Protection of architectural heritage: attitudes of local residents and visitors in Sirako,Greece

Architectural heritage comprises one of the most important elements of mountain settlements in Greece. It holds high cultural value, represents the tangible continuation of the past and forms the unique character and identity of each mountain region. Yet, controversy regarding funding for its preservation often arises. In this paper, we used two Contingent Valuation surveys to estimate the social benefit deriving from protecting the traditional architecture in the mountainous village of Sirako and, through it, to examine perceptions and attitudes of local residents and visitors. Research findings revealed a strong social will in favor of the good’s protection followed by high percentages of positive willingness to pay (WTP). However, WTP is significantly higher among residents. Cultural heritage value, of the good, appears to prevail, along with the environmental one. However, both residents and visitors pointed out that local heritage, if well-preserved, will boost tourism development. Residents appeared to better recognize the true level of architectural decay, expressed higher apprehension for its protection and were willing to pay higher amount of money. Tourists, on the other side, expressed high satisfaction for their visit, appreciated the beauty and serenity emerging from local built and natural environment and spent several days visiting the surrounding area. The longer they stayed and got familiar with the village, the more willing they were to contribute to local heritage’s protection. Percentages reflecting indifference for protecting architecture were extremely low. Yet, they were higher among tourists. Traditional architecture is considered as public good; an opinion resulting in an important percentage of visitors stating that national government should provide the necessary funding. In addition, the architecture appears to hold a high level of topicality. Those descending from Sirako or emotionally connected to it, of both social groups, turned out to be more concerned about the good and with a stronger sense of responsibility for it. Use-value of the good holds high economic value, as well, while higher percentages of zero WTP appeared among non-users. Research findings revealed social attitudes and perceptions on what constitutes architectural heritage, in its cultural and economic frame. If taken under consideration, they may form useful drivers for local, heritage-based, sustainable development.     

How rapidly do neutron stars spin at birth? Constraints from archival X-ray observations of extragalactic supernovae

Traditionally, studies aimed at inferring the distribution of birth periods of neutron stars are based on radio surveys. Here we propose an independent method to constrain the pulsar spin periods at birth based on their X-ray luminosities. In particular, the observed luminosity distribution of supernovae (SNe) poses a constraint on the initial rotational energy of the embedded pulsars, via the     correlation found for radio pulsars, and under the assumption that this relation continues to hold beyond the observed range. We have extracted X-ray luminosities (or limits) for a large sample of historical SNe observed with Chandra , XMM and Swift , which have been firmly classified as core-collapse SNe. We have then compared these observational limits with the results of Monte Carlo simulations of the pulsar X-ray luminosity distribution for a range of values of the birth parameters. We find that a pulsar population dominated by millisecond periods at birth is ruled out by the data.     

Major and trace element characterization of tephra layers offshore Pantelleria Island: insights into the last 200 ka of volcanic activity and contribution to the Mediterranean tephrochronology

A detailed tephrochronological study was carried out on the deep‐sea core collected from Site 963A in the Sicily Channel during ODP Leg 160. The chronology of the succession is provided by an age–depth model based on isotope stratigraphy and quantitative eco‐biostratigraphy. Major, trace and rare earth element content was obtained on single glass grains through electron probe micro‐analysis and laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry techniques from six well‐preserved tephra layers, characterized by a discrete thickness found along the succession. These deposits were correlated with the volcanic activity of Pantelleria and dated at 42.5, 127.5, 128.1, 129.1, 188.7 and 197.7 ka. This detailed chemical characterization of the studied deposits aims to provide a valuable reference database for scientists working on both proximal and distal products erupted at Pantelleria island during the Late Pleistocene. This study, moreover, offers the opportunity to better identify Pantelleria‐related marker tephras within the tephrochronological framework of the central and eastern Mediterranean area. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Climate sensitivity of water use by riparian woodlands at landscape scales

