Dynamic Excitation for Geotechnical Centrifuge Modelling

The method of physical modeling in the centrifuge is growing in acceptance in the U.S.A. following many years of use in U.S.S.R., Denmark, England, Norway, France and Japan. Simulation of dynamic events (machine vibration, wave forces, and earthquake) in modeling in the centrifuge has important applications, especially on the large national Geotechical Centrifuge being constructed at NASA-ARC. The most difficult problem is that of earthquake simulation. Several schemes for light weight shakers have been proposed in a Workshop on Dynamic Excitation for Geotechnical Centrifuge Model Testing held in August, 1979. More recently, a scheme has been presented which utilizes traveling waves generated through a diaphragm at the side of the container which has many promising advantages and does not negate the work done in shaker development, but improves their utilization

Nominal Logic Programming

Nominal logic is an extension of first-order logic which provides a simple foundation for formalizing and reasoning about abstract syntax modulo consistent renaming of bound names (that is, alpha-equivalence). This article investigates logic programming based on nominal logic. We describe some typical nominal logic programs, and develop the model-theoretic, proof-theoretic, and operational semantics of such programs. Besides being of interest for ensuring the correct behavior of implementations, these results provide a rigorous foundation for techniques for analysis and reasoning about nominal logic programs, as we illustrate via examples.Comment: 46 pages; 19 page appendix; 13 figures. Revised journal submission as of July 23, 200

Manure- Valuable Soil Builder

Good farmers for years have considered the manure produced on their farms a valuable fertilizer and many carefully conducted experiments have shown that these farmers have been right

Proceedings of the US and Canada Scallop Science Summit: St. Andrews, New Brunswick, May 6–8, 2014

A council of stakeholders ranging from fishermen, to scientists, and fisheries managers from both Canada and the United States convened on May 6, 7, and 8, 2014 in St. Andrews, New Brunswick to review and discuss the most recent scientific information relevant to the sea scallop fisheries and aquaculture efforts in the US and Canada. The US and Canada Scallop Summit aimed to strengthen and broaden the knowledge base in the scallop fisheries, with a focus on the nearshore fisheries in the Gulf of Maine and Bay of Fundy, as well as aquaculture efforts, and develop research priorities that aim to assist in the goal of profitable, sustainable fisheries that support coastal communities. More specifically, the overarching goals of this meeting were: i) to review and discuss the most recent scientific information relevant to the sea scallop fisheries and aquaculture efforts in the US and Canada among stakeholders – scientists, harvesters, and managers, ii) to bring together relevant groups – including scientists, harvesters, and managers, to increase coordination and collaboration on future scientific research opportunities, and iii) to provide an inclusive and participative forum to engage industry in scientific discussions and knowledge sharing. The summit involved 41 participants (mainly from Atlantic Canada and New England) and 14 presentations over four theme sessions. These proceedings provide an overall summary of the meeting presentations, questions, and discussion sessions

A dependent nominal type theory

Nominal abstract syntax is an approach to representing names and binding pioneered by Gabbay and Pitts. So far nominal techniques have mostly been studied using classical logic or model theory, not type theory. Nominal extensions to simple, dependent and ML-like polymorphic languages have been studied, but decidability and normalization results have only been established for simple nominal type theories. We present a LF-style dependent type theory extended with name-abstraction types, prove soundness and decidability of beta-eta-equivalence checking, discuss adequacy and canonical forms via an example, and discuss extensions such as dependently-typed recursion and induction principles

