Thermo-Mechanical Behaviour of NiTi at Impact

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Suspended sediment delivery from small catchments to the Bay of Biscay. What are the controlling factors?

The transport and yield of suspended sediment (SS) in catchments all over the world have long been topics of great interest. This paper addresses the scarcity of information on SS delivery and its environmental controls in small catchments, especially in the Atlantic region. Five steep catchments in Gipuzkoa (Basque Country) with areas between 56 and 796 km2 and that drain into the Bay of Biscay were continuously monitored for precipitation, discharge and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in their outlets from 2006 to 2013. Environmental characteristics such as elevation, slope, land uses, soil depth and erodibility of the lithology were also calculated. The analysis included consideration of uncertainties in the SSC calibration models in the final suspended sediment yield (SSY) estimations. The total delivery of sediments from the catchments into the Bay of Biscay and its standard deviation was 272 200 ± 38 107 t·yr-1, or 151±21 t·km-2·yr-1, and the SSYs ranged from 46 ± 0.48 to 217±106 t·km-2·yr-1. Hydro-climatic variables and catchment areas do not explain the spatial variability found in SSY, whereas land use (especially non-native plantations) and management (human impacts) appear to be the main factors that control this variability. Obtaining long-term measurements on sediment delivery would allow for the effects of environmental and human induced changes on SS fluxes to better detected.However, the data provided in this paper offer valuable and quantitative information that will enable decision-makers to make more informed decisions on land management whime considering the effects of the delivery of SS

Methodology for assessing the vulnerability of built cultural heritage

The conservation of constructions, and especially of built heritage, requires complex studies concerning their Global Vulnerability. These studies have to consider the current state of the building, i.e. the degradation degree, and the factors that mostly affect the building and, therefore, generate alterations. These factors are not limited to the structure of the building, location and environmental factors are also involved. Hence, the assessment of built heritage vulnerability should consider the building itself and also be extended to the site and the environment. This work presents a systematic and reproducible methodology for the quantification of the Global Vulnerability in different typologies of constructions and environments. The proposed methodology establishes a relationship between the existing alterations (A) and the main factors (F) that affect vulnerability (V) by means of an AFV (Alteration/Factor/Vulnerability) diagram. Based on these results alteration and vulnerability indices are calculated. The obtained AFV diagram allows the comparison between different constructions or separate areas within the same construction. This methodology was validated in two early twentieth-century constructions that form part of the reinforced concrete architectural heritage of the Basque Country: the Punta Begoña Galleries (Getxo, Spain) and the Aqueduct of the Araxes paper mill (Tolosa, Spain).This study was conducted by UPV/EHU Research Group IT-1029/16 (Government of the Basque Country) in the framework of the project titled “Puesta en valor del inmueble histórico cultural Galerías Punta Begoña (Getxo, Bizkaia)” [“Revitalising the Punta Begoña Galleries, a culturally historic building in Getxo, Biscay Province”], under a cooperation agreement between the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and the City Council of Getxo (OTRI2019-0318). The authors are very grateful for the comments and suggestions of the referees, which have undoubtedly improved the original manuscript

Hydric vulnerability of the Gulf of Biscay: from the trends of the recent past to those of the future

Para adaptarnos a los efectos del cambio climático en los sistemas hídricos hay que conocer la dinámica hidrológica del territorio, por lo que nos planteamos dos preguntas: ¿de dónde venimos?, ¿hacia dónde vamos? Para responder a la primera se han considerado las series históricas de caudal de 117 estaciones del Golfo de Bizkaia. Los resultados indican que en los últimos 60 años se ha dado una evidente tendencia descendente en los caudales en todas las épocas del año y un aumento de la duración y severidad del periodo de aguas bajas. Esto refleja una notable homogeneidad espacio-temporal en la evolución de los caudales. En los últimos 20 años ha habido un cambio de escenario, mientras otoño y verano mantienen una tendencia descendente, la de invierno y primavera son ascendentes. Esto refleja una heterogeneidad temporal de evolución de los caudales, que indica un periodo de cambios en el régimen hidrológico. Para responder a la segunda se han simulado regímenes hidrológicos futuros en dos subcuencas. Los resultados indican que el caudal descenderá progresivamente hasta 2100, así como un aumento en la duración y severidad de los periodos de caudales bajos. Otoño será la estación más afectada (18 - 33%) e invierno la menos (-4 - 14%)In order to adapt to the effects of climate change on water systems, it is necessary to know the hydrological dynamics of the territory, so we ask ourselves two questions: where do we come from?, where are we going? In order to answer the first question, we have considered the historical discharge series from 117 gauging stations in the Gulf of Biscay. The results indicate that in the last 60 years there has been an evident downward trend in average discharge and an increase in the duration and severity of the low flow period during all seasons of the year. This reflects a notable spatial-temporal homogeneity in the evolution of flows. However, in the last 20 years, while Autumn and Summer maintain a downward trend for average discharge, during Winter and Spring they increased. This reflects a period of changes in the hydrological regime of this region. In order to respond to the latter question, future hydrological regimes have been simulated in two sub-basins. The results indicate that average discharge will decrease progressively until 2100 and that the duration and severity of low flow periods will increase. Autumn will be the most affected season (-18-33%) and Winter the least (-4-14%

