Economics of Wheat in Egypt

Este estudio pretende estimar la eficiencia y la productividad de las principales provincias de la producción de trigo en Egipto. Los datos utilizados en este estudio son datos de panel a nivel de provincias del período 1990-2012, obtenidos del Ministerio de Agricultura y Recuperación Tierras, y de la Agencia Central de Movilización Pública y Estadística, Egipto. Se aplica el enfoque de fronteras estocásticas para medir la eficiencia (función de producción de Cobb-Douglas) y se emplean las especificaciones de Battese y Coelli (1992) y (1995). También se utiliza el índice de Malmquist como una aproximación no paramétrica (Análisis de Envolvente de Datos) para descomponer la productividad total de los factores de las principales provincias productoras de trigo en Egipto en cambio técnico y cambio de eficiencia. El coeficiente de tierra es positivo y significativo en los dos especificaciones Battese y Coelli (1992) y (1995), lo que implica que aumentar la tierra para este cultivo aumentaría significativamente la producción de trigo. El coeficiente de trabajo es positivo y significativo en la especificación de Battese y Coelli (1992), mientras que es positivo y no significativo en la especificación de Battese y Coelli (1995). El coeficiente de la maquinaria es negativo y no significativo en las dos especificaciones de Battese y Coelli (1992) y (1995). El coeficiente de cambio técnico es positivo y no significativo en la especificación de Battese y Coelli (1992), mientras que es positiva y significativo en la especificación de Battese y Coelli (1995). Las variables de efectos del modelo de ineficiencia Battese y Coelli (1995) indican que no existe impacto de las diferentes provincias en la producción de trigo en Egipto; la ineficiencia técnica de la producción de trigo tendió a disminuir durante el período de estudio; y no hay ningún impacto de género en la producción de trigo en Egipto. Los niveles de eficiencia técnica varían entre las diferentes provincias para las especificaciones de Battese y Coelli (1992) y (1995); el nivel mínimo medio de eficiencia técnica es 91.61% en la provincia de Fayoum, mientras que el nivel máximo medio de la eficiencia técnica es 98.69% en la provincia de Dakahlia. La eficiencia técnica toma un valor medio de 95.37%, lo que implica poco potencial para mejorar la eficiencia de uso de recursos en la producción de trigo. La TFPCH de la producción de trigo en Egipto durante el período 1990-2012 tiene un valor menor que uno y muestra un declive. Esta disminución es debida más al componente de cambio técnico que al componente de cambio de eficiencia. La disminución de TFPCH mejora con el tiempo. La provincia de Menoufia tiene la menor disminución en TFPCH, 6.5%, mientras que dos provincias, Sharkia y Dakahlia, son las que más disminuyen en TFPCH, 13.1%, en cada uno de ellas. Menos disminución en TFPCH ocurre en el período 2009-2010, 0.3%, mientras que más disminución se produce en TFPCH en el período 1990-1991, 38.9%. La disminución de la PTF de la producción de trigo en Egipto se atribuye principalmente a la mala aplicación de la tecnología. ABSTRACT The objectives of this study are to estimate the efficiency and productivity of the main governorates of wheat production in Egypt. The data used in this study is a panel data at the governorates level, it represents the time period 1990-2012 and taken from the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, and the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, Egypt. We apply the stochastic frontier approach for efficiency measurement (Cobb-Douglas production function) and the specifications of Battese and Coelli (1992) and (1995) are employed. Also we use Malmquist TFP index as a non-parametric approach (DEA) to decompose total factor productivity of the main governorates of wheat production in Egypt into technical change and efficiency change. The coefficient of land is positive and significant at Battese and Coelli (1992) and (1995) specifications, implying that increasing the wheat area could significantly enhance the production of wheat. The coefficient of labor is positive and significant at Battese and Coelli (1992) specification, while it is positive and insignificant at Battese and Coelli (1995) specification. The coefficient of machinery is negative and insignificant at the specifications of Battese and Coelli (1992) and (1995). The technical change coefficient is positive and insignificant at Battese and Coelli (1992) specification, while it is positive and significant at Battese and Coelli (1995) specification. The variables of the inefficiency effect model indicate that there is no impact from the location of the different governorates on wheat production in Egypt, the technical inefficiency of wheat production tended to decrease through the period of study, and there is no impact from the gender on wheat production in Egypt. The levels of technical efficiency vary among the different governorates for the specifications of Battese and Coelli (1992) and (1995); the minimum mean level of technical efficiency is 91.61% at Fayoum governorate, while the maximum mean level of technical efficiency is 98.69% at Dakahlia governorate. The technical efficiency takes an average value of 95.37%, this implying that little potential exists to improve resource use efficiency in wheat production. The TFPCH of wheat production in Egypt during the time period 1990-2012 has a value less than one and shows a decline; this decline is due mainly to the technical change component than the efficiency change component. The decline in TFPCH is generally improves over time. Menoufia governorate has the least declining in TFPCH by 6.5%, while two governorates, Sharkia and Dakahlia have the most declining in TFPCH by 13.1% for each of them. The least declining in TFPCH occurred at the period 2009- 2010 by 0.3%, while the most declining in TFPCH occurred at the period 1990-1991 by 38.9%. The declining in TFP of wheat production in Egypt is attributed mainly to poor application of technology.

