Water Pool Research Articles

Orientation‐independent quantification of macromolecular proton fraction in tissues with suppression of residual dipolar coupling

AbstractQuantitative magnetization transfer (MT) imaging enables noninvasive characterization of the macromolecular environment of tissues. However, recent work has highlighted that the quantification of MT parameters using saturation radiofrequency (RF) pulses exhibits orientation dependence in ordered tissue structures, potentially confounding its clinical applications. Notably, in tissues with ordered structures, such as articular cartilage and myelin, the residual dipolar coupling (RDC) effect can arise owing to incomplete averaging of dipolar–dipolar interactions of water protons. In this study, we demonstrated the confounding effect of RDC on quantitative MT imaging in ordered tissues can be suppressed by using an emerging technique known as macromolecular proton fraction mapping based on spin‐lock (MPF‐SL). The off‐resonance spin‐lock RF pulse in MPF‐SL could be designed to generate a strong effective spin‐lock field to suppress RDC without violating the specific absorption rate and hardware limitations in clinical scans. Furthermore, suppressing the water pool contribution in MPF‐SL enabled the application of a strong effective spin‐lock field without confounding effects from direct water saturation. Our findings were experimentally validated using human knee specimens and healthy human cartilage. The results demonstrated that MPF‐SL exhibits lower sensitivity to tissue orientation compared with ,, and saturation‐pulse‐based MT imaging. Consequently, MPF‐SL could serve as a valuable orientation‐independent technique for the quantification of MPF.

An ADCP Attitude Dynamic Errors Correction Method Based on Angular Velocity Tensor and Radius Vector Estimation

An acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) installed on a platform produces rotational tangential velocity as a result of variations in the platform’s attitude, with both the tangential velocity and radial orientation varying between each pulse’s transmission and reception by the transducer. These factors introduce errors into the measurements of vessel velocity and flow velocity. In this study, we address the errors induced by dynamic factors related to variations in attitude and propose an ADCP attitude dynamic error correction method based on angular velocity tensor and radius vector estimation. This method utilizes a low-sampling-rate inclinometer and compass data and estimates the angular velocity tensor based on a physical model of vessel motion combined with nonlinear least-squares estimation. The angular velocity tensor is then used to estimate the transducers’ radius vectors. Finally, the radius vectors are employed to correct the instantaneous tangential velocity within the measured velocities of the vessel and flow. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, field tests were conducted in a water pool. The results demonstrate that the proposed method surpasses the attitude static correction approach. In comparison with the ASC method, the average relative error in vessel velocity during free-swaying movement decreased by 20.94%, while the relative standard deviation of the error was reduced by 17.38%.

Porous mesh manifold for enhanced boiling performance

High-performance electronics are continuously demanding cooling of higher heat fluxes. Phase-change cooling, including pool boiling, is a useful approach to address this challenge; however, competition between liquid and vapor flows generally limit the heat fluxes that can be dissipated. A range of strategies to control these flows have been investigated previously, including capillary guides. Here a manifold structure formed from a metallic mesh is investigated to control the disposition of liquid and vapor phases above a pool fed boiling surface enhanced with porous structures. Copper mesh forms defined liquid flow paths, using capillary action to guide and distribute liquid evenly over the heated surface, along with open channels to facilitate vapor escape. The mesh provides a novel structure for liquid guidance that imposes low resistance to liquid flow while occluding a minimal area of heated surface underneath. The manifold performance is characterized in boiling fed by a pool of water above a laser-textured aluminum nitride heat dissipation surface with pin–fin structures having heights of 110 µm and spacing of 30 µm with a heated area of 5mm x 5mm. A maximum heat flux of 490 W/cm2 is reached with the manifold in the pool fed configuration, representing an increase of more than 65% over the porous pin fin surface alone. The maximum stable superheat observed for the manifold of 36K is 14K higher than that for the porous surface without the manifold. The factors limiting performance of the manifold are analyzed. High superheat is attributed to partial flooding of the boiling surface as suggested by the reduction in superheat using external suction. Similar systems and structures for enhanced two-phase cooling are compared.

