Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2025-08"
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- Megaglomerospora lealiae nov. gen., nov. sp. from the upper Carboniferous of Portugal: the largest glomeromycotan fungal sporesPublication . Correia, Pedro; Sá, Artur A.; Pereira, ZéliaABSTRACT: A new genus and species of fossil fungus, Megaglomerospora lealiae, is described from the Bu & ccedil;aco Carboniferous Basin (upper Stephanian C, Upper Pennsylvanian, upper Carboniferous), in central western Portugal. The new fossil fungus consists of a dense cluster of silicified large spores. These new fungal spores are oblong, subelliptical to subspherical-shaped, with a glabrous surface characterized by having a lipid-filled lumen, and display a strong septate-like hypha attached. The presence of lobe-shaped germination shields suggests close affinities to Diversisporales (Glomeromycota). Megaglomerospora lealiae nov. gen., nov. sp. is remarkably distinctive because it is by far the largest fossil fungal spore (similar to 1.6 mm long) documented for the phylum Glomeromycota. This is the first report of an endomycorrhizal-like fungus from the Carboniferous of Iberia. (c) 2025 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.
- Winds of change: the potential path disturbing effect induced by the offshore wind energy technologyPublication . Fontes, Margarida; Santos, Hélder; Torres, MarceloABSTRACT: Path development literature focus on path creation or on changes in mature paths but gives limited attention to early path evolution. The paper addresses this gap by investigating the disturbance, in the early trajectory of technology-driven regional industrial paths, that results from the emergence of new generations of technology. We propose that changes in actor composition and purposeful resource modification actions by path actors are important elements of disturbance and develop an approach to investigate their effects. The ongoing changes in the wind energy regional industrial path, associated with the development and diffusion of offshore wind energy technology, are empirically investigated. The research finds evidence of path disturbing effects at the level of actors and resources. As onshore wind actors start engaging in offshore activities and new actors enter the wind business, the composition and industrial structure of the wind energy regional path and its spatial distribution start to change. There are equally important effects upon the process of resource formation, at the level of knowledge, market, financial and legitimacy system resources and across the various phases of the industrial value chain. The paper contributes to a better understanding of path disturbance and offers an instrument to assess deviation in path trajectories and pinpoint its sources.
- Age dependent variation of the magnetic fabric of dike swarms and implications for the volcanic structure of ocean islands: the example of the Maio Island, Cabo Verde archipelagoPublication . Moreira, Mário; Mata, João; Madeira, José; Represas, Patricia; Martins, SofiaABSTRACT: Magnetic fabric analysis of dikes is a powerful technique when assessing magma transfer processes. This study presents an integrated analysis combining magnetic susceptibility and anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility, magnetic mineralogy, geochemistry and new 40Ar/39 Ar dating of dikes intruding formations ranging from the Lower Cretaceous to the Miocene on the island of Maio, in the Cabo Verde archipelago. We show that the dikes, dated at ≈9.2 Ma, intruding the younger Miocene Casas Velhas formation, display a Ti-rich titanomagnetite composition, higher whole-rock TiO2 content and very high magnetic anisotropy. They are clearly distinguished from the dikes, ranging in age from ≈9.3 to 11.3 Ma, intruding older formations, which show a predominantly Ti-poor titanomagnetite composition with multiple magnetic phases, lower whole-rock TiO2 concentration, higher range of magnetic susceptibilities and very low anisotropy. Magnetic fabric is predominantly normal with no significant imbrication relative to the dike margins. Numerical analysis of fabric shows a dominant coaxiality between the magnetic lineation and the preferred orientation of opaques and phenocrystals suggesting that magnetic lineation is, therefore, the proxy of the magmatic flow axis orientation. Based on the orientation of the magnetic fabric, we infer that magmatic flow within the studied dikes is predominantly vertical. The differences observed between the younger dikes and all other dikes may be related to magma sourced from distinct magma chambers. One, probably shallow, underneath the Casas Velhas fm in the southwest of the island, which would explain the very high values of magnetic anisotropy and the inferred vertical flow, and another located in a central position in the island, responsible for the dikes intruding the older formations. The location of such magma reservoirs and the dikes ages suggest a hypothetical migration with age of the magmatic sources that fed the dikes from the central part of the island to the southwest region. The magnetic and mineralogical heterogeneities of the dikes intruding older Lower Cretaceous formations may also be a result of a wider age range of the intrusions.
- Integrating social aspects in microalgal biorefineries: a Product Social Impact Life Cycle Assessment (PSILCA) approachPublication . Ortigueira, Joana; Lopes, Tiago; Reis, Alberto; Gírio, FranciscoABSTRACT: The ongoing climate change phenomenon requires the reduction of atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Microalgal biorefineries, which convert atmospheric CO2 into chemical energy, offer a viable alternative to fossil fuel-based industrial systems. This study assesses the social impacts of microalgal biorefineries using the Product Social Impact Life Cycle Assessment database approach, focusing on an industrial facility located in P & oacute;voa de Santa Iria, Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal. The foreground system involves the production of microalgae in cascade raceway systems, followed by their refinement into protein, lipid and carbohydrate fractions. Dedicated surveys were distributed to the local community to collect social data, which was then analyzed using the Product Social Impact Life Cycle Assessment (PSILCA) database and a newly designed evaluation schema. Preliminary data from approximately 300 valid responses indicated that the local community faces a medium risk of being unfamiliar with the concept of microalgae or its benefits but acknowledged the high probability of local economic benefits and job creation upon implementation. The study highlights a general lack of familiarity with microalgae among the local community, which could affect the acceptance of the biorefinery. Although the PSILCA approach identifies social hotspots effectively, reliance on generic data may not accurately represent the local context. The study underscores the need for enhanced information dissemination to improve community acceptance and support for microalgal biorefineries. Preliminary data collection and analysis highlight the potential for social benefits, but further research is required to address the identified limitations.
