bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simulações de clima futuro no domínio da mata atlântica: transecto Ubatuba, SP e Extrema, MG, Brasil
Authors: Dias Valeriam , Fisch Gilberto , Fisch Simey Thury Vieira
Published: December 2016

This article analyzes the climatic differences that occur in a transect that extends from São Paulo State coast to the south of Minas Gerais State, including the municipalities of Ubatuba/SP, Taubaté/SP, Campos do Jordão/SP and Extrema/MG. This territory has a complex topography which contributes to the existence of different types of climate and vegetation. Based on precipitation and temperature data produced by a climate simulation model, it was possible to statistically analyze the future climate of this region heavily transformed by human occupation and by the development of agriculture. Using the regional model ETA (downscaling) in the resolution 20 X 20 km coupled with the general circulation atmosphere-ocean model HadCM3, it was possible to forecast the climate scenarios A1B from IPCC for the time intervals 2011-2040; 2041-2070; 2071-2099 and to compare them with historic data (1961-1990). Based on data analyzes, an increase in the average air temperature was found for each time period observed, reaching more than 3ºC higher until the end of this century. Also, in general, there will be an increase in the total annual amount of precipitation in these three periods of time, which might be reduced in the last period (2071-2099), especially for Ubatuba/SP. Although the temperature and precipitation increases are higher in January in nearly all the studied cities, there will be a higher variability in July, showing that extreme events are more likely to occur during winter in nearly all regions.
Atividade da malato desidrogenase muscular de Astyanax bimaculatus da bacia hidrográfica do rio Una como biomarcadora de impacto ambiental
Authors: Almeida Marilia Elias de , Batista Maria Tereza Oliveira , Oliveira Mariana Feijó de , Vani Gannabathula Sree , Rodrigues Edson , Suda Cecilia Nahomi Kawagoe
Published: December 2016

The enzymatic activity of malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and its isoforms may vary in fishes according their living environment. The aim of this work was to investigate the activity of MDH in the muscle tissue of Astyanax bimaculatus (locally called as lambari do rabo amarelo), collected at three different points (P1, P2 and P3) in the Una River Basin (Taubaté, SP), to evaluate it as a candidate biomarker for environmental change. Cytosolic and mitochondrial isoforms of MDH were extracted from muscles. The results indicated that the total enzyme activity was 1.8 and 2.5 times higher in A. bimaculaus at P2, in comparison to specimens collected at P1 and P3, respectively. Seven MDH isoforms were detected in the muscle tissue (MDH-1 to MDH-7). MDH-1 levels of specimens collected at P3 were 1.9 and 2.4 times higher than those from P1 and P2, respectively. However, the levels of MDH-5, -6 and -7 of P3 specimens were significantly lower than P1 ones. These results are possibly related to water quality, considering that P3 is the most polluted among the three sampling sites. The muscle MDH activity of A. bimaculatus was modulated by the environment. Therefore, it can be concluded that this enzyme could be used as a biomarker of environmental change of the hydrographic basin of a neotropical region, where this species occurs.
Barragens de detenção em bacia hidrográfica com o uso de curvas cota-volume e hidrogramas triangulares sintéticos
Authors: Filho Paulo José Maria , Targa Marcelo Dos Santos , Santos Paulo Sérgio , Neto Nazareno Mostarda
Published: December 2016

O presente estudo objetivou a aplicação de uma proposta de controle de inundação, por meio da utilização de barramentos para detenção do escoamento superficial, na Bacia hidrográfica do ribeirão do Itaim, em Taubaté, SP. A bacia foi dividida de montante para jusante em 4 trechos delimitando dessa forma as sub-bacias A, B, C e D. Para cálculo da vazão máxima de entrada de água na bacia, em que se adotou a chuva máxima com 100 anos de tempo de retorno e duração igual ao tempo de concentração, foi utilizada a metodologia I‑PAI-Wu com a obtenção do coeficiente de escoamento volumétrico C2 por meio do método Curva Número. Para a verificação da cota de inundação foi observada a metodologia hidrograma triangular sintético e a curva cota-volume. Os coeficientes de escoamento (C) obtidos pelo método Curva Número apresentaram valores de 0,24; 0,18; 0,24; 0,32 e 0,34 respectivamente para a bacia do Itaim e para as sub-bacias A, B, C e D. Esses valores são menores do que os recomendados pelo DAEE-SP. As áreas e cotas de inundação foram mapeadas e o resultado revelou que a ponte sobre o ribeirão Itaim seria inundada com lâmina de 0,5 metros a partir de uma chuva máxima de 100 anos. Por outro lado, ao se construir os barramentos (A, B, C e D) no limite das sub-bacias, os escoamentos seriam contidos, e a ponte sobre a estrada teria uma folga de cerca de 1,80 metros acima do nível d’água. Esses resultados refletem a capacidade de amortecimento das inundações dos barramentos, pois os escoamentos diminuem com a adoção dessas práticas.
Aves em quintais e a relação com os proprietários de residências em área urbana da cidade de Jacareí, São Paulo, Brasil
Authors: Gonçalves Solange Fátima , Barbosa de Toledo Maria Cecília
Published: December 2016

