Mendoza City Research Articles

Current trends in forestry research of Latin-America: an editorial overview of the Special Issue

Mendoza city (Argentina) hosted the VIII Latin American Forestry Congress (CONFLAT) and the V Forestry Congress of Argentina (CFA) in 2023, where relevant issues were addressed, such as climate change, degradation, reforestation, management and forest industry, monitoring, environmental services, social issues, and governance, among others. The objective of this Special Issue was to present the main advances in Forestry Science for Latin-America in the context of changing governance and forest livelihoods for people. The fifteen articles emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of the forest management and conservation, and that multiple variables must be considered to achieve sustainability. The articles come from studies across Southern South-America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay), and the collaboration of researchers of other countries (México, Canada, and Spain). Articles include research in tropical, Mediterranean and temperate Sub-Antarctic forests. Together, these articles provide a snapshot of new forestry research carried out locally and internationally to bring about beneficial ecological and environmental outcomes in a world facing the challenges of sustainable management and conservation amongst the threats and uncertainty of climate change and environmental degradation responsible for extensive loss of biodiversity and environmental services. We believe that this Special Issue will encourage more inter-disciplinary research focusing on management and conservation of forests.

Craniofacial and mandibular variation in colonial populations of the southern Andes during the 16th to 19th centuries.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the morphological variation of human populations that inhabited the southern Andes (Mendoza city, Argentina) during 16th to 19th centuries. That period represents an encounter of several distinctive populations inhabiting the same area: Europeans, descendants from Europeans (criollos), Africans, and Native Americans. In this paper, we study the shape changes of the cranial base, cranial vault, facial skeleton, and mandible to evaluate if the craniofacial variation differs in relation to the colonial periods and burial areas. For this, we analyzed 44 skulls from four colonial temples of the Foundational Area of Mendoza, and 36 prehistoric ones as a comparative sample. A total of 84 3D anatomical landmarks were registered with a Microscribe G2X. First, we explored the morphological changes by chronological period through a Principal Component Analysis, and then we calculated Mahalanobis distances among the individuals from different chronological periods. Second, we evaluated the morphological variation of the colonial subsample according to chronological period, archaeological site, and burial area. For this, we conducted a Principal Component Analysis and a MANOVA. We represent the morphological changes by Wireframes that show the main variation along PC1 and PC2. The results obtained showed morphological differences in the cranial base and facial skeleton of the individuals from different chronological periods, while the cranial base and mandible vary when comparing individuals from different burial areas. We conclude that the colonial society was highly diverse in terms of biological and cultural variation, and that there were differential dietary patterns among them.

LOS ESPACIOS VERDES COMO ESTRATEGIA DE MITIGACIÓN DE LA CONTAMINACIÓN SONORA. EVALUACIÓN Y ANÁLISIS DEL PARQUE O’HIGGINS DE LA CIUDAD DE MENDOZA-ARGENTINA

Noise pollution is one of the factors that deteriorate the environmental quality of cities, their habitability and productivity of their inhabitants. One of the viable strategies to mitigate this type of pollution are urban parks. These can be considered as acoustic vegetable screens that additionally provide numerous other benefits. The aim of this study is to quantify the sound levels and analyze the O’Higgins park characteristics in Mendoza city–Argentina, to determine its efficiency as a barrier to attenuate noise and improve the environmental quality. The sound levels are measured in four periods of the day and different points of the park (9) in summer and winter, with these, acoustic indicators have been calculated. The existing vegetation is characterized in situ with dasometric measurements. The first results show differences in sound pressure levels between seasons due to the presence of deciduous species that lose their foliage in winter (64-84 %). It is noted that for an effective masking of noise, the design, composition and distribution of park vegetation should be adjusted in terms of increasing the proportion of evergreen species that provide greater vegetation volume and lower transmissibility to noise.

Geomorphologic index validation by DINSAR technique in the Andean orogenic front (32° - 33° S)

This paper deals with a morphotectonic characterization of the Mendoza piedmont located in the South edge of the Andean Precordillera (32° - 33° S) very close to Mendoza city where at least 800.000 people habits. Marked tectonic geomorphological expressions exist in this area associated with the Andean Orogenic active front showing historical earthquakes with magnitudes from 6.0 to 7.0. The main objective of this work is the understanding of current deformation on the study area by two indirect and complementary methods: analysis of classic morphometric parameter (H index), and calculation of deformation fields by DINSAR technique. Applying morphometric analysis of drainage basins of the Mendoza piedmont, heterogenetic hypsometric values (H) were found as probable response to different dynamic relations with base level of the fluvial drainage system. This segmentation on piedmont behaviour allows us to discriminate three different areas (Northern, Central, and Southern). On the basis of morphological criteria, the Southern area reveals a greater tectonic activity matching with a greater vertical deformation inferred by DINSAR technique. These findings improve the knowledge about regional seismic hazard allowing release where main deformation is currently being accumulated in the Andean active front.

