1,150 research outputs found
Constructed wetlands: Prediction of performance with case-based reasoning (part B)
The aim of this research was to assess the treatment efficiencies for gully pot liquor of experimental vertical-
flow constructed wetland filters containing Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. (common reed)
and filter media of different adsorption capacities. Six out of 12 filters received inflow water spiked with
metals. For 2 years, hydrated nickel and copper nitrate were added to sieved gully pot liquor to simulate
contaminated primary treated storm runoff. The findings were analyzed and discussed in a previous paper
(Part A). Case-based reasoning (CBR) methods were applied to predict 5 days at 20°C N-Allylthiourea biochemical
oxygen demand (BOD) and suspended solids (SS), and to demonstrate an alternative method of
analyzing water quality performance indicators. The CBR method was successful in predicting if outflow
concentrations were either above or below the thresholds set for water-quality variables. Relatively small
case bases of approximately 60 entries are sufficient to yield relatively high predictions of compliance of
at least 90% for BOD. Biochemical oxygen demand and SS are expensive to estimate, and can be cost-effectively
controlled by applying CBR with the input variables turbidity and conductivity
Fine mapping of genes determining extrafusal fiber properties in murine soleus muscle
Peer reviewedPostprin
Physics in Riemann's mathematical papers
Riemann's mathematical papers contain many ideas that arise from physics, and
some of them are motivated by problems from physics. In fact, it is not easy to
separate Riemann's ideas in mathematics from those in physics. Furthermore,
Riemann's philosophical ideas are often in the background of his work on
science. The aim of this chapter is to give an overview of Riemann's
mathematical results based on physical reasoning or motivated by physics. We
also elaborate on the relation with philosophy. While we discuss some of
Riemann's philosophical points of view, we review some ideas on the same
subjects emitted by Riemann's predecessors, and in particular Greek
philosophers, mainly the pre-socratics and Aristotle. The final version of this
paper will appear in the book: From Riemann to differential geometry and
relativity (L. Ji, A. Papadopoulos and S. Yamada, ed.) Berlin: Springer, 2017
An Anti-Glitch in a Magnetar
Magnetars are neutron stars showing dramatic X-ray and soft -ray
outbursting behaviour that is thought to be powered by intense internal
magnetic fields. Like conventional young neutron stars in the form of radio
pulsars, magnetars exhibit "glitches" during which angular momentum is believed
to be transferred between the solid outer crust and the superfluid component of
the inner crust. Hitherto, the several hundred observed glitches in radio
pulsars and magnetars have involved a sudden spin-up of the star, due
presumably to the interior superfluid rotating faster than the crust. Here we
report on X-ray timing observations of the magnetar 1E 2259+586 which we show
exhibited a clear "anti-glitch" -- a sudden spin down. We show that this event,
like some previous magnetar spin-up glitches, was accompanied by multiple X-ray
radiative changes and a significant spin-down rate change. This event, if of
origin internal to the star, is unpredicted in models of neutron star spin-down
and is suggestive of differential rotation in the neutron star, further
supporting the need for a rethinking of glitch theory for all neutron stars
Rupture by damage accumulation in rocks
The deformation of rocks is associated with microcracks nucleation and
propagation, i.e. damage. The accumulation of damage and its spatial
localization lead to the creation of a macroscale discontinuity, so-called
"fault" in geological terms, and to the failure of the material, i.e. a
dramatic decrease of the mechanical properties as strength and modulus. The
damage process can be studied both statically by direct observation of thin
sections and dynamically by recording acoustic waves emitted by crack
propagation (acoustic emission). Here we first review such observations
concerning geological objects over scales ranging from the laboratory sample
scale (dm) to seismically active faults (km), including cliffs and rock masses
(Dm, hm). These observations reveal complex patterns in both space (fractal
properties of damage structures as roughness and gouge), time (clustering,
particular trends when the failure approaches) and energy domains (power-law
distributions of energy release bursts). We use a numerical model based on
progressive damage within an elastic interaction framework which allows us to
simulate these observations. This study shows that the failure in rocks can be
the result of damage accumulation
Evidence for solar cycles in a late Holocene speleothem record from Dongge Cave, China
The association between solar activity and Asian monsoon (AM) remains unclear. Here we evaluate the possible connection between them based on a precisely-dated, high-resolution speleothem oxygen isotope record from Dongge Cave, southwest China during the past 4.2 thousand years (ka). Without being adjusted chronologically to the solar signal, our record shows a distinct peak-to-peak correlation with cosmogenic nuclide 14C, total solar irradiance (TSI) and sunspot number (SN) at multi-decadal to centennial timescales. Further cross-wavelet analyses between our calcite δ18O and atmospheric 14C show statistically strong coherence at three typical periodicities of ~80, 200 and 340 years, suggesting important roles of solar activities in modulating AM changes at those timescales. Our result has further indicated a better correlation between our calcite δ18O record and atmospheric 14C than between our record and TSI. This better correlation may imply that the Sun–monsoon connection is dominated most likely by cosmic rays and oceanic circulation (both associated to atmospheric 14C), instead of the direct solar heating (TSI)
Narrowband Biphotons: Generation, Manipulation, and Applications
In this chapter, we review recent advances in generating narrowband biphotons
with long coherence time using spontaneous parametric interaction in monolithic
cavity with cluster effect as well as in cold atoms with electromagnetically
induced transparency. Engineering and manipulating the temporal waveforms of
these long biphotons provide efficient means for controlling light-matter
quantum interaction at the single-photon level. We also review recent
experiments using temporally long biphotons and single photons.Comment: to appear as a book chapter in a compilation "Engineering the
Atom-Photon Interaction" published by Springer in 2015, edited by A.
