Towards closure between measured and modelled UV under clear skies at four diverse sites

The purpose of this work is determine the extent of closure between measurements and models of UV irradiances at diverse sites using state of the art instruments, models, and the best available data as inputs to the models. These include information about aerosol optical depth (unfortunately not extending down as far into the UVB region as desirable because such information is not generally available), ozone column amounts, as well as vertical profiles of temperature. We concentrate on clear-sky irradiances, and report the results in terms of UV Index (UVI)

Métodos de reconocimiento del subsuelo

The aim of this workshop is to present the main methods of subsoil studies (namely mechanical and geophysical methods) to the Earth Sciences professorate. These methods frequently involve the use of specific material. The different methods are usually taught in the classroom where there is no real contact between the students and the equipment. Several activities, all of them taking place in surrounding areas of the university campus of Girona, will provide the assistants to the workshop with the opportunity of making measurements with different equipment. These activities will be made in the field so as to contribute to the resolution of a problem which will have been previously proposed. The problems presented are situations, most of them real, when subsoil investigation techniques are usually used. These cases have been employed as teaching-learning strategies with university and second grade students in the area of Girona. Finally, some examples of exercises involving the treatment of data obtained through subsoil investigation techniques are also presented to complement the workshop

Reconocimiento geofísico del deslizamiento de Rosiana (depresión de Tirajana, Gran Canaria)

The landslide of Rosiana is considered the largest slope movement amongst those known in historical times in Gran Canana, Canary Islands. It has been activated at least 4 times in the last century, and in the movement of 1956, when about 3.106 m3 of materials were involved, 250 people had to be evacuated and many buildings were destroyed. The present geological hazard has lead to specific studies of the phenomenon which, once characterised, can be used as a guide for the scientific and technical works that are to be made in this or similar areas. This paper wants to increase the knowledge about the unstable mass of Rosiana by using geophysical techniques based on the method of seismic by refraction. The geophysical measues have been interpreted with the aid of the available geomorphologic data, thus obtaining a first approximation to the geometry of the slope movements

Aplicació de tècniques geofísiques electromagnètiques a la localització de zones afectades per abocaments incontrolats de residus

Increase of the metropolitan area of cities provoking a progressive settlement of zones that previously had a different territorial use. These zones are usually located within city houndaries and for many years have been affected hy the waste of many kinds of residues. Qualitative analysis of the electrical behaviour of soil, based on maps and cross sections of apparent conductivity, allows us to locate anomalies generated by the wastes. Moreover, the electrornagnetic techniques (EM-31 and EM-34 Geonics devices) are cheaper than other survey methods. Two examples in the campus of the University of Girona, in the southern area of Girona city, illustrate the environmental problem and the applicability of the geophysical method

Participació de les aigües subterrànies en la gènesi d'ambients palustres continentals: el cas dels prats de Sant Sebastià (Caldes de Malavella, Girona)

The area known as 'prats de Sant Sebastià' is in Caldes de Malavella. It is part of the wetlands located in the south-eastern end of the Selva Basin. Several areas with unusually high conductivity (EC up to 24,500 uS/cm) have been identified in this place. This fact allows highly specialised and comparatively rare botanical species to grow in this area. These saline soils follow a north-south line-up. The geophysical data, obtained with a field conductivemeter (EM 31), show that this superficial line-up continues in the subsoil. In addition to this, the conductivity cartography, made for an electromagnetic exploration depth of 6 meters, shows that the width of the region where these salinity anomalies take place increases in depth. When included in the hidrogeological context of this sector of the Selva Basin, these data bring new elements for the study of the genesis and working of these marshy environments. The model that future research will have to confirm, maintains that the groundwater discharges coming from the underlying hydrogeothermal aquifer are a conditioning factor of the aforementioned phenomenon. This ascending flow of highly mineralised waters (TDS of about 3,500 mg/l) can produce and keep stable the soil salinity

Avaluació dels recursos d'àrids disponibles en medis fluvials mitjançant tècniques geofisiques. Aplicació a la cubeta de Celrà (Riu Ter, Ne Catalunya)

The depth of the water table and the clay content are determinant factors for the exploitability of natural aggregates, such as the alluvial sands and gravels found on the fluvial domain of the Ter River. In this preliminary study, carried out in the Celri basin, we conclude that these variables can be determined by means of geophysical methods and recornmends the use of such methods in studies of regional character

