Portuguese Coastline Research Articles

Assessing Atlantic Kelp Forest Restoration Efforts in Southern Europe

Kelp forests are essential marine ecosystems increasingly compromised by human activities. Effective reforestation strategies are urgently needed, and the “green gravel” method is a viable tool already used in some European regions. This study aimed to assess the success of this method using the native Kelp species Laminaria ochroleuca on the Portuguese coastline. Cultures of green gravel were reared until the specimens reached a size of approximately 3 cm. The gravel was then deployed at selected sites in Peniche, Berlengas, and Cascais. Over an eight-month period, scientific scuba divers monitored the integration of Kelp, along with associated fish, invertebrate, and algae communities. Nutrient availability, temperature, water movement, substrate type, and Rugosity Index (RI) were also measured. The highest success rate was 12% in Consolação, with Elefante and Galos (Berlengas) reaching 7% and 4%, respectively. By the end of the monitoring period, Cascais had no remaining Kelp on green gravel. Present data suggest that higher success is dependent on less rugged and higher RI topography. Higher grazing pressure, rougher terrain, and unexpected sedimentation appear to be the main obstacles to deployment success. Solid knowledge (biologic and topographic) on the restoration site, starting restoration actions near already established Kelp forests, and significantly scaling up restoration efforts could substantially improve the success of the green gravel method in future reforestation campaigns.

The future of the Portuguese (SW Europe) most vulnerable coastal areas under climate change – Part II: Future extreme coastal flooding from downscaled bias corrected wave climate projections

Episodic extreme coastal flooding is considered one of the most serious threats to the global coastlines, endangering infrastructure, ecosystems, and communities. The synchronized effects of extreme wave events, storm surges and astronomical tides are particularly worrying in the context of sea level rise (SLR), and a comprehensive understanding of their future dynamics remains challenging. In this study, an innovative approach for a vulnerability assessment of sandy low-lying coastal areas, based on dynamic ensemble projections is proposed. In the current Part II study, the combined effects of future projected SLR, tides, storm surges and wave action are investigated at five key-locations along the Portuguese coastline, considering projected digital terrain models, built upon the shoreline projections obtained in Part I. Future extreme total water levels are obtained through a probabilistic approach, and extreme wave events are defined considering high wave energy thresholds in a changing climate. Overall, extreme coastal flooding is projected across several urbanized sections along the Portuguese coastline, especially in areas without artificial protection infrastructures. Dune erosion is expected along the sandy stretches, reducing the natural protection against extreme coastal events up to 13.3%, and promoting widespread overtopping, leaving populations more exposed. Future projections reveal the episodic flooding of up to 1.47 km2 of land along the 14 km of analyzed coastline, threatening households and commercial hubs, besides services and communication routes. As physical and human losses may increase substantially in the future, our results call for the implementation of adequate coastal management and adaptation plans, strategically defined to withstand changes until 2100 and beyond.

Assessing the impacts of trace element contamination on the physiology and health of seabirds breeding along the western and southern coasts of Portugal

Coastal seabirds serve as sentinels of ecosystem health due to their vulnerability to contamination from human activities. However, our understanding on how contaminant burdens affect the physiological and health condition of seabirds is still scarce, raising the uncertainty on the species' vulnerability vs tolerance to environmental contamination. Here, we quantified 15 Trace Elements (TE) in the blood of gull (yellow-legged gull Larus michahellis and Audouin's gull Ichthyaetus audouinii) and shearwater (Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis) adults, breeding in five colonies along the Portuguese coastline. Additionally, stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) were quantified to elucidate foraging habitat and trophic ecology of adults, to identify potential patterns of TE contamination among colonies. We used immuno-haematological parameters as response variables to assess the influence of TE concentrations, stable isotope values, and breeding colony on adults' physiological and health condition. Remarkably, we found blood mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) concentrations to exceed reported toxicity thresholds in 25% and 13% of individuals, respectively, raising ecotoxicological concerns for these populations. The breeding colony was the primary factor explaining variation in five out of six models, underlining the influence of inherent species needs on immuno-haematological parameters. Model selection indicated a negative relationship between erythrocyte sedimentation rate and both Hg and selenium (Se) concentrations, but a positive relationship with δ13C. The number of immature erythrocyte counts was positively related to Hg and Se, particularly in yellow-legged gulls from one colony, highlighting the colony-site context's influence on haematological parameters. Further research is needed to determine whether essential TE concentrations, particularly copper (Cu) and Se, are falling outside the normal range for seabirds or meet species-specific requirements. Continuous monitoring of non-essential TE concentrations like aluminium (Al), Hg, and Pb, is crucial due to their potential hazardous concentrations, as observed in our study colonies.

