Analyzing the thermal regime of power supply units in portable betatrons by using infrared thermography

Potentials of infrared thermography in analyzing a thermal regime of the 7.5 MeV betatron power supply are discussed. Both the heating rate and thermal inertia of particular electronic components have been evaluated by processing pixel-based temperature histories. The data treatment has been performed by using the original ThermoFit Pro software to illustrate that some advanced processing algorithms, such as the Fourier transform and principle component analysis, are valuable in identifying thermal dynamics of particular power supply parts

The KINDRA project. Sharing and evaluating groundwater research and knowledge in Europe

Groundwater knowledge and research in the European Union is often scattered and non-standardised, because of different subjects involved and different approaches from Member States. The Horizon2020 project KINDRA has conducted an EU-wide assessment of existing groundwater-related practical and scientific knowledge based on a new Hydrogeological Research Classification System, identifying more than 280 keywords related to three main categories (namely Operational Actions, Research topics and Societal Challenges) to be intersected in a 3D-diagram approach. The classification is supported by a web-service, the European Inventory of Groundwater Research, which acts not only as knowledge repository but also as a tool to help identify relevant researchm topics, existing research trends and critical research challenges. The records have been uploaded during the project by 20 national experts from National Associations of Geologists, under the umbrella of the European Federation of Geologists. The total number of metadata included in the inventory at the end of the project are about 2300, and the analysis of the results is considered useful for producing synergies, implementing policies and optimising water management in Europe. By the use of additional indicators, the database content has been analysed by occurrence of keywords, type of document, level of innovation. Using the three-axes classification, more easily understandable by 2D diagrams as bubble plots, occurrence and relationship of different topics (main categories) in groundwater research have been highlighted. This article summarizes the activities realized in relation to the common classification system and to the metadata included in the EIGR, showing the distribution of thecollected information in different categories and attributes identified by the classification

The KINDRA project. A tool for sharing Europe’s groundwater research and knowledge

Hydrogeology-related research activities cover a wide spectrum of research areas at EU and national levels. The KINDRA project (Knowledge Inventory for hydrogeology research, Grant Agreement No. 642047) seeks to create a critical mass for scientific knowledge exchange of hydrogeological research, to ensure wide applicability on research results - including support for innovation and development - and to reduce unnecessary duplication of efforts. A new terminology and classification methodology for groundwater R&D results and activities (Hydrogeological Research Classification System: HRC-SYS) has been developed based on a hierarchical structure using keywords derived from EU directives and scientific journals. This classification allows the population of a European Inventory of Groundwater Research (EIGR) of research results, activities, projects, and programmes to be used to identify critical research challenges and gaps, for better implementation of the Water Framework Directive

Going means trouble and staying makes it double: the value of licensing recorded music online

This paper discusses whether a copyright compensation system (CCS) for recorded music—endowing private Internet subscribers with the right to download and use works in return for a fee—would be welfare increasing. It reports on the results of a discrete choice experiment conducted with a representative sample of the Dutch population consisting of 4986 participants. Under some conservative assumptions, we find that applied only to recorded music, a mandatory CCS could increase the welfare of rights holders and users in the Netherlands by over €600 million per year (over €35 per capita). This far exceeds current rights holder revenues from the market of recorded music of ca. €144 million per year. A monthly CCS fee of ca. €1.74 as a surcharge on Dutch Internet subscriptions would raise the same amount of revenues to rights holders as the current market for recorded music. With a voluntary CCS, the estimated welfare gains to users and rights holders are even greater for CCS fees below €20 on the user side. A voluntary CCS would also perform better in the long run, as it could retain a greater extent of market coordination. The results of our choice experiment indicate that a well-designed CCS for recorded music would simultaneously make users and rights holders better off. This result holds even if we correct for frequently observed rates of overestimation in contingent valuation studies

OMENTIN — information network about mining and environmental technologies

The European mining industry faces increasing challenges to meet the environmental requirements and to convince the local communities over the need and benefit of its existence. Communities and residents near mine sites have increasing concern over the use of the different mining and processing technologies. They need to know the scientific background of these technologies ,their impact on the environment and the risks involved. This information, which normally comes from authorities, companies should be detailed, simple, transparent and unbiased. To access the public and provide them with such information. improved techniques and multinational network are needed. In this network mining professionals and environmentalist should find common language and platform to discuss the benefits and hazards of mining and formulate joint opinions.. The OMENTIN projects aims to establish and develop this platform, and attempts to develop

The world of raw materials 2050: Scoping future dynamics in raw materials through scenarios

The INTRAW project – European Union’s International Observatory for Raw Material - is working towards a sustainable future for the European Union in terms of access to raw materials. One of the major exercises is the evaluation of potential future scenarios for 2050 to help framing economic, research, and environmental policy development. The INTRAW consortium developed three possible future scenarios that encompass defined regimes of political, economic, and technological parameters to provide simulations of impacts resulting from expected conditions for 2050

Fostering International Cooperation on Raw Materials – the INTRAW Project and the European International Observatory for Raw Materials

In the last decade there has been a structural change in the world’s mineral markets and an increase in the global demand for raw materials. Securing the domestic minerals supply in a sustainable way will be challenging to most countries. The International Cooperation on Raw Materials (INTRAW) project was launched in 2015, with the focus of mapping the national best practices and policies of five technologically advanced partner countries: Australia, Canada, Japan, South Africa, and the United States of America. Several key drivers of research, development and innovation in raw material exploration and exploitation were identified. The outcome of the ongoing mapping and knowledge transfer activities will be used as a baseline to set up and launch the European Union’s International Observatory for Raw Materials as a critical new component in the EU’s raw materials knowledge management infrastructure