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In this study, we use a synergy of in situ and remote sensing measurements collected during the SOuthwest FOGs 3D experiment for processes study (SOFOG3D) field campaign in autumn and winter 2019–2020 to analyse the thermodynamic and turbulent processes related to fog formation, evolution, and dissipation across southwestern France. Based on a unique measurement dataset (synergy of cloud radar, microwave radiometer, wind lidar, and weather station data) combined with a fog conceptual model, an analysis of the four deepest fog episodes (two radiation fogs and two advection–radiation fogs) is conducted. The results show that radiation and advection–radiation fogs form under deep and thin temperature inversions, respectively. For both fog categories, the transition period from stable to adiabatic fog and the fog adiabatic phase are driven by vertical mixing associated with an increase in turbulence in the fog layer due to mechanical production (turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) up to 0.4 m 2 s -2 and vertical velocity variance (σw2) up to 0.04 m 2 s -2) generated by increasing wind and wind shear. Our study reveals that fog liquid water path, fog top height, temperature, radar reflectivity profiles, and fog adiabaticity derived from the conceptual model evolve in a consistent manner to clearly characterise this transition. The dissipation time is observed at night for the advection–radiation fog case studies and after sunrise for the radiation fog case studies. Night-time dissipation is driven by horizontal advection generating mechanical turbulence (TKE at least 0.3 m 2 s -2 and σw2 larger than 0.04 m 2 s -2). Daytime dissipation is linked to the combination of thermal and mechanical turbulence related to solar heating (near-surface sensible heat flux larger than 10 W m -2) and wind shear, respectively. This study demonstrates the added value of monitoring fog liquid water content and depth (combined with wind, turbulence, and temperature profiles) and diagnostics such as fog liquid water reservoir and adiabaticity to better explain the drivers of the fog life cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of disarticulated ossicles of recent sea cucumbers from Campos Basin, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from various Holocene strata, obtained by micropaleontological methods, resulted in the identification of at least eight holothurian taxa, belonging to the five of the seven orders of Holothuroidea: Apodida (Synaptidae, Chiridotidae), Dendrochirotida (Psolidae and Cucumariidae), Holothuriida (Holothuria), and Molpadiida (Molpadiidae, Eupyrgidae). Our paper endorses the importance of studies of recent fauna based on isolated ossicles for taxonomy, biostratigraphy, and ecology. This study represents the first effort at the study of recent fauna of sea cucumbers based on the analysis of preserved ossicles in marine sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we use a synergy of in-situ and remote sensing measurements collected during the Southwest FOGs 3D experiment for processes study (SOFOG3D) field campaign in autumn 2019 and winter 2020, to analyze the thermodynamic and turbulence processes related to fog formation, evolution, and dissipation across southwestern France. Based on a unique dataset with a very high resolution and a fog conceptual model, an analysis of the four heaviest fog episodes (two radiation fogs and two advection-radiation fogs) is conducted. The results show that radiation and advection-radiation fogs form under deep and thin temperature inversion, respectively. For both fog categories, the transition period from stable to adiabatic fog and the fog adiabatic phase are driven by vertical mixing associated with an increase in turbulence in the fog layer due to mechanical production (turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) up to 0.4 m2 s-2 and vertical velocity variance (σw2) up to 0.04 m2 s-2) generated by brisk wind at the supersite (advection). The dissipation time is observed at night for the advection-radiation fog case studies and during the day for the radiation fog case studies. Night-time dissipation is driven by horizontal advection generating mechanical turbulence (TKE at least 0.3 m2 s-2 and σw2 larger than 0.04 m2 s-2). Daytime dissipation is linked to the combination of thermal and mechanical turbulence related respectively to solar heating (near surface sensible heat flux larger than 10 W m-2) and advection. Through a deficit of the fog reservoir of liquid water path, the fog conceptual model estimates the dissipation time at least one hour before the observed dissipation for radiation fog cases. It gives a better estimate of the fog dissipation time for advection-radiation cases. This study also demonstrates the importance of using instrumental synergy (with microwave radiometer, wind lidar, weather station, and cloud radar) and a fog conceptual model to better predict fog characteristics and dissipation time at nowcasting ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we use a synergy of in-situ and remote sensing measurements collected during the Southwest FOGs 3D experiment for processes study (SOFOG3D) field campaign in autumn 2019 and winter 2020, to analyze the thermodynamic and turbulence processes related to fog formation, evolution, and dissipation across southwestern France. Based on a unique dataset with a very high resolution and a fog conceptual model, an analysis of the four heaviest fog episodes (two radiation fogs and two advection-radiation fogs) is conducted. The results show that radiation and advection-radiation fogs form under deep and thin temperature inversion, respectively. For both fog categories, the transition period from stable to adiabatic fog and the fog adiabatic phase are driven by vertical mixing associated with an increase in turbulence in the fog layer due to mechanical production (turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) up to 0.4 m² s-2 and vertical velocity variance (σw²) up to 0.04 m² s-2) generated by brisk wind at the supersite (advection). The dissipation time is observed at night for the advection-radiation fog case studies and during the day for the radiation fog case studies. Night-time dissipation is driven by horizontal advection generating mechanical turbulence (TKE at least 0.3 m² s-2 and σw² larger than 0.04 m² s-2). Daytime dissipation is linked to the combination of thermal and mechanical turbulence related respectively to solar heating (near surface sensible heat flux larger than 10 W m-2) and advection. Through a deficit of the fog reservoir of liquid water path, the fog conceptual model estimates the dissipation time at least one hour before the observed dissipation for radiation fog cases. It gives a better estimate of the fog dissipation time for advection-radiation cases. This study also demonstrates the importance of using instrumental synergy (with microwave radiometer, wind lidar, weather station, and cloud radar) and a fog conceptual model to better predict fog characteristics and dissipation time at nowcasting ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The hypoglossal nerve (XII cranial nerve) is the tongue's motor supply. The hypoglossal nerve trajectory can be separated into two main parts: intracranial and extracranial. Objective: Considering the rarity of hypoglossus nerve injury, and that when it occurs it results in clinical implications that should be known by the Medical and Dentistry professionals, the aim of this study was to carry out a literature review on the anatomy of the hypoglossal nerve and possible causes of injuries and ways to treat this type of complication. Material and methods: A literature review was carried out in the international Pubmed database. The literature review included 19 articles from 1965 to 2021. The keywords used were: "hypoglossus nerve", "injury". Of the 19 articles, 10 were used for this literature review. Among the 9 articles that were discarded, 5 did not address the objective of this work and 4 did not present the available text. All types of articles were considered (1 literature review, 6 case reports and 3 original articles). Conclusion: The knowledge of the hypoglossal nerve anatomy is for surgical interventions, partial resections, and tongue reconstructions. The causes listed in the present literature review are intubation, the covid-19, procedures performed in the carotid area and occipital condyle fracture. In relation to treatment approaches, no specific protocol has been invented until now. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An improved version of the near-real-time decision tool PARAFOG (PFG2) is presented to retrieve pre-fog alert levels and to discriminate between radiation (RAD) and stratus lowering (STL) fog situations. PFG2 has two distinct modules to monitor the physical processes involved in RAD and STL fog formation and is evaluated at European sites. The modules are based on innovative fuzzy logic algorithms to retrieve fog alert levels (low, moderate, high) specific to RAD/STL conditions, minutes to hours prior to fog onset. The PFG2-RAD module assesses also the thickness of the fog. Both the PFG2-RAD and PFG2-STL modules rely on the combination of visibility observations and automatic lidar and ceilometer (ALC) measurements. The overall performance of the PFG2-RAD and PFG2-STL modules is evaluated based on 9 years of measurements at the SIRTA (Instrumented Site for Atmospheric Remote Sensing Research) observatory near Paris and up to two fog seasons at the Paris-Roissy, Vienna, Munich, and Zurich airports. At all sites, pre-fog alert levels retrieved by PFG2 are found to be consistent with