Anàlisi dels itineraris curriculars en l'ensenyament a secundaria: propostes per a fomentar la interdisciplinarietat mitjançant el projecte de recerca

Actualment es detecten mancances en l'alfabetització científica i l'assoliment de competències lingüístiques i matemàtiques en l'alumnat d'ESO. La motivació de l'alumnat per l'aprenentatge, la seva contextualització adequada, la interacció social i la integració de diferents disciplines són factors que podrien millorar l'assoliment de competències a l'ESO. L'actual distribució curricular a l'ESO fa que l'alumnat de 4rt hagi de definir el seu itinerari cap a l'àmbit científic-tècnic, humanístic o artístic, sense considerar que en ocasions no es donarà una continuïtat en la formació de l'alumne. La introducció de perspectives interdisciplinàries en l'ensenyament s'ha provat efectiva per a millorar la motivació, la contextualització i l'habilitat dels alumnes per a enfrontar-se a problemes a la vida real. El projecte de recerca de 4rt d'ESO és un treball de descoberta realitzat en equip al llarg del curs i constitueix una bona alternativa per a la introducció de la interdisciplinarietat, tal i com es proposa en aquest treball. Els principals punts que condicionen l'èxit de la proposta són la gestió del temps i la integració en el currículum, segons els professors, i la percepció d'una major dificultat i una injustícia en les avaluacions, segons els alumnes. Per això, la metodologia proposada fa èmfasi en el desenvolupament de guies i eines de coordinació efectives per al professorat, proporciona recursos per a la introducció de la didàctica a l'aula i proposa criteris i rúbriques d'avaluació clares per a l'alumnat. Finalment es proposa una avaluació del procés d'ensenyament-aprenentatge per a la millora contínua de l'activitat plantejada. En conclusió, aquesta activitat permet el desenvolupament de totes les competències bàsiques de l'ESO i fomenta una millor coordinació inter-departamental per a fixar objectius d'aprenentatge i aconseguir la formació integral de l'alumne fomentant la seva autonomia

Med-CORDEX initiative for Mediterranean climate studies

The Med-CORDEX initiative is a unique framework in which the research community makes use of regional earth system models to increase the reliability of past and future regional climate information. The Mediterranean is expected to be one of the most prominent and vulnerable climate change “hot spots” of the 21st century, and the physical mechanisms underlying this finding are still not clear. Furthermore complex interactions and feedbacks involving ocean-atmosphere-land-biogeochemical processes play a prominent role in modulating the climate and environment of the Mediterranean region on a range of spatial and temporal scales. Therefore it is critical to provide robust climate change information for use in Vulnerability/Impact/Adaptation assessment studies considering the Mediterranean as a fully coupled environmental system. The Med-CORDEX initiative aims at coordinating the Mediterranean climate modeling community towards the development of fully coupled regional climate simulations, improving all relevant components of the system, from atmosphere and ocean dynamics to land surface, hydrology and biogeochemical processes. The primary goals of Med-CORDEX are to improve understanding of past climate variability and trends, and to provide more accurate and reliable future projections, assessing in a quantitative and robust way the added value of using high resolution and coupled regional climate models. The coordination activities and the scientific outcomes of Med-CORDEX can produce an important framework to foster the development of regional earth system models in several key regions worldwide.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

The atmospheric iron cycle in EC-earth

The ocean is known to act as an atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) sink. About a quarter of the CO2 emitted to the atmosphere since the industrial revolution, has been captured by the ocean [1]. The capacity of the ocean to capture CO2 highly depends on ocean productivity which relies upon bioavailable iron (Fe) for photosynthesis, respiration and nitrogen fixation [2]. Fe is in fact considered to be the limiting nutrient in some remote regions of the ocean known as high-nutrient low-chlorophyll (HNLC) [3]. Understanding and constraining the bio-available iron supply to the ocean is thus fundamental to be able to project future climate. Fe supply reaches the oceans mainly from rivers as suspended sediment. However, fluvial and glacial particulate Fe is restricted to near-coastal areas. Therefore, the dominant input of iron to open ocean surface is the deposition of atmospheric mineral dust emitted from arid and semiarid areas of the world. Another contributor to atmospheric Fe supply that is not always accounted for in models, is combustion, which main sources are anthropogenic combustion and biomass burning. Just a fraction of the deposited Fe over ocean can be used by marine biota as nutrient (bio-available). The assumption that soluble Fe can be considered as bio-available will be used here [4]. Freshly emitted Fe-dust is known to be mainly insoluble. Observations, modelling and laboratory studies suggest that the solubility of Fe-dust increases downwind of the sources due to different processes [5] [6]. On the other hand, although the total burden of emitted combustion Fe is known to be smaller than Fe-dust, combustion Fe at emission may be more soluble [7]