Stochastic homogenization of the laser intensity to improve the irradiation uniformity of capsules directly driven by thousands laser beams

Illumination uniformity of a spherical capsule directly driven by laser beams has been assessed numerically. Laser facilities characterized by ND = 12, 20, 24, 32, 48 and 60 directions of irradiation with associated a single laser beam or a bundle of NB laser beams have been considered. The laser beam intensity profile is assumed super-Gaussian and the calculations take into account beam imperfections as power imbalance and pointing errors. The optimum laser intensity profile, which minimizes the root-mean-square deviation of the capsule illumination, depends on the values of the beam imperfections. Assuming that the NB beams are statistically independents is found that they provide a stochastic homogenization of the laser intensity associated to the whole bundle, reducing the errors associated to the whole bundle by the factor  , which in turn improves the illumination uniformity of the capsule. Moreover, it is found that the uniformity of the irradiation is almost the same for all facilities and only depends on the total number of laser beams Ntot = ND × NB.

Suppression of the intrinsic stochastic pinning of domain walls in magnetic nanostripes

Nanofabrication has allowed the development of new concepts such as magnetic logic and race-track memory, both of which are based on the displacement of magnetic domain walls on magnetic nanostripes. One of the issues that has to be solved before devices can meet the market demands is the stochastic behaviour of the domain wall movement in magnetic nanostripes. Here we show that the stochastic nature of the domain wall motion in permalloy nanostripes can be suppressed at very low fields (0.6-2.7 Oe). We also find different field regimes for this stochastic motion that match well with the domain wall propagation modes. The highest pinning probability is found around the precessional mode and, interestingly, it does not depend on the external field in this regime. These results constitute an experimental evidence of the intrinsic nature of the stochastic pinning of domain walls in soft magnetic nanostripes

Response threshold models, stochastic learning automata and ant colony optimization-based decentralized self-coordination algorithms for heterogeneous multi-tasks distribution in multi-robot systems

In recent decades, there has been an increasing interest in systems comprised of several autonomous mobile robots, and as a result, there has been a substantial amount of development in the eld of Articial Intelligence, especially in Robotics. There are several studies in the literature by some researchers from the scientic community that focus on the creation of intelligent machines and devices capable to imitate the functions and movements of living beings. Multi-Robot Systems (MRS) can often deal with tasks that are dicult, if not impossible, to be accomplished by a single robot. In the context of MRS, one of the main challenges is the need to control, coordinate and synchronize the operation of multiple robots to perform a specic task. This requires the development of new strategies and methods which allow us to obtain the desired system behavior in a formal and concise way. This PhD thesis aims to study the coordination of multi-robot systems, in particular, addresses the problem of the distribution of heterogeneous multi-tasks. The main interest in these systems is to understand how from simple rules inspired by the division of labor in social insects, a group of robots can perform tasks in an organized and coordinated way. We are mainly interested on truly distributed or decentralized solutions in which the robots themselves, autonomously and in an individual manner, select a particular task so that all tasks are optimally distributed. In general, to perform the multi-tasks distribution among a team of robots, they have to synchronize their actions and exchange information. Under this approach we can speak of multi-tasks selection instead of multi-tasks assignment, which means, that the agents or robots select the tasks instead of being assigned a task by a central controller. The key element in these algorithms is the estimation ix of the stimuli and the adaptive update of the thresholds. This means that each robot performs this estimate locally depending on the load or the number of pending tasks to be performed. In addition, it is very interesting the evaluation of the results in function in each approach, comparing the results obtained by the introducing noise in the number of pending loads, with the purpose of simulate the robot's error in estimating the real number of pending tasks. The main contribution of this thesis can be found in the approach based on self-organization and division of labor in social insects. An experimental scenario for the coordination problem among multiple robots, the robustness of the approaches and the generation of dynamic tasks have been presented and discussed. The particular issues studied are: Threshold models: It presents the experiments conducted to test the response threshold model with the objective to analyze the system performance index, for the problem of the distribution of heterogeneous multitasks in multi-robot systems; also has been introduced additive noise in the number of pending loads and has been generated dynamic tasks over time. Learning automata methods: It describes the experiments to test the learning automata-based probabilistic algorithms. The approach was tested to evaluate the system performance index with additive noise and with dynamic tasks generation for the same problem of the distribution of heterogeneous multi-tasks in multi-robot systems. Ant colony optimization: The goal of the experiments presented is to test the ant colony optimization-based deterministic algorithms, to achieve the distribution of heterogeneous multi-tasks in multi-robot systems. In the experiments performed, the system performance index is evaluated by introducing additive noise and dynamic tasks generation over time.

