ASSESSMENT OF GEOMETRIC ACCURACY OF VHR SATