En esta comunicacion se presenta una experiencia docente orientada a la adaptacion al EEES de la asignatura de “Arquitectura e Ingenieria de Computadores” con el objetivo de probar de forma no traumatica un modelo de ensenanza que cumpla con los criterios establecidos por el proceso de convergencia europea. El trabajo propuesto al alumno para que desarrolle su capacidad de aprendizaje ha sido la medida del rendimiento de un cluster de ordenadores, empleando el sistema MPI como herramienta de programacion.

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Innovación docente para el desarrollo de competencias en el ees

The size and great dynamism of coastal systems require faster and more automated mapping methods like the use of a remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). This method allows for shorter intervals between surveys. The main problem for surveying using low-altitude digital photogrammetry in beach areas is their visual homogeneity. Obviously, the fewer the homologous points defined by the program, the lower the accuracy. Moreover, some factors influence the error performed in photogrammetric techniques, such as flight height, flight time, percentage of frame overlap (side and forward), and the number of ground control points (GCPs). A total of 72 different cases were conducted varying these factors, and the results were analyzed. Among the conclusions, it should be highlighted that the error for noon flights is almost double that for the early morning flights. Secondly, there is no appreciable difference regarding the side overlap. But, on the other side, RMSE increased to three times (from 0.05 to 0.15 m) when forward overlap decreased from 85% to 70%. Moreover, relative accuracy is 0.05% of the flying height which means a significant increase in error (66%) between flights performed at 60 and 100 m height). Furthermore, the median of the error for noon flights (0.12 m) is almost double that for the early morning flights (0.07 m) because of the higher percentage of grids with data for early flights. Therefore, beach levelings must never be performed at noon when carried out by RPAS. Eventually, a new parameter has been considered: the relationship between the number of GCPs and the surface to be monitored. A minimum value of 7 GCP/Ha should be taken into account when designing a beach leveling campaign using RPAS.

Beach Leveling Using a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS): Problems and Solutions

According to Dragani et al. (2004), the first observations of the sea levels at Deception Island were made in 1991. Tidal data were obtained over four days in summer by a visual tide staff located near the Decepción Station (Argentina) geodetic benchmark (BARG). This geodetic benchmark, belonging to the Deception Island geodetic network (REGID), was used as the vertical and horizontal datum. Based on these tidal data, an orthometric height value of 2.547m for the BARG was calculated. This orthometric level was translated by geometric levelling to the point LN00, the fundamental point of the levelling network of Deception Island (RENID); the mean sea level obtained relative to LN00 was 5.430m. Later, Vidal et al. (2012) calculated mean sea levels (MSLs) with respect to vertices of the REGID corresponding to tidal data registered during three months in the 2007–08 Antarctic campaign at DECMAR (Deception Island) and LIVMAR (Livingston Island) stations. The results of new tidal observations for two years on Deception and Livingston islands are presented here.

Determination of the mean sea level at Deception and Livingston islands, Antarctica

Deception Island is an active volcano located in Bransfield Strait. Its volcanic activity is linked to the presence of gravity anomalies that influence the definition of the geoid. In this paper, a precise undulation geoid model (GeoiDEC14) has been computed from GPS, gravimetric and levelling measurements. GeoiDEC14 highlights local anomalies of the island that match with hot spots, such as the minimum values shown in Fumarole Bay and Whalers Bay (fumarole areas), or the maximum values found in the remains of lava at Colatinas, Black Glacier and Murature Point. Comparison of GeoiDEC14 with global models always shows negative values due to an average of 18.80 m for our model compared to 19.80–20.60 m for models such as ITSG-Grace2014s, EGM08, AIUG-Grace03s or EGM96. This difference is due to the lack of resolution of global models and to the volcanic activity on the island. To confirm the results, the same measurements were taken on nearby Livingston Island. The values of geoid undulation on this island reaffirm the lack of detail in the global geoid in the area, presenting an average of 18.90 m, similar to the average value of GeoiDEC14.

Determination of an experimental geoid at Deception Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

Engineering and technical degrees are difficult to teach and, consequently, have always been characterized by a large number of academic failures. That is the reason why different methodologies have been applied to classes of similar content in different countries [1]. Among these methodologies, it is noteworthy to mention audio/visual resources as a useful tool to improve the teaching of coastal engineering [2], which means more students that pass the coastal engineering courses [3]. Moreover, use of GPS and Google Earth have also shown to be useful tools to improve the learning process [4]. Nevertheless, the authors have not found anything about the use of “rules of thumb” as a better way for students to improve their comprehension of the basic knowledge of an engineering subject. This paper shows the teaching experience on Maritime Engineering for undergraduate students of Civil Engineering in the School of Engineering at the University of Seville (Spain). The application of new information technologies in classrooms and advanced training in the use of finite element software tools and programming languages gives our students extremely powerful tools for solving very complex engineering problems with excellent results. However, the enormous effort invested by the students in acquiring this advanced knowledge and to be up to date in using and commanding on these technologies leads them to focus their main efforts, attention and skills just toward the numerical resolution of the problem, the efficiency of the implemented algorithm, and the programming language difficulties. This puts aside the essential and the critical sense of the accuracy of the results obtained by the algorithm. The students do not get the physical ‘feeling’ of what’s happening in the algorithm. We have included a teaching sequence in our lesson programs that always starts with an historical review of the different approaches used by engineers in their times in order to solve engineering problems from the seventeenth through the nineteenth century to today. This method makes the students to appreciate the importance and wits required by those men in the past in facing a difficult task when they didn’t have a PC or powerful software. The “rules of thumb” in engineering become a powerful tool for the digital native students which helps them make sense and enjoy the study and programming when they finally find out that their algorithm responds with reasonable accuracy and orders of magnitude to the result expected beforehand. Simply applying "rules of thumb" and well-known approximations of the past, perhaps obsolete from a technical point of view, will help the student learn the process. Some examples will be given in this paper in order to show the use of these “rules of thumb” or simplified models in class for teaching Maritime Engineering subject. Among them: the dimensionless stability number of Vicente Negro [5] for the design of the armour layer blocks in breakwaters, the Iribarren’s wave drawings [6], the US Army Corps of Engineers Shore Protection Manual Graphs and plates, etc.