Case study on thermal and flow analysis of a water mist on a pool fire in a ventilated engine compartment

Public transport buses and other large vehicles are facing increasing engine fire issues stemming from higher operating temperatures, phonic insulation and low maintenance time. The fire suppression systems currently employed or considered for vehicles could be used for the protection of buses. Water mist is one of these technologies. One of the challenges a water mist faces for the fire protection of small enclosures is the ventilation. Inside a full scale engine compartment of a truck, the interaction and heat transfer between a n-heptane pool fire and water mist droplets are studied using velocimetry techniques. Most notably, the influence of the nozzle operating pressure and a variable cross-flow ventilation on the extinguishing performance is explored. In this preliminary study without clutter, the results show the importance of the ventilation flow on the performance of the water mist. Moderate ventilation speeds up to 3.2ms-1 show an improvement of the extinguishing time over natural ventilation while a higher ventilation speed of 6.4ms-1 degrades the extinguishing performance of the mist. For low-pressure water mists, the momentum of the spray is the most important factor for water mist extinguishing performance.

Employing stable isotopes to reveal temporal trajectories of water travelling through the soil–plant-atmosphere continuum

The spatiotemporal patterns of water travelling through the soil–plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) have received much attention due to the frequency of extreme weather and water scarcity. However, the interconnections and transboundary transport of specific compartments within the hydrologic cycle are poorly understood. We portrayed the propagation paths of water isotope signals by analyzing isotopes of precipitation, soil water, and xylem water. The isotope sine curves analysis method was improved to quantify water transfer efficiency, mean transmission time from precipitation to soil (MTT1), mean transmission time from soil to trees (MTT2), mean residence time within soil (MRTSW), and mean residence time within tree xylems (MRTXY). The temporal trajectory of water traveling through SPAC was depicted, and its influencing factors and intrinsic mechanisms were explored. Our results showed that (1) water isotopes were blocked when crossing water pools (precipitation, soil water, and xylem water) and the transfer efficiency was progressively weaker (85.5 %→13.5 %). (2) The MTT1 was significantly and positively correlated with soil porosity (Spearman correlation coefficient, 0.551). Its spatiotemporal pattern (0.8–15.9d) indicated that the transport and mixing of soil water involved two modes: displacement flow and bypass flow. The MTT2 (−13.2d–4.3d) of Platycadus orientalis was in general smaller than that of Quercus variabilis (−4.7d–11.5d). (3) The MRT (35.2d–343.8d) was influenced by a combination of soil physicochemical properties, root distribution, and tree morphological traits. Our study shows that connectivity between pools is better reflected with transfer efficiency. Comparing MTT and MRT of P. orientalis and Q. variabilis, tree hydrodynamic processes were quantified, and P. orientalis was more sensitive to seasonal moisture variability. Additionally, our study improved the understanding of the “black box” within the hydrological interface of plant-soil interactions.

The Impact of Chlorinated Water and Sun Exposure on the Durability and Performance of Swimwear Materials

Understanding the factors that affect how materials age is essential for creating a durable product with long-lasting properties. It is also important to prioritize defining aging parameters that reflect the real-world conditions the materials will encounter. For this study, a range of swimwear materials were selected consisting of a blend of polymer (polyamide/polyester) and elastane in varying ratios. In order to simulate aging conditions, materials were immersed in chlorinated outdoor pool water during the summer season, either in shade or the sun, for 200 and 300 h. The materials were tested for mass per unit area, thickness, tensile properties, and moisture management. A slight mass per unit area increase was observed, rising from 1.0% after 200 h of chlorine and sunlight exposure to 3.7% after 300 h. Thickness increased by 1.7% after 200 h and 3.2% after 300 h of chlorine exposure, with no significant effect of sunlight. Breaking force dropped by 12.4% after 200 h in chlorine and 8.2% in chlorine and sunlight, becoming more pronounced after 300 h (65.7% in chlorine and 65.1% in chlorine and sunlight). The overall moisture management capability declined from 0.4888 to 0.3457 after 200 h in chlorine and 0.3393 with sunlight, dropping further after 300 h to 0.3838 and 0.3253, respectively.

