More climate-friendly flying Less emissions thanks to biofuel

Status: 06/17/2021 6:04 p.m.

Contrails on the horizon show: An airplane was traveling here. But they also say something about the emissions that are released when flying. A new study shows: biofuel is more climate-friendly.

From Iris Völlnagel, SWR

You can see them most clearly in the early hours of the morning: Since more planes have started taking off from Frankfurt Airport, the contrails in the sky over Mainz have been thickening. They seem harmless, but climate researchers have long been concerned about them. Not because they are so-called chemtrails, as some conspiracy tellers suspect, but because they contribute to global warming. Because: Even before CO2, contrails cause the largest share of global warming through aviation. This is what researchers from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) found out together with NASA.

Contrails become “warming” clouds

While in flight, aircraft emit black carbon particles – so-called soot particles – because the fuel is not completely burned. In addition to soot, aircraft exhaust also contain water vapor. At high altitudes, where the air is very cold, the water condenses on the particles and freezes. At an altitude between 8,000 and 12,000 meters, ice crystals form, which we see as contrails. These ice crystals can last for several hours and form high clouds – so-called contrail cirrus. Depending on the position of the sun and the surface, they have a warming or cooling effect. Research shows that global warming effects predominate.

Mixed fuel helps the climate

For years, scientists at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) have been researching, in collaboration with NASA, whether airplanes run on biofuel in a more environmentally friendly way. With their experiments, the scientists were able to prove that using a 50-50 mixture of kerosene and sustainable fuel can reduce the number of ice crystals in the contrails by half.

“We were able to clearly demonstrate that fewer soot particles in the exhaust gases through sustainable fuels result in fewer ice crystals in contrails,” says Christiane Voigt from the DLR Institute for Atmospheric Physics. “A smaller number of ice crystals reduces the additional energy input into the atmosphere caused by contrails. This significantly reduces the climate-warming effect of the contrail clouds.” The scientists assume a percentage of 20 to 30 percent.

Flying for Science

The scientists had already carried out the tests in 2018. For this purpose, the DLR research aircraft ATRA, an Airbus A320, flew from the US military base Ramstein in Rhineland-Palatinate with various fuel mixtures over Germany. It was followed with a one to two minute delay by NASA’s CD-8 research aircraft. With the help of measuring devices, the scientists from NASA, DLR and the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry were able to record data on emissions and contrails. They also tried different fuel blends – including a sustainable biofuel.

There are now individual attempts by the airlines to refuel their planes with biofuel. In May 2021, Air France announced its first long-haul flight from Paris to Montreal, Canada, using partially sustainable fuel made from cooking oil. During the test flight, there was kerosene and 16 percent biofuel in the tank. So far, a maximum of 50 percent biofuel has been allowed in aircraft, says Martin Kaltschmitt, head of the Institute for Environmental Technology and Energy Economics at the Technical University of Hamburg.

The challenge of fuel development

The greatest challenge on the way to climate-friendly flying is the development of biofuel, say scientists. Biofuel, so-called Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), is currently mainly produced from old vegetable and edible oils. In contrast to conventional kerosene based on mineral oil, biofuels are not subsidized and are much more expensive, also because they can only be produced in small quantities.

“Bio-based fuels will not be the only solution. With bio-based fuel, we don’t get the amount we need,” says Patrick Le Clercq, ECLIF project manager at the DLR Institute for Combustion Technology in Stuttgart. The future also lies with hydrogen, believes Le Clerq. In further experiments, the scientists from DLR and NASA now want to investigate how one hundred percent biofuel affects the atmosphere

Sony will bring many PlayStation exclusive games to PC. Photo: Sony Sony highlights that this is a new growth area for PlayStation Studios and will begin developing PlayStation Studios entry-level games for mobile devices. This will help their business, these games have the opportunity to find potential customers in big markets like: China, India or Russia, where they like play games on computer devices rather than game consoles. This test seems to have been successful, Sony’s partners will receive financial rewards from the porting of the exclusive PlayStation platform to PC. In 2020 the game Horizon: Zero Dawn helped investors get financing up to 250% return on investment when it was released on PC. In Sony’s latest financial report, the PlayStation 5 gaming device did not live up to expectations like the PS4 when the company saw a decline in sales per PS5 device. Sony’s games business had its best fiscal quarter ever with $8.4 billion in revenue and $763 million in profit, up 50% from 2019. Uncharted 4 or Days Gone, which are games available on PC, will be one of the new growth factors that Sony has discussed with investors, this is also a new challenge when Sony and its partners are facing competition. Huge paintings from other game makers like Fortnite are very popular all over the world.

