Search for the Standard Model Higgs boson in the missing energy topology with D0

A search for the Standard Model Higgs boson in the missing energy and acoplanar b-jet topology is reported, using an integrated luminosity of 0.93 fb{sup -1} recorded by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron p{bar p} Collider. The analysis includes signal contributions from p{bar p} {yields} ZH {yields} {nu}{bar {nu}}b{bar b}, as well as from WH production in which the charged lepton from the W boson decay is undetected. Neural networks are used to separate signal from background. In the absence of a signal, limits are set on {sigma}(p{bar p} {yields} VH) x B(H {yields} b{bar b}) at the 95% C.L. of 2.6-2.3 pb, for Higgs boson masses in the range 105-135 GeV, where V = W, Z. The corresponding expected limits range from 2.8 to 2.0 pb. Potential improvements to the analysis with an extended dataset totalling 4 fb{sup -1} are also discussed. Essential maintenance related to the increased luminosity and RunIIb upgrade was carried out on the impact parameter (IP) based b-tagging trigger tool and the effect of the changes on the b-tagger's performance was investigated

Multi-sectoral Impact Assessment of an Extreme African Dust Episode in the Eastern Mediterranean in March 2018

In late March 2018, a large part of the Eastern Mediterranean experienced an extraordinary episode of African dust, one of the most intense in recent years, here referred to as the “Minoan Red” event. The episode mainly affected the Greek island of Crete, where the highest aerosol concentrations over the past 15 yeas were recorded, although impacts were also felt well beyond this core area. Our study fills a gap in dust research by assessing the multi-sectoral impacts of sand and dust storms and their socioeconomic implications. Specifically, we provide a multi-sectoral impact assessment of Crete during the occurrence of this exceptional African dust event. During the day of the occurrence of the maximum dust concentration in Crete, i.e. March 22nd, 2018, we identified impacts on meteorological conditions, agriculture, transport, energy, society (including closing of schools and cancellation of social events), and emergency response systems. As a result, the event led to a 3-fold increase in daily emergency responses compare to previous days associated with urban emergencies and wildfires, a 3.5-fold increase in hospital visits and admissions for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) exacerbations and dyspnoea, a reduction of visibility causing aircraft traffic disruptions (eleven cancellations and seven delays), and a reduction of solar energy production. We estimate the cost of direct and indirect effects of the dust episode, considering the most affected socio-economic sectors (e.g. civil protection, aviation, health and solar energy production), to be between 3.4 and 3.8 million EUR for Crete. Since such desert dust transport episodes are natural, meteorology-driven and thus to a large extent unavoidable, we argue that the efficiency of actions to mitigate dust impacts depends on the accuracy of operational dust forecasting and the implementation of relevant early warning systems for social awareness

Multi-sectoral impact assessment of an extreme African dust episode in the Eastern Mediterranean in March 2018

In late March 2018, a large part of the Eastern Mediterranean experienced an extraordinary episode of African dust, one of the most intense in recent years, here referred to as the “Minoan Red” event. The episode mainly affected the Greek island of Crete, where the highest aerosol concentrations over the past 15 yeas were recorded, although impacts were also felt well beyond this core area. Our study fills a gap in dust research by assessing the multi-sectoral impacts of sand and dust storms and their socioeconomic implications. Specifically, we provide a multi-sectoral impact assessment of Crete during the occurrence of this exceptional African dust event. During the day of the occurrence of the maximum dust concentration in Crete, i.e. March 22nd, 2018, we identified impacts on meteorological conditions, agriculture, transport, energy, society (including closing of schools and cancellation of social events), and emergency response systems. As a result, the event led to a 3-fold increase in daily emergency responses compare to previous days associated with urban emergencies and wildfires, a 3.5-fold increase in hospital visits and admissions for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) exacerbations and dyspnoea, a reduction of visibility causing aircraft traffic disruptions (eleven cancellations and seven delays), and a reduction of solar energy production. We estimate the cost of direct and indirect effects of the dust episode, considering the most affected socio-economic sectors (e.g. civil protection, aviation, health and solar energy production), to be between 3.4 and 3.8 million EUR for Crete. Since such desert dust transport episodes are natural, meteorology-driven and thus to a large extent unavoidable, we argue that the efficiency of actions to mitigate dust impacts depends on the accuracy of operational dust forecasting and the implementation of relevant early warning systems for social awareness.Thanks are due to FCT/MCTES for the financial support to CESAM (UIDP/50017/2020+UIDB/50017/2020) through national funds, and also to the Icelandic Research Fund for the grant no. 207057-051. Authors S. Kazadzis and P. Kosmopoulos would like to acknowledge the European Commission project EuroGEO e-shape (grant agreement No 820852). Also, International Cooperative for Aerosol Prediction (ICAP) and NASA mission researchers are gratefully for providing aerosol data for this study. Aurelio Tobias was supported by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (grant CEX2018-000794-S). S. Kutuzov acknowledges the Megagrant project (agreement No. 075-15-2021-599, 8.06.2021)