Sanitary Surveillance Program for pools in Matosinhos, Portugal

Abstract The use of pools for sports, recreational, and therapeutic activities has increased over time. It is important to ensure and control the quality of the water and surrounding areas, as well as the hygienic-sanitary conditions of these spaces. The ‘2018 Pool Sanitary Surveillance Program’ of the Portuguese Northern Regional Health Administration proposes the surveillance of water quality, teaching accessories, and surfaces. The aim of this investigation is to conduct microbiological analysis of the teaching accessories and surfaces in public pools in the municipality of Matosinhos and assess if this program has improved the results for water quality, teaching accessories, and surfaces from 2018 to 2023. The environmental health team of our Public Health Unit performed swabs of the teaching accessories and surfaces of all seven public pools in Matosinhos for microbiological analysis. The swabs were performed in 2018 (21), 2019 (48) and 2023 (42). During each visit, three random points were selected for analysis. In 2019, 31 rugs (64,6%) were analysed, but in 2023 only 10 (23,8%) were rugs. It was found that rugs had the highest contamination by P. aeruginosa (94,4%), fungi (60,8%), and the only sample with coagulase-positive Staphylococci. There was a decrease in samples from twelve to six with P. aeruginosa and an increase from 22 (46.8%) to 29 (69.0%) with fungi from 2019 to 2023. Bacterial colonies grew in 20 samples (95.2%) in 2018, 44 (91,6%) in 2019, and 42 (100%) in 2023. All water samples collected for the evaluation of microbiological parameters outlined obtained compliant results. Fungal and P. aeruginosa detection indicate a potential risk to the health of pool users. A quality report with corrective measures was produce for each pool in each visit. Surveillance of pool water, teaching materials and surrounding surfaces, is crucial to ensure water quality and safety. By doing so, we may lower the risk of disease transmission and protect the population’s health. Key messages • To ensure the safety of pool users is a public health challenge. It would be relevant to have legislation that addresses this issue. • To survey pools and its surroundings and accessories must be a continuous task, allied with literacy to management and users.

Persistence of Helicobacter Pylori Coccoid Forms in Different Environments

Objective: The present study aims to determine the possibility of H. pylori coccoid forms to survive in our surrounding environments, thus exhibiting public health hazard. Method: Helicobacter pylori strain Makkah 7 accession number HQ622108, was inoculated in samples of soil, well, tap, swimming pool, and sewage water; in which, an average initial inoculum of 107 CFU/ml was inoculated. The experiment was conducted, outdoor where ambient temperature varied between 39-55°C in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia. The survival rate of H. pylori strain was quantitatively and qualitatively studied for five months. Results: Viable counts were undetectable after 24 hours, while total count varied between 107 to 106, and declined to 103 bacterial cell/ml five months later. Interestingly, microscopic examination revealed few non-motile rods and motile coccoid forms. All samples were removed and placed at 4°C for one month. Following, total count, morphology, and motility were examined, showing motile coccoid forms. Electron microscopic and, molecular studies were carried out, confirming that the species is H. pylori, which was detected by using 16S rRNA primer for H. pylori with a product size of 163 bp. The ability of H. pylori strain to persist and survive, by being motile in the coccoid form, for five months under such hostile environment, strongly indicates that the coccoid form plays a vital role in the transmission, recrudescence, and therapeutic failure. It is indeed a hazardous and a crucial infectious phase of this bacterium. Conclusion: Detecting coccoid forms in water and soil, accompanied by their eradication, must be seriously considered and applied. Consequently, hindering and preventing different diseases caused by H. pylori.

Data-driven effects of human activities and environmental factors on inland aquatic dissolved organic matter in China: Insights from machine learning

Aquatic DOM, a major carbon pool in inland waters, plays a key role in the global carbon cycle and is influenced by human activities and environmental factors. While watershed surveys have identified some drivers of aquatic DOM changes, national-scale knowledge remains limited. Spectral monitoring data from 721 aquatic DOMs in inland China were collected to predict and quantify the spectral properties of aquatic DOMs and the coupled effects of human activities and environmental factors by complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN), random forest (RF) and structural equation modeling (SEM). Our results show that the dataset is relatively evenly distributed in terms of flow regimes, and the data are adequately representative of various types of water in China. Although the performance of CEEMDAN is affected by the skewed distribution of data sampling points (453 and 449 for eastern regions and eutrophic waters, respectively), CEEMDAN effectively processes the spatial sequences of aquatic DOM spectra, which significantly improves the reliability of the machine learning model (by 13%–68%) and reduces the error (by 63%–92%). CEEMDAN-RF and SEM results indicate that longitude and latitude are the most important environmental factors affecting the spectral properties of aquatic DOM through temperature, light and land cover differences, reducing the biogenic properties of aquatic DOM. Unlike observations in small watersheds and estuaries, environmental factors of season, precipitation and salinity have weak effects on aquatic DOM. Furthermore, the biogenic character of aquatic DOM is enhanced by urban human activities, represented by urbanization, population, and impervious land fraction, which have long-lasting and strong impacts on aquatic DOM by driving water eutrophication and enhancing phytoplankton and microbial activity. Our study informs the prediction and quantification of coupled environmental and anthropogenic impacts on aquatic DOM at large scales.

Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitosis Caused by Nematopsis sp (Protozoa: Apicomplexa) in Litopenaeus vannamei and its Relationship with Water Turbidity, in a Fattening Farm

Objective: This research aims to calculate the prevalence of intestinal parasitosis caused by Nematopsis sp (Protozoa: Apicomplexa) on white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) and relate it to water turbidity, in a fattening farm. Methods: The work was carried out on the western coast of the state of Falcón (Venezuela), where the animals (for clinical and laboratory analysis) and the turbidity data of the pool water were obtained. For the turbidity analysis, the Secchi disk was used, which allowed the measurement to be recorded in centimeters of transparency. The shrimp were captured by random sampling in the lagoons and immediately transferred to the laboratory for clinical study, subsequently data on prevalence, correlation (R), and coefficient of determination (R2) were obtained. Results: Once the analyses were carried out, a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.319951628 was obtained, indicating the low dependence (weak positive connection) between the related variables (the prevalence of diseases and the levels of turbidity in the water). In the evaluation of the R2, the value of 0.102369044 was obtained, which indicated that in only 10.23% of the infected animals, there was an influence of turbidity on the prevalence of infected animals. Conclusion: The prevalence values obtained in this study are consistent with those reported in other research in Latin America. In turn, the related data demonstrated that water turbidity could be related (weakly) to the presence of the parasitic protozoan Nematopsis sp, however, their statistical relationship is very scarce.

An Experimental Study of an Autonomous Heat Removal System Based on an Organic Rankine Cycle for an Advanced Nuclear Power Plant

The present study focuses on the recovery of waste heat in an autonomous safety system designed for advanced nuclear reactors. The system primarily relies on passive safety condensers, which are increasingly integrated into the design of advanced Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs). These condensers are typically immersed in large water tanks that serve as heat sinks and are placed at sufficient heights to ensure natural circulation. Such a heat removal system can operate for an extended period, depending on the size of the tank. This research is driven by the potential to recover part of the energy stored in the boiling water volume, using it as a heat source for an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system via an immersed heat exchanger. The electricity generated by the ORC engine can be used to power the system components, thereby making it self-sufficient. In particular, a pump replenishes the water tank, ensuring core cooling for a duration no longer limited by the water volume in the tank. An experimental test setup, including a boiling water pool and an ORC engine with an electrical output of approximately several hundred watts, along with an immersed evaporator, was constructed at CEA (Grenoble, France). Several test campaigns were conducted on the experimental test bench, exploring different configurations: two distinct ORC working fluids, cold source temperature variation effects, and relative positioning of the submerged evaporator and heat source within the water tank impact. These tests demonstrated the reliability of the system. The results were also used to validate both the ORC condenser and evaporator models. This article presents this innovative system, which has recently been patented. Moreover, to the best of our knowledge, the investigated configuration of an ORC that includes an immersed evaporator is original.

Antibacterial bio pores as a river flow filter for the development of "Ndeso Park" water tourism

The realization of the full potential of natural resources in each village for the benefit of the local community has been observed as a significant challenge. The national village-owned enterprises program encourages villages to optimize the utilization of their existing natural and human resources with the objective of fostering their economic independence. The program entails the optimization of the national village-owned enterprises program in the tourism sector, specifically in the context of Taman Ndeso. The objective of this community service activity is to provide technological assistance and address the issue of river water filtration as a pool water source. The impetus for this activity is the declining tourism activities at Taman Ndeso due to the presence of turbid water in the pool, which was deemed unsuitable for use. The activity is realized through the construction of a water purification filtration system to produce clean and healthy water. The antibacterial biopores are applied as filtration technology. This technology is designed to capture bacteria from river water that flow into the pond. This research adopted the direct exploration method, which was divided into a number of stages, including planning and preparation, implementation, evaluation, and reporting. The research outcome manifests into the restoration of the Taman Ndeso water tourism pool, which will be capable of attracting tourists and reviving village income to the maximum extent possible, with the management of the village-owned business entity.

Elevated total mercury (THg) levels in water sources under the influence of artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in Tanzania.

