Diagnóstico antropogeomorfológico em bacia hidrográfica urbana: o caso do Córrego do Jardim São João, Araras (SP)

Man can transform the nature according to their needs through technique which enables agriculture, cattle raising, constructions of buildings for housing, transport routes, etc. This action has brought significant transformations to the environment, and relief is one of the most changed elements, mainly at urban areas, which concentrates most of the Brazilian population. In these areas geomorphologic systems have undergone alterations in their flow of matter and energy by the action of man. Thus, it is possible o understand the action of man as geomorphologic action, nowadays, the tecnógeno, since the human action can interfere qualitatively and quantitatively in the input and output of these systems. The anthropic geomorphology has contributed to the analyses of the effects due to the urbanization at the form and at the geomorphologic process in the urban watersheds, indicating the transformations at the shape of the relief and the alterations due to the acceleration of the flow of matter and energy. From these questions, this study had the main diagnose the anthropogenic changes of the relief at the basin of Corrego do Jardim São João, Araras (SP), comparing two scenes, 1997 and 2006, through geomorphological mapping evolutionary in the area. The geomorphological feature altered at the basin are directly linked to the use of soil, mainly at the urban use, which caused effects in the relief at the studied area, making possible to define periods of the urban evolution and impacts caused by the urbanization. Among the changes it was found the decrease of the topographic breaks and at the riverbed channels, as the increase of the accumulation of the plain and riverbed terrace. The elaboration of a letter of the legal restrictions of the basin make possible to evaluate some of the environmental urban problems that occur, which are due to the occupation of the relief in the areas of permanent preservation that brings significant impacts to...

Mapeamento geológico-geomorfológico do Morro Azul na região de Limeira, SP, na escala 1:10 000

Geologic and geomorphologic mapping are important ways to characterize the environment, because they look to describe and diagnose landforms, identifying and understanding the morphogenetic processes, making it possible to comprehend the landscape dynamic. This work aimed to make a geological and geomorphological map, in a 1:10.000 scale, of the Morro Azul, the main elevation in the city of Limeira – SP, with the application of photogeological techniques and field descriptions. As final products are presented a geological-geomorphological map, a topographical profile, a slope map, beyond the main characteristics of the geological-geomorphological units of the area. This study presents itself as a preliminary work, and can serve as a subsidy to more specific works, such as geotechnics, environmental problems, among others

Mapeamento geológico-geomorfológico na região de Quirinópolis-GO

Geological and geomorphological mapping is an important tool for the characterization of physical environment, thus enabling the planning and use of areas more efficiently. This work represents a geological- geomorphologic mapping on the scale of 1:20.000 in the rural area of Quirinópolis – GO town, where outcrop rocks of Paraná Sedimentary Basin, specifically the Bauru Group. Through the methodology of analysis of integrated elements of the physical environment, it was possible to delineate geological- geomorphological five units, which were characterized as lithology, topography, soil conditions, and operating processes, and the development of weathering profiles bring of great importance for planning of land use as occupation thus avoiding further degradation of the physical environment

Investigação sobre deformação neotectônica no lineamento Guapiara, região de Ourinhos, Fartura-SP e Santo Antonio da Platina - PR

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Diagnóstico dos elementos de drenagem da área urbana de Rio Claro - SP: subsídeos para o plano diretor

The management of urban areas must consider aspects related to urban drainage, especially in hot and humid environments, and such aspects must be incorporated on director plans. This is quite important in urban areas settled on natural fragile hydro-geomorphologic areas. So, the main aim of this paper was to present the urban drainage diagnostic made in Rio Claro (SP-Brazil), discussing its results and evaluating the applied techniques. Further, there were presented some proposed directions based on such analyses. From the obtained results it was possible to verify that the impacts caused by the inefficient urban drainage system incur on direct and indirect effects such as flood, erosion and water quality degradation.

