The Integrated Catchments model of Phosphorus dynamics (INCA-P), a new approach for multiple source assessment in heterogeneous river systems: model structure and equations

International audienceA new model has been developed for assessing the effects of multiple sources of phosphorus on the water quality and aquatic ecology in heterogeneous river systems. The Integrated Catchments model for Phosphorus (INCA-P) is a process-based, mass balance model that simulates the phosphorus dynamics in both the plant/soil system and the stream. The model simulates the spatial variations in phosphorus export from different land use types within a river system using a semi-distributed representation, thereby accounting for the impacts of different land management practices, such as organic and inorganic fertiliser and wastewater applications. The land phase of INCA-P includes a simplified representation of direct runoff, soilwater and groundwater flows, and the soil processes that involve phosphorus. In addition, the model includes a multi-reach in-stream component that routes water down the main river channel. It simulates Organic and Inorganic Phosphorus concentrations in the land phase, and Total Phosphorus (dissolved plus particulate phosphorus) concentrations in the in-stream phase. In-stream Soluble Reactive Phosphorus concentrations are determined from the Total Phosphorus concentrations and the macrophyte, epiphyte and algal biomasses are simulated also. This paper describes the model structure and equations, the limitations and the potential utility of the approach. Keywords: modelling, water quality, phosphorus, soluble reactive phosphorus, basin management</p

A topos for algebraic quantum theory

The aim of this paper is to relate algebraic quantum mechanics to topos theory, so as to construct new foundations for quantum logic and quantum spaces. Motivated by Bohr's idea that the empirical content of quantum physics is accessible only through classical physics, we show how a C*-algebra of observables A induces a topos T(A) in which the amalgamation of all of its commutative subalgebras comprises a single commutative C*-algebra. According to the constructive Gelfand duality theorem of Banaschewski and Mulvey, the latter has an internal spectrum S(A) in T(A), which in our approach plays the role of a quantum phase space of the system. Thus we associate a locale (which is the topos-theoretical notion of a space and which intrinsically carries the intuitionistic logical structure of a Heyting algebra) to a C*-algebra (which is the noncommutative notion of a space). In this setting, states on A become probability measures (more precisely, valuations) on S(A), and self-adjoint elements of A define continuous functions (more precisely, locale maps) from S(A) to Scott's interval domain. Noting that open subsets of S(A) correspond to propositions about the system, the pairing map that assigns a (generalized) truth value to a state and a proposition assumes an extremely simple categorical form. Formulated in this way, the quantum theory defined by A is essentially turned into a classical theory, internal to the topos T(A).Comment: 52 pages, final version, to appear in Communications in Mathematical Physic

PERSiST: a flexible rainfall-runoff modelling toolkit for use with the INCA family of models

Runoff generation processes and pathways vary widely between catchments. Credible simulations of solute and pollutant transport in surface waters are dependent on models which facilitate appropriate, catchment-specific representations of perceptual models of the runoff generation process. Here, we present a flexible, semi-distributed landscape-scale rainfall-runoff modelling toolkit suitable for simulating a broad range of user-specified perceptual models of runoff generation and stream flow occurring in different climatic regions and landscape types. PERSiST (the Precipitation, Evapotranspiration and Runoff Simulator for Solute Transport) is designed for simulating present-day hydrology; projecting possible future effects of climate or land use change on runoff and catchment water storage; and generating hydrologic inputs for the Integrated Catchments (INCA) family of models. PERSiST has limited data requirements and is calibrated using observed time series of precipitation, air temperature and runoff at one or more points in a river network. Here, we apply PERSiST to the river Thames in the UK and describe a Monte Carlo tool for model calibration, sensitivity and uncertainty analysi

Considerations for an integrated wind turbine controls capability at the National Wind Technology Center: An aileron control case study for power regulation and load mitigation

Several structural dynamics codes have been developed at, and under contract to, the National Wind Technology Center (NWTC). These design codes capture knowledge and expertise that has accumulated over the years through federally funded research and wind industry operational experience. The codes can generate vital information required to successfully implement wind turbine active control. However, system information derived from the design codes does not necessarily produce a system description that is consistent with the one assumed by standard control design and analysis tools (e.g., MATLAB{reg_sign} and Matrix-X{reg_sign}). This paper presents a system identification-based method for extracting and utilizing high-fidelity dynamics information, derived from an existing wind turbine structural dynamics code (FAST), for use in active control design. A simple proportional-integral (PI) aileron control case study is then used to successfully demonstrate the method, and to investigate controller performance for gust and turbulence wind input conditions. Aileron control results show success in both power regulation and load mitigation

