Localização e mapeamento simultâneos de ambientes planos usando visão monocular e representação híbrida do ambiente

The goal of this work is to propose a SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) solution based on Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) in order to make possible a robot navigates along the environment using information from odometry and pre-existing lines on the floor. Initially, a segmentation step is necessary to classify parts of the image in floor or non floor . Then the image processing identifies floor lines and the parameters of these lines are mapped to world using a homography matrix. Finally, the identified lines are used in SLAM as landmarks in order to build a feature map. In parallel, using the corrected robot pose, the uncertainty about the pose and also the part non floor of the image, it is possible to build an occupancy grid map and generate a metric map with the obstacle s description. A greater autonomy for the robot is attained by using the two types of obtained map (the metric map and the features map). Thus, it is possible to run path planning tasks in parallel with localization and mapping. Practical results are presented to validate the proposal

Estudo da circulação hidrodinâmica e da dispersão de óleo na zona costeira entre Macau e Galinhos RN

This paper presents a study on coastal hydrodynamics and the spread of an oil spill in waters off Macau and Galinhos, on the east coast of the state of Rio Grande do Norte in Northeast Brazil. This area has a very marked coastal dynamic owing to the complexity of its geomorphological features, developed in a regime of semidiurnal mesotides involving reefs, spits, estuaries, mangroves, lakes and dunes. The region also plays an important role in the socioeconomic development of the state, given that the production of oil, natural gas, salt and shrimp is concentrated there. The series of oil platforms is interconnected by a pipeline system that carries oil to the local terminal. This pipeline could leak at any moment, causing immense ecological damage. To gauge the risks of an oil leak and resulting contamination of the coastal region, two hydrodynamic scenarios were simulated. The results obtained were used to implement a contaminant transport model with the creation of various oil leak scenarios modeled at different volumes (from small to large) and intensities (sporadic and continuous), at points considered critical for the model (on two platforms and at two pipeline intersections), under different wind (summer and winter) and tidal (high and low at new, full and quarter moon phases) conditions. The use of hydrodynamic circulation computer models as a tool for representing a real project design has been increasingly frequent in recent years, given that they enable the realistic simulation of the hydrodynamic circulation pattern in bodies of water and an analysis of the impacts caused by contaminants released into the water. This study used the computer models contained in SisBAHIA®, in continuous development in the area of Coastal Engineering and Oceanography at COPPE/UFRJ

Diagnóstco geoambiental e avaliação de uso e ocupação do campo de dunas da zona especial de interesse turístco II (ZET-II) Natal/RN

The accelerated pressure of use and occupation of Rio Grande do Norte coastline in the last two decades presented the tourism as its main vector, having as a consequence a strong, articulated and growing real estate speculation of this area. In the Natal County there is a Zona Especial de Interesse Turistico II (Special Zone of Tourism Interest II) (ZET-II), consisted of urban beaches with approximately 8.5 km that is an important seashore of the city. The purpose of this research was identification, characterization and assessment of the process of use and occupation of dunes fields emphasizing the role of ZET-II, whereas the specific goals was the analysis of weather, geology and geomorphology, characterization of use and occupation of soil, and elaboration of an environmental diagnosis with identification and description of its mains consequences. The result of this work was the delineation of geologic-geomorphological map of the area with identification of principals units, determining its use and occupation, the measurement of the area already occupied by equipments, besides the description of the environmental impacts on dune fields: devastation, coastline erosion, ocean pollution by sewer and pluvial waters, contamination of groundwater, distribution inadequate of solid residues, landscape degradation, and occupation of seashore through the privatization of public areas. Concluding that the degrading changes occurred in this areas are resulting from the nature of use and urban seashore regulations, which have been diminishing the natural aspect, altering the landscape definitely, compromising the quality of hydro resources and altering its use, privatizing the areas between tides, complicating the population access and obstructing the scenery visualization of dunes and ocean. There is an urgent necessity of improvement of public politics in order to improve the strategies and organization of use and occupation of space urban-coastline

A percepção dos docentes da UFRN sobre o programa de apoio a planos de reestruturação e ampliação das universidades federais - REUNI

