Reseña bibliográfica : poor economics. A radical rethinking of the way to fight global poverty

El libro recientemente publicado Poor Economics -y la técnica de evaluaciones aleatorias que dan sustento a sus conclusionestienen el potencial para cambiar radicalmente la manera de diseñar políticas para combatir la pobreza en el mundo. El libro fue escrito por Abhijit Banerjee y Esther Duflo, dos jóvenes reconocidos economistas del MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Duflo, nacida en Francia y educada en el École Normale Supérieure de Paris y MIT, fue ganadora en 2010 del premio John Bates Clark al mejor economista menor de 40 años y considerada por la revista Foreign Policy como una de los 100 intelectuales más influyentes del mundo. Abhijit Banerjee educado en la Universidad de Calcuta (su ciudad de origen) y la Universidad de Harvard también es ganador de numerosos premios.

Equilibrium of isolated magnetostatic flux structure

Two-dimensional magnetostatic models of flux structure confined in stratified atmosphere are discussed in the present paper. The magnetic field in the flux structure is assumed to be force-free at the first step. Numerical solutions for this nonlinear free boundary problem are obtained by finite element method. Results show clearly the relation between the inside fields and outside pressure, especially the influence of atmospheric pressure distribution on the flux structure.

Magnetohydrodynamics equilibrium of a self-confined elliptic plasma ball

A variational principle is applied to the problem of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) equilibrium of a self-contained elliptical plasma ball, such as elliptical ball lightning. The principle is appropriate for an approximate solution of partial differential equations with arbitrary boundary shape. The method reduces the partial differential equation to a series of ordinary differential equations and is especially valuable for treating boundaries with nonlinear deformations. The calculations conclude that the pressure distribution and the poloidal current are more uniform in an oblate self-confined plasma ball than that of an elongated plasma ball. The ellipticity of the plasma ball is obviously restricted by its internal pressure, magnetic field, and ambient pressure. Qualitative evidence is presented for the absence of sighting of elongated ball lightning.

The induction plasma chemical reactor: Part I. Equilibrium model

A mathematical model is presented for the numerical simulation of the flow, temperature, and concentration fields in an rf plasma chemical reactor. The simulation is performed assuming chemical equilibrium. The extent of validity of this assumption is discussed. The system considered is the reaction of SiCl4 and NH3 for the production of Si3N4.

Magnetostatic equilibrium of isolated magnetic-flux tube

In the present paper, an isolated axisymmetric flux tube is discussed for slender magnetic configuration. The magnetostatic model and the stratified atmospheric model are applied, respectively, to the regions inside and outside the flux tube. The problem is described mathematically by the nonlinear partial differential equations under the nonlinear boundary condition at the free boundary of flux tube. According to the approximation of a small expansive angle, the solutions of series expressions are obtained formally. The model of polytropic plasma is discussed in detail especially. The results show the distributions of thermodynamic quantities and magnetic field extending from the high β region to the low β region, and the flux tube may be either divergent or convergent according to the pressure difference outside and inside the flux tube.

Magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium of plasma ball lightning

Thin foil observations using transmission electron microscopy reveal that the density of dislocations within the band is extremely high and the tangled arrangement of dislocations tends to align along the length of the shear band. The grains in the band were also elongated along the shear band and clearly exhibited a crystallographic nature.

Non-axisymmetric magnetostatic equilibrium with strong twisted component of magnetic field

The perturbation theory is applied further to the discussion of the equilibrium properties of a sunspot-like magnetic field with a strong twisted component. The basic state reduces to the usual one discussed extensively for the axisymmetric magnetostatic equilibrium with twisted component of magnetic field, and the perturbed state is described by two coupled equations. As the magnetic force-line is twisted, there is a magnetic tension in the azimuthal direction. In this case, the perturbed total pressure is no longer independent of the azimuthal variable θ, and the magnetic field in the dark penumbal fibril may be either stronger or weaker relatively.

The magnetohydrostatic equilibrium of horizontal prominence of torus configuration

There are several examples of horizontal ringlike prominences in the observations of Ha monochromatic image of the sun. In the present paper the statie equilibrium of the plasma loop is discussed. The analytic solutions to magnetic field and density are obtained for the axisymmetrie case under the closed boundary condition. Results show the great influence of the gravity and different force-free factors on the configurations of magnetic surfaces and the distributions of thermodynamical quantities for the prominence.

Universal equilibrium range of turbulence

An attempt is made to determine the form of F(x), the dimensionless function of universal nature which occurs in the energy spectrum for the universal equilibrium range of fully developed turbulence, by the method of statistical mechanics without introducing any parameter of semiempirical nature. Then, the validity of the variational approach to the closure problem of turbulence theory is tested by applying it to the study of the universal equilbrium range of turbulence.

Static equilibrium of horizontal ring prominence

In 1980 the Beijing Observatory had successively observed sevesal rare completely closed ring prominences whose ring plane was approximately parallel to the solar surface with a characteristic life about 1—2 days. In this paper we discuss the static equilibrium of this kind of horizontal ring plasma under the simultaneous actions of magnetic force, gravity and pressure gradients. Assuming ring plasma with axisymmetry and rectangular plasma cross-section and adopting closed magnetic field boundary condition from the basic equations we obtain the exact zero order general solutions for magnetic field (force-free field) and density (pressure). We further obtain an eigen-solution for the zero order magnetic field and density as well as the first order magnetic field, thus giving a kind of the possible distribution of magnetic field and density for the horizontal closed ring prominence. The closed magnetic structure of ring prominence as presented in this paper, has no link with the force lines of the outside corona magnetic field. This is helpful to explain the great temperature difference between prominenee and corona.

Profit as Cost versus Profit as Surplus over Cost: A Case Study on Varian's "Intermediate Microeconomics"

On the analysis of Varian’s textbook on Microeconomics, which I take to be a representative of the standard view, I argue that Varian provides two contrary notions of profit, namely, profit as surplus over cost and profit as cost. Varian starts by defining profit as the surplus of revenues over cost and, thus, as the part of the value of commodities that is not any cost; however, he provides a second definition of profit as a cost, namely, as the opportunity cost of capital. I also argue that the definition of competitive profit as the opportunity cost of capital involves a self-contradictory notion of opportunity cost.

Should Fiscal Policy be different in a Non-Competitive Framework?

Published as an article in: Journal of Monetary Economics, 2003, vol. 50, issue 6, pages 1311-1331.

Unemployment rates and population changes in Spain

Published as an article in: Journal of Applied Economics, 2004, vol. VII, pages 47-76.