Projeccions climàtiques futures regionalitzades a Catalunya a alta resolució

Es presenten els principals resultats del projecte ESCAT desenvolupat entre el BSC-CNS i l’SMC sobre projeccions climàtiques al Mediterrani nord-occidental a 10 km de resolució (1971-2050) mitjançant el model mesoescalar WRF-ARW. Les simulacions desenvolupades reprodueixen els patrons generals espai-temporals de les observacions (1971-2000: temperatura i precipitació), però subestimant la temperatura i sobreestimant la precipitació. La temperatura s’espera que augmenti fins al 2050 independentment de l’escenari considerat (0,9-1,4ºC respecte 1971-2000), especialment a l’alta muntanya. En canvi, la precipitació disminuiria molt probablement (5-13% total anual respecte 1971-2000), però particularment a l’alta muntanya. També es projecten valors extrems més secs i càlids que els actuals, amb un augment significatiu en la durada de les sequeres i l’ocurrència de precipitacions extremes. Aquestes projeccions permeten definir les àrees més vulnerables (Pirineus i Vall de l’Ebre) i millorar l’avaluació dels futurs impactes en les activitats socioeconòmiques del territori.Postprint (author’s final draft

Seasonal to yearly assessment of temperature and precipitation trends in the North Western Mediterranean Basin by dynamical downscaling of climate scenarios at high resolution (1971-2050)

The complex topography and high climatic variability of the North Western Mediterranean Basin (NWMB) require a detailed assessment of climate change projections at high resolution. ECHAM5/MPIOM global climate projections for mid-21st century and three different emission scenarios are downscaled at 10 km resolution over the NWMB, using the WRF-ARW regional model. High resolution improves the spatial distribution of temperature and precipitation climatologies, with Pearson's correlation against observation being higher for WRF-ARW (0.98 for temperature and 0.81 for precipitation) when compared to the ERA40 reanalysis (0.69 and 0.53, respectively). However, downscaled results slightly underestimate mean temperature (≈1.3 K) and overestimate the precipitation field (≈400 mm/year). Temperature is expected to raise in the NWMB in all considered scenarios (up to 1.4 K for the annualmean), and particularly during summertime and at high altitude areas. Annual mean precipitation is likely to decrease (around −5 % to −13 % for the most extreme scenarios). The climate signal for seasonal precipitation is not so clear, as it is highly influenced by the driving GCM simulation. All scenarios suggest statistically significant decreases of precipitation for mountain ranges in winter and autumn. High resolution simulations of regional climate are potentially useful to decision makers. Nevertheless, uncertainties related to seasonal precipitation projections still persist and have to be addressed.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Impact of HONO sources on the performance of mesoscale air quality models

Nitrous acid (HONO) photolysis constitutes a primary source of OH in the early morning, which leads to changes in model gas-phase and particulate matter concentrations. However, state-of-the-art models of chemical mechanisms share a common representation of gas-phase chemistry leading to HONO that fails in reproducing the observed profiles. Hence, there is a growing interest in improving the definition of additional HONO sources within air quality models, i.e. direct emissions or heterogeneous reactions. In order to test their feasibility under atmospheric conditions, the WRF-ARW/HERMES/CMAQ modeling system is applied with high horizontal resolution (4 4 km2) to Spain for November 24e27, 2008. HONO modeled sources include: (1) direct emissions from on-road transport; NO2 hydrolysis on aerosol and ground surfaces, the latter with (2) kinetics depending exclusively on available surfaces for reaction and (3) refined kinetics considering also relative humidity dependence; and (4) photoenhanced NO2 reduction on ground surfaces. The DOMINO measurement campaign performed in El Arenosillo (Southern Spain) provides valuable HONO observations. Modeled HONO results are consistently below observations, even when the most effective scenario is assessed, corresponding to contributions of direct emissions and NO2 hydrolysis with the simplest kinetics parameterization. With the additional sources of HONO, PM2.5 predictions can be up to 14% larger in urban areas. Quantified impacts on secondary pollutants have to be taken as a low threshold, due to the proven underestimation of HONO levels. It is fundamental to improve HONO sources definition within air quality models, both for the scientific community and decision makers.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Near real time evaluation of the spanish air quality forecast system: CALIOPE