In recent decades higher education in Brazil has gone through several changes. The Programa de Reestruturação e Expansão das Universidades Federais REUNI has been the greatest overhaul performed by the government in public universities in the last years. REUNI is presented as the biggest reform in tertiary education in contemporary times, having as the main goal a gradual increase in the average rate of conclusion in live learning graduation courses up to 90%, as well as a rate expansion of graduating students in face to face classes per professor. This research aims at studying the perception of professors from UFRN concerning the REUNI program in execution from 2008 until 2012. The study seeks to understand how professors evaluate the program and what the dimensions that most influence in this evaluation are. The study made use of a research tool (survey) which was sent through the internal system of the university, SIGAdmin, to all professors of superior teaching from UFRN. The answers generated by the survey were processed using SPSS statistical software (Statistical Package for Social Science). Factorial Analysis and Multiple Linear Regression were used as an analysis technique. 180 answers were obtained, reaching all UFRN Centers and some academic units, as well as some campuses in the countryside of the state. Through the research was possible to analyze how professors from UFRN perceive the REUNI program implemented in the institution. The results point to the program approval by the professors. Statistical tests showed that the average values obtained in the Centers and academic units are basically the same. It was demonstrated that the extent that most influenced in the answers is linked to practical outcomes of the program, whereas the knowledge of REUNI goals was the least that impacted on the marks given to the program. Another dimension which influenced the perception of professors relates to the influence of REUNI in their activities. It was observed that professors from UFRN don t see REUNI as an impediment to them

O Serviço Social nas operadoras de planos privados de assistência à saúde: demandas, atribuições e respostas profissionais

The present study deals with the exercise of professional social workers in private health care plans registered with the Regional Council of Medicine/RN, in the city of Natal/RN, with regards to the demands/tasks, work conditions, and the professional response, given the climate of restructuring the capital. The set of socio-historical transformations, as a results of the dynamic capitalist, is a process of new configurations in relation to state and society that interfere directly in relation to working conditions, social rights historically won by workers. In this context, the operator of health plans arises as a possibilities to provide services in health, through the logic of the market, in which the subjects of law, become consumers contributing to the displacement of the responsibilities of the State. Obligating workers to lessen the burden with the reproduction of their workforce. This involves changing societal context for social service, since it is one of the professions that are active in terms of the immediate social issue, and come as part of the collective worker. From qualitative research based on a theoretical and methodological perspective and critical dialectics, it was possible to unveil some features and trends of the exercise of(a) social operators in private health care plans. The survey results indicated that : a) the demands and duties for certain social service, are associated with the redevelopment of the capital, whose requirements and responsibilities professionals have with their needs, particularly the guarantee of profit, services rendered; b) in the conditions of work there is a trend of insecurity uncertainty and dismantling of professionals; c) the answers professionals suffer the limits and contradictions present in the daily training, mainly depending one the characteristics of management and operation of the operators, which has professional relative autonomy

Análise fitoecológica do manguezal e ocupação das margens do estuário hipersalino apodi/mossoró (rn brasil) a biotecnologia vegetal como alternativa para a cotonicultura

The mangrove is a coastal ecosystem of the big ecological importance, showing high fragility front by natural process and the human interventions in the coastal zone. This research has objective to analyses the relation between mangrove species distribution and geochemical parameters variation of the water and soil in Apodi/Mossoro estuary, located in the Rio Grande do Norte state north coastline. The results were obtained from floristic and structural analysis of the vegetation and Quick Bird satellite images interpretation (collected in 2006 year), manipulated with ENVI 4.3 and ArcGIS 9.2 software s. This estuary was characterized by to presents a gradient of the salinity around 40 kilometers extension, finding amount between 50 and 90 g/l-1. Will be identified the formation of the mix vegetation formation in the estuary mount, where the water salinity no show express wide variation on seawater (36 g/l-1), finding species: Rhizophora mangle L., Laguncularia racemosa (L.) C. F. Gaertn, Avicennia schaueriana Stap. & Leechman e Avicennia germinans L. Along of the estuary, have a streak formation of the vegetation composed by Avicennia spp. and L. racemosa. In high estuary, where the salinities value stay above 60 g/l-1, only A. germinans predominate in dwarf form. In this sense, the salinity is as a limiting factor of stress on the mangrove vegetation as it enters the estuary, this parameter should be taken into account when drawing up management plans and environmental restoration in the estuary in question

