Simulations of phytoplankton dynamics in El Gergal Reservoir, Southern Spain (PROTECH)

The Mediterranean region is characterised by a variable climate with most of the rain falling during the winter and frequent summer droughts. Such warm, dry periods are ideal for the growth of large algal blooms that often consist of potentially toxic Cyanobacteria. This makes the management of water for human use particularly challenging in such a climate and it is important to understand how such blooms can be avoided or at least be reduced in size. PROTECH (Phytoplankton RespOnses To Environmental CHange) is a model that simulates the dynamics of different species of phytoplankton populations in lakes and reservoirs. Its distinct advantage over similar models is its ability to simulate the relative composition of the algal flora, allowing both quantitative and qualitative conclusions to be drawn e.g. whether Cyanobacteria could be a potential problem. PROTECH has been applied primarily to lakes and reservoirs in northern Europe. Recently, however, the model has been applied to water bodies in lower latitudes, including Australia to a water supply reservoir in the south of Spain, El Gergal. El Gergal is the last in a chain of reservoirs that supply water to the city of Seville. It was brought into service in April 1979 and has a maximum storage volume of 35 000 000 m3. This article summarises the application of PROTECH in order to simulate the following problems: • the effect of a large influx of Ceratium biomass into El Gergal from another reservoir • the effect of using alternative water sources instead of the Guadalquivir River (used occasionally to raise water levels in El Gergal) • the effect of installing tertiary sewage treatment on the Cala River • the effect of simulated drought conditions on phytoplankton in the reservoir.

I. The Superstition Hills, California, earthquakes of 24 November 1987. II. Three-dimensional velocity structure of southern California.

Part 1 of this thesis is about the 24 November, 1987, Superstition Hills earthquakes. The Superstition Hills earthquakes occurred in the western Imperial Valley in southern California. The earthquakes took place on a conjugate fault system consisting of the northwest-striking right-lateral Superstition Hills fault and a previously unknown Elmore Ranch fault, a northeast-striking left-lateral structure defined by surface rupture and a lineation of hypocenters. The earthquake sequence consisted of foreshocks, the M_s 6.2 first main shock, and aftershocks on the Elmore Ranch fault followed by the M_s 6.6 second main shock and aftershocks on the Superstition Hills fault. There was dramatic surface rupture along the Superstition Hills fault in three segments: the northern segment, the southern segment, and the Wienert fault.

In Chapter 2, M_L≥4.0 earthquakes from 1945 to 1971 that have Caltech catalog locations near the 1987 sequence are relocated. It is found that none of the relocated earthquakes occur on the southern segment of the Superstition Hills fault and many occur at the intersection of the Superstition Hills and Elmore Ranch faults. Also, some other northeast-striking faults may have been active during that time.

Chapter 3 discusses the Superstition Hills earthquake sequence using data from the Caltech-U.S.G.S. southern California seismic array. The earthquakes are relocated and their distribution correlated to the type and arrangement of the basement rocks. The larger earthquakes occur only where continental crystalline basement rocks are present. The northern segment of the Superstition Hills fault has more aftershocks than the southern segment.

An inversion of long period teleseismic data of the second mainshock of the 1987 sequence, along the Superstition Hills fault, is done in Chapter 4. Most of the long period seismic energy seen teleseismically is radiated from the southern segment of the Superstition Hills fault. The fault dip is near vertical along the northern segment of the fault and steeply southwest dipping along the southern segment of the fault.

Chapter 5 is a field study of slip and afterslip measurements made along the Superstition Hills fault following the second mainshock. Slip and afterslip measurements were started only two hours after the earthquake. In some locations, afterslip more than doubled the coseismic slip. The northern and southern segments of the Superstition Hills fault differ in the proportion of coseismic and postseismic slip to the total slip.

The northern segment of the Superstition Hills fault had more aftershocks, more historic earthquakes, released less teleseismic energy, and had a smaller proportion of afterslip to total slip than the southern segment. The boundary between the two segments lies at a step in the basement that separates a deeper metasedimentary basement to the south from a shallower crystalline basement to the north.