Part of Vietnam will see the total lunar eclipse, while the remaining areas will observe the partial lunar eclipse with a very high coverage rate. Vietnam can only see the latter stage of the phenomenon A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned (or nearly aligned) with the Earth in between. At this time, the Moon enters the shadow region behind the Earth and receives only a fraction of the light from the Sun than if it did not enter this region. For this reason, part or all of the Moon will be darker than usual and appear crimson. A lunar eclipse is a phenomenon that is not too rare and is easy to observe even without the aid of any instrument. Even so, it is still an interesting optical phenomenon and attracts many people’s attention. Particularly with the lunar eclipse that will take place at the end of May, many places in Vietnam will be able to track part of the total phase of the lunar eclipse. Therefore, this is indeed a remarkable phenomenon. Lunar eclipses are not uncommon, but observing the total phase is still something quite special. This lunar eclipse lasted for a total of more than 3 hours from the beginning to the end of the partial phase. If the semi-dark phase is included, the total duration of the phenomenon is more than 5 hours. However, because in the early phase of the lunar eclipse, in Vietnam, the Moon has not yet risen above the horizon. Therefore, observers in Vietnam can only observe the later stages of this phenomenon. Detailed schedule of the phenomenon in Vietnam time on May 26 specifically: Midnight lunar eclipse begins: 15:47; Partial lunar eclipse begins at 16:44; Full lunar eclipse starts at 18:11; Lunar eclipse at 18:18; Total lunar eclipse ends at 6:25 pm; The partial lunar eclipse ends at 19:52; The lunar eclipse ends at 20:49. In the Northern region The moon rises above the horizon at the end of the total phase. The observer can only track the partial phase of the phenomenon. For example, in Hanoi, the Moon rises at 6:29 pm on May 26. Thus, the observer can almost fully follow the later phase of a partial lunar eclipse from that point to its end. Sometime before 19:00 this partial phase was still very high coverage and very noticeable. In the Central and Southern regions Most of the central provinces will be able to track the last part of the total phase, while most of the southern provinces will be able to fully track the full phase if the viewing angle is wide enough to see the eastern horizon. For example, in Ho Chi Minh City, the Moon rises at 18:07, that is, before the total phase begins, so observers in this area as well as the surrounding areas can fully monitor the phase. totality. Although the total phase is visible in many areas, at that time the Moon is so low that it will be difficult to see in places where the view to the East is obstructed. The most favorable observation positions to monitor this period are places with a wide view to the East, areas without front shelters, roofs or windows of tall buildings, the coast… Notes to remember A lunar eclipse is completely harmless to your eyes, so you can look directly at it. You also don’t need specialized equipment like a telescope or binoculars to observe this phenomenon, although if you do, it will be a much more interesting view. Basically, there are two things to keep in mind with respect to observations: Weather is always important. If it is raining, stormy or cloudy, the phenomenon cannot be observed. Therefore, you need a cloudy sky. In general, as long as you see the Moon and it continues not to sink behind some cloud, you can observe a lunar eclipse. Choose a viewing spot so that you can see the eastern sky with as wide an angle as possible, avoiding artificial light (street lights, building lights) shining directly into your eyes from above. Another partial lunar eclipse that can be observed by observers in Vietnam will take place on November 19 of this year, but this May phenomenon is more noticeable because of its clear cover. Finally, a note on terminology, a lunar eclipse is a lunar eclipse, not a “blood moon” (an imprecise but popular term in the last few years). This is also a very normal optical phenomenon, not related to any spiritual or religious factors.