the local weather analysis. The advanced PFG2 algorithm performs with a hit rate of about 100 % for both considered fog types and presents a false alarm ratio on the order of 10 % (30 %) for RAD (STL) fog situations. Finally, the first high alerts that result in a subsequent fog event are found to occur for periods of time ranging from - 120 min to fog onset, with the first high alerts occurring earlier for RAD than STL cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visibility reduction caused by fog can be hazardous for human activities, especially for the transport sector. Previous studies show that this problem could be mitigated by improving nowcasting of fog dissipation. To address this issue, we propose a new paradigm which could potentially improve our understanding of the life cycle of adiabatic continental fogs and of the conditions that must take place for fog dissipation. For this purpose, adiabatic fog is defined as a layer filled with suspended liquid water droplets, extending from an upper boundary all the way down to the surface, with a saturated adiabatic temperature profile. In this layer, the liquid water path (LWP) must exceed a critical value: the critical liquid water path (CLWP). When the LWP is less than the CLWP, the amount of fog liquid water is not sufficient to extend all the way down to the surface, leading to a surface horizontal visibility greater than 1 km. Conversely, when the LWP exceeds the CLWP, the amount of cloud water is enough to reach the surface, inducing a horizontal visibility of less than 1 km. The excess water with respect to the critical value is defined as the reservoir liquid water path (RLWP). The new fog paradigm is formulated as a conceptual model that relates the liquid water path of adiabatic fog with its thickness and surface liquid water content and allows the critical and reservoir liquid water paths to be computed. Both variables can be tracked in real time using vertical profiling measurements, enabling a real-time diagnostic of fog status. The conceptual model is tested using data from 7 years of measurements performed at the SIRTA observatory, combining cloud radar, microwave radiometer, ceilometer, scatterometer, and weather station measurements. In this time period we found 80 fog events with reliable measurements, with 56 of these lasting more than 3 h. The paper presents the conceptual model and its capability to derive the LWP from the fog top height and surface horizontal visibility with an uncertainty of 10.5 g m -2. The impact of fog liquid water path and fog top height variations on fog life cycle (formation to dissipation) is presented based on four case studies and statistics derived from 56 fog events. Our results, based on measurements and an empirical parametrization for the adiabaticity, validate the applicability of the model. The calculated reservoir liquid water path is consistently positive during the mature phase of fog and starts to decrease quasi-monotonously about 1 h before dissipation, reaching a near-zero value at the time of dissipation. Hence, the reservoir liquid water path and its time derivative could be used as indicators of the life cycle stage, to support nowcasting of fog dissipation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Element and mineral associations are fundamental parameters for palaeoceanographical reconstructions but laboratory methodologies are expensive, time-consuming and need a lot of material. Here, we investigate the quality and reliability of XRF measurements of major elements (Fe, Ti and Ca) using BTX II Benchtop, by comparing them with previous ICP-OES elemental analysis for a set of Late Pleistocene marine sediments from Campos Basin. Although the numerical values of the logarithmic form of the elementary ratios were different, the lnTi/Ca and lnFe/Ca ratios measured by both techniques (XRF and ICP-OES) presented similar downcore results. To correct the XRF intensity data, a linear regression model was calculated and, based on the linear equation generated, the logarithmic values of the elementary XRF ratios were corrected. After the correction, One-Sample t-test and Bland–Altman plot show that both techniques obtained similar results. In addition, a brief paleoceanographic interpretation, during the MIS 5 and MIS 4 periods, was conducted by comparing mineralogical and elementary analysis aiming to reconstruct the variations of the terrigenous input to the studied area. As a conclusion, the results from XRF measurements (BTX II) presented to confirm the viability of such a technique, showing that analysis using BTX II is a reliable, cheap, rapid and non-destructive option for obtaining elementary ratios and mineralogical downcore results at high resolution, allowing stratigraphic and paleoceanographic interpretations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An improved version