Thermal performance of the Urban Weather Generator model as a tool for planning sustainable urban development

The research aims at assessing the sensitivity of the Urban Weather Generator v4.1 to the application of different mitigation strategies for the urban heat island under two climatic contexts: desert climate (Mendoza city) and tropical climate (Campinas city). Twenty-four scenarios that modify their morphologic and material parameters were simulated. The results showed that the temperature of the air predicted by the UWG model is not significantly sensitive to the changes produced by the application of different strategies in urban contexts of equal H/W aspect; however, it does show sensitivity to the variation of the H/W aspect (ΔTa ≤ 1.3°C) and the climate context. The highest performance of the UWG model was recorded on the surface temperatures of the urban envelope, with a maximum difference in surface temperature was recorded on high aspect ratio with high albedo in arid climate, (Ts of roof = 28°C).

Urban forest of Mendoza (Argentina): the role of Morus alba (Moraceae) in carbon storage

ABSTRACTCarbon dioxide emissions have partially been attributed to urban areas. Nevertheless, cities provide valuable ecosystem services such as carbon storage. The aim of this study is to estimate the carbon storage of Morus alba trees as a dominant species in the urban forest of Mendoza city. A stratified random sampling was selected for both urban and suburban areas. Trees were analyzed considering the following parts: stem, primary and secondary branches, and leaves. Underground dry matter was also estimated. Tree dry matter was distributed as follows: crown 53%, stem 25%, root 20%, and leaf 2%. Considering the total M. alba coverage, the urban area accumulates 24,208 tonnes and the suburban area 43,000 tonnes of carbon, from which 544.6 tonnes (1998.6 t CO2) and 1123.3 tonnes (4,118.8 t CO2) are annually removed by leaves. These quantities are relevant considering the 13,000 t/year of CO released to the atmosphere in Mendoza city. The accumulated carbon values evidence the importance of preservation and conservation tasks that are essential in the management of the urban forest located in drylands.

High resolution satellite derived erodibility factors for WRF/Chem windblown dust simulations in Argentina

A proper representation of dust sources is critical to accurately predict atmospheric particle concentration in regional windblown dust simulations. The Weather Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry (WRF/ Chem) includes a topographic-based erodibility map originally conceived for global scale modeling, which fails to identify the geographical location of dust sources in many regions of Argentina. Therefore, this study aims at developing a method to obtain a high-resolution erodibility map suitable for regional or local scale modeling using WRF/Chem. We present two independent approaches based on global methods to estimate soil erodibility using satellite retrievals, i.e. topography from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) and surface reflectance from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). Simulation results of a severe Zonda wind episode in the arid central-west Argentina serve as bases for the analysis of these methods. Simulated dust concentration at surface level is compared with particulate matter measurements at one site in Mendoza city. In addition, we use satellite aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrievals to investigate model performance in reproducing spatial distribution of dust emissions. The erodibility map based on surface reflectance from MODIS improves the representation of small scale features, and increases the overall dust aerosol loading with respect to the standard map included by default. Simulated concentrations are in good agreement with measurements as well as satellite derived dust spatial distribution.

A probability index for surface zonda wind occurrence at Mendoza city through vertical sounding principal components analysis

The aim of this work is to obtain an index for predicting the probability of occurrence of zonda event at surface level from sounding data at Mendoza city, Argentine. To accomplish this goal, surface zonda wind events were previously found with an objective classification method (OCM) only considering the surface station values. Once obtained the dates and the onset time of each event, the prior closest sounding for each event was taken to realize a principal component analysis (PCA) that is used to identify the leading patterns of the vertical structure of the atmosphere previously to a zonda wind event. These components were used to construct the index model. For the PCA an entry matrix of temperature (T) and dew point temperature (Td) anomalies for the standard levels between 850 and 300 hPa was build. The analysis yielded six significant components with a 94 % of the variance explained and the leading patterns of favorable weather conditions for the development of the phenomenon were obtained. A zonda/non-zonda indicator c can be estimated by a logistic multiple regressions depending on the PCA component loadings, determining a zonda probability index \( \widehat{c} \) calculable from T and Td profiles and it depends on the climatological features of the region. The index showed 74.7 % efficiency. The same analysis was performed by adding surface values of T and Td from Mendoza Aero station increasing the index efficiency to 87.8 %. The results revealed four significantly correlated PCs with a major improvement in differentiating zonda cases and a reducing of the uncertainty interval.