First-Order Provenance Games

We propose a new model of provenance, based on a game-theoretic approach to query evaluation. First, we study games G in their own right, and ask how to explain that a position x in G is won, lost, or drawn. The resulting notion of game provenance is closely related to winning strategies, and excludes from provenance all "bad moves", i.e., those which unnecessarily allow the opponent to improve the outcome of a play. In this way, the value of a position is determined by its game provenance. We then define provenance games by viewing the evaluation of a first-order query as a game between two players who argue whether a tuple is in the query answer. For RA+ queries, we show that game provenance is equivalent to the most general semiring of provenance polynomials N[X]. Variants of our game yield other known semirings. However, unlike semiring provenance, game provenance also provides a "built-in" way to handle negation and thus to answer why-not questions: In (provenance) games, the reason why x is not won, is the same as why x is lost or drawn (the latter is possible for games with draws). Since first-order provenance games are draw-free, they yield a new provenance model that combines how- and why-not provenance

Negative thermal expansion of MgB2_{2} in the superconducting state and anomalous behavior of the bulk Gr\"uneisen function

The thermal expansion coefficient $\alpha$ of MgB$_2$ is revealed to change from positive to negative on cooling through the superconducting transition temperature $T_c$. The Gr\"uneisen function also becomes negative at $T_c$ followed by a dramatic increase to large positive values at low temperature. The results suggest anomalous coupling between superconducting electrons and low-energy phonons.Comment: 5 figures. submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Nominal Unification of Higher Order Expressions with Recursive Let

A sound and complete algorithm for nominal unification of higher-order expressions with a recursive let is described, and shown to run in non-deterministic polynomial time. We also explore specializations like nominal letrec-matching for plain expressions and for DAGs and determine the complexity of corresponding unification problems.Comment: Pre-proceedings paper presented at the 26th International Symposium on Logic-Based Program Synthesis and Transformation (LOPSTR 2016), Edinburgh, Scotland UK, 6-8 September 2016 (arXiv:1608.02534

High aerodynamic lift from the tail reduces drag in gliding raptors

Many functions have been postulated for the aerodynamic role of the avian tail during steady-state flight. By analogy with conventional aircraft, the tail might provide passive pitch stability if it produced very low or negative lift. Alternatively, aeronautical principles might suggest strategies that allow the tail to reduce inviscid, induced drag: if the wings and tail act in different horizontal planes, they might benefit from biplane-like aerodynamics; if they act in the same plane, lift from the tail might compensate for lift lost over the fuselage (body), reducing induced drag with a more even downwash profile. However, textbook aeronautical principles should be applied with caution because birds have highly capable sensing and active control, presumably reducing the demand for passive aerodynamic stability, and, because of their small size and low flight speeds, operate at Reynolds numbers two orders of magnitude below those of light aircraft. Here, by tracking up to 20,000, 0.3 mm neutrally buoyant soap bubbles behind a gliding barn owl, tawny owl and goshawk, we found that downwash velocity due to the body/tail consistently exceeds that due to the wings. The downwash measured behind the centreline is quantitatively consistent with an alternative hypothesis: that of constant lift production per planform area, a requirement for minimizing viscous, profile drag. Gliding raptors use lift distributions that compromise both inviscid induced drag minimization and static pitch stability, instead adopting a strategy that reduces the viscous drag, which is of proportionately greater importance to lower Reynolds number fliers

Bird wings act as a suspension system that rejects gusts

Musculoskeletal systems cope with many environmental perturbations without neurological control. These passive preflex responses aid animals to move swiftly through complex terrain. Whether preflexes play a substantial role in animal flight is uncertain. We investigated how birds cope with gusty environments and found that their wings can act as a suspension system, reducing the effects of vertical gusts by elevating rapidly about the shoulder. This preflex mechanism rejected the gust impulse through inertial effects, diminishing the predicted impulse to the torso and head by 32% over the first 80 ms, before aerodynamic mechanisms took effect. For each wing, the centre of aerodynamic loading aligns with the centre of percussion, consistent with enhancing passive inertial gust rejection. The reduced motion of the torso in demanding conditions simplifies crucial tasks, such as landing, prey capture and visual tracking. Implementing a similar preflex mechanism in future small-scale aircraft will help to mitigate the effects of gusts and turbulence without added computational burden