Abstract: Understanding the dryness and drought phenomena is fundamental in explaining the landscape features and the rational use of water resources in a region. The authors aim to assess the climatic water deficit (WD) in one of the most sensitive regions in Romania in terms of aridity: Southern Oltenia. Defining and characterizing the intense aridity was done based on the Thornthwaite method under a multi-annual regime (1961-2007) and during the growing season (April-October) in order to reveal the climate suitability for human activity and the optimum conditions for the main crops. In southern Oltenia the Thornthwaite aridity index values (Iar-TH) (%) defines an arid area, increasing from north to south and south-west from 40-45% to 50%. The highest values displaying a pronounced aridity (Iar-TH ≥ 50%) cover a significant part of the Blahniţa Plain, Desnăţui Plain, Southern Romanaţi Plain (Dăbuleni Field), the Jiu Valley and the entire Danube Plain (about 65% of the entire surface).

Abstract: Temperature-humidity index, also known as thermal comfort index, represents an extremely used index in mass-media nowadays; it renders an apparent temperature, namely the temperature felt by human body that cools slower at higher values of the relative humidity due to the reduction of the evaporation rate. THI is calculated on the base of several formulas, which corroborate air temperature and relative humidity, the critical threshold being 80. By analysing the statistical date supplied by the Regional Meteorological Center Craiova, it comes out that the years with the highest number of days with THI values above 80 are 2000, 2001, and 2007 for the entire studied territory, when, during summer, the region was affected by numerous heat waves, which led to the frequent exceeding of the 40°C value. The most affected area is located in the central-southern and eastern parts of the Oltenia Plain – 51 days with THI > 80 at Caracal in 2000, 47 days with THI > 80 at Bechet in 2001, and 41 days with THI > 80 at Băileşti in 2007. Regarding the monthly distribution, the most problematic months are, of course, July and August, when it is favoured the penetration of certain extremely hot air masses from northern Africa, as well as thermal convection. During the analysed decade, the highest monthly number of days with values above the threshold was registered at Caracal in August 2000 – 23, at Bechet in August 2001 – 25, and at Băileşti in July 2007 – 20. On the whole, in the 10 analysed years, we remark Băileşti – 76 days in July and 90 in August, Bechet – 84 days in July and 83 in August, and Calafat – 77, respectively 70 days. Increased values of THI mainly affect children and elderly people or those suffering of different diseases. At values lower than 70 of the THI, most of the people feel comfortable, at values comprised between 75 and 80, about half of the population feels thermal discomfort, while at values above 80, even if the discomfort sensation is not obvious, it is recommended to take adequate protection measures.

Abstract: The most common natural hazards affecting the Bâsca River Catchment (extended over a surface of 785.1 sq. km in the Curvature Carpathians) are floods and flooding. The purpose of this paper is to investigate and analyze structural and non-structural measures for flood risk mitigating in this catchment. The study focuses on the main factors which generate and favour floods, as well as on flood characteristics (frequency, the largest floods and its consequences). The main methods are the statistical analyze hydrologic and climatic data, field observations, expeditionary mapping and spatial analyses using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). In order to analyse flood potential, there were processes processed maximum instantaneous monthly and annual discharges of the Bâsca River at the Bâsca Roziliei hydrometric station (1953-2007), Varlaam I (1956-2005), Comandău h.s. (1968-2005) and of the Bâsca Mică River at the Brebu h.s. (1959-1974) and Varlaam II h.s. (1973-2005). Considerations on structural and non-structural measures for protection against floods are presented in the last part of the paper. An inventory of structural works in the middle and lower part of the catchment (hydrotechnical and erosion control works) and their condition was made.

Abstract: Every year, since 2002, the Brussels authorities organize a car free day on the third Sunday of September. This very interesting experience has revealed some valuable information concerning traffic-related gaseous pollutants and particulates. On the car free Sunday of 2006 very high PM10 and PM2.5 mass concentrations were measured, along with very low concentrations for nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and dioxide. The car free Sunday of 2009 also showed very interesting results. During the traffic ban hours, particulate mass concentration and particulate number concentration peaked to one of the highest values for the whole year 2009. Black Carbon however was the only measured particulate component whose concentration continued to decrease during the traffic ban period.

Abstract: The Bucharest Metropolitan Area (BMA) is undergoing a major and alert phase of reorganisation as a response to changes in the political, institutional, administrative, economic and social environment. Over the last 20 years land use has profoundly changed in the area under study, mainly by means of agricultural land conversion and the subsequent formation of residential and commercial areas. These two kinds of land uses were also expanded over industrial spaces in the Bucharest Metropolitan Area. Residential areas are showing a large quantitative increase and extremely non-concentrated dispersion, as well as complex and diverse typology. The present study analyses the possible direct and indirect consequences of land use change regarding the quality of the environment in the residential areas of the Bucharest Metropolitan Area (focusing on new residential districts). The results show that agricultural and forested areas are decreasing in surface and suffer from fragmentation, while residential areas are expanding in a chaotic manner, thus indicating the possible areas of conflict regarding the quality of the environment. The lack of coordination in the numerous institutional or private projects in real estate is the main cause of this situation. Public authorities administered the real estate projects between 1947 and 1990 (Communist Era) as the majority of the land and the constructed property were state-owned by law. After 1990, in the era of private property, in absence of legislation and convenient decision-making, the consequences of the privatization were difficult to manage (spreading of residential districts, overused and insufficient infrastructure in many areas, poor accessibility and waste management problems).