Educomunicação: uma estratégia para promover o ambiente em uma área de proteção ambiental costeira

This study aimed to evaluate the potential of two public schools in Educommunication related to Environmental Protection Area Jenipabu (APAJ) located in Rio Grande do Norte / Brazil, based on perceptions of educommunicatives practices on the environment as well as perform an action included in the school APAJ. In the first phase of the research were three separate questionnaires designed to identify the actions, practices and experiences of three sets of audiences: teachers, students and parents from both schools. In the second phase, activities were carried out as educomunicatives class actions involving ride, maps of environmental design and construction of a mural on the school newspaper APAJ. We opted for the participant, making the observation in a previous visit to knowledge of the schools, where they made the first contacts with the administrative team, teachers and students, and then the application of semi-structured questionnaire to teachers, students and parents of the 4th and 5 years of elementary school the morning hours. The results showed the detachment of these actors in the knowledge, participation and involvement with APAJ, caused by the absence of actions and actions involving teaching practices educomunicatives students to interact with the environment, taking as its starting point the living space.

Zoneamento geoambiental como subsídio ao planejamento territorial municipal: estudo de caso para Currais Novos/RN

This paper presents the master plan and geoenvironmental zoning natures as instruments of environmental planning and management. The discussion of territory environmental planning is guided by two directions: at first the environmental elements involved in planning and the another is the implementation of these instruments at the municipal territory. To analyze the planning directed of the municipal territory we consider the fragments of its, represented by country and urban. The master plan inside of the Estatuto da Cidade (City Statute) and the geoenvironmental zoning are directed to territorial environmental planning. Regarding of the master plan the first challenge has been the spacial area that the plan can cover. It is necessary to prepare master plans that could include all the territory. The environmental zoning are directed for the territory totality.In this sense, the geoenvironmental zoning of the Currais Novos was done in the totality of the municipal territory and guided by the environmental physics variables. The geoenvironmental zoning sets in a planning and ordering of the territory instrument based in the landscape analysis. Therefore grounded in the Geosystems‟s Theory this work has like a main objective to propose a geoenvironmental zoning for the Currais Novos Municipality in RN. So, was used an analysis technique suggested for Bardin (2010) and the Currais Novos‟s physical environment characterization through of the fieldwork and cartographic data vectorization, beyond the image‟s treatment SRTM. The geoenvironmental systems definitions were based in the suggestion of Cestaro, et al. (2007) support in Bertrand (1968). For both were identified five geoenvironmental systems: Borborema Plateau, Residual plateau, Chapada da Serra de Santana, semiarid river valley and lagoon valley and eleven geoenvironmental subsystems: Borborema Plateau Western Slope, Isolated Massif of the Borborema Plateau, Residual Crest, Residual Massif, Erosional Scarp of the Chapada, flat top plateau, fluvial plains, temporary river of the semiarid and ornamental water or sluice

Caracterização da dinâmica ambiental da região costeira do município de Galinhos, litoral setentrional do Rio Grande do Norte

