Combined analysis of the decays τ−→KSπ−ντ\tau^{-}\to K_{S}\pi^{-}\nu_{\tau} and τ−→K−ηντ\tau^{-}\to K^{-}\eta\nu_{\tau}

The potential of performing a combined analysis of the strangeness-changing decays $\tau^{-}\to K_{S}\pi^{-}\nu_{\tau}$ and $\tau^{-}\to K^{-}\eta\nu_{\tau}$ for unveiling the $K^{*}(1410)$ resonance pole parameters is illustrated. Our study is carried out within the framework of Chiral Perturbation Theory, including resonances as explicit degrees of freedom. Resummation of final state interactions are considered through a dispersive parameterization of the required form factors. A considerable improvement in the determination of the pole position with mass $M_{K^{*}(1410)}=1304\pm17$ MeV and width $\Gamma_{K^{*}(1410)}=171\pm62$ MeV is obtained.Comment: Talk given at XIth Quark Confinement and Hadron Spectrum, 8-12th September (2014), Saint Petersburg (Russia

Cross-border Access to E-Evidence: Framing the Evidence. CEPS in Liberty and Security in Europe No. 2020-02, February 2020

This paper aims at situating the policy discourse accompanying current European Union (EU) initiatives on facilitating access by public authorities to data held by private companies, including in scenarios regarded as crossing jurisdictional borders. More concretely, it contextualises these initiatives in light of the absence of publicly available statistical information on some of the issues which are at the very core of these matters. Firstly, the paper presents the three main current developments, that is, the proposed ‘E-evidence package’, the negotiation of an EU-United States (US) agreement facilitating access to e-evidence for the purpose of judicial cooperation in criminal matters, and the participation of the EU in the negotiations in the Council of Europe on a second additional protocol to the Cybercrime Convention, analysing some of the recurrent messages associated with defending the necessity of all these different measures. The Brief then reviews some of the information upon which are being constructed arguments used to purport the need for these developments, by granting particular attention to the Impact Assessment that accompanied the publication of the ‘E-evidence package’. Finally, it suggests that the absence of statistical data might have implications for the assessment of the proportionality of eventual legislative measures

Are Antarctic Specially Protected Areas safe from plastic pollution? a survey of plastic litter at Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island, Antarctica

A number of studies have reported in the last decades the presence of plastics in the Southern Ocean, which are liable to reach the coast and accumulate on the Antarctic Continent. Despite this, there are few data on the amount of plastic pollution on Antarctic beaches below 60°S. Here we provide valuable information about the presence of plastic debris in Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, an Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) and a hotspot for biodiversity. A total of 129 locations with between 1 and 5 items were recorded among the 3 survey sites on Byers Peninsula. Most of the observed items are likely to derive from fishing and local sources such as tourism and research activities. We discuss the potential impacts of their presence on local fauna and some of the consequences on the Antarctic ecosystem. From this survey of plastic accumulation in an ASPA, we propose the implementation of mitigation strategies, such as systematic monitoring of the abundance and distribution of plastic waste, in order to identify trends in marine debris and control the levels of plastic pollution in the Maritime Antarctic region.This work was supported by the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI), Grant no. CTM2016-79741-R. PA is supported by a FPI-contract fellowship (Grant no. BES-2017 080558) from Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competividad (MINECO)

Extreme point rainfall temporal scaling : a long term (1805-2014) regional and seasonal analysis in Spain : extreme point rainfall temporal scaling in Spain

This paper presents a regional and seasonal study of extreme point rainfall scaling from 10 min to 2 years. To do this, the highest point-based rainfall list based on these temporal periods was calculated from the Spanish Meteorological Service (AEMET) precipitation databases with more than 11 000 rain-gauge stations, with the longest series ranging from 1805 to 2014 (209 years). This list constitutes the register of single station largest amounts of precipitation in Spain ever recorded for selected periods, including for example the values for 2 h (193 mm), 24 h (817 mm) or 1 year (5503 mm). Rainfall extremes for 10 min periods are evenly distributed in coastal and inland areas. Daily precipitation extremes are mostly concentrated over the Mediterranean coast while from durations from one month to two years, extremes are located in southern and northwest Spain. Extreme data obtained were compared with existing worldwide rainfall records for equivalent periods. Results indicate that Spanish extreme rainfall scaling relating R depth (in mm) against D duration (in minutes) may be expressed as a potential law R = 21.8 D0.422 (R = 43.6 D0.507 for worldwide data). We propose the upper envelope line (greater or equal to extreme rainfall values) parallel to the potential fit law as a simple method to estimate possible extreme records for different time scales. Using this method, worldwide envelope may be expressed as R = 60.5 D0.507 and the Spanish envelope as R = 39.3 D0.422. Further analysis stratifying results by season and region show that seasonal scaling has more variability than regional scaling. The methodology described can be readily applied to other regions for which detailed rainfall databases exist. Applications of the results include using the scaling found as a reference for classification of heavy precipitation events for temporal scales.This work was performed under the framework of the Hydrological Mediterranean Experiment (HyMeX) programme and was partially supported by the Spanish project CGL2015-65627-C3-2-R (MINECO/FEDER) and the Water Research Institute (IdRA) of the University of Barcelona

