Ursus spelaeus del Pleistoceno Superior y fauna asociada de Loutraki (Pella, Macedonia, Grecia): excavaciones de 1999

[Abstract] The large mammal assemblage from the bear-cave A in Loutraki, Pella, Macedonia, Greece, mostly very well preserved, is described and analysed. Among Ursus spelaeus remains, other large mammalian faunal remains, found up to 1999 (the excavation is still in progress) in association with the cave-bears belong to: Crocuta spelaea , Panthera pardus , Vulpes vulpes , Capra ibex , Dama s p . One pyrite artefact, found also in association with the ursid remains, adds great interest to this site. The preliminary study showed the predominant presence of the cave-bear, while only very few specimens represent other animals. The presence of abundant deciduous bear teeth, in spite of their fragility, is remarkable. On some bones there are carnivore trace, either of other ursids or scavengers. The taphonomical approach would show interesting results

Estudio preliminar de micromamíferos del Pleistoceno Superior de la cueva de Loutraki (Pella, Macedonia, Grecia)

[Abstract] The Loutraki Bear-cave (Northern Greece) yielded a rich Pleistocene fauna including mammals, amphibians and reptiles. In the present study the small mammal fauna associated with cave-bear remains is studied. The material comes from a long-time excavation project, which is still in progress. This study allows us to propose a Late Pleistocene age for the Loutraki fauna. The composition of the LAC-micromammalin fauna suggests a complex environment

Testudo cf. graeca from the new Late Miocene locality of Platania (Drama basin, N. Greece) and a reappraisal of previously published specimens

Στην παρούσα εργασία περιγράφουμε μια νέα απολιθωματοφόρο θέση του Νεογενούς με μεγάλα θηλαστικά και μια από τις πιο πρόσφατες ανακαλύψεις απολιθωμένων χελωνών από τη θέση Πλατανιά, στη λεκάνη της Δράμας, στη Βόρεια Ελλάδα. Η προκαταρκτική μελέτη των απολιθωμένων θηλαστικών της παλαιοπανίδας, αποκαλύπτει ότι είναι ηλικίας Άνω Μειοκαίνου. Το υλικό των χελωνών αποτελείται από ένα μεγάλο τμήμα του χελώνιου και το άνω άκρο από το βραχίονα, τα οποία ανήκουν στο ίδιο άτομο. Τα δείγματα αυτά προσδιορίστηκαν ως Testudo cf. graeca, όπως αποδεικνύεται από την παρουσία του κινητού αρμού ανάμεσα στα υπο–ξιφίπλαστρα. Το νέο υλικό της Πλατανιάς δίνει στοιχεία για την επέκταση προς τα πίσω στο χρόνο της παρουσίας της T. graeca στο Άνω Μειόκαινο. Τέλος, γίνεται σύγκριση με το γνωστό υλικό Testudo της Ελλάδας, και ειδικότερα αναθεώρηση του δημοσιευμένου ελληνικού υλικού της T. graeca.In this paper we describe a new Neogene mammalian site and one of the latest discoveries of a fossil tortoise in Greece, from Platania locality, in Drama basin, Northern Greece. The preliminary study of the numerous fossil mammal remains shows that the recovered fauna is of Late Miocene age. The tortoise material consists of a partial shell and a limb bone that belong to the same individual. They are attributed to the Testudo cf. graeca, and are members of the Testudo s.s. lineage, characterized by the presence of a hypo–xiphiplastral hinge. This new material indicates that the presence of T. graeca in Greece could expand into the Late Miocene. Comparisons with other fossils of the genus Testudo s.s. from Greece, allowed the revision of previously published specimens of T. graeca

PALAEOCLIMATIC EVOLUTION IN LOUTRA ARIDEAS CAVE (ALMOPIA SPELEOPARK, MACEDONIA, N. GREECE) BY STABLE ISOTOPIC ANALYSIS OF FOSSIL BEAR BONES AND TEETH

Carbon and oxygen stable isotope values (δ13C, δ18O) were obtained from structural carbonate in the bioapatite of bear bones (Ursus ingressus) from Loutra Arideas cave, Almopia Speleopark, Macedonia, N. Greece. Samples of Late Pleistocene bear bones were studied for palaeoclimatic reconstruction of the area. The age range of the fossil layers is from 32ka BP to a maximum of 38ka BP. Generally, the palaeoclimatic proxy is correlated with literature data for climatic variations in the area during Late Pleistocene, whereas dietary behavior was investigated taking into account possible diagenetic processes that may have affected the carbonate matrix of the bones

PALAEOCLIMATIC EVOLUTION IN LOUTRA ARIDEAS CAVE (ALMOPIA SPELEOPARK, MACEDONIA, N. GREECE) BY STABLE ISOTOPIC ANALYSIS OF FOSSIL BEAR BONES AND TEETH

Carbon and oxygen stable isotope values (δ13C, δ18O) were obtained from structural carbonate in the bioapatite of bear bones (Ursus ingressus) from Loutra Arideas cave, Almopia Speleopark, Macedonia, N. Greece. Samples of Late Pleistocene bear bones were studied for palaeoclimatic reconstruction of the area. The age range of the fossil layers is from 32ka BP to a maximum of 38ka BP. Generally, the palaeoclimatic proxy is correlated with literature data for climatic variations in the area during Late Pleistocene, whereas dietary behavior was investigated taking into account possible diagenetic processes that may have affected the carbonate matrix of the bones

