Article
Mathematics, Applied
Fangyuan Chen, Siya Chen, Hua Huang, Yingying Deng, Weizhong Yang
Summary: This study developed a new macroanalysis approach by integrating dynamic models and statistical methods to assess the climate impacts. It identified four risk areas based on the incidence difference across Koppen-Geiger climate regions. The effective influence of climate factors was confirmed through the non-difference of non-climate factors among the risk areas. The study found that cold steppe arid climates and wet temperate climates are more likely to facilitate the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among humans. There is noticeable heterogeneity in climate sensitivity among different risk areas.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Christian Narvaez-Montoya, Juan Antonio Torres-Martinez, Edwin Pino-Vargas, Fredy Cabrera-Olivera, Frank J. Loge, Jurgen Mahlknecht
Summary: The Caplina/Concordia transboundary coastal aquifer system in the Atacama Desert is a crucial source of water supply for domestic use and irrigation, but has been overexploited for agriculture since before 2000, leading to groundwater depletion and seawater intrusion.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yanlong Guan, Hongwei Lu, Yelin Jiang, Peipei Tian, Lihua Qiu, Petri Pellikka, Janne Heiskanen
Summary: This study utilized Shannon's Diversity Index and Simpson's Diversity Index to analyze the changes in global climate heterogeneity and found a significant decrease in global climate heterogeneity, with temperature increase playing a more significant role in reducing it.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Paolo Maria Congedo, Cristina Baglivo, Aslihan Kurnuc Seyhan, Raffaele Marchetti
Summary: This study provides a global perspective on how comfort conditions inside a building can change with external climate variations. Different climate zones exhibit different levels of comfort conditions.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Francisco J. Gonzalez-Pinilla, Claudio Latorre, Maisa Rojas, John Houston, M. Ignacia Rocuant, Antonio Maldonado, Calogero M. Santoro, Jay Quade, Julio L. Betancourt
Summary: Late Quaternary precipitation dynamics in the central Andes are influenced by high- and low-latitude atmospheric teleconnections. By studying the relationship between fecal pellet diameters from ashy chinchilla rats and mean annual rainfall, researchers reconstructed pluvials in the Atacama Desert over the past 16,000 years and identified different influences on wet episodes from North Atlantic forcing to low-latitude ENSO regime shifts. This study provides insights into future hydroclimatic variability in the central Andes and offers potential for reconstructing past climates using rodent middens in desert ecosystems worldwide.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alba Alcaniz, Anders Lindfors, Miro Zeman, Hesan Ziar, Olindo Isabella
Summary: This study predicts the power of 48 PV systems around the world using machine learning and investigates the effect of climate on yield predictions. The results show that the performance ranking of the machine learning algorithms is independent of climate. Systems in dry climates have the lowest prediction error, while those in tropical climates have the highest.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
S. Bayo-Besteiro, L. de la Torre, X. Costoya, M. Gomez-Gesteira, A. Perez-Alarcon, M. deCastro, J. A. Anel
Summary: The impact of climate change on the photovoltaic solar power resource in the Atacama desert has been studied using regional climate models. The study finds that under different scenarios, there will be reductions in PVres, with changes in downwelling shortwave radiation being the largest contributing factor. Climate change is expected to lead to a decrease in PVres in the region.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Ruifen Li, Xiaohong Zhao, Yu Tian, Yanjun Shi, Xueyan Gu, Shuang Wang, Rui Zhang, Jing An, Li Su, Xuxia Wang
Summary: This study evaluated the temporal aspects of Japanese encephalitis (JE) and identified the weather threshold of JE transmission in different climate subtypes in Gansu Province, China. Epidemiological data were collected and analyzed to compare epidemic features and detect hot-spot areas. The findings showed that in most hot-spot areas, JE cases occurred in subtropical and continental winter dry climates. The study also revealed different minimum monthly temperature thresholds for JEV transmission in different climate zones. Further research is needed to investigate the impact of climate change on JEV's distribution in Gansu Province.
BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Matias Calderon-Seguel, Manuel Prieto, Oliver Meseguer-Ruiz, Freddy Vinales, Paulina Hidalgo, Elias Esper
Summary: Latin American rural territories have undergone significant transformations since the mid-twentieth century, mainly due to the expansion of large-scale operations exploiting natural resources and low processing levels for world export. Mining and urban growth have promoted certain agricultural and livestock activities under specific economic and political conditions, while also leading to increased urbanization of rural land and growing deagrarianization in other contexts.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ali Serkan Bayar, M. Tugrul Yilmaz, Ismail Yucel, Paul Dirmeyer
Summary: This study uses the latest CMIP6 and previous CMIP5 models to explore how climate change will affect future climate zones and ecosystems. The models show significant changes in climate zones, with a large portion of land projected to switch climate zones by the end of the century. CMIP6 models exhibit better performance in replicating observed climate zones and project a higher rate of climate zone change compared to CMIP5 models. The findings highlight the urgent need for action to protect terrestrial ecosystems.