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a diversidade de aves em quintais e associar com a percepção dos proprietários sobre as aves que ocorrem em seus quintais e investigar se as características do habitat do quintal, decorrentes de modificações realizadas pelo proprietário, influenciam o número de espécies, a abundância e a diversidade de aves. Para isso, foram avaliados 31 quintais de casas localizadas na área central da cidade de Jacareí, SP. O levantamento das espécies de aves do quintal foi realizado usando o método de pontos de contagem. As características do quintal foram amostradas sendo: tamanho, número de árvores e número de plantas nativas e exóticas, bem como, foram registradas as modificações que o proprietário fez no quintal, tais como porcentagem impermeabilizada do solo, presença de animais de estimação e alimentadores para aves. Um questionário foi usado para saber informações sobre o proprietário, como espécies de aves observadas, idade, tempo de residência e sobre os inconvenientes causados pelas as aves. O levantamento resultou em 31 espécies (H'= 2,51) e a pesquisa realizada através do conhecimento dos proprietários resultou em 58 espécies (H' = 3,56). O pombo doméstico e o pardal foram apontados como as espécies mais inconvenientes. As modificações nos quintais feitas pelos proprietários podem influenciar positivamente e negativamente a comunidade de aves nos quintais, sendo que (1) a presença de alimentadores resultou num maior número médio de espécies de aves, (2) os quintais com menor área impermeabilizada obteveram maior abundância de aves, e (3) a presença de gatos livres nos quintais foi desfavorável à diversidade de aves. Os resultados indicam que é possível melhorar o habitat do quintal com pequenas ações locais que tem como objetivo atrair as aves e colaborar com a sua conservação no ambiente urbano.
Biodegradação de polietileno e bioplástico no solo
Authors: Marques de Souza Gustavo Tadeu Alvarenga , Fortes Neto Paulo , Perondi Fortes Nara Lúcia , Neves Fernandes de Almeida Duarte Elizabeth Da Costa , Cardoso Costa Raquel Alexandra , Figueiredo Saraiva Artur
Published: December 2016

After being used as soil cover, polyethylene film is burned with the cultural remains or incorporated into the soil, since its removal from the field entails labor costs. An alternative to avoid this problem is to replace the polyethylene with bioplastic, because after use the bioplastic can be incorporated into the soil. This study therefore evaluated the biodegradability of polyethylene and bioplastic in soil by means of mass loss, C-CO2 release and bacterial counting. In order to estimate the loss of mass, polyethylene and bioplastic samples were placed in nylon bags (2 mm) and buried at 0.20 m depth of soil and the films were periodically weighed (30, 60, 90 and 120 days) to evaluate the loss Of mass. The C-CO2 emissions and the bacterial colony forming unit count were determined in soil samples incubated with polyethylene, bioplastic and cellulose. The biodegradation of the bioplastic estimated by the loss of mass was 37% and of the polyethylene was 1.2%. The release of C‑CO2 and the number of bacteria were higher in the soils incubated with cellulose and bioplastic.
Aspectos socioambientais e de saúde das quebradeiras de coco babaçu na microrregião do Bico do Papagaio, Tocantins, Brasil
Authors: Sousa Santos Mourão Iracema , Raposo de Almeida Julio Cesar , Ueno Mariko , Yohko Kanamura Herminia
Published: December 2016

This study analyzed the environmental and health aspects related to babaçu coconut breakers belonging to the Regional Association of Rural Female Workers, Tocantins State (Portuguese acronym “ASMUBIP – TO”). The breaking of the babaçu coconut is a painful activity, often performed by women of low income, living in rural areas and using rudimentary techniques and equipment. The activity can cause injuries to the hands or other parts of body. In addition, it can cause organic changes due to awkward postures and repetitive movements. The study was both qualitative and quantitative. Data were collected in the field using a structured form with open and closed questions. The respondents mentioned nine symptoms related to breaking the babaçu: back pain, kidney pain, joint pain, body aches, eye problems, sore throat, uterine fibroids, anemia and skin diseases. This work is vital to the economic survival of the breakers. On the other hand, the ASMUBIP contributes to the preservation of babaçu through its political action. The lives of the workers and of the babaçu forests are therefore intricately intertwined.
How has been assessed the innovation competency in companies and universities?
Authors: Ramirez Bayarri Lucia , Marin-Garcia Juan A. , Atares Huertas Lorena
Published: December 2016

Companies, in order to increase their competitiveness in a changing environment, demand innovative people. They must be able to measure the innovative competence of individuals. Universities, meanwhile, are training future professionals and have raised the need to strengthen and work the innovation skills of their students, thus promoting access to employment and in turn increasing the competitiveness of both companies and the society. Through this literature review (27 references), innovation competence in the professional field is addressed by studying how companies detect and measure competence of their workers. Moreover, it analyzes how universities work this competence with their students.
Alien life matters: reflections on cosmopolitanism, otherness, and astrobiology
Authors: Novoa Andre
Published: December 2016