- Current Progress of Activities at EU-SOLARIS ERIC: The European Research Infrastructure Consortium for CSP TechnologiesPublication . Sánchez-Moreno, Ricardo; Blanco Galvez, Julian; Guillot, Emmanuel; Flamant, Gilles; Blanco Muriel, Manuel Jesus; Benitez, Daniel; Georgiou, Marios; Fylaktos, Nestor; Cardoso, João; Canavarro, Diogo; Martín, José; Martinez, DiegoABSTRACT: An ERIC, established by a decision of the European Commission, is a legal entity possessing legal personality and full legal capacity acknowledged across all EU Member States. Its primary role is to establish and operate a research infrastructure on a non-economic basis. Under the initiative of Spain, France, Germany, and Cyprus as Members, with Portugal as an Observer, a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) has been formed. This consortium, named "European Solar Research Infrastructure for Concentrated Solar Power" (EU-SOLARIS ERIC) is established in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No. 723/2009 of 25 June 2009. The establishment of an ERIC was sanctioned by the European Commission, as evidenced in Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2297 of 19 October 2022 [1]. The inaugural assembly of the EU-SOLARIS ERIC took place at the CIEMAT Headquarters in Madrid on 12th January 2023. During this gathering, the General Assembly was officially convened, and the Statutes along with other governing documents were formally endorsed. At the time of composing this document, negotiations for the accession of three additional countries—Greece, Turkey, and Italy—are underway. This paper summarizes the R&D activities carried out during this first year of the ERIC, particularly, we describe the new projects achieved.
- Li-ion Battery Recycling: A Summary ReviewPublication . Nogueira, Carlos; Neiva Correia, Maria Joana; Margarido, Fernanda; Plancha, Maria João; Pedrosa, Fátima; Gonçalves, Ana; Silva, Clara; Silva, SaraABSTRACT: A short review of battery recycling technologies is presented. Main components and materials of battery cells, modules and packs are identified, highlighting their compositions and contents. Main component of packs is aluminium, followed by the cathode materials, anode materials, copper and polymers. Safe discharge of the spent batteries is mandatory, and the subsequent dismantling allows separation and valorisation of the aluminium casings, electronic components, polymers and steel. The resulting cells or modules are pretreated by shearing and drying, and the solvent and evolving gases shall be safely treated and disposed. Physical separation operations, including secondary shredding, sieving, gravity separation, among others, are applied to separate the Al, Cu and polymer fragments from the electrode powders (black mass). Metallurgical processing, by hydro or pyrometallurgy, allows further recovery of the metals in pure forms, which are then sent back to the market. Nowadays, several hydrometallurgical processes are being introduced, allowing high recovery yields of the most important metals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese. By this way, a more sustainable management of the resources can be achieved.
- The UTE-PLANAGEO Project (National Geology Plan of Angola). Objectives, methods, and resultsPublication . Garcia-Lobon, Jose Luis; Merino-Martinez, Enrique; Fernández, J.; Carvalho, João; Batista, Maria Joao; Escuder, Javier; Lisboa, Jose; Martín-Banda, Raquel; Francés, Alain Pascal; Ramalho, Elsa; Martín-Méndez, I.; Rey-Moral, Carmen; Feria, María Carmen; Mochales, Tania; Ferreira, Ezequiel; Cuervo, I.; Manuel, José; Victorino, Américo da MataABSTRACT: The National Geology Plan of Angola (PLANAGEO) has been one of the most important Angolan infrastructure projects throughout the past twenty years. The objectives of PLANAGEO were: (a) to enhance Angola's geological and mineral resources knowledge; (b) to foster diversification of the national economy; and, (c) to attract foreign investment and promote the country development. The project integrated regional interdisciplinary geological surveys, including geological/aerogeophysical/geochemical mapping, raw materials and mineral resources prospecting, as well as specific studies in target areas. The project was launched by the Angolan government (Presidential Resolution 52/09), and implemented by the Geological Survey of Angola (IGEO), under the oversight of the Angolan Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas (MIREMPET). In 2011, UTE consortium, a joint venture of IGME, the National Laboratory of Energy and Geology of Portugal (LNEG) and the Spanish company Impulso Industrial Alternativo (IIA) bid the call for tenders. In 2013 IGEO awarded UTE a contract to undertake PLANAGEO´s activities in the southwestern region of Angola, covering roughly 480.000 km2. From July of 2014 to the end of 2022, the UTE consortium conducted interdisciplinary studies and investigations that resulted in a comprehensive collection of maps and scientific reports and documents, comprising: Airborne geophysical mag/rad mapping. Geological mapping at 1:250.000 scale (and 1:500.000 and 1:1.000.000 synthesis). Geological mapping at 1:100.000 scale in selected areas. Geochemical mapping at 1:250.000 scale. Raw materials and Mineral resources mapping in target areas, at 1:50.000 scale.