A simple genetic algorithm for calibration of stochastic rock discontinuity networks

Este artículo propone un método para llevar a cabo la calibración de las familias de discontinuidades en macizos rocosos. We present a novel approach for calibration of stochastic discontinuity network parameters based on genetic algorithms (GAs). To validate the approach, examples of application of the method to cases with known parameters of the original Poisson discontinuity network are presented. Parameters of the model are encoded as chromosomes using a binary representation, and such chromosomes evolve as successive generations of a randomly generated initial population, subjected to GA operations of selection, crossover and mutation. Such back-calculated parameters are employed to make assessments about the inference capabilities of the model using different objective functions with different probabilities of crossover and mutation. Results show that the predictive capabilities of GAs significantly depend on the type of objective function considered; and they also show that the calibration capabilities of the genetic algorithm can be acceptable for practical engineering applications, since in most cases they can be expected to provide parameter estimates with relatively small errors for those parameters of the network (such as intensity and mean size of discontinuities) that have the strongest influence on many engineering applications.

A non-perturbative renormalization group study of the stochastic NavierStokes equation

We study the renormalization group flow of the average action of the stochastic Navier-Stokes equation with power-law forcing. Using Galilean invariance, we introduce a nonperturbative approximation adapted to the zero-frequency sector of the theory in the parametric range of the Hölder exponent 4−2 ɛ of the forcing where real-space local interactions are relevant. In any spatial dimension d, we observe the convergence of the resulting renormalization group flow to a unique fixed point which yields a kinetic energy spectrum scaling in agreement with canonical dimension analysis. Kolmogorov's −5/3 law is, thus, recovered for ɛ=2 as also predicted by perturbative renormalization. At variance with the perturbative prediction, the −5/3 law emerges in the presence of a saturation in the ɛ dependence of the scaling dimension of the eddy diffusivity at ɛ=3/2 when, according to perturbative renormalization, the velocity field becomes infrared relevant.

Sustainability of irrigated farming systems in a Tunisian region: A recursive stochastic programming analysis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the sustainability of farm irrigation systems in the Cébalat district in northern Tunisia. It addressed the challenging topic of sustainable agriculture through a bio-economic approach linking a biophysical model to an economic optimisation model. A crop growth simulation model (CropSyst) was used to build a database to determine the relationships between agricultural practices, crop yields and environmental effects (salt accumulation in soil and leaching of nitrates) in a context of high climatic variability. The database was then fed into a recursive stochastic model set for a 10-year plan that allowed analysing the effects of cropping patterns on farm income, salt accumulation and nitrate leaching. We assumed that the long-term sustainability of soil productivity might be in conflict with farm profitability in the short-term. Assuming a discount rate of 10% (for the base scenario), the model closely reproduced the current system and allowed to predict the degradation of soil quality due to long-term salt accumulation. The results showed that there was more accumulation of salt in the soil for the base scenario than for the alternative scenario (discount rate of 0%). This result was induced by applying a higher quantity of water per hectare for the alternative as compared to a base scenario. The results also showed that nitrogen leaching is very low for the two discount rates and all climate scenarios. In conclusion, the results show that the difference in farm income between the alternative and base scenarios increases over time to attain 45% after 10 years.

