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Abstract: The PM10 particulate collected on filters from four air-quality monitoring stations in the city of Torino (Italy) has been investigated by means of detailed magnetic measurements, transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. The magnetic fraction mainly consists of magnetite-like ferrimagnetic phase and a minor contribution from a high-coercivity phase, which probably results from oxidation of the smallest magnetite grains. The magnetic particles have a grainsize mostly comprised in the single-domain/superparamagnetic range with a large prevalence of the latter. A large fraction of superparamagnetic particles of nanometric dimension were identified in the particulate matter by magnetic techniques and directly observed by electron microscopy. Energy dispersive X-ray elemental analysis showed that ultrafine Fe-rich particles have a spherical shape and are often associated with other metals. The analysis of daily-average variations of magnetic particle concentration found a close correlation of magnetic moment with total nitrogen oxides suggesting that the largest part of magnetic minerals in particulate matter originates from anthropogenic combustion processes. A simple model linking total nitrogen oxides with magnetic particles, for the city of Torino, is proposed. The correlation of magnetic moments and PM10 mass is generally poor because of the different sources of the latter, therefore in the studied contest PM10 is not a good proxy for ultrafine magnetic particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Italy) has started in 2006 the DISCORAP project, which foresees the design, manufacture and test of a dipole prototype for the SIS-300 synchrotron of the FAIR facility at GSI. In order to minimize the losses produced by the fast ramp rate (1 T/s) at which the magnet is operated, we are developing with European industries, a Rutherford cable which incorporates several technologies to reduce the losses, and namely a NbTi filament diameter on the order of 2.5-3.5 μm, Cu 0.5 wt%Mn interfilamentary matrix and stainless steel core. In this paper we present the design principles and the first experimental results; we also analyze the impact of the CuMn paramagnetism on the field distortion at the different operating magnetic fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]