SHORELINE EFFECTS OF 10-28 RUNWAY OF “MACEDONIA" AIRPORT EXTENSION INTO THE SEA LABORATORY STUDY

Προκειμένου να διερευνηθούν οι επιπτώσεις στις παρακείμενες ακτές από την επέκταση στη θάλασσα του διαδρόμου προσαπογειώσεων "10-28", του κρατικού διεθνή αερολιμένα Θεσσαλονίκης "Μακεδονία", ανατέθηκε από το Υ.ΠΕ.ΧΩ.Δ.Ε./Ε.Υ.Δ.Ε. Αεροδρομίων Βόρειας Ελλάδας, στο Εργαστήριο Λιμενικών Έργων του Εθνικού Μετσόβιου Πολυτεχνείου η έρευνα σε φυσικό προσομοίωμα. Κατά την πειραματική μελέτη της κυματικής διαταραχής στην περιοχή του αερολιμένα, παρατηρήθηκε μικρή αύξηση της κυματικής διαταραχής λόγω ανάκλασης των προσπιπτόντων κυματισμών στο μέτωπο του προβλεπόμενου έργου και προσωρινές ζώνες στασιμότητας ροής στις γωνίες του, ενώ δεν παρατηρήθηκε συστηματική και αξιοσημείωτη αλλοίωση της ακτογραμμής από την παρουσία του έργου. Οι κατασκευαστικές εργασίες (λιμενικά έργα) έχουν ξεκινήσει από το τέλος του 2006. Τα αποτελέσματα των πειραματικών μετρήσεων στο φυσικό προσομοίωμα επιβεβαιώνονται με την απόκριση του έργου στη φύση δεδομένου ότι δεν έχουν σημειωθεί μέχρι σήμερα αλλοιώσεις και διάβρωση της ακτογραμμής.Thessaloniki International Airport “Macedonia” had decided the extension of the existing Runway “10-28” by about 1 km west into the sea. In order to assure that no catastrophic erosion of the adjacent beaches will occur due to such a big construction into the sea, the Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works assigned Laboratory of Harbour Works of National Technical University of Athens the experimental investigation of its coastal impacts. Wave perturbation, wave overtopping and beach response to the construction of the Runway were tested. The construction of the Runway in the sea has already started. The experimental results were confirmed by field observation

Ca L2,3 edge XANES and Sr K edge EXAFS study of hydroxyapatite and fossil bone apatite

Upon burial, the organic and inorganic components of hard tissues such as bone, teeth, and tusks are subjected to various alterations as a result of interactions with the chemical milieu of soil, groundwater, and presence of microorganisms. In this study, simulation of the Ca L$_{2,3}$-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectrum of hydroxyapatite, using the CTM4XAS code, reveals that the different symmetry of the two nonequivalent Ca$_{(1)}$ and Ca${(2)}$ sites in the unit cell gives rise to specific spectral features. Moreover, Ca L$_{2,3}$-edge XANES spectroscopy is applied in order to assess variations in fossil bone apatite crystallinity due to heavy bacterial alteration and catastrophic mineral dissolution, compared to well-preserved fossil apatite, fresh bone, and geologic apatite reference samples. Fossilization-induced chemical alterations are investigated by means of Ca L$_{2,3}$-edge XANES and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and are related to histological evaluation using optical microscopy images. Finally, the variations in the bonding environment of Sr and its preference for substitution in the Ca$_{(1)}$ or Ca$_{(2)}$ sites upon increasing the Sr/Ca ratio is assessed by Sr K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy

Using Hot Electrons and Hot Holes for Simultaneous Cocatalyst Deposition on Plasmonic Nanostructures

Hot electrons generated in metal nanoparticles can drive chemical reactions and selectively deposit cocatalyst materials on the plasmonic hotspots, the areas where the decay of plasmons takes place and the hot electrons are created. While hot electrons have been extensively used for nanomaterial formation, the utilization of hot holes for simultaneous cocatalyst deposition has not yet been explored. Herein, we demonstrate that hot holes can drive an oxidation reaction for the deposition of the manganese oxide (MnOx) cocatalyst on different plasmonic gold (Au) nanostructures on a thin titanium dioxide (TiO2) layer, excited at their surface plasmon resonance. An 80% correlation between the hot-hole deposition sites and the simulated plasmonic hotspot location is showed when considering the typical hot-hole diffusion length. Simultaneous deposition of more than one cocatalyst is also achieved on one of the investigated plasmonic systems (Au plasmonic nanoislands) through the hot-hole oxidation of a manganese salt and the hot-electron reduction of a platinum precursor in the same solution. These results add more flexibility to the use of hot carriers and open up the way for the design of complex photocatalytic nanostructures

Characterization of fossil remains using XRF, XPS and XAFS spectroscopies

Synchrotron radiation micro-X-Ray Fluorescence (m-XRF), X-ray photoelectron (XPS) and X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS) spectroscopies are applied for the study of paleontological findings. More specifically the costal plate of a gigantic terrestrial turtle Titanochelon bacharidisi and a fossilized coprolite of the cave spotted hyena Crocuta crocuta spelaea are studied. Ca L2,3-edge NEXAFS and Ca 2p XPS are applied for the identification and quantification of apatite and Ca containing minerals. XRF mapping and XAFS are employed for the study of the spatial distribution and speciation of the minerals related to the deposition environment.Fil: Zougrou, I.M.. Aristotle University of Thessalonik; GreciaFil: Katsikini, M.. Aristotle University of Thessalonik; GreciaFil: Pinakidou, F.. Aristotle University of Thessalonik; GreciaFil: Brzhezinskaya, M.. No especifíca;Fil: Papadopoulou, L.. Aristotle University of Thessalonik; GreciaFil: Vlachos, Evangelos. Aristotle University of Thessalonik; Grecia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Tsoukala, E.. Aristotle University of Thessalonik; GreciaFil: Paloura, E.C.. Aristotle University of Thessalonik; Greci