Exploring Chile: Identities and Their Relation with the Environment through the Film Football Stories

Cinema can be considered a useful tool for understanding different geographic concepts, showing physical and human factors and the interactions between them. Andres Wood's film Football Stories explores the Chilean territory allowing the observation of the differences between the north and south of the country. Geographic components such as landscapes, architectures, the impact of anthropogenic activities, social inequalities, ways of life, and city and countryside differences are analyzed, as well as the importance of location, the spatial environment, and cinematic narration. The study of geography through films could contribute to understanding of our world and to spatial knowledge.     

The prediction for seismicity trends of M≥8 in the world by analysis of seismicity patterns

After completion of a study on predicting risky zones of earthquake of M≥8 for 1-3 years in the mainland of China,which was supported by Chinese Joint Seismological Science Foundation(D07018 and D08009),a further study was extended to that of greater magnitudes in the world.Based on the historical earthquake cases,we finished the research report,forecasting global earthquakes with magnitude more than 8.0 using the image analysis of seismicity.In this research report,we summarize 11 abnormal seismicity images for predicting earthquake of M≥8.0 around the world.In our research report,we predicted earthquakes of M≥8.0 from June 2009 to June 2014,the medium term predicting within 5 years period.Among these 5 predictive areas,three earthquakes occurred,which is Samoa M8.1 Earthquake on 29 September 2009,Talca M8.5 Earthquake on 27 January 2010,Chile,and Eastern Sendai M9.0 Earthquake on 11 March 2011,Japan respectively.Here we introduce the main items of the image analysis of seismicity and we predict three earthquakes and think that the image analysis of seismicity can be of help.     

IUPA: a tool for the evaluation of the general usefulness of practices for adaptation to climate change and variability

A prototype multi-purpose index is proposed for use in the evaluation of practices for adaptation to climate variability and change. The Index of Usefulness of Practices for Adaptation (IUPA) allows the user to assign weights and scores to a set of user-defined evaluation criteria. Individual criterion scores are aggregated into a final index value. Both the final value and the individual parameter scores provide useful information for improved decision making in the context of climate change. An innovative aspect of IUPA is that guidance is given to the user through the inclusion of recommendations on evaluation criteria and criterion-specific weight factors. These have been defined by a panel of experts from the Latin-American and Caribbean Region (LAC). Application of the index is demonstrated for an existing adaptation practice from the Coquimbo Region, Chile. The IUPA tool is recommended for use in the evaluation of adaptation practices in their design, implementation and post-implementation phase. It is practical for a quick first assessment or when limited financial resources are available, making the tool especially useful for practitioners in the developing world. The index is flexible both from the perspective of its construction and use. Additional expert opinions can easily be included in the future versions of the tool.     

Flows,system boundaries and the politics of urban metabolism: Waste management in Mexico City and Santiago de Chile

In this paper we examine two central concepts of urban metabolism (‘system boundaries’ and ‘flows’), and explore how to approach them as a means to politicise urban metabolism research. We present empirical findings from two case studies of waste management, in Mexico City and Santiago de Chile, looking at: the materiality of waste flows, the actors involved in them, and how waste flows relate to issues of environmental justice. We argue that urban metabolism, as a methodology to understand urban sustainability, has the potential to produce knowledge to trigger urban transformations, and to analyse the social, political and environmental aspects of waste management in urban areas.     

Evaporation from shallow groundwater in closed basins in the Chilean Altiplano

Abstract

The hydrological cycle in arid and semi-arid climates is highly controlled by evaporation. The correct quantification of this process is essential for improving the accuracy of water balance estimates, especially in closed basins. The objective of this paper is to characterize evaporation rates from shallow groundwater using the chamber approach in six closed basins in the Altiplano of northern Chile. Measurements were made at 49 locations with water-table depths ranging from 0.09 m to 3.3 m. Estimated daily evaporation rates appeared to be strongly related to groundwater depth and soil texture. In particular, the highest rates were recorded in areas with high groundwater tables and coarse-grained soils. Evaporation curves were derived by fitting exponential and power relationships as functions of the groundwater depths that we proposed to use in the study area. An application of these curves for the Salar de Pedernales basin produced an estimated evaporation flow of 530 L s^-1, using the average curve.

Citation Johnson, E., Yáñez, J., Ortiz, C. & Muñoz, J. (2010) Evaporation from shallow groundwater in closed basins in the Chilean Altiplano. Hydrol. Sci. J. 55(4), 624–635.     