Detection and Isolation of Simultaneous Additive and Parametric Faults in Nonlinear Stochastic Dynamical Systems

This paper presents a new fault detection and isolation scheme for dealing with simultaneous additive and parametric faults. The new design integrates a system for additive fault detection based on Castillo and Zufiria, 2009 and a new parametric fault detection and isolation scheme inspired in Munz and Zufiria, 2008 . It is shown that the so far existing schemes do not behave correctly when both additive and parametric faults occur simultaneously; to solve the problem a new integrated scheme is proposed. Computer simulation results are presented to confirm the theoretical studies.

A mathematical framework for new fault detection schemes in nonlinear stochastic continuous-time dynamical systems

n this work, a mathematical unifying framework for designing new fault detection schemes in nonlinear stochastic continuous-time dynamical systems is developed. These schemes are based on a stochastic process, called the residual, which reflects the system behavior and whose changes are to be detected. A quickest detection scheme for the residual is proposed, which is based on the computed likelihood ratios for time-varying statistical changes in the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process. Several expressions are provided, depending on a priori knowledge of the fault, which can be employed in a proposed CUSUM-type approximated scheme. This general setting gathers different existing fault detection schemes within a unifying framework, and allows for the definition of new ones. A comparative simulation example illustrates the behavior of the proposed schemes.

Response threshold models and stochastic learning automata for self-coordination of heterogeneous multi-task distribution in multi-robot systems.

This paper focuses on the general problem of coordinating multiple robots. More specifically, it addresses the self-selection of heterogeneous specialized tasks by autonomous robots. In this paper we focus on a specifically distributed or decentralized approach as we are particularly interested in a decentralized solution where the robots themselves autonomously and in an individual manner, are responsible for selecting a particular task so that all the existing tasks are optimally distributed and executed. In this regard, we have established an experimental scenario to solve the corresponding multi-task distribution problem and we propose a solution using two different approaches by applying Response Threshold Models as well as Learning Automata-based probabilistic algorithms. We have evaluated the robustness of the algorithms, perturbing the number of pending loads to simulate the robot’s error in estimating the real number of pending tasks and also the dynamic generation of loads through time. The paper ends with a critical discussion of experimental results.

A stochastic model updating method for parameter variability quantification based on response surface models and Monte Carlo simulation

Stochastic model updating must be considered for quantifying uncertainties inherently existing in real-world engineering structures. By this means the statistical properties,instead of deterministic values, of structural parameters can be sought indicating the parameter variability. However, the implementation of stochastic model updating is much more complicated than that of deterministic methods particularly in the aspects of theoretical complexity and low computational efficiency. This study attempts to propose a simple and cost-efficient method by decomposing a stochastic updating process into a series of deterministic ones with the aid of response surface models and Monte Carlo simulation. The response surface models are used as surrogates for original FE models in the interest of programming simplification, fast response computation and easy inverse optimization. Monte Carlo simulation is adopted for generating samples from the assumed or measured probability distributions of responses. Each sample corresponds to an individual deterministic inverse process predicting the deterministic values of parameters. Then the parameter means and variances can be statistically estimated based on all the parameter predictions by running all the samples. Meanwhile, the analysis of variance approach is employed for the evaluation of parameter variability significance. The proposed method has been demonstrated firstly on a numerical beam and then a set of nominally identical steel plates tested in the laboratory. It is found that compared with the existing stochastic model updating methods, the proposed method presents similar accuracy while its primary merits consist in its simple implementation and cost efficiency in response computation and inverse optimization.

Comparison of particle dispersion obtained with simple stochastic models and les in pipe flow

A hybrid Eulerian-Lagrangian approach is employed to simulate heavy particle dispersion in turbulent pipe flow. The mean flow is provided by the Eulerian simulations developed by mean of JetCode, whereas the fluid fluctuations seen by particles are prescribed by a stochastic differential equation based on normalized Langevin. The statistics of particle velocity are compared to LES data which contain detailed statistics of velocity for particles with diameter equal to 20.4 µm. The model is in good agreement with the LES data for axial mean velocity whereas rms of axial and radial velocities should be adjusted.