Part 2 of the thesis deals with the three-dimensional velocity structure of southern California. In Chapter 7, an a priori three-dimensional crustal velocity model is constructed by partitioning southern California into geologic provinces, with each province having a consistent one-dimensional velocity structure. The one-dimensional velocity structures of each region were then assembled into a three-dimensional model. The three-dimension model was calibrated by forward modeling of explosion travel times.

In Chapter 8, the three-dimensional velocity model is used to locate earthquakes. For about 1000 earthquakes relocated in the Los Angeles basin, the three-dimensional model has a variance of the the travel time residuals 47 per cent less than the catalog locations found using a standard one-dimensional velocity model. Other than the 1987 Whittier earthquake sequence, little correspondence is seen between these earthquake locations and elements of a recent structural cross section of the Los Angeles basin. The Whittier sequence involved rupture of a north dipping thrust fault bounded on at least one side by a strike-slip fault. The 1988 Pasadena earthquake was deep left-lateral event on the Raymond fault. The 1989 Montebello earthquake was a thrust event on a structure similar to that on which the Whittier earthquake occurred. The 1989 Malibu earthquake was a thrust or oblique slip event adjacent to the 1979 Malibu earthquake.

At least two of the largest recent thrust earthquakes (San Fernando and Whittier) in the Los Angeles basin have had the extent of their thrust plane ruptures limited by strike-slip faults. This suggests that the buried thrust faults underlying the Los Angeles basin are segmented by strike-slip faults.

Earthquake and explosion travel times are inverted for the three-dimensional velocity structure of southern California in Chapter 9. The inversion reduced the variance of the travel time residuals by 47 per cent compared to the starting model, a reparameterized version of the forward model of Chapter 7. The Los Angeles basin is well resolved, with seismically slow sediments atop a crust of granitic velocities. Moho depth is between 26 and 32 km.

Source characteristics of recent and historic earthquakes in Central and Southern California: results from forward modeling

The long- and short-period body waves of a number of moderate earthquakes occurring in central and southern California recorded at regional (200-1400 km) and teleseismic (> 30°) distances are modeled to obtain the source parameters-focal mechanism, depth, seismic moment, and source time history. The modeling is done in the time domain using a forward modeling technique based on ray summation. A simple layer over a half space velocity model is used with additional layers being added if necessary-for example, in a basin with a low velocity lid.

The earthquakes studied fall into two geographic regions: 1) the western Transverse Ranges, and 2) the western Imperial Valley. Earthquakes in the western Transverse Ranges include the 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake, several offshore earthquakes that occurred between 1969 and 1981, and aftershocks to the 1983 Coalinga earthquake (these actually occurred north of the Transverse Ranges but share many characteristics with those that occurred there). These earthquakes are predominantly thrust faulting events with the average strike being east-west, but with many variations. Of the six earthquakes which had sufficient short-period data to accurately determine the source time history, five were complex events. That is, they could not be modeled as a simple point source, but consisted of two or more subevents. The subevents of the Whittier Narrows earthquake had different focal mechanisms. In the other cases, the subevents appear to be the same, but small variations could not be ruled out.

The recent Imperial Valley earthquakes modeled include the two 1987 Superstition Hills earthquakes and the 1969 Coyote Mountain earthquake. All are strike-slip events, and the second 1987 earthquake is a complex event With non-identical subevents.

In all the earthquakes studied, and particularly the thrust events, constraining the source parameters required modeling several phases and distance ranges. Teleseismic P waves could provide only approximate solutions. P_(nl) waves were probably the most useful phase in determining the focal mechanism, with additional constraints supplied by the SH waves when available. Contamination of the SH waves by shear-coupled PL waves was a frequent problem. Short-period data were needed to obtain the source time function.

