Detection of particles with a cloud chamber

Cloud chambers were essential devices in early nuclear and particle physics research. Superseded by more modern detectors in actual research, they still remain very interesting pedagogical apparatus. This thesis attempts to give a global view on this topic. To do so, a review of the physical foundations of the diffusion cloud chamber, in which an alcohol is supersaturated by cooling it with a thermal reservoir, is carried out. Its main results are then applied to analyse the working conditions inside the chamber. The analysis remarks the importance of using an appropriate alcohol, such as isopropanol, as well as a strong cooling system, which for isopropanol needs to reach −40ºC. That theoretical study is complemented with experimental tests that were performed with what is the usual design of a home-made cloud chamber. An effective setup is established, which highlights details such as a grazing illumination, a direct contact with the cooling reservoir through a wide metal plate, or the importance of avoiding vapour removal. Apart from that, video results of different phenomena that cloud chamber allow to observe are also presented. Overall, it is aimed to present a physical insight that pedagogical papers usually lack.

[A_Elvillar_Hechicera] Documentación geométrica del dolmen de la Chabola de la Hechicera (Elvillar, Álava)

[ES] Tumba megalítica compuesta por 17 losas de gran tamaño, incluida la tapa. La estructura ocupa un espacio de 10 x 4 metros en planta, unos 4 metros de altura en la cámara. Conserva restos del túmulo que forma aproximadamente un círculo de unos 10 metros de radio.

The Loss of Functional Caspase-12 in Europe Is a Pre-Neolithic Event

6 p.

[A_Laguardia_Huesera] Documentación geométrica del dolmen de La Huesera (Laguardia, Álava)

[ES] Se trata de una tumba megalítica compuesta por 9 losas de gran tamaño, incluida la tapa. La estructura ocupa un espacio de 4 x 4 metros en planta, unos 3 metros de altura en la cámara. Conserva restos del túmulo que pudo llegar a tener unos 14 metros de radio.

Respuesta a la sequía de Pinus radiata D. Don y su implicación en los procesos de tolerancia

160 p. (Bibliogr. 141-160)

[A_Villabuena_Montecillo] Documentación geométrica del dolmen de El Montecillo (Villabuena de Álava)

[ES] Tumba megalítica compuesta por 8 losas (6 en la cámara, una de ellas caída originalmente y 2 en el corredor). El tamaño de la cámara es de unos 2 x 2,5 metros que se encuentra en un morcuero de unos 10 metros de diámetro.

Performance of an Ocean Energy Conversion System with DFIG Sensorless Control

The 2009/28/EC Directive requires Member States of the European Union to adopt a National Action Plan for Renewable Energy. In this context, the Basque Energy Board, EVE, is committed to research activities such as the Mutriku Oscillating Water Column plant, OWC. This is an experimental facility whose concept consists of a turbine located in a pneumatic energy collection chamber and a doubly fed induction generator that converts energy extracted by the turbine into a form that can be returned to the network. The turbo-generator control requires a precise knowledge of system parameters and of the rotor angular velocity in particular. Thus, to remove the rotor speed sensor implies a simplification of the hardware that is always convenient in rough working conditions. In this particular case, a Luenberger based observer is considered and the effectiveness of the proposed control is shown by numerical simulations. Comparing these results with those obtained using a traditional speed sensor, it is shown that the proposed solution provides better performance since it increases power extraction in the sense that it allows a more reliable and robust performance of the plant, which is even more relevant in a hostile environment as the ocean.

Role of G protein coupled inwardly rectifier K+ channels (GIRK) on the neurobiology depression

353 págs.