Potencial de ocorrência de avarias ambientais em bacias hidrográficas com ocupação rural mediante análise morfométrica

The understanding of the geo-morphological characteristics allows the identification of flood areas and instability slopes among others important features for land use planning. The study of the hydrological net and the analysis of morphometric parameters help in the geomorphologic characterization, providing specific physics indicators that quantify the risks for environmental damages. The present work used Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and carried out the morphometric analysis of two watersheds in the Alto Rio Sorocaba, municipality of Ibiuna (SP). Using digitalized topographic bases in the scale 1:50,000, the main morphometric parameters were extracted and the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was obtained. Hence the slope, ground illumination, hill orientation and relief feature maps were elaborated. The characteristics for the two watersheds were quite similar, both have low risks for floods and landslides. Therefore, the concave feature is the predominant hill shape for both watersheds. The morphometric parameters directly related to the river density of the watersheds showed some differences, because the Sorocabuçú watershed presents higher value, resulting in a higher level of relief development. Thus, with this characterization it is possible to provide subsidies for environmental planning actions to the area.

A cartografia geomorfológica como subsídio para a análise do relevo antropogênico em área de mineração

Mining activities are directly related to changes in natural landscapes. With the objective of analyzing the changes imposed by the geomorphological dynamics of human action in areas of mining clay, two fragments were selected from the basin of Ribeirão Santa Gertrudes / SP, representing denudational and sedimentation processes respectively. This area is within the context of the Ceramic Pole Santa Gertrudes / SP, which besides its importance as a supplier of raw material, is characterized as the largest center of international reference in ceramic tiles on the American continent. Data was collected and analyzed from the perspective of anthropogenic geomorphology supported by general systems theory and uses techniques from evolutionary geomorphological mapping. Thus, geomorphological mapping were produced concerning three scenarios, which date from 1962, 1988 and 2006 in a scale of 1:10.000. These surveys allowed us to infer a detailed investigation of the evolution of changes in topography and hydrology, geomorphology representative of the original (1962), which has characteristics of an earlier phase of earlier existing large mining pits, and its evolution to a anthropogenic geomorphological stage, represented by active disruption scenarios dating from 1988 and 2006. The last two scenarios have analyzed changes in the dimensions of relief features when compared with the original scenario representative of geomorphology, as well as an intense reallocation of surface and subsurface materials, in which human action is highlighted by becoming responsible for sculpting the landscape through the imposition of control mechanisms to natural processes.

Correlating soil porosity and respective geological unit in Paraíba do sul Valley, Brazil: a geostatistical methodology proposal

This manuscript aims proposing a methodology for correlating soil porosity to the respective geological units using geostatistical analysis techniques, including interpolation data by kriging. The site studied was in Lorena municipality, Paraíba do Sul Valley, southeastern Brazil. Specifically all studies were carried out within an area of 12 km2 located at Santa Edwirges farm. The database comprehended 41 soil samples taken at different geological and geomorphologic units at three different depths: surface, 50 cm and 100 cm depth. The geostatistical analyses results were correlated to a geological mapping specifically elaborated for the site. This mapping accounts for two different geological formations and a geological contact characterized by a shearing zone. The results indicate the existence of a significant relationship between the soil porosity and the respective geological units. The studies revealed that the residual soils from weathered granitic rocks tend to have higher porosities than the residual soils from weathered biotite gneiss rocks, while the soil porosity within the shearing zone is relatively un-sensitive to the respective geological formation. The spatial patterns observed were efficient to evaluate the relationship between the soil porosity, geology unit and the and geomorphology showing a good potential for correlating with others soil properties such as hydraulic conductivity, soil water retention curves and erosion potentials.

