Sensitivity and spatial resolution of square loop SQUID magnetometers

We calculate the flux threading the pick-up coil of a square SQUID magnetometer in the presence of a current dipole source. The result reproduces that of a circle coil magnetometer calculated by Wikswo with only small differences. However it has a simpler form so that it is possible to derive from it closed form expressions for the current dipole sensitivity and the spatial resolution. The results are useful to assess the overall performance of the device and to compare different designs

A Description Model for Regeneration through Urban Tourism in Rural Towns with Underused Historic Real Estate

Abstract This paper deals with the construction of a description model that will be helpful for an actual decision aiding situation posed by the urban planner for tourism development of rural towns in Sicilian hinterland areas. The decision problem concerns the town of Cianciana, which in recent years has become the protagonist of a particular international tourism phenomenon. We propose a multi-criteria evaluation framework for the rehabilitation of the historic town centre through tourism development. The description problem model that is presented here is focused on aiding decision makers to identify the best usage strategy of under-utilized historic real estate for tourist accommodation. Although the evaluation framework has been inspired by the particular case of Cianciana, it would fit well for evaluations undertaken in analogue circumstances

Transitioning towards net-zero warehouses: empirical insights and best practices in Italy

In recent years, sustainable warehousing has become more and more in focus among researchers and practitioners. On the one hand, practitioners – e.g. Logistics Service Providers (LSPs), manufacturers, and retailers – have been looking for solutions to decrease the environmental impact of their logistics facilities and incorporate practices and solutions towards greener warehousing processes. Still, on the academic side, although an increasing number of papers have been found addressing logistics sustainability, empirical evidence is lacking on sustainable warehousing, i.e. how are logistics facilities transitioning towards net-zero warehouses, what are the solutions and practices in place, and what are the related effects on warehouse environmental performance over time. This contribution aims at addressing this research gap. Based on an extensive longitudinal study in Italy, the paper discusses four best practices and illustrates their roadmap towards net-zero logistics facilities. Some key messages are elaborated, and streams for future investigation are highlighted. The main novelty of the work consists in discussing real business data related to warehouse environmental performance collected over a four-year timeframe and proposing some key findings as a starting point for future developments

TASTE IV. Refining ephemeris and orbital parameters for HAT-P-20b and WASP-1b

We present four new light curves of transiting exoplanets WASP-1b and HAT-P-20b, observed within the TASTE (The Asiago Search for Transit timing variations of Exoplanets) project. We re-analyzed light curves from the literature in a homogeneous way, calculating a refined ephemeris and orbital-physical parameters for both objects. WASP-1b does not show any significant Transit Timing Variation signal at the 120 s-level. As for HAT-P-20b, we detected a deviation from our re-estimated linear ephemeris that could be ascribed to the presence of a perturber or, more probably, to a previously unnoticed high level of stellar activity. The rotational period of HAT-P-20 A we obtained from archival data (P_rot ~ 14.5 days), combined with its optical variability and strong emission of CaII H&K lines, is consistent with a young stellar age (< 1 Gyr) and support the hypothesis that stellar activity may be responsible of the measured deviations of the transit times.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, 3 tables, accepted to Astronomische Nachrichte

Variable stars in one open cluster within the Kepler/K2-Campaign-5 field: M 67 (NGC 2682)

In this paper we continue the release of high-level data products from the multiyear photometric survey collected at the 67/92 cm Schmidt Telescope in Asiago. The primary goal of the survey is to discover and to characterise variable objects and exoplanetary transits in four fields containing five nearby open clusters spanning a broad range of ages. This second paper releases a photometric catalogue, in five photometric bands, of the Solar-age, Solar-metallicity open cluster M 67 (NGC 2682). Proper motions are derived comparing the positions observed in 2013 at the Asiago's Schmidt Telescope with those extracted from [email protected] MPG/ESO images in 2000. We also analyse the variable sources within M 67. We detected 68 variables, 43 of which are new detection. Variable periods and proper-motion memberships of a large majority of sources in our catalogue are improved with respect to previous releases. The entire catalogue will be available in electronic format. Besides the general interest on an improved catalogue, this work will be particularly useful because of: (1) the imminent release of Kepler/K2 Campaign-5 data of this cluster, for which our catalogue will provide an excellent, high spatial resolution input list, and (2) characterisation of the M 67 stars which are targets of intense HARPS and HARPS-N radial-velocity surveys for planet search.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures (2 at low resolution), 2 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRAS on October 17, 2015. Electronic materials available at the url http://groups.dfa.unipd.it/ESPG/M67.html , and later on the Journal and at the CD