Landforms of the lower Hushe Valley (Central Karakoram, Pakistan)

This paper presents a new geomorphological map for the lower Hushe Valley (below 3400 m asl), located to the SE of the Central Karakoram in Baltistan (North Pakistan). Fieldwork and remote sensing were combined to improve understanding of the most recent surface landforms to produce a 1:50,000 scale map. Thirteen landform types associated with glacial, fluvial, gravitational and mass wasting processes were identified and mapped. Particular emphasis was made on currently dynamic processes that could pose a threat to the population. The distribution of the landforms on the valley (reworked tills, alluvial fans, rockfalls, among others) differs between the eastern and the western hillslopes, and from north to south, mainly due to bedrock types, location of geological structures and distribution of lateral tributaries. This map is the first and necessary step towards a deep assessment on geological risk related to external processes in the area.This research was funded by the Basque Government (Eusko Jaurlaritza) through the Humanitarian Action 2018 fund (PRE2018EH/0004) and the Consolidated Research Group IT1029-16. We also thank the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU for the suppor

Geology and built cultural heritage: the transdisciplinary approach in the Punta Begoña Galleries (Getxo, Bizkaia)

En los proyectos de puesta en valor del patrimonio cultural construido la contribución desde la Geología ha de articularse mediante un procedimiento transdisciplinar, que integre los engranajes de las distintas disciplinas y especialidades de nuestra ciencia. Ello permitirá una caracterización que evolucione desde el elemento construido al emplazamiento, integrando ambos en un entorno más amplio que los contextualice y complete. El proyecto de puesta en valor de las Galerías Punta Begoña (Getxo, Bizkaia) es un ejemplo de este enfoque transdisciplinar en el campo de la Geología. La filosofía adoptada permite afrontar las tareas de conservación / recuperación con una visión más global, que resulta más rentable, optimizando los recursos y generando un mayor valor añadido científico, social y culturalIn projects for valuing the built cultural heritage, the contribution from Geology must be implemented through a transdisciplinary procedure that integrates the gears of the different disciplines and fields of our science. This enables a characterisation that evolves from the built element to the site, integrating both in a wider environment that contextualises and complements them. The project of valuing the Punta Begoña Galleries (Getxo, Bizkaia) is an example of this transdisciplinary approach inside Geology. The adopted philosophy allows tackling conservation/recovery tasks with a wider vision, which is more efficient, optimising resources and generating higher scientific, social and cultural benefit

Ancient saltern metagenomics: tracking changes in microbes and their viruses from the underground to the surface

Microbial communities in hypersaline underground waters derive from ancient organisms trapped within the evaporitic salt crystals and are part of the poorly known subterranean biosphere. Here, we characterized the viral and prokaryotic assemblages present in the hypersaline springs that dissolve Triassic-Keuper evaporite rocks and feed the Anana Salt Valley (Araba/Alava, Basque Country, Spain). Four underground water samples (around 23% total salinity) with different levels of exposure to the open air were analysed by means of microscopy and metagenomics. Cells and viruses in the spring water had lower concentrations than what are normally found in hypersaline environments and seemed to be mostly inactive. Upon exposure to the open air, there was an increase in activity of both cells and viruses as well as a selection of phylotypes. The underground water was inhabited by a rich community harbouring a diverse set of genes coding for retinal binding proteins. A total of 35 viral contigs from 15 to 104 kb, representing partial or total viral genomes, were assembled and their evolutionary changes through the spring system were followed by SNP analysis and metagenomic island tracking. Overall, both the viral and the prokaryotic assemblages changed quickly upon exposure to the open air conditions.We would like to thank Anana Salt Valley Foundation, and Andoni Erkiaga Agirre, its director at the time of sampling, for their kind help. Thanks to Leire Arana, Edorta Loma and Kika Colom for their help with sampling and to Eduardo Gonzalez-Pastor for telling us about the Anana Salt Valley. We thank Heather Maughan for the professional English editing and the critical reading of the manuscript and Esther Rubio-Portillo for her help with statistical analyses. This work was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities grant MICROMATES (PGC2018-096956-B-C41 and C44, to J.A./F.S. and R.R.-M.), which was also supported with European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) funds, and by the Generalitat Valenciana grant PROMETEO/2017/129. Documen

Why Did Red Ereño Limestone Go Red? Linking Scientific Knowledge and Geoheritage Story-Telling (Basque Country, Spain)

