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During the months of April and May 2010, the European air traffic was severely disrupted by the eruption of the volcano and Eyjafjallajokull Icelandic plume of volcanic ash that it has engendered.
“`During this period, are 100,000 flights were stranded and 5 million passengers were stranded. The cost involved in this event for the European economy has been estimated between 1.5 and 2.5 billion euros. The importance, including economic issues has led the Institution of Mechanical Engineers to publish a report containing analysis of a technical point of view the elements underlying the closure of airspace, and provides a set of suggestions to minimize the effects of future volcanic episodes.
The air traffic disruption that occurred in the spring resulting from the coincidence of several factors. When the rash broke out, the Jet Stream, a fast stream of hot air directed from west to east, was vertical to the volcano, resulting in an unusually stable plume of ash to the south-east, so to all European airspace. Moreover, the situation has been aggravated by the ice cap of 200 m thick in which the volcanic phenomenon occurred. The flow of water in the volcano from melting ice has increased the force of the explosion, which became powerful enough to project to the altitude of the Jet Stream a plume of ash and rich in highly abrasive ice.
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Applied Bio-Acoustics Laboratory (LAB) from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) has developed a system equipped with hydrophones that recorded for the first time in real time and online, the sounds of the sea floor. The new European maritime policy states that by 2012, States must meet a set of indicators to measure noise pollution at sea.
In 2007 Laboratory of Applied Bio-Acoustics project began Listening to The Deep Ocean Environment (LIDO) to record the sounds of the seabed and evaluate, retrospectively, to what extent the artificial noise (shipping, fishing, construction offshore, Military, etc) influence and affect the quality of life of cetaceans and their cause illness or even death.
Now, the LAB, directed by Michel Andre has developed algorithms that interpret these sounds automated, real-time classify them according to whether biological or anthropogenic origin and, within this division, identify the species of cetaceans present in the area studied. Data to measure the degree of impact of noise sources on the conservation of ecosystems.
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Integral-b project represents an alternative to the proper management of waste oils and materials left over from the foodservice industry (Hotels, Restaurants and Catering) and food industry to optimize the sustainability of biodiesel plants. Be the first pilot plant in Spain to evaluate its industrial application and validate their economic, energy and environmental. The project budget is 1.4 million and is funded by the Life + Programme of the European Commission.
In Spain there are more than 500,000 tons per year of organic waste in activities such as restaurants and hotels, and generate over 14 million tons / year of material left over from the food industry. In this sense, the Waste Framework Directive provides, inter alia, the obligation of separate collection of organic waste for reuse. His adaptation provides legal in Spain in 2011, forcing the affected sectors to manage most appropriate treatments of these subjects.
In this context, the European project-b Integral has developed a sustainable system to produce biogas biodiesel plants from the reuse of waste from the food chain as vegetable oils (or frying) and waste materials organic, mostly leftover food from kitchens and dining foodservice industry and organic waste from the food industry. The project also raises also reuse the materials left over from the production of biodiesel and glycerin for the same purpose.
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Researchers at the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM) has developed a system of domestic water saving, conceived by the inventor Said Moukafih, to store the cold water pipe is in hot water before starting operation heater, and usually wasted.
The explanation for the usefulness of this invention is that the amount of water that is wasted (or used at any temperature desired) while waiting for the arrival of the hot water faucet shower, washbasin, bidet, or kitchen sink depends crucially on the distance from the water heater pipe diameter that is between them, but also varies with the type of water heater system, as in most gas heaters water heater circuit is also cold and the heater takes a little time to start heating.
The tap and the pump developed by Albacete UCLM get store water usually wasted while the water gets hot and therefore reduce unnecessary consumption.
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In many countries, is experiencing a declining number of young people, especially women, who study engineering. This reduction is endangering engineering contributions in areas such as climate change or poverty reduction. This is reflected in the first international report on the status of engineering, just published by UNESCO.
The shortage of engineers is one of the main themes of the I International Report on the state of engineering, which UNESCO has just published under the title “Engineering: Issues, challenges and opportunities for development.” Compiled from more than 120 specialists in engineering world, this report is intended as an information platform to better understand the role of engineering, a highly diverse and ubiquitous activity that is an essential factor in human progress since the invention of the wheel.
“The engineering and technology have transformed the world we live in, especially in the last 150 years,” says the Director General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, in the preface to the report. However, the benefits that humanity has obtained from them are very unevenly spread across the world. For example, some 3,000 million people on our planet have no safe water and about 2,000 million have no electricity.