Fault isolation schemes for a class of continuous-time stochastic dynamical systems

In this paper a new method for fault isolation in a class of continuous-time stochastic dynamical systems is proposed. The method is framed in the context of model-based analytical redundancy, consisting in the generation of a residual signal by means of a diagnostic observer, for its posterior analysis. Once a fault has been detected, and assuming some basic a priori knowledge about the set of possible failures in the plant, the isolation task is then formulated as a type of on-line statistical classification problem. The proposed isolation scheme employs in parallel different hypotheses tests on a statistic of the residual signal, one test for each possible fault. This isolation method is characterized by deriving for the unidimensional case, a sufficient isolability condition as well as an upperbound of the probability of missed isolation. Simulation examples illustrate the applicability of the proposed scheme.

A unified framework for linear function approximation of value functions in stochastic control

This paper contributes with a unified formulation that merges previ- ous analysis on the prediction of the performance ( value function ) of certain sequence of actions ( policy ) when an agent operates a Markov decision process with large state-space. When the states are represented by features and the value function is linearly approxi- mated, our analysis reveals a new relationship between two common cost functions used to obtain the optimal approximation. In addition, this analysis allows us to propose an efficient adaptive algorithm that provides an unbiased linear estimate. The performance of the pro- posed algorithm is illustrated by simulation, showing competitive results when compared with the state-of-the-art solutions.

