La plataforma interior del Sur de la provincia de Buenos Aires (El Rincón) es un ambiente altamente variable, escasamente conocido y de gran importancia para la región. En la presente investigación se realiza por primera vez un estudio integral del área relacionando la variabilidad climática, las características espacio-temporales de la hidrografía de la plataforma interior y sus implicancias en la vida marina y consecuentemente en la pesca como actividad económica regional. A partir del análisis de la variabilidad de las precipitaciones, balances hídricos y caudales de los principales ríos del área de estudio con relación al ENSO, se concluyó que el Niño 2002-2003 generó un período húmedo en el área de estudio. A su vez, la Niña 2007-2008 generó una fuerte sequia en esos años y mitad de 2009. El evento Niña 2007-2008 tuvo un gran impacto en la hidrografía costera del área de estudio por la disminución en las precipitaciones y en el monto total de las descargas de ríos que aportan agua dulce, nutrientes y sedimentos. La altura del oleaje de la zona costera de Monte Hermoso y Pehuén Co oscila entre 0,25 y 1 m, con períodos menores a 8 segundos. Alturas mayores a 2 m y períodos mayores a 12 segundos tienen sólo el 1 % de probabilidad de ocurrir. Estos resultados son directamente aplicables a la deriva litoral de la zona de estudio y al transporte de sedimentos. La temperatura superficial del mar osciló entre 6 °C a mediados de invierno y 23 °C en verano. La salinidad del mar es muy alta (entre ~34 y 36) como también la turbidez (entre 20 y 100 NTU). Se demostró entonces la gran influencia del estuario de Bahía Blanca en la hidrografía de la zona costera de Pehuén Co y Monte Hermoso. Se utilizaron imágenes satelitales Aqua MODIS (1 km) como herramienta para obtener datos físicos y biológicos de la zona del Rincón. Se realizó la validación del producto temperatura superficial del mar en la zona de El Rincón con datos in situ y se obtuvieron resultados precisos. Por otro lado, se determinaron las propiedades ópticas inherentes aph, bbp y adg (absorción por fitoplancton, retrodispersión por material particulado y absorción por material detrítico) como proxy de las características físico-biológicas del agua y la clorofila-a a la vez que se analizó la variabilidad inter-anual y estacional de las mismas en el período 2002-2010. El análisis de las series de tiempo demostró que la variabilidad temporal de los parámetros estuvo dominada por la señal estacional. En la zona costera aph y bbp presentaron una tendencia positiva y una fuerte variabilidad inter-anual. Finalmente, se relacionó los desembarques totales anuales de pesca en el puerto de Bahía Blanca con la variabilidad interanual de los parámetros físico-biológicos oceanográficos y atmosféricos. Se demostró que las fluctuaciones climáticas evidenciadas en el presente estudio a partir de las precipitaciones y caudales, generan cambios en la composición física del agua alterando en principio la base de la cadena trófica marina (fitoplancton) y directa o indirectamente al zooplancton y las comunidades pelágicas. / The inner shelf of the South of the Buenos Aires Province (El Rincón) is a highly variable environment, which is very important for the natural resources of the area and it remains unknown. In the present work a comprehensive study of the relationship between the climate variability, the spatial and temporal physical characteristics of the inner shelf and the impacts on the marine biology is presented for the very first time. The climate variability was analyzed by the oscillation of the precipitations, the water balances and discharge of the main rivers. It was conclude that the Niño event (2002-2003) produced a wet period in the area. On contrary, the Niña event (2007-2008) was responsible of a strong drought which continued until mid 2009. La Niña event had a major impact on the coastal hydrography of the study area because of the diminution of the precipitations and the discharge of the rivers, which provide fresh water, nutrients and sediments to the system. Most of significant wave heights of the coastal zone of Monte Hermoso and Pehuén Co ranged between 0,25 and 1 m, related to significant periods of less than 8 seconds. Wave heights of more than 2 m and periods longer than 12 seconds had only 1 % chance of occurring. These results are important to explain the littoral drift and sediment transport of the study area. Sea surface temperature oscillated between 6 °C in winter and 23 °C in summer. High values of salinity and turbidity were registered (~34 – 