of the near-real time decision tool PARAFOG (PFG2) is presented to retrieve pre-fog alert levels and to discriminate between radiation (RAD) and stratus lowering (STL) fog situations. PFG2 has two distinct modules to monitor the physical processes involved in RAD and STL fog formation and is evaluated at European sites. The modules are based on innovative fuzzy logic algorithms to retrieve fog alert levels (low, moderate, high) specific to RAD/STL conditions, minutes to hours prior to fog onset. The PFG2-RAD module assesses also the thickness of the fog. Both the PFG2- RAD and PFG2-STL modules rely on the combination of visibility observations and automatic lidar and ceilometer (ALC) measurements. The overall performance of the PFG2-RAD and -STL modules is evaluated based on 9 years of measurements at the SIRTA observatory near Paris and up to two fog seasons at the Paris-Roissy, Vienna, Munich and Zurich airports. At all sites, pre-fog alert levels retrieved by PFG2 are found to be consistent with the local weather analysis. The advanced PFG2 algorithm performs with a hit rate of about 100 % for both considered fog types, and presents a false alarm ratio on the order of 10% (30%) for RAD (STL) fog situations. Finally, the first high alerts that result in a subsequent fog event are found to occur for periods of time ranging from -120 minutes to fog onset, with first high alerts occurring earlier for RAD than STL cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antimicrobial peptides are components of innate immune response that have a key role on susceptibility and resistance of the oral cavity to diseases. This study aimed to investigate the influence of smoking on cathelicidin LL-37 and human neutrophil peptides 1 through 3 (HNP 1-3) levels in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of patients with periodontitis. The relationship between levels of these peptides with the periodontal status and selected inflammatory mediators levels in smokers and non-smokers was also evaluated.Methods: Forty patients with periodontitis, 20 smokers and 20 non-smokers were recruited. After a full periodontal clinical assessment, GCF samples were collected from healthy (n = 5) and diseased (n = 5) sites of each patient. Peptides and inflammatory mediators in the GCF were quantitated by sandwich ELISAs and Multiplex assay, respectively.Results: Diseased sites had significantly (P <0.05) higher levels of LL-37 and lower levels of HNP 1-3 than healthy sites in both smokers and non-smokers. Diseased sites of smokers presented significantly lower levels of LL-37 and HNP 1-3 when compared with diseased sites of non-smokers. Concentration of LL-37 was directly correlated with the presence of proinflammatory mediators matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8 and interleukin (IL)-1β and inversely correlated with concentration of IL-10. HNP 1-3 concentration was positively correlated with IL-10 and negatively correlated with concentrations of MMP-8 and IL-1β.Conclusions: Smoking was associated with reduced levels of LL-37 and HNP 1-3 in GCF of patients with periodontitis. LL-37 had a distinct expression pattern from HNP 1-3: LL-37 was upregulated in diseased sites, and HNP 1-3 was increased in periodontally healthy sites.1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a new paradigm to describe the temporal evolution of continental fog layers. This paradigm defines fog as a layer saturated from the surface to a known upper boundary, and whose liquid water path (LWP) exceeds a critical value, the critical liquid water path (CLWP). When the LWP is less than the CLWP the fog water cannot extend all the way to the surface, leading to a surface horizontal visibility greater than 1 km. On the opposite, when the LWP is larger than the CLWP, the fog water extends all the way to the surface, inducing a horizontal visibility less than 1 km. The excess water with respect to the critical value is then defined as the reservoir liquid water path (RLWP). The new fog paradigm is formulated as a conceptual model that relates the liquid water path of adiabatic fog with its thickness and surface liquid water content, and allows the critical and reservoir liquid water paths to be computed. Both variables can be tracked in real time using vertical profiling measurements, enabling a real time diagnostic of fog status. The conceptual model is tested using data from seven years of measurements performed at the SIRTA observatory, combining cloud radar, microwave radiometer, ceilometer, scatterometer and weather station measurements. In this time period we found 80 fog events with reliable measurements, with 56 of these lasting more than three hours. The paper presents the conceptual model and its capability to derive the LWP from the fog CTH and surface horizontal visibility with an RMS uncertainty of 10.5 g m-2. The impact of