Identification of stochastic processes for an estimated icewine temperature hedging variable

Weather derivatives are a relatively new form of financial security that can provide firms with the ability to hedge against the impact of weather related risks to their activities. Participants in the energy industry have employed standardized weather contracts trading on organized exchanges since 1999 and the interest in non-standardized contracts for specialized weather related risks is growing at an increasing rate. The purpose of this paper is to examine the potential use of weather derivatives to hedge against temperature related risks in Canadian ice wine production. Specifically we examine historical data for the Niagara region of the province of Ontario, Canada, the largest icewine producing region of the world, to determine an appropriate underlying variable for the design of an option contact that could be employed by icewine producers. Employing monte carlo simulation we derive a range of benchmark option values based upon varying assumptions regarding the stochastic process for an underlying temperature variable. The results show that such option contracts can provide valuable hedging opportunities for producers, given the historical seasonal temperature variations in the region.wine market, weather derivatives, weather hedging, Agribusiness, Agricultural Finance, Crop Production/Industries, Environmental Economics and Policy, G13, G32, Q14, Q51, Q54,

Alien Registration- Cyr, Mary (Allagash, Aroostook County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/32472/thumbnail.jp

Alien Registration- Cyr, Lorette (Caribou, Aroostook County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/26067/thumbnail.jp

Alien Registration- Martin, Catherine (Van Buren, Aroostook County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/33106/thumbnail.jp

Studies of Natural and Accelerated Carbonation in Metakaolin-Based Geopolymer

International audienceThe carbonation of Portland-cement-based materials involves the reaction between atmospheric CO 2 and calcium ions in the pore solution. The formation of calcium carbonate is responsible for a decrease in the pH of the pore solution from 12.5 to 9, thus leading to the depassivation of steel reinforcements and their possible corrosion, and can also lead to efflorescence (white crystals formed on the surface). In metakaolin-based geopolymer activated by sodium silicate, in which calcium is almost non-existent, the presence of CO 2 will lead to the formation of sodium carbonates. Since geopolymer can be carbonated, the risk of corrosion or efflorescence needs to be assessed. A pH study of the geopolymer pore solution showed a very fast decrease compared to OPC, with almost total carbonation after only 14 days. In natural atmospheric CO 2 conditions, it was found that the formation of sodium carbonate did not lead to a decrease of the pH to below a value around 9, thus limiting the risk of corrosion by depassivation of reinforcement, but the large amount of carbonate suggested a significant risk of efflorescence. A study of accelerated carbonation performed under an atmosphere of 50% CO 2 highlighted the formation of sodium bicarbonate resulting in a lower pH of the pore solution and a much larger amount of product formed. Finally the study of efflorescence carried out by semi-immersion tests in natural or accelerated conditions confirmed the different nature of the crystals formed (sodium carbonate or bicarbonate) but showed no significant impact on the amount of carbonated products. This study thus demonstrates that the accelerated carbonation test had very limited usefulness, given the rapidity of the natural reaction

Effets synergiques des voies d'activation des laitiers de hauts-fourneaux (LHF) utilisés dans l'industrie de la préfabrication

Ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) is a common by-product used for decades in the cement and concrete industry, and having beneficial effects on environmental properties and durability of concretes. However, GGBS reacts less rapidly than cement and the short-term compressive strength of GGBS-concretes are usually lower than the ones of Portland cement concretes. The aim of this paper is to test the efficiency and evaluate the synergic effect of combining different activation routes (fineness of Portland cement and GGBS, use of chemical activation, and application of thermal cycles) on short-term compressive strength of GGBS-Portland cement-based materials. Results showed that the simultaneous use of all activation routes allowed blended cement with GGBS to achieve almost the same initial mechanical characteristics than Portland cement

Valorization of non-conventional fly ashes in eco-efficient cements

The aim of this project was to evaluate the potential of coal fly ash coming from a spreader stoker power plant (Reunion Island) to be used in cement-based materials. Actually this fly ash cannot be considered equivalent to pulverised coal fly ash regulated by EN 450-1, but its reuse could represent a real progress for the sustainable development of the island. This feasibility study is divided into three parts: 1? characterization of raw and treated fly ashes, 2- evaluation of the activity of the ashes in cement-based materials, and 3- fabrication of laboratory CEM II containing treated fly ashes. The results show that spreader stoker fly ash has properties similar to those of standard fly ash, except for the high unburned carbon content. The pozzolanic activity of raw and treated ashes is notable, leading to high strength activity indexes. However, rheological properties and setting time delays still need to be assessed. Laboratory CEM II cements made using the treated ashes gave superior mechanical performance when compared to CEM II containing typical constituents (clinker and natural pozzolana) usually found in Reunion Islan

Contribution à la caractérisation des fines minérales et à la compréhension de leur rôle joué dans le comportement rhéologique des matrices cimentaires

The objective of this work is to contribute to the comprehension of the principal mechanisms of action of mineral additives used in concrete. The use of mineral additives, coupled with superplasticizers, made it possible to significantly improve concrete mix design, concrete mechanical properties and durability. The first part deepen two characteristics of mineral additives (determination of the amorphous phase content by X ray diffraction and particle size distribution by laser granulometry) in order to increase their level of confidence. The second part highlights the effect of mineral additives on the rheological behaviour of cement pastes, then provides the first step in the way to understand their principal mechanisms of action. It is shown that: (1) the modification of the rheological parameters (yield stress and apparent viscosity) depends on physicochemical properties of the materials used (specific area, particle size distribution, composition), particularly when these properties modify compactness and interactions between particles. (2) the rheological behaviour of the pastes is not fundamentally modify by the use of mineral additives or by vibration, since these parameters only amplify or reduce the intensity of phenomenon like shear-thickening; on the contrary, superplasticizers have an important effect since their use lead to a gradual modification of the paste behaviour, which shift from shear-thinning to shear-thickening

MK-GGBS foams: Relation between mechanical parameters and morphological parameters

This study aims to link the thermomechanical properties of blended metakaolin-ground granulated blast furnace slag (MK-GGBS) foam concrete (FC) to their morphological parameters. The AAM FC matrix is composed of MK, GGBS and an alkaline solution. The binder is composed of 62.5% of MK, 12.5% of GGBS and 25% of dry extract of alkaline solution. Water came from the alkaline solution and additional water to reach a water/binder ratio of 0.36. The AAM paste was aerated with different H2O2 contents (1, 1.5 and 2%) and stabilized with surfactant. The surfactant content ranged from 0.002 to 0.05 %. Lightweight AAMs were obtained with density from 264 to 480 kg/m3. The analysis of the sectional view pictures revealed that AAMs FC porous structure is highly influenced by both H2O2 and surfactant contents. The H2O2 content modify the FC density while the surfactant content mostly modified the bubble distribution at a constant density. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Resistance and symbiosis : Québec discourses of resistance in the context of postcolonial theory

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.[À l'origine dans / Was originally part of : Thèses et mémoires - FAS - Département de littérature comparée