36, 20 – 100 NTU, respectively). The physical characteristics of the coastal hydrography of Monte Hermoso and Pehuén Co are clearly driven by the influence of the Bahia Blanca estuary plume on the study area. MODIS Aqua satellite imagery was used as a tool to obtain physical and biological data of El Rincón zone. The validation of Sea Surface Temperature product was done with in situ dataset obtaining accurate results. In addition, the inherent optical properties (IOPs) aph, bbp and adg (absorption by phytoplankton, backscattering by particulate matter, absorption by colored dissolved organic matter) and chlorophyll-a were used as a proxy to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of the physical and biological characteristics of the sea between 2002-2010. The time series analysis demonstrated that the temporal variability of the parameters was mainly produced by the seasonal signal. In the coastal zone, aph and bbp had positive tendency and a high inter annual variability. Finally, annual fish landings in the Bahía Blanca port were related to inter annual variability of the physical-biological oceanographic and atmospheric parameters. The climate fluctuations (precipitations and discharge of the rivers) produce changes in the physical composition of the water, altering the sea food web (phytoplankton) and the zooplankton and pelagic communities.

The acidification has been a known problem in Sweden for several decades. Sulphurous compounds, spread from the British Isles and the European continent led to a decrease in the pH-value of the rain that fell over Sweden. Since the acidification was discovered in the 1960s, active measures against the sulphurous deposition have been undertaken. The sulphurous deposition has decreased by 90 %, and the problem was for some time considered under control, until recently when a new era of the acidification may have started. Due to the increased demand of renewable energy, and Sweden’s potential to use biomass instead of fossil fuels, whole tree harvesting has been more utilized. Studies indicate that the forest soils are depleted in base cations in a faster rate when whole tree harvesting is performed compared to regular stem harvesting. Mass balance calculations and simulations indicate that an increased bio uptake of base cations due to whole tree harvesting leads to an increased biological acidification. However, although many studies agree that the impact of the whole tree harvest on the base cation supply of the soils is significant, long running Swedish experiments indicate that the difference between whole tree harvesting and regular stem harvesting diminishes over time. After a 40 year period, the difference in base cation supply between whole tree harvested soils and stem harvested soils are small. The reason for this could be different processes that reallocate base cations from different pools, which are not usually studied. The aim has been to investigate and evaluate different chemical extraction methods (Aqua Regia, HCl, EDTA, BaCl2, NH4OAc and water) capability to extract the base cations calcium, potassium, magnesium and sodium from four different Swedish forest soils and what this means for our understanding of how much base cations a soil contains. The extractions indicated that there is a statistical significant difference between the methods ability to extract base cations. Generally Aqua Regia was the most potent method, followed by HCl, EDTA, BaCl2, NH4OAc and water in decreasing order of effectiveness to extract the base cations. Linear correlations were found between EDTA, BaCl2 and NH4OAc. The internationally widely used method NH4OAc was considered to be at risk of underestimating the amount of base cations in the soil. / Försurningsproblematiken har länge varit ett känt problem i Sverige. Svavelhaltiga föroreningar som spreds från de brittiska öarna och den europeiska kontinenten ledde till att pH-värdet i regnet som föll över Sverige sjönk. Sedan upptäckten på 60-talet har aktiva åtgärder vidtagits mot utsläppen vilket har lett till en minskning av de försurande föroreningarna med 90 %. På grund av den stora utsläppsreduktionen som skett ansågs försurningsproblematiken vara under kontroll, tills nyligen då en ny etapp av för- surningen kan ha påbörjats. På grund av den ökande efterfrågan av förnyelsebar energi, i kombination med Sveriges stora skogstillgångar, har helträdsskörd av träd blivit alltmer nyttjad. Studier visar att markens baskatjonförråd utarmas i större utsträckning av helträdsskörd, då även grenar, rötter och toppar tas