6,203 research outputs found
Empiricism and stochastics in cellular automaton modeling of urban land use dynamics
An increasing number of models for predicting land use change in regions of rapidurbanization are being proposed and built using ideas from cellular automata (CA)theory. Calibrating such models to real situations is highly problematic and to date,serious attention has not been focused on the estimation problem. In this paper, wepropose a structure for simulating urban change based on estimating land usetransitions using elementary probabilistic methods which draw their inspiration fromBayes' theory and the related ?weights of evidence? approach. These land use changeprobabilities drive a CA model ? DINAMICA ? conceived at the Center for RemoteSensing of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (CSR-UFMG). This is based on aneight cell Moore neighborhood approach implemented through empirical land useallocation algorithms. The model framework has been applied to a medium-size townin the west of São Paulo State, Bauru. We show how various socio-economic andinfrastructural factors can be combined using the weights of evidence approach whichenables us to predict the probability of changes between land use types in differentcells of the system. Different predictions for the town during the period 1979-1988were generated, and statistical validation was then conducted using a multipleresolution fitting procedure. These modeling experiments support the essential logicof adopting Bayesian empirical methods which synthesize various information aboutspatial infrastructure as the driver of urban land use change. This indicates therelevance of the approach for generating forecasts of growth for Brazilian citiesparticularly and for world-wide cities in general
Simulation of VUV electroluminescence in micropattern gaseous detectors: the case of GEM and MHSP
Electroluminescence produced during avalanche development in gaseous
avalanche detectors is an useful information for triggering, calorimetry and
tracking in gaseous detectors. Noble gases present high electroluminescence
yields, emitting mainly in the VUV region. The photons can provide signal
readout if appropriate photosensors are used. Micropattern gaseous detectors
are good candidates for signal amplification in high background and/or low rate
experiments due to their high electroluminescence yields and radiopurity. In
this work, the VUV light responses of the Gas Electron Multiplier and of the
Micro-Hole Strip Plate, working with pure xenon, are simulated and studied in
detail using a new and versatile C++ toolkit. It is shown that the solid angle
subtended by a photosensor placed below the microstructures depends on the
operating conditions. The obtained absolute EL yields, determined for different
gas pressures and as functions of the applied voltage, are compared with those
determined experimentally.Comment: Accepted for publication in Journal of Instrumentatio
Primary and secondary scintillation measurements in a xenon Gas Proportional Scintillation Counter
NEXT is a new experiment to search for neutrinoless double beta decay using a
100 kg radio-pure high-pressure gaseous xenon TPC. The detector requires
excellent energy resolution, which can be achieved in a Xe TPC with
electroluminescence readout. Hamamatsu R8520-06SEL photomultipliers are good
candidates for the scintillation readout. The performance of this
photomultiplier, used as VUV photosensor in a gas proportional scintillation
counter, was investigated. Initial results for the detection of primary and
secondary scintillation produced as a result of the interaction of 5.9 keV
X-rays in gaseous xenon, at room temperature and at pressures up to 3 bar, are
presented. An energy resolution of 8.0% was obtained for secondary
scintillation produced by 5.9 keV X-rays. No significant variation of the
primary scintillation was observed for different pressures (1, 2 and 3 bar) and
for electric fields up to 0.8 V cm-1 torr-1 in the drift region, demonstrating
negligible recombination luminescence. A primary scintillation yield of 81 \pm
7 photons was obtained for 5.9 keV X-rays, corresponding to a mean energy of 72
\pm 6 eV to produce a primary scintillation photon in xenon.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in JINS
Semiclassical description of resonant tunneling
We derive a semiclassical formula for the tunneling current of electrons
trapped in a potential well which can tunnel into and across a wide quantum
well. The calculations idealize an experimental situation where a strong
magnetic field tilted with respect to an electric field is used. The resulting
semiclassical expression is written as the sum over special periodic orbits
which hit both walls of the quantum well and are perpendicular to the first
wall.Comment: LaTeX, 8 page
Micromegas operation in high pressure xenon: charge and scintillation readout
The operational characteristics of a Micromegas operating in pure xenon at
the pressure range of 1 to 10 bar are investigated. The maximum charge gain
achieved in each pressure is approximately constant, around 4x10^2, for xenon
pressures up to 5 bar and decreasing slowly above this pressure down to values
somewhat above 10^2 at 10 bar. The MM presents the highest gains for xenon
pressures above 4 bar, when compared to other micropattern gaseous multipliers.
The lowest energy resolution obtained for X-rays of 22.1 keV exhibits a steady
increase with pressure, from 12% at 1bar to about 32% at 10 bar. The effective
scintillation yield, defined as the number of photons exiting through the MM
mesh holes per primary electron produced in the conversion region was
calculated. This yield is about 2x10^2 photons per primary electron at 1 bar,
increasing to about 6x10^2 at 5 bar and, then, decreasing again to 2x10^2 at 10
bar. The readout of this scintillation by a suitable photosensor will result in
higher gains but with increased statistical fluctuations.Comment: 22 pages, 11 figure
Controles alternativos de podridões pós-colheita em manga.
O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a eficiência de algumas medidas de controles alternativos no combate dessas deteriorações , assim como minimizar ou eliminar o emprego de agrotóxicos nos tratamentos pós-colheita para preservar a qualidade mercadológica da manga, a fim de satisfazer às exigências dos mercados consumidores
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