This is a synaptic paper that invites the reader to take a stroll on the edges of cross-disciplinary knowledge. We will walk the roads of anthropology, history, philosophy, astronomy and biology. It is mainly a theoretical article, where I attempt to provide links between authors and theories that were, at first sight, unrelated. In doing so, this paper is aimed at making one controversial claim: ideologically and politically speaking, cosmopolitanism may never fully transcend itself beyond a debate until and unless humankind encounters alien life forms. The argument is based on a simple equation. Despite all the quarrels and debates around the concept, it seems innocuous to assume that cosmopolitanism is the search for a certain universal identity or, at least, a search for a common culturalia, i.e. the cultural grounds wherein local and global senses of universalism come into being (section 2). In spite of the fact that identities are built in opposition and supported by difference (section 3), cosmopolitanism might only be possible as a political project (cosmopolitics) when humankind is faced with life forms that are capable of providing true Otherness. I believe that this may explain why we have been fascinated by the utopias of extra-terrestrials for many centuries now (section 4). These utopias are present in a diverse array of knowledges, ranging from science to art, literature or even religion. They have been around for at least 500 years. Until now, all of them have been trapped in the realm of imagination, but there is one concrete cluster of knowledge that has attempted to transpose these imaginings into reality: the promising discipline of astrobiology. Astrobiology is mainly troubled by the de-naturalisation of Earth in order to create analogues for the study of life elsewhere in the cosmos. Provocatively, I end up this paper stating that this may well be the most cosmopolitical practice available to us (section 5).
Revisiting the Correlations of Peak Luminosity with Spectral Lag and Peak Energy of the Observed Gamma-ray Bursts
Authors: Jo Yun-A , Chang Heon-Young
Published: December 2016

An analysis of light curves and spectra of observed gamma-ray bursts in gamma-ray ranges is frequently demanded because the prompt emission contains immediate details regarding the central engine of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). We have revisited the relationship between the collimation-corrected peak luminosity and the spectral lag, investigating the lag-luminosity relationships in great detail by focusing on spectral lags resulting from all possible combinations of channels. Firstly, we compiled the opening angle data and demonstrated that the distribution of opening angles of 205 long GRBs is represented by a double Gaussian function having maxima at ~ 0.1 and ~ 0.3 radians. We confirmed that the peak luminosity and the spectral lag are anti-correlated, both in the observer frame and in the source frame. We found that, in agreement with our previous conclusion, the correlation coefficient improves significantly in the source frame. It should be noted that spectral lags involving channel 2 (25-50 keV) yield high correlation coefficients, where Swift/Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) has four energy channels (channel 1: 15-25 keV, channel 2: 25-50 keV, channel 3: 50-100 keV, channel 4: 100-200 keV). We also found that peak luminosity is positively correlated with peak energy.
Investigating Exoplanet Orbital Evolution Around Binary Star Systems with Mass Loss
Authors: Rahoma Walid A.
Published: December 2016

A planet revolving around binary star system is a familiar system. Studies of these systems are important because they provide precise knowledge of planet formation and orbit evolution. In this study, a method to determine the evolution of an exoplanet revolving around a binary star system using different rates of stellar mass loss will be introduced. Using a hierarchical triple body system, in which the outer body can be moved with the center of mass of the inner binary star as a two-body problem, the long period evolution of the exoplanet orbit is determined depending on a Hamiltonian formulation. The model is simulated by numerical integrations of the Hamiltonian equations for the system over a long time. As a conclusion, the behavior of the planet orbital elements is quite affected by the rate of the mass loss from the accompanying binary star.
Determination of the Parameter Sets for the Best Performance of IPS-driven ENLIL Model
Authors: Yun Jongyeon , Choi Kyu-Cheol , Yi Jonghyuk , Kim Jaehun , Odstrčil Dusan
Published: December 2016

Interplanetary scintillation-driven (IPS-driven) ENLIL model was jointly developed by University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and National Aeronaucics and Space Administration/Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA/GSFC). The model has been in operation by Korean Space Weather Cetner (KSWC) since 2014. IPS-driven ENLIL model has a variety of ambient solar wind parameters and the results of the model depend on the combination of these parameters. We have conducted researches to determine the best combination of parameters to improve the performance of the IPS-driven ENLIL model. The model results with input of 1,440 combinations of parameters are compared with the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) observation data. In this way, the top 10 parameter sets showing best performance were determined. Finally, the characteristics of the parameter sets were analyzed and application of the results to IPS-driven ENLIL model was discussed.
On the Variability of the Ionospheric F2-Layer During the Quietest Days in December 2009
Authors: Kim Vitaly P. , Hegai Valery V.
Published: December 2016

December 2009 was one of the quietest (monthly Ap=2) months over the last eight decades. It provided an excellent opportunity to study the day-to-day variability of the F2 layer with the smallest contribution due to geomagnetic activity. With this aim, we analyze hourly values of the F2-layer critical frequency (foF2) recorded at 18 ionosonde stations during the magnetically quietest (Ap=0) days of the month. The foF2 variability is quantified as the relative standard deviation of foF2 about the mean of all the “zero-Ap” days of December 2009. This case study may contribute to a more clear vision of the F2-layer variability caused by sources not linked to geomagnetic activity. In accord with previous studies, we find that there is considerable “zero-Ap” variability of foF2 all over the world. At most locations, foF2 variability is presumably affected by the passage of the solar terminator. The patterns of foF2 variability are different at different stations. Possible causes of the observed diurnal foF2 variability may be related to “meteorological” disturbances transmitted from the lower atmosphere or/and effects of the intrinsic turbulence of the ionosphere-atmosphere system.
The First Measurement of Seasonal Trends in the Equatorial Ionospheric Anomaly Trough at the CHUK GNSS Site During the Solar Maximum in 2014
Authors: Chung Jong-Kyun , Yoo Sung-Moon , Lee Wookyoung
Published: December 2016