fog liquid water path and fog top height variations on fog life cycle (formation to dissipation) is presented based on four case studies, and statistics derived from 56 fog events. Our results show in particular that the reservoir liquid water path is consistently positive during the mature phase of the fog and that it starts to decrease quasi monotonously about one hour before dissipation, reaching a near-zero value at the time of dissipation. The reservoir liquid water path and its time derivative could hence be used as an indicator for life cycle stage and support short range forecasting of fog dissipation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a new cloud radar calibration methodology using solid reference reflectors mounted on masts, developed during two field experiments held in 2018 and 2019 at the Site Instrumental de Recherche par Télédétection Atmosphérique (SIRTA) atmospheric observatory, located in Palaiseau, France, in the framework of the Aerosol Clouds Trace gases Research InfraStructure version 2 (ACTRIS-2) research and innovation program. The experimental setup includes 10 and 20 cm triangular trihedral targets installed at the top of 10 and 20 m masts, respectively. The 10 cm target is mounted on a pan-tilt motor at the top of the 10 m mast to precisely align its boresight with the radar beam. Sources of calibration bias and uncertainty are identified and quantified. Specifically, this work assesses the impact of receiver compression, temperature variations inside the radar, frequency-dependent losses in the receiver's intermediate frequency (IF), clutter and experimental setup misalignment. Setup misalignment is a source of bias, previously undocumented in the literature, that can have an impact of the order of tenths of a decibel in calibration retrievals of W-band radars. A detailed analysis enabled the quantification of the importance of each uncertainty source to the final cloud radar calibration uncertainty. The dominant uncertainty source comes from the uncharacterized reference target which reached 2 dB. Additionally, the analysis revealed that our 20 m mast setup with an approximate alignment approach is preferred to the 10 m mast setup with the motor-driven alignment system. The calibration uncertainty associated with signal-to-clutter ratio of the former is 10 times smaller than for the latter. Following the proposed methodology, it is possible to reduce the added contribution from all uncertainty terms, excluding the target characterization, down to 0.4 dB. Therefore, this procedure should enable the achievement of calibration uncertainties under 1 dB when characterized reflectors are available. Cloud radar calibration results are found to be repeatable when comparing results from a total of 18 independent tests. Once calibrated, the cloud radar provides valid reflectivity values when sampling midtropospheric clouds. Thus, we conclude that the method is repeatable and robust, and that the uncertainties are precisely characterized. The method can be implemented under different configurations as long as the proposed principles are respected. It could be extended to reference reflectors held by other lifting devices such as tethered balloons or unmanned aerial vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a new Cloud Radar calibration methodology using solid reference reflectors mounted on masts, developed during two field experiments held in 2018 and 2019 at the SIRTA atmospheric observatory, located in Palaiseau, France, in the framework of the ACTRIS-2 research and innovation program. The experimental setup includes 10 cm and 20 cm triangular trihedral targets installed at the top of 10 m and 20 m masts, respectively. The 10 cm target is mounted on a pan-tilt motor at the top of the 10 m mast to precisely align its boresight with the radar beam. Sources of calibration bias and uncertainty are identified and quantified. Specifically, this work assesses the impact of receiver compression, incomplete antenna overlap, temperature variations inside the radar, clutter and experimental setup misalignment. Setup misalignment is a source of bias previously undocumented in the literature, that can have an impact on the order of tenths of dB in calibration retrievals of W band Radars. A detailed analysis enabled the design of a calibration methodology which can reach a cloud radar calibration uncertainty of 0.3 dB based on the equipment used in the experiment. Among different sources of uncertainty, the two largest terms are due to signal-to-clutter ratio and radar-to-target alignment. The analysis revealed that our 20 m mast setup with an approximate alignment approach is preferred to the 10 m mast setup with the motor-driven alignment system. The calibration uncertainty associated with signal-to-clutter ratio of the former is ten times smaller than for the latter. Cloud radar