In this study, analysis of the complete operational history of the “Jožef Stefan” Institute (JSI) TRIGA reactor was performed. Reactor power changes, core configurations and weekly excess reactivity ...measurements were analysed to obtain the needed data for fuel burnup calculations. More than 50 years of reactor operation was simulated using deterministic code TRIGLAV and stochastic code Serpent-2. The calculated core reactivities are in good agreement compared with the excess reactivity measurements. Code-to-code comparison is presented. Clear agreement is observed when comparing changes in core excess reactivity, and discrepancies are observed in the comparison of individual fuel element burnup and its isotopic composition. The Serpent-2 results are in better agreement with the measurements compared to the TRIGLAV code; nevertheless, a conclusion can be made that the TRIGLAV code is viable for TRIGA fuel management and burnup analysis. A three-dimensional (3D) burnup study was conducted, where individual fuel elements were further divided into multiple angular and axial depletion zones. Notable burnup effects were observed, and an explanation using surrounding water distance is presented.
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Triglav National Park is the only national park (NP) in Slovenia. Its protection measures have always been publicly disputed and its impact questioned. This paper identifies and assesses the impact ...of the park on regional development. It compares two kinds of data: the municipal development coefficient based on statistical data and residents’ attitudes toward the park, based on analysis of a survey, newspapers, and public debates. Triglav NP is located in two regions: Goriška and Gorenjska. Our results show that the municipalities in Gorenjska are better developed; however, the development trends in these municipalities are decreasing, whereas in the Goriška region they are increasing, overall reducing the regional differences between the two parts of the park. Text analyses reveal that lack of clarity in the management, boundaries and funding of the park, as well as inconsistency with existing legislation and international standards, have resulted in constant conflicts, which have impeded regional development. We argue that, once the conflicts are solved and local communities perceive positive changes as a result of implementing the law, progressive effects developing the protected area will follow. Triglav NP has the potential for long-term positive impacts on regional development if there is sound legislation, if this legislation is effectively implemented and if an active participatory process is put in place.
We conducted a phytosociological analysis of more than 250 relevés in the Julian Alps and compared them with similar communities elsewhere in the Alps and in the Dinaric Alps to describe the ...following new syntaxa of alpine swards and heathlands from the alliance
(class
):
and
the new association
from the alliance
and two new syntaxa from the alliance
(class
):
and
. Many species that are rare, of conservation concern or protected in Slovenia occur in the newly described communities.
It is well known that small glaciers of mid latitudes and especially those located at low altitude respond suddenly to climate changes both on local and global scale. For this reason their monitoring ...as well as evaluation of their extension and volume is essential. We present a ground penetrating radar (GPR) dataset acquired on September 23 and 24, 2013 on the Triglav glacier to identify layers with different characteristics (snow, firn, ice, debris) within the glacier and to define the extension and volume of the actual ice. Computing integrated and interpolated 3D using the whole GPR dataset, we estimate that at the moment of data acquisition the ice area was 3800 m2 and the ice volume 7400 m3. Its average thickness was 1.95 m while its maximum thickness was slightly more than 5 m. Here we compare the results with a previous GPR survey acquired in 2000. A critical review of the historical data to find the general trend and to forecast a possible evolution is also presented. Between 2000 and 2013, we observed relevant changes in the internal distribution of the different units (snow, firn, ice) and the ice volume reduced from about 35,000 m3 to about 7400 m3. Such result can be achieved only using multiple GPR surveys, which allow not only to assess the volume occupied by a glacial body, but also to image its internal structure and the actual ice volume. In fact, by applying one of the widely used empirical volume-area relations to infer the geometrical parameters of the glacier, a relevant underestimation of ice-loss would be achieved.
In the alpine belt of the Julian Alps (glacial cirque Na Jezerih under Mt. Veliki Rokav, Jarečica, the Mangart Saddle and Prodi under Mt. Mangart as well as Mt. Plešivec in the rock wall of Loška ...Stena) we studied the phytosociology and ecology of snow-bed vegetation with dominating flowering plants
,
,
,
and
and numerous moss species. Based on the comparison with similar snow-bed communities in the Central, Eastern and Southern Alps we described a new association
and classified it into the alliance
and class
. We determined several successional stages of snow-bed vegetation on mixed calcareous-silicate bedrock that we treat as variants, in two relevés also the initial association
In the second half of the 19th century, Slovenian mountains became increasingly popular. By strengthening the bourgeoisie and the industrial society, more and more people had time (“leisure time”) to ...visit the mountains. This was, however, also the time after the Spring of Nations (1848), when slovenianism is affirmed and national aspirations become realized. By mountaineering, national aspirations were moved from towns to high mountains and were particularly evident in the form of a competition to conquer the summits, build trails and huts. Mountaineering became a tool for a symbolical conquest of mountains. One could say that it was a race of “marking” the mountains. The central area of this competition were the Julian Alps, particularly their central part, the Triglav mountain range. From the last quarter of the 19th century, the “marking” champions were the main two German organizations (present in Slovenian territory through their branches since 1874), the German-Austrian Alpine Society (DÖAV), and the Austrian Tourist Club (ÖTC). Together they developed a network of shelters and mountain trails that were marked exclusively with German inscriptions (signboards, hut names, etc.). Towards the end of the 19th century (1893), the Slovenes founded their own Slovene Mountaineering Society (SPD) as well, resisting the German branding. By using Slovenian names, constructing trails and employing a different way of marking them, and building Slovenian huts, they wanted to prevent the Germans from conquering the mountains they deemed Slovene. A race in constructing the alpine infrastructure started, which eventually turned into arguments. The latter included destruction of property, as well as physical confrontations, which were later called “the battle for the mountains”. The greatest success of the Slovenian side was the purchase of the Triglav summit (1895), where the priest Jakob Aljaž built a tower - the highest Slovenian marking.