Movimiento de paredes de dominio magnético en nanohilos con defectos controlados

La investigación realizada en este trabajo de tesis se ha centrado en el estudio de la generación, anclaje y desenganche de paredes de dominio magnético en nanohilos de permalloy con defectos controlados. Las últimas tecnologías de nanofabricación han abierto importantes líneas de investigación centradas en el estudio del movimiento de paredes de dominio magnético, gracias a su potencial aplicación en memorias magnéticas del futuro. En el 2004, Stuart Parkin de IBM introdujo un concepto innovador, el dispositivo “Racetrack”, basado en un nanohilo ferromagnético donde los dominios de imanación representan los "bits" de información. La frontera entre dominios, ie pared magnética, se moverían en una situación ideal por medio de transferencia de espín de una corriente polarizada. Se anclan en determinadas posiciones gracias a pequeños defectos o constricciones de tamaño nanométrico fabricados por litografía electrónica. El éxito de esta idea se basa en la generación, anclaje y desenganche de las paredes de dominio de forma controlada y repetitiva, tanto para la lectura como para la escritura de los bits de información. Slonczewski en 1994 muestra que la corriente polarizada de espín puede transferir momento magnético a la imanación local y así mover paredes por transferencia de espín y no por el campo creado por la corriente. Desde entonces muchos grupos de investigación de todo el mundo trabajan en optimizar las condiciones de transferencia de espín para mover paredes de dominio. La fracción de electrones polarizados que viaja en un hilo ferromagnético es considerablemente pequeña, así hoy por hoy la corriente necesaria para mover una pared magnética por transferencia de espín es superior a 1 107 A/cm2. Una densidad de corriente tan elevada no sólo tiene como consecuencia una importante degradación del dispositivo sino también se observan importantes efectos relacionados con el calentamiento por efecto Joule inducido por la corriente. Otro de los problemas científico - tecnológicos a resolver es la diversidad de paredes de dominio magnético ancladas en el defecto. Los diferentes tipos de pared anclados en el defecto, su quiralidad o el campo o corriente necesarios para desenganchar la pared pueden variar dependiendo si el defecto posee dimensiones ligeramente diferentes o si la pared se ancla con un método distinto. Además, existe una componente estocástica presente tanto en la nucleación como en el proceso de anclaje y desenganche que por un lado puede ser debido a la naturaleza de la pared que viaja por el hilo a una determinada temperatura distinta de cero, así como a defectos inevitables en el proceso de fabricación. Esto constituye un gran inconveniente dado que según el tipo de pared es necesario aplicar distintos valores de corriente y/o campo para desenganchar la pared del defecto. Como se menciona anteriormente, para realizar de forma eficaz la lectura y escritura de los bits de información, es necesaria la inyección, anclaje y desenganche forma controlada y repetitiva. Esto implica generar, anclar y desenganchar las paredes de dominio siempre en las mismas condiciones, ie siempre a la misma corriente o campo aplicado. Por ello, en el primer capítulo de resultados de esta tesis estudiamos el anclaje y desenganche de paredes de dominio en defectos de seis formas distintas, cada uno, de dos profundidades diferentes. Hemos realizado un análisis estadístico en diferentes hilos, donde hemos estudiado la probabilidad de anclaje cada tipo de defecto y la dispersión en el valor de campo magnético aplicado necesario para desenganchar la pared. Luego, continuamos con el estudio de la nucleación de las paredes de dominio magnético con pulsos de corriente a través una linea adyacente al nanohilo. Estudiamos defectos de tres formas distintas e identificamos, en función del valor de campo magnético aplicado, los distintos tipos de paredes de dominio anclados en cada uno de ellos. Además, con la ayuda de este método de inyección que es rápido y eficaz, hemos sido capaces de generar y anclar un único tipo de pared minimizando el comportamiento estocástico de la pared mencionado anteriormente. En estas condiciones óptimas, hemos estudiado el desenganche de las paredes de dominio por medio de corriente polarizada en espín, donde hemos conseguido desenganchar la pared de forma controlada y repetitiva siempre para los mismos valores de corriente y campo magnético aplicados. Además, aplicando pulsos de corriente en distintas direcciones, estudiamos en base a su diferencia, la contribución térmica debido al efecto Joule. Los resultados obtenidos representan un importante avance hacia la explotación práctica de este tipo de dispositivos. ABSTRACT The research activity of this thesis was focused on the nucleation, pinning and depinning of magnetic domain walls (DWs) in notched permalloy nanowires. The access to nanofabrication techniques has boosted the number of applications based on magnetic domain walls (DWs) like memory devices. In 2004, Stuart Parkin at IBM, conceived an innovative concept, the “racetrack memory” based on a ferromagnetic nanowire were the magnetic domains constitute the “bits” of information. The frontier between those magnetic domains, ie magnetic domain wall, will move ideally assisted by a spin polarized current. DWs will pin at certain positions due to artificially created pinning sites or “notches” fabricated with ebeam lithography. The success of this idea relies on the careful and predictable control on DW nucleation and a defined pinning-depinning process in order to read and write the bits of information. Sloncsewski in 1994 shows that a spin polarized current can transfer magnetic moment to the local magnetization to move the DWs instead of the magnetic field created by the current. Since then many research groups worldwide have been working on optimizing the conditions for the current induced DW motion due to the spin transfer effect. The fraction of spin polarized electrons traveling through a ferromagnetic nanowire is considerably small, so nowadays the current density required to move a DW by STT exceeds 1 107 A/cm2. A high current density not only can produce a significant degradation of the device but also important effects related to Joule heating were also observed . There are other scientific and technological issues to solve regarding the diversity of DWs states pinned at the notch. The types of DWs pinned, their chirality or their characteristic depinning current or field, may change if the notch has slightly different dimensions, the stripe has different thickness or even if the DW is pinned by a different procedure. Additionally, there is a stochastic component in both the injection of the DW and in its pinning-depinning process, which may be partly intrinsic to the nature of the travelling DW at a non-zero temperature and partly due to the unavoidable defects introduced during the nano-fabrication process. This constitutes an important inconvenient because depending on the DW type different values of current of magnetic field need to be applied in order to depin a DW from the notch. As mentioned earlier, in order to write and read the bits of information accurately, a controlled reproducible and predictable pinning- depinning process is required. This implies to nucleate, pin and depin always at the same applied magnetic field or current. Therefore, in the first chapter of this thesis we studied the pinning and depinning of DW in six different notch shapes and two depths. An statistical analysis was conducted in order to determine which notch type performed best in terms of pinning probability and the dispersion measured in the magnetic field necessary to depin the magnetic DWs. Then, we continued studying the nucleation of DWs with nanosecond current pulses by an adjacent conductive stripe. We studied the conditions for DW injection that allow a selective pinning of the different types of DWs in Permalloy nanostripes with 3 different notch shapes. Furthermore, with this injection method, which has proven to be fast and reliable, we manage to nucleate only one type of DW avoiding its stochastic behavior mentioned earlier. Having achieved this optimized conditions we studied current induced depinning where we also achieved a controlled and reproducible depinning process at always the same applied current and magnetic field. Additionally, changing the pulse polarity we studied the joule heating contribution in a current induced depinning process. The results obtained represent an important step towards the practical exploitation of these devices.