Semi-arid riparian woodlands face threats from increasing extractive water demand and climate change in dryland landscapes worldwide. Improved landscape-scale understanding of riparian woodland water use (evapotranspiration, ET) and its sensitivity to climate variables is needed to strategically manage water resources, as well as to create successful ecosystem conservation and restoration plans for potential climate futures. In this work, we assess the spatial and temporal variability of Cottonwood (Populus fremontii)-Willow (Salix gooddingii) riparian gallery woodland ET and its relationships to vegetation structure and climate variables for 80 km of the San Pedro River corridor in southeastern Arizona, USA, between 2014 and 2019. We use a novel combination of publicly available remote sensing, climate and hydrological datasets: cloud-based Landsat thermal remote sensing data products for ET (Google Earth Engine EEFlux), Landsat multispectral imagery and field data-based calibrations to vegetation structure (leaf-area index, LAI), and open-source climate and hydrological data. We show that at landscape scales, daily ET rates (6–10 mm day⁻¹) and growing season ET totals (400–1,400 mm) matched rates of published field data, and modelled reach-scale average LAI (0.80–1.70) matched lower ranges of published field data. Over 6 years, the spatial variability of total growing season ET (CV = 0.18) exceeded that of temporal variability (CV = 0.10), indicating the importance of reach-scale vegetation and hydrological conditions for controlling ET dynamics. Responses of ET to climate differed between perennial and intermittent-flow stream reaches. At perennial-flow reaches, ET correlated significantly with temperature, whilst at intermittent-flow sites ET correlated significantly with rainfall and stream discharge. Amongst reaches studied in detail, we found positive but differing logarithmic relationships between LAI and ET. By documenting patterns of high spatial variability of ET at basin scales, these results underscore the importance of accurately accounting for differences in woodland vegetation structure and hydrological conditions for assessing water-use requirements. Results also suggest that the climate sensitivity of ET may be used as a remote indicator of subsurface water resources relative to vegetation demand, and an indicator for informing conservation management priorities.     

Limatic variables that control development of stripe rust disease on winter wheat

The frequency and severity of the stripe rust disease (caused byPuccinia striiformis) on winter wheat in the Pacific Northwest of the U.S.A. has increased since 1958 in association with climatic variation. From 1968–1979, rust intensities on ‘Gaines’ wheat were most highly correlated with accumulated negative degree days (NDD) between 1 December and 31 January and positive degree days (PDD) between 1 April and 30 June. NDD and PDD were calculated from a 7 °C base. Linear regression equations using NDD alone accounted for 76% of the variation in stripe rust. When NDD and PDD were combined, 88% of the variation in stripe rust was explained. When a growth index (GI), and NDD plus PDD were used as independent variables in a multiple regression analysis, 91% of the variation in disease was explained. Frequency of precipitation in June was correlated with stripe rust intensity, but when it was added to the multiple regression analysis, it explained less than an additional 1% of the variation. The relationships between NDD, PDD, and disease index help to explain why stripe rust was not severe from 1941 to 1957. Methods used in this research should be applicable to similar studies of the effect of climatic variation on other pests. This research was supported by a National Science Foundation Grant (ATM 76-21725), Climate Dynamics Program, Division of Atmospheric Sciences.     

Fluid geochemistry of the Mondragone hydrothermal systems (southern Italy): water and gas compositions vs. geostructural setting

International Journal of Earth Sciences - The geochemistry of natural thermal fluids discharging in the Mondragone Plain has been investigated. Thermal spring emergences are located along the...     

Linking earthquake-triggered paleolandslides to their seismic source and to the possible seismic event that originated them in a portion of the Argentine Precordillera (31°–33°S)

Natural Hazards - A total of 36 rock slides were selected for analysing a probable seismic source in the active Andean Precordillera (31°–33°S), the most seismic region of...     

Climatic effect of ENSO associated with landslide occurrence in the Central Andes, Mendoza Province, Argentina

Temporal distribution of landslides can be verified by means of climatic anomalies linked to the ENSO phenomenon. An increasing number of landslides triggered by rainfall have been recorded during warm episodes (El Niño) in the Cordillera Frontal, and a decreasing number during cold episodes (La Niña), concluding that this geological province is mainly influenced by the Pacific Anticyclone. However, slope instability in the Precordillera, located east of the Cordillera Frontal, seems to be mainly influenced by the Atlantic Anticyclone. Analysis of variance shows that there is no significant difference between landslide records and cold-warm episodes, and a higher number of landslides were recorded in years linked to wet periods than during dry periods. Furthermore, the precipitation threshold value associated with landslide occurrence and antecedent precipitation are analysed.     

Farewell to Harry M. Parker (1946–2019)

Mathematical Geosciences -     

Simulation of debris flows in the Central Andes based on Open Source GIS: possibilities,limitations, and parameter sensitivity

A GIS-based model framework, designed as a raster module for the Open Source software GRASS, was developed for simulating the mobilization and motion of debris flows triggered by rainfall. Designed for study areas up to few square kilometres, the tool combines deterministic and empirical model components for infiltration and surface runoff, detachment and sediment transport, slope stability, debris flow mobilization, and travel distance and deposition. The model framework was applied to selected study areas along the international road from Mendoza (Argentina) to Central Chile. The input parameters were investigated at the local scale. The model was run for a number of rainfall scenarios and evaluated using field observations and historical archives in combination with meteorological data. The sensitivity of the model to a set of key parameters was tested. The major scope of the paper is to highlight the capabilities of the model—and of this type of models in general—as well as its limitations and possible solutions.