Recent sedimentary study of the shelf of the Basque country

The Northern Iberian margin of the Spanish Basque country (provinces of Gipuzkoa and Viscaia) is characterized by a narrow continental platform, which receives inputs of riverine particulate matter from the numerous riverine systems located within the Basque country. This particulate matter is subsequently deposited within the Bay of Biscay, and Gouf de Capbreton [Frouin, R., Fiuza, A.F.G., Ambar, I., Boyd, T.J., 1990. Observations of a poleward surface current off the coasts of Portugal and Spain during winter. Journal of Geophysical Research 95 (C1), 679–691]. The main goal of this study is to establish a map of the surface sediment distribution of the Basque continental shelf and more specifically to map the muddy patch located at the eastern side of that continental shelf.Three oceanographic cruises were conducted in 2003 and 2004. From these campaigns 340 surface samples, 12 short cores and 3 gravity cores have been collected over the mid and outer shelf from depths ranging between 50 m and 150 m deep. 3 seismic profiles were obtained across the shelf mud patch using a Sparker device.Sediment grain-size analyses were performed by the classical physical method of sieving and use of settling columns. The POC (Particular Organic Carbon) amounts in sediment and water samples were determined using the Strickland and Parsons' method [Strickland, J.D.H., Parsons, T.R., 1972. Determination of particulate carbon. In : A practical handbook of seawater analysis. Fisheries ResearchBoard of Canada, Ottawa, pp. 207−211] as adapted by Etcheber [Etcheber, H., 1981. Comparaison des diverses méthodes d'évaluation des teneurs en matières en suspension et en carbone organique particulaire des eaux marines du plateau continental aquitain. Journal de Recherche Océanographique VI (2), 37−42]. Radioisotopic measurements (²¹⁰Pb_exc) were made using a semi-planar germanium detector coupled to a multichannel analyser. Radiographical analysis was performed with an X-ray equipment (SCOPIX®) coupled with a radioscopy instrumentation and processing unit.Firstly, a detailed sedimentological map of this shelf has been produced and secondly, geophysical surveys have precisely mapped the geometry of the main mud patch on the continental shelf. In the mud patch itself the rates of sedimentation are between 0.13 and 0.50 cm yr^− 1. The maximum rate of sedimentation is located in the central mud patch, whereas the minimum rate of deposition occurs close to the rocky outcrops. These results seem to be in agreement with the estimation of the total thickness of the mud patch revealed by seismic profiles. The central part corresponds to the maximum thickness of 7 m.Interpretations of the associated oceanic current forcing factors (current direction, wave fetch and wind directional modes) relating to the identified sediment depositional zones are also undertaken.     

Multi‐criteria analysis for evaluating the impacts of intelligent speed adaptation

Road safety is a policy priority due to the high casualties and costs associated with road accidents. Since speed is a major cause of road accidents, in‐vehicle speed limiters or Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA), seems a promising solution. ISA implementation, however, is hindered by large uncertainties, for example about the impacts of ISA, the way users might respond to ISA, and the relationship between speed and accidents. Traditional Multi‐Criteria Analysis (MCA) has limitations in handling these uncertainties. We present an MCA approach based on exploratory modeling, which uses computational experiments to explore the multiple outcomes of ISA policies (safety, emissions, throughput, and cost) across a range of future demand scenarios, functional relationships for performance criteria, and user responses to ISA. As an illustration, by testing the impacts of different ISA penetration levels on two driver groups, we show that when compliance with ISA is expected to be low, a policy aimed only at novice drivers outperforms other ISA policies on safety improvement.     

State Wetland Protection: A Matter of Context?

Models of integrated management emphasize the role of the surrounding socioeconomic and political environment in influencing management choices for natural resources. In this study, we explore a model that examines the influence of socioeconomic and political variables on the wetland management programs of U.S. states. Logistic regression was used to identify environmental, socioeconomic, and political variables that explained variation in state wetland programs. The likelihood of strong planning, nonregulatory, regulatory, and overall programs increases as the importance of fisheries in the state increases (p < 0.05), but decreases as population density increases (p < 0.15). Furthermore, there is an increasing likelihood of stronger regulatory and overall programs as environmental group activity and industry importance increases (p < 0.05). These findings provide empirical evidence to support the contention that management approaches used in one state often must be adapted to fit the realities of another given state.     