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A return to the “rules of thumb” in maritime engineering for digital native students

The University College of Marine, Nautical and Radioelectronics Engineering (EINAMAR) of the University of Cadiz is in the process of transition to the new educational system according to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). New technologies can be introduced in some professional subjects that are fundamental in the training of the future Merchant Marine Officer. The application of these technologies to real cases offers the possibility of improving student learning. Basic Maritime Training is a fundamental subject in the three nautical sciences degrees, and once approved it allows the professional title of Seaman to be used, issued by the Merchant Marine Directorate. Firstly, we will introduce an experimental practice having four academic hours which will provide an understanding of the fundamental concepts of navigation and pilotage. To do this, we used low cost GPS navigation receivers and the free tool of Google Earth. This practice is mandatory and will be assessed together with navigation practicals aboard the sail training vessel “Tartessos”, and other practical work of the subject, with a percentage of 20% of the final exam. The practice improves knowledge in the topics of navigation in the subject. Upon completing this course and fulfilling the objectives of the practice, the student will be more proficient, with the following providing an improvement in the learning process: a) Introduction to the new technologies and their applications in real and professional cases, which is fully compatible with the theoretical content of the subject. b) Learning and / or updating basic concepts of navigation and pilotage that have been taught during the lectures and applied objectively with the help and use of new technologies. c) Introduction to e-learning educational technology in this subject. d) The learning progress of the students will be checked during the practice. e) New training material and the use of new media will be facilitated in order to improve the learning and understanding of this subject. At the end of the course, we will assess the success of this initiative by means of survey analyses among the students, as well as the comparison of grading scales obtained in other years with those of the reference year.

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Improving the learning process in the subject of basic maritime training using GPS and Google Earth as useful tools

A methodology for monitoring the behaviour and size of sand after a beach nourishment process is presented herein. Four sampling campaigns (before and just after the nourishment, after six months and one year later) were performed on four beaches of the Gulf of Cadiz (Spain). D50 and sorting size parameters were analysed. Among the results, it should be noted that differences of up to 20% between native and nourished sand values disappear only one year after the nourishment.

Evolution of Sediment Parameters after a Beach Nourishment

Improving the Local Geoid with GPS

Potential fields modeling for the Cayos Basin (Western Caribbean Plate): Implications in basin crustal structure

In recent years, the Oceanographic and Hydrographic Research Center (part of the General Maritime Directorate of Colombia (DIMAR) has made important efforts to advance research in the field of marine geophysics, in particular, the techniques of geomagnetism, sub-bottom profiling, and side-scan sonar, the first being the most developed at the present time. A method is presented for the acquisition of geomagnetic data in marine environments, as used by DIMAR in the Colombian maritime territory. The development of the geomagnetic method not only offers the opportunity to advance basic scientific knowledge, but it is also of great importance in support of national sovereignty issues. Among other applications, the most representative uses of the geomagnetic method are the location of pipelines and metal plates, detection of buried ordnance, identification of sites of archaeological interest, and the identification and characterization of geological structures. As a result of testing the method, a grid of geomagnetic data was surveyed in an area close to the Island of San Andres in the north-west of the Colombian maritime territory. The survey was prepared with a regional geometric arrangement, the result of which was compared with survey data obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) magnetic data repository and carried out in the same study area. Despite the long time interval between the two surveys, almost 50 years, no significant differences were observed in terms of the analyzed variables. Finally, results show negligible differences between the magnetic data obtained for the years 1970 and 2018 for all the variables measured, such as the inclination, declination, and total magnetic field. These differences may be attributable to a geological component or also to the acquisition and processing methods used in the 1970s.

https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/9/1/10/pdf

Bismarck Jigena Antelo

Papers

Improving the learning process in the subject of basic maritime training using GPS and Google Earth as useful tools

Evolution of Sediment Parameters after a Beach Nourishment

Improving the Local Geoid with GPS

Potential fields modeling for the Cayos Basin (Western Caribbean Plate): Implications in basin crustal structure

A New Method for the Collection of Marine Geomagnetic Information: Survey Application in the Colombian Caribbean