The equatorial region of the Earth’s ionosphere exhibits large temporal variations in electron density that have significant implications on satellite signal transmissions. In this paper, the first observation results of the variations in the trough of the equatorial ionospheric anomaly at the permanent Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) site in Chuuk (Geographic: 7.5° N, 151.9° E; Geomagnetic: 0.4° N) are presented. It was found that the daytime Global Positioning System (GPS) total electron content (TEC) values vary according to the 27 day period of solar rotation , and that these trends show sharp contrast with those of summer. The amplitudes of the semi-annual anomaly were 12.4 TECU (33 %) on 19th of March and 8.8 TECU (23 %) on 25th of October respectively, with a yearly averaged value of 38.0 TECU. The equinoctial asymmetry at the March equinox was higher than that at the October equinox rather than the November equinox. Daily mean TEC values were higher in December than in June, which could be interpreted as annual or winter anomalies. The nighttime GPS TEC enhancements during 20:00-24:00 LT also exhibited the semi-annual variation. The pre-midnight TEC enhancement could be explained with the slow loss process of electron density that is largely produced during the daytime of equinox. However, the significant peaks around 22:00-23:00 LT at the spring equinox require other mechanisms other than the slow loss process of the electron density.
Abnormal Winter Melting of the Arctic Sea Ice Cap Observed by the Spaceborne Passive Microwave Sensors
Authors: Lee Seongsuk , Yi Yu
Published: December 2016

The spatial size and variation of Arctic sea ice play an important role in Earth’s climate system. These are affected by conditions in the polar atmosphere and Arctic sea temperatures. The Arctic sea ice concentration is calculated from brightness temperature data derived from the Defense Meteorological Satellite program (DMSP) F13 Special Sensor Microwave/Imagers (SSMI) and the DMSP F17 Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMIS) sensors. Many previous studies point to significant reductions in sea ice and their causes. We investigated the variability of Arctic sea ice using the daily sea ice concentration data from passive microwave observations to identify the sea ice melting regions near the Arctic polar ice cap. We discovered the abnormal melting of the Arctic sea ice near the North Pole during the summer and the winter. This phenomenon is hard to explain only surface air temperature or solar heating as suggested by recent studies. We propose a hypothesis explaining this phenomenon. The heat from the deep sea in Arctic Ocean ridges and/ or the hydrothermal vents might be contributing to the melting of Arctic sea ice. This hypothesis could be verified by the observation of warm water column structure below the melting or thinning arctic sea ice through the project such as Coriolis dataset for reanalysis (CORA).
Edge Detection Method Based on Neural Networks for COMS MI Images
Authors: Lee Jin-Ho , Park Eun-Bin , Woo Sun-Hee
Published: December 2016

Communication, Ocean And Meteorological Satellite (COMS) Meteorological Imager (MI) images are processed for radiometric and geometric correction from raw image data. When intermediate image data are matched and compared with reference landmark images in the geometrical correction process, various techniques for edge detection can be applied. It is essential to have a precise and correct edged image in this process, since its matching with the reference is directly related to the accuracy of the ground station output images. An edge detection method based on neural networks is applied for the ground processing of MI images for obtaining sharp edges in the correct positions. The simulation results are analyzed and characterized by comparing them with the results of conventional methods, such as Sobel and Canny filters.
Fermi Large Area Telescope Observations of the Dark Accelerator HESS J1745-303
Authors: Yeung Paul
Published: December 2016

Reviewing the two MeV-GeV investigations in the field of the HESS J1745-303 performed using Fermi Large Area Telescope data, we confirmed that the emission peak comfortably coincides with ‘Region A’ in the TeV regime, which is the brightest part of this feature. The MeV–TeV spectrum can be precisely described by a single power-law. Also, recent investigation has shown that the MeV-GeV feature is elongated from ‘Region A’ toward the north-west, which is similar to the case of largescale atomic/molecular gas distribution.
Uncertainty Requirement Analysis for the Orbit, Attitude, and Burn Performance of the 1st Lunar Orbit Insertion Maneuver
Authors: Song Young-Joo , Bae Jonghee , Kim Young-Rok , Kim Bang-Yeop
Published: December 2016