Experimental study on wave damping potential of seaweed aquaculture systems on the Portuguese coast

The sea-level rise and intensification of extreme weather events pose a significant threat to coastal regions and their communities worldwide. With significant wave heights reaching over 5 m, and wave periods over 10 s (Mendes & Oliveira, 2021), the Portuguese coastline is exposed to major coastal erosion, due to the marine harsh conditions of the North Atlantic. In the last decades the preferred strategy to protect the coastline from coastal hazards has been the construction of hard-engineering structures such as seawalls and breakwater, which tend to be expensive and unsustainable, often becoming obsolete and were not designed to account for the increasing sea level. As such, there has been a growing trend over the adoption of soft, adaptative, and nature-based coastal protection measures (Pranzini et al., 2015). Longline seaweed aquaculture systems have long been identified as a nature-based, soft structure with wave damping potential by several studies performed by Mork (1996), Liu et al. (2015) among others. The AquaBreak Project aims at exploring the synergetic applications of seaweed aquaculture systems on food production, coastal protection, and sea decarbonization on the Portuguese coast with the creation of the AOS - the AquaBreak Offshore System (Miranda et al., 2023; Proença et al., 2023). However, in order to create a strategic and effective implementation plan for the AOS, it is important to assess the wave damping potential of such structure exposed to the common maritime conditions of the Portuguese Coast.

Characterization and Assessment of Performance of Innovative Lime Mortars for Conservation of Building Heritage: Paimogo’s Fort, a Case Study

Along the Portuguese coastline, several military fortifications were built with the intention to protect the territory from the constant military threat from the sea. These constructions have been subjected, during centuries, to a very aggressive environment; the renders, whose main function is the protection of walls, are particularly exposed to such actions. Nossa Senhora dos Anjos de Paimogo’s Fort, better known as the Paimogo’s Fort, is one of these fortifications, built in 1674 and classified of public interest since 1957. Within the scope of the “Coast Memory Fort” Project of EEA Grants Culture Programme 2014–2021, promoted by the Municipality of Lourinhã, repair mortars are being developed for the preservation of the Fort, considering the physical–mechanical and chemical characteristics of the pre-existing mortars and of the substrate, as well as the aggressive environmental conditions. In this work, several mortar compositions, compatible with the original mortars and designed to resist the aggressive environment, are briefly described and their main physical and mechanical characteristics are analysed and compared in successive ages. Different binder mixes were used, and a fine-tuning of the aggregate was carried out. Assessment of sequential wetting/drying cycles’ effect on the mortar’s behaviour is also presented. The laboratory results reveal that mortars with additions of 30% of quicklime present the best behaviour (with the lowest water absorption and highest strength). Moreover, the substitution of part of the siliceous sand by limestone aggregate, in general, increases the mortars’ mechanical strength; however, the drying occurs slower, which could compromise the durability of these mortars if a good balance is not achieved.

The Urban Public Space between Land and Sea: The Case of Quarteira, Portugal

Among the European coastal territories most vulnerable to the effects of mean sea level rise, such as flooding and erosion phenomena, are the 943 km of the Portuguese coastline where approximately 70 per cent of the population lives (Bigotte et al, 2014), a percentage that rises to around 80 per cent in the summer months, due to tourism (Andrade et al, 2002), especially in the Algarve region (southern Portugal). The case study of this research is the urban public space in the coastal city of Quarteira, which is particularly vulnerable. This space between the land and the sea has been recently framed in the inter-municipal climate change adaptation plan PIAAC-AMAL (Plano Intermunicipal de Adaptação às Alterações Climáticas do Algarve). The aim of the article is to explore the natural and anthropogenic process of formation and transformation of the urban space between the land and sea that occurred over time, up to the definition of the seashore street. Interpretative drawing is used as a methodology to understand the form of the public space. This is considered the first step for designing the public space between the land and the sea that deals both with the effects of climate change and the seasonal cycles of summer tourism. Through this analysis, it is argued that the understanding of the form (morphological characteristics) of this continuous space between land and sea is fundamental for consistent and robust adaptation design.

