scholarly journals Telecoupled Groundwaters: New Ways to Investigate Increasingly De-Localized Resources

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 2906
Author(s):  
Robert Luetkemeier ◽  
Fanny Frick-Trzebitzky ◽  
Dženeta Hodžić ◽  
Anne Jäger ◽  
David Kuhn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Production ◽  
Virtual Water ◽  
Groundwater Depletion ◽  
Land Resources ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Tourist Flows ◽  
Groundwater Systems ◽  
Water Provision

Groundwater is essential for drinking water provision and food production while hosting unique biodiversity and delivering key ecosystem services. However, overexploitation and contamination are prevailing threats in many regions worldwide. Even integrated governance schemes like the European Union Water Framework Directive often fail to ensure good quality and quantity conditions of groundwater bodies. Contributing factors are knowledge gaps on groundwater characteristics, limited financial, staff and land resources, as well as policy incoherencies. In this paper, we go further and argue that current groundwater challenges cannot be understood when considering the local situation within hydrologic boundaries only. New long-distance processes are at stake—so called telecouplings—that transgress watershed and administrative boundaries and significantly influence the state of local groundwater bodies. We provide three literature-based examples of European groundwater systems that are impacted by telecouplings, and we show how research and solution perspectives may change when acknowledging the de-localization of groundwater(s). We elaborate on virtual water trade, remote water supply, and seasonal tourist flows that connect sending, receiving and spillover systems. These processes can induce groundwater depletion and contamination but may also help to conserve the resource. Our hypothesis calls for a new spatial paradigm to groundwater management and highlights the need for transdisciplinary research approaches as envisioned in socio-hydrogeology.

Electric Vehicle Charger Placement Optimization in Michigan Considering Monthly Traffic Demand and Battery Performance Variations

2021 ◽  
pp. 036119812098195
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Fakhrmoosavi ◽  
MohammadReza Kavianipour ◽  
MohammadHossein (Sam) Shojaei ◽  
Ali Zockaie ◽  
Mehrnaz Ghamami ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optimal Allocation ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
Cold Weather ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Modeling Framework ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Charging Infrastructure ◽  
Traffic Demand ◽  
Adverse Weather ◽  
Performance Variations

Limited charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs) is one of the main barriers to adoption of these vehicles. In conjunction with limited battery range, the lack of charging infrastructure leads to range-anxiety, which may discourage many potential users. This problem is especially important for long-distance or intercity trips. Monthly traffic patterns and battery performance variations are two main contributing factors in defining the infrastructure needs of EV users, particularly in states with adverse weather conditions. Knowing this, the current study focuses on Michigan and its future needs to support the intercity trips of EVs across the state in two target years of 2020 and 2030, considering monthly traffic demand and battery performance variations. This study incorporates a recently developed modeling framework to suggest the optimal locations of fast EV chargers to be implemented in Michigan. Considering demand and battery performance variations is the major contribution of the current study to the proposed modeling framework by the same authors in the literature. Furthermore, many stakeholders in Michigan are engaged to estimate the input parameters. Therefore, the research study can be used by authorities as an applied model for optimal allocation of resources to place EV fast chargers. The results show that for charger placement, the reduced battery performance in cold weather is a more critical factor than the increased demand in warm seasons. To support foreseeable annual EV trips in Michigan in 2030, this study suggests 36 charging stations with 490 chargers and an investment cost of $23 million.

scholarly journals Characteristics of event recorders in Automatic Train Control systems

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianna Jacyna ◽  
Emilian Szczepański ◽  
Mariusz Izdebski ◽  
Sławomir Jasiński ◽  
Mariusz Maciejewski
Keyword(s):  
Essential Element ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Railway Transport ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Train Control ◽  
Data Collection And Analysis ◽  
Information Engineering ◽  
Safety Systems ◽  
Safety Procedures ◽  
General Specification