Using the (unweighted) average linkage clustering (UPGMA) method we classified 458 phytosociological relevés of
forests in the Southeastern Alps into 25 clusters. Based on their analysis we described ...the following new subassociations:
and
. The selected method proved adequate in identifying the differences between larch stands on potential subalpine spruce and beech sites, and larch forests on the upper forest line, as well as the differences between initial larch stages on the upper forest line and more stable development stages on better developed soils on promontories and ledges above the upper beech forest line. Larch forests occur mainly in the altitudinal belt between (1,500) 1,600 and 1,800 (1,900) m, on shady aspects and slopes that are steeper than 30°. They are some of the best preserved forest types in the Southeastern Alps, on smaller surface areas (Macesnje above the Beli Potok valley in the Julian Alps) even virgin forests, and their role as biotopes is exceptional.
The Fifth Triglav Lake is a remote mountain lake in the Julian Alps. The area of the Julian Alps where the lake is situated is protected by law and lies within the Triglav National Park. Mountain ...lakes in Slovenia were considered for a long time as pristine, unpolluted lakes, but analyses in the last decade revealed considerable human impact even in such remote places. Eutrophication or excessive accumulation of nutrients is the main problem of most lakes in the temperate climatic zone, also in Slovenia. Since the introduction of fish in 1991, the lake is going through a series of changes for which we do not know exactly where they lead, so the monitoring and assessment of anthropogenic activities are of great importance. For this purpose, a qualitative multiattribute decision model was developed with DEX method to assess ecological effects on the lake. The extent of the ecological effects on the lake is assessed using four main parameters: the trophic state, lake characteristics, environmental parameters, and anthropogenic stressors. Dependence of environmental impact on various external factors beyond human control, such as temperature, precipitation, retention time, and factors on which we have influence, such as the amount of wastewater and the presence of fish in the lake, were also evaluated. The following data were measured: chlorophyll a, nutrients, TP, oxygen, C/N ratio, nutrients in sediment, temperature, precipitation, retention time, and volume. We made assumptions about fish and wastewater, which we could not measure. The main contributions of this work are the designed model and the obtained findings for the Fifth Triglav Lake that can help not only scientists in understanding the complexity of lake-watershed systems and interactions among system components but also local authorities to manage and monitor the lake aquatic environment in an effective and efficient way. The model is flexible and can be also used for other lakes, assuming that the used parameters are measured and anthropogenic stressors are adjusted to a specific situation. The results of assessment are of particular interest for decision makers in protected areas, providing a new approach to the management of the quality of the water environment.
Wet-only precipitation was collected in Rateče, a remote village in the outskirts of the Julian Alps (Nort-West Slovenia) during 2003-2011, in order to characterise atmospheric deposition chemistry. ...The samples were collected on a daily basis and combined into weekly samples that were analysed for pH, conductivity and major anions and cations. Ammonium, nitrate and sulphate were the most abundant ions, exhibiting volume-weighted mean values (2003-2011) of 22, 17 and 17 µeq L–1, respectively. Furthermore, the trends of the major parameters in the precipitation were assessed using a simple linear regression. A significant downward trend of both nitrate and sulphate was observed, explained by evident reductions in NOx and SOx emissions in the region. The decline of nitrate and sulphate was also reflected in a significant and downward trend of conductivity. While the trend of ammonium could also be downward, the trends of other major ions were not significant. Atmospheric nitrogen deposition, representing inorganic forms of nitrogen (i.e., ammonium and nitrate), was calculated to examine potential threats that the deposition of nitrogen may cause on lake ecosystems. Nitrogen deposition in Rateče ranged from 5.5 to 9.5 kg N ha–1 yr–1. Although this was below the critical threshold that might cause an impact on surface waters, nitrogen deposition in the nearby Julian Alps, where sensitive mountain lakes are situated, might be higher and its impact on the ecosystem greater. In fact, several studies performed on water chemistry, sedimentary organic matter and stable isotopes in Slovenian mountain lakes have shown progressive changes in their water columns and sediments that can be attributed to nitrogen deposition.
Wet-only precipitation was collected in Rateče, a remote village in the outskirts of the Julian Alps (Nort-West Slovenia) during 2003-2011, in order to characterise atmospheric deposition chemistry. ...The samples were collected on a daily basis and combined into weekly samples that were analysed for pH, conductivity and major anions and cations. Ammonium, nitrate and sulphate were the most abundant ions, exhibiting volume-weighted mean values (2003-2011) of 22, 17 and 17 µeq L–1, respectively. Furthermore, the trends of the major parameters in the precipitation were assessed using a simple linear regression. A significant downward trend of both nitrate and sulphate was observed, explained by evident reductions in NOx and SOx emissions in the region. The decline of nitrate and sulphate was also reflected in a significant and downward trend of conductivity. While the trend of ammonium could also be downward, the trends of other major ions were not significant. Atmospheric nitrogen deposition, representing inorganic forms of nitrogen (i.e., ammonium and nitrate), was calculated to examine potential threats that the deposition of nitrogen may cause on lake ecosystems. Nitrogen deposition in Rateče ranged from 5.5 to 9.5 kg N ha–1 yr–1. Although this was below the critical threshold that might cause an impact on surface waters, nitrogen deposition in the nearby Julian Alps, where sensitive mountain lakes are situated, might be higher and its impact on the ecosystem greater. In fact, several studies performed on water chemistry, sedimentary organic matter and stable isotopes in Slovenian mountain lakes have shown progressive changes in their water columns and sediments that can be attributed to nitrogen deposition.