Wave energy conversion energizing offshore aquaculture: Prospects along the Portuguese coastline

This paper seeks to identify promising sites and technologies, in Portugal, for co-located wave energy conversion and offshore aquaculture, whilst providing benchmark implementation references and guidelines to researchers. Accordingly, two case study sites are considered for deployment of five wave energy devices and up to six aquaculture species. A thorough analysis in terms of power ratios, efficiency, redundancy, species viability, device survivability and costs is performed, seeking to find viable co-located solutions. It is found that the Wave Dragon device yields the most promising energy demand coverage and energy output (5 226 to 6 817 MWh/year). Nevertheless, it may require rescaling towards optimal operation, while the OCECO 4 excels in terms of capacity factor (0.24–0.29) and default adaptation to the deployment sites. The WaveRoller® has the lowest single-unit cost (125 €/MWh) but requires up to nine units to cover all the energy demand targets. Larger wave farms are required for the BBDB and AquaBuOY, albeit with potentially greater economies of scale and single-unit redundancy. These sites also enable cultivation of most of the considered species, even under ideal conditions. Lastly, it is recommended that the devices enter survivability mode at a significant wave height threshold of 5.5 m.

Experimental Performance Analysis of a Hybrid Wave Energy Harvesting System Combining E-Motions with Triboelectric Nanogenerators

This paper discusses a disruptive approach to wave energy conversion, based on a hybrid solution: the E-Motions wave energy converter with integrated triboelectric nanogenerators. To demonstrate it, a physical modelling study was carried out with nine E-Motions sub-variants, which were based on three original hull designs (half-cylinder (HC), half-sphere (HS) and trapezoidal prism (TP)). A unidirectional lateral tribo-device was incorporated within the E-Motions’ hull during the experiments. The physical models were subjected to eight irregular sea-states from a reference study on the Portuguese coastline. Results point towards a significant hydrodynamic roll response, with peaks of up to 40 °/m. Three peaks were observed for the surge motions, associated with slow drifting at low frequencies. The response bandwidth of the HC sub-variants was affected by the varying PTO mass-damping values. By comparison, such response was generally maintained for all HS sub-variants and improved for the TP sub-variants, due to ballast positioning adjustments. Maximum power ratios ranged between 0.015 kW/m3 and 0.030 kW/m3. The TENGs demonstrated an average open-circuit voltage and power per kilogram ratio of up to 85 V and 18 mW/kg, respectively, whilst exhibiting an evolution highly dependent upon wave excitation, surge excursions and roll oscillations. Thus, TENGs enable redundant dual-mode wave energy conversion alongside E-Motions, which can power supporting equipment with negligible influence on platform hydrodynamics.

Revealing the Place: Sacred Architecture along the Portuguese Coastline

Revealing the place addresses the referential role of sacred architecture elements that dot the Portuguese Atlantic coastline in contemporary architectural pedagogy and in the practice of architecture. The long Portuguese coastline, the case study of the research, is dotted with sacred architectural elements—sanctuaries, churches, chapels and crosses—oriented according to both compositional and canonical cosmological principles. The character of the space of articulation between the land and the sea is made evident by the tension between the sacred elements and the landscape. This paper addresses this relation, resorting to decomposition interpretative drawings and arguments that uncover the formal relationships between sacred architecture and the landscape, proposing an interpretative reading of the built elements that combines type and place. Furthermore, it discusses the transposition of composition principles from sacred to secular architecture, building an analogy for the typological transfer process, considering the transference of existing qualities in sacred architecture for contemporary architectural projects. The hypothesis discussed is that the decoding of the architectural composition of sacred elements in the landscape remains useful both in the pedagogy and practice of architecture. Finally, it is evidenced that this exercise allows us to transfer formal relations established between sacred buildings and the landscape for contemporary architectural practice, revealing type and topos.

Unravelling the Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Potential of the Marine Sponge Cliona celata from the Portuguese Coastline.