Investigación geofísica de los paleovalles pleistocenos del NE de Cataluña: el ejemplo de la Riera de Tossa (Costa Brava meridional)

The geometry of Riera de Tossa (Costa Brava, Catalonia) Pleistocene paleovalley has been studied by two geophysical prospecting methods: vertical electric sounding (VES-DC) and seismic refraction. The results show the existence of a sudden slope change of the thalweg that permits to differentiate two sections where erosion processes operated in unequal intensity. Based on geological and geomorphological available data, it can be inferred that this slope rupture is caused by the litological control imposed by the alineation of resistant materials, which limited the headward erosion extend of the creek during the Upper Pleistocene

Aislamiento, identificación y conservación de cultivos de bacterias lácticas antagonistas de microbiota contaminante de sangre de matadero

La sangre obtenida en el matadero es un producto altamente contaminado que requiere un procesamiento inmediato si se pretende utilizarla como insumo alimentario en la fabricación de productos destinados al consumo humano. Si bien es cierto que los sistemas de higienización podrían ser muy eficientes desde el punto de vista de calidad microbiológica, su instalación en la línea de sacrificio comportaría muchas dificultades desde el punto de vista técnico y en algún caso sería muy costoso. La bioconservación podría ser una alternativa para mejorar la calidad microbiológica de la sangre, alargar su vida útil y reducir las posibilidades de procesamiento inmediato. El presente estudio nos permitiría formular la posibilidad de aplicar la bioconservación en sangre de cerdo procedente de matadero industrial, utilizando bacterias ácido lácticas (BAL) como cultivo bioprotector, para lo cual se aislaron cepas de BAL autóctonas y se confeccionaron dos colecciones una de BAL mesófilas y otra de psicrótrofas. Se evaluó el potencial antagonista de la colección de BAL mesófilas y psicrótrofas a 30ºC y a 15ºC respectivamente frente a bacterias contaminantes habituales de este subproducto. Las BAL que demostraron antagonismo en placa (7,1% a 30ºC y 11% a 15ºC) fueron seleccionadas para evaluar el potencial antagonista en sangre, donde el efecto inhibitorio se vio favorecido por la adición de un 2% glucosa. S.aureus y P. fluorescens fueron los indicadores más inhibidos por las cepas mesófilas, en algunos casos con reducciones superiores a 7 unidades logarítmicas. En condiciones psicrótrofas la bacteria más sensible a la presencia de BAL fue Bacillus sp., donde 8 de las 11 BAL ensayadas permitieron reducciones superiores a 4 logs y 1cepa incluso superiores a 7 logs; se obtuvieron reducciones máximas de 3 logs de E.coli y Pseudomonas fue inhibida por todas las BAL ensayadas, en algún caso con reducciones superiores a 5 logs. Las 5 que cepas que presentaron el espectro de inhibición más amplio en condiciones mesófilas y 7 en condiciones psicrótrofas frente a los microorganismos indicadores contaminantes de sangre de matadero se identificaron mediante técnicas moleculares por comparación de la secuencias correspondientes al gen que codifica la síntesis de 16S ARNr (16S ADNr) con las secuencias publicadas en las bases de datos. De las 7 cepas antagonistas en condiciones psicrótrofas 5 se identificaron como Lactococcus garvieae y 2 como Enterococcus malodoratus/gilvius raffinosus. Todas las BAL con potencial antagonista en condiciones mesófilas pertenecían al género Lactobacillus, 3 de elllas se identificaron como Lactobacillus murinus/animalis y una se identificó como Lactobacillus reuteri. TA20 que tuvo un gran espectro de inhibición a ambas temperaturas se identificó como Lactococcus garvieae. En este estudio se evaluaron tres métodos de conservación a largo plazo de las cepas que mostraron potencial antagonista. Se comparó la liofilización, la atomización frente a la congelación a -80ºC que era método que se había utilizado hasta el momento para conservar ambas colecciones de BAL. En general, los métodos de deshidratación (atomización y liofilización) y mantenimiento en refrigeración a 5ºC de los cultivos deshidratados se han mostrado más eficaces que la congelación.