Jobs and the Single Parent: An Analysis of Accessibility to Employment in Toronto

Abstract

In this article, we undertake an analysis of accessibility to jobs from the perspective of single-parent household members. Individuals in this demographic segment are of interest due to the fact they often face the double burden of household and employment responsibilities. A case study of the city of Toronto in Canada, an urban area that has seen an increase in absolute and relative numbers of single-parent households in recent years, is presented. Analysis is based on the application of relative accessibility deprivation indicators (RADI), which are calculated using model-based estimates of distance traveled for various population segments, as well as employment data for the city and its surroundings. The results of the analysis indicate that there are substantial differences in the levels of accessibility to jobs between members of single-parent households, in particular females, and members of other types of households.     

Atmospheric Pb pollution in N Iberia during the late Iron Age/Roman times reconstructed using the high-resolution record of La Molina mire (Asturias, Spain)

Extensive mining took place in Spain during the Iron Age and Roman times, although a detailed chronology is still lacking due to the inherent difficulties in dating mining structures. In this study we sampled and analyzed a core from La Molina mire in the Asturias region, northern Spain. Because more than 100 Roman mines have thus far been found within 20 km of the mire, our aim was to shed light on local mining history, which we can then compare to the wider narrative of early mining pollution in Spain. We focus on the section from ~500 BC to AD ~600, which has a high temporal resolution of 6–15 year per sample. Geochemical analyses included the determination of major, minor and trace lithogenic elements (Si, Al, Fe, Ti, Ga, Rb, Y, Zr, Th) as markers of mineral content of the peat, and trace metals/metalloids (Mn, Cu, Ni, As, Pb) as well stable Pb isotopes, as potential markers of atmospheric metal pollution. The use of principal components analysis enabled the identification of a dominant geogenic component and a secondary pollution component. The earliest pollution signal of the covered period was recorded by ~300 BC, coinciding with the late local Iron Age. Average ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ratios of samples with ages older than this date was 1.204 ± 0.002, while all samples with a younger age had a less radiogenic ratio. Based on the metal pollution component four phases were identified: I, ~500 to 300 BC; II, ~300 to 20 BC; III, ~20 BC–AD 480; IV, AD ~480 to 600. The lowest isotopic ratio and highest proportion of pollution Pb (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ratio of 1.157 and 89 % of total accumulated Pb) was reached at peak Pb production during Roman times (AD ~180 to 340), indicating that this was the period of most intense metal contamination in the area over the studied period. It is remarkable that the La Molina record shows a more extended period (two centuries) of active mining in comparison with other areas in Iberia, and a pattern of repeated shifts in Pb pollution of short duration, which is likely related to the local history of exploitation and exhaustion of mines within the area.     

New method for positional quality control in cartography based on lines. A comparative study of methodologies

This article describes a set of new metrics for evaluating the positional accuracy of lines to apply a positional control to cartographic databases. In the same way as traditional points-based studies, control based on lines compares the positions between the lines (one from a given database to be controlled and the other from a more accurate independent control database). The proposed method is based on vertex displacements and their influence on adjacent segments. The new methodology which applies these metrics is called ‘vertex influence method’. It also includes an analysis for detection of systematic displacements and a variability value of displacements based on the accuracy of the lines. All the proposed metrics are applied to a real case made up of more than 180 km of roads from the two databases. By means of this study we also compare the results obtained from the main traditional methodologies. This study has revealed the viability of the use of this method to obtain an accuracy value of positional cartographic products.     

Spatial evolution of an AMD stream in the Iberian Pyrite Belt: process characterization and control factors on the hydrochemistry

ABSTRACT

This paper presents hydrochemical data of an AMD stream, Poderosa Creek, in the Iberian Pyrite Belt, obtained between its source, in the Poderosa Mine portal, and its confluence with the Odiel River. The main objective is to establish potential interdependent relationships between sulphate and metal loads and the following physico-chemical variables: pH, electrical conductivity (EC), redox potential (EH) and dissolved oxygen (DO). All the parameters show an overall increasing tendency from the tunnel exit to the confluence at the Odiel River. The TDS and EC are two relevant exceptions. They behave similarly, showing a decreasing trend and a strong inflection that describes a minimum immediately after the discharging point. Spatial analysis combined with statistical tools reveal typical AMD processes and the respective physico-chemical implications. Inputs with distinctive hydrochemical signatures impose relevant modifications in the Poderosa Creek waters. This indicates low hydrochemical inertia and high vulnerability to external stimuli.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor not assigned     

Performance evaluation of AR5-CMIP5 models for the representation of seasonal and multi-annual variability of precipitation in Brazilian hydropower sector basins under RCP8.5 scenario

ABSTRACT

Representations of precipitation from CMIP5 models over the 1950–1999 period in hydrographic basins that are relevant to the Brazilian electricity sector are evaluated in this study. The majority of ensemble members adequately represented seasonal variability, although they differed about the patterns of high-frequency interannual variation. The models did not adequately represent seasonal-scale precipitation in the southern region of Brazil. Relative to other models, the CNRM_CM5 and HadGEM2-ES models demonstrated good seasonal and interannual representation over most basins, while the global CanESM2, GFDL-ESM2M and IPSL_CM5A-LR models demonstrated relatively poor performance. The models concur on the impact of the RCP8.5 scenario in the Southeast/Midwest and South sectors over the period 2015–2044, suggesting that precipitation will decrease up to 15% in the basin supplying the Furnas hydropower plant and by 12% in the basin supplying the Itaipú plant, which represents 25% of the hydroelectric production in Brazil.     