Dental status and dental treatment demands in preschoolers from urban and underprivileged urban areas in Mendoza city, Argentina.

The aim of this study was to establish the association between dental status and demand for dental care in preschoolers at urban and underprivileged urban schools in the city of Mendoza. Dental status was diagnosed in a purposive sample of preschoolers at urban schools (Group U: n = 148) and underprivileged urban schools (Group UnU: n = 155) in Greater Mendoza city, by determining the following indicators: (a) caries-free children (%), and (b) dmft/DMFT and its discriminated components, including active non-cavitated enamel caries. The characteristics of demand for care were determined using an ad hoc structured questionnaire. The following were determined: frequency distributions and confidence intervals for categorical variables, measures of central tendency and dispersion, tests for differences in means (Student's t test), association (chi squared) and correlation among variables (Pearson's r), at a significance level p<0.05. Comparison of dental status variables between groups showed significantly higher values in group UnU for: d+D tooth (ẋ = 5.4} 3.8; t = 2.887; p = 0.004); dmft+DMFT (ẋ = 5.7}4.1; t = 0.466; p = 0.020); d+D surface (ẋ = 7.62} 6.2; t = 0.956; p = 0.014); f+F surface (ẋ = 0.12}4.5; t = 2.71; p = 0.007) and percentage of caries-free children (x2= 25.377; p= 0.018). The following trends were found in this group: higher demand on the government subsystem, fewer visits to the dentist (x2 = 7.02, p = 0.008) and greater difficulty in getting appointments (x2 = 19.91, pẋ0.001). Frequency of visits was associated to the severity of dental status (x2 = 19.412; pẋ0.001), but no correlation was found between frequency of visits during the past year and dmft+DMFT (Pearson's r coefficient = 0.091; p = 0.0426) Group U showed preferential demand for the private or "obra social" (trade union managed health insurance) systems (x2 = 78.85 p = 0.00) and there was no statistically significant association between visits to the dentist and dmft+DMFT categories (x2 = 2.781; p = 0.427), although there was direct correlation between frequency of visits during the past year and dmft+DMFT (Pearson's r coefficient = 0.486, p = 0.000). Preschoolers at UnU schools had higher caries indicators than preschoolers at U schools. For UnU the demand for care was related to the severity of dental status and situations of urgency, while U preschoolers demanded dental care in both health and disease, with a tendency to greater adherence to treatment. Actions to promote oral health in preschoolers should take into account both internal and external barriers to access to and use of oral health services.

Design of urban green square in dry areas: Thermal performance and comfort

The paper evaluates the thermal behavior and comfort conditions in different structures (center, woodlots and meadows) that usually compose the urban squares of Mendoza city. The main objective of this research is to propose combinations of variables (vegetation, materials, green-sealed ratio, distribution of internal pathways and spaces, among others) for an efficient design of squares. The current thermal performance and the comfort degree were explored through measurement campaigns, both fixed and mobile, during the summer season 2012–2013. Fixed measurements were taken by a grid of T-HR sensors and mobile data through weather stations registering global solar radiation, PAR, wind speed and direction, air temperature, mean radiant temperature, pressure and relative humidity. On the basis of the collected data the comfort degree of the spaces was calculated by the COMFA method. Results indicate that two main variables regulated the thermal conditions of squares: the green-sealed ratio and the combined effect of the different structures, their solar access and sky view factors. Even if squares play a key role as urban green spaces in dry cities, it is imperative to focus on the different variables defining their design since better decisions can guarantee and strengthen their environmental functions.

