Simultaneous determination of the position, release time and mass release rate of an unknown gas emission source in short-term emissions by inverse problem

This article proposes a protocol for the simultaneous determination of the position, release time and mass release rate of an unknown gas emission source from experimental data in the form of an inverse problem, since these are the main variables in the short duration release of pollutants. Records of pollutant concentration and of measurement time (with their inherent errors) carried out at two measuring stations are the input data for the inverse problem. The actions of the protocol are divided into two well-differentiated stages. In the first, the simulations are started for each iteration, the functionals are calculated to program the next iteration, setting the new values of measurement time and the distance of the emission source in downwind direction with respect to the measuring stations by comparing the simulated and experimental values, and so on until reaching the final solution. In the second, an analogous procedure is followed until the mass rate and the emission source position is obtained. In addition, it has been necessary to define a new coefficient that relates the effect of dispersion in the measurement time, the distance in the downwind direction and the atmospheric stability categories. The reliability of the proposed protocol is checked by means of a problem whose parameters are known a priori. First, the direct problem is solved to obtain the values of contaminant concentration and the measurement time of the stations. These variables are then affected by random errors of up to 2% to provide the input data for the inverse problem. In all the examples shown in this work, solutions have been obtained that can be considered very successful in this field of engineering.The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper

Un pedestal de estatua con inscripción de Pajaritos (Huelva)

Un pedestal con la dedicación de un aedilis y IIvir, de la tribu Quirina, confirma el estatus jurídico privilegiado de Onoba Aestuaria y descarta la condición jurídica de colonia para Onoba. Este pedestal apareció en la finca Pajaritos, cerca del cruce (Cuatro Caminos) de las vías Ab Ostio Fluminis Anae- Italica y Onoba-Pax Iulia.______________________________________A pedestal set up by an aedile and IIvir enrolled in the Roman voting tribe Quirina confirms Onoba Aestuaria’s privileged juridical status and calls into question the commonly held view that Onoba had the juridical status of a colony. This pedestal appeared in Pajaritos site, near crossing place (Cuatro Caminos) of the roman roads Ab Ostio Fluminis Anae-Italica and Onoba -Pax Iulia

UPCT-Bloopbusters: Teaching Science and Technology through Movie Scenes and related Experiments

[EN] In order to change the preconceptions of youth towards science and technology subjects (which, usually, are perceived as difficult or boring), new educational methods aimed at motivating and engaging students in learning are becoming more and more necessary. In this sense, an educational project called ‘UPCT-Bloopbusters’ through which a group of professors of the Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena (UPCT), Spain, use science fiction movie scenes ─as well as experiments─ within the lecture room to teach both physics and engineering technology is hereby presented. The methodology of the project is properly described and the results of a survey carried out among the students of a course in which such methodology has been used are shown. In view of this survey, it can be concluded that the project has been more than welcome by the students while at the same time has favored the learning of a great deal of physics and technology concepts.http://ocs.editorial.upv.es/index.php/HEAD/HEAD18Rodríguez, J.; Castro-Rodríguez, E.; Sánchez-Pérez, J.; Serrano-Martínez, J. (2018). UPCT-Bloopbusters: Teaching Science and Technology through Movie Scenes and related Experiments. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 347-353. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD18.2018.7992OCS34735

Las relaciones verticales y el poder de negociación de los agricultores integrados en forma de cooperativa frente a los individuales

Relations among the agricultural sector, the food industry and the retail sector take many forms, making it difficult to draw up a sufficiently exhaustive analytic framework capable of being generalised to all food activities. The nature of these relations depends to a great measure on the bargaining power of each of the agents taking part. Hence, for example, organising farmers into co-operatives or other forms of association raises their bargaining power with the food industry and/or the retail sector. In this way, following a methodology integrating “filière” analysis and the Structure-Conduct-Results model for Industrial Organisation, an empirical study is carried out with the aim of determining if differences exist in the vertical relations and bargaining power of Tenerife potato farmers associated to co-operatives versus independent growers in the area. Research results show that farmers associated to co-operatives and their customers and suppliers enjoy greater stability due to the existence of written contracts, though it is also true that they are dominated by oligopoly figures who supply and distribute the agricultural inputs and outputs, who are knowledgeable about the market and occur at the beginning and the end of the “filière”. Hence horizontal integration becomes a necessary strategy for the survival of the primary sector in Tenerife, with the aim of carrying out vertical integration enabling control of the product production and distribution chain.Agricultural system, Filière, Structure-Conduct-Results, Co-operative membership.

Elaboración de vídeos y de test de autoevaluación como herramienta docente en una asignatura experimental