Zonal jets and cyclone–anticyclone asymmetry in decaying rotating turbulence: laboratory experiments and numerical simulations

The problem of zonal jet formation and cyclone–anticyclone asymmetry in decaying rotating turbulence is addressed using both laboratory experiments and numerical simulations with a high-resolution shallow water model in a spherical geometry. Experiments are performed at different Rossby and Froude numbers and applying a rigid wall as meridional boundary in the numerical scheme to mimic the experimental apparatus. The formation of a zonally banded flow pattern, i.e. meridionally confined easterly/westerly jets, has observed; both experimental and numerical results confirmed that this tendency is favoured by high-planetary vorticity gradients. Also, in the experiments characterized by large rotation speeds and small Rossby deformation radius, an initial symmetric distribution of relative vorticity is found to evolve towards a dominance of anticyclonic structures, indicating a breaking of the cyclone–anticyclone symmetry. This aspect has deepened by numerically analysing the sensitivity of the temporal variations of the asymmetry index with respect to the position of the meridional confinement as well as the effect of relaxing the divergence of the fluid (i.e. non-divergent case) to zero. Results suggested that experiments characterized by the higher rotation speed and the lower fluid thickness are better reproduced by a divergent model with a high-latitude meridional boundary.     

Use of seismic early warning information to calibrate variable dampers for structural control of a highway bridge: evaluation of the system robustness

The seismic events occurred in recent years highlighted the extreme vulnerability of large part of the existing constructed facilities and the need to adopt innovative solutions to improve their seismic performance. With this purpose, the possible exploitation of a seismic early warning system (SEWS) in the framework of semi-active structural control using magnetorheological (MR) dampers is herein investigated. The main idea consists in the use of these time-varying properties devices to control an hosting structure by changing their behaviour according to an anticipate estimate, provided by the SEWS, of the peak ground acceleration (PGA) of the incoming earthquake. In this way, the dampers are able to adapt their mechanical characteristics to the specific earthquake obtaining the optimal seismic response. The present paper describes the application of this protection technique to a case-study problem, a highway bridge located in Southern California. The seismic response of the benchmark bridge is investigated by nonlinear time-history analyses by adopting 16 real earthquake ground excitations. These accelerograms cover a wide variety of magnitudes, distances to fault and soil types. Possible errors on estimation of PGA provided by SEWS and their effects on the proposed control system are also considered. The results obtained confirm that unavoidable errors in the PGA estimates provided by the SEWS do not propagate to the seismic response. Conversely, the proposed strategy turns out to damp these errors, resulting in a robust seismic behaviour of the protected structure.     

(An)Isotropic models in scalar and scalar-tensor cosmologies

We study how the constants G and Λ may vary in different theoretical models (general relativity with a perfect fluid, scalar cosmological models (“quintessence”) with and without interacting scalar and matter fields and a scalar-tensor model with a dynamical Λ) in order to explain some observational results. We apply the program outlined in section II to study three different geometries which generalize the FRW ones, which are Bianchi V, VII₀ and IX, under the self-similarity hypothesis. We put special emphasis on calculating exact power-law solutions which allow us to compare the different models. In all the studied cases we arrive at the conclusion that the solutions are isotropic and noninflationary while the cosmological constant behaves as a positive decreasing time function (in agreement with the current observations) and the gravitational constant behaves as a growing time function.     

Case study: a 3D resistivity and induced polarization imaging from downstream a waste disposal site in Brazil

A contaminated site from a downstream municipal solid waste disposal site in Brazil was investigated by using a 3D resistivity and induced polarization (IP) imaging technique. This investigation purpose was to detect and delineate contamination plume produced by wastes. The area was selected based on previous geophysical investigations, and chemical analyses carried out in the site, indicating the presence of a contamination plume in the area. Resistivity model has successfully imaged waste presence (ρ < 20 Ωm), water table depth, and groundwater flow direction. A conductive anomaly (ρ < 20 Ωm) outside wastes placement was interpreted as a contamination plume. Chargeability model was also able to imaging waste presence (m > 31 mV/V), water table depth, and groundwater flow direction. A higher chargeability zone (m > 31 mV/V) outside wastes placement and following conductive anomaly was interpreted as a contamination plume. Normalized chargeability (MN = m/ρ) confirmed polarizable zone, which could be an effect of a salinity increase (contamination plume), and the clay presence in the environment.     

Piezometric and hydrogeochemical characterization of groundwater circulation in complex karst aquifers. A case study: the Mancha Real-Pegalajar aquifer (Southern Spain)

A small karst aquifer of great structural complexity has been subjected to significant resource withdrawal over recent decades. This exploitation aroused social conflict due to the effect it has had on emblematic springs. This research has analysed piezometric data collected over the course of 12 years and the spatial hydrochemical data supplied by the main water points associated with it. The spatial and temporal evolution of the main chemical species in the groundwater and the hydrogeochemical processes affecting them have been studied, modelling them with the programme PHREEQC. These data suggest a complicated model of hydrogeological function with sectors storing water at different depths and connected to each other locally as determined by the geological structure.