Crisis Management in Tourist Destinations

Whether natural or caused by people, disasters have been and continue to be a part of life that communities must deal with. Tourism destinations are especially vulnerable to disaster occurrences due to their economic dependence on visitors and the need to maintain a positive image of attractiveness and safety for continued success. The past decade has witnessed numerous natural disasters in tourist destinations around the world; therefore, community leaders, local governments, and major industries need to be prepared for the worst. The 1989 Hurricane Hugo experience in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina was managed by a local non-profit organization comprised of volunteer community and industry leaders. The Hugo experience demonstrated the need to have a plan of action to follow after disaster occurrences. Telephone interviews were conducted with tourism leaders around the country and written inquiries were made to locate a tourism crisis management plan. The lack of information led to the development of the Myrtle Beach Tourism Crisis Management Manual, to assist the travel and tourism industry respond to and manage natural disasters in an effective manner

Evaluating Quaternary activity versus inactivity on faults and folds using geomorphological mapping and trenching: Seismic hazard implications

The incorporation of active faults in seismic hazard analyses may have a significant impact on the feasibility, design and cost of major engineering projects (e.g., nuclear facilities, dams), especially when located in the site vicinity. The regulatory definition of active versus inactive fault is generally based on whether the fault has ruptured or not after a specific chronological bound (i.e. fault recency). This work presents a methodology, mainly based on geomorphological mapping and trenching, for determining whether specific faults can be considered as active or inactive. The approach is illustrated through the analysis of several faults located in the Spanish Pyrenees (Loiti, Leyre, La Trinidad, Ruesta faults). The 29 km long Loiti Thrust was included in the Neotectonic Map of Spain as a probable neotectonic structure. Previous works, based on geomorphological investigations, incorporated the 28 km long Leyre Thrust as a significant seismic source in a probabilistic seismic hazard analysis, which challenged the seismic design of nearby large dams. The production of detailed geomorphological strip maps along the faults allowed the recognition of specific sites where the faults are covered by Quaternary deposits. The establishment of chronosequences (pediments-terrace sequences)and the available geochronological data helped identifying the most adequate morpho-stratigraphic units for satisfactorily evaluating fault activity vs. inactivity. The excavation of trenches at the selected sites provided unambiguous information on the presence or lack of deformation in the Quaternary cover overlying the fault, and the origin of scarps (tectonic versus erosional). Trenches were also useful for collecting samples and reliably measuring the relative height of terraces overlain by thick colluvium. The evidence gathered by these methods were complemented with the numerical dating of non-deformed slope deposits covering a fault, the analysis of the longitudinal profiles of old pediment surfaces located in the proximity of a fault, the examination of a cave situated next to a fault searching for speleoseismological evidence, and regional geodetic and seismotectonic data (GPS measurements, earthquake focal mechanisms). The integration of all the data, and especially the trenches dug in non-deformed old terrace deposits (>100 ka)truncating the faults, indicates that the analysed faults can be considered inactive and that previous neotectonic postulations were based on non-valid geomorphological interpretations

Optimal Operation of a Distributed Generation Microgrid based on the Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithms

This document describes the application of multi-objective genetic algorithms as techniques and tools to optimize generation and distribution in small microgrids. In this way, genetic algorithms have been used for the allocation of distributed generation to reduce losses and improve the voltage profile. The IEEE14 network has been taken as a study and analysis model. This smart grid has 14 nodes and integrates several generation units, both conventional and renewable, transformers, and multiple loads. In this way, a multi-objective metaheuristic algorithm is proposed with the purpose of planning the power distribution grid based on a series of conditions such as the optimal generation configuration, the minimization of power losses in the lines, power transfer capacity, the reduction of CO2 emissions, and the optimization of the benefits obtained in renewable generation. The overall purpose is the development of an intelligent microgrid management system that is capable of determining the optimal configuration, by estimating demand, energy costs, and operating costs. © 2022, European Association for the Development of Renewable Energy, Environment and Power Quality (EA4EPQ). All rights reserved

Adherence to 24-Hour Movement Guidelines among Spanish Adolescents: Differences between Boys and Girls

Background: The 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for adolescents recommend >= 60 min/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (PA), <= 2 h/day of screen time, and 8-10 h/day of sleep. Since little information is available on the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines in Spanish adolescents, this study aims to estimate the proportion of Spanish adolescents meeting individual and combinations of these 24-Hour Movement Guidelines. Moreover, another aim of this study is to examine gender differences in compliance with 24-Hour Movement Guidelines. Methods: A final sample of 1465 Spanish adolescents (44.50% girls; 13.08 +/- 0.86) participated in this cross-sectional study. The 24-Hour Movement Guidelines were measured during weekdays and the weekend days by self-reported questionnaires. Results: Although most adolescents met sleep duration guidelines (81.3%), only 38% and 15.8% met physical activity and screen time guidelines, respectively. Only 5.4% of these adolescents met all three 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, whereas 10.2% of this sample did not meet any of these guidelines. Although boys reported greater compliance with physical activity recommendations and girls with screen time recommendations, no significant gender differences were found in the compliance of all three 24-Hour Movement Guidelines. Conclusion: Given that 94.4% of Spanish adolescents did not meet 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, promoting all these three movement behaviours in both boys and girls is an urgent public health priority

