-UIDB/04028/2020) and the LAMPIST of the DECivil, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Portugal. The University Institute of Geology of the University of A Coruña (Spain) receives support from the Xunta de Galicia from the program “Consolidación y estructuración de unidades de investigación competitivas: Grupos de potencial de crecimiento” (ED431B 2018/47) and Redes de investigación (R2017/008)

Rock features and alteration of stone materials used for the built environment: a review of recent publications on ageing tests

This work presents a review of recent publications, with publication date between 2017 and 2019, with information on the relation between rock characteristics and the effects of diverse agents associated with alteration of stone materials in the built environment. It considers information obtained from ageing tests performed under laboratory conditions and by exposure to outdoor agents. Several lithological groups were considered, with sedimentary carbonate rocks being the most frequently studied lithotypes and silicate metamorphic rocks being the group with scarcer information. In terms of ageing tests, salt weathering was the most frequent one while there was a noticeable lesser amount of information from tests with biological colonization. The collected data showed the influence of diverse features, from specific minerals to whole-rock properties and the presence of heterogeneities. These information are discussed in the context of formulating a general framework for stone decay.The Lab2PT-Landscapes, Heritage and Territory laboratory-AUR/04509 is supported by the Portuguese FCT-“Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia” (Portuguese funds and where applicable the FEDER co-financing, in the aim of the new partnership agreement PT2020 and COMPETE2020-POCI 010145 FEDER 007528). The authors also gratefully acknowledge the support of the CERENA (funded by a strategic project of the FCT-UID/ECI/04028/2019) and the LAMPIST of the Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon. The University Institute of Geology of the University of A Coruña (Spain) receives support from the Xunta de Galicia from the programme “Consolidación y estructuración de unidades de investigación competitivas: Grupos de potencial de crecimiento” (ED431B 2018/47) and Redes de investigación (R2017/008)

In situ gamma-ray spectrometry (GRS) use for non-destructive archaeological exploration

Pre-print versionLandscape, Heritage and Paleoenvironment Laboratory, University of Santiago, Spain Geophysical prospection methods are used in archaeology to locate features of archaeological sites before excavation. Among geophysical methods, those mostly used in archaeology are seismic methods, electromagnetical surveys, and georadar. All of them allow assessing properties of soil, sediment and/or rock, providing cross section of soil properties that can be related to buried archaeological structures and objects. Gamma-ray spectrometry (GRS) is a technique used for different geological purposes including mineral exploration and mapping. However, it has not been applied in archaeology: the only study case known by the authors was successful (Moussa, 2001) but no later reports or more extensive studies have been found. In situ GRS is a non-destructive method that allows direct assessment of potassium-40 (40K), uranium-238 (238U) and thorium-232 (232Th) and daughter radionuclides of their decay chains on rock outcrops and soils. Such radionuclides are ubiquitous in most rocks and soils and the main causes of natural gamma radiation. The technique allows assessing their concentration in topsoil, being of potential use for archaeological exploration but two assumptions must be made: the archaeological buried objects must contain a different concentration of radionuclides than the surrounding sediment or soil, and they must be buried in the topsoil (25-30 cm depth). Thus, it is potentially applicable for exploration of shallow structures or objects. However, it does not provide cross -sections of the ground, but maps of the structures and objects buried. In this work, we have tested in situ GRS in an archaeological site that was partially excavated. In the site, remains of walls made of stone have been excavated, being buried in other parts of the site, but near the ground surface, being the top of the structures at 10-30 cm depth. We have tested in situ GRS in small parcel of 10 x 7 m, located beside nearby excavated areas which wall remains are partially buried in the studied parcel. The purpose of the study is to assess if the technique is reliable for the exploration of structures. Rocks used as building materials in the walls are mostly metamorphic rocks of very low radionuclide content with negligible 40K. However, the sediment that uries the structures contains significant amounts of K, U and Th radioisotopes. Results showed reliable results for surface exploration where shallow structures exist, despite the low radioactive content of the archaeological materials in the site.Este trabalho insere-se nas atividades do Projeto Lab2PT- Laboratório de Paisagens, Património e Território - AUR/04509 que tem o apoio financeiro da FCT/MCTES através de fundos nacionais (PIDDAC) e o cofinanciamento do Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER), refª POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007528, no âmbito do novo acordo de parceria PT2020 através do COMPETE 2020 – Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Relación de los planificadores estratégicos y los creativos. Aplicación al caso español.