Inflammation is a double-edged sword, as it can have both protective effects and harmful consequences, which, combined with oxidative stress (OS), can lead to the development of deathly chronic inflammatory conditions. Over the years, research has evidenced the potential of marine sponges as a source of effective anti-inflammatory therapeutic agents. Within this framework, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and the anti-inflammatory potential of the marine sponge Cliona celata. For this purpose, their organic extracts (C1–C5) and fractions were evaluated concerning their radical scavenging activity through 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), and anti-inflammatory activity through a (lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced inflammation on RAW 264.7 cells) model. Compounds present in the two most active fractions (F5 and F13) of C4 were tentatively identified by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Even though samples displayed low antioxidant activity, they presented a high anti-inflammatory capacity in the studied cellular inflammatory model when compared to the anti-inflammatory standard, dexamethasone. GC-MS analysis led to the identification of n-hexadecanoic acid, cis-9-hexadecenal, and 13-octadecenal in fraction F5, while two major compounds, octadecanoic acid and cholesterol, were identified in fraction F13. The developed studies demonstrated the high anti-inflammatory activity of the marine sponge C. celata extracts and fractions, highlighting its potential for further therapeutic applications.

Importance of Protection Service Against Erosion and Storm Events Provided by Coastal Ecosystems Under Climate Change Scenarios

Increasing sea level rise (SLR), and frequency and intensity of storms, paired with degrading ecosystems, are exposing coastal areas to higher risks of damage by storm events. Coastal natural habitats, such as dunes or saltmarshes, can reduce exposure of coastlines to these events and help to reduce the impacts and the potential damage to coastal property. The goal of our study was to evaluate the current vulnerability of the Portuguese northern coast to erosion and flooding caused by extreme events and to assess the contribution of natural habitats in reducing both vulnerability and property damages considering SLR scenarios. The Integrated Valuation of Environmental Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) Coastal Vulnerability model was used to produce an Exposure Index (EI) for the northern Portuguese coastline, for the current situation, and for future International Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) scenarios Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5, considering the presence and absence of coastal habitats. Results showed an increase in exposure with rising sea levels and expansion of high vulnerability areas. Coastal habitats contributed to a 28% reduction of high exposed segments for the Current scenario, corresponding to a potential reduction of coastal property damage of 105 M€ during extreme events. For the SLR scenarios, coastal habitats could potentially reduce the amount of property damage by 190 M€ in 2050 and 285 M€ in 2100, considering RCP8.5 projections. This study highlighted the importance of natural habitats in protecting vulnerable coastlines and reducing the potential damages to properties from flooding. Such results can be incorporated in management plans and support decision-making toward implementing an ecosystem-based approach to increase the resilience of coastal communities to cope with future environmental changes.

Novel Insights into Corema album Berries: Vibrational Profile and Biological Activity.

This study reports an evaluation of the biological properties of the edible berries from Corema album, an endemic shrub of the Portuguese coastline, aiming at its use as a nutraceutical. Different methanolic extracts were obtained from the pulp and seed of fresh berries: pulp extract, seed residue, and seed oil (extracted and characterized for the first time). For each of these, the antioxidant activity was assessed, by different methods, as well as the antimicrobial ability. Overall, the seeds were shown to be the most nutraceutical part of the berry since they showed higher antioxidant activity, while the pulp extract displayed a significant antimicrobial capacity against several clinically relevant bacterial strains. Furthermore, the extracts were fully characterized by complementary infrared and Raman spectroscopy, revealing the presence of phenolic acids, polysaccharides, sugars, and triterpenoids in the pulp, high content of unsaturated fatty acids in the seed oil, and significant amounts of phenolics and carotenoids in the seed residue. These results pave the way for a reliable correlation between chemical composition and biological activity, in edible fruit samples.

Thermal Performance and Comfort Conditions Analysis of a Vernacular Palafitic Timber Building in Portuguese Coastline Context

The palafitic timber constructions of the central Portuguese coastline are an example of the adaptation to site-specific conditions (climate and sand landscape morphodynamics) using the available endogenous resources. Thus, in a context of environmental awareness and climate change, it is relevant to understand their features/strategies and how they perform. This work analyses the energy performance and thermal condition evaluation of a vernacular timber building–palheiro–from Praia de Mira, through in situ measurements, subjective analysis and energy simulation provided by DesignBuilder/EnergyPlus. The results show a good or satisfactory thermal performance during most of the seasons by passive means only. Despite, it was not possible to guarantee thermal comfort conditions for the occupants during winter. In the energy performance analysis, five scenarios, with different external walls, were compared. In the two scenarios that satisfy the maximum U-value for the climate zone, the current conventional building had a slightly better performance on heating and cooling (less 1.1 and 1.4 kWh/m2, respectively) than the timber building. However, the difference between the two construction solutions is not substantial in the annual energy demand (2.5 kWh/m2, 7.3%), indicating that timber structures are suitable in this mild climate area.

