Test and characterization of multigap resistive plate chambers for the EEE project

The Extreme Energy Events project is based on the deployment of cosmic-ray telescopes in Italian high schools with the active contribution of students and teachers. Each telescope is made by three Multigap Resistive Plate Chambers readout by strips. With around 50 telescopes already built and others under construction, specific systems to test and characterize the chambers are needed. In this article I will present a flexible and software-configurable solution to perform chamber efficiency studies with a set of scintillators and hardware to automatically scan detector strips to identify electrical issues. Both systems can provide accurate information but at the same time they can be easily operated by students

The extended halo of NGC 2682 (M 67) from Gaia DR2

Context: NGC 2682 is a nearby open cluster, approximately 3.5 Gyr old. Dynamically, most open clusters should dissolve on shorter timescales, of ~ 1 Gyr. Having survived until now, NGC 2682 was likely much more massive in the past, and is bound to have an interesting dynamical history. Aims: We investigate the spatial distribution of NGC 2682 stars to constrain its dynamical evolution, especially focusing on the marginally bound stars in the cluster outskirts. Methods: We use Gaia DR2 data to identify NGC 2682 members up to a distance of ~150 pc (10 degrees). Two methods (Clusterix and UPMASK) are applied to this end. We estimate distances to obtain three-dimensional stellar positions using a Bayesian approach to parallax inversion, with an appropriate prior for star clusters. We calculate the orbit of NGC 2682 using the GRAVPOT16 software. Results: The cluster extends up to 200 arcmin (50 pc) which implies that its size is at least twice as previously believed. This exceeds the cluster Hill sphere based on the Galactic potential at the distance of NGC 2682. Conclusions: The extra-tidal stars in NGC 2682 may originate from external perturbations such as disk shocking or dynamical evaporation from two-body relaxation. The former origin is plausible given the orbit of NGC 2682, which crossed the Galactic disk ~40 Myr ago.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication on A&

Development of FTK architecture: a fast hardware track trigger for the ATLAS detector

The Fast Tracker (FTK) is a proposed upgrade to the ATLAS trigger system that will operate at full Level-1 output rates and provide high quality tracks reconstructed over the entire detector by the start of processing in Level-2. FTK solves the combinatorial challenge inherent to tracking by exploiting the massive parallelism of Associative Memories (AM) that can compare inner detector hits to millions of pre-calculated patterns simultaneously. The tracking problem within matched patterns is further simplified by using pre-computed linearized fitting constants and leveraging fast DSP's in modern commercial FPGA's. Overall, FTK is able to compute the helix parameters for all tracks in an event and apply quality cuts in approximately one millisecond. By employing a pipelined architecture, FTK is able to continuously operate at Level-1 rates without deadtime. The system design is defined and studied using ATLAS full simulation. Reconstruction quality is evaluated for single muon events with zero pileup, as well as WH events at the LHC design luminosity. FTK results are compared with the tracking capability of an offline algorithm.Comment: To be published in the proceedings of DPF-2009, Detroit, MI, July 2009, eConf C09072

The Evolution of FTK, a Real-Time Tracker for Hadron Collider Experiments

We describe the architecture evolution of the highly-parallel dedicated processor FTK, which is driven by the simulation of LHC events at high luminosity (1034 cm-2 s-1). FTK is able to provide precise on-line track reconstruction for future hadronic collider experiments. The processor, organized in a two-tiered pipelined architecture, execute very fast algorithms based on the use of a large bank of pre-stored patterns of trajectory points (first tier) in combination with full resolution track fitting to refine pattern recognition and to determine off-line quality track parameters. We describe here how the high luminosity simulation results have produced a new organization of the hardware inside the FTK processor core.Comment: 11th ICATPP conferenc

Detection of solar-like oscillations in relics of the Milky Way: asteroseismology of K giants in M4 using data from the NASA K2 mission