Los objetivos generales de la asignatura Experimentación en Química Física son: aprender a organizar un cuaderno de laboratorio, estructurar y analizar la información generada en el laboratorio de forma científicamente correcta, comprender el funcionamiento del instrumental utilizado y comprender y saber manejar los conceptos y cálculos realizados en las prácticas. Para que la evaluación de la asignatura se adaptase a todos los objetivos, se ha incluido recientemente una prueba experimental. Este hecho hacía conveniente proporcionar material nuevo para su preparación. La mayor presencia de las nuevas tecnologías de la información nos ha permitido crear un conjunto de vídeos asequibles a través de internet sobre el funcionamiento de los aparatos del laboratorio y unos test de autoevaluación sobre contenidos y los cálculos. Aunque el porcentaje de utilización en el primer curso de aplicación ha sido escaso, los alumnos señalan la utilidad del material para preparar los exámenes con información adicional a la de guiones y manuales así como la posibilidad que ofrece de detectar errores y ejercitarse en el manejo de conceptos y cálculos.The main aims of the subject Experimentation in Physical Chemistry are: learning to organize a laboratory notebook, structuring and analyzing the information generated in the laboratory in a scientifically correct way, understanding the operation of the instruments used and learning and management of concepts and calculations made during the experimental work. For the evaluation of the subject to arrange to all of the objectives, and experimental probe has been added recently. This fact made convenient to provide new material to facilitate the preparation of the probe. As new technologies are today more feasible we made a group of videos attainable through internet about the way of functioning of the laboratory instruments and six self‐assessment tests about concepts and calculations. During the first year of application a small amount of students used the material, but those who had used it indicated that it was useful to prepare exams due to the additional information provided (more than in manuals and outline of each practice) and because it let them detect misleading ideas and exercise with concepts and calculations

Volcanic Glass and its Uses as Adsorbent

Volcanic glasses are an amorphous phyllosilicates formed by the fast cooling of the magma. The physicochemical properties of volcanic glasses are directly related to their chemical composition. Thus, the rhyolitic magma, which presents the highest SiO2 percentage, displays a high viscosity, which leads to explosive eruptions by the ex-solution of H2O, CO2, and SO2, when the pressure diminishes generates a macroporous structure with interesting applications in construction, as abrasive, acoustic, filter as well as in the agriculture field. The macroporosity of volcanic glass allows to host large molecules as biomolecules, tensoactives, or dyes. On the other hand, the existence of hydroxyl groups in this amorphous aluminosilicate also favors the adsorption of cations and anions, so the volcanic glass is an economical adsorbent to retain heavy metals or radioactive cations

The influence of promoters (Zr, La, Tb, Pr) on the catalytic performance of CuO-CeO2 systems for the preferential oxidation of CO in the presence of CO2 and H2O

CuO supported on CeO2 and Ce0.9X0.1O2, where X is Zr, La, Tb or Pr, were synthesized using nitrate precursors, giving rise ceria based materials with a small particle size which interact with CuO species generating a high amount of interfacial sites. The incorporation of cations to the ceria framework modifies the CeO2 lattice parameter, improving the redox behavior of the catalytic system. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRFS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Raman spectroscopy, thermoprogrammed reduction with H2 (H2-TPR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The catalysts were tested in the preferential oxidation of CO under a H2-rich stream (CO-PROX), reaching conversion values higher than 95% between 115 and 140 °C and being the catalyst with 6 wt.% of Cu supported on Ce0.9Zr0.1O2 (sample 6CUZRCE) the most active catalyst. The influence of the presence of CO2 and H2O was also studied simulating a PROX unit, taking place a decrease of the catalytic activity due to the inhibitor effect both CO2 and H2O.The projects CTQ2012-37925-C03-03 and CTQ2012-30703 of Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Spain), the project of Excellence P12 RNM 1565 (Junta de Andalucía, Spain), the project of Excellence PROMETEUII/2014/010 (Generalitat Valenciana) and the UE (FEDER funding) are acknowledged for the financial support

Body image perception in Mexican university athletes VS non-athletles

The objective of this study consisted in determining the differences and similarities among Mexican University students who practice a sport on a regular basis with those who do not do, concerning their body image perception to their actual, ideal, social and body size dissatisfaction. A total sample of 304 male University students, aged 18-29 years participated in this study; 146 of them practice a sport and participate regularly in a tournament or competition. A quantitative approach with a descriptive and transversal survey design was used. All the participants completed the Contour Drawing Rating Scale adapted and computerized by [1]. The results of the one-way multivariate analysis of variance, followed by the one-way univariate analyses of variance, show that university students who don’t participate in a regular sport are the ones who show thicker models for their present, ideal and social figure, in addition to demonstrating higher body size dissatisfaction. Further research should reply these findings in larger samples

Prácticas de física para ingenieros: física I: errores, cinemática, dinámica, estática, fluidos

Este texto forma parte de una colección de dos libros de prácticas de laboratorio de Física que los autores quieren poner a disposición de alumnos y estudiantes, siendo el complemento perfecto a los conocimientos teóricos adquiridos en clase. En ellos se guía al alumno en cómo deben ser aplicados los conocimientos adquiridos, incluyendo apartados abiertos que facilitan el aprendizaje de la materia, imprimiéndole así al texto un importante valor añadido. En este volumen, que se presenta de forma ordenada y centrada, el alumno comprenderá de forma intuitiva y progresiva, los conceptos fundamentales de la cinemática, dinámica, estática, cálculo de momentos de inercia, conservación de la energía y mecánica de fluidos

Prácticas de física para ingenieros: física II: termodinámica, ondas, electricidad, óptica

Este texto forma parte de una colección de dos libros de prácticas de laboratorio de Física que los autores quieren poner a disposición de alumnos y estudiantes, siendo el complemento perfecto a los conocimientos teóricos adquiridos en clase. En ellos se guía al alumno en cómo deben ser aplicados los conocimientos adquiridos, incluyendo apartados abiertos que facilitan el aprendizaje de la materia, imprimiéndole así al texto un importante valor añadido. En este volumen, que se presenta de forma ordenada y centrada, el alumno comprenderá de forma intuitiva y progresiva, los conceptos fundamentales de la termodinámica, ondas, electricidad y óptica