El frente orogénico activo de los Andes centrales a la latitud de la ciudad de Mendoza (32º50ʼ-33ºS)

Current active front of the Central Andes at Mendoza city latitude (32o50ʼ-33oS). Current active front of the Central Andes comprises part of the western piedmont of the city of Mendoza, where more than 800,000 people are established. Despite this, a comprehensive study of active faults mainly as potential seismogenic sources is lacking in this crucial sector of the Andean foreland. The present study attempts to outwit this shortcoming by characterizing the main Quaternary structures and integrating them in a structural-kinematic model developed from three balanced structural cross-sections. The foreland deformation at the study area is characterized by a population of N-S to NNE striking reverse faults, whose detachment level will be located in the Pre Silurian basement, constituting a thick skin thrust front. The series of thrusts, rooted at a 10-11 km-depth detachment, corresponds to Melocoton and Divisadero Largo faults showing surficial expression, and a blind fault called Maure, inferred om the structural-kinematic model. The Maure blind fault transfers shortening to the west-vergent thin-skinned Cerro de la Gloria thrusts, thus forming a triangular deformation zone. According to morphometric features of these active faults, a probable maximum earthquake magnitude ranges from Mw 5.4 to 6.8. Furthermore, strike slip faults with NW-SE strike are cutting Cerro de la Gloria fault system. Results were contrasted with ground data and focal mechanisms of surficial local earthquakes.

Emplacement of the La Peña alkaline igneous complex, Mendoza, Argentina (33° S): Implications for the early Miocene tectonic regime in the retroarc of the Andes

The La Peña alkaline complex (LPC) of Miocene age (18–19 Ma) lies on the eastern front of the Precordillera (32°41ʹ34ʺS, 68°59ʹ48″W, 1400–2900 m a.s.l.), 30 km northwest of Mendoza city, Argentina. It is a subcircular massif of 19 km2 and 5 km in diameter, intruded in the metasedimentary sequence of the Villavicencio Formation of Silurian-Devonian age. It is the result of integration of multiple pulses derived from one or more deep magma chambers, which form a suite of silicate rocks grouped into: a clinopyroxenite body, a central syenite facies with a large breccia zone at the contact with the clinopyroxenite, bodies of malignite, trachyte and syenite porphyry necks, and a system of radial and annular dikes of different compositions. Its subcircular geometry and dike system distribution are frequent features of intraplate plutons or plutons emplaced in post-orogenic settings. These morphostructural features characterize numerous alkaline complexes worldwide and denote the importance of magmatic pressures that cause doming with radial and annular fracturing, in a brittle country rock. However, in the LPC, the attitude of the internal fabric of plutonic and subvolcanic units and the preferential layout of dikes match the NW–SE extensional fractures widely distributed in the host rock. This feature indicates a strong tectonic control linked to the structure that facilitate space for emplacement, corresponding to the brittle shear zone parallel to the N–S stratigraphy of the country rock. Shearing produced a system of discontinuities, with a K fractal fracture pattern, given by the combination of Riedel (R), anti-Riedel (R′), (P) and extensional (T) fracture systems, responsible for the control of melt migration by the opening of various fracture branches, but particularly through the NW–SE (T) fractures. Five different pulses would have ascent, (1) an initial one from which cumulate clinopyroxenite was formed, (2) a phase of mafic composition represented by dikes cross-cutting the clinopyroxenite, (3) a malignite facies that causes a small breccia in the clinopyroxenite, (4) a central syenite facies that develops breccias at the contact with the clinopyroxenite and, finally, (5) porphyry necks and a system of radial dikes intruding all units. At the moment of the emplacement different mechanisms would have acted, they summarized in: 1) opening of discontinuities synchronous to the magma circulation as the principal mechanism for formation of dikes and conduits; 2) stoping processes, that play an important role in the development of the breccia zone and enabling an efficient transference of material during the emplacement of the syenitic magma and 3) shear-related deformation (regional stress), affected the internal fabric of the facies, causing intracrystalline deformation and submagmatic flow, which is very evident in the central syenite intrusive. The kinematic analysis of shear planes allows proposing that emplacement of the LPC took place in a transtensive regime, which would have occurred in the back-arc of the Andes orogen, during a long period spanning from Miocene to the present, of the compressive deformation responsible, westward and at the same latitude, for the development of the Aconcagua fold and thrust belt.

Argentine

The 9th Congress of the Argentine Association for Semiotic Studies (AAS) The conference was held from 5th to 7th September 2013 in Mendoza city, Argentina, organized by the National University of Cuyo, under the coordination of Estela Maria Zalba. The program was arranged in simultaneous sessions of papers organized by subject, panels of discussion by specialists, and three plenary lectures delivered by recognized international semioticians: Ivan Darrault-Harris (France), Eliseo Veron (Argent...