In this study, the uncertainty requirements for orbit, attitude, and burn performance were estimated and analyzed for the execution of the 1st lunar orbit insertion (LOI) maneuver of the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) mission. During the early design phase of the system, associate analysis is an essential design factor as the 1st LOI maneuver is the largest burn that utilizes the onboard propulsion system; the success of the lunar capture is directly affected by the performance achieved. For the analysis, the spacecraft is assumed to have already approached the periselene with a hyperbolic arrival trajectory around the moon. In addition, diverse arrival conditions and mission constraints were considered, such as varying periselene approach velocity, altitude, and orbital period of the capture orbit after execution of the 1st LOI maneuver. The current analysis assumed an impulsive LOI maneuver, and two-body equations of motion were adapted to simplify the problem for a preliminary analysis. Monte Carlo simulations were performed for the statistical analysis to analyze diverse uncertainties that might arise at the moment when the maneuver is executed. As a result, three major requirements were analyzed and estimated for the early design phase. First, the minimum requirements were estimated for the burn performance to be captured around the moon. Second, the requirements for orbit, attitude, and maneuver burn performances were simultaneously estimated and analyzed to maintain the 1st elliptical orbit achieved around the moon within the specified orbital period. Finally, the dispersion requirements on the B-plane aiming at target points to meet the target insertion goal were analyzed and can be utilized as reference target guidelines for a mid-course correction (MCC) maneuver during the transfer. More detailed system requirements for the KPLO mission, particularly for the spacecraft bus itself and for the flight dynamics subsystem at the ground control center, are expected to be prepared and established based on the current results, including a contingency trajectory design plan.
Influence of the spatial distribution of gravity wave activity on the middle atmospheric dynamics
Authors: Šácha Petr , Lilienthal Friederike , Jacobi Christoph , Pišoft Petr
Published: December 2016

Abstract. Analysing GPS radio occultation density profiles, we have recently pointed out a localised area of enhanced gravity wave (GW) activity and breaking in the lower stratosphere of the east Asian–northwestern Pacific (EA/NP) region. With a mechanistic model of the middle and upper atmosphere, experiments are performed to study the possible effect of such a localised GW breaking region on large-scale circulation and transport and, more generally, a possible influence of the spatial distribution of gravity wave activity on middle atmospheric dynamics.The results indicate the important role of the spatial distribution of GW activity for polar vortex stability, formation of planetary waves and for the strength and structure of zonal-mean residual circulation. Furthermore, a possible effect of a zonally asymmetric GW breaking in the longitudinal variability of the Brewer–Dobson circulation is analysed. Finally, consequences of our results for a variety of research topics (e.g. sudden stratospheric warming, atmospheric blocking, teleconnection patterns and a compensation mechanism between resolved and unresolved drag) are discussed.
Assessing performance and seasonal bias of pollen-based climate reconstructions in a perfect model world
Authors: Rehfeld Kira , Trachsel Mathias , Telford Richard J. , Laepple Thomas
Published: December 2016

Abstract. Reconstructions of summer, winter or annual mean temperatures based on the species composition of bio-indicators such as pollen, foraminifera or chironomids are routinely used in climate model–proxy data comparison studies. Most reconstruction algorithms exploit the joint distribution of modern spatial climate and species distribution for the development of the reconstructions. They rely on the space-for-time substitution and the specific assumption that environmental variables other than those reconstructed are not important or that their relationship with the reconstructed variable(s) should be the same in the past as in the modern spatial calibration dataset. Here we test the implications of this “correlative uniformitarianism” assumption on climate reconstructions in an ideal model world, in which climate and vegetation are known at all times. The alternate reality is a climate simulation of the last 6000 years with dynamic vegetation. Transient changes of plant functional types are considered as surrogate pollen counts and allow us to establish, apply and evaluate transfer functions in the modeled world. We find that in our model experiments the transfer function cross validation r2 is of limited use to identify reconstructible climate variables, as it only relies on the modern spatial climate–vegetation relationship. However, ordination approaches that assess the amount of fossil vegetation variance explained by the reconstructions are promising. We furthermore show that correlations between climate variables in the modern climate–vegetation relationship are systematically extended into the reconstructions. Summer temperatures, the most prominent driving variable for modeled vegetation change in the Northern Hemisphere, are accurately reconstructed. However, the amplitude of the model winter and mean annual temperature cooling between the mid-Holocene and present day is overestimated and similar to the summer trend in magnitude. This effect occurs because temporal changes of a dominant climate variable, such as summer temperatures in the model's Arctic, are imprinted on a less important variable, leading to reconstructions biased towards the dominant variable's trends. Our results, although based on a model vegetation that is inevitably simpler than reality, indicate that reconstructions of multiple climate variables based on modern spatial bio-indicator datasets should be treated with caution. Expert knowledge on the ecophysiological drivers of the proxies, as well as statistical methods that go beyond the cross validation on modern calibration datasets, are crucial to avoid misinterpretation.
Highly variable Pliocene sea surface conditions in the Norwegian Sea
Authors: Bachem Paul E. , Risebrobakken Bjørg , De Schepper Stijn , McClymont Erin L.
Published: December 2016

Abstract. The Pliocene was a time of global warmth, during which the Northern Hemisphere transitioned from small, sporadic glaciation towards the larger-scale Pleistocene glacial-interglacial variability. Here, we present high-resolution records of sea surface temperature (SST) and ice rafted debris (IRD) in the Norwegian Sea from 5.32 to 3.14 Ma, providing evidence that the Pliocene surface conditions of the Norwegian Sea underwent a series of transitions in response to orbital forcing and gateway changes. Average SSTs are 2 °C above the regional Holocene mean, with notable variability on millennial to orbital timescales. Both gradual changes and threshold effects are proposed for the progression of regional climate towards the expansion of large-scale Northern Hemisphere glaciation. Cooling from 4.5 to 4.3 Ma may be linked to the onset of poleward flow through the Bering Strait. This cooling was further intensified by a period of cool summers due to weak obliquity forcing. Warming of up to 7 °C the Norwegian Sea at 4.0 Ma suggests a major increase in northward heat transport from the North Atlantic at this time, leading to an enhanced zonal SST gradient in the Nordic Seas, and may be linked to the expansion of sea ice in the Arctic and Nordic Seas. A warm Norwegian Sea and enhanced zonal temperature gradient between 4.0 and 3.6 Ma may have been a priming factor for increased glaciation around the Nordic Seas due to enhanced evaporation and precipitation at high northern latitudes.
Effects and consideration of storm movement in rainfall–runoff modelling at the basin scale
Authors: Sigaroodi Shahram Khalighi , Chen Qiuwen
Published: December 2016