This doctorate thesis concerning on the Characterization of the Environmental Dynamics of the Coastal Area of the Municipal district of Galinhos, Septentrional Coast of Rio Grande do Norte State, is located in the influence area of the Guamaré Petroliferous Pole, having as general objective the understanding of the active coastal dynamics in the region of Galinhos, whose specific objectives were: To study the variation of the coast line in the decades of 1954, 1967,1988, 1996, 2000, from remote sensing products; To elucidate the hypothesis of the region of Galinhos to have been an old system of islands barriers, using as basic tool the penetration radar in the soil - GPR; To monitor and to characterize the coastal dynamics of the study area starting from monthly data of beach profiles, sedimentological analysis, hydrodynamic data and environmental characterization data; which were used to feed the database of the N-NE network of Environmental Monitoring of Areas under Influence of the Petroliferous Industry;(REDE05/FINEP/CNPq/CTPETRO/ PETROBRAS). This research is justified, of the environmental point of view, by involving the mangrove ecosystem considered one of the most delicated environments of the State. From the viewpoint of the petroleum exploration, the systems of islands barriers are favorable for hydrocarbons reservoirs and, consequently important targets to the oil and gas industry, becoming this region attractive in comparison with similar lithified environments. With the results of the variability study in the position of the coast line in the Municipal district of Galinhos/RN from the analysis of remote sensing images, it was possible to investigate the changes in the coast line in temporal scale; the use of directional filters allowed to emphasize linings in the direction NE and to identify submerged features such as sandwaves. The use of GPR enabled the confirmation of paleochannels existence and thus confirmed the hypothesis that the Galinhos spit was formed from an old system of islands barriers. The results of the granulometric analyses indicated that in the summer period the sediments in the profiles A and B in the foreshore portion were classified with the granulometry of sand with scattered gravel and in the shoreface were constituted by sand, but in the winter period these same morphologic compartments were constituted by sand with sparse gravel and siltic sand respectively. In the profile C, in the summer and in the winter, the shoreface and foreshore compartments presented predominantly constituted by sand with sparse gravel. The hydrodynamic results showed that the largest wave heights were registered in the month of February (62 cm) and the highest period of 1,00 m/s in the month of May, the sense of the coastal currents was kept among the quadrants SW and NW, and the winds coming from NE were predominant. The analysis of the beach profiles demonstrated that in the profile A, although it had occurred erosion and deposition during the monitored months, the morphology of the referred profile was kept constant. In the profiles B and C, there were abrupt changes in the morphology, during the monitored months, having been identified a cyclic pattern in the features of the foreshore zone sometimes forming longitudinal sandy bars and in other times forming berm. These results evidenced, therefore, that studies of this nature are of fundamental importance for the coastal zoning, aiming subsidies to the organs managers in the closing of decisions as for the implantation of enterprises in the area, and for the industry of the petroleum through generation of information that subsidize the implementation and location of petroliferous structures adequate to this environment

Dinâmica Costeira dos Campos petrolíferos Macau/Serra, litoral setentrional do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte

This thesis describes the general behavior of the northern shore of the State of Rio Grande do Norte relating beach profile morphology with hydrodynamic and sedimentological parameters. The Macau and Serra Oil Field are inserted on this area and are under accelerated coastal erosion. At these oil fields are installed oil wells from PETROBRAS, nowadays located directly in the shoreline, under constant attacks of coastal processes (e.g. waves, tides and currents), which promote an intense morphodynamic variability of this sandy coast. The area was monitored for 24 months in three different stations (P01, P02 and P03). The methodology applied involved current techniques of beach profiles, hydrodynamical processes, remote sensing and geophysics. A synthesis of results obtained through the use of different time scales (monthly, lunar cycle, seasonal, annual) from a coastal dynamics study is presented. The average wind direction corresponded to 77ºAz (NE). The steepness of the berm and of the shoreface, as well as coastal current direction, do not present major changes, with an average of 36º for the steepness of the berm, 15º for the shoreface and 15º for the coastal current direction. This data set allows us to infer that the months of larger coastal erosion were November/2000 and April/2001, because of the largest wave parameter during this time. The months of worse coastal erosion in this area are related with the increasing wavy energy. This in turn, seems to be related to seasonal climatic variations, with the wave energy and tide currents speed increasing during months of minor precipitations (June to January). The months of worse coastal erosion were September and November, when the largest wave parameters and speed currents are measured in the area. Since these months are included on the period of minor precipitations, we related the coastal erosion to seasonal climatic variations. The results obtained during these 24 months of monitoring confirms a situation of accentuated erosion, mainly in Profile 03 (Barra do Corta-Cachorro), where the wave height, period, and coastal current speed are always larger than the values found in Profile 02 (Macau5). Probably these values are more expressive in Profile 03, because it does not present any natural structure of protection against the wave impacts, as the barrier island located at Ponta do Tubarão, or the sand banks in front of Macau5. The transport of the sediments occurs from East to West, and the sand accumulation is more pronounced on Profile 03 intertidal zone, where there are embrionary dunes in dryer months. The tidal currents speed, on the other hand, is more accentuated in the Macau5 area (Profile 02). At Ponta do Tubarão, the tidal currents presented a preferential direction for NE, at times of flood, currents and for NW, at times of ebb current; at Barra do Corta-Cachorro the direction of the currents were predominantly for NW, independent of the tide phase, coinciding with the preferential direction of the longshore current. This currents inversion at Ponta do Tubarão is attributed to the presence of the Ponta do Tubarão island barrier and by the communication channel of the lagoon with the sea. The tide currents are better observed in protected areas, as in the Ponta do Tubarão, when they present inversion in their direction accordingly to the flood and ebb tide. In open areas, as in Barra do Corta-Cachorro, the tide currents are overprinted by the longshore currents. Sediment analysis does not show important modifications in grain size related to seasonality (dry- and rainy seasons). On the foreshore and backshore zones, the sediments vary from fine to medium sand, while in the shoreface they very from fine to very sands. The grains are mostly spheres, varying from sub rounded to sub angled. Quartz is the main component alongside Feldspat and heavy minerals as accessory components. Biogenic content is also present and mainly represented by mollusks fragments. The calculated sediment transport show values around 100 m3/day. The morphodynamic studies indicated that this is a reflexive area from October to April, and intermediate from May to September. The Relative Tide Range-RTR for this area is 4 < RTR < 15, and so classified in the mixed wave-tide group. Having this exposed we can affirm that the more active natural factors in this area are the currents, followed by the tides and the winds. The anthropic factors are exclusively local and punctual (Macau and Serra Oil Field). Taking in account the economic importance of the area, as well as the intensity of coastal processes acting on this shore, it is important a continuity of the monthly environmental monitoring looking for variations on longer-period cycles. These data have been stored on the geo-referenced database of the projects MARPETRO and PETRORISCO (REDE 05), aiming to model the coastal and sea environment, susceptible to oil spills and their derivatives

Análise da evolução costeira do litoral setentrional do estado do rio grande do norte, região sob influência da indústria petrolífera

The northern coast of Rio Grande do Norte State is characterized by strong changes in coastal morphology, caused by various geological and climatic factors. In this region are installed the main socio-economic activities of the State, highlighting the oil industry, which exerts much of its activities in the coastal area studied. Erosion is a constant problem in this region because it affects the entire local populace to the destruction of houses and trade, rendering tourism, affecting the livelihood activities and industrial activities. The greatest risk is related to environmental damage that can be caused by the oil spill in this region. To understand what determines the changes in coastal morphology this Doctoral Thesis is proposed to identify the factors at local, regional and even global corroborate coastal dynamics to this coast in question. For this study, used several different products and tools for interpreting the conditions of the erosive effect that dominates the whole northern coast of the State, in an attempt to quantify and describe the causes and effects that affect the entire coastal zone monitored. The development of activities is built into the projects Rede 05 PETROMAR (CTPETRO-FINEP/PETROBRAS/CNPq), PETRORISCO, HIDROSEMA, PETROMAR e Rede 05/04 POTMAR (FNDCT/CTPETROFINEP/ CNPq), in the activities of multidisciplinary and inter-features in issues involving environmental monitoring and oil activity

Análise de risco à erosão costeira na região de Tibau do Sul/RN através de mapeamento geoambiental e análise morfodinâmica

