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AZTI-Tecnalia presents high-precision cartography of sea beds off Bilbao and Donostia Thursday, 22 July 2010 00:00
AZTI-Tecnalia has presented the cartography for the sea beds off the coast at the Basque cities of Donostia-San Sebastián and Bilbao. This is high precision and high quality material which will be of great use to fishing sector as well as leisure ones, such as scuba diving, surfing or recreational fishing. The project was financed by the Department of the Environment, Land Planning Territorial, Agriculture and Fisheries of the Basque Government. The material forms part pf a project aimed at mapping the entire continental shelf located off the Basque coast, detailing the most salient points such as rocky outcrops, underwater canyons or shipwrecks. The study was undertaken by the Area of Operational Marine and Oceanographic Dynamics of AZTI-Tecnalia. The maps corresponding to other enclaves of the shelf will be published shortly. The order of publication of these will depend on the interest shown by potential users of this information. To this end AZTI-Tecnalia has posted a survey on the http://www.itsasnet.comWeb portal. All the maps can be acquired on http://tienda.azti.es/. The cartography of the Bilbao geographic zone encompasses the interior continental shelf comprising the stretch from El Covarón to Barrika and, in the case of Donostia-San Sebastián, the sea bed of the coastal city's municipal limits. Knowledge of the characteristics of the sea beds is basic to predicting the distribution of habitats as well as inferring what the impact will be of climate change on those habitats and on the geomorphological processes that will affect the estuaries and the sands of our coasts. Moreover, current legislation makes the morphological characterisation of the sea beds and habitats obligatory in order that the necessary measures for their protection and management can be taken. Uses and sectors benefitingThanks to the work undertaken by AZTI-Tecnalia, bodies such as SASEMAR (Maritime Salvage and Safety), Ertzaintza (the Basque police), the Public Emergency service or the Red Cross will be able to have available the best and most detailed plans of the sea beds, with the goal of optimising search and rescue of possible victims of accidents at sea. In this way, search and rescue times and the costs entailed thereof can be reduced. The traditional fishing sector, especially shellfish fishing, long-line fishing and net fishing, will benefit from this data, being able to significantly increase catches. It will likewise be of great use to port management, as regards the depths of water and dredging operations. The cartographic information will be used as a basis for marine environment studies of all kinds (biological, geological and hydrodynamic), that can be undertaken by the UPV/EHU, AZTI Tecnalia or any other research body with an interest in the zone. Maritime leisure activities will also be well served with the results of this research. A detailed knowledge of the seafloor off the coastline is of keen interest to surfers; knowing exactly the water depth and sea bed contour, together with a good prediction of wave conditions, will be used to predict the best locations and moments of the tide for practising this sport. Likewise for other nautical recreation and recreational fishing. Nautical schools will be able to incorporate the data into their navigation simulators, so that the virtual manoeuvres for entering the various ports of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country will reflect reality much better, thus enhancing the training and skills of future master mariners and captains. Other interesting uses could be by diving schools and clubs in order to prepare divers in a virtual manner and carry out exact planning for the areas to be visited, and in a safer way. The information can also be used for public transport vessels, environmental education centres, maritime museums, aquaria, interpretation centres, and so on. In the same way, any sea sports event, or yacht or rowing club will benefit from the data. Multibeam probeThe AZTI-Tecnalia researchers used Multibeam Ecoprobe in their study. This technology enables, by means of various acoustic pulses, the reproduction of the topography of the sea beds in the zone under investigation with a wide-ranging and very high definition. Besides this precision, time is gained, which means a considerable saving in the task of sampling. The vessel used during the field work has great manoeuvrability and little draught and, thus, is especially suitable for taking samples near the coast and in ports and estuaries. Further information: http://tienda.azti.es/ Translation: Basque Research Comparte este contenido:              |
TECNALIA technological corporation's V Prize for Journalism Sunday, 18 July 2010 14:59
Comparte este contenido: Malaspina, la mayor expedición de la historia sobre cambio global Friday, 16 July 2010 08:07