Las terrazas del rio Miño en el tramo Chantada-As Neves (límite de Galicia Portugal)

[ES] La cartografía geomorfológica es especialmente difícil en áreas con depósitos escasos, poco significativos y de cronología incierta,con formas multiedad y multiorigen. Tal es el caso de Galicia. Este trabajo es un intento de reconstruir la historia geomorfológica de Galicia durante el Cenozoico en un área especialmente relevante por su situación geodinámica. Se ha hecho un inventario exhaustivo de los niveles de terrazas erosivas y de acumulación en un tramo específico, por sus características morfológicas del curso principal del río Miño. Se presentan aquí los sistemas de terrazas entre Chantada y As Neves y se relacionan con las tres superficies de corrosión química (etched surfaces) más relevantes en la zona: R800, R600 y R400. Se analiza también su relación con el perfil longitudinal del río. Utilizando los únicos criterios existentes (continuidad topográfica y altitud), se propone para el sector estudiado un modelo evolutivo esencialmente determinado por la incisión fluvial asociada a la colisión entre la Placa Euroasiática y la Ibérica durante el Paleógeno y que geomorfológicamente se inicia a partir de la formación del aplanamiento R600, equivalente en Galicia a la Superficie Fundamental Peninsular.

The assessment of change in rural landscape and the analysis of the driving forces. Proposal of a spatial model for the rural built environment

The presented study carried out an analysis on rural landscape changes. In particular the study focuses on the understanding of driving forces acting on the rural built environment using a statistical spatial model implemented through GIS techniques. It is well known that the study of landscape changes is essential for a conscious decision making in land planning. From a bibliography review results a general lack of studies dealing with the modeling of rural built environment and hence a theoretical modelling approach for such purpose is needed. The advancement in technology and modernity in building construction and agriculture have gradually changed the rural built environment. In addition, the phenomenon of urbanization of a determined the construction of new volumes that occurred beside abandoned or derelict rural buildings. Consequently there are two types of transformation dynamics affecting mainly the rural built environment that can be observed: the conversion of rural buildings and the increasing of building numbers. It is the specific aim of the presented study to propose a methodology for the development of a spatial model that allows the identification of driving forces that acted on the behaviours of the building allocation. In fact one of the most concerning dynamic nowadays is related to an irrational expansion of buildings sprawl across landscape. The proposed methodology is composed by some conceptual steps that cover different aspects related to the development of a spatial model: the selection of a response variable that better describe the phenomenon under study, the identification of possible driving forces, the sampling methodology concerning the collection of data, the most suitable algorithm to be adopted in relation to statistical theory and method used, the calibration process and evaluation of the model. A different combination of factors in various parts of the territory generated favourable or less favourable conditions for the building allocation and the existence of buildings represents the evidence of such optimum. Conversely the absence of buildings expresses a combination of agents which is not suitable for building allocation. Presence or absence of buildings can be adopted as indicators of such driving conditions, since they represent the expression of the action of driving forces in the land suitability sorting process. The existence of correlation between site selection and hypothetical driving forces, evaluated by means of modeling techniques, provides an evidence of which driving forces are involved in the allocation dynamic and an insight on their level of influence into the process. GIS software by means of spatial analysis tools allows to associate the concept of presence and absence with point futures generating a point process. Presence or absence of buildings at some site locations represent the expression of these driving factors interaction. In case of presences, points represent locations of real existing buildings, conversely absences represent locations were buildings are not existent and so they are generated by a stochastic mechanism. Possible driving forces are selected and the existence of a causal relationship with building allocations is assessed through a spatial model. The adoption of empirical statistical models provides a mechanism for the explanatory variable analysis and for the identification of key driving variables behind the site selection process for new building allocation. The model developed by following the methodology is applied to a case study to test the validity of the methodology. In particular the study area for the testing of the methodology is represented by the New District of Imola characterized by a prevailing agricultural production vocation and were transformation dynamic intensively occurred. The development of the model involved the identification of predictive variables (related to geomorphologic, socio-economic, structural and infrastructural systems of landscape) capable of representing the driving forces responsible for landscape changes.. The calibration of the model is carried out referring to spatial data regarding the periurban and rural area of the study area within the 1975-2005 time period by means of Generalised linear model. The resulting output from the model fit is continuous grid surface where cells assume values ranged from 0 to 1 of probability of building occurrences along the rural and periurban area of the study area. Hence the response variable assesses the changes in the rural built environment occurred in such time interval and is correlated to the selected explanatory variables by means of a generalized linear model using logistic regression. Comparing the probability map obtained from the model to the actual rural building distribution in 2005, the interpretation capability of the model can be evaluated. The proposed model can be also applied to the interpretation of trends which occurred in other study areas, and also referring to different time intervals, depending on the availability of data. The use of suitable data in terms of time, information, and spatial resolution and the costs related to data acquisition, pre-processing, and survey are among the most critical aspects of model implementation. Future in-depth studies can focus on using the proposed model to predict short/medium-range future scenarios for the rural built environment distribution in the study area. In order to predict future scenarios it is necessary to assume that the driving forces do not change and that their levels of influence within the model are not far from those assessed for the time interval used for the calibration.