Repeated Folding during Late Holocene Earthquakes on the La Cal Thrust Fault near Mendoza City (Argentina)

In 1861, one of the most destructive earthquakes in the history of Argentina destroyed the city of Mendoza (currently 1 million inhabitants). The magnitude M S∼7.0 earthquake is inferred to have occurred on the 31‐km‐long La Cal thrust fault, which extends from Mendoza to the north, where it offsets an alluvial fan and small inset terraces along a well‐preserved fault scarp. A trench excavated on a terrace that is vertically offset by ∼2.5 m exposes two main stratigraphic units separated by an erosional unconformity. The coarse‐grained upper unit is deformed by three east‐vergent folds ( F 1– F 3). Retrodeformation of these folds yields total displacements of ∼2.0 m, ∼2.4 m, and ∼0.5 m on the underlying fault splays, respectively. The displacement of ∼2.0 m recorded by fold F 1 is interpreted as the result of the fault rupture that caused the 1861 earthquake. F 2 and F 3 were presumably generated during the penultimate event with an inferred magnitude of M w∼7.0, although formation during two distinct ruptures cannot be excluded. Finite‐element modeling shows that coseismic folding above the tip of a blind thrust fault is a physically plausible mechanism to generate these folds. A published luminescence age of 770±76 years, which is interpreted to date the formation of the deformed terrace, indicates that the two (or possibly three) scarp‐forming events occurred during the last ∼800 years. The fine‐grained sediments below the erosional unconformity—that contain evidence for at least one older earthquake—are dated at ∼12 kyr. Our results indicate that elastic strain energy, which is accumulating at the front of the Precordillera today as shown by Global Positioning System (GPS) data, was repeatedly released during earthquakes on the La Cal fault in the past. Hence, the La Cal thrust fault poses a serious threat to the city of Mendoza.

Coseismic displacements and Holocene slip rates for two active thrust faults at the mountain front of the Andean Precordillera (∼33°S)

During the last few hundred years several destructive earthquakes occurred along the eastern margin of the Andean Precordillera, where GPS data reveal a shortening rate of ∼4.5 mm/a. We use fault scarp profiles and age determinations of deformed terraces (T1–T4) to infer coseismic displacements and quantify slip rates for the Peñas and Cal thrust faults near Mendoza city. Scarps on the lowest terrace level T1reveal vertical offsets of 0.8–1.0 m for both faults, which are interpreted as coseismic displacements during the last earthquake. Together with the fault dip these offsets indicate that both faults are capable of producing magnitude MW∼6.9 earthquakes, which is corroborated by a magnitude MS= 7.0 event on the Cal fault that destroyed Mendoza in 1861. At the Peñas thrust fault, terrace T2has an age of ∼3.3 ka and is offset by ∼1.9 m, whereas the ∼12‐ka‐old terrace T3is displaced by ∼11 m. Combined with the fault dip of ∼25°, the age and offset of terrace T3define a shortening rate of ∼2.0 mm/a on the Peñas fault, i.e., about half of the present‐day shortening at the eastern margin of the Precordillera. At the Cal fault, terraces T2to T4have ages of ∼0.8 ka (OSL), ∼3.9 ka (14C), and ≤12 ka (10Be) and are vertically offset by ∼2.6, ∼3.6, and ∼7.0 m, respectively, which implies that slip on the fault has recently accelerated. Hence, the Cal fault poses a serious seismic hazard to the one million inhabitants of Mendoza.

Evaluation of the potential of natural light to illuminate buildings in dense urban environment. A study in Mendoza, Argentina

Cities display an array of microclimates closely related to the composition of their surfaces and the relationships among their structures. The effect of the shadow cast by a high-rise building is a simple case of this situation. The incidence of the shadow on other buildings or urban spaces can be positive or negative, according to the bioclimatic requirements of the place and season. The understanding of the cause of these effects is key information that helps when planning new urban complexes or refurbishing existing ones. Aiming at sustainable urban design, the building sector’s energy efficiency, associated with bioclimatic design guidelines, is the most adequate way to achieve the desired goal and its consideration must be a priority in every situation where a high substitution potential of fossil by renewable energies exists, and it is available through control of the urban environment’s morphology. To make the solar energy use feasible in urban environments it is necessary to incorporate design guidelines into building and urban normative as parts of integral planning by compatibilizing desirable levels of solar access with urban density and considering shape and orientation of parcels, buildings and streets. The paper presents the results of a study in Mendoza City, Argentina, on the daylighting potential in residential buildings, obtained through simulation and measurements “in situ”. The electric energy consumed for lighting was analyzed, comparing different unit values for the apartments in the buildings of the city, considering their morphology and orientation.