Herpesvirus infection in marine mammals: A retrospective molecular survey of stranded cetaceans in the Portuguese coastline

Herpesvirus (HVs) infection has already been reported in cetaceans, but available information on its epidemiology is scarce. In this study we surveyed a total of 179 cetaceans belonging to 6 different species. Samples were obtained from cetaceans stranded along the Portuguese coastline, belonging to populations that roam the north-east region of the Atlantic Ocean. Detection of HVs was performed by conventional nested PCR. Amplicons were sequenced by Sanger's method and sequences used to construct phylogenetic trees by Maximum Likelihood method. Our results show that prevalence of positive samples, among fresh carcasses, reached 14.3% (10/70) and both alpha and gammaherpesvirus were detected. Histopathology showed that herpesvirus infection varied from absence of signs compatible with disease, localized genital lesions and systemic disease. Phylogenetic analysis revealed three clusters within the alphaherpesvirus family; within the gammaherpesvirus no subdivision was detected. All clusters included animals from different species and geographic origins. In seven of the positive HVs samples, co-infections with other agents such as morbillivirus and toxoplasma gondii were detected. The viral nucleotide sequences were not assigned to a specific animal species, nor presented a given geographic distribution, which may imply a wider distribution of herpesvirus in these animal populations. Our results are also the first report of herpesvirus infection in common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), with both alpha and gammaherpesvirus detected.

Occurrence, profile and spatial distribution of UV-filters and musk fragrances in mussels from Portuguese coastline

The increasing production and consumption of Personal Care Products (PCPs), containing UV-filters and musk fragrances, has led to its widespread presence in the aquatic environment which can cause harmful effects to the aquatic organisms due to its intrinsic toxicity. This study aims to evaluate the degree of contamination of wild mussels along the entire Portuguese coastline, continually exposed in their habitat to different contaminants. For this purpose, approximately 1000 mussel specimens were sampled during one year in seven different locations, along the Portuguese coastline. Simultaneous quantification of five UV-filters and seven musks in mussels was achieved by a Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) extraction procedure combined with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) followed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis.Ten out of the twelve target analytes were found in the analysed samples, highlighting the presence of AHTN (tonalide), EHS (2-ethylhexylsalicylate) and EHMC (2-ethylhexyl 4-methoxycinnamate) in all positive samples (93%).Overall, the results obtained indicate a widespread contamination of wild mussels along Portuguese coastline, all over the year. UV-filters were more frequently detected (90%) than musk fragrances (70%) and also quantified at higher levels, with average total concentrations reaching 1155.8 ng/g (dw) against 397.7 ng/g (dw) respectively. A high correlation was observed between the most densely populated and industrialized locations and the higher levels of musks and UV-filters found. In other hand, lower levels of PCPs were found in protected areas. As expected, an increase in UV-filters levels was observed after the summer, likely due to the intense period of recreational activities.

Morphotectonics in a low tectonic rate area: Analysis of the southern Portuguese Atlantic coastal region

South Portugal is characterized by low tectonic rates (<0.3 mm/a), with infrequent large seismicity. Recent studies indicate a coastal region in southwest Portugal uplifting at higher rates (0.11 ± 0.01 mm/a) than the remaining southern portion of Portugal (~0.04 mm/a); however, the mechanisms that drive this uplift are poorly understood. With the purpose of investigating the regional Quaternary deformation and its patterns, as well as the difference in the uplift rate, 77 exorheic drainage basins along 460 km of the southern Portuguese coastline were analysed through the application of geomorphic indices. In this study we applied stream channel sinuosity S, basin relief ratio Rh, elongation Re, basin shape ratio Bs, valley height-width ratio Vf, basin asymmetry factor AF, hypsometry HI and, the stream-length gradient index SL, and we propose the terminal basin shape index TBS. This study aims to (1) identify Quaternary deformation along presumed tectonic structures; (2) recognize uplift or subsidence along the coastline; and (3) test the application of geomorphic indices in low deformation rate environments. The cross-correlation of results led to the recognition of the São Teotónio-Aljezur-Sinceira fault system and the São Marcos-Quarteira Fault as major regional Quaternary faults, as well as to the interpretation of Quaternary activity for other structures. Spatial differences in uplift rates are identified through basin shape indices and valley height-width ratios, even for low vertical motion rates, whereas other indices were found to be not as sensitive to variations in uplift rate.