Extreme point rainfal temporal scaling and associated atmospheric processes

Ponencia presentada en: XXXV Jornadas Científicas de la AME y el XIX Encuentro Hispano Luso de Meteorología celebrado en León, del 5 al 7 de marzo de 2018.The study describes an analysis of point rainfall amounts obtained from raingauge measurements in Spain covering periods from 10 minutes to 2 years, their temporal scaling and a discussion of predominant atmospheric processes involved. A large database exceeding 11,000 stations, some of which with more than 200 years records, was used and results are compared against corresponding world rainfall records.This study was partly supported by the Water Research Institute of the University of Barcelona (UB/IdRA), and projects CGL2015-65627-C3-2-R (MINECO/FEDER) and CGL2016-81828-REDT (MINECO)

Smart city's power system control

El proyecto Smart City’s Power System Control tiene cómo uno de los objetivos estudiar la viabilidad del autoconsumo de una urbanización, en Vilafranca del Penedés en concreto en el sector SUD-3. Este autoconsumo se llevo a cabo alimentado la urbanización con módulos de cogeneración y energía solar fotovoltaica. Para cumplir este objetivo se hizo un estudio energético de la potencia total demanda por todas las cargas de la urbanización. El resultado nos dio una potencia eléctrica demandada de 12 MW. A partir de este estudio se decidió utilizar treinta módulos CHP CE 400 NA y cuarenta y tres mil seis cientos noventa y dos paneles fotovoltaicos A-250p. El motivo por el cual se eligió estos módulos de cogeneración fue porque son los más económicos, el precio del combustible es más barato que la electricidad y emiten menos CO2. Estos módulos también se utilizaron para calentar el agua caliente sanitaria de los edificios, esto recibe el nombre de cogeneración. La estructura de la red eléctrica de distribución la realizamos en anillo para tener menos pérdidas y en caso de anomalía asegurar el suministro. Toda la estructura fue diseñada con el programa Power Wolrd, en el cual se puede apreciar toda la distribución en anillo y que sucedería en caso de fallo. La razón por la cual se opto por realizar una instalación de paneles fotovoltaicos es porque en la ubicación en la cual se encuentra, tenemos un gran nivel de radiación solar. Contamos con una gran superficie de tejado útil teniendo en cuenta el 65% de superficie que se puede utilizar según la normativa. Para realizar el estudio del número de paneles solares y su inclinación se utilizó el programa PVGIS. Como en todo proyecto se realizo un estudio de amortización de las instalaciones. Se comparó el precio del combustible si utilizáramos la red eléctrica o los módulos de cogeneración y el precio de instalar diez y siete transformadores o treinta módulos de cogeneración. Nuestro proyecto se podría llegar amortizar en poco más de tres años. Por otra parte toda esta energía demanda y generada se tiene que controlar de alguna manera. Este fue el motivo por el que decidimos hacer un estudio de los requisitos básicos de regulación de la generación de electricidad para poder gestionar la potencia que necesita la urbanización en cada momento dependiendo de la demanda. Este estudio se creó a partir del programa Matlab. Se puede observar a tiempo real la demanda de consumo que tiene nuestra urbanización y como lo gestiona para que sea alimentada. También se puede ver el número de generadores que se necesitan en cada momento para generar esta energía y la potencia generada por los paneles fotovoltaicos a tiempo real. En el estudio se estipulo la prioridad de utilizar la energía solar fotovoltaica. Antes de ponernos a programar el estudio se tuvo que analizar los consumos diarios de las cargas en la urbanización. Con este analisis se realizo el despacho económico para más tarde implementarlo en el estudio de regulación. Se tuvo que pensar en varias estrategias para controlar cuantos módulos de cogeneración se utilizarían en cada instante de tiempo. La estrategia que se siguió fue ir encendiendo respectivamente los módulos dependiendo de la demanda en cada momento y de esta manera te aseguras que funcionan a un 90% de su rendimiento ya que de esta forma funcionan en su punto óptimo de trabajo. Para ello se utilizo la curva de funcionamiento de los módulos

Evaluating air emission inventories and indicators from cruise vessels at ports

This paper provides an estimation of air emissions (CO2, NOX, SOX and PM) released by cruise vessels at the port level. The methodology is based on the Bfull bottom-up^ approach and starts by evaluating the fuel consumed by each vessel on the basis of its individual port activities (manoeuvring, berthing and hoteling). The Port of Barcelona was selected as the site at which to perform the analysis, in which 125 calls of 30 cruise vessels were monitored. Real-time data from the automatic identification system (AIS), factor emissions from engine certificates and vessel characteristics from IHS Sea-web database were also collected for the analysis. The research findings show that the most appropriate indicators are inventory emissions per Bport-time gross tonnage^, Bport-time passenger^ and Bport time^. These emission indicators improve our understanding of cruise emissions and will facilitate the work that aims to estimate reliably and quickly the in-port ship emission inventories of cruise ports.Postprint (published version