El próximo mes de noviembre partirá de Cádiz la expedición Malaspina 2010, un proyecto interdisciplinar liderado por el Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) que pretende evaluar el impacto del cambio global en el océano y estudiar su biodiversidad. La expedición, que cuenta con el apoyo de la Armada Española y de la Fundación BBVA, toma su nombre del marino Alejandro Malaspina, quien a finales del siglo XVIII dirigió la primera expedición científica de circunnavegación española y de cuya muerte se cumplen 200 años en 2010. La campaña, Expedición de Circunnavegación Malaspina 2010: Cambio Global y Exploración de la Biodiversidad del Océano Global, se presentó ayer por el investigador del CSIC Carlos Duarte. "Con esta expedición vamos a dar la vuelta al mundo, pero también, en cierto modo, a la oceanografía española, generando una nueva cultura de cooperación y unión de fuerzas. Es un proyecto ambicioso, de dimensión global, que atiende a dos necesidades importantes: evaluar el impacto del cambio global sobre el océano y explorar ese ecosistema aún tan desconocido que es el océano profundo", destacó Duarte. Durante nueve meses, los buques de investigación oceanográfica Hespérides y Sarmiento de Gamboa recorrerán entre ambos más de 42.000 millas náuticas de navegación. La mayor parte corresponderá al Hespérides, en una ruta que, desde Cádiz, recalará en Río de Janeiro, Punta Arenas, Ushuaia, Ciudad del Cabo, Perth, Sidney, Honolulú, Panamá, Cartagena de Indias, Cartagena y Cádiz. Por su parte, el Sarmiento de Gamboa realizará una ruta desde Las Palmas de Gran Canaria a Miami. En cada parada se realizarán actos y conferencias para dar a conocer las consecuencias del cambio global, la importancia de la investigación marina y la expedición Malaspina. En total, más de 250 investigadores de 19 instituciones españolas, entre las que se encuentra AZTI-Tecnalia, participan en el proyecto, cifra que asciende a casi 400 al incluir a estudiantes e investigadores de las 16 instituciones extranjeras asociadas, entre las que se encuentran la NASA, la Agencia Espacial Europea y las universidades de California, Río de Janeiro, Washington y Viena. El equipo realizará pruebas en 350 puntos y recogerá 70.000 muestras de aire, agua y plancton desde la superficie hasta los 5.000 metros de profundidad. El objetivo es desarrollar un estudio multidisciplinar, integrado por 11 bloques temáticos, para evaluar el impacto del cambio global y la biodiversidad del océano profundo. Así, se medirán la temperatura, salinidad y concentración de nutrientes en las distintas zonas oceánicas, se estudiará el intercambio de gases entre océano y atmósfera, el destino del CO2 absorbido por el mar, la influencia de las sustancias químicas en el océano y su posible toxicidad. También estudiarán la diversidad y metabolismo del fitoplancton, el zooplancton y los microorganismos de las profundidades marinas. Todas las muestras recogidas conformarán la Colección Malaspina 2010, que incluirá además información e imágenes sobre el desarrollo de la expedición y quedará sellada durante décadas a la espera de nuevos desarrollos científicos, a modo de cápsula del tiempo que permitirá que las siguientes generaciones cuenten con un amplio material para investigar y sobre el que desarrollar nuevas técnicas. El proyecto tiene además como objetivo impulsar las ciencias marinas en España y fomentar las vocaciones científicas. De hecho, más de 50 jóvenes completarán sus estudios de postgrado, embarcando en algún tramo de la campaña para realizar su tesis de máster o su tesis doctoral a través del Programa de Doctorado Expedición Malaspina Fundación BBVA-CSIC, financiado por ambas instituciones. Alejandro Malaspina: de héroe a traidorAlejandro Malaspina (Mulazzo, 1754 - Pontremoli, 1810), capitán de fragata de la Real Armada, inició en julio de 1789 la primera expedición española de circunnavegación con las fragatas Descubierta y Atrevida. Durante el viaje, que duró cinco años, los investigadores recabaron numerosos datos, cartografiaron territorios, registraron la fauna y exploraron el mar. Más información: www.expedicionmalaspina.es/ Comparte este contenido: Presentación pública del Proyecto Oceanográfico ‘Malaspina’ en el que participa AZTI-Tecnalia Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:59
El jueves día 15 de julio se ha convocado una rueda de prensa a las 11:00 horas en el Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas en Madrid (hora peninsular) para presentar el proyecto oceanográfico ‘Malaspina' en el que participan varios científicos de la Unidad de Investigación Marina de AZT-Tecnalia. El título oficial del proyecto es Expedición de Circunnavegación Malaspina 2010: Cambio Global y Exploración de la Biodiversidad del Océano Global. La expedición, que se realizará a bordo de los buques de investigación Hespérides y Sarmiento de Gamboa, recorrerá durante 2010 y parte de 2011 zonas marinas clave para los estudios en cambio global. Prácticas en un barcoEl proyecto, liderado por el investigador del CSIC Carlos Duarte, es un proyecto Consolider que pretende evaluar el impacto del cambio global en el océano y estudiar su biodiversidad y que cuenta con la participación de más de 400 investigadores de todo el mundo y más de 40 instituciones internacionales. Durante la rueda de prensa, Duarte estará acompañado por el presidente del CSIC, Rafael Rodrigo, el director general de Investigación y Gestión del Plan Nacional de I+D+i, José Manuel Fernández de la Bastida, el almirante jefe de Servicios Generales de la Armada, Carlos Breijo, y el comandante del BIO Hespérides, Juan Antonio Aguilar. Esta rueda de prensa se podrá seguir en directo a través de Internet http://www.cienciatk.csic.es/ donde aparece un recuadro anunciando el evento. Comparte este contenido: The sea level of the Gulf of Biscay could rise to 49 cm by the end of the present century, according to research by AZTI-Tecnalia Wednesday, 14 July 2010 00:00