This study investigated the presence and distribution of mercury in water bodies under the influence of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASGM) activities in Tanzania, which continue to predominantly rely on mercury for gold extraction. Various water bodies available for domestic and animal use in mining communities were sampled from surface water sources in ASGM settlements during the rainy and dry seasons. Water samples were analysed using cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrophotometer (CVAFS). The results indicate that most of water sources had THg levels above the WHO guideline of 1.0µg/L (1000ng/L) for safe drinking water. The levels were significantly higher during the wet season ranging from 3.4 to 96.3µg/L, whereas the range was from 0.84 to 2.12µg/L during the dry period. The higher THg values during the wet season are likely a result of increased lateral transport (e.g. via enhanced runoff) and physical properties of the waterways. Transportation and resuspension of matrix-bound mercury from surface soils and inflow of contaminated water from unprotected tailings were also observed to be potential means of lateral mercury transport. The lowest concentrations (0.846µg/L) were observed in water samples from the Mabubi River, upstream of a mining village. Downstream of the mining village in the same river, higher concentrations were observed in the Nungwe Bay region of Lake Victoria. In other surveyed mining settlements where there were no nearby rivers, pool water indicated high concentrations of THg, including levels above thresholds for safe human use. Immediate stringent measures are needed in order to ensure human and animal safety at ASGM mining settlements. Future investigation is suggested to focus on the distribution of mercury in different media, assessing the prevalence of different mercury species, and investigating the influence of weather and hydrological conditions on the impacts of mercury to organisms as part of the strategies to mitigate mercury pollution.

Tillage and cover cropping influence phosphorus dynamics in soil and water pools

AbstractWinter cover crops (CCs) have the potential to reduce phosphorus (P) loss by temporarily fixing P into CC biomass. A field experiment with no‐tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) was used to study the ability of different CC species planted after corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) harvests to reduce the P availability in soil solution. The effect of three crop rotations (corn–no CC–soybean–no CC [C–S], corn–cereal rye (Secale cereale)–soybean–hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) [C–R–S–HV], corn–cereal rye–soybean–oats (Avena sativa)+ radish (Raphanus sativus L.) [C–R–S–OR]) and two tillage (NT and CT) treatments was determined on soil available P and soil solution P content through pan (A horizon) and tension (100‐cm depth) cup lysimeters. The experiment was set up as a randomized complete block design with tillage as a split factor with three replicates. Over the study period, incorporating hairy vetch in C–R–S–HV rotation reduced the Mehlich‐3 P content in soil by 26%–29% compared to the C–S and C–R–S–OR rotation. Both CC rotations (C–R–S–HV and C–R–S–OR) were effective in reducing dissolved reactive P (DRP) concentration in pan and tension cup lysimeters compared to the C–S in both CT and NT systems. However, these results varied with CC species grown and seasonal variability in precipitation. A significantly lower DRP load with crop rotation and tillage treatments was observed mainly during the CC growing season. During the study period, crop rotations with reduced labile soil P content and DRP loss were ranked in an order of C–R–S–HV > C–R–S–OR > C–S. Overall, this study showed that CCs have the potential in both CT and NT systems to significantly reduce P in soil and soil solution, and these effects are resilient to a wide range of precipitation conditions.

Using water pool as cushion to mitigate ground vibration due to collapse of cooling tower with simulation of complete debris distribution

Large-scale cooling towers in inland nuclear power plants (NPPs) may collapse under extreme conditions. The collapse-induced ground vibrations threat the safety operations of the adjacent nuclear related facilities. Therefore, prediction and possible mitigation of the ground vibrations are significant in the NPP planning. This study proposed a novel method to arrange a water pool as a cushion underneath the cooling tower to mitigate the ground vibrations. The planar dimension of the water pool is determined by the debris distribution of the collapsed cooling tower. To achieve this, first, the mitigation effect was tested using a steel ball impacting on a concrete pedestal. Then, to obtain the complete debris distribution, a technique was developed to reproduce the disappearing elements in the finite element method-based simulation, and was validated against the tests of vase debris. Finally, the “cooling tower-water pool cushion-soil” models were established to demonstrate the vibration mitigation using the water pool cushion. For the concerned case with the water pool of 6 m depth, the vibration reduced by 56 % and 59 % for the maximum and average of the ground peak accelerations in the horizontal direction, as well as by 65 % and 60 % for those in the vertical direction, respectively.

