Cost of environmental flow during water scarcity in the arid Huasco River basin,northern Chile

Abstract

This investigation presents a new approach to estimate the costs resulting from the introduction of environmental flows in the arid Huasco River basin, located in the Atacama Region of Chile, one of the most sophisticated private water markets worldwide. The aim is to provide information to the water users, who hold the right to decide on water use, and thereby support the inclusion of environmental flows into decision-making. Costs are estimated by calculating the loss of agricultural productivity resulting from a trade-off between users and environmental flow requirements in times of water scarcity. Based on environmental flow requirements calculated by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and hydrological supply-and-demand modelling using the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) model, economic parameters of water productivity are calculated for the main economic sectors and then included in hydrological analysis. The study presents concrete costs that might be imposed on the water users during times of water scarcity, and confirms that there are significant variations in water productivity between different sectors.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz; Guest editor M. Acreman

Citation Wagnitz, P., Núñez, J., and Ribbe, L., 2014. Cost of environmental flow during water scarcity in the arid Huasco River basin, northern Chile. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 59 (3–4), 700–712.     

Understanding the chemical complexity in Circumstellar Envelopes of C-Rich AGB stars: the case of IRC +10216

The circumstellar envelopes of carbon-rich AGB stars show a chemical complexity that is exemplified by the prototypical object IRC +10216, in which about 60 different molecules have been detected to date. Most of these species are carbon chains of the type C _n H, C _n H₂, C _n N, HC _n N. We present the detection of new species (CH₂CHCN, CH₂CN, H₂CS, CH₃CCH and C₃O) achieved thanks to the systematic observation of the full 3 mm window with the IRAM 30m telescope plus some ARO 12m observations. All these species, known to exist in the interstellar medium, are detected for the first time in a circumstellar envelope around an AGB star. These five molecules are most likely formed in the outer expanding envelope rather than in the stellar photosphere. A pure gas phase chemical model of the circumstellar envelope is reasonably successful in explaining the derived abundances, and additionally allows to elucidate the chemical formation routes and to predict the spatial distribution of the detected species.     

Shaking table tests of a reinforced concrete waffle–flat plate structure designed following modern codes: seismic performance and damage evaluation

Shaking table tests were conducted on a scaled reinforced concrete waffle–flat plate structure. It represented a conventional construction design under current building codes in the Mediterranean area. The test structure was subjected to a sequence of four seismic simulations of increasing magnitude. Each simulation was associated with a seismic hazard level characterized by the mean return period P_R. The test structure performed well for the simulations associated with P_R = 95, 475 and 975 years but collapsed under the maximum considered earthquake of P_R = 2475 years. Damage concentrated at column bases, where the maximum chord rotation reached 93% of the ultimate capacity, and at the transverse beams of the exterior plate‐to‐column connection that failed in torsion. It is shown that most (from 85% to 90%) of the energy input by the earthquake that contributes to damage is dissipated by the plate. The capacity curve of the tested structure estimated from the experimental base shear vs. top displacement relationship allowed us to compute the overstrength (1.4). It is close to the maximum established by European code EN 1998‐1 (1.5). Based on a detailed study of the test results, potential updates to current codes and design recommendations are suggested. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Diversity of the 2014 Iquique’s foreshocks and aftershocks: clues about the complex rupture process of a Mw 8.1 earthquake

We study the foreshocks and aftershocks of the 1 April 2014 Iquique earthquake of Mw 8.1. Most of these events were recorded by a large digital seismic network that included the Northern Chile permanent network and up to 26 temporary broadband digital stations. We relocated and computed moment tensors for 151 events of magnitude Mw?≥?4.5. Most of the foreshocks and aftershocks of the Iquique earthquake are distributed to the southwest of the rupture zone. These events are located in a band of about 50 km from the trench, an area where few earthquakes occur elsewhere in Chile. Another important group of aftershocks is located above the plate interface, similar to those observed during the foreshock sequence. The depths of these events were constrained by regional moment tensor (RMT) solutions obtained using the records of the dense broad band network. The majority of the foreshocks and aftershocks were associated to the interplate contact, with dip and strike angles in good agreement with the characteristics of horst and graben structures (>2000 m offset) typical of the oceanic Nazca Plate at the trench and in the outer rise region. We propose that the spatial distribution of foreshocks and aftershocks, and its seismological characteristics were strongly controlled by the rheological and tectonics conditions of the extreme erosive margin of Northern Chile.     

On the quantification of local deformation demands and adequacy of linear analysis procedures for the seismic assessment of existing steel buildings to EC8-3

The application of performance-based design and assessment procedures requires an accurate estimation of local component deformation demands. In the case of steel moment-resisting frames, these are usually defined in terms of plastic rotations. A rigorous estimation of this response parameter is not straightforward, requiring not only the adoption of complex nonlinear structural models, but also of time-consuming numerical integration calculations. Moreover, the majority of existing codes and guidelines do not provide any guidance in terms of how these response parameters should be estimated. Part 3 of Eurocode 8 (EC8-3) requires the quantification of plastic rotations even when linear methods of analysis are used. Therefore, the aim of the research presented in this paper is to evaluate different methods of quantifying local component demands and also to answer the question of how reliable are the estimates obtained using the EC8-3 linear analysis procedures in comparison to more accurate nonlinear methods of analysis, particularly when the linear analysis applicability criterion proposed by EC8-3 is verified. An alternative methodology to assess the applicability of linear analysis is proposed which overcomes the important limitations identified in the EC8-3 criterion.