Abstract. A number of studies have emphasized the effects of rainfall movement on runoff simulation; nevertheless, due to the lack of rain gauges inside sub-basins, a method using a hyetograph of the nearest gauges to a sub-basin is usually employed. This study investigated the effects of neglecting rainfall movement on overland simulation results in even a middle-sized basin. Simulations were carried out under two conditions: (1) stationary conditions where the nearest gauge hyetograph was used and rainfall movement was ignored, which is quite common in the case of a lack of data, and (2) moving conditions where a shifted hyetograph based on hyetograph timing recorded in the basin was used. The simulation results were compared with the measured discharge at the outlets. The results revealed that using the shifted hyetograph, which could consider the rainfall movement over sub-basins, decreased the mismatches between the simulated and observed hydrograph. In some of the cases, the shifted hyetograph reduced the relative difference more than 20 %. The study provided a useful method to cope with rainfall movement in runoff modelling of sparsely gauged large watersheds.
High-resolution modeling of atmospheric dispersion of dense gas using TWODEE-2.1: application to the 1986 Lake Nyos limnic eruption
Authors: Folch Arnau , Barcons Jordi , Kozono Tomofumi , Costa Antonio
Published: December 2016

Abstract. Atmospheric dispersal of a gas denser than air can threat the environment and surrounding communities if the terrain and meteorological conditions favor its accumulation in topographic depressions, thereby reaching toxic concentration levels. Numerical modeling of atmospheric gas dispersion constitutes a useful tool for gas hazard assessment studies, essential for planning risk mitigation actions. In complex terrains, microscale winds and local orographic features can have a strong influence on the gas cloud behavior, potentially leading to inaccurate results if not captured by coarser-scale modeling. We introduce a methodology for microscale wind field characterization based on transfer functions that couple a mesoscale Numerical Weather Prediction Model with a microscale Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model for the atmospheric boundary layer. The resulting time-dependent high-resolution microscale wind field is used as input for a shallow-layer gas dispersal model (TWODEE-2.1) to simulate the time evolution of CO2 gas concentration at different heights above the terrain. The strategy is applied to review simulations of the 1986 Lake Nyos event in Cameroon, where a huge CO2 cloud released by a limnic eruption spread downslopes from the lake suffocating thousands of people and animals across the Nyos and adjacent secondary valleys. Besides several new features introduced in the new version of the gas dispersal code (TWODEE-2.1), we have also implemented a novel impact criterion based on the percentage of human fatalities depending on CO2 concentration and exposure time. New model results are quantitatively validated using the reported percentage of fatalities at several locations. The comparison with previous simulations that assumed coarser-scale steady winds and topography illustrates the importance of high-resolution modeling in complex terrains.
Strain localization and dynamic recrystallization in the ice–air aggregate: a numerical study
Authors: Steinbach Florian , Bons Paul D. , Griera Albert , Jansen Daniela , Llorens Maria-Gema , Roessiger Jens , Weikusat Ilka
Published: December 2016

Abstract. We performed numerical simulations on the microdynamics of ice with air inclusions as a second phase. Our aim was to investigate the rheological effects of air inclusions and explain the onset of dynamic recrystallization in the permeable firn. The simulations employ a full-field theory crystal plasticity code coupled to codes simulating dynamic recrystallization processes and predict time-resolved microstructure evolution in terms of lattice orientations, strain distribution, grain sizes and grain-boundary network. Results show heterogeneous deformation throughout the simulations and indicate the importance of strain localization controlled by air inclusions. This strain localization gives rise to locally increased energies that drive dynamic recrystallization and induce heterogeneous microstructures that are coherent with natural firn microstructures from EPICA Dronning Maud Land ice coring site in Antarctica. We conclude that although overall strains and stresses in firn are low, strain localization associated with locally increased strain energies can explain the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization.
Radiocarbon dating of glacier ice: overview, optimisation, validation and potential
Authors: Uglietti Chiara , Zapf Alexander , Jenk Theo Manuel , Sigl Michael , Szidat Sönke , Salazar Gary , Schwikowski Margit
Published: December 2016