The use of Ground Penetrating Radar and alternative geophysical techniques for assessing embankments and dykes safety

The research is part of a survey for the detection of the hydraulic and geotechnical conditions of river embankments funded by the Reno River Basin Regional Technical Service of the Region Emilia-Romagna. The hydraulic safety of the Reno River, one of the main rivers in North-Eastern Italy, is indeed of primary importance to the Emilia-Romagna regional administration. The large longitudinal extent of the banks (several hundreds of kilometres) has placed great interest in non-destructive geophysical methods, which, compared to other methods such as drilling, allow for the faster and often less expensive acquisition of high-resolution data. The present work aims to experience the Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) for the detection of local non-homogeneities (mainly stratigraphic contacts, cavities and conduits) inside the Reno River and its tributaries embankments, taking into account supplementary data collected with traditional destructive tests (boreholes, cone penetration tests etc.). A comparison with non-destructive methodologies likewise electric resistivity tomography (ERT), Multi-channels Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW), FDEM induction, was also carried out in order to verify the usability of GPR and to provide integration of various geophysical methods in the process of regular maintenance and check of the embankments condition. The first part of this thesis is dedicated to the explanation of the state of art concerning the geographic, geomorphologic and geotechnical characteristics of Reno River and its tributaries embankments, as well as the description of some geophysical applications provided on embankments belonging to European and North-American Rivers, which were used as bibliographic basis for this thesis realisation. The second part is an overview of the geophysical methods that were employed for this research, (with a particular attention to the GPR), reporting also their theoretical basis and a deepening of some techniques of the geophysical data analysis and representation, when applied to river embankments. The successive chapters, following the main scope of this research that is to highlight advantages and drawbacks in the use of Ground Penetrating Radar applied to Reno River and its tributaries embankments, show the results obtained analyzing different cases that could yield the formation of weakness zones, which successively lead to the embankment failure. As advantages, a considerable velocity of acquisition and a spatial resolution of the obtained data, incomparable with respect to other methodologies, were recorded. With regard to the drawbacks, some factors, related to the attenuation losses of wave propagation, due to different content in clay, silt, and sand, as well as surface effects have significantly limited the correlation between GPR profiles and geotechnical information and therefore compromised the embankment safety assessment. Recapitulating, the Ground Penetrating Radar could represent a suitable tool for checking up river dike conditions, but its use has significantly limited by geometric and geotechnical characteristics of the Reno River and its tributaries levees. As a matter of facts, only the shallower part of the embankment was investigate, achieving also information just related to changes in electrical properties, without any numerical measurement. Furthermore, GPR application is ineffective for a preliminary assessment of embankment safety conditions, while for detailed campaigns at shallow depth, which aims to achieve immediate results with optimal precision, its usage is totally recommended. The cases where multidisciplinary approach was tested, reveal an optimal interconnection of the various geophysical methodologies employed, producing qualitative results concerning the preliminary phase (FDEM), assuring quantitative and high confidential description of the subsoil (ERT) and finally, providing fast and highly detailed analysis (GPR). Trying to furnish some recommendations for future researches, the simultaneous exploitation of many geophysical devices to assess safety conditions of river embankments is absolutely suggested, especially to face reliable flood event, when the entire extension of the embankments themselves must be investigated.