The development of railway transport in the current times is very noticeable, it is connected with the growing needs of movement as well as the development of information engineering. The increase in the demand for transport requires the implementation of solutions that increase the efficiency of the transport system. Both long-distance, agglomeration and metro railways can use different systems due to their specificity. Nevertheless, there is a noticeable trend in the development of systems supporting or even replacing the driver by the automation of selected activities. Such systems allow to reduce trains headway and thus increase the capacity of the line. CBTC class systems (Communications-based train control) belong to automatic train systems and are based on wireless transmission. The main purpose of using such systems is to increase the frequency of running trains while maintaining the level of safety. Computers that are on the system equipment record, process and analyse very large amounts of data. An essential element of such systems are recording units. The parameter recorders can be divided into technical and legal ones. However, for CBTC class systems, there is no obligation or requirement to use legal recorders as it is in the case of ETCS. However, it is necessary to use event recorders, and these are subject to the requirements set out in the PN-EN 62625-1: 2014 standard. The recorders are a very important component of safety systems, which is why they were analysed in this article. Both the driver, the vehicle and the infrastructure should be subject of continuous monitoring. The occurrence of an adverse event (not necessarily leading to an incident or accident) should be analysed and used to improve safety procedures. Currently, automatic systems are still developing and we are not able to accurately assess what the causes and effects of certain events may be, which is why data collection and analysis is particularly important. The article presents the general specification of the CBTC system. The parameters and properties of driving recorders should be presented. This article is co-financed by the European Union POIR.01.01.01-00-0276/17

scholarly journals Analysis of intra-country virtual water trade strategy to alleviate water scarcity in Iran

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 2609-2649 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Faramarzi ◽  
H. Yang ◽  
J. Mousavi ◽  
R. Schulin ◽  
C. R. Binder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Water Productivity ◽  
National Level ◽  
Virtual Water ◽  
Mixed Integer ◽  
Baseline Scenario ◽  
Cropping Pattern ◽  
Virtual Water Trade ◽  
Cereal Production

Abstract. Increasing water scarcity has posed a major constraint to sustain food production in many parts of the world. To study the situation at the regional level, we took Iran as an example and analyzed how an intra-country "virtual water trade strategy" (VWTS) may help improve cereal production as well as alleviate the water scarcity problem. This strategy calls, in part, for the adjustment of the structure of cropping pattern (ASCP) and interregional food trade where crop yield and crop water productivity as well as local economic and social conditions are taken into account. We constructed a systematic framework to assess ASCP at the provincial level under various driving forces and constraints. A mixed-integer, multi-objective, linear optimization model was developed and solved by linear programming. Data from 1990–2004 were used to account for yearly fluctuations of water availability and food production. Five scenarios were designed aimed at maximizing the national cereal production while meeting certain levels of wheat self-sufficiency under various water and land constraints in individual provinces. The results show that under the baseline scenario, which assumes a continuation of the existing water use and food policy at the national level, some ASCP scenarios could produce more wheat with less water. Based on different scenarios in ASCP, we calculated that 31% to 100% of the total wheat shortage in the deficit provinces could be supplied by the wheat surplus provinces. As a result, wheat deficit provinces would receive 3.5 billion m3 to 5.5 billion m3 of virtual water by importing wheat from surplus provinces.

scholarly journals Immersion Pulmonary Edema in Female Triathletes

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric A. Carter ◽  
Michael S. Koehle
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Edema ◽  
Water Immersion ◽  
Water Environment ◽  
Previous History ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Oxygen Administration ◽  
Capillary Stress ◽  
Life Threatening

Pulmonary edema has been reported in SCUBA divers, apnea divers, and long-distance swimmers however, no instances of pulmonary edema in triathletes exist in the scientific literature. Pulmonary edema may cause seizures and loss of consciousness which in a water environment may become life threatening. This paper describes pulmonary edema in three female triathletes. Signs and symptoms including cough, fatigue, dyspnea, haemoptysis, and rales may occur within minutes of immersion. Contributing factors include hemodynamic changes due to water immersion, cold exposure, and exertion which elevate cardiac output, causing pulmonary capillary stress failure, resulting in extravasation of fluid into the airspace of the lung. Previous history is a major risk factor. Treatment involves immediate removal from immersion and in more serious cases, hospitalization, and oxygen administration. Immersion pulmonary edema is a critical environmental illness of which triathletes, race organizers, and medical staff, should be made aware.

scholarly journals Assessment of food trade impacts on water, food, and land security in the MENA region

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 557-572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sang-Hyun Lee ◽  
Rabi H. Mohtar ◽  
Seung-Hwan Yoo
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Virtual Water ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
Food Trade ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
Food Imports ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Domestic Food