calibration results are found to be repeatable when comparing results from a total of 18 independent tests. Once calibrated the cloud radar provides valid reflectivity values when sampling mid-tropospheric clouds. Thus we conclude that the method is repeatable and robust, and that the uncertainties are precisely characterized. The method can be implemented under different configurations as long as the proposed principles are respected. It could be extended to reference reflectors held by other lifting devices such as tethered balloons or unmanned aerial vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensification of the Agulhas Leakage (AL) during glacial terminations has long been proposed as a necessary mechanism for reverting the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) to its interglacial mode. However, lack of records showing the downstream evolution of AL signal and substantial temporal differences between AL intensification and resumption of deep‐water convection have cast doubt on the importance of this mechanism to the AMOC. Here, we analyze a combination of new and previously published data relating to Mg/Ca‐derived temperatures and ice volume‐corrected seawater δ18O records (δ18OIVC‐SW, as a proxy for relative changes in ocean salinity), which demonstrate propagation of AL signal via surface and thermocline waters to the western South Atlantic (Santos Basin) during Termination II and the early Last Interglacial. The saline AL waters were temporally stored in the upper subtropical South Atlantic until they were abruptly released in two stages into the North Atlantic via surface and thermocline waters at ca. 129 and 123 ka BP, respectively. Accounting for age model uncertainties, these two stages are coeval with the resumption of convection in the Labrador and Nordic seas during the Last Interglacial. We propose a mechanism whereby both active AL and a favorable ocean‐atmosphere configuration in the tropical Atlantic were required to allow flux of AL waters into the North Atlantic, where they then contributed to enhancing the AMOC during the Last Interglacial period. Our results provide a framework that connects AL strengthening to the AMOC intensifications that followed glaciations. Plain Language Summary: During the Quaternary period, the Earth's climate fluctuated between glacial and interglacial states. Such climate transitions, known as glacial terminations, were characterized by rapid changes in ice‐volume, atmospheric CO2 levels, and global temperatures. Several geochemical and modeling studies have demonstrated that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) was strongly inhibited during these periods. In general, meltwater discharge due to ice‐sheet retraction at high latitudes of the North Atlantic seems to have weakened deep‐ocean convection and affected northward transport of heat and salt. To return the AMOC to a fully active mode, the impact of that meltwater had to be counterbalanced. Previous investigations suggested that leakage of salty waters from the Indian Ocean into the South Atlantic (Agulhas Leakage, AL) during glacial terminations played a prominent role in reinstating northward heat and salt transport. However, it is not clear how far into the South Atlantic the influence of the AL can be tracked and how, in terms of timing, it is linked to resumption of deep‐water convection. Here, we focus on glacial Termination II to demonstrate AL signal in the western South Atlantic and how it contributed to enhancing the AMOC during the Last Interglacial. Key Points: Strong Agulhas Leakage during Termination II affected upper ocean salinity of the western South AtlanticThe tropical ocean‐atmosphere configuration induced recirculation of Agulhas waters within the South Atlantic subtropical gyreTwo intervals of strong freshening of the upper Brazil Current suggests northward transmission of dense waters during the Last Interglacial [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Th is a radionuclide of the U decay series, characterized by natural abundance in sediments and a half-life of 75,380 years, suitable for direct evaluation of sedimentation rates and sediment ages in a time scale of 700,000 years before the present. Th cycle creates a contrast between supported and unsupported Th in the sedimentary matrix due to the different geochemical behaviors of Th and its parent, U. This study aimed at establishing and validating a mathematical model that evaluates sedimentation rates and age modeling based on Th data retrieved from a sediment core sampled in the southeastern Brazilian continental margin. The validation of the age modeling of this method was made through a statistical comparison between its results and those of benthic foraminifera δO record technique, widely used for sediment dating and determination of sedimentation rates. It was observed that the