A proposito dell\u2019inchiesta della S. Congregazione dell\u2019Indice dei libri proibiti di fine \u2018500

Il paper \u2013 diviso in tre parti \u2013 muove dai risultati della \u201cRicerca sull\u2019inchiesta della Congregazione dell\u2019Indice\u201d che ha preso in esame i codici Vaticani Latini che conservano circa 9500 liste di titoli di libri posseduti dai religiosi italiani alla fine del XVI secolo. Roberto Rusconi sviluppa una panoramica introduttiva sulle biblioteche degli ordini religiosi alla fi ne del Cinquecento. Giovanna Granata sfrutta le molteplici potenzialit\ue0 informative dell\u2019Inchiesta, sia in termini di conoscenza di tali biblioteche, sia rispetto alle modalit\ue0 di circolazione delle diverse edizioni. Rosa Marisa Borraccini prende invece in esame un caso di studio come quello del 'Confessionario' di Girolamo da Palermo per dimostrare l\u2019importanza che un testo oggi quasi del tutto sconosciuto aveva all\u2019epoca della sua produzione. This paper \u2013 divided into three sections \u2013 expands upon the work undertaken in \u201cRicerca sull\u2019inchiesta della Congregazione dell\u2019Indice\u201d, which has examined the Codici Vaticani Latini, a collection which conserves around 9.500 lists of volumes owned by Italian monks and clerics at the end of the sixteenth century. Roberto Rusconi offers an introductory overview of the libraries of religious orders at the end of the sixteenth century. Giovanna Granata analyses the findings of the Inchiesta in terms of actual library holdings and in terms of the circulation of different editions. Rosa Marisa Borraccini examines the case study of the \u201cConfessionario\u201d of Girolamo da Palermo to demonstrate the importance certain texts, although now forgotten and largely ignored, had at the time of their production and circulation

Dry compliant seal for phosphoric acid fuel cell

A dry compliant overlapping seal for a phosphoric acid fuel cell preformed f non-compliant Teflon to make an anode seal frame that encircles an anode assembly, a cathode seal frame that encircles a cathode assembly and a compliant seal frame made of expanded Teflon, generally encircling a matrix assembly. Each frame has a thickness selected to accommodate various tolerances of the fuel cell elements and are either bonded to one of the other frames or to a bipolar or end plate. One of the non-compliant frames is wider than the other frames forming an overlap of the matrix over the wider seal frame, which cooperates with electrolyte permeating the matrix to form a wet seal within the fuel cell that prevents process gases from intermixing at the periphery of the fuel cell and a dry seal surrounding the cell to keep electrolyte from the periphery thereof. The frames may be made in one piece, in L-shaped portions or in strips and have an outer perimeter which registers with the outer perimeter of bipolar or end plates to form surfaces upon which flanges of pan shaped, gas manifolds can be sealed

Experimental Behaviour of Tensioner for Rigid Hangers of Arch Bridges

In steel tied arch bridges where the hangers are made of rigid bars, the replacement of damaged hangers is rather complex. In fact, while generally the cable hangers are already prepared with anchors at the ends and their replacement traces the initial stages of construction with their prestressing, on the contrary, the rigid bars are welded to the arch and the deck, so their replacement must include the design of a new suspension system that allows the insertion of a pretension where this had never been considered. To check the reliability of this new system, a prototype of tensioner was studied for the case of a steel arch bridge in which the high level of corrosion made it necessary to replace all the original hangers with new ones. This entailed the need to test the tensioner performance with the aim of ensuring the axial force transmission between the two hanger segments without slippage in the threads, as well as to test the correct tension setting before construction and putting into service the hangers to be replaced. For this reason, a predictive experimental campaign was carried out on a prototype by means of tests for the mechanical characterization of the materials used, tensile tests of the system, and tensioning tests under load, measuring the displacements and strains of the system elements. The results of the tests, with slippage in the threads limited to the 2% of total elongation, and the turnaround-stressing curves were useful for the definition of the pieces to be assembled during on-site work and for addressing the operating procedures of the tensioning phases on-site during hanger replacement. Validation with the on-site monitoring of stressing operation was conducted at the end; the monitoring of tension through dynamic tests confirmed the agreement of on-site results with the predictive loading tests of the experimental campaign on the tensioner prototype