The research area is located on the county of Tibau do Sul, in the east coast of Rio Grande do Norte State, about 80km south of the capital Natal. The tourism represents the main income activity and Pipa beach is the most visited beach in the city, annually receives a large influx of domestic and foreign tourists. Some recent studies have reported the occurrence of coastal erosion in this littoral, being the main objective of the research, analyze the existing coastal erosion, through two methodologies, the geoenvironmental mapping and beach morphodynamics. The geoenvironmental mapping was done from oblique aerial photographs and field visits, which sought to carry out first the geomorphological mapping, with the purpose of analyzing features that suggest susceptible areas to erosion, as areas without protection of natural dunes, marine terraces, or sandstones (beach-rocks and ferruginous sandstones), areas with the presence of gullies and stretches where the sea-cliffs were in direct contact with the action of the sea, representing the beginning of the beach profile. In the morphodynamic study sought to carry out the survey of the physical and morphological characteristics, the analysis of sediment grain of the beaches and finally the analysis of the morphodynamic parameters to generate a table of risk to erosion by sector of the beach. The morphodynamic parameters were defined by the methodology proposed by Short (2006), in which considers different patterns of dynamism on beaches with characteristics favorable and unfavorable to erosive profiles. The maps indicated different levels of risk to the segments of the beaches analyzed, suggesting risk to erosion low and low to moderate only in areas north and northwest of the beaches of Madeiro and Curral, and levels of moderate and high risk sectors in the south and southeast of these beaches . The beach of Pipa showed moderate levels of risk and moderate to high at the ends and high risk to erosion in the central portion. The study of the coastal environment, its morphological evolution, and areas with problems of erosion, are of fundamental importance to assist coastal management policies, giving grants for planning activities undertaken in these regions

Aspectos Morfo-Dinâmicos daComplexo Lagunar Nísia Floresta-Papeba-Guaraíras, Região Costeira Sul Oriental Do RN

This dissertation presents the results of research developed in the Nísia Floresta-Papeba-Guaraíras Lagoon Complex, located on the south coast of the Rio Grande do Norte State. The main objectives of this dissertation were the stratrigraphic characterization, in detail scale, of the and the coastal dynamics study of the lagoonal deposits sedimentation, as well as the morpho-dynamic analysis of the area. Therefore, an interdisciplinary methodology was adopted, in which all sedimentological, morpho-tectonic and geomorphological data were integrated. Vibracore up to 4m in length were carried out in the lagoons. The referred lagoon complex made of a system of three lagoons that interact through two artificial channels, named Boqueirão and Surubajá. The Guaraíras lagoon, the largest one in the system, corresponds to the estuary zone of the Trairi and Jacu rivers. The sedimentary load brought by these rivers is strongly reworked by tide currents, forming an important net-work of channels and sandy bars inside this lagoon and close to its channel connection with the sea. The stratigraphic units of the area are Cenozoic in age, and are represented by sedimentary rocks of the Barreiras Formation (sandstones, mudstones and conglomerates) and by rocks beach, as well as by siliciclastics sediments related with the fluvial dynamics of tide plain (clay and sandy bars), and coast (sand dunes and beaches). Among the recognized geomorphologic aspects, there are the elements associated with continental enviroments (drainage basins of the Trairi, Baldum and Jacu rivers, coastal tableland supported by the Barreiras Formation), and transitional environments (lagoon complex, dune fields, cliffs, tidal channels and beach rocks lines). The morphotectonic analysis indicates that fauts affect Barreiras Formation sedimentary rocks, with two sets of main lineaments: SW-NE and SE-NW. The anomalies in the drainage net are directly associated with these fault/fracture system, which control and subdivede the low courses of the Trairi and Jacu rivers, at least a tail of their flowing principal courses. The Nísia Floresta, Papeba and Guaraíras lagoons present strong morphological control according to the lineament directions. Taking into account the lagoonal deposits, the sedimentological analyses reflect a sediment distribution related to the interaction of the fluvial and sea processes that act in the study area. The correlated deposits show textural mainly microclastic characteristics of shallow waters, and of currents of low to moderate energy.In general, the Nísia Floresta-Papeba-Guaraíras lagoon Complex, constitutes a very intrinsec group, that undewent important changes in historical times that are reflected in the currents clays. Inaddition to the natural processes that act in this system, we should take into account the antrohopic intervention, which have increased in the past years

Estudo evolutivo das condições ambientais da região costeira do município de Guamaré - RN