Synergistic HNO3_{3}–H2_{2}SO4_{4}–NH3_{3} upper tropospheric particle formation

New particle formation in the upper free troposphere is a major global source of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN)$^{1,2,3,4}$. However, the precursor vapours that drive the process are not well understood. With experiments performed under upper tropospheric conditions in the CERN CLOUD chamber, we show that nitric acid, sulfuric acid and ammonia form particles synergistically, at rates that are orders of magnitude faster than those from any two of the three components. The importance of this mechanism depends on the availability of ammonia, which was previously thought to be efficiently scavenged by cloud droplets during convection. However, surprisingly high concentrations of ammonia and ammonium nitrate have recently been observed in the upper troposphere over the Asian monsoon region5,6. Once particles have formed, co-condensation of ammonia and abundant nitric acid alone is sufficient to drive rapid growth to CCN sizes with only trace sulfate. Moreover, our measurements show that these CCN are also highly efficient ice nucleating particles—comparable to desert dust. Our model simulations confirm that ammonia is efficiently convected aloft during the Asian monsoon, driving rapid, multi-acid HNO$_{3}$–H$_{2}$SO$_{4}$–NH$_{3}$ nucleation in the upper troposphere and producing ice nucleating particles that spread across the mid-latitude Northern Hemisphere

Atmospheric Dispersion of Radioactivity from Nuclear Power Plant Accidents: Global Assessment and Case Study for the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East

We estimate the contamination risks from the atmospheric dispersion of radionuclides released by severe nuclear power plant accidents using the ECHAM/Modular Earth Submodel System (MESSy) atmospheric chemistry (EMAC) atmospheric chemistry-general circulation model at high resolution (50 km). We present an overview of global risks and also a case study of nuclear power plants that are currently under construction, planned and proposed in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, a region prone to earthquakes. We implemented continuous emissions from each location, making the simplifying assumption that all potential accidents release the same amount of radioactivity. We simulated atmospheric transport and decay, focusing on 137Cs and 131I as proxies for particulate and gaseous radionuclides, respectively. We present risk maps for potential surface layer concentrations, deposition and doses to humans from the inhalation exposure of 131I. The estimated risks exhibit seasonal variability, with the highest surface level concentrations of gaseous radionuclides in the Northern Hemisphere during winter

Search for the Standard Model Higgs boson in the missing energy topology with DØ

A search for the Standard Model Higgs boson in the missing energy and acoplanar b-jet topology is reported, using an integrated luminosity of 0.93 fb{sup -1} recorded by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron p{bar p} Collider. The analysis includes signal contributions from p{bar p} {yields} ZH {yields} {nu}{bar {nu}}b{bar b}, as well as from WH production in which the charged lepton from the W boson decay is undetected. Neural networks are used to separate signal from background. In the absence of a signal, limits are set on {sigma}(p{bar p} {yields} VH) x B(H {yields} b{bar b}) at the 95% C.L. of 2.6-2.3 pb, for Higgs boson masses in the range 105-135 GeV, where V = W, Z. The corresponding expected limits range from 2.8 to 2.0 pb. Potential improvements to the analysis with an extended dataset totalling 4 fb{sup -1} are also discussed. Essential maintenance related to the increased luminosity and RunIIb upgrade was carried out on the impact parameter (IP) based b-tagging trigger tool and the effect of the changes on the b-tagger's performance was investigated

Search for the Standard Model Higgs boson in the missing energy topology with DO

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Cyprus Wildfire Incidents 2007 - 2016

Cyprus Wildfire Incidents 2007 - 2016 by year, indicating location and burnt area data. by the Cyprus Dept of Forest