The aim of this paper is to analyze the relationship between the Department of Creativity and the Account Planning Department in Spain. The planners are responsible to develop a deep research of the consumer with the objective that this knowledge can serve the creative department to guide communication and effectively reach the consumer. There are reviews on the specific sets and relationships between the Account Department and Creativity, but we do not find any analysis which provides information on the positive or negative interaction of the planners and creative. Thus, to address this reality we have developed a double investigation. On the one hand, we have chosen a quantitative research through a questionnaire to account planners who work in Spain from which were obtained 62 responses and a qualitative study from four in-depth interviews with recognized creative

Evaluación de la meteorización de rocas graníticas en edificios históricos urbanos por medio de indices geoquímicos

Weathering involves important processes that alter the original structure, texture and chemical components of rocks and minerals. Bulk changes produced by weathering in granitic rocks have been studied by several methods, including chemical weathering indices. They are based on the assumption that some ions are more easily leached from minerals in relation to others. Such methods have also been briefly tested on building stone but not in urban environments, where fast stone weathering rates are typically observed, mainly due to interaction of minerals with several pollutants and where other specific processes, such as salt weathering, can occur. The aim of this work is to discuss the use of weathering indices in the study of weathering rates on granitic stones applied in four historical buildings of an urban area. Results suggest that some factors can cause scatter of results in the relation indices vs. exposition age in the built environment, namely previous weathering degree in rock massifs and the quarry, different orientation of façades and different exposure to urban pollutants. Indices that consider some highly mobile cations that are present in other building materials (namely Ca that is related to leaching from mortar joints) should be avoided due to the uptake of such elements by the stone pores or used to assess this some types of weathering. Moreover, the use of some indices shows more reliable results.La meteorización implica importantes procesos que alteran la estructura, textura y componentes quimicos originales de las rocas y minerales. Los cambios producidos por la meteorización en rocas graniticas han sido estudiados por varios métodos, incluyendo los índices de meteorización química. Éstos se basan en la suposición de que algunos iones son lavados de los minerales más fácilmente que otros. Tales métodos también se han probado, aunque en pocos casos, en rocas de edificios, pero no de ambientes urbanos, en donde se han observado tipicamente elevadas tasas de meteorización, principalmente por la interacción de los minerales con varios compuestos contaminantes y en dónde otros procesos específicos, tales como la erosión por sales, pueden producirse. El objetivo de este trabajo es discutir el uso de indices de meteorización en el estudio de las tasas de meteorización de rocas usadas en cuatro edificios históricos de un área urbana. Los resultados sugieren que algunos factores pueden causar la dispersión de los resultados obtenidos a través de los indices en relación al tiempo de exposición en el ambiente construido, principalmente por el grado de meteorización previo de la roca en los macizos rocosos y en la cantera, la orientación de las fachadas y la diferente exposición a compuestos contaminantes. Los índices que consideran algunos cationes altamente móviles que están presentes en otros materiales de construcción (principalmente el Ca que se relaciona con la meteorización de morteros en las juntas) deben ser evitados debido a que penetran en los poros de las rocas de edificios o deben ser usados para evaluar algunos tipos de meteorización. Por otra parte, el uso de algunos índices muestra resultados más fiables.Este trabalho insere-se nas atividades do Projeto Lab2PT- Laboratório de Paisagens, Património e Território - AUR/04509 que tem o apoio financeiro da FCT/MCTES através de fundos nacionais (PIDDAC) e o cofinanciamento do Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER), refª POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007528, no âmbito do novo acordo de parceria PT2020 através do COMPETE 2020 – Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The mediator role of hierarchical distance on social processes-HRM practices: An empirical analysis of Spanish firms

The literature pays little attention to non-linear models, especially regarding dimensions such as organizational culture. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to test the role of hierarchical distance in the relationship between HRM practices and social processes. With a sample of 102 Spanish firms and using partial least squares structural equation modeling assessed this relationship. Results suggested mediation of hierarchical distance between HRM practices and social processes. Such results recommend that HR managers should consider hierarchical distance more carefully especially when creating HRM practices to improve relationships among employees. Thus, the politics of commitment function better when organizations are more horizontal and when tasks are commonly delegated, managers question employees frequently prior to making decisions, discussions are encouraged, and social relationships – both in and out of work – are valued, appear to provide the most benefit regarding competitive advantages generated through HRM practices

Impact of myxomatosis on densities of Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis) in North-western Spain: implications for management and sustainable hunting

[ENG]Outbreaks of myxomatosis in Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis) were detected for the first time in Spain in 2018. The disease spread to a significant proportion of the species range, negatively affecting the hare populations. In this study, we analyzed the impact of myxomatosis at hunting grounds of Castilla y León (Northern Spain), comparing hare density during two consecutive hunting seasons; the first when outbreaks were detected for the first time (season 1, Oct 2019-Jan 20) and the second after the spread of the disease (season 2, Oct 2020-Jan 21). Data was gathered from 1,102 hunts from 178 hunting grounds through “coursing”, a hunting type in which hunters and greyhounds search for hares, allowing the estimation of hare density. Overall, hare density decreased significantly, from 12.7 hare/100 ha in season 1 to 4.7 hare/100 ha in season 2. The percentage of hares suspected to be affected by myxomatosis (sick and dead) per hunt was higher in season 1 (14.4%) compared to season 2 (10.7%). For both seasons, this proportion was higher when hunting season was started (20.7%, October), compared to the remaining months (4.7%, November–January). However, the proportion of hunting grounds affected increased from 44% in season 1 to 66.7% in season 2. Our research confirmed a 62.7% reduction in hare density in Castilla y León after the spread of myxomatosis and identified scenarios of possible depletion when densities were below 4–5 hare/100 ha. As myxomatosis becoming endemic in Iberian hares is likely, hunters and game managers should continue current monitoring and disease surveillance and make management decisions accordingly.SIJunta de Castilla y LeónFundación Artemisa