In addition to the earthquakes mentioned above, several historic earthquakes were also studied. Earthquakes that occurred before the existence of dense local and worldwide networks are difficult to model due to the sparse data set. It has been noticed that earthquakes that occur near each other often produce similar waveforms implying similar source parameters. By comparing recent well studied earthquakes to historic earthquakes in the same region, better constraints can be placed on the source parameters of the historic events.

The Lompoc earthquake (M=7) of 1927 is the largest offshore earthquake to occur in California this century. By direct comparison of waveforms and amplitudes with the Coalinga and Santa Lucia Banks earthquakes, the focal mechanism (thrust faulting on a northwest striking fault) and long-period seismic moment (10^(26) dyne cm) can be obtained. The S-P travel times are consistent with an offshore location, rather than one in the Hosgri fault zone.

Historic earthquakes in the western Imperial Valley were also studied. These events include the 1942 and 1954 earthquakes. The earthquakes were relocated by comparing S-P and R-S times to recent earthquakes. It was found that only minor changes in the epicenters were required but that the Coyote Mountain earthquake may have been more severely mislocated. The waveforms as expected indicated that all the events were strike-slip. Moment estimates were obtained by comparing the amplitudes of recent and historic events at stations which recorded both. The 1942 event was smaller than the 1968 Borrego Mountain earthquake although some previous studies suggested the reverse. The 1954 and 1937 earthquakes had moments close to the expected value. An aftershock of the 1942 earthquake appears to be larger than previously thought.

Relaciones comerciales entre China y la Unión Europea

La economía china ha experimentado en las últimas tres décadas una profunda transformación, hasta convertirse en el momento actual en el centro de la actividad manufacturera a escala mundial. Tal evolución no ha sido ajena a la metamorfosis sufrida por la sociedad china, tras un convulso siglo XX bajo los mandatos en la segunda mitad del mismo de Mao Tse Tung y Deng Xiaoping. La Unión Europea (UE) ha tratado de estrechar los lazos mercantiles con el gigante chino, fundamentalmente a través de la firma de acuerdos comerciales, aunque obstaculizados por algunos conflictos que han surgido en los últimos años. El análisis de las relaciones bilaterales entre China y la UE refleja una progresiva intensidad del comercio entre ambas regiones y la tendencia hacia la profundización del saldo negativo para la UE, hecho que ha generado tensiones diplomáticas. En un entorno más conflictivo recientemente en las relaciones bilaterales, la UE debería así mismo introducir reformas para mejorar su competitividad exterior y optimizar el vínculo comercial con China.

Mellum Island (southern North Sea): dynamic processes and sedimentary structures. I. Southern tidal flat, transition zone and high-surface.[p.72 (Blasensand) only][Translation from: Senckenbergiana Maritima 11, 59-113, 1979]

This partial translation of a longer article describes the phenomenon of ”Blasensand”. Blasensand is formed when sedimentation of dried out sand is suddenly flooded from above. A more detailed explanation of Blasensand is given in this translated part of the paper.

Biological and climatic influences on the dace Leuciscus leuciscus in a southern chalk-stream

The dace, Leuciscus leuciscus (L.) is an important cyprinid in terms of population biomass in chalk streams of southern England. Dace recruitment has been shown to vary widely from year to year and it is thought that this variation is largely as a result of the influence of abiotic factors, chiefly water temperature. From 1968 to 1981 there was a thirteen-fold difference in the year class structure index between the minimum index (0.25 in 1972) and the maximum (3.21 in 1976). The problems of such variation, especially those that could ensue from a succession of poor year-classes, are offset by the spread of reproductive effort by each female over several years.