The work concerns on the evolutionary study of the environmental conditions of the coastal area of Guamaré-RN, where was investigated the geo-environmental transformation occourred in this region, whose primordial purpose was to diagnose the changes verified in the temporary space of five decades (1950 to 2001). With the objective of evaluanting the action of the active coastal processes (currents, waves, tides and winds), in order to understand the generating mechanisms of the erosion/sedimentation, evidenced by constant morphologic changes. The adopted methodological procedure consisted of a succession of stages, involving bibliographical and cartographic study, aereal photographs study, digital treatment of images, field work (sample collection, beaches profiles, characterization of the beach environment and morfodynamics), mapping correction and laboratory analyses (granulometry). The evolutionary study of the morphologic features indicated significant variations in the studied period, mainly, in the dunes, sea terraces, variation of the shore line and tidal flat, evidencing the largest transformations in the temporary space between 1988 and 2001. The analyses of the beach profiles showed a sedimentation tendency in the area of the profiles P1, P2 and P3, however in the monitored pediod, it was observed in the referred profiles, erosive and depositionals intervals evidencing a need of more effective monitoring. The results of the granulometric analyses indicate a predominance of mean to coarse sand in the backshore and estirancy area, as in the shoreface, the analyses indicated medium to fine sand. The morfodynamic state, showed that beach of Minhoto is intermediate state, with alternancy to reflective. The areas of larger vulnerability and sensibility are the tidal flat, shore line, barrier island and mobile dunes, that actually is suffering great environmental impact with expansion of the carcinoculture, urban presence and natural impacts (erosion of the shoreline)

Caracterização hidrodinâmica e morfo-sedimentar do estuário Potengi e áreas adjascentes: subsídios para controle e recuperação ambiental no caso de derrames de hidrocarboneto

This study presents the Environmental Sensibility Mapping to oil spillings on the Potengi estuary - RN and neighboring coastline through remote sensing data, collecting, treatment and integration of the geomorphologic, oceanographic (temperature, salinity, density, direction and intensity), meteorological (wind speed and direction) and high resolution seismic (bathymetry and sonography) data. The Potengi river estuary is located on the eastern coastline of the Rio Grande do Norte State, being inserted in the geological context for the coastal Pernambuco-Paraíba basin and spreading over 18 km; it shelters the Natal harbor zone and an oil terminal, centralizing, therefore, important oil transport operations that can cause accidental spillings. Under the oceanographic point of view, the Potengi estuary is characterized by the absence of any expressive thermic stratification, being classified as partially mixed, B type according to Pritchard (1955), and 2 type in conformity to the stratification-circulation diagram by Hansen & Rattray (1966). Two main wind systems are responsable for the formation of wave sets that occur in the area. The dynamic tide presents, in the Natal Harbor, mean amplitude in spring and quadrature tides, with around 2.8 and 2m, respectively. The mechanism of saline tide mixing was defined through the salinity which is the main parameter for the identification of this mechanism. Important variations of the salinity mean values (36.32 psu), temperature (28.11ºC) and density (22.96 kg/m3) in the estuarine waters presented features belonging to low latitude regions. The water temperature follows the air temperature variations, in the region, with expressive daily amplitudes. In this study, the identification of the estuarine bed morphology through bathymetric and sonographic analysis, had the purpose to evaluate the influence of the superficial and bottom currents for the bottom shaping. In this way, the use of the side scan sonar showed, to be very useful in the identification of the bottom morphology and its relationship with the predominant action of the tidal currents in the Potengi estuary. Besides, it showed how the sonograms can be a support to the comparison of the several patterns derived from the local hydrodynamic variations. The holocene sediments, which fill the estuarine channel, are predominantly sandy, varying from selected, sometimes silty. The sedimentation is controlled by the environmental hydrodynamic conditions, being recognized two important textural facies: Muddy Facies and Sandy Facies. The distribution of these textural facies apparently oscillates owing to the tidal cycle and flow intensity. Each one of the above mentioned data was integrated in a Geographic Information System (GIS), from which was produced the Environmental Sensibility Map to oil spillings with Coastal Sensibility Index (CSI) to the Potengi estuary. The integrated analysis of these data is essential to oil spilling contingency plans, in order to reduce the spilling environmental consequences and to make efficient the endeavours of contention and cleaning up/removal on the Natal Harbor. This study has the aim to collaborate for the increase of informations about the estuarine environment and contribute to a better management of the question: environment/polluting loads