NUMEN project @ LNS: Status and perspectives

The aim of the NUMEN project is to access the Nuclear Matrix Elements (NME), involved in the half life of the neutrinoless double beta decay (0?ββ), by measuring the cross sections of Heavy Ions (HI) induced Double Charge Exchange (DCE) reactions with high accuracy. First evidence of the possibility to get quantitative information about NME from experiments is shown in the reaction 40Ca(18O,18Ne)40Ar at 270 MeV, performed with MAGNEX spectrometer using Superconducting Cyclotron (CS) beams at INFN - Laboratory Nazionali del Sud (LNS) in Catania. Preliminary tests on 116Sn and 116Cd target are already performed. High beam intensity is the new frontiers for these studies

NURE: An ERC project to study nuclear reactions for neutrinoless double beta decay

Neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) is considered the best potential resource to access the absolute neutrino mass scale. Moreover, if observed, it will signal that neutrinos are their own anti-particles (Majorana particles). Presently, this physics case is one of the most important research “beyond Standard Model” and might guide the way towards a Grand Unified Theory of fundamental interactions. Since the 0νββ decay process involves nuclei, its analysis necessarily implies nuclear structure issues. In the NURE project, supported by a Starting Grant of the European Research Council (ERC), nuclear reactions of double charge-exchange (DCE) are used as a tool to extract information on the 0νββ Nuclear Matrix Elements. In DCE reactions and ββ decay indeed the initial and final nuclear states are the same and the transition operators have similar structure. Thus the measurement of the DCE absolute cross-sections can give crucial information on ββ matrix elements. In a wider view, the NUMEN international collaboration plans a major upgrade of the INFN-LNS facilities in the next years in order to increase the experimental production of nuclei of at least two orders of magnitude, thus making feasible a systematic study of all the cases of interest as candidates for 0νββ

AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE GUIDELINE: BARTIN-ARIT STREAM WATERSHED

This study evaluates the agricultural lands in Bartin-Arit Stream watershed in terms of their agricultural convenience based on water and erosion process analysis. Moving from the water and soil protection functions of landscape, agricultural landscape guides were created. In the first phase, Arit Stream watershed was divided into microbasins using hydrologic data. In the second phase, landscape units were determined. In the third and fourth phase, areas that are sensitive in terms of water and erosion processes were identified, respectively. In the fifth phase, the existing agricultural uses were evaluated within the context of the convenience of landscape units. In the last phase, development centres in plant production sector were identified. In the field of study which includes a total number of 99 landscape units, the number of areas convenient for plant production was 25 whilst the number of areas not convenient for plant production was 74. Only 30\% of the area were used for agricultural purposes. Of all the agricultural lands in Arit Stream watershed, 13.4\% are 1st degree sensitive areas with high water and soil protection function. It is necessary to adopt a planning and management understanding in these areas in which protection measures are kept at the highest levels

Landscape planning and design principles of holiday village: Antalya Kemer Ulusoy holiday village

Fast developments aiming tourism on the coasts in the previous century have brought together some important problems such as nature's destruction, and unique natural sources are vanishing. As a result of these developments, some principles have been determined in order to compose designs sensitive to nature in the tourism-aiming foundations such as hotel, resort hotel and holiday village founded on the coasts. In the research, firstly, Ulusoy holiday village has been examined in the light of holiday village planning principles and suggestions for the solutions of some mistakes present in the design have been made. Secondly, it has been aimed that principles necessary to be taken into consideration in a holiday village planning, in which traditional culture is reflected, should be determined. As a result, it has been determined that the design of this holiday village as one reflecting traditional culture is successful. However, its recreation activities are insufficient according to public survey results and to planning and design principles of holiday villages. In order to make up for this deficiency, suggestions to the present places have been brought. © 2010 Academic Journals