Heróis ex-cêntricos, gêneros retorcidos e discursos irreais: fantasia e ficção científica desconstruídos nas obras de Angela Carter e China Miéville

Este trabalho tem como objetivo investigar pontos de convergência nas obras de dois autores britânicos, Angela Carter (1940-1992) e China Miéville (1972- ). Os romances a serem estudados são Nights at the circus (1984) e The infernal desire machines of Doctor Hoffman (1972), de Angela Carter, e Perdido Street Station (2000) e The city & the city (2009), de China Miéville, e, como ponto de partida, ambos demonstram elos representativos com a ficção de gênero, evidenciados pelas obras escolhidas. Ao esmiuçar paralelos entre os romances, busca-se em especial dissecar as interseções temáticas e estilísticas, bem como as divergências e contradições que despertem interesse. Entre os temas investigados está a alteridade e o hibridismo ambos autores fazem uso de personagens ex-cêntricos e usam o hibridismo de modo a acentuar a Alteridade reservada ao Outro. Também será examinada a abordagem dos autores à ficção de gênero e o tratamento reservado aos tropos e clichês da Ficção Científica e da Fantasia. Por fim, a pesquisa observará o conceito que ambos compartilham de que discursos podem não ser uma mera reflexão da realidade, mas também criar e moldar o que tomamos por real. A todos os temas são aplicadas a teoria e crítica do pós-modernismo, além do material específico que lida com a ficção especulativa, Fantasia e Ficção Científica

La historia a través del cine. China y Japón en el siglo XX

Este volumen presenta ocho películas sobre Japón y China englobadas en siete artículos. Cronológicamente abarcan un espectro amplio, particularmente en el caso japonés, que ya era una potencia cinematográfica desde los inicios del séptimo arte. El caso chino es algo diferente, con películas más bien recientes, aunque en este caso la temática histórica tiene más fuerza que en el caso japonés, en que las películas de corte histórico están casi ausentes. Así, para China, Araceli Rodríguez (Universidad Rey Juan Carlos) nos presenta La Linterna Roja, del genial Zhang Yimou, obra de temática histórica sobre la China rural de los años veinte. Fernando Martínez Rueda (Universidad del País Vasco) comenta la excelente ¡Vivir!, del mismo director, Zhan Yimou, que habla de la vida cotidiana de la China de Mao a través de los ojos de un propietario (afortunadamente para él) arruinado. Por su parte, Ricardo Martín de la Guardia (Universidad de Valladolid) nos presenta, en Juntos, la China actual con su contraste de modernidad y tradición y la difícil relación campo-ciudad que en todos los ámbitos se da hoy día en aquel país. En el caso japonés Carlos Giménez Soria (Film-Historia, Universitat de Barcelona) analiza dos películas de Kurosawa (El Ángel Ebrio y El Perro Rabioso), en las que se muestran aspectos del Japón de posguerra desde el punto de vista del neorrealismo japonés y del cine negro. En cuanto al principal trabajo de Yasujiro Ozu (Cuentos de Tokio), José Mª Tápiz lo analiza desde la perspectiva de la vida personal del gran director de cine. Otras dos películas merecen ser consideradas aparte: una de ellas de temática china (El Imperio del Sol) y la otra de tema japonés (Lost in Translation). Si bien entran dentro de la clasificación inicial, ambas han sido realizadas por directores extranjeros: la primera por Steven Spielberg y la segunda por Sofia Coppola. Podrían definirse como películas de introducción o aproximación, lo cual es de agradecer en dos culturas que, por ser muy diferentes a la nuestra, a veces requieren ser explicadas. Ambas fueron éxitos de taquilla, lo que invita a pensar sobre la utilidad de este tipo de género. A nadie se le escapa la objetiva utilidad de este tipo de cine, a la vez que el peligro que implica si se abusa del tópico. En los trabajos de Juan Vaccaro (Film-Historia, Universitat de Barcelona) y de Igor Barrenechea (Universidad del País Vasco) se nos intenta acercar al ser de ambas películas. El libro presenta también una lista, no exhaustiva, de películas chinas y japonesas que reflejan diversos aspectos de la historia de China y Japón en el siglo XX. Este volumen será de utilidad para aquellos que sientan interés por la cultura, la historia y la cinematografía de ambos países.