Profiling phlorotannins from Fucus spp. of the Northern Portuguese coastline: Chemical approach by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn and UPLC-ESI-QTOF/MS

Several attempts have been made in recent years to fully characterize phlorotannin-rich extracts. Nevertheless, this remains a challenging quest, not only because of seaweed complex chemical composition, but also due to the diverse structural assemblage within phlorotannin molecules (i.e., type of linkage, modification site, and number of additional hydroxyl groups). In this work, 22 phlorotannins were tentatively identified and their presence confirmed, in purified extracts obtained from four Fucus species, by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn and UPLC-ESI-QTOF/MS analyses. The characterized phlorotannins exhibited molecular weights ranging from 370 to 746Da and relatively low degree of polymerization (3–6 phloroglucinol units). Isomers of fucophlorethol, dioxinodehydroeckol, difucophlorethol, fucodiphlorethol, bisfucophlorethol, fucofuroeckol, trifucophlorethol, fucotriphlorethol, tetrafucophlorethol, and of fucotetraphlorethol were identified. Among the analysed phlorotannin purified extracts, only the ones wild-sourced and from aquaculture-grown Fucus vesiculosus exhibited five and six-ringed phloroglucinol oligomers in their composition. The remaining extracts from Fucus guiryi, Fucus serratus and Fucus spiralis were richer in both trimers and tetramers. The variability observed for the overall phlorotannin composition points to the influence of species-specific and/or external factors. As far as we know, mass spectra confirming the presence and degree of polymerization of phlorotannins in Portuguese-sourced brown macroalgae, specifically F. guiryi and F. serratus, as well as of aquaculture-grown F. vesiculosus, are not found in literature. The information gained in this work ascertains the role of advanced analytical tools in facilitating the use of this valuable natural resource for the development of macroalgal-based products, opening doors for future application of phlorotannin-rich extracts in the commercial areas related to nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.

Inversion of ambient seismic noise HVSR to evaluate velocity and structural models of the Lower Tagus Basin, Portugal

During its history, several significant earthquakes have shaken the Lower Tagus Valley (Portugal). These earthquakes were destructive; some strong earthquakes were produced by large ruptures in offshore structures located southwest of the Portuguese coastline, and other moderate earthquakes were produced by local faults. In recent years, several studies have successfully obtained strong-ground motion syntheses for the Lower Tagus Valley using the finite difference method. To confirm the velocity model of this sedimentary basin obtained from geophysical and geological data, we analysed the ambient seismic noise measurements by applying the horizontal to vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) method. This study reveals the dependence of the frequency and amplitude of the low-frequency (HVSR) peaks (0.2–2 Hz) on the sediment thickness. We have obtained the depth of the Cenozoic basement along a profile transversal to the basin by the inversion of these ratios, imposing constraints from seismic reflection, boreholes, seismic sounding and gravimetric and magnetic potentials. This technique enables us to improve the existing three-dimensional model of the Lower Tagus Valley structure. The improved model will be decisive for the improvement of strong motion predictions in the earthquake hazard analysis of this highly populated basin. The methodology discussed can be applied to any other sedimentary basin.

O TESOURO ROMANO-REPUBLICANO DO CASAL ASCENSO ANTUNES (FERREIRA DO ZÊZERE, SANTARÉM, PORTUGAL)

Descoberto ocasionalmente em 2008 à beira das águas da albufeira de Castelo do Bode, este conjunto monetário composto presentemente por 15 denários romano-republicanos vem engrossar o lote dos achados localizados na fachada litoral entre o Tejo e o Douro, ao que tudo indica ocultados durante as guerras sertorianas ou nos anos subsequentes.

Impacts of the storm Hercules in Portugal

The aim of this study is to analyse the impacts of the Hercules storm in Portugal.The storm occurred from January 5th to 7th, 2014. A brief characterization of the storm wasconducted and the witnesses’ accounts were compiled, complemented with field survey beforeand after the storm. The results show that this event had origin in a strong system of low pressurethat hit Portugal. The system triggered strong sea waves with long periods, run-ups between 6 to9 m, and inundation depths mostly under 1 m. The effects on the Portuguese coastline showedsome weaknesses in the spatial planning management: (i) the fact that a wave train restrictedtothe beaches, front streets, ports and marinas caused significant damage; (ii) some people ignoredthe emergency management authorities, putting themselves in a risk situation.