Applications of remote sensing and geographic information systems in geomorphological studies: Safaga - El Quseir area, Red Sea coast, Egypt as an example

In den letzten drei Jahrzehnten sind Fernerkundung und GIS in den Geowissenschaften zunehmend wichtiger geworden, um die konventionellen Methoden von Datensammlung und zur Herstellung von Landkarten zu verbessern. Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich mit der Anwendung von Fernerkundung und geographischen Informationssystemen (GIS) für geomorphologische Untersuchungen. Durch die Kombination beider Techniken ist es vor allem möglich geworden, geomorphologische Formen im Überblick und dennoch detailliert zu erfassen. Als Grundlagen werden in dieser Arbeit topographische und geologische Karten, Satellitenbilder und Klimadaten benutzt. Die Arbeit besteht aus 6 Kapiteln. Das erste Kapitel gibt einen allgemeinen Überblick über den Untersuchungsraum. Dieser umfasst folgende morphologische Einheiten, klimatischen Verhältnisse, insbesondere die Ariditätsindizes der Küsten- und Gebirgslandschaft sowie das Siedlungsmuster beschrieben. Kapitel 2 befasst sich mit der regionalen Geologie und Stratigraphie des Untersuchungsraumes. Es wird versucht, die Hauptformationen mit Hilfe von ETM-Satellitenbildern zu identifizieren. Angewandt werden hierzu folgende Methoden: Colour Band Composite, Image Rationing und die sog. überwachte Klassifikation. Kapitel 3 enthält eine Beschreibung der strukturell bedingten Oberflächenformen, um die Wechselwirkung zwischen Tektonik und geomorphologischen Prozessen aufzuklären. Es geht es um die vielfältigen Methoden, zum Beispiel das sog. Image Processing, um die im Gebirgskörper vorhandenen Lineamente einwandfrei zu deuten. Spezielle Filtermethoden werden angewandt, um die wichtigsten Lineamente zu kartieren. Kapitel 4 stellt den Versuch dar, mit Hilfe von aufbereiteten SRTM-Satellitenbildern eine automatisierte Erfassung des Gewässernetzes. Es wird ausführlich diskutiert, inwieweit bei diesen Arbeitsschritten die Qualität kleinmaßstäbiger SRTM-Satellitenbilder mit großmaßstäbigen topographischen Karten vergleichbar ist. Weiterhin werden hydrologische Parameter über eine qualitative und quantitative Analyse des Abflussregimes einzelner Wadis erfasst. Der Ursprung von Entwässerungssystemen wird auf der Basis geomorphologischer und geologischer Befunde interpretiert. Kapitel 5 befasst sich mit der Abschätzung der Gefahr episodischer Wadifluten. Die Wahrscheinlichkeit ihres jährlichen Auftretens bzw. des Auftretens starker Fluten im Abstand mehrerer Jahre wird in einer historischen Betrachtung bis 1921 zurückverfolgt. Die Bedeutung von Regentiefs, die sich über dem Roten Meer entwickeln, und die für eine Abflussbildung in Frage kommen, wird mit Hilfe der IDW-Methode (Inverse Distance Weighted) untersucht. Betrachtet werden außerdem weitere, regenbringende Wetterlagen mit Hilfe von Meteosat Infrarotbildern. Genauer betrachtet wird die Periode 1990-1997, in der kräftige, Wadifluten auslösende Regenfälle auftraten. Flutereignisse und Fluthöhe werden anhand von hydrographischen Daten (Pegelmessungen) ermittelt. Auch die Landnutzung und Siedlungsstruktur im Einzugsgebiet eines Wadis wird berücksichtigt. In Kapitel 6 geht es um die unterschiedlichen Küstenformen auf der Westseite des Roten Meeres zum Beispiel die Erosionsformen, Aufbauformen, untergetauchte Formen. Im abschließenden Teil geht es um die Stratigraphie und zeitliche Zuordnung von submarinen Terrassen auf Korallenriffen sowie den Vergleich mit anderen solcher Terrassen an der ägyptischen Rotmeerküste westlich und östlich der Sinai-Halbinsel.