Fiber Bragg Gratings, IT Techniques and Strain Gauge Validation for Strain Calculation on Aged Metal Specimens

This paper studies the feasibility of calculating strains in aged F114 steel specimens with Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors and infrared thermography (IT) techniques. Two specimens have been conditioned under extreme temperature and relative humidity conditions making comparative tests of stress before and after aging using different adhesives. Moreover, a comparison has been made with IT tecniques and conventional methods for calculating stresses in F114 steel. Implementation of Structural Health Monitoring techniques on real aircraft during their life cycle requires a study of the behaviour of FBG sensors and their wiring under real conditions, before using them for a long time. To simulate aging, specimens were stored in a climate chamber at 70 degrees C and 90% RH for 60 days. This study is framed within the Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) and Non Destructuve Evaluation (NDE) research lines, integrated into the avionics area maintained by the Aeronautical Technologies Centre (CTA) and the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU).

Influence of Humidity on Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors

We demonstrate the influence of the relative humidity (RH) on the wavelength of fiber Bragg grating sensors (FBGS), performing tests with five FBGS at different humidity and temperature conditions. These tests were performed in a climate chamber whose RH changes according to a scheduled profile from 30% to 90%, in steps of 10%. These profiles were repeated for a wide range of temperatures from to , in steps of . Two different types of instrumentation methods have been tested, spot welding and epoxy bonding, in two different materials, steel and carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP). We discuss the results for each type of sensor and instrumentation method by analyzing the linearity of the Bragg wavelength with RH and temperature.

[G_Deba_PraileAitz] Documentación geométrica de la cueva de Praile Aitz I (Deba, Gipuzkoa)

[ES] El siguiente artículo disponible también en este repositorio muestra información relativa al presente proyecto:

Kontrapultsazio-baloi uhin-forma errealistak sortzeko tresna.

[EN]In this project has been developed a tool which synthesizes realistic waveforms produced by the intra-aortic balloon pump. In addition the following waveforms have also been synthesized: arterial blood pressure (ABP) waveform, the four variations produced due to timing errors of the balloon and the waveform of the helium gas rapidly shuttling in and out of the balloon chamber. All waveforms are synthesized in synchrony with the balloon's inflation/deflation cycles. A database composed of annotated ECG (Electrocardiogram) normal sinus rhythm records has also been created during the project. In order to facilitate the work, two graphical user interfaces were developed. The first interface allows the selection of the ECG records, which were latter annotated using the second interface. Starting from the newly created annotated database, the different waveforms, mentioned above, were synthesized. In this document, in view of the synthesized waveforms, it can be concluded that the obtained results are satisfactory.

Geochemical characterization of the fire-fountain fed deposits of Las Herrerias volcano (Campo de Calatrava Volcanic Field, Ciudad Real)

The Las Herrerias volcano (Bolanos de Calatrava, Campo de Calatrava Volcanic Field) is characterized by the great amount and variety of fire-fountain fed deposits. All these deposits are compositionally similar, being constituted by magnesium-rich (MgO = 11.58-4.19%), aluminium-poor (Al2O3 = 9.64-10.99%) highly sodic (Na2O = 2.24-3.81%) melanephelinites, with high contents in rare earth-elements (10x-200x chondrite), particularly in light-rare earth elements with respect to the heavy ones [(La/Lu)(N) = 32-35]. Contrary to the equivalent melanephelinites of this volcanic field, the relatively low contents in Ni (233-286 ppm), Cr (393-520 ppm) and magnesium number (Mg* = 45-54) indicate that these rocks do not correspond with primary melts. On the other hand, the variable distribution of clinopyroxene in the magma during eruption would be responsible for the slight compositional differences observed in the studied samples. Finally, we argue that these fire fountains were developed in a continental intraplate setting.

Influence of Humidity on Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors

We demonstrate the influence of the relative humidity (RH) on the wavelength of fiber Bragg grating sensors (FBGS), performing tests with five FBGS at different humidity and temperature conditions. These tests were performed in a climate chamber whose RH changes according to a scheduled profile from 30% to 90%, in steps of 10%. These profiles were repeated for a wide range of temperatures from 10 degrees C to 70 degrees C, in steps of 10 degrees C. Two different types of instrumentation methods have been tested, spot welding and epoxy bonding, in two different materials, steel and carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP). We discuss the results for each type of sensor and instrumentation method by analyzing the linearity of the Bragg wavelength with RH and temperature.