om hand jämfört med vanlig stamskörd då endast stammen tas med från skogen. Massbalanssimuleringar antyder att ett ökat bioupptag av baskatjoner på grund av helträdsskörd leder till en ökad biologisk försurning. Trots att många studier är överens om helträdsskördens inverkan på markens innehåll av baskatjoner visar lång- liggande försök i Sverige att skillnaderna mellan uttag av hela träd och stamved minskar med tiden. Efter en period på 40 år återstår endast små skillnader mellan avverknings- metoderna. Orsakerna till varför mätningarna och massbalansberäkningarna och simuleringarna inte stämmer överens kan vara många, t.ex. att det finns processer som kan omfördela baskatjoner från de som vanligtvis studeras. Syftet har varit att undersöka och utvärdera olika kemiska extraktionsmetoders (Aqua Regia, HCl, EDTA, BaCl2, NH4OAc och vatten) förmåga att extrahera baskatjonerna kalcium, kalium, magnesium och natrium från fyra olika skogsjordar i Sverige och vad resultaten betyder för vår uppfattning av mängden baskatjoner i marken. Extraktionerna visade att en statistiskt signifikant skillnad fanns mellan metodernas förmåga att extrahera de olika baskatjonerna. Generellt var Aqua Regia den metod som extraherade den största mängden baskatjoner, HCl, EDTA, BaCl2, NH4OAc och vatten följde i fallande ordning efter förmåga att extrahera baskatjonerna. Linjära korrelationer mellan EDTA, BaCl2 och NH4OAc upptäcktes. Den internationellt ofta använda metodiken för att extrahera baskatjoner, NH4OAc, ansågs riskera att underskatta mängden baskatjoner i marken.

L'acquisition de paramètres marins à partir des données spatiales de la couleur de l'eau nécessite l'élimination de la contribution de l'atmosphère au signal mesuré par le capteur. En effet, la majorité du rayonnement solaire mesuré par les instruments optiques dans les longueurs d'ondes qui intéressent la couleur de l'eau provient de la diffusion par les molécules de l'air et les aérosols atmosphériques. L'élimination de la contribution de l'atmosphère est appelée correction atmosphérique (CA). Pour les eaux claires, les méthodes de CA supposent une réflectance marine nulle dans le proche infra-rouge (PIR). Ceci permet d'estimer la réflectane de l'atmosphère et de l'extrapoler vers les bandes du visible, et donc de déterminer le signal marin qui contient les informations sur les propriétés optiques des eaux marines. Cette hypothèse n'est cependant pas vérifiée pour les eaux turbides, qui représentent la quasi totalité des eaux côtières. Par conséquent, de nombreux algorithmes de CA ont été développés pour les eaux côtières incluant des hypothèses alternatives. L'objectif de ce travail de thèse est de valider et d'améliorer ces méthodes de CA pour les images MODIS Aqua. Pour cela, diverses approches de CA développées pour les eaux cotières ont été comparées et validées : (1) l'algorithme standard de la NASA, (2) le "NIR Similary spectrum algorithm" qui inclut des hypothèes d'homogénéité spatiale des réflectances marines et atmosphériques, (3) l'algorithme qui utilise les bandes dans l'infrarouge moyen pour la CA dans les eaux très turbides, et (4) un algorithme utilisant un réseau de neurones artificiels. L'exercice de validation à partir de données in situ, et en fonction des types d'eaux, a permis d'identifier différentes pistes d'amélioration pour l'estimation du signal marin. L'un d'entre elles comprend l'utilisation de relations spectrales pour forcer les modèles de réflectances marines utilisés par les algorithmes CA pour estimer le signal marin dans le PIR. Des modifications ont été apportées aux modèles de réflectances marines de l'algorithme standard de la NASA et du "NIR Similarity spectrum algorithm". Chacun des modèles a été forcé avec des relations spectrales préalablement validées grâce à des données globales. Une étude de sensibilité et une validation de ces algorithmes modifiés à partir de données MODIS-Aqua dans la Manhe Orientale/Mer du Nord et la Guyane Française ont démontré que les modifications suggérées amélioraient les estimations du signal marin dans les eaux côtières optiquement complexes. / To acquire marine parameters from remote sensing ocean color data, the sensor-measured signal needs to be corrected for the atmospheric contribution. Indeed, the solar radiation reflected by air molecules and atmospheric aerosols is significant in the sensor bands of interest for ocean color applications. The removal of the atmospheric contribution is called the atmospheric correction (AC). In open ocean waters, the AC relies on the assumption that the water