The WRF-ARW/HERMES-EMEP/CMAQ/BSC-DREAM8b modelling system provides high resolution air quality predictions for 48h in Europe –EU12- (12x12 km2, 1h), the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands –IP4- (4x4 km2, 1h) and Canary Islands –CAN2- (2x2 km2, 1h) since July 2007, under the framework of the CALIOPE project (Baldasano et al., 2008; http://www.bsc.es/caliope/). A near real time evaluation system has been developed and it is on-line and in operation since January, 2009. Non validated near real time air quality data from more than 400 surface stations are compared to ground-concentration predictions in Spain. Seven ozonosondes are used to test the performance of the model in reproducing O3 vertical structures in Europe, Spain and Canary Islands. Additionally, OMI images are used to qualitatively assess the vertical column densities of NO2 predicted for Europe.Postprint (published version

Nuevo protocolo para el desarrollo y evaluación de la competencia de trabajo en equipo en entornos remotos

Under COVID scenario, it has been observed that the constraints derived from remote teaching makes harder an already challenging task: the achievement of teamwork skills and their assessment. This study, which is part of the UPC-ICE “EQUIPA'T” teaching innovation project, aims to design a new protocol for the development of academic projects and the individualized evaluation of university students regardless the field of knowledge within engineering. To that end, eight functionalities have been identified: (i) quantification of the individual contribution; (ii) group dynamics and individual roles; (iii) internal team management; (iv) communication; (v) creativity (brainstorming / concept map); (vi) design thinking; (vii) repository; (viii) content development (previous ideas about concepts). For each of them, a series of indicators, activities, and tools have been defined to allow the development of the aforementioned functions in face-to-face and remote environments. In addition, an analysis has been carried out to determine the implementation of the protocol by professors in the pilot stage of the project.The authors would like to thank ICE - UPC for the finantial support under "EQUIPA'T" project (reference G/22930/GEN)Postprint (published version

Nuevo modelo de distribución de leche

Las explotaciones ganaderas de Cataluña están condicionadas por las grandes explotaciones ganaderas de otros países. Para hacer frente a los problemas económicos que las grandes explotaciones suponen, el presente artículo propone tres modelos de negocio diferentes en la distribución de leche utilizando máquinas dispensadoras. Se presentará los diferentes modelos de negocio propuestos y una comparativa de los estudios económicos, realizando una propuesta del modelo más rentable.Preprin

Projeccions climàtiques i escenaris de futur

Aquest capítol tracta de la projecció dels impactes de climes futurs per a trams vulnerables de la costa catalana. Al començament, s’hi revisa la geodiversitat de la costa en termes meteorològics i geològics. El ventall d’impactes que en resulta (sota climes presents i futurs) presenta uns nivells d’incertesa que s’han de considerar per a poder prendre decisions. L’anàlisi es basa en les projeccions del nivell mitjà del mar i en les característiques de l’onatge per a les famílies d’escenaris RCP (trajectòries de concentracions representatives). La projecció dels impactes d’erosió i inundació per a platges i d’agitació i ultrapassament per a ports permet determinar quin és el domini costaner sotmès a aquests impactes, i també quins seran els nivells de risc que es poden esperar en platges i ports. Les conclusions del capítol s’estructuren com un seguit d’actuacions seqüencials per a afavorir la sostenibilitat de la costa. Aquest «camí d’adaptació» permetrà d’assolir uns nivells de riscs presents i futurs explícits, que han de ser considerats per a les activitats socioeconòmiques de la zona litoral.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version