A new method for automatic Multiple Partial Discharge Classification

A new wavelet based feature parameter have been developed to represent the characteristics of PD activities, i.e. the wavelet decomposition energy of PD pulses measured from non-conventional ultra wide bandwidth PD sensors such as capacitive couplers (CC) or high frequency current transformers (HFCT). The generated feature vectors can contain different dimensions depending on the length of recorded pulses. These high dimensional feature vectors can then be processed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to map the data into a three dimensional space whilst the first three most significant components representing the feature vector are preserved. In the three dimensional mapped space, an automatic Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN) algorithm is then applied to classify the data cluster(s) produced by the PCA. As the procedure is undertaken in a three dimensional space, the obtained clustering results can be easily assessed. The classified PD sub-data sets are then reconstructed in the time domain as phase-resolved patterns to facilitate PD source type identification. The proposed approach has been successfully applied to PD data measured from electrical machines and power cables where measurements were undertaken in different laboratories

Development of quartz fiber calorimetry

Embedding radiation hard (up to Gigarad levels) silica optical fibres into an absorber is proposed for applications in very forward LHC calorimeters. The shower particles produce Cherenkov light. The main advantages of this solution are the fast response (signal duration below 10 ns), transverse dimension of the visible energy of hadronic showers of the order of 1 cm, and insensitivity to radio- and neutron- activation. A comprehensive study of the performance of such detector is proposed

Effects of Long Term Hg Contamination on Soil Mercury Speciation and Soil Biological Activities.

The suspended matter discharged by the Isonzo river has carried over, for centuries, heavily contaminated mine spoils from the Idrija mercury mining site (Slovenija). A frequently flooded area at the confluence of the Isonzo and Torre rivers was chosen for a preliminary study on the effects of long term mercury pollution on soil biological activities, Hg speciation and plant bioavailability. Soil mercury contamination reached up to about 80 \ub5g g-1 near the banks of Isonzo river and decreased down to about 0.2 \ub5g g-1 near the Torre river, with the predominance of mercuric sulfide and elemental mercury. Soil microbial biomass was not adversely affected by Hg contamination as most soil biological activities, with the exception of arylsulphatase and acid phosphatase, which showed significant negative trends against total mercury and its fractions. Two plant genres (Arum spp. and Rubus spp.) were collected in four different places: Rubus spp. showed the largest uptake capacity of mercury (about 1 \ub5g g-1). Long term mercury contamination does not seem to constitute a stressing factor for soil biological activities but remains nevertheless a concern for its transfer through the food chain

The Time of Flight System of the AMS-02 Space Experiment

The Time-of-Flight (TOF) system of the AMS detector gives the fast trigger to the read out electronics and measures velocity, direction and charge of the crossing particles. The new version of the detector (called AMS-02) will be installed on the International Space Station on March 2004. The fringing field of the AMS-02 superconducting magnet is $1.0\div2.5$ kG where the photomultiplers (PM) are installed. In order to be able to operate with this residual field, a new type of PM was chosen and the mechanical design was constrained by requiring to minimize the angle between the magnetic field vector and the PM axis. Due to strong field and to the curved light guides, the time resolution will be $150\div180$ ps, while the new electronics will allow for a better charge measurement.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. Proc. of 7th Int. Conf. on Adv. Tech. and Part. Phys., 15-19 October 2001,Como (Italy

Parque Pereyra Iraola

Los países de Iberoamérica poseen un patrimonio natural y cultural de reconocida importancia. A la vez, son bien conocidos los graves desajustes físicos de sus áreas urbanas y rurales, producto de problemas estructurales de planificación territorial, económicos y sociales. El caos urbano característico de las áreas metropolitanas, la degradación del patrimonio histórico y de las áreas verdes creadas o naturales, se constituyen en las causas de la destrucción del equilibrio ideal entre el hombre, la naturaleza y la ciudad. Este trabajo pretende definir criterios para la puesta en valor del patrimonio edilicio y paisajístico del Parque Pereyra Iraola, localizado en la conflictiva región metropolitana de Buenos Aires, con el objeto de recuperarlo en plenitud para el uso público y revalorizarlo no sólo como área verde de una zona de alta densidad, sino también como testimonio de un establecimiento rural característico del siglo XIX. Todo ello sin olvidar la factibilidad de la propuesta en la realidad socioeconómica que la contiene. Con especial acento en este último aspecto, se presenta una serie de medidas y acciones para el tratamiento y posterior intervención en el sector ex Estancia Santa Rosa del Parque Pereyra Iraola que, elegido como caso piloto, es analizado y evaluado en sus aspectos físicos, funcionales y económicos. La metodología aplicada a este caso singular es extensible, a nuestro juicio, a los numerosos casos de bienes de similar valor que sufren degradaciones e imponen una urgente intervención con el fin de mejorar y evitar la pérdida de tan significativos recursos

The complexity of soil biological sustainability

Additions of organic amendments to soil not only compensate for decreased soil C, but also contribute to energy requirements for conserving biological activity levels. The soil microbial biomass displays some highly conserved, and possibly unique, characteristics that do not permit a classic interpretation of microbial metabolic parameter data. The resilience of soil microbial biomass and the role of soil organic matter in sustaining microbial biomass under practically zero C inputs were assessed in two long term incubation experiments using soils from the Broadbalk experiment at Rothamsted (UK). Soils with low organic C contents, showed the greatest decline in biomass C during the first 30 d of incubation. The ATP concentration of this rapidly declining microbial biomass did not change during the prolonged incubation period, confirming this peculiar character of the soil microbial biomass. Specific respiration rate did not depend upon substrate availability, being higher in soils that had received the lowest C inputs. Qualitative and quantitative changes observed in humic fractions suggest that humified soil organic matter is a much more dynamic soil fraction than is normally considered and provides a utilizable energy reserve for soil microorganisms. Carbon levels can be successfully restored in soils through practices such as incorporation of crop residues, re\u2010vegetation and application of manures, biosolids and composts. Some amendments, such as olive mill waste compost, promote incorporation of altered lignin structures, N\u2010containing compounds and carbohydrates into humic acids. The mineral\u2010bound fraction of humic C also increases, after their addition, and contributes to the accumulation of the most inert soil C pools