PIXE and ICP-AES analysis of early glass unearthed from Xinjiang (China)

Early glasses (about 1066 BC-220 AD) unearthed from Xinjiang of China were chemically characterized by using PIXE and ICP-AES. It was found that these glasses were basically attributed to PbO-BaO-SiO2 system, K2O-SiO2 system, Na2O-CaO-SiO2 system and Na2O-CaO-PbO-SiO2 system. The results from the cluster analysis showed that some glasses had basically similar recipe and technology. The PbO-BaO-SiO2 glass and the K2O-SiO2 glass were thought to come from the central area and the south of ancient China, respectively. The part of the Na2O-CaO-SiO2 glass (including the Na2O-CaO-PbO-SiO2 glass) might be imported from Mesopotamia, while the other part might be locally produced. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changes in social inequalities in disability-free life expectancy in Southern Europe: the case of the Basque Country

Background: Health expectancy is a useful tool to monitor health inequalities. The evidence about the recent changes in social inequalities in healthy expectancy is relatively scarce and inconclusive, and most studies have focused on Anglo-Saxon and central or northern European countries. The objective of this study was to analyse the changes in socioeconomic inequalities in disability-free life expectancy in a Southern European population, the Basque Country, during the first decade of the 21st century. Methods: This was an ecological cross-sectional study of temporal trends on the Basque population in 1999-2003 and 2004-2008. All-cause mortality rate, life expectancy, prevalence of disability and disability free-life expectancy were calculated for each period according to the deprivation level of the area of residence. The slope index of inequality and the relative index of inequality were calculated to summarize and compare the inequalities in the two periods. Results: Disability free-life expectancy decreased as area deprivation increased both in men and in women. The difference between the most extreme groups in 2004-2008 was 6.7 years in men and 3.7 in women. Between 1999-2003 and 2004-2008, socioeconomic inequalities in life expectancy decreased, and inequalities in disability-free expectancy increased in men and decreased in women. Conclusions: This study found important socioeconomic inequalities in health expectancy in the Basque Country. These inequalities increased in men and decreased in women in the first decade of the 21st century, during which the Basque Country saw considerable economic growth.

Social structure and underwater behavior of harbor seals in southern Monterey Bay, California

To understand harbor seal social and mating strategies, I examined site fidelity, seasonal abundance and distribution, herd integrity, and underwater behavior of individual harbor seals in southern Monterey Bay. Individual harbor seals (n = 444) were identified by natural markings and represented greater than 80% of an estimated 520 seals within this community. Year to year fidelity of individual harbor seals to southern Monterey Bay coastline was 84% (n = 388), and long-term associations (>2 yrs) among individuals were common (>40%). Consistent with these long-term associations, harbor seals were highly social underwater throughout the year. Underwater social behavior included three primary types: (1) visual and acoustic displays, such as vocalizing, surface splashing, and bubble-blowing; (2) playful or agonistic social behavior such as rolling, mounting, attending, and biting; and (3) signal gestures such as head-thrusting, fore-flipper scratch~ng, and growling. Frequency of these types of behavior was related to seal age, gender, season, and resource availability. Underwater behavior had a variety of functions, including promotion of learning and social development, reduction of aggression and preservation of social bonds by maintaining social hierarchy, and facilitation of mate selection during breeding season. Social behavior among adult males was significantly correlated with vocalization characteristics (r = 0.99, X2 = 37.7, p = 0.00087), indicating that seals may assess their competition based on underwater vocalization displays and adopt individual strategies for attracting females during breeding season based on social status. Individual mating strategies may include defending underwater territories, using scramble tactics, and developing social alliances. (PDF contains 105 pages)

La innovación en China

[ES] Este trabajo trata de explicar objetivamente el crecimiento Chino para justificar el sistema de innovación actual del país. También describe ámbitos en los que esta innovación es usada, tales como las telecomunicaciones y el grafeno.

EEUU y China: dos modelos de desarrollo diferentes

[ES] Análisis del desarrollo económico de Estados Unidos y de la República Popular China para poder comprender los principales problemas y realidades de la coyuntura actual. Es importante la percepción de como las apariencias y las actitudes de estas dos grandes potencias mundiales se forma y como estas tienen influencia sobre las políticas y la comunicación de ambos.