Abstract. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has the largest water deficit in the world. It also has the least food self-sufficiency. Increasing food imports and decreasing domestic food production can contribute to water savings and hence to increased water security. However, increased domestic food production is a better way to achieve food security, even if irrigation demands an increase in accordance with projected climate changes. Accordingly, the trade-off between food security and the savings of water and land through food trade is considered to be a significant factor for resource management, especially in the MENA region. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyze the impact of food trade on food security and water–land savings in the MENA region. We concluded that the MENA region saved significant amounts of national water and land based on the import of four major crops, namely, barley, maize, rice, and wheat, within the period from 2000 to 2012, even if the food self-sufficiency is still at a low level. For example, Egypt imported 8.3 million t yr−1 of wheat that led to 7.5 billion m3 of irrigation water and 1.3 million ha of land savings. In addition, we estimated the virtual water trade (VWT) that refers to the trade of water embedded in food products and analyzed the structure of VWT in the MENA region using degree and eigenvector centralities. The study revealed that the MENA region focused more on increasing the volume of virtual water imported during the period 2006–2012, yet little attention was paid to the expansion of connections with country exporters based on the VWT network analysis.

scholarly journals Vulnerabilities of the European Union’s Economy to Hydrological Extremes Outside its Borders

Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ertug Ercin ◽  
Daniel Chico ◽  
Ashok K. Chapagain
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Virtual Water ◽  
Green Water ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The World ◽  
Current Water ◽  
External Water ◽  
The Eu

Climate change is leading to increased water scarcity and drought in many parts of the world. This has implications for the European Union (EU) because a lot of the water intensive goods consumed or used there are produced abroad. This makes the EU’s economy dependent on water resources well beyond its borders since when a country imports water intensive goods, indirectly it also imports virtual water (water needed to produce the imported goods). This study maps the EU’s global dependency on water resources outside its borders in terms of virtual water imports and assesses how water scarcity and drought may disrupt supplies of key food crops that it imports. The EU uses approximately 668 km3 of water for all of the goods it produces, consumes and exports, annually. Around 38% of that water comes from outside its borders, which means that the EU’s economy is highly dependent on the availability of water in other parts of the world. In the near future, supplies of certain crops to the EU could be disrupted due to water scarcity in other parts of the world; a large portion of the water used in producing soybeans, rice, sugarcane, cotton, almonds, pistachios and grapes for import to the EU comes from areas with significant or severe levels of water scarcity. Although the immediate risks to the EU’s economy are due to current water scarcity levels, any disruption to rainfall patterns that occur in the future, due to the effects of climate change in the countries of origin of key crops, could have a far greater impact. This is because as much as 92% of the EU’s total external water demand from agriculture is attributed to green water use, availability of which has relatively higher vulnerability to drought.

scholarly journals Examining the Impact of Air Passenger Transport on International Long-Distance Regular Bus Transport in the Slovak Republic

2018 ◽  
Vol 236 ◽  
pp. 02007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jozef Gnap ◽  
Tomáš Settey ◽  
Dominika Beňová
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Slovak Republic ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Air Transport ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Passenger Transport ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Bus Transport

The paper deals with the study of the impact of regular air passenger transport on international long-distance regular bus transport in the Slovak Republic. The comparative period is 2017 (2018) with 2008. The issue is also related to the issue of the use of Slovakian airports for regular air transport after the Slovak Republic entered the European Union in 2004. According to the results of the 2008 survey, both modes of transport have significantly affected the economic crisis. The development of low-cost airlines also affected the decrease in the number of issued transport licenses in 2018 compared to 2008 in international regular bus transport.

scholarly journals Global effects of local food-production crises: a virtual water perspective

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefania Tamea ◽  
Francesco Laio ◽  
Luca Ridolfi
Keyword(s):  
International Trade ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Virtual Water ◽  
Temporal Analysis ◽  
Propagation Model ◽  
Virtual Displacement ◽  
Local Food Production ◽  
Global Water

Abstract By importing food and agricultural goods, countries cope with the heterogeneous global water distribution and often rely on water resources available abroad. The virtual displacement of the water used to produce such goods (known as virtual water) connects together, in a global water system, all countries participating to the international trade network. Local food-production crises, having social, economic or environmental origin, propagate in this network, modifying the virtual water trade and perturbing local and global food availability, quantified in terms of virtual water. We analyze here the possible effects of local crises by developing a new propagation model, parsimonious but grounded on data-based and statistically-verified assumptions, whose effectiveness is proved on the Argentinean crisis in 2008–09. The model serves as the basis to propose indicators of crisis impact and country vulnerability to external food-production crises, which highlight that countries with largest water resources have the highest impact on the international trade and that not only water-scarce but also wealthy and globalized countries are among the most vulnerable to external crises. The temporal analysis reveals that global average vulnerability has increased over time and that stronger effects of crises are now found in countries with low food (and water) availability.

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