Opera Highlights

The OPERA experiment is a long baseline neutrino oscillation experiment aimed at observing the $\nu_{\mu} \rightarrow \nu_{\tau}$ neutrino oscillation in the CERN neutrino to Gran Sasso beamline in the appearance mode by detecting the $\tau$ - decay. Here I will summarize the results from the run years 2008-10 with an update on observed rare decay topologies and the results of the neutrino velocity measurements.Comment: Proceedings of the 2012 Volcano Workshop: Frontier Objects in Astrophysics and Particle Physic

Neutrinos: The Big Question and Physics Opportunities

This article summarises a talk given at the 2014 Palermo workshop on Astrophysics. It covers a short review on the neutrino physics status and the potential physics opportunities of future experiments. During the last year our knowledge on the neutrino oscillation parameter $\sin^2\theta_{13}$ improved dramatically, and the large value opened the way to oscillation experiments sensitive to possible CP-violation. The first high-energetic neutrinos in the TeV range were detected in the IceCube experiment, while the Planck collaboration set further limits on the number of active neutrinos from cosmological constraints. Over the next years the Katrin will investigate the beta decay of Tritium to study the absolute neutrino mass scale, while new experiments will investigate the potential sterile neutrino scenario which could explain the event excess of the MiniBooNE and LSND experiment.Comment: Proceedings from the Frontier Research in Astrophysics, Palermo 2014, to be published in Proceedings of Scienc

A numerical method for computing radially symmetric solutions of a dissipative nonlinear modified Klein-Gordon equation

In this paper we develop a finite-difference scheme to approximate radially symmetric solutions of the initial-value problem with smooth initial conditions in an open sphere around the origin, where the internal and external damping coefficients are constant, and the nonlinear term follows a power law. We prove that our scheme is consistent of second order when the nonlinearity is identically equal to zero, and provide a necessary condition for it to be stable order n. Part of our study will be devoted to compare the physical effects of the damping coefficients

Modelling the impacts of macro-economic variables on the South African biofuels industry

The production of biofuels from agricultural commodities has received much attention in recent years. Apart from a few private initiatives, biofuels have not seen a large scale, commercial production in South Africa to date. This article sketches a basic picture of the economic feasibility of biofuel production in South Africa, without any form of government support, at 2006 prices. It then takes the analysis a step further and with the aid of a set of scenarios, different potential outcomes, due to a range of possible policy implementation measures, are discussed and the results documented. The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy’s (BFAP) sector model is used to simulate the impact of various options on the potential biofuels industry and other related industries during the course of the 2007 to 2015 period. This study shows that a lack of government support for the local biofuels industry could seriously affect its economic viability, especially in the early stages of the industry’s development. Additional issues, such as the impact on food and feed prices, also need to be taken into consideration.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Modelling the impacts of the industrial biofuels strategy on the South African agricultural and biofuel subsectors

The potential impact of the current South African industrial biofuels strategy on the economic feasibility of biofuel production in South Africa is analysed and discussed. The analysis is then taken a step further by means of a scenario to analyse the potential impacts of higher global prices on the feasibility of a local biofuel industry. The BFAP sector model, a partial equilibrium model, is used to simulate the various impacts over the period 2009 to 2017. This study shows that the incentives and commitments, as presented through the strategy, are not sufficient to get a local biofuel industry up and running and make it sustainable in the long term.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Targeting Of Food Aid in Rural Ethiopia: Chronic Need or Inertia?

This paper identifies the factors driving the allocations of food aid in Ethiopia. We determine both how food aid is allocated across rural regions, reflecting the targeting criteria of the federal government, as well as how aid is allocated within regions, reflecting the decisions of local authorities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Devising a measure of "need" is difficult and controversial and there is no consensus on how to do so. It is agreed by most analysts that income is an imperfect measure of need, yet it is arguably the best single indicator of need in the absence of more detailed anthropometric information. Econometric analysis is used to examine the degree to which food aid is targeted according to pre-aid per capita household income, as well as to other factors. The paper also identifies factors associated with low incomes at regional- and household-levels, in order to be helpful to donors, NGOs and governments in their efforts to improve the targeting of food aid. Data are drawn from the Food Security Survey (FSS), fielded on a subset of the 1995/96 Annual Agricultural Sample Survey by the Ethiopian Central Statistical Authority. The data covers 4,112 households in 348 weredas. To examine the validity of the data, we calculated the amount of food aid received at the regional level from the FSS sample households and compared these results with actual food aid distribution records of the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission (DPPC). The results showed striking similarities, and provide a robust external test of validity of the FSS and CSA data sets (Clay, Molla, and Debebe 1998).Food Security and Poverty, Downloads May 2008-July 2009: 32,

Positionen zur Mathematikausbildung von Ingenieuren

In den vom Gottlob-Frege-Zentrum initiierten Workshops Mathematik für Ingenieure werden regelmäßig Ideen und Erfahrungen zur Stärkung und Modernisierung der Mathematikausbildung ausgetauscht. Die folgenden Positionen sind nicht neu, harren aber immer noch einer erfolgreichen Umsetzung. Sie sollen den vielfältigen Bemühungen Nachdruck verleihen und das Bündnis aller Betroffenen organisieren

The Evolution of Sinoatrial Node Function in Man

The function of the sinoatrial node is complex. In nearly all hearts, this small bit of tissue is responsible for spontaneously generating the impulse which will be distributed to the remainder of the heart, maintaining coordinated electrical and mechanical function. In recent years, it has become clear that S-A node dysfunction is not rare, can cause disabling symptoms, and often presents difficult management problems. The challenges presented by the Sick Sinus Syndromes have increased our desire to know more about normal S-A node function and about function in disease states

Advanced Testing Chain Supporting the Validation of Smart Grid Systems and Technologies

New testing and development procedures and methods are needed to address topics like power system stability, operation and control in the context of grid integration of rapidly developing smart grid technologies. In this context, individual testing of units and components has to be reconsidered and appropriate testing procedures and methods need to be described and implemented. This paper addresses these needs by proposing a holistic and enhanced testing methodology that integrates simulation/software- and hardware-based testing infrastructure. This approach presents the advantage of a testing environment, which is very close to f i eld testing, includes the grid dynamic behavior feedback and is risks-free for the power system, for the equipment under test and for the personnel executing the tests. Furthermore, this paper gives an overview of successful implementation of the proposed testing approach within different testing infrastructure available at the premises of different research institutes in Europe.Comment: 2018 IEEE Workshop on Complexity in Engineering (COMPENG