Optimal extraction of cosmological information from supernova data in the presence of calibration uncertainties

We present a new technique to extract the cosmological information from high-redshift supernova data in the presence of calibration errors and extinction due to dust. While in the traditional technique the distance modulus of each supernova is determined separately, in our approach we determine all distance moduli at once, in a process that achieves a significant degree of self-calibration. The result is a much reduced sensitivity of the cosmological parameters to the calibration uncertainties. As an example, for a strawman mission similar to that outlined in the SNAP satellite proposal, the increased precision obtained with the new approach is roughly equivalent to a factor of five decrease in the calibration uncertainty.     

A simplified approach for including the incidence angle effect in seismic risk assessment

A simplified procedure is developed to consider the azimuthal orientation of buildings when estimating seismic risk. Two square-plan reinforced concrete building models are considered as a testbed, one with similar and one with dissimilar properties along the two principal horizontal axes. The fragility of both structures is analysed using a set of ground motion records rotated to multiple incidence angles to develop orientation-dependent fragility functions. It has been observed that, re-orienting all records so that these structures have the same azimuth vis-à-vis the corresponding epicentre leads to significant differences compared to assuming random orientations. Additional results stemming from single-degree-of-freedom oscillators further confirm such findings, showing a dependence to the proximity to the faults and the level of dissimilarity in the principal horizontal axes of the structure. The end results point to a non-negligible bias in assessment studies when a structure's orientation with respect to governing rupture scenarios is not taken into account. It is shown that the median of fragility curves calculated for un-rotated incidence angles can be bias-corrected through shifted by an amount that depends on the azimuthal orientation and level of axes-dissimilarity of structures.     

Earthquake early warning for Portugal: part 1 - Where does it matter?

Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering - In the last five centuries, Portugal was affected by several earthquakes of strong magnitude (M > 7) that caused widespread destruction and a...     

Homogeneous regions for rainfall distribution in the city of Rio de Janeiro associated with the risk of natural disasters

Natural Hazards - Understanding the occurrence of natural disasters in regions where the occurrence is high is very important, and it is known that the occurrence of disasters associated with...     

Behavior of Dry-Mixed and Permeated Laponite-Treated Sand: From Small Strains to Critical State

Geotechnical and Geological Engineering - Laponite—a synthetic nanoclay with (2:1) layer structure—has shown promise for the improvement of granular deposits susceptible to earthquake...     

Mapping the Brazilian Amazon fluvial sensitivity index to oil spills with Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data

It is important to understand the Solimões River seasonal hydrological cycle and its dynamics to support systematic environmental monitoring efforts in the Amazon region. These are essential to the contingency response to possible accidents in the existing oil transportation network. This study seeks to map the environmental sensitivity to oil spills in the surroundings of Coari city, Amazonas State (AM). A computational method was employed representing the seasonal inundation phenomenon fluctuations, together with data from the Digital Elevation Model generated by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. These were matched with Coari fluviometric time series information and a Japanese Earth Resources Satellite-1 (JERS-1 SAR) geo-referenced mosaic of the Global Rain Forest Mapping Project. In this context, a mathematical morphology technique (watershed) integrated with all aforementioned data applying MatLab and ArcGIS computing resources generated results that enabled a better spatio-temporal understanding of the Amazon seasonal dynamics. Thus, the principal product of the research was the Coari fluvial oil spill sensitivity index map based on segmented inundation levels obtained with the proposed methodology.     

Comparative agroenvironmental risks of pesticides in different cropping systems: application of the I-Phy indicator

The green revolution laid the foundations of modern agriculture, by using science and technology to produce more from same resources. The pesticides contributed to agricultural output in the last decades; however, their use has resulted in environmental pollution, health problems, soil and water contamination and negative impact on biota. The impacts of agricultural activities to the environment depended on the practices adopted during the production process. Measurement tools to assess the impacts of those practices are necessary to improve agricultural systems and must be evaluated in different ecosystems. Different soils, climates and crops impose many phytosanitary arrangements. This complex network and the fact that most of the indicators and measurement tools are developed for temperate climates makes it difficult to quantify the environmental impacts under subtropical regions. The I-Phy index is a predictive indicator that assesses the risks of pesticide usage in agriculture and identifies as to which practices generate the main environmental impacts of pesticides. The objective of this study was to test the suitability of the I-Phy index for subtropical conditions and, if suitable, compare the pesticide risk between two regions. Five crops were assessed under three different cropping systems: no-tillage, minimal tillage and conventional tillage. The I-Phy index was sensitive in both regions and capable of identifying that no-tillage generally presented risks of environmental pollution slightly lower than the other tillage systems. The results of I-Phy index showed that high environmental vulnerability of the fields and the numerous applications of active ingredients with high risks resulted in high risks of general contamination. The application of I-Phy on these two case studies showed the indicator can be useful as a support tool to farmers, research and extension institutions pursuing management practices with lower impact on the environment.     

Contaminated soils and sediments associated with Zn ore metallurgy near the São Francisco River,Minas Gerais (Brazil)

Draining through industrial areas of the Minas Gerais mining state (Brazil), some tributaries of the São Francisco River constitute a potential environmental hazard for this great river and threaten the quality of the regional soils for agriculture and other activities. Extensive geochemistry and mineralogy of sediments, soils and alluvial plains from six selected areas within the Consciência drainage basin close to an important Zn-extraction plant, have been carried out. In this report, detailed mineralogy of those samples and supporting geochemical data are discussed, taking into account their specific climactic and environmental context. Petrographic and electron microprobe characterization of the sand-grained fraction of these materials was complemented by XRD on their finer fraction: the main contaminant minerals are willemite (one of the Zn ores used in the industrial plant) and jarosite, though their contents are quite variable in the studied areas and also with depth; minor amounts of Zn-, Pb-, Cd-, and Mn-bearing mineral phases are also frequent, usually as inclusions in willemite or in polycrystalline clasts, or adsorbed on the finer materials, such as clay minerals and associated Fe-hydroxides. Mineralogical contamination is responsible for high metal contents in the soils and sediments of the areas closer to the plant (e.g. Zn ? 2000 mg kg^?1 and Cd ? 20 mg kg^?1, which are the Intervention Values for Industrial Areas) and the greatest contamination risks are related to the more labile phases that circulate throughout the alluvial plains, the shallow sediments and the stream bed. Monitoring the mineral/chemical contamination and its extent also constitutes a useful basis for future proposals to remediate and recover this industrial area in order to decrease medium- and long-term negative impacts of metal contamination on the local and downstream environments.