Optimisation of the hydrotesting sequence in tank farm construction using an adaptive genetic algorithm with stochastic preferential logic

In the construction of tank farms there is a requirement for the tanks to be hydro-tested in order to verify that they are leak proof as well as proving the lack of differential settlement in the foundations. The tanks will be required to be filled to a predetermined level and then to maintain this loaded state for a certain period of time before being drained. In areas such as the Middle East water for hydro-testing is not freely available as sea water is often not suitable for this purpose, so fresh water needs to be produced or transported to the construction site for this purpose. It is therefore of major benefit to the project to schedule the hydro-testing of the tanks in such a manner as to minimize the utilization of hydro-test water. This problem is a special case of the Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (RCPSP) and in this research we have modified our previously developed Fitness differential adaptive genetic algorithm [4, 6 & 7] to the solution of this real world problem. The Algorithm has been ported from the original MATLAB code into Microsoft Project using VBA in order to provide a more user friendly, practical interface

Anharmonic effect on lattice distortion, orbital ordering and magnetic properties in Cs2AgF4

We develop the cluster self-consistent field method incorporating both electronic and lattice degrees of freedom to study the origin of ferromagnetism in Cs$_{2}$AgF$_{4}$. After self-consistently determining the harmonic and anharmonic Jahn-Teller distortions, we show that the anharmonic distortion stabilizes the staggered x$^{2}$-z$^{2}$/y$^{2}$-z$^{2}$ orbital and ferromagnetic ground state, rather than the antiferromagnetic one. The amplitudes of lattice distortions, Q$_{2}$ and Q$_{3}$, the magnetic coupling strengthes, J$_{x,y}$, and the magnetic moment, are in good agreement with the experimental observation.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure

Large-volume lava flow fields on Venus: Dimensions and morphology

Of all the volcanic features identified in Magellan images, by far the most extensive and really important are lava flow fields. Neglecting the widespread lava plains themselves, practically every C1-MIDR produced so far contains several or many discrete lava flow fields. These range in size from a few hundred square kilometers in area (like those fields associated with small volcanic edifices for example), through all sizes up to several hundred thousand square kilometers in extent (such as many rift related fields). Most of these are related to small, intermediate, or large-scale volcanic edifices, coronae, arachnoids, calderas, fields of small shields, and rift zones. An initial survey of 40 well-defined flow fields with areas greater than 50,000 sq km (an arbitrary bound) has been undertaken. Following Columbia River Basalt terminology, these have been termed great flow fields. This represents a working set of flow fields, chosen to cover a variety of morphologies, sources, locations, and characteristics. The initial survey is intended to highlight representative flow fields, and does not represent a statistical set. For each flow field, the location, total area, flow length, flow widths, estimated flow thicknesses, estimated volumes, topographic slope, altitude, backscatter, emissivity, morphology, and source has been noted. The flow fields range from about 50,000 sq km to over 2,500,000 sq km in area, with most being several hundred square kilometers in extent. Flow lengths measure between 140 and 2840 km, with the majority of flows being several hundred kilometers long. A few basic morphological types have been identified

Non-linear Microwave Surface Impedance of Epitaxial HTS Thin Films in Low DC Magnetic Fields

We have carried out non-linear microwave (8 GHz) surface impedance measurements of three YBaCuO thin films in dc magnetic fields $H_{dc}$ (parallel to c axis) up to 12 mT using a coplanar resonator technique. In zero dc field the three films, deposited by the same method, show a spread of low-power residual surface resistance, $R_{res}$ and penetration depth, $\lambda$ (T=15 K) within a factor of 1.9. However, they exhibit dramatically different microwave field, $H_{rf}$ dependences of the surface resistance, $R_s$, but universal $X_s(H_{rf})$ dependence. Application of a dc field was found to affect not only absolute values of $R_s$ and $X_s$, but the functional dependences $R_s(H_{rf})$ and $X_s(H_{rf})$ as well. For some of the samples the dc field was found to decrease $R_s$ below its zero-field low-power value.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. To be published in IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond., June 199

8 pole high temperature superconductor microstrip dual band bandpass filter design

Dual-band filters are normally used for filtering two frequency bands that are not too close together. However, this paper presents a HTS dual-band bandpass filter that can be used to achieve isolation between two frequency bands that are only a few tens of MHz apart. Transmission zeros are placed in between the two frequency bands using electromagnetic coupling between non-adjacent resonators which result in high isolation between the two bands. The simulation and experimental results of a High Temperature Superconductor dual-band bandpass filter with very narrow bandwidth will be presented here

Cosmology from Cluster SZ and Weak Lensing Data

Weak gravitational lensing and the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect provide complementary information on the composition of clusters of galaxies. Preliminary results from cluster SZ observations with the Very Small Array are presented. A Bayesian approach to combining this data with wide field lensing data is then outlined; this allows the relative probabilities of cluster models of varying complexity to be computed. A simple simulation is used to demonstrate the importance of cluster model selection in cosmological parameter determination.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to appear in proceedings of XXXVIIth Rencontres de Moriond, "The Cosmological Model"; h-depebndence corrected, typos fixe

Mojave remote sensing field experiment

The Mojave Remote Sensing Field Experiment (MFE), conducted in June 1988, involved acquisition of Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS); C, L, and P-band polarimetric radar (AIRSAR) data; and simultaneous field observations at the Pisgah and Cima volcanic fields, and Lavic and Silver Lake Playas, Mojave Desert, California. A LANDSAT Thematic Mapper (TM) scene is also included in the MFE archive. TM-based reflectance and TIMS-based emissivity surface spectra were extracted for selected surfaces. Radiative transfer procedures were used to model the atmosphere and surface simultaneously, with the constraint that the spectra must be consistent with field-based spectral observations. AIRSAR data were calibrated to backscatter cross sections using corner reflectors deployed at target sites. Analyses of MFE data focus on extraction of reflectance, emissivity, and cross section for lava flows of various ages and degradation states. Results have relevance for the evolution of volcanic plains on Venus and Mars