Abstract. High-altitude glaciers and ice caps from midlatitudes and tropical regions contain valuable signals of past climatic and environmental conditions as well as human activities, but for a meaningful interpretation this information needs to be placed in a precise chronological context. For dating the upper part of ice cores from such sites, several relatively precise methods exist, but they fail in the older and deeper parts, where plastic deformation of the ice results in strong annual layer thinning and a non-linear age–depth relationship. If sufficient organic matter such as plant, wood or insect fragments were found, radiocarbon (14C) analysis would have thus been the only option for a direct and absolute dating of deeper ice core sections. However such fragments are rarely found and, even then, they would not be very likely to occur at the desired depth and resolution. About 10 years ago, a new, complementary dating tool was therefore introduced by our group. It is based on extracting the µg-amounts of the water-insoluble organic carbon (WIOC) fraction of carbonaceous aerosols embedded in the ice matrix for subsequent 14C dating. Since then this new approach has been improved considerably by reducing the measurement time and improving the overall precision. Samples with ∼ 10 µg WIOC mass can now be dated with reasonable uncertainty of around 10–20 % (variable depending on sample age). This requires about 300 to 800 g of ice for WIOC concentrations typically found in midlatitude and low-latitude glacier ice. Dating polar ice with satisfactory age precision is still not possible since WIOC concentrations are around 1 order of magnitude lower. The accuracy of the WIOC 14C method was validated by applying it to independently dated ice. With this method, the deepest parts of the ice cores from Colle Gnifetti and the Mt Ortles glacier in the European Alps, Illimani glacier in the Bolivian Andes, Tsambagarav ice cap in the Mongolian Altai, and Belukha glacier in the Siberian Altai have been dated. In all cases a strong annual layer thinning towards the bedrock was observed and the oldest ages obtained were in the range of 10 000 years. WIOC 14C dating was not only crucial for interpretation of the embedded environmental and climatic histories, but additionally gave a better insight into glacier flow dynamics close to the bedrock and past glacier coverage. For this the availability of multiple dating points in the deepest parts was essential, which is the strength of the presented WIOC 14C dating method, allowing determination of absolute ages from principally every piece of ice.
Reseña. María Auxiliadora Balladares, Todos en un abrir y cerrar de ojos. El claroscuro en la poesía de Blanca Varela. Quito: PUCE, 2015.
Authors: Mosquera Fabian Dario
Published: December 2016

Reseña sobre libro de Maria Auxiliadora Balladares En un abrir y cerrar de ojos
Reseña. Marina Alvarado Cornejo, Revistas culturales y literarias chilenas de 1900 a 1920: legitimadoras del campo literario nacional. Santiago de Chile: Editorial Cuarto Propio, 2016.
Authors: Santa Cruz Eduardo
Published: December 2016

resena
Public works: Building a Monument to Modern Buenos Aires
Authors: Allen-Mossman Anayvelyse
Published: December 2016

Understanding the relationship between the project of modernity and urbanism has been key to understanding the city of Buenos Aires’ material transformations throughout the 20th century. This paper considers how thinking about the issues of modernity and urbanism from the perspective of monuments--namely, the Obelisk of Buenos Aires--sheds new light on how elements of this modernizing project were undertaken and how its material markers have been used and manipulated, and modified through their representation in cultural discourse on the city. Rethinking Buenos Aires from the Obelisk implies literally thinking from underground, from the subway lines that form its base and transform it into a popular symbol of mobility.
Monumentos, monstruos y espectros: la figura del proletario en Argentina (1920-1950)
Authors: Del Cogliano Marcos
Published: December 2016

La centralidad que adquiere el trabajo durante las primeras décadas del siglo XX en Argentina responde a un contexto específico. Se trata de un período de intensa industrialización en el que una multitud de inmigrantes llegaba cotidianamente a las grandes ciudades. La fábrica y la oficina emergieron, entonces, como los motores de nuevas formas de incorporar esas masas a la ciudadanía. El trabajo se volvió un poderoso mecanismo para asignar una identidad y disciplinar a los sujetos: el intimidante forastero se convertía a partir de su lugar en el aparato de producción en el “obrero”, en el “oficinista”. O, directamente, en el proletario. Sin embargo, en la representación también se jugaba la resistencia. A partir del análisis de un contexto cultural espeso (que incluye discursos políticos, revistas de izquierda, así como iconografía o experimentos culturales en torno al trabajo) en este artículo exploro la forma en que durante las primeras décadas del siglo veinte la representación del proletario se transformó en un campo disputas para distintos modos de politización de los sujetos.
Reseña. Andrea Jeftanovic, Destinos errantes. Barcelona: Editorial Comba, 2016.
Authors: Ternicier Constanza
Published: December 2016

Reseña sobre Destinos errantes, último libro de la escritora chilena Andrea Jeftanovic.
Tango: la ficción y la Argentina portátil
Authors: Montaldo Graciela
Published: December 2016

Este artículo se centra en un caso temprano del Hispanismo transnacional: la figura del escritor español Vicente Blasco-Ibáñez, que viajó a la Argentina en 1909, escribió una novela con personajes argentinos (Los cuatro jinetes del Apocalipsis, 1916) y fue internacionalmente reconocido por la película basada en la novela (1921). La película se filmó en Los Angeles, donde comenzó la “Blascomanía”. Rodolfo Valentino, vestido de gaucho, bailó el tango y pronto comenzó la “fiebre del tango”. El escritor global y la industria cinematográfica global desarrollaron nuevos territorios argentinos en el mercado global de la cultura.
Paisajes de sobrevida
Authors: Giorgi Gabriel
Published: December 2016

