Ximena Vargas

Altitudinal gradients, midwinter melt, and wind effects on snow accumulation in semiarid midlatitude Andes under La Niña conditions

The Andes Cordillera remains a sparsely monitored and studied snow hydrology environment in comparison to similar mountain ranges in the Northern Hemisphere. In order to uncover some of the key processes driving snow water equivalent (SWE) spatial variability, we present and analyze a distributed SWE data set, sampled at the end of accumulation season 2011. Three representative catchments across the region were monitored, obtaining measurements in an elevation range spanning 2000 to 3900 m asl and from 32.4° to 34.0°S in latitude. Climatic conditions during this season corresponded to a moderate La Nina phenomenon, which is generally correlated with lower-than normal accumulation. Collected measurements can be described at the regional and watershed extents by altitudinal gradients that imply an increase by a factor of two in snow depth between 2200 and 3000 m asl, though with significant variability at the upper sites. In these upper sites, we found north-facing, wind-sheltered slopes showing 25% less average SWE values than south-facing, wind-exposed ones. This suggests that under these conditions, solar radiation dominated wind transport effects in controlling end-of-winter variability. Nevertheless, we found clusters of snow depth measurements above 3000 m asl that can be explained by wind exposure differences. This is the first documented snow depth data set of this spatial extent for this region, and it is framed within an ongoing research effort aimed at improving understanding and modeling of snow hydrology in the extratropical Andes Cordillera.

Quality Assurance in Higher Education in Chile: National and Engineering Dimensions

This chapter describes the evolution of Quality Assurance in the Chilean higher education system. It emphasizes three relevant critical elements including the processes for conferring autonomy to private universities, the pilot project lead by the Ministry of Education, and the official status of the national higher education Quality Assurance system. There is also an analysis of the evolution of the Quality Assurance concept and related assessment mechanisms that during the past two decades have shifted in focus toward continuous improvement. The accreditation process for engineering programs and a brief case-study that highlights the effects of accreditation at the School of Engineering of the country’s oldest University are described as well. In addition, this chapter presents a brief overview of Quality Assurance experiences in other Latin American countries and concludes by pointing out further directions for development.