Article
Anthropology
Juan Manuel Lopez-Garcia, Gloria Cuenca-Bescos, Maria Angeles Galindo-Pellicena, Elisa Luzi, Claudio Berto, Loic Lebreton, Emmanuel Desclaux
Summary: Rodents are useful in reconstructing past environments due to their rapid response to climate change. Studies have shown that during the Middle Pleistocene, Iberia experienced mild climatic conditions while southern France and northeastern Italy had harsher weather conditions.
JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Matias Frugone-Alvarez, Sergio Contreras, Oliver Meseguer-Ruiz, Eduardo Tejos, Antonio Delgado-Huertas, Blas Valero-Garces, Francisca P. Diaz, Matias Briceno, Manuel Bustos-Morales, Claudio Latorre
Summary: This study investigates the adaptation of plant communities in Atacama Desert to extreme climatic conditions through the analysis of leaf wax content and composition. The results reveal a species-specific chemotaxonomy linked to climatic conditions and demonstrate that leaf wax content obtained from ancient rodent middens can serve as a reliable hydroclimate proxy for the region.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
Francisco J. Montero, Ramesh Kumar, Ravita Lamba, Rodrigo A. Escobar, Manish Vashishtha, Sushant Upadhyaya, Amador M. Guzman
Summary: The economic feasibility of HPV-TEG systems in desert areas, specifically the Atacama Desert in Chile, was analyzed. The results showed that under current market costs and efficiency, the HPV-TEG system is not economically competitive with photovoltaic systems in the Atacama Desert environment. However, the calculated levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for the HPV-TEG system is close to current LCOEs for PV systems in Chilean energy market, indicating the potential for competitiveness in desert locations.
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Christoph Sauter, Hayley J. Fowler, Seth Westra, Haider Ali, Nadav Peleg, Christopher J. White
Summary: The compounding effects of heatwaves and extreme rainfall can have significant implications for hazards such as wildfires and flooding, but their understanding is limited. This global study examines the likelihood of extreme 1-hr rainfall following a heatwave, identifying central Europe and Japan as regions with the strongest compounding heatwave-extreme rainfall relationships. The study suggests that as both heatwaves and extreme rainfall become more frequent in the future, the potential impacts from compounding events could significantly increase as well.
WEATHER AND CLIMATE EXTREMES
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Felix L. Arens, Alessandro Airo, Jenny Feige, Christof Sager, Uwe Wiechert, Dirk Schulze-Makuch
Summary: The study in the Atacama Desert in Chile investigated mineralogy, salt abundance, and sulfate stable isotopic composition in four soil profiles. It was found that sulfates are the dominant salts with a transition from gypsum to anhydrite observed in all profiles. This transition is accompanied by an increase of highly soluble salts and a decrease of sulfate delta S-34 and delta O-18 values.
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Roberto Serrano-Notivoli, Ernesto Tejedor, Pablo Sarricolea, Oliver Meseguer-Ruiz, Mathias Vuille, Magdalena Fuentealba, Martin de Luis
Summary: The study of long-term hydroclimatic variability in Santiago, Chile revealed a significant shift in the mid-20th century, including increased interannual variability, reduced intensity of wet events, increased frequency of extreme dry events, and the identification of the most severe dry event coinciding with the "Megadrought" (2006-2016). The analysis also showed diverse impacts on hydroclimatic variability, with positive correlations between SPEI and PDO as well as Nino3.4, and negative correlations between SPEI and SOI, particularly at multi-annual time scales (>7 years), helping to understand current hydroclimatic changes in a broader context.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Oliver Meseguer-Ruiz, Joan A. Lopez-Bustins, Laia Arbiol-Roca, Javier Martin-Vide, Javier Miro, Maria J. Estrela
Summary: Climate change in the Mediterranean region of Spain is influencing tourism patterns and extreme rainfall events, with a connection to the Western Mediterranean Oscillation. The frequency and timing of extreme rainfall events have shifted, posing new challenges for the tourism industry in the area.