The coast along the Basque province of Gipuzkoa could be affected in over 111 hectares by a rise in sea level of up to 49 cm, forecast for the end of the present century, according to results of research undertaken by AZTI-Tecnalia in collaboration with the Mediterranean Institute of Advanced Studies (CSIC-UIB). Moreover, the average level of the sea along the Cantabrian coastline has risen 2.1 millimetres per year between 1943 and 2004 - 12.8 cm in 61 years. Scientists at the Basque technological centre have carried out studies on the evidence and impact of climate change on the Basque coastline and estuaries, which have been published in the international journal Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, and which has formed the basis of a video. The mareographic measurements from Santander reveal that the sea level along the Cantabrian coastline rose 2.1 millimetres per year between 1943 and 2004. This rise agrees with the analysis of the series of mareographs along the Bilbao and St. Juan de Luz stretch of littoral, the register of which are shorter. Projections have also been made of the temperature of the ocean at three scenarios of greenhouse effect gas emissions in the Gulf of Biscay, obtained using a number of general atmospheric-oceanic climate models; these projections are used to estimate the variations of the sea level due to changes in temperature. The results show that, with scenarios considered by the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Climate Change, between 2001 and 2099 the level of the sea of the Gulf of Biscay will rise by between 28.5 and 48.7 cm as a result of thermal expansion and the global melting of ice. In order to evaluate the potential impact of the estimated rise in the sea level on coastal and estuarial habitats, LIDAR technology was used, enabling a determination of the distance from a laser emitter to an object or surface using a pulsed laser beam. In this way, a high-resolution digital model of the terrain is generated. To the high tide level of the coastline under study the projected rise of the sea (48.7 cm) was added in order to generate a flood risk map of the Gipuzkoan coast. The results indicate that 111 hectares of the coastal zone would be affected by the end of the XXI century; these being concentrated around the estuaries, the most affected terrestrial and artificial habitats. It is expected that the sand beaches will undergo a retreat along the coastline by an average of between 25% and 40% of their current width. While the impact of the current rise in sea level along the coast is relevant, they are less evident due to the strong pressure exerted by human activities. Thus the Gipuzkoan coast has lost three hectares of beaches and salt marshes between 1954 and 2004 due to the rise in sea level, while139 hectares of coastal habitat have been transformed, 98 of which have altered due to direct activity by humans. The risk evaluation of the areas and habitats that would be affected by the seawater level rise is potentially useful for government bodies in taking measures for adapting to global climate change. The research is within the remit of the K-Egokitzen project, the aim of which is to analyse the impact of climate change in Euskadi and evaluate the necessary adaptation changes. The K-Egokitzen project is being led by Labein-Tecnalia and co-financed by the Basque Government Departments of the Environment, Territorial Planning and Agriculture and Fisheries and of Industry and Innovation, through the ETORTEK programme. An educational and information videoAZTI-Tecnalia has made a video based on the most important conclusions of the research and entitled ‘Climate change in the Basque Country, rise in sea level' (Spanish and Basque versions). Of an educational and informative nature, the audiovisual presentation will be placed at the disposal of the university faculties linked with the sea and the environment, school centres, local authorities along the coast, maritime interpretation centres and other bodies interested in the matter. Toda la información, FAQs y el video pueden encontrarse en la web www.itsasnet.com El Cambio Climático en el País Vasco: el ascenso del nivel del mar from aztitecnalia on Vimeo. Translation: Basque Research Klima-aldaketa Euskal Herrian: itsas mailaren igoera from aztitecnalia on Vimeo. Comparte este contenido: |