scholarly journals Seasonal Variability of the Acoustic Climate of Ski Resorts in the Aosta Valley Territory

Environments ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Tibone ◽  
Marco Masoero ◽  
Filippo Berlier ◽  
Giovanni Tabozzi ◽  
Daniele Crea ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Noise Pollution ◽  
Sound Sources ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Mountain Area ◽  
North West ◽  
Ski Resorts ◽  
Acoustic Quality ◽  
High Level

The Aosta Valley is an alpine region in north-west Italy that is characterized by a high level of naturalness, with extensive uninhabited areas that are distant from artificial sound sources. The Aosta Valley Regional Environmental Protection Agency (ARPA-VdA) has been particularly sensitive to the preservation of the soundscape, which is considered an integral part of the landscape, since the laws on noise pollution were first introduced. The nature of the ski areas in the Aosta mountains, which undergoes changes throughout the year, is surely of great importance, especially during the winter season, when the number of visitors is particularly high. In fact, during the winter, the sounds of nature are replaced by those produced by recreation and sports activities. Mountain and snow tourism, which are developed in sensitive environmental contexts in the Aosta Valley, are sectors of immense social and economic importance. Much of this tourism takes place in ski resorts. Three mountain areas with different characteristics, in terms of attendance and recreational/sport activities, have been examined in this paper, as part of a collaboration between ARPA-VdA and the Politecnico di Torino. Acoustic measurements were performed in order to identify the seasonal variations of sound emissions from both natural and anthropic sound sources. In addition to the standard environmental acoustic descriptors foreseen by European legislation (LAeq, Ln, Lden, etc.), the harmonica (IH) index, which provides a quantitative evaluation of the acoustic quality on a zero to ten numerical scale, was used to qualify the acoustic climate of the three areas. The results presented in the paper provide useful information on a relevant subject—the preservation of the acoustic quality of a mountain area of touristic importance—which has been scarcely investigated so far.

scholarly journals Climate and land use changes as origin of the Water Cycle variations and sediment transport in Pesaro Urbino Province, Central and Eastern Italy

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniele Farina ◽  
Paolo Cavitolo
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Base Flow ◽  
Gradual Transition ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Mountain Area ◽  
Carbonate Aquifers

The study shows a significant net precipitation and surficial runoff decrease in the Province of Pesaro-Urbino during the 1950-2010 period, especially affecting mountain areas and the water-surplus winter season. Runoff variation is also related to a significant land use change, due to a progressive natural reafforestation process that has taken place in the mountain area. Candigliano river’s base-flow, fed by carbonate aquifers’ groundwater discharge, was found more stable over time, due to an aquifers’ capacity largely exceeding that of existing surface reservoirs. The latter have been affected by a significant silting process, which is still active, as suggested by specific erosion rates of watersheds, particularly in the Foglia basin. Important implications both on sediment mobility, surface water-supply reliability, minimum flow constraints and effectiveness of volume-recovery projects of reservoirs were preliminarly evaluated. In the perspective of a necessary adaptation process to the climate change, the study suggests a gradual transition from the present prevailing use of surface water, to an integrated management of the carbonate aquifers’ dynamic resources, on a seasonal base, as a sustainable strategy for the next future.

EVALUATION OF MOUNTAIN AREA AS NON-POINT SOURCE OF NITROGEN FOR SETO INLAND SEA: THE NORTHERN SHIKOKU REGION, JAPAN

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shohei Morisawa ◽  
Shohei Morisawa ◽  
Yukio Komai ◽  
Yukio Komai ◽  
Takao Kunimatsu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Average Concentration ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Seto Inland Sea ◽  
Mountain Streams ◽  
Unit Load ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Mountain Area ◽  
The Seto Inland Sea ◽  
Unit Load Method ◽  
Important Position