THEORETICAL AND APPLIED CLIMATOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Pamela Smith, Pablo Sarricolea, Orlando Peralta, Juan Pablo Aguila, Felipe Thomas
Summary: Studying urban microclimates requires detailed information not readily available in most cities. While climate parameters are usually monitored at a limited number of stations, more detailed information can be obtained through field work, fixed sensors, remote sensors, and drones.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Marina Hernandez-Mora, Oliver Meseguer-Ruiz, Cyrus Karas, Fabrice Lambert
Summary: Human settlements in coastal areas are highly vulnerable to extreme events, and it is crucial to conduct hazard studies to improve understanding of natural and anthropogenic processes. The study showed that the southern part of the town is more susceptible to flooding, while the northern part is relatively resilient to extreme events. Adding vegetation and increasing the height of existing dunes can significantly reduce flooding and enhance resilience in the area.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Carolina Quintana-Talvac, Oscar Corvacho-Ganahin, Pamela Smith, Pablo Sarricolea, Manuel Prieto, Oliver Meseguer-Ruiz
Summary: The study identified the presence of surface urban heat islands (SUHI) and surface urban cold islands (SUCI) in Arica, Chile, with different spatial distributions related to socioeconomic levels and urban morphology.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ana M. Cabanas, Mauricio Arriagada-Benitez, Carlos Ubeda, Oliver Meseguer-Ruiz, Pedro Arce
Summary: The past two decades have seen a rise in the use of X-ray imaging, with computed tomography contributing the most to medically-related X-ray exposure. A review of 34 studies using Geant4-based toolkits for CBCT dose estimation provides a foundation for developing accurate simulations of CBCT equipment for optimizing the balance between clinical benefit and radiation risk.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Magdalena Fuentealba, Claudio Latorre, Matias Frugone-Alvarez, Pablo Sarricolea, Carolina Godoy-Aguirre, Juan Armesto, Leonardo A. Villacis, M. Laura Carrevedo, Oliver Meseguer-Ruiz, Blas Valero-Garces
Summary: The study reveals that human-induced land cover changes around Vichuquen Lake in Chile have had significant impacts on the nutrient transfer in the lake-watershed system. Particularly after the mid-20th century and in the 1980s-90s, there were substantial changes in sediment and nutrient fluxes to the lake.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Water Resources
Magdalena Fuentealba, Camila Bahamondez, Pablo Sarricolea, Oliver Meseguer-Ruiz, Claudio Latorre
Summary: The study focused on mountain lakes in central Chile from 32 degrees to 36 degrees South, analyzing changes in lake surfaces over the past 36 years. Results showed a decrease in the number and surface area of lakes from south to north, consistent with the current rainfall gradient. During the 'megadrought' from 2010 to 2020, lake surface areas decreased significantly between 7% and 25%, highlighting the importance of freshwater availability for the region's society and environment.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY-REGIONAL STUDIES
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Viviana Tudela, Pablo Sarricolea, Roberto Serrano-Notivoli, Oliver Meseguer-Ruiz
Summary: Cherry trees in Chile are an important specialty crop, and their growth and yield are affected by extreme weather events. The study of an integrated risk index reveals regional and altitudinal variations in climate risk, which has implications for improving climate impact assessments in agricultural production systems.
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Roberto Serrano-Notivoli, Marc Lemus-Canovas, Samuel Barrao, Pablo Sarricolea, Oliver Meseguer-Ruiz, Ernesto Tejedor
Summary: This study analyzed heat and cold wave events in mainland Spain over a 75-year period using high-resolution temperature data and a combination of threshold exceedances. The results showed similar historical durations for both heat and cold waves, but cold waves had higher seasonal intensities. There was a tipping point in the early 1980s where heat waves became more frequent, longer, and more intense than cold waves.
WEATHER AND CLIMATE EXTREMES
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Jose Manuel Fernandez-Guisuraga, Paulo M. Fernandes, Elena Marcos, David Beltran-Marcos, Pablo Sarricolea, Massimiliano Farris, Leonor Calvo
Summary: This study examines the fire severity divergence among different strata in Mediterranean forests and shrubland ecosystems. The results show that fire effects can be decoupled across strata, with upper strata in broadleaf forests and substrate stratum in shrublands experiencing the least severity. The study also finds that individual CBI attributes contribute significantly to the spectral variability of fire severity indices.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Geography
Pablo Sarricolea, Hugo Romero-Aravena, Roberto Serrano-Notivoli, Oliver Meseguer-Ruiz, Vincent Dubreuil, Beatriz M. Funatsu
Summary: Chile is highly impacted by climate change, especially in terms of precipitation variability and projections. The Puna of Atacama Desert, a region known for its copper and lithium mining, lacks reliable meteorological observations. Despite data limitations, a daily precipitation database was constructed for 35 weather stations to evaluate extreme precipitation indices and generate spatial maps. The study found no significant trends in most stations, except for consecutive dry days showing an increase. This research contributes to expanding observations and understanding the challenges of living with uncertainty.
INVESTIGACIONES GEOGRAFICAS-SPAIN
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Matias Calderon-Seguel, Manuel Prieto, Oliver Meseguer-Ruiz, Freddy Vinales, Paulina Hidalgo, Elias Esper
Summary: Latin American rural territories have undergone significant transformations since the mid-twentieth century, mainly due to the expansion of large-scale operations exploiting natural resources and low processing levels for world export. Mining and urban growth have promoted certain agricultural and livestock activities under specific economic and political conditions, while also leading to increased urbanization of rural land and growing deagrarianization in other contexts.