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Researchers at the University of Seville, led by Raúl Perillo, have designed software that will help predict if a chemical spill or oil spill, trajectory and characteristics of the stain of pollution over several days after the episode contaminant.
The software has been taken as references hydrodynamic variables (currents, tides, temperatures …) throughout the Atlantic and Mediterranean arc Andalusia. Also, the group has performed simulations Hispalense basis of the density, particle size range of chemicals, including radioactive, and oil.
“This is a standardized process. A model is a set of equations that is solved by a computer. On the one hand, introduce variables such as currents, winds, tides and on the other hand, other data such as pollutants, topology, composition, density … This helps us to form a database and to predict which direction the landfill, “says the researcher in an article published in Marine Pollution Bulletin with the title In September of rapid-response models for pollutant dispersion in southern Spain Assessments coastal waters.
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Foundation CENTA has extended the deadline for submissions to 3rd International Congress Smallwater . Wastewater in Small Communities until 15 October to demand the authors interested in participating in this new edition. All projects must be submitted through the official website of the conference ( www.smallwat.org ) where you can find information on the basis of participation and registration.
In this third edition to be held in Seville from 25 to 28 April 2011 at the Convention Center Hotel Barcelo Renacimiento, will conduct a review of the best research work carried out in recent years at international level in treatment and sewage treatment in small communities . To this end, the congress has defined eight subjects that interested authors may submit their work: collection decentralized of urban waste water , industrial and domestic , treatment technologies , recycling , sanitation environmental , environmental issues , compliance with the Framework Directive Water and Millennium Development Goals; water governance , case studies.
Interested authors should submit an abstract of their communication through the conference website www.smallwat.org Where you can find the basis and model summary that will have to present the paper. Authors should indicate the type of presentation chosen : oral or poster.
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The country is in a state of widespread infestation of red palm weevil, according to experts. Tens of thousands of palm trees have been felled in recent years , as many are treated and it is unknown how many are dying under attack by this insect that brings head government, private and commercial gardening. While proliferation of information campaigns and plans for control pest , Valencian universities contribute their grain of sand by developing innovative systems for early detection and effective biological treatments.
The weevil feeds and lives for most of its life cycle within the tree and the first symptoms in the form of bites on the palms new , appear months after the start of the attack. When the infestation is more widespread , the insects destroy the only point where grows the palm , leaving only dead leaves. Then, inside the trunk is a network of tunnels where it develops a number of agencies that take advantage of the wounds of the palm and the trunk is just rotting. The plant is a source of infestation for the environment even after death, why it’s so important to detect the pest on time and to start treatment or , in hopeless cases, programming with the competent local government the felling and removal of the specimen.
This is a pest of Asian origin and is expanding worldwide . Everything indicates that came to Spain from Egypt. The first signal was documented in 1995 in Andalusia , particularly in Motril and Salobreña, and we are currently in the second infestation that has hit the Mediterranean coast , the Islands Balearic and Canary .
Until 2008 , in Valencia and Catalonia were felled 25,000 palm trees . The rapid spread of the pest in the Region is favored for various reasons as the characteristics of the pest, the lack of information , the terrain and population profile . foreign residents , coupled with the proliferation of second homes occupied only during certain months of the year , makes surveillance municipal and communication of preventive measures and control of the pest to homeowners.
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Involved only vehicles that can not make any gas emissions are considered by the European Community as responsible for the pollutants or greenhouse gases.
Hybrid and electric vehicles will run from next Thursday, May 20, the 489 km between the cities of Barcelona and Toulouse (southern France) and will test new technologies that will define the clean car of the future.
Phebus Solar Rally 2010 involved only zero-emission vehicles. This means they can not do any emission of gases considered by the European Community as pollutants, such as oxides of nitrogen or carbon monoxide, nor those responsible for the greenhouse effect as carbon dioxide.
The Rally will consist of six stages with Caldes d’Estrac departure and arrival at Toulouse on 24 May. The challenge is to make the cars pass each stage without having to recharge the battery. To this end, the teams may have reuse energy technologies or side loading systems such as solar panels.
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The new section of motorway connecting Hranice D47 and Ostrava, Czech Republic, been a unique experience. Indeed, piles of wood, distant from each other by 5 meters, impregnated with the scent of predators (bears, lynx, etc..) Were installed near the road in order to repel animals, thereby limiting risk of accidents.
This system, implemented on an interim basis for a period exceeding one year, time required for the installation of protective fencing, a safety purpose as well as ecological helps to protect wildlife. Early evaluations suggest, however, that this method is not as effective than expected.
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