(Quantum) Space-Time as a Statistical Geometry of Lumps in Random Networks

In the following we undertake to describe how macroscopic space-time (or rather, a microscopic protoform of it) is supposed to emerge as a superstructure of a web of lumps in a stochastic discrete network structure. As in preceding work (mentioned below), our analysis is based on the working philosophy that both physics and the corresponding mathematics have to be genuinely discrete on the primordial (Planck scale) level. This strategy is concretely implemented in the form of \tit{cellular networks} and \tit{random graphs}. One of our main themes is the development of the concept of \tit{physical (proto)points} or \tit{lumps} as densely entangled subcomplexes of the network and their respective web, establishing something like \tit{(proto)causality}. It may perhaps be said that certain parts of our programme are realisations of some early ideas of Menger and more recent ones sketched by Smolin a couple of years ago. We briefly indicate how this \tit{two-story-concept} of \tit{quantum} space-time can be used to encode the (at least in our view) existing non-local aspects of quantum theory without violating macroscopic space-time causality.Comment: 35 pages, Latex, under consideration by CQ

Transferrin receptor 2 (TfR2) and HFE mutational analysis in non‐C282Y iron overload: identification of a novel TfR2 mutation

Blood. 2002 Aug 1;100(3):1075-7. Transferrin receptor 2 (TfR2) and HFE mutational analysis in non-C282Y iron overload: identification of a novel TfR2 mutation. Mattman A, Huntsman D, Lockitch G, Langlois S, Buskard N, Ralston D, Butterfield Y, Rodrigues P, Jones S, Porto G, Marra M, De Sousa M, Vatcher G. SourceGenes, Elements, and Metabolism Program, Children and Women's Hospital of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Abstract Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is classically associated with a Cys282Tyr (C282Y) mutation of the HFE gene. Non-C282Y HH is a heterogeneous group accounting for 15% of HH in Northern Europe. Pathogenic mutations of the transferrin receptor 2 (TfR2) gene have been identified in 4 Italian pedigrees with the latter syndrome. The goal of this study was to perform a mutational analysis of the TfR2 and HFE genes in a cohort of non-C282Y iron overload patients of mixed ethnic backgrounds. Several sequence variants were identified within the TfR2 gene, including a homozygous missense change in exon 17, c2069 A-->C, which changes a glutamine to a proline residue at position 690. This putative mutation was found in a severely affected Portuguese man and 2 family members with the same genotype. In summary, pathologic TfR2 mutations are present outside of Italy, accounting for a small proportion of non-C282Y HH

NREL Combined Experimental Final Report--Phase II

Predicting peak power and loads on a fixed-pitch wind turbine. How does the performance of the airfoil in the wind tunnel differ from the performance of an operating horizontal-axis wind turbine (HAWT)

Aeolian transport layer

We investigate the airborne transport of particles on a granular surface by the saltation mechanism through numerical simulation of particle motion coupled with turbulent flow. We determine the saturated flux $q_{s}$ and show that its behavior is consistent with a classical empirical relation obtained from wind tunnel measurements. Our results also allow to propose a new relation valid for small fluxes, namely, $q_{s}=a(u_{*}-u_{t})^{\alpha}$, where $u_{*}$ and $u_{t}$ are the shear and threshold velocities of the wind, respectively, and the scaling exponent is $\alpha \approx 2$. We obtain an expression for the velocity profile of the wind distorted by the particle motion and present a dynamical scaling relation. We also find a novel expression for the dependence of the height of the saltation layer as function of the wind velocity.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

A nitrogen model for European catchments: INCA, new model structure and equations

International audienceA new version of the Integrated Nitrogen in Catchments model (INCA) was developed and tested using flow and streamwater nitrate concentration data collected from the River Kennet during 1998. INCA is a process-based model of the nitrogen cycle in the plant/soil and in-stream systems. The model simulates the nitrogen export from different land-use types within a river system, and the in-stream nitrate and ammonium concentrations at a daily time-step. The structure of the new version differs from the original, in that soil-water retention volumes have been added and the interface adapted to permit multiple crop and vegetation growth periods and fertiliser applications. The process equations are now written in terms of loads rather than concentrations allowing a more robust tracking of mass conservation when using numerical integration. The new version is able to reproduce the seasonal dynamics observed in the streamwater nitrogen concentration data, and the loads associated with plant/soil system nitrogen processes reported in the literature. As such, the model results suggest that the new structure is appropriate for the simulation of nitrogen in the River Kennet and an improvement on the original model. The utility of the INCA model is discussed in terms of improving scientific understanding and catchment management. Keywords: modelling, water quality, nitrogen, nitrate, River Kennet, River Thames</p