is totally absorbent in the near infrared (NIR) part of the spectral region, allowing to retrieve the atmospheric contribution and to extrapolate it to the visible spectral range, and thus to determine the marine signal that contains the information on the optical properties of seawaters. However, this assumption is not valid in highly productive and turbid coastal waters. Hence, AC approaches for coastal waters need to rely on alternative assumptions. This Ph. D. thesis has as main objective to validate and improve these AC methods developed for contrasted coastal waters, with a focus on MODIS Aqua images. First, a validation and comparison of existing AC methods, relying on diverse assumptions and methods, is performed. Therefore, four commonly used AC methods are selected, (1) the standard NIR AC approach of NASA, (2) the NIR similarity spectrum AC approach including assumptions of spatial homogeneity in the water and aerosol reflectance, (3) the switching algorithm using the short wave infrared bands for AC in highly turbid waters, (4) an Artificial Neural Network algorithm. With the help of a validation exercise based on in situ data and as a function of the water type, several areas of improvement are delineated, including the use of spectral relationships to constrain NIR-modelling schemes. Modified NIR-modelling schemes are suggested for the standard NASA and NIR similarity spectrum AC methods. Both are forced with globally valid spectral relationships. Sensitivity studies and validation exercises, using MODIS-Aqua images in the Eastern English Channel/North Sea and French Guiana waters, are conducted showing that the suggested modified NIR-modelling schemes improve the estimations of the marine signal in contrasted coastal waters.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / See full text for abstract. / Sien volteks vir opsomming

Title: Possibility of using Aqua Therapy for shoulder stabilization The aim of this thesis was to refer to possibility of using Aqua Therapy in Physiotherapy, especially to possibility of using Aqua Therapy for shoulder girdle stabilization. The thesis is supplemented by pilot study, witch compare activity of scapula stabilizing muscles dutiny movement on land with Thera-Band and in water with different equipment. Activity of selected muscles was documented and compared using surfaře electromyography. The results indicate flatter curve of selected muscles activation and their ko-contraction during movement in water condition. The results also refers to no significant differences in muscle activation in water and on dry land. Water exercise demonstrated in this study can by considered to be effective for improvement of scapular stabilization. Keywords: Aqua Therapy, water exercise, electromyografy, water EMG, scapular stabilization

Re-processed oxide fuel product from the Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP) is stored in Type 316L stainless steel, using a design of several nested cans, with the outer can providing the safety case containment barrier. The research reported in this PhD thesis aims to support the safety case related to these storage cans, by identifying and characterising susceptible microstructure sites and associated material surface conditions. The overarching goal of this project is to understand the propensity of THORP storage cans towards localised corrosion and Environment Assisted Cracking (EAC) in HCl and chloride-bearing atmospheric environments. The investigation focused on two possible corrosion cases: (1) understanding the effect of surface finishing on material performance in chloride-containing atmospheric environments, and (2) characterising the effects of the HCl aqueous solutions inside the can, with potential formation of HCl vapour. Microstructure investigations were carried out on surface-treated type 316L coupon specimens. The application of aqua blasting resulted in a deformed near-surface microstructure, containing compressive residual stresses to a depth of 100-120 micrometres. Subsequent laser engraving produced a recrystallized surface layer with tensile residual stresses reaching to a depth of 200 micrometres. Changes of surface roughness topography were accompanied by the development of a thick oxide/hydroxide film after laser engraving. Atmospheric exposure revealed similar corrosion attack for all samples, with laser engraving exhibiting the lowest number of corrosion sites, but with the largest average depth of attack. In addition, laser engraving led to atmospheric-induced stress corrosion cracking (AISCC) within two weeks of exposure to 386 ug/cm2 MgCl2-laden droplet deposits, with crack growth rates similar to ground U-bend samples. Strategies to reduce the likelihood of AISCC of laser-engraved components are discussed. The influence of HCl concentration and exposure temperature on the corrosion type and rate of annealed and cold rolled type 316L stainless steel has also been investigated. Cold rolling of up to 20 % reduction was introduced, with potentio-dynamic polarization measurements conducted in 0.01 - 3 M HCl aqueous solution. Results are compared to microstructures immersed under open circuit conditions, and to HCl-laden droplet deposits at temperatures up to 80C. Corrosion type diagrams are introduced to describe the transition between uniform corrosion, mixed-mode uniform with pitting corrosion, and pitting corrosion only, as a function of temperature, HCl concentration, and cold deformation. SCC tests of type 316L stainless steel have been carried out at 110C, by exposing U-Bend samples to HCl-laden droplets and HCl vapour. The humidity of the environment was controlled using defined volume fractions of H2O in a sealed environmental chamber. HCl-laden droplets with chloride deposition densities exceeding 1.5 ug/cm2 led to SCC after 90 minutes of exposure, whereas no corrosion attack was observed for samples with exposure to 0.15 ug/cm2 HCl. Increasing HCl concentrations resulted in fewer, but longer cracks, reaching up-to several hundreds of micrometres in length. HCl vapour exposure was carried out by adding various volumes of HCl solution in a beaker to the sealed test chambers. These HCl vapour tests confirmed a change of corrosion type with HCl concentration, from pitting corrosion with SCC, to the occurrence of uniform corrosion.

Lakes are key indicators of environmental change and major repositories of biodiversity and ecosystem services. However, studies of lake response to drivers of change at a pan-European scale are exceptionally rare. The need for such studies has been given renewed impetus by concerns over climate change and because of international policyrelated schemes, such as the EU Water Framework Directive that has made it legal requirement to repeatedly assess and monitor the ecological status of European lakes toward their effective management and sustainable use. This has introduced the need for methods that can be widely applied across large spatial and temporal scales and produce comparable results. Remote sensing is a promising method for providing such information, but the spatial transferability and temporal repeatability of methods and relationships observed remains untested. In this project, an extensive dataset of field measurements was compiled covering temperature, chlorophyll a and Secchi disk depth in 23 European lakes spanning the last 30 years. The characteristics of these lake systems were explored and similarities in their ecological behavior identified, thus providing the basis for their grouping. Then the potential of remote sensing for estimating and monitoring lake water quality at wide spatial and temporal scales was assessed and thus the long remote sensing archive at the NEODAAS DSRS was fundamental for the purposes of this project. Using NOAA AVHRR, Terra/Aqua MODIS and field data from lakes that represented three main lake groups, the spatial and temporal reliability of 26 existing water quality estimation algorithms was assessed. Following this, the best performing algorithms were applied to all study sites and the effect of scale and spatial resolution upon reliable estimation of key water quality parameters was evaluated. It was demonstrated that the NOAA AVHRR and Terra/Aqua MODIS were both capable of producing highly accurate (R2 > 0.9) lake surface temperature estimates in lakes with variable characteristics and a variety of thermal spatial features, and longterm patterns within the study sites could be studied with NOAA AVHRR data despite the relatively coarse spatial resolution of the sensor. Restricting factors to the latter were the size and shape of lakes and the frequency of cloud cover. By contrast, the development of a universal Terra/Aqua MODIS algorithm for the estimation of chlorophyll a and Secchi disk depth in variable lakes was more challenging due to the optical complexity of Case II waters. Terra/Aqua MODIS data showed a potential, but the use of a different technique (e.g. multivariate regression or neural networks) and/or a different sensor (e.g. Envisat MERIS) could potentially improve the predictive accuracy of the algorithms.