Algunas de las investigaciones contemporáneas más significativas en la literatura y en el arte de Brasil y del Cono Sur giran en torno a la cuestión de la memoria, el umbral entre lo vivo y lo muerto y las formas en las que temporalidades en conflicto y anacronismos articulan una crítica del presente. La memoria, evidentemente, se ha vuelto un terreno saturado políticamente en las democracias de América del Sir, donde las “políticas de la memoria”, conjugadas entre el testimonio y las pedagogías colectivas- definen en gran parte la articulación entre cultura y política. En este contexto, las instalaciones y la escritura de Nuno Ramos, trabajando en el terreno inestable entre lo vivo y lo muerto, lo orgánico y lo inorgánico, lo fosilizado y lo espectral, representan una intervención decisiva. En el trabajo de Ramos, la memoria nunca es enteramente humana; es inseparable de cuerpos y materias no humanas. Este ensayo se focaliza en los “paisajes de sobrevida” en los que la configuración de esta perspectiva crítica del trabajo de Ramos interroga y reformula las maneras en las que la memoria y lo política se entrecruzan allí donde la noción misma de vida –el bios ­que articula lo biopolítico- está en juego.
Beauvoir's Reading of Biology in The Second Sex
Authors: Peña-Guzmán David M.
Published: December 2016

This article offers a systematic treatment of Beauvoir's reading of biology in The Second Sex. Following Gatens (2003)'s suggestion that this chapter has not received the scholarly consideration it demands and deserves, it explains key aspects of Beauvoir's relationship to biological reason by (i) re-telling the story of Beauvoir's early life from the perspective of her scientific education, (ii) rationally reconstructing her argument in the chapter on "Biological Data," and (iii) exploring the philosophical orientation of her argument using the Frankfurt School model of 'immanent critique.' By illuminating Beauvoir's reading of biology (including evolutionary theory, developmental biology, and physiology), this article contributes to our understanding of her philosophy while also deflating the widespread assumption that existentialist philosophy (including Beauvoir's brand of it) is inherently 'anti-science.'
Mysticism and War: Reflections on Bergson and his Reception During World War I
Authors: Jones Donna V.
Published: December 2016

Once we grasp Bergson’s new conception of an intuitive metaphysics premised on a distance from action, it seems unlikely that a connection could be found between this metaphysics and an activist philosophy of war. In this essay I shall revisit Bergson’s metaphysics to see how they could have been understood to provide support for war. I discuss how Bergson’s metaphysics by way of its number theoretical understanding of oneness was thought to mirror or express the limit experience of war that attracted many intellectuals hungry for a shattering of conventional limits on what held up as reality. Finally I suggest that Bergson subtly changed his understanding of the élan vital in the course of the Great War, compromising in the process its initially non-teleological character in order to ensure that his doctrines would only be implicated in international peace, not jingoistic war propaganda.
The Intuitive Recommencement of Metaphysics
Authors: Riquier Camille
Published: December 2016

If we are to understand the complex relationship between Bergson and Kant, we must not approach the former’s philosophy as if it could only be either pre-critical or post-Kantian. Instead, the present essay seeks to shed light on this relationship by treating Kant (after Descartes and before Spencer) as another “missing precursor of Bergson.” In Bergson’s eyes, Kant, like Descartes, contains two possible paths for philosophy, which reflect the two fundamental tendencies that are mixed together in the élan vital and continued in humankind: intuition and intelligence. Bergson breaks with Kant from the interior of his philosophy, which he divides into two Kantianisms: the one, which he rejects as ancient, and the other, which he appropriates. What the analysis of this Bergsonian appropriation of Kant reveals, however, is not the existence of a latent Bergsonism in Kant, but rather the recovery of a Kantianism that is completed in Bergson—a Kantianism that embarked down a path that Kant himself, who held himself back from following it in order to dispense with all “intellectual” intuition, had only sketched. Thus, if Bergson is to be believed, an intuitive metaphysics, which installs itself in pure duration, is neither below nor beyond Kantian critique, but can pass through it, can traverse it in its entirety, since it proposes to surpass it, to prolong it following the path that Kant himself had cleared in order to fulfill its suppressed virtualities.
On Bergson's Reformation of Philosophy
Authors: Ansell-Pearson Keith
Published: December 2016

In this essay I focus on the text Creative Evolution (1907) and show that although Bergson intended to make a contribution to the science of biology and to the philosophy of life, the primary aim of the text is to show the need for a fundamental reformation of philosophy. Bergson wants to show how, through an appreciation of the evolution of life, philosophy can expand our perception of the universe. I examine in detail the two essential claims he makes in the text: first, that we have to see the theory of knowledge and the theory of life as deeply related; second, that there is a need to “think beyond the human condition” or human state. Indeed, Bergson conceives philosophy as the discipline that “raises us above the human condition” and makes the effort to “surpass” it. This reveals itself to be something of an extraordinary endeavour since it means bringing the human intellect into rapport with other kinds of consciousness. Moreover, if we do not place our thinking about the nature, character, and limits of knowledge within the context of the evolution of life then we risk uncritically accepting the concepts that have been placed at our disposal. It means we think within pre-existing frames. We need, then, to ask two questions: first, how has the human intellect evolved?, and second, how can we enlarge and go beyond the frames of knowledge available to us?