Jet energy loss in the quark-gluon plasma by stream instabilities

We study the evolution of the plasma instabilities induced by two jets of particles propagating in opposite directions and crossing a thermally equilibrated non-Abelian plasma. In order to simplify the analysis we assume that the two jets of partons can be described with uniform distribution functions in coordinate space and by Gaussian distribution functions in momentum space. We find that while crossing the quark-gluon plasma, the jets of particles excite unstable chromomagnetic and chromoelectric modes. These fields interact with the particles (or hard modes) of the plasma inducing the production of currents; thus, the energy lost by the jets is absorbed by both the gauge fields and the hard modes of the plasma. We compare the outcome of the numerical simulations with the analytical calculation performed assuming that the jets of particles can be described by a tsunami-like distribution function. We find qualitative and semi-quantitative agreement between the results obtained with the two methods.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure

Local meteorological conditions, shape and desiccation influence dispersal capabilities for airborne microorganisms

The atmosphere plays an important role in the dispersal of microorganisms, as well as in the connectivity of most of the planet's ecosystems. In recent decades, interest in microbial diversity and dispersion in the atmosphere has increased due to its importance in various fields. However, there are few studies on the abundance of airborne microorganisms and the factors, such as meteorology, that affect their distribution. Likewise, the physical-mathematical models attempting to reproduce their possible origins also require integrating some biological features. We collected airborne microorganisms under different meteorological conditions at a sampling station over a 12-day period to expand the knowledge about abundance of airborne microorganisms, their relationship with atmospheric conditions and their possible origins with a biological perspective. Total abundance and size distribution of microorganisms were measured in all samples using epifluorescence techniques. Their possible origins were estimated using refined mathematical simulation models of the air masses back-trajectories considering dry deposition. Our results showed microbial abundance values similar to those found in temperate regions over land surface. In our contribution we report a clear relationship between the abundance and, considered as a whole, local meteorological conditions. Despite most of the captured particles were small spherical microorganisms (diameter < 20 μm), large filamentous microorganisms, surprisingly up to 400 μm, were also found. We demonstrate the possibility that these large microorganisms can have their origin at long distances, showing thus probability of remarkable long dispersal, without ruling out a nearby origin, when their equivalent spherical diameter (ESD) and drying capacity are consideredThis work was supported by the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) and Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), Grant CTM2016-79741-R. SGal was supported by a Fomento de la Investigación-aid fellowship Master Studies-UAM 2019 from Universidad Autónoma de Madri

L’impacte de la política monetària no convencional en el sector financer alemany: La salvació d’empreses i consumidors?

Treballs Finals del Grau d'Economia, Facultat d'Economia i Empresa, Universitat de Barcelona, Curs: 2019-2020 , Tutor: M. Soledad Rodríguez Martínez[cat] Les decisions de política monetària del BCE no sempre han seguit la mateixa trajectòria, sobretot des que la crisi econòmica i financera es va estendre globalment i els principals bancs centrals van veure’s obligats a replantejar-se les mesures anteriorment aplicades. Durant el període 2014-2018, el BCE va aplicar unes mesures en política monetària no convencional sense precedents a la Zona Euro, l’objectiu de les quals era mantenir l’estabilitat de preus. Amb aquest treball es vol realitzar un anàlisi empíric per a veure l’impacte en la economia alemanya de les mesures de política monetària no convencionals (QE) aplicades pel BCE. Em centraré, concretament, en l’ús que el sistema financer alemany va fer de la liquiditat addicional, de les reduccions que es van produir dels tipus d’interès com a conseqüència del QE i de com es van transmetre aquestes polítiques a l’economia real. Finalment, s’ha constatat que les mesures adoptades es van transmetre a l’economia real de forma molt poc rellevant i, per consegüent, empreses i famílies alemanyes no van veure’s beneficiades de les actuacions dutes a terme pel BCE.[eng] The monetary policy decisions of the ECB did not always follow the same trajectory, especially since the economic and financial crisis extended around the globe and the major central banks were obliged to review the monetary measures anteriorly applied. During the period 2014- 2018, the ECB applied the unprecedented unconventional monetary policy at the Euro Zone, the aim of which was to maintain the stability of prices. With this work, I want to conduct an empirical research utilizing data to elaborate graphs and figures, and as a result, explaining the impact of the unconventional monetary policy measures in the German economy. I will focus concretely on the use that the German financial system made of the additional liquidity and the interest rate cuts, as a consequence of the QE and the impact of the adopted policies on the real economy. Finally, I found that the measures adopted were lowly transmitted to the real economy, that is to say, households and firms benefited most from other policies than the unconventional ones adopted by the ECB