The northern Shikoku region is located in the Western part of Japan and faces towards the Seto Inland Sea. The forest area, which is one of the non-point sources in the Seto Inland Sea watershed, occupies 75% of the land use in the watershed of the northern Shikoku region. The amount of loadings of nutrients and COD in the Seto Inland Sea has been estimated by the unit load method but actually the data has not been investigated. It is however, necessary to know the real concentration of nitrogen in mountain streams to evaluate the role which is the mountain area plays as non-point sources. Therefore, more water samples of mountain streams in the watershed need to be taken and the concentrations of nitrogen analyzed. The mountain streams in the northern Shikoku area were investigated from April, 2015 to November, 2015. The number of sampling sites was 283, in addition to the past data by Kunimatsu et al. The average concentration of nitrate nitrogen in Ehime, Kagawa, and Tokushima was 0.61mg/L, 0.78mg/L and 0.34mg/L, respectively. The environmental standard range for nitrogen in the Seto Inland Sea is from between less than 0.2mg/L and less than 1mg/L. Therefore, the average concentration of nitrogen in these regions was over category II, and those of mountain streams in Kagawa Prefecture exceeded category III. About 20% of mountain streams were more than 1mg/L. It has become clear that mountain areas occupy an important position as non-point sources for the Seto Inland Sea.

Potential impacts of p2p accommodation on rural-mountain areas. A case study from the Catalan Pyrenees (Spain)

Erdkunde ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-162
Author(s):  
M. Belén Gómez-Martín ◽  
Xosé A. Armesto-López ◽  
Martí Cors-Iglesias
Keyword(s):  
Local Development ◽  
Housing Stock ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Job Creation ◽  
Residential Housing ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Mountain Area ◽  
Price Increases ◽  
Harmful Effects

This paper seeks to contribute to existing literature by exploring the potential impacts of Peer-to-Peer (p2p) accommodation on a rural mountain area in the Pyrenees in Catalonia (Spain). The results indicate how widely p2p accommodation can penetrate areas of this kind. The findings suggest that this phenomenon has brought few benefits for local development and has created severe competition for conventional tourism accommodation, despite having a smaller economic impact in terms of job creation and tourist spending. In addition, the relative ease with which it avoids administrative and fiscal controls has negative repercussions for the tax revenues of local authorities. The growth in tourist rental properties is also having harmful effects on the study area in terms of its tourist load capacity, and the high pressure it puts on housing stock is causing shortages in residential housing and sharp price increases.

Study on Modification of Rammed Earth Material in Mountain Areas

2011 ◽  
Vol 261-263 ◽  
pp. 1178-1181
Author(s):  
Yun Wang
Keyword(s):  
Rammed Earth ◽  
Compressive Properties ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Mountain Area ◽  
Shear Properties ◽  
Soil Material ◽  
Earth Material ◽  
Slaked Lime ◽  
Promising Application

In order to explore the proper modified materials of the raw-soil building in mountain area, the raw-soil modified materials now being used commonly are analyzed effectively at first, and the natural reborn starch resource is thought which has a promising application prospect. In the end, experiments on compressive properties and shear properties of raw-soil material modified by quicklime, slaked lime and starch with different incorporation rates are carried out, and the tests show starch is applicable to modify raw-soil in mountain area.

scholarly journals A 6-YEAR EXPERIENCE OF HEART TRANSPLANTATION IN FEDERAL ALMAZOV NORTH-WEST MEDICAL RESEARCH CENTRE

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 33-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. V. Shlyakhto ◽  
M. L. Gordeev ◽  
M. A. Karpenko ◽  
G. V. Nikolaev ◽  
A. S. Gnevashev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Transplantation ◽  
Medical Research ◽  
Heart Transplant ◽  
Graft Loss ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Tricuspid Valve Repair ◽  
North West ◽  
Transplant Candidates ◽  
Batista Procedure ◽  
High Level