Several steps are followed in order to evaluate the cycle as the title suggests. The diffusion absorption refrigerator (DAR) cycle performance is evaluated when using helium or hydrogen as auxiliary gas. A slight increase in COP is found when using helium, but it is not sufficient to justify the cost. A secondary simulation of an alternate dual-pressure cycle using a pump is done as feasibility comparison with the same parameters as the diffusion cycle. It was found that the second cycle is not acceptable due to high evaporator temperatures needed to ensure liquid enters the pump instead of partially evaporated solution. This would greatly increase the work input required for what essentially becomes a compressor. Optimisation of the DAR is evaluated by simulating the use of a rectification column and the effects of different design points on overall performance. Meteorological data for Potchefstroom, South Africa is used to perform a yearly analysis on the simulated cycle and to specify a suitable design point. The use of a radiative cooling system as heat sink for the system is then investigated and incorporated into the system model. Finally, the performance characteristics of the simulated DAR cycle are discussed, verified and compared with available data from similar research. It is shown that a 40% solution aqua-ammonia-hydrogen cycle driven by 526 kW of solar thermal energy at 130°C and a system pressure of 1.5 MPa can easily achieve a COP over 0.4 with an air-cooled absorber at 40°C and a water-cooled condenser at 35°C. A 231 kW refrigeration capacity at an average evaporator temperature of –20°C is achieved, satisfying the requirements for a domestic refrigeration system. / Thesis (MIng (Mechanical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Several steps are followed in order to evaluate the cycle as the title suggests. The diffusion absorption refrigerator (DAR) cycle performance is evaluated when using helium or hydrogen as auxiliary gas. A slight increase in COP is found when using helium, but it is not sufficient to justify the cost. A secondary simulation of an alternate dual-pressure cycle using a pump is done as feasibility comparison with the same parameters as the diffusion cycle. It was found that the second cycle is not acceptable due to high evaporator temperatures needed to ensure liquid enters the pump instead of partially evaporated solution. This would greatly increase the work input required for what essentially becomes a compressor. Optimisation of the DAR is evaluated by simulating the use of a rectification column and the effects of different design points on overall performance. Meteorological data for Potchefstroom, South Africa is used to perform a yearly analysis on the simulated cycle and to specify a suitable design point. The use of a radiative cooling system as heat sink for the system is then investigated and incorporated into the system model. Finally, the performance characteristics of the simulated DAR cycle are discussed, verified and compared with available data from similar research. It is shown that a 40% solution aqua-ammonia-hydrogen cycle driven by 526 kW of solar thermal energy at 130°C and a system pressure of 1.5 MPa can easily achieve a COP over 0.4 with an air-cooled absorber at 40°C and a water-cooled condenser at 35°C. A 231 kW refrigeration capacity at an average evaporator temperature of –20°C is achieved, satisfying the requirements for a domestic refrigeration system. / Thesis (MIng (Mechanical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Master´s thesis was developed as interior design of Roman spa and sauna world. Roman spa and sauna world are located on the third floor of the Aquacentrum building, a draft of which was prepared in a specialized studio of the 2nd year master´s program. Part of the composition was also design of the layout on the third floor, in which the spa and sauna world are located. Object Aquacentrum is designed to lucrative tourist spot, close to the banks of the Brno reservoir, which lies in the northwestern part of the city of Brno near Brno-Bystrc district.