Taxonomic status of Akodon oenos (Rodentia, Sigmodontinae), an obscure species from West Central Argentina

Akodon oenos Braun, Mares, and Ojeda, 2000 was described on a large sample of individuals collected from two localities near Mendoza city, Argentina. This sample was obtained in the 1980’s by Julio R. Contreras and María I. Rossi and labeled, but never published, as “Akodon minoprioi new species.” The description provided by Braun and collaborators was limited to craniodental and color pelage traits compared with those of five individuals of the sympatric form A. molinae Contreras, 1968. Akodon oenos was proposed as new and presumptively allied to the A. varius species group of Akodon. In February 2009 we collected an individual of Akodon in Llancanelo Natural Reserve, southern Mendoza, that morphologically fits the original description of A. oenos. Further study of some individuals of the type series of A. oenos reinforces this taxonomic hypothesis for the Llancanelo specimen. However, comparisons with other Akodon species overlooked by Braun and collaborators, reveals striking similarities with the widespread and phenotypically variable species A. spegazzinii Thomas, 1897. The evidence at hand, including morphological, karyological, and genetical traits, allows us to propose a new taxonomic scenario. A. oenos is considered here a junior synonym of A. spegazzinii and therefore belongs to the A. boliviensis species group of Akodon, extending the known geographic distribution for this species at least to southern Mendoza piedmont in the ecotone between the Monte and Patagonia eco-regions. More generally, this situation highlights the necessity when working with complex genera (as many sigmodontines are) to perform extensive comparisons and to use several sets of evidence in order to reduce the probability of generating biologically redundant names and more taxonomic confusion.

El uso de la sierra metálica en contextos históricos urbanos. Análisis del sondeo I en el distrito Pedro Molina, Guaymallén, Mendoza

The bone analysis allowed to contrast favorably the use of the saw in an archaeological context around in Mendoza City wich functioned during the last quarter of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. The marks are mostly found to the Bos taurus species, in a typical discarding garbage urban context of this time. with a few species and represented mostly domestic animals introduced from Europe. The use of mechanical saw represents a major change in the final stretch of cattle managing, facilitating their subsequent distribution through the market. The sequence of deposition shows their use for a bounded period of time. The place digged is representative of the urban boundary –in late colonial and independent times- and the transition to the process of increasing urbanization occurred in the twentieth century, which was occupying an area of old farms.

Regional Analysis of Convective Storms

With the support of a dense hydrometeorological telemetric network of 24 stations over an area of 625 km² surrounding the metropolitan area of Mendoza city (central west Argentina) at 33° S, a detailed study of thunderstorm rainfall fields was carried out to obtain standard project storms for the area. In the region, precipitation-frequency relations for small arid basins that produce flash floods are difficult to estimate, basically due to the extreme temporal and spatial variability of precipitation. The high density and synchronized rain gauge network permits the detailed determination of rainfall fields in space and time for an arid zone of the southern hemisphere, where the lack of good-quality and highly resoluted rainfall data has been a major hindrance for operation, design, and research. To have a composite record for the area using the concept of station-storm, a regional analysis of convective storms was done on a sample of 140 events. First, precipitation zones were defined according to stations-elevations and then a grouping of stations was obtained by means of a statistical determination with the multivariate method of principal component analysis. Second, relations between the two lower zones were done using a comparison of the average slope of short-duration rainfall intensity curves between 10 and 5 years of time of return for durations of up to 30 and 60 min. The final aim of the study was to provide a procedure for the regional analysis of convective storms and produce practical tables for the standard project storm for the area.

Money, Desire, and History in Eduardo Mendoza's City of Marvels

Eduardo Mendoza's City of Marvels recuperates the historical novel while subjecting it to the conventions of romance. These generic strategies relate to the manifest self-made man's rise to economic might between the two Barcelona World's Fairs and Barcelona's development as a modern metropolis—and to a later celebration: the 1992 Olympic Games. The depiction of the adventures of capital and the production of marvels responds to the bourgeoisie's role in Spain's modernization and to money's mediating function as a symbol of desire. The accomplishment of marvels involves the conquest of time and the substitution of illusory timelessness for historical contingencies. Timelessness mediated by money negates history through the production of ersatz historical images, which reinscribe an idealized past as the object of desire. A restoration—the figurative replication of historical events—is the response to nostalgia for a missed historical opportunity by a subject seeking myth's illusory power.