Aim. To estimate the results of 6-year experience of heart transplantation (HT) in Federal Almazov North-West Medical Research Centre. Methods. From 2010 to 2015 we have performed 65 HT. Mean age was 44.3 ± 14 years old (from 10 to 64 years old). We used biventricular assist device (BIVAD, Berlin Heart Excor) support in 7 heart transplant candidates before HT. 19 patients (29%) received thymoglobulin, whereas 46 patients (71%) had basiliximab to induce immunosuppression.Results.Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machines were implanted in 5 patients (7.7%) after HT due to acute right ventricular failure. Suture annuloplasty (the Batista procedure) for tricuspid valve repair was carried out in 3 cases (4.6%). Venovenous hemodiafi ltration was used in 11 patients (16.9%). A total of 598 endomyocardial biopsies (EMB) were performed after HT. Evidence of cellular rejection (R1 and R2) was presented in 286 biopsies (48%). The 30-day in-hospital mortality rate was 3.1%. The 6-month survival rate after HT was 92%, 1-year – 91% and overall survival for the 6-year period of observation – 89.2%. Maximum observation period was 71 months.Conclusions.The 6-year experience of HT in our Center has shown a high level of survival. BIVAD Excor support can be effectively used as a «bridge» to HT. Prevention of graft loss due to acute rejection in heart transplant recipients can be achieved only through regular EMB monitoring. The rate of viral infection increased in 2 months after HT.

scholarly journals NATURAL RESOURCES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN A MOUNTAIN ECONOMY

10.26458/1845 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 75-93
Author(s):  
Viorica Jelev
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Climate Changes ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Research Activity ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Mountain Area ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
The Impact

 This paper presents the existing situation at national and world level considering the available water resources, their vulnerability especially in the mountains areas, the impact of climate changes, the possible conflicts regarding the intensification of water shortage in some regions of the world. I also present a case study on forests in Romania. Beginning with the general data mentioned above, we point out the specific peculiarities of the mountain area hydrology for identifying some aspects which are specific to the mountain water relationship. The analysis is necessary as no specifications regarding the mountain hilly or plain areas are done in the activity regarding waters management. Waters are managed unitary on river basins considering some general principles, unanimously recognized, well reflected into the national and international regulations. As a first stage, traditional economic activities are identified in the relationship of the mountain areas inhabitants with water but also some present approaches. The way the mountain areas inhabitants knew how to live together and capitalize water resources represents a model and impulse for coming back to such sustainable solutions but capitalizing the advantages of modern technologies. Each of these activities referring to waters which take place in the mountains area can represent ways for the research activity and future thorough studies from the technical, economic, social, cultural-traditional point of view and also for environment protection. A main preoccupation might have connection with the evolution of agricultural activities in the mountains area considering the climate changes and a possible “migration” towards higher areas of some agricultural practices specific to lower areas. The paper also shows a small example of the regaining by the locals of a community of an important resource for their lives in the hands of corporations: the forests defaced by HOLZINDUSTRIE SCHWEIGHOFER and stop flooding villages. 

Reconstruction of a realistic rainfall field for extreme events happened in mountain area

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Abbate ◽  
Laura Longoni ◽  
Monica Papini
Keyword(s):  
Extreme Events ◽  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Extreme Rainfall ◽  
Shallow Landslides ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Mountain Area ◽  
Extreme Rainfall Events ◽  
Lombardy Region ◽  
Rain Gauges ◽  
Rainfall Model

<p>In the field of hydrogeological risk, rainfalls represent the most important triggering factor for superficial terrain failures such as shallow landslides, soil slips and debris flow. The availability of local rain gauges measurements is fundamental for defining the cause-effect relationship for predicting failure scenarios. Unfortunately, these hydrogeological phenomena are typical triggered over mountains regions where the density of the ground-based meteorological network is poor, and the local effects caused by mountains topography can change dramatically the spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall. Therefore, trying to reconstruct a representative rainfall field across mountain areas is a challenge but is a mandatory task for the interpretation of triggering causes. We present a reanalysis of an ensemble of extreme rainfall events happened across central Alps and Pre-Alps, in the northern part of Lombardy Region, Italy. We have investigated around some critical aspects such as their intensity and persistency also proposing a modelling of their meteorological evolution, using the Linear Upslope-Rainfall Model (LUM). We have considered this model because it is designed for describing the mechanism of orographic precipitation intensification that was identified as the main cause of that extreme events. To test and calibrate the LUM model we have considered local rain gauges data because they represent the effective rainfall poured on the ground. These punctual data are generally considered for landslide assessment, in particular for rainfall induced phenomena such as shallow landslides and debris flows. Considering our test cases, the results obtained have shown that the LUM has been able to reproduce accurately the rainfall field. In this regard, LUM model can help to address further information around those ungauged area where rainfall estimation could be critical for evaluating the hazard. We are conscious that our and other studies around this topic would be propaedeutic in the next future for the adoption of an integrated framework among the real-time meteorological modelling and the hydrogeological induced risk assessment and prevision.</p>