Hydrological modelling with SWAT under conditions of limited data availability: evaluation of results from a Chilean case study

Abstract

The Biobío River basin is of high strategic importance for Chilean development, at both the regional and the national levels. For this reason, advances in the general understanding of, and in the capacity to describe and predict, in a spatially explicit way, the impact of climate and anthropogenic forcing on the hydrology of the Biobío basin are urgently needed. The work presented here attempts to set the basis for future modelling applications within the Biobío basin by analysing the applicability of a readily available modelling tool, the SWAT model, to one of its sub-basins. Modelling results show that the model performs well in most parts of the study basin. The SWAT model application for the Vergara basin confirms that SWAT is a useful tool and can already be used to make a preliminary assessments of the potential impacts of land-use and climate changes on basin hydrology.     

Spatial and Socioeconomic Effects of Social Housing Policies Implemented in Neoliberal Chile: The Case of Valparaíso

In this article, we examine the sociospatial effects of market-driven social housing policies implemented in neoliberal Chile. The study area encompasses the Valparaíso—Viña del Mar conurbation and its surrounding peri-urban and peripheral municipalities. To analyze the urban dynamic between 1990 and 2005 we use data showing the allocation of social housing complexes built during three time periods, socioeconomic data disaggregated at the district level, and semistructured interviews conducted with strategic actors from the public and private sectors. We conclude that private developers are increasingly building social housing complexes in peripheral municipalities, fragmenting the sociospatial landscape and concentrating poor families in ghetto-like compounds. We also encountered local governments (municipalities) with little capacity to mobilize the resources that they hold, and communities that remain disconnected from their local representatives.     

Estrogen pollution in a highly productive ecosystem off central-south Chile

While the presence of steroid estrogens in the environment has become a major environmental and health concern, their occurrence in coastal sediments remains poorly characterized. In this study, we measured the levels of three natural (estrone, 17β-estradiol, estriol) and one synthetic (17α-ethinylestradiol) estrogens in 54 coastal sediment samples collected from nine locations off central-southern Chile. Steroid estrogens were found in every sample. Remarkably high levels of 17α-ethinylestradiol were detected, reaching up to 48.14 ng/g dry weight. As a result, the global estrogenic loads were estimated to be high at all sites. Interestingly, they were found to correlate with the size of human populations served by sewage plants. Our study indicates that 17α-ethinylestradiol may accumulate in coastal sediments. The possible impact of this highly potent synthetic estrogen on the biota of the marine ecosystem off central-south Chile and on human health remains an open question.     

Eutrephoceras subplicatum (Steinmann, 1895) is a junior synonym of Eutrephoceras dorbignyanum (Forbes in Darwin, 1846) (Cephalopoda, Nautiloidea) from the Maastrichtian Quiriquina Formation of Chile

Nautilus subplicatusSteinmann, 1895 is a latest Cretaceous species of nautiloid which is common in southern South America (Chile, Argentina) and the Antarctic Peninsula and which is best assigned to the genus EutrephocerasHyatt, 1894. Nautilus dorbignyanusForbes in Darwin, 1846 and Nautilus valenciennii Hupé in Gay, 1854 are here considered to be senior synonyms which later authors have apparently overlooked. The type material of these two taxa is reillustrated. On the basis of this and additional material it is demonstrated that only a single nautiloid species occurs in the Quiriquina Formation of late Maastrichtian age. For this we propose to use N. dorbignyanus as the oldest available name.     

土壤地球化学测量在智利HenanX矿区应用效果

智利地处环太平洋成矿带,铜储量约占世界30％。为促进我国地勘企业在智利北部荒漠景观区地球化学勘查工作,在智利第一大区东南部HenanX矿区进行了1：10000土壤地球化学测量。结合前期土壤粒度试验和1：50000土壤测量成果,本次土壤测量采集B层或B＋C层-40目土壤样品,圈定了十一处铜金等综合异常。通过槽探和钻探对异常进行查证,发现了良好的找矿线索,该区具有找到脉型或斑岩型铜矿的潜力,且具有找到一定规模金矿床的可能,表明在智利北部荒漠化景观下土壤地球化学测量能够达到明确找矿目标,缩小找矿范围,确定找矿靶区的目的。然而在智利北部荒漠化景观下,由于气候环境、地形地势等条件限制,矿体难于在地表形成规模较大的化探异常,因此必须重视弱小异常的评价和验证。