GEOSCAN-M use at Ma’aden Phosphate Al Jalamid mine, Saudi Arabia

Access to real-time data is critical for process control. Scantech’s GEOSCAN-M elemental analyser has been utilized in the minerals industry for the past two decades in a range of different commodities. Already established for use in the coal and cement industries, commodities such as iron ore, copper, lead zinc, manganese, bauxite and lithium have benefited from the real-time access to elemental composition data on conveyed flows provided by the GEOSCAN. The phosphate industry has also recognized the benefits of the equipment and a number of operators and companies have installed GEOSCANs to provide real-time analysis back to the plant. A Middle Eastern phosphate company, one of the biggest phosphate producers in the region, entered discussions with Scantech regarding the use of a GEOSCAN for analyzing phosphate rock, and underwent a process that included thorough vetting and due diligence, and included test work conducted on samples sent from site to Scantech in Australia. The GEOSCAN-M was installed and commissioned at the Middle Eastern mine in 2017. Initially, the GEOSCAN was intended to be used for grade control, and is currently being used for this purpose, as well as to control downstream processes. Analysis data for a wide range of elements is available in real time allowing for accurate and timely control of ore processing. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

A radio continuum study of NGC 2082

We present radio continuum observations of NGC 2082 using ASKAP, ATCA and Parkes telescopes from 888 MHz to 9000 MHz. Some 20 arcsec from the centre of this nearby spiral galaxy, we discovered a bright and compact radio source, J054149.24–641813.7, of unknown origin. To constrain the nature of J054149.24–641813.7, we searched for transient events with the Ultra-Wideband Low Parkes receiver, and compare its luminosity and spectral index to various nearby supernova remnants (SNRs), and fast radio burst (FRB) local environments. Its radio spectral index is flat (α = 0.02 ± 0.09), which is unlikely to be either an SNR or pulsar. No transient events were detected with the Parkes telescope over three days of observations, and our calculations show J054149.24–641813.7 is two orders of magnitude less luminous than the persistent radio sources associated with FRB 121102 and 190520B. We find that the probability of finding such a source behind NGC 2082 is P = 1.2%, and conclude that the most likely origin for J054149.24–641813.7 is a background quasar or radio galaxy

The increasing usage of GEOSCAN online analysis in phosphate processing

Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract. Please click Download on the upper right corner to see the presentation

Signal processing and optimisation of MIMO radar.

This thesis presents a background to and a series of interesting and novel results for a particular proposed model for narrowband MIMO radar systems. The proposed model is both novel and unique, comprising closely-spaced antenna arrays that transmit orthogonally-coded waveforms, and can be seen as a logical extension to existing models for conventional single-input, single-output radar systems. Signal processing and optimisation is performed on the proposed system with a view to yield enhanced estimation and tracking performance. The proposed signal and likelihood estimation models have been thoroughly defined, with a number of important approximations and simplifications to the models gained through the use and exploitation of orthogonally-coded waveforms. All approximations and assumptions have been justified through the use of simulated examples. The Cramer-Rao bound for the models is derived and verified as correct through the use of simulated data. Through comparison of the Cramer-Rao bound to statistical estimation variances obtained through extensive simulations, the proposed models are shown to be efficient, thereby demonstrating the validity of the bound to be used as performance metric for optimisation. With the knowledge that the proposed MIMO radar system is efficient, the Cramer-Rao bound is used as a measure for estimation performance optimisation. The bound is seen to be dependent on the choice of orthogonally-coded waveforms used in the MIMO radar system, and by framing the selection of codes as a convex optimisation problem, codes can be chosen to minimise the Cramer-Rao bound, and since the system has been shown to be efficient, this also reduces estimate variance, thus improving the estimation performance of the system. This optimisation problem has been examined and simulated extensively, with simulated data substantiating the claims of performance improvement. Finally, this thesis explores the idea of tracking for MIMO radar. A Kalman filter based tracker is proposed and simulated for the MIMO radar system. Extending the convex optimisation scheme discussed above, a similar optimisation problem is formed for the case of MIMO radar tracking. The optimisation problem has been simulated to select orthogonal codes for transmitting based on the predicted target motion, obtained from the Kalman filter tracker. By basing the optimisation on the predicted tracker outputs, an action-perception cycle for MIMO radar is established, where the system is able to adapt to its surroundings based on it’s current and predicted view of the environment. Simulations have been used to observe the performance improvements of implementing the optimisation scheme, and thereby showing the action-perception cycle for MIMO radar at work.Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, 201

A Radio Continuum Study of NGC 2082

We present radio continuum observations of NGC 2082 using ASKAP, ATCA and Parkes telescopes from 888 MHz to 9000 MHz. Some 20 arcsec from the centre of this nearby spiral galaxy, we discovered a bright and compact radio source, J054149.24-641813.7, of unknown origin. To constrain the nature of J054149.24-641813.7, we searched for transient events with the Ultra-Wideband Low Parkes receiver, and compare its luminosity and spectral index to various nearby supernova remnants (SNRs), and fast radio burst (FRB) local environments. Its radio spectral index is flat (${\alpha} = 0.02 \pm 0.09$) which is unlikely to be either an SNR or pulsar. No transient events were detected with the Parkes telescope over three days of observations, and our calculations show J054149.24-641813.7 is two orders of magnitude less luminous than the persistent radio sources associated with FRB 121102 & 190520B. We find that the probability of finding such a source behind NGC 2082 is P = 1.2%, and conclude that the most likely origin for J054149.24-641813.7 is a background quasar or radio galaxy.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl

Mapping and assessing ecosystem services in the EU - Lessons learned from the ESMERALDA approach of integration

The European Union (EU) Horizon 2020 Coordination and Support Action ESMERALDA aimed at developing guidance and a flexible methodology for Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES) to support the EU member states in the implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy’s Target 2 Action 5. ESMERALDA’s key tasks included network creation, stakeholder engagement, enhancing ecosystem services mapping and assessment methods across various spatial scales and value domains, work in case studies and support of EU member states in MAES implementation. Thus ESMERALDA aimed at integrating various project outcomes around four major strands: i) Networking, ii) Policy, iii) Research and iv) Application. The objective was to provide guidance for integrated ecosystem service mapping and assessment that can be used for sustainable decision-making in policy, business, society, practice and science at EU, national and regional levels. This article presents the overall ESMERALDA approach of integrating the above-mentioned project components and outcomes and provides an overview of how the enhanced methods were applied and how they can be used to support MAES implementation in the EU member states. Experiences with implementing such a large pan-European Coordination and Support Action in the context of EU policy are discussed and recommendations for future actions are given.ISSN:2367-819

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field