Asteroseismic constraints on K giants make it possible to infer radii, masses and ages of tens of thousands of field stars. Tests against independent estimates of these properties are however scarce, especially in the metal-poor regime. Here, we report the detection of solar-like oscillations in 8 stars belonging to the red-giant branch and red-horizontal branch of the globular cluster M4. The detections were made in photometric observations from the K2 Mission during its Campaign 2. Making use of independent constraints on the distance, we estimate masses of the 8 stars by utilising different combinations of seismic and non-seismic inputs. When introducing a correction to the Delta nu scaling relation as suggested by stellar models, for RGB stars we find excellent agreement with the expected masses from isochrone fitting, and with a distance modulus derived using independent methods. The offset with respect to independent masses is lower, or comparable with, the uncertainties on the average RGB mass (4-10%, depending on the combination of constraints used). Our results lend confidence to asteroseismic masses in the metal poor regime. We note that a larger sample will be needed to allow more stringent tests to be made of systematic uncertainties in all the observables (both seismic and non-seismic), and to explore the properties of RHB stars, and of different populations in the cluster.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Análisis y balance del estatuto económico de los cargos electos locales

Objectives: The present study addresses an analysis of the economic status of the elected members of local entities. Methodology: The inductive methodology typical of legal sciences is used, without forgetting the historical-legal perspective and, all of this, under the technique of dogmatic research de lege ferenda. Results: The problem that has arisen since its initial establishment in the 1980s is investigated, assessing the institutional performance of the system with respect to the principles of good governance that should govern them. Conclusions: Different proposals for regulatory improvement are made so that, where appropriate, they are taken into account in a possible reform of the system.Objetivos: el presente estudio aborda un análisis del estatuto económico de los miembros electos de las entidades locales. Metodología: se emplea la metodología inductiva propia de las ciencias jurídicas, sin olvidar la perspectiva histórico-jurídica y, todo ello, bajo la técnica de la investigación dogmática de lege ferenda. Resultados: se indaga sobre la problemática que ha planteado desde su inicial instauración en la década de los ochenta valorando el rendimiento institucional del sistema respecto de los principios de buen gobierno que deberían de presidirlos. Conclusiones: se realizan distintas propuestas de mejora normativa a fin de que, en su caso, sean tenidas en cuenta en una eventual reforma del sistema

Elastic Scattering and Total Cross-Section in p+p reactions measured by the LHC Experiment TOTEM at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

Proton-proton elastic scattering has been measured by the TOTEM experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider at $\sqrt{s} = 7$ TeV in special runs with the Roman Pot detectors placed as close to the outgoing beam as seven times the transverse beam size. The differential cross-section measurements are reported in the |t|-range of 0.36 to 2.5 GeV^2. Extending the range of data to low t values from 0.02 to 0.33 GeV^2,and utilizing the luminosity measurements of CMS, the total proton-proton cross section at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV is measured to be (98.3 +- 0.2(stat) +- 2.8(syst)) mb.Comment: Proceedings of the XLI International Symposium on Multiparticle Dynamics. Accepted for publication in Prog. Theor. Phy

Administración digital y teletrabajo

This study addresses the evolution of Spanish regulations on teleworking, from the existing regulations prior to the pandemic to the recent reforms of basic regulations on public employment. Beyond this, it exposes, synthesizes, and critically reflects on the elements of change necessary in said regulations to address a phenomenon that, regardless of specific circumstances experienced throughout those months, should imply a cultural and organizational change in our Public Administrations.El presente estudio aborda la evolución de la normativa española sobre teletrabajo, desde la normativa existente con carácter previo a la pandemia, a las recientes reformas de la normativa básica en materia de empleo público. Más allá de ello, expone, sintetiza, y reflexiona críticamente sobre los elementos de cambio necesarios en dicha normativa para abordar un fenómeno que, con independencia de las concretas circunstancias vividas a lo largo de esos meses, debiera implicar un cambio cultural y organizativo de nuestras Administraciones Públicas

First Results from the TOTEM Experiment

The first physics results from the TOTEM experiment are here reported, concerning the measurements of the total, differential elastic, elastic and inelastic pp cross-section at the LHC energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV, obtained using the luminosity measurement from CMS. A preliminary measurement of the forward charged particle $\eta$ distribution is also shown.Comment: Conference Proceeding. MPI@LHC 2010: 2nd International Workshop on Multiple Partonic Interactions at the LHC. Glasgow (UK), 29th of November to the 3rd of December 201