The vast steppe is immense green to the horizon … ”, on warm April days, tourists from all over the country flock to Elista capital of the Russian Federation of Kalmykia to be wandering in the fields of tulips growing. nature and immerse yourself in a unique flower festival. One of the most attractive events in the cultural life of the Republic of Kalmykia is the folk-ethnographic festival “Tulip Festival”. In the steppe republic, where tulips grow in natural conditions and are considered national symbols, a celebration of honor has been held since 2013. “Tulip Festival” is becoming more and more popular with tourists. On the days of the event, thousands of visitors came to the republic, including foreigners, who were infatuated with the beauty of the local steppe. In 2019, 10,000 visitors attended. In 2020, the Festival was canceled due to restrictions related to Covid-19 translation. This year, the government of the Republic of Kalmykia decided to hold an event long awaited and loved by the tourists and locals for a day, instead of 3 days as every year and taking into account all measures on epidemiological hygiene. The festival takes place on the territory of Shatta Ecological Park – Tselinny district of Kalmykia, about 20 km from the capital Elista. Cars poured in from all over the festival, filling a large area. The ladies in national costumes welcome visitors At the entrance, there are girls in ethnic costumes standing in two rows to welcome guests. Inside, the festival is divided into many exhibition areas, according to different themes. Each district of the republic has its own area to introduce the cultural, ethnographic characteristics, production activities, life. The festival includes archery performances, horseback riding, ethnic wrestling, yoga and zumba, vibrant concerts, Kalmyk embroidery training classes, art makeup, bone carving, weaving Kalmyk whip and felt. A food court with ethnic dishes is also held on site. One more goal that this year, the Festival Organizing Committee, is to raise the ecological awareness of residents and visitors to the republic. The environmental patrol team and volunteers oversee the compliance of the rules, explaining to guests the need to respect steppe tulips, which, if violated, will result in administrative penalties. There are no tulips at the festival venue to avoid the risk of trampling on the flowers. You can watch tulips in the fields of Priyutnensky, Iki-Burulsky and Tselinny districts. Amidst the vast steppe nature, the high clear blue sky, the sun, the wind, the riders performing the horse riding performances, the knights in armor, helmets, exciting dances, lyrics, Strongly recreated a beautiful picture of the life of ancient nomads. Mrs. Vera, – a tourist from the city of Stavropol attending the festival, feels very happy: “We are very like, very interesting, everything is fun and rich. We have seen the tents on display here, the girls are very beautiful, gorgeous, the knights are very majestic. ” Wish tree Mrs. Vera said that, after watching and enjoying many performing arts shows, she and her crew members also visited the largest Buddhist temple in Kalmykia and took pictures in the field of tulips. Tuylip Flower Festival attracts not only tourists from all over the world, but also locals. Ms. Svetlana said: “Tuylip is the beauty of our steppe, our pride, our history and our life. The festival was held for us and visitors to see “. As a country of Buddhism, at the entrance, visitors can not help but notice a tree, with ribbons hanging in the colors of blue, red, yellow, and white. Mrs. Vera, – an artist of the national arts troupe explained: “This is our cashew tree. We hang up ribbons with our wishes. This blue is the wish for happiness, white is luck, yellow is belief in Buddha, red is prosperity. ” Along with its signature cultural traditions, Kalmykia cuisine reflects the centuries-old nomadic life of herding herds and is not so diverse, mostly meats and flour, but it does. satisfied with large serving sizes and adequate nutritional value. Kalmykia is a small republic, with more than 300,000 inhabitants, located in the south of Russia, the eastern edge of Europe. Residents here are predominantly Asian and mostly Buddhist. In recent years, Buddhist temples, including the Buddha Shakyamuni – the largest in Europe, are located in the capital Elista and the annual Tuylip flower festival has become and is becoming a national brand attracting tourists. by Kalmykia. The temple is 63 meters high, so it is easy to see from any position in the city, and the Buddha statue in the Main Hall is 9 meters high. In addition, there are other Buddhist imprints such as the Seven-day Pagoda, the ancient Buddhist temple of Khurul, the Golden Gate … The colors of Buddhist culture, the fields of natural tulips, the herds of goats, sheep, camels leisurely. graze on the immense, peaceful steppe and continues to invite and hold visitors to Kalmyakia./. Other impressive images of the festival: Reenactment of the image of knights The Iashaltinsky district introduces great local livestock farming Traditional Kalmykia costumes Ethnic dishes Festival visitors can experience camel riding Exciting dance performance Naturally growing Tuylip flower fields attract visitors Herd of goats and sheep grazing leisurely on the steppe Buddha Shakyamuni Temple is the largest in Kalmykia and also the largest in Europe Temple 7 days.

What’s particularly impressive about this figure is that Cadillac sold not just a few hundred units in the first three months of 2021. In fact, it sold 9,842 Escalades in the first quarter of 2021, becoming the best-selling car. in the price segment above 100,000 USD. Model Cadillac Escalade 2021 Among the options available are packages: $ 2,795 Performance Upgrades that add performance intake and cat-back exhaust; Lighting package costs 1095 USD; Convenience package costs $ 795, a variety of wheels and a range of incredible accessories including Bluetooth headsets, dashcam, and even a Horizon tent in the ceiling for $ 1,499. Kelley Blue Book’s figures don’t analyze which options for the Escalade are the most popular, but they’re not the only reason the model’s average price is so high. While the standard Escalade starts at under $ 80,000, the premium Premium Luxury Platinum and Sport Platinum models start at $ 102,290, regardless of whether they have a top 6.2-liter V8 or a turbo- diesel 3.0 liter Duramax. /.

“Coming back in April, the wind sings in summer. There are such blue horizons. The clouds are far away and the sun is far away ”… It is the hum in the soul of music lovers from Duong Thu’s song. April is the time when you feel spring waving for the last time on the sunny horizon, farewell the green color of leaves, clouds, wind … already dark green, hard, and the flower buds bear fruit to wait for the day to ripen … Spring is gone. The glorious summer was at a glance with all but full of sunshine and wind, with the resounding holy showers and thundering thunder. Yellow gerbera. April brings us many hopes and dreams of a burning summer. It is no coincidence that the students all looked up at the arch of the phoenix, watching the bunches of phoenixes that were about to burn a fiery red fire like a youthful soul. Summer is really the season of youth, the season of aspirations, but the moment of changing season still has things to do with … and that shows in this green April. In recent years, when April comes, when the phoenix has not yet bloomed, the yellow flowers have glittered everywhere like a sunny season has come. In Hanoi, people take lilies as the April messenger of nature. The pure, pure white lilies made the season of April more emotional. Heaven and earth is like that, but nature is not equal to the human soul. It is people with anxious love, full of emotions that make up a green April of life. Green April will lead us to a summer of love to come. Green April has returned, with the sea lover, always go to the sea to watch the new waves every day fading, white and creepy of the cold season, now turning deep blue to the end of the horizon of white clouds. In April, there was no feeling and concept of spring and summer, thanks to poetic music that has created such a lovely moment. Human souls and eyes have made a poetic green April flutter. Duong Trang Huong