Predojevic and M. W. Mitchel
Assessment of urban green space dynamics influencing the surface urban heat stress using advanced geospatial techniques
Urban areas are mostly heterogeneous due to settlements and vegetation including forests, water bodies and many other land use and land cover (LULC) classes. Due to the overwhelming population pressure, urbanization, industrial works and transportation systems, urban areas have been suffering from a deficiency of green spaces, which leads to an increase in the variation of temperature in urban areas. This study investigates the conceptual framework design towards urban green space (UGS) and thermal variability over Kolkata and Howrah city using advanced remote sensing (RS) and geospatial methods. The low green space is located in the highly built-up area, which is influenced by thermal variations. Therefore, the heat stress index showed a high area located within the central, north, northwestern and some parts of the southern areas. The vegetated areas decreased by 8.62% during the ten years studied and the other land uses increased by 11.23%. The relationship between land surface temperature (LST) and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) showed significant changes with R2 values between 0.48 (2010) and 0.23 (2020), respectively. The correlation among the LST and the normalized difference built-up index (NDBI) showed a notable level of change with R2 values between 0.38 (2010) and 0.61 (2020), respectively. The results are expected to contribute significantly towards urban development and planning, policymaking and support for key stakeholders responsible for the sustainable urban planning procedures and processes
Observation of Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering
The coherent elastic scattering of neutrinos off nuclei has eluded detection
for four decades, even though its predicted cross-section is the largest by far
of all low-energy neutrino couplings. This mode of interaction provides new
opportunities to study neutrino properties, and leads to a miniaturization of
detector size, with potential technological applications. We observe this
process at a 6.7-sigma confidence level, using a low-background, 14.6-kg
CsI[Na] scintillator exposed to the neutrino emissions from the Spallation
Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Characteristic
signatures in energy and time, predicted by the Standard Model for this
process, are observed in high signal-to-background conditions. Improved
constraints on non-standard neutrino interactions with quarks are derived from
this initial dataset
Strongly magnetized pulsars: explosive events and evolution
Well before the radio discovery of pulsars offered the first observational
confirmation for their existence (Hewish et al., 1968), it had been suggested
that neutron stars might be endowed with very strong magnetic fields of
-G (Hoyle et al., 1964; Pacini, 1967). It is because of their
magnetic fields that these otherwise small ed inert, cooling dead stars emit
radio pulses and shine in various part of the electromagnetic spectrum. But the
presence of a strong magnetic field has more subtle and sometimes dramatic
consequences: In the last decades of observations indeed, evidence mounted that
it is likely the magnetic field that makes of an isolated neutron star what it
is among the different observational manifestations in which they come. The
contribution of the magnetic field to the energy budget of the neutron star can
be comparable or even exceed the available kinetic energy. The most magnetised
neutron stars in particular, the magnetars, exhibit an amazing assortment of
explosive events, underlining the importance of their magnetic field in their
lives. In this chapter we review the recent observational and theoretical
achievements, which not only confirmed the importance of the magnetic field in
the evolution of neutron stars, but also provide a promising unification scheme
for the different observational manifestations in which they appear. We focus
on the role of their magnetic field as an energy source behind their persistent
emission, but also its critical role in explosive events.Comment: Review commissioned for publication in the White Book of
"NewCompStar" European COST Action MP1304, 43 pages, 8 figure
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