Commuting costs and the residential mobility of job changers

In traffic and transport research, attention is given to the relevance of location patterns of activities to moving behaviour, the inverse causality being mostly left out of account. This paper considers what influence (changes in) travel costs have on moving behaviour and residential choice. The analysis has been carried out for employed people who change jobs. The residential choice has been split into a marginal probability of moving and a conditional destination choice. Both choices appear to be influenced significantly by travel‐cost variables.     

Preservation of living and recreating opportunities on the coast

This article examines the progressive erosion of coastal living and recreating opportunities. It considers the possibility that such changes represent not a softening of concern over recreation and preservation by local decisionmakers, but a breakdown in the traditional system of checks and balances available in our allocative system. To this end, several methods for increasing the capability of local jurisdictions to render balanced land‐use decisions on the foreshore are examined, and suggestions are presented for increasing private opportunity for recreation and living on the coast, particularly over time.     

A Participatory Approach to Marine Habitat Mapping in the Grenadine Islands

Increasing interest in implementing an ecosystem-based management approach has made stakeholder involvement vital and has highlighted the need for an effective participatory framework. In this study we used a participatory geographic information systems (PGIS) framework to collaboratively map the marine resources of the transboundary Grenadine Islands with a broad range of stakeholders from the two sovereign nations. We found the application of PGIS allowed the collective resolution of an appropriate mapping scale and a locally relevant habitat classification scheme that would not only serve the needs of resource managers, but could also be understood by resource users. Furthermore, multi-level stakeholder involvement in the mapping process captured resource use profiles and other fishing-related attributes, gave credibility to local knowledge and ownership of information, and was instrumental in building capacity to access and use the produced information. Lessons learned included the importance of investing considerable time early in the participatory process, which was later rewarded by stakeholder buy-in and led to financial and in-kind support. Furthermore, hosting the information in multiple formats on a project website has resulted in easy access and use by a wide range of stakeholders over a cross-country scale. We believe our experiences will be valuable to other practitioners considering using PGIS, particularly for those working in similar resource-limited, developing nation contexts.     

On-board aging estimation using half-cell voltage curves for LiFePO<Subscript>4</Subscript> cathode-based lithium-ion batteries for EV applications

The aim of this work is the design of an algorithm for on-board determination of the actual capacity of a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode-based lithium-ion battery for electric vehicle applications. The presented approach is based on the detection of the predominant aging mechanisms (in terms of loss of lithium and loss of active material in both electrodes) by determining the single electrode voltage curves. The information related to the characteristic length and position of the voltage plateaus, which can be gathered during battery operation, can be used to obtain the actual aging state of the cells. The length of the plateaus depends on the respective position that the voltage curves of the single electrodes have in relation to each other. Relating the change of the plateau characteristics to the possible aging mechanisms allows the determination of the actual battery aging state in terms of total cell capacity. The work presents a possible implementation of an algorithm for capacity determination based on the described methodology. The algorithm is validated with various differently aged LFP cells. Furthermore, the work discusses the ability of the method to detect the actual battery capacity if the characteristics of only part of the quasi-OCV (open circuit voltage) curve are detected. Achieved accuracy and existing limitations are described and discussed in detail.     

Book reviews

THE U.S. AIRFREIGHT INDUSTRY, by Nawal K. Taneja. Lexington Books, Lexington, Mass., 1979. 244 pp.

TRAFFIC, OPERATIONAL RESEARCH, FUTUROLOGY, by Arne Jensen. North Holland Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1980. 321 pp. ($39.00)

PROBLEMS OF THE CARLESS, by R. E. Paaswell and W. W. Recker. Praeger Publishers, New York, 1978. 190 pp.

TRANSPORTATION AND THE ELDERLY, by Martin Wachs. University of California Press, Berkeley, 1980.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: PLANNING, OPERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT, edited by George E. Gray and Lester A Hoel. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1979. 749 pp.

ETHYL ALCOHOL PRODUCTION AND USE AS A MOTOR FUEL, edited by J. K. Paul. Noyes Data Corporation, New Jersy, 1979. 354 pp ($48.00).

URBAN PLANNING AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT, edited by Roy Cresswell. The Construction Press, London, 1980. 172 pp. (£15.00)