Improved graph model for interdependent gas and electricity critical infrastructures

Interdependence between gas and electricity transmission networks is a subject of concern due to the expanding use of gas for electricity generation in combined-cycle power plants around the world. This paper proposes a novel and much more accurate representation of natural gas and electrical networks based on graph theory, which includes all the assets of both systems and their couplings and offers a more realistic topological model of the two coupled networks. The representation is proposed as a scale-free graph and is mathematically validated in test networks, finding that the representations maintain the same characteristics of traditional graphs, but with more topological detail of the infrastructures

The Emergence of Green Drive Tourism: A Comparative Study of Existing Drive Tourism Routes

This study evaluates the sustainability of a number of existing drive-tourism routes and determines how likely each are to impact on future changes to drive tourism, drive tourism destinations and the drive tourist. Exploratory in nature, the study builds upon an existing framework by Fjelstul and Fyall (2015) with usage of a qualitative approach to interpret and compare data gleaned from a content analysis of various web sites connected to notable drive tourism routes across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia/New Zealand. The study concludes that green infrastructure is beginning to surface as a reality rather than an utopian ideal with a number of destinations beginning to recognize the growing number of fully-electric vehicles on the road and the infrastructure necessary to support them

Evaluation of a Thermoelectric Generation system based on Differential-Power Processing architecture under non-uniform temperature conditions

This paper presents a Differential Power Processing (DPP) architecture applied to series-connected thermoelectric generators (TEG). Currently, thermoelectric technology is being considered as a promising power generation technology that can be used to recover waste heat energy. Thus, a thermoelectric generation system is studied under non-uniform temperature conditions in multiple TEG devices. The main objective is to allow each thermoelectric sub-module to reach its maximum power point more quickly. The purpose has been to improve the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) in each sub-module, thus it is possible to increase the efficiency with respect to the traditional method based on a global MPPT. Differential Power converters have been implemented in each TEG sub-module to provide an effective solution and mitigate the impact of the mismatch in the power obtained. The DPP architecture consists of a small micro-converter, at the submodular level, applied to the thermoelectric cell. The control algorithm is oriented to polarize each TEG device at its optimal point, which allows us an active balancing among the different TEG sub-modules regardless of the operating temperature. Matlab-Simulink has been the software used to develop the TEG module-Array

Generalized discontinuous PWM strategy applied to a grid-connected modular multilevel converter

This paper presents a new PWM strategy for the control of active and reactive power flow, applied to a three-phase power inverter connected to a microgrid. Power quality and reactive compensation are essential in the integration of renewable energy sources in small grids (stand-alone mode or connected to the utility grid). The control algorithm of the grid-connected system is applied for voltage control. This technique provides independent control of the active and reactive power flow in the utility grid while maintaining constant the DC-link voltage. As a novelty, a Generalized Discontinuous PWM technique is implemented in the control algorithm of the grid-connected converter. Losses in the converter are reduced while the efficiency of the equipment is increased. As a technological innovation, in addition to the power flow control technique, a modular multilevel converter (MMC) is introduced. The main purpose of the system is to improve voltage unbalance and harmonic compensation in stand-alone grids. Some advantages of the model developed here include the cellular concept, easy thermal design, increased system efficiency and improvement in the system expansion capacity. The simulation model has been developed and tested using MATLAB/Simulink software

First Direct Measurement of Jets in sNN=200\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200 GeV Heavy Ion Collisions by STAR

We present the first measurement of reconstructed jets in ultra-relativistic heavy ion collisions. Utilizing the large coverage of the STAR Time Projection Chamber and Electromagnetic Calorimeter, we apply several modern jet reconstruction algorithms and background subtraction techniques and explore their systematic uncertainties in heavy ion events. The differential spectrum for inclusive jet production in central Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt {s_{NN}}= 200$ GeV is presented. In order to assess the jet reconstruction biases, this spectrum is compared with the jet cross section measured in $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV p+p collisions scaled by the number of binary N-N collisions to account for nuclear geometric effects.Comment: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Hard and Electro- Magnetic Probes of High-Energy Nuclear Collisions 8-14 June 2008, Illa da Toxa (Galicia-Spain

Low-cost variable-speed wind turbines design by recycling small electrical machines. Arrangement of permanent magnets in the rotor

This paper describes the design of low-cost variable-speed wind turbines by recycling small electrical machines. In this way, electrical machines such as automobile claw-pole alternators, induction motors for domestic applications, or simply electric motors for some industrial applications are studied, considering their reuse as permanent magnet synchronous generators (PMSG) in small wind turbines or hydro-power turbines. The main purpose is the integration of hybrid energy conversion systems (wind and hydraulic turbines) in small stand-alone microgrids within the rural environment. Likewise, in order to optimize the design, the arrangement of the permanent magnets in the rotor is analyzed. The analysis has been carried out using the FluxMotor simulation software, which is based on the 2D finite element method. At the same time, the FEM software provides a lot of information about the optimization of the electrical machine and its multiple design options and topologies. Suggested designs have similar performance as well as a similar size and weight. The purpose has been to explore different topologies and select the most efficient designs. In this way, it is shown that it is possible to reuse an electrical generator easily, without losing much of the general performance. © 2022, European Association for the Development of Renewable Energy, Environment and Power Quality (EA4EPQ). All rights reserved