model of unsupported Th was successful in determining Late Quaternary sedimentation rates and ages in a confidence level of 95 %. It was possible to determine several breaking points in unsupported Th vertical profile, and it was shown that those divides correspond to some major intervals between glacial and interglacial periods when compared with the benthic foraminifera record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper describes the effects of drilling disturbance on the seafloor of the upper continental slope of the Campos Basin, Brazil, as a result of the project Environmental Monitoring of Offshore Drilling for Petroleum Exploration – MAPEM. Field sampling was carried out surrounding wells, operated by the company PETROBRAS, to compare sediment properties of the seafloor, including grain-size distribution, total organic carbon, and clay mineral composition, prior to drilling with samples obtained 3 and 22 months after drilling. The sampling grid used had 74 stations, 68 of which were located along 7 radials from the well up to a distance of 500 m. The other 6 stations were used as reference, and were located 2,500 m from the well. The results show no significant sedimentological variation in the area affected by drilling activity. The observed sedimentological changes include a fining of grain size, increase in total organic carbon, an increase in gibbsite, illite, and smectite, and a decrease in kaolinite after drilling took place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a monochromatic low-cost automatic sun photometer (LoCo-ASP) to perform distributed aerosol optical depth (AOD) measurements at the city scale. This kind of network could fill the gap between current automatic ground instruments—with good temporal resolution and accuracy, but few devices per city and satellite products—with global coverage, but lower temporal resolution and accuracy-. As a first approach, we consider a single equivalent wavelength around 408 nm. The cost of materials for the instrument is around 220 dollars. Moreover, we propose a calibration transfer for a pattern instrument, and estimate the uncertainties for several units and due to the internal differences and the calibration process. We achieve a max MAE of 0.026 for 38 sensors at 408 nm compared with AERONET Cimel; a mean standard deviation of 0.0062 among our entire sensor for measurement and a calibration uncertainty of 0.01. Finally, we perform city-scale measurements to show the dynamics of AOD. Our instrument can measure unsupervised, with an expected error for AOD between 0.02 and 0.03. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radars are used to retrieve physical parameters related to clouds and fog. With these measurements, models can be developed for several application fields such as climate, agriculture, aviation, energy, and astronomy. In Chile, coastal fog and low marine stratus intersect the coastal topography, forming a thick fog essential to sustain coastal ecosystems. This phenomenon motivates the development of cloud radars to boost scientific research. In this article, we present the design of a Ka-band cloud radar and the experiments that prove its operation. The radar uses a frequency-modulated continuous-wave with a carrier frequency of 38 GHz. By using a drone and a commercial Lidar, we were able to verify that the radar can measure reflectivities in the order of −60 dBZ at 500 m of distance, with a range resolution of 20 m. The lower needed range coverage imposed by our case of study enabled a significant reduction of the instrument cost compared to existent alternatives. The portability and low-cost of the designed instrument enable its implementation in a distributed manner along the coastal mountain range, as well as its use in medium-size aerial vehicles or balloons to study higher layers. The main features, limitations, and possible improvements to the current instrument are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In electricity markets, bilateral contracts (BC) are used to hedge against price volatility in the spot market. Pricing these contracts requires scheduling from either the buyer or the seller aiming to achieve the highest profit possible. Since this problem includes different players, a Generation Company (GC) and an Electricity Supplier Company (ESC) are considered. The approaches to solve this problem include the Nash Bargaining Solution (NBS) equilibrium and the Raiffa–Kalai–Smorodinsky (RKS) bargaining solution. The innovation of this work is the implementation of an algorithm based on the RKS equilibrium to find a compromise strategy when determining the concessions to be made by the parties. The results are promising and show that the RKS approach can obtain better results compared to the Nash equilibrium method applied to a case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]