Some dynamics of acoustic oscillations with nonlinear combustion and noise

The results given in this paper constitute a continuation of progress with nonlinear analysis of coherent oscillations in combustion chambers. We are currently focusing attention on two general problems of nonlinear behavior important to practical applications: the conditions under which a linearly unstable system will execute stable periodic limit cycles; and the conditions under which a linearly stable system is unstable to a sufficiently large disturbance. The first of these is often called 'soft' excitation, or supercritical bifurcation; the second is called 'hard' excitation, 'triggering,' or subcritical bifurcation and is the focus of this paper. Previous works extending over more than a decade have established beyond serious doubt (although no formal proof exists) that nonlinear gasdynamics alone does not contain subcritical bifurcations. The present work has shown that nonlinear combustion alone also does not contain subcritical bifurcations, but the combination of nonlinear gasdynamics and combustion does. Some examples are given for simple models of nonlinear combustion of a solid propellant but the broad conclusion just mentioned is valid for any combustion system. Although flows in combustors contain considerable noise, arising from several kinds of sources, there is sound basis for treating organized oscillations as distinct motions. That has been an essential assumption incorporated in virtually all treatments of combustion instabilities. However, certain characteristics of the organized or deterministic motions seem to have the nature of stochastic processes. For example, the amplitudes in limit cycles always exhibit a random character and even the occurrence of instabilities seems occasionally to possess some statistical features. Analysis of nonlinear coherent motions in the presence of stochastic sources is therefore an important part of the theory. We report here a few results of power spectral densities of acoustic amplitudes in the presence of a subcritical bifurcation associated with nonlinear combustion and gasdynamics

Tablet Use by Occupational Therapists for Preliteracy Learning with Preschool Children

Purpose: Tablet technologies are being used in pediatric occupational therapy (OT) despite a dearth of literature supporting their use. The purpose of this study was to investigate key strategies and decision-making considerations occupational therapists are using with tablet technologies to develop preliteracy skills with preschool aged children. Method: An ethnographic study of three pediatric occupational therapists (one school-based; one private clinic; and one school-based/private clinic) was conducted through semi-structured interviews and observations of the participants using the tablet. Results: One central theme, that tablets are “just a tool,” and three subthemes, that tablets are versatile, motivating, and fun, were identified. Results indicated that participants in this study are using tablets purposefully as a tool and as an alternative to traditional preliteracy activities. Conclusion: It is becoming more important for therapists to integrate the tablet and other mainstream technology into their practice in order to assist children in learning how to navigate an increasingly digital world. Further research regarding the efficacy of using tablet technology in pediatric occupational therapy is recommended

Greenhouse gas emissions from non-recyclable residual household waste within domestic wheeled bins

The evolution of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from waste treatment processes (e.g. landfill & composting) are well documented (Chen and Lin, 2008), frequently quantified (Lou and Nair, 2009) and currently represented within climate change models (Ciais et al., 2013). Conversely, the understanding of GHG emissions from household waste (pre-collection) is largely unknown and confined to composting studies (e.g. Andersen et al., 2010), or calculating the calorific value/elemental content (Komilis et al., 2012) and biological methane potential (Alibardi and Cossu, 2015) of municipal solid waste. Generating a better understanding of GHG fluxes from non-recycled residual household waste before collection may help to further refine climate models and inform policy makers regarding the best collection strategy to mitigate GHG emissions

Initial Acoustoelastic Measurements in Olivine: Investigating the Effect of Stress on P- and S-Wave Velocities

It is well known that elasticity is a key physical property in the determination of the structure and composition of the Earth and provides critical information for the interpretation of seismic data. This study investigates the stress-induced variation in elastic wave velocities, known as the acoustoelastic effect, in San Carlos olivine. A recently developed experimental ultrasonic acoustic system, the Directly Integrated Acoustic System Combined with Pressure Experiments (DIASCoPE), was used with the D-DIA multi-anvil apparatus to transmit ultrasonic sound waves and collect the reflections. We use the DIASCoPE to obtain longitudinal (P) and shear (S) elastic wave velocities from San Carlos olivine at pressures ranging from 3.2–10.5 GPa and temperatures from 450–950°C which we compare to the stress state in the D-DIA derived from synchrotron X-ray diffraction. We use elastic-plastic self-consistent (EPSC) numerical modeling to forward model X-ray diffraction data collected in D-DIA experiments to obtain the macroscopic stress on our sample. We can observe the relationship between the relative elastic wave velocity change (ΔV/V) and macroscopic stress to determine the acoustoelastic constants, and interpret our observations using the linearized first-order equation based on the model proposed by Hughes and Kelly (1953), https://doi.org/10.1103/physrev.92.1145. This work supports the presence of the acoustoelastic effect in San Carlos olivine, which can be measured as a function of pressure and temperature. This study will aid in our understanding of the acoustoelastic effect and provide a new experimental technique to measure the stress state in elastically deformed geologic materials at high pressure conditions

Strengthening community roles in aquatic resource governance in Uganda

Lake Victoria fisheries face severe environmental stresses. Stocks are declining in a context of increasing population and growing demand for the lake’s resources. Rising competition between users is putting conservation goals and rural livelihoods at risk. While Uganda’s co-management policy framework is well-developed, key resources for implementation are lacking, enforcement is poor, and the relations between stakeholders are unequal. Poor rural resource users face significant challenges to effectively participate in fisheries decision-making. This case study demonstrates the progress that can be made using a collaborative approach to catalyze community-led actions linking public health, sanitation and environmental conservation in difficult circumstances, even over a relatively short time period. Multistakeholder dialogue can bring to light the sources of conflict, pinpoint governance challenges, and identify opportunities for institutional collaboration to address community needs. At the same time, the process can help build trust, confidence in collective action and public accountability

Refinement of atomic models in high resolution EM reconstructions using Flex-EM and local assessment

As the resolutions of Three Dimensional Electron Microscopic reconstructions of biological macromolecules are being improved, there is a need for better fitting and refinement methods at high resolutions and robust approaches for model assessment. Flex-EM/MODELLER has been used for flexible fitting of atomic models in intermediate-to-low resolution density maps of different biological systems. Here, we demonstrate the suitability of the method to successfully refine structures at higher resolutions (2.5–4.5 Å) using both simulated and experimental data, including a newly processed map of Apo-GroEL. A hierarchical refinement protocol was adopted where the rigid body definitions are relaxed and atom displacement steps are reduced progressively at successive stages of refinement. For the assessment of local fit, we used the SMOC (segment-based Manders’ overlap coefficient) score, while the model quality was checked using the Qmean score. Comparison of SMOC profiles at different stages of refinement helped in detecting regions that are poorly fitted. We also show how initial model errors can have significant impact on the goodness-of-fit. Finally, we discuss the implementation of Flex-EM in the CCP-EM software suite