Day-to-day variations in paddy-residue burning and residential heating emissions control aerosol pollution peaks in rural north-west India

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harshita Pawar ◽  
Baerbel Sinha
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Learning Algorithm ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Rural Site ◽  
North West ◽  
Daily Average ◽  
Residential Heating

<p>November onwards, the poor air quality over north-west India is blamed on the large-scale paddy residue burning in Punjab and Haryana. However, the emission strength of this source remains poorly constrained due to the lack of ground-based measurements within the rural source regions. In this study, we report the particulate matter (PM) levels at Nadampur, a rural site in the Sangrur district of Punjab that witnesses rampant paddy residue burning, using the Airveda low-cost PM sensors from October to December 2019. The raw PM measurements from the sensor were corrected using the Random Forest machine learning algorithm. The daily average PM<sub>10</sub> and PM<sub>2.5</sub> mass concentration at Nadampur correlated well  (r > 0.7) with the daily sum of VIIRS fire counts. Agricultural activities, including paddy residue burning and harvesting operations, contributed less than 40% to the overall PM loading, even in the peak burning period at Nadampur. We show that the increased residential heating emissions in the winter season have a profound and currently neglected impact on ambient air quality. A dip in the daily average temperature by 1 ºC increased the daily emission of PM<sub>10</sub> by 6.3 tonnes and that of PM<sub>2.5</sub> by 5.8 tonnes. Overall, paddy harvest, local and regional paddy residue burning, residential heating emissions, ventilation, and wet scavenging could explain 79% of the variations in PM<sub>10</sub> and 85% of the variations in PM<sub>2.5</sub>. Day to day variations in PM emissions from residential heating in response to the ambient temperature must be incorporated into emission inventories and models for accurate air quality forecasts.</p>

scholarly journals Structure from Motion Multisource Application for Landslide Characterization and Monitoring: The Champlas du Col Case Study, Sestriere, North-Western Italy

Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 2364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Cignetti ◽  
Danilo Godone ◽  
Aleksandra Wrzesniak ◽  
Daniele Giordan
Keyword(s):  
Structure From Motion ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
Slope Instability ◽  
Ski Resorts ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
3D Point Clouds ◽  
North Western

Structure from Motion (SfM) is a powerful tool to provide 3D point clouds from a sequence of images taken from different remote sensing technologies. The use of this approach for processing images captured from both Remotely Piloted Aerial Vehicles (RPAS), historical aerial photograms, and smartphones, constitutes a valuable solution for the identification and characterization of active landslides. We applied SfM to process all the acquired and available images for the study of the Champlas du Col landslide, a complex slope instability reactivated in spring 2018 in the Piemonte Region (north-western Italy). This last reactivation of the slide, principally due to snow melting at the end of the winter season, interrupted the main road used to reach Sestriere, one of the most famous ski resorts in north-western Italy. We tested how SfM can be applied to process high-resolution multisource datasets by processing: (i) historical aerial photograms collected from five diverse regional flights, (ii) RGB and multi-spectral images acquired by two RPAS, taken in different moments, and (iii) terrestrial sequences of the most representative kinematic elements due to the evolution of the landslide. In addition, we obtained an overall framework of the historical development of the area of interest, and distinguished several generations of landslides. Moreover, an in-depth geomorphological characterization of the Champlas du Col landslide reactivation was done, by testing a cost-effective and rapid methodology based on SfM principles, which is easily repeatable to characterize and investigate active landslides.

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