Red Ereño is a red-stained ornamental and construction limestone with characteristic white fossil shells. Although exploited since Roman times, marketed worldwide and that the rock itself and its outcrop areas have been included in geological heritage inventories, the origin of its characteristic reddish colour remained unresolved. The aim of this work is to deepen the scientific knowledge of Red Ereño as a basis for understanding the characteristics of this stone and to make this information available for geoconservation actions. The mineralogical and petrological study, mainly based on optical and electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and rock magnetism and paleomagnetic techniques, concluded that the red-staining mineral is pigmentary hematite. Moreover, the analysis stated that hematite precipitated after sedimentation but prior to burial diagenesis and before alpine inversion. Based on palaeomagnetic studies, it can be stated that mineralisation occurred during the Late Cretaceous. This work illustrates how scientific research on this potential heritage stone provides key information for geoconservation.This study has been carried out by the UPV/EHU Research Group IT-1678/22 (Government of the Basque Country) in the framework of the project US21/32 under the cooperation agreement between the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Basque Energy Agency (EVE), and Provincial Council of Biscay (BFA). Authors also thank the support of the project PID2019-108753GB-C21 financed by State Research Agency (Spain) [AEI /https://doi.org/10.13039/501100011033]. Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. UPV/EHU Research Group IT-1678/22 (Government of the Basque Country); UPV/EHU, EVE/EEE, DFB/BFA project US21/32

2030 Agendako helburuetatik lurra-ura hartzera

The 2030 Agenda includes objectives in three dimensions (economic, social and environmental). To these three, we must add the territory where the action plans are implemented. Hence, as researchers working in hydrology we must generate knowledge towards the resilience of dynamic territories combining Water and Land. Thus, this article analyses the need to establish a basin-perspective in water management instead of the usual river-perspective, considering the basin as the basic bio-physical unit for territorial planning. Climate change mitigation and adaptation policies converge in the basin, facilitating the identification of synergies and trade-offs between both strategies. In fact, global mitigation policies focus, largely, on carbon sequestration through reforestation, neglecting its side-effects on adaptation. The hydrological functions of the territory affect the quantity, quality, location and timing of water, by accumulating, moving and transforming it. Therefore, accepting this water regulatory function would imply a change in the way of understanding the management of water resources and an improvement in the integration of hydrological services in the territorial planning. For this purpose, local knowledge and knowledge on trade-offs and synergies between different objectives are needed. In this era of uncertainties, we should focus our main research strategies towards minimization of uncertainties in order to properly manage them and make knowledge-informed decisions, thus, changing the management paradigm. We need, therefore, socio-political will to redirect territorial dynamics, incorporating a development model adapted to local ecosystem services limitations, placing Land and Water in the centre of the territory, anywhere in the world; Garapen Iraunkorrerako 2030 Agendaren hiru dimentsioei (ekonomikoa, soziala eta ingurumenarena) lurraldearena gehitu behar zaie, ekintza-planak gauzatzeko ezinbesteko ingurune fisikoa baita. Hortik dator hidrologiatik ari garen ikertzaileok iraunkortasunari egin diezaiokegun ekarpena: ura eta lurra uztartuta lurralde dinamikoak erresiliente egiteko bidean ezagutza sortzea, erabakietan eragiteko. Iraunkortasuna zutabe hartuta, uraren kudeaketan ohikoa den ibai-ikuspegia aldatu eta arro-ikuspegia ezarri beharra dugu, eta ibai-arroa (ura + lurraldea) lurralde-antolamenduaren oinarrizko unitate biofisiko bihurtu. Hala, klima-aldaketaren aurrean ezartzen diren arintze- eta egokitze-politiken bateragune bihurtzen da ibai-arroa, bi estrategia horien arteko sinergiak eta helburu-gatazkak identifikatzea errazten duen heinean. Izan ere, klima-aldaketarekin lotutako mundu mailako arintze-politiken oinarriak karbonoa bahitzea eta horri lotuta lurraldea basotzea dira neurri handi batean, basotzeak klima-aldaketara egokitzeko ekar ditzakeen albo-kalteak kontuan izan gabe. Lurraldearen funtzio hidrologikoek eragina dute uraren kantitatean, kalitatean, kokapenean eta denboran, zeren eta ura metatzen, mugitzen etaeraldatzen baitute. Beraz, lurraldeak uraren erregulatzaile gisa duen funtzioa onartuz gero, baliabide hidrologikoen kudeaketa ulertzeko modua aldatuko litzateke, baita egokitzera bidean lurraldearen kudeaketan zerbitzu hidrologikoak barneratzea erraztuko ere. Horretarako, beharrezkoa da tokiko eskalari lotutako ezagutzen eta helburuen arteko gatazkak eta sinergiak zein diren jakitea. Alde horretatik, bizi dugun ziurgabetasun-aroan, auzi horiek argitzera bideratu behar genituzke ikerketa-bide nagusiak, haiek egoki kudeatzeko eta ezagutzak informatutako erabakiak hartzeko, ohiko inertziak gaindituta, kudeaketa-paradigma aldatuta. Hortaz, lurralde-dinamikak birbideratzeko borondate soziopolitikoa behar da, eta naturak lekuan-lekuan eskaintzen dituen zerbitzu ekosistemikoen mugetara egokituriko garapen-eredu bat barneratu, lurra eta ura lurraldearen ardatzean jarrita, munduko edozein herrialdetan