Effect of swimming pool water on staining susceptibility of various restorative materials

Effect of swimming pool water on staining susceptibility of various restorative materials

Evaluation of subsurface geothermal groundwater aquifers at Southern Kirthar Range Sindh province Pakistan through the application of vertical electrical sounding

Pakistan has significant geothermal potential but due to poor energy management and low utilization of rich geothermal energy, the country is ranked among the energy deficient nations in the world. In this study, integrated geophysical techniques were used to assess the geothermal energy potential of various hot springs in the Sindh province. The study revealed that Naing Shareef and Gaji Shah hot springs have remarkable potential for geothermal energy having pool water temperature of 43 °C and 45 °C, respectively. Geophysical resistivity survey was carried out at both Naing Shareef and Gaji Shah hot spring to determine depth, thickness and quality of thermal water. At Naing Shareef hot spring, only a single thermal aquifer zone has been pinpointed within the shale composition of the Oligocene Nari Formation, and it is on average 55.07 m depth and 29.8 m thick. At an average depth of 100.66 m and an aquifer thickness of 77.03 m, the Gaji Shah hot springs exclusively possess a thermal aquifer region established within the sandstone composition of the Oligocene Nari Formation.

The Effect of Tailwater on the USBR Type III Stilling Basin Model

This study evaluates the impact of tailwater on the USBR Type III stilling pond model, which is often used to construct reservoirs with low hydrostatic pressure and small flow rates. The model includes channel blocks, barrier blocks, and end barriers to dampen energy, converting flow from supercritical to subcritical. Hydraulic characteristics, including potential jump types, pressure regimes, and forces on the barrier, are not considered. Any change in discharge during the test also changes the tailwater depth position. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of tailwater conditions on water height (y1 and y2), pool length (Lj), Froude number (Fr), critical depth (yc), and energy dissipation effectiveness (ΔE). This study shows that the average energy dissipation ratio of USBR Type III Quiet Pool is 87.45% without the effect of Tailwater, with an efficiency rate of 12.55%. When exposed to Tailwater, the average energy dissipation ratio drops to 69.47%, resulting in an efficiency rate of 30.53%. The optimum stilling pond performance is affected by the presence of tailwater (Tw), which reduces the energy dissipation ratio. The depth of the tailwater aids in the dissipation that occurs. Technical abbreviations will be explained in the first use. The water level rise under tailwater conditions exceeds that without tailwater. This finding shows tail water's importance for height rise and flow conditions. Flow conditions with Froude Number (Fr2) values of 0.22 (<1) and Tw are classified as subcritical flow.

Future increase in extreme El Niño supported by past glacial changes

El Niño events, the warm phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, amplify climate variability throughout the world1. Uncertain climate model predictions limit our ability to assess whether these climatic events could become more extreme under anthropogenic greenhouse warming2. Palaeoclimate records provide estimates of past changes, but it is unclear if they can constrain mechanisms underlying future predictions3–5. Here we uncover a mechanism using numerical simulations that drives consistent changes in response to past and future forcings, allowing model validation against palaeoclimate data. The simulated mechanism is consistent with the dynamics of observed extreme El Niño events, which develop when western Pacific warm pool waters expand rapidly eastwards because of strongly coupled ocean currents and winds6,7. These coupled interactions weaken under glacial conditions because of a deeper mixed layer driven by a stronger Walker circulation. The resulting decrease in ENSO variability and extreme El Niño occurrence is supported by a series of tropical Pacific palaeoceanographic records showing reduced glacial temperature variability within key ENSO-sensitive oceanic regions, including new data from the central equatorial Pacific. The model–data agreement on past variability, together with the consistent mechanism across climatic states, supports the prediction of a shallower mixed layer and weaker Walker circulation driving more frequent extreme El Niño genesis under greenhouse warming.

Evaluating the Impact of Hotel Classification on Pool Water Consumption: A Case Study from Costa Brava (Spain)

Swimming pools are key assets in the hotel industry. With climate change and water stress, more sustainable pools are needed in tourist areas. The study examines the relationship between hotel categories and the consumption of water in swimming pools in a Mediterranean coastal region facing water scarcity. The study focuses on the Costa Brava, with a focus on Lloret de Mar, a popular tourist destination. The research employs a combination of data analysis and the utilisation of evaporation models in order to estimate the consumption of water by swimming pools. The findings indicate that hotels in the higher categories, particularly those with three or four stars, contribute a notable proportion of the total water consumption due to their larger pool sizes and higher guest numbers. The study underscores the necessity for the implementation of sustainable water management strategies, particularly in the context of climate change. It recommends the utilisation of pool water-saving technologies as potential solutions. Furthermore, the paper highlights the broader environmental impact of tourism infrastructure on water resources and suggests policy measures to mitigate these effects. The research aligns with global sustainability goals such as the European Green Deal and the 2030 Agenda.