Lake-level rise in the late Pleistocene and active subaquatic volcanism since the Holocene in Lake Kivu; East African Rift

The history of Lake Kivu is strongly linked to the activity of the Virunga volcanoes. Subaerial and subaquatic volcanoes, in addition to lake-level changes, shape the subaquatic morphologic and structural features in Lake Kivu's Main Basin. Previous studies revealed that volcanic eruptions blocked the former outlet of the lake to the north in the late Pleistocene, leading to a substantial rise in the lake level and subsequently the present- day thermohaline stratification. Additional studies have speculated that volcanic and seismic activities threaten to trigger a catastrophic release of the large amount of gases dissolved in the lake. The current study presents a bathymetric mapping and seismic profiling survey that covers the volcanically active area of the Main Basin at a resolution that is unprecedented for Lake Kivu. New geomorphologic features identified on the lake floor can accurately describe related lake-floor processes for the first time. The late Pleistocene lowstand is observed at 425 m depth, and volcanic cones, tuff rings, and lava flows observed above this level indicate both subaerial and subaquatic volcanic activities during the Holocene. The geomorphologic analysis yields new implications on the geologic processes that have shaped Lake Kivu's basin, and the presence of young volcanic features can be linked to the possibility of a lake overturn.

Complejidad de los ecosistemas del norte de Mendoza

El trabajo apunta al estudio de los ecosistemas como entidades complejas y jerárquicas, tanto desde el punto de vista escalar como de su diversidad estructural, en el norte de la provincia de Mendoza, hasta los 34º de latitud sur. Se enfoca el estudio espacial jerárquico desde las diferentes escalas de análisis: micro, meso y macroescala. La macroescala es semejante al nivel de los biomas (macroecosistema); la mesoescala, a los ecosistemas definidos, por la diferenciación geomorfológica, entre otros factores, (mesoecosistema) y la microescala, a los sub-ecosistemas que surgen de las diferenciaciones topográficas y edáficas vinculadas con las formaciones vegetales y su ambiente (microecosistema). Para dicho estudio se toma un factor de control que conduce nuestro camino en el análisis, cual es el clima en sus tres jerarquías. Por otro lado se consideran las diferenciaciones jerárquicas espaciales de los ecosistemas basados en: el clima zonal, las unidades geomorfológicas que modifican el clima zonal y la topografía el suelo con su disponibilidad de agua que modifica el clima local. Los objetivos generales se basan en la identificación y localización de los ecosistemas jerárquicos y su análisis multiescalar integrado. Las hipótesis planteadas afirman que, en las diferentes escalas de ecosistemas, el clima es el denominador común que organiza la distribución de los mismos y además se afirma que existen agentes degradadores en todos los niveles de análisis. Se utiliza el método geográfico. En el análisis, se aplican los métodos deductivo-inductivos vinculando las escalas jerárquicas de los ecosistemas y los estudios de casos. Con este trabajo se pretende profundizar el conocimiento de la complejidad de los ecosistemas mendocinos, con un enfoque original.

14C ages, grain size distribution and foraminifer abundance of sediments from the Barents Sea shelf

The origin of friable sediments blanketing the Barents Sea shelf is considered. It is shown that their characteristic seismoacoustic record patterns reflect low degree of diagenetic transformations and indicates continuous sedimentation. According to traditional views, this single sedimentary complex also includes diamicton, and the section is interpreted as a three-unit structure: diamicton, which is considered a till; the overlying friable sediments accumulated under different conditions of deglaciation in glaciomarine settings; and the postglacial marine sediments. It is demonstrated that such views are inconsistent with geomorphologic features (datings by physical methods included) indicating a prolonged hiatus that separates epochs of the diamicton accumulation and formation of friable sediments. The analysis revealed that the composition, vertical succession, and lateral distribution of different lithological types of friable sediments are related to the regular spatiotemporal replacements of different facies settings in the transgressing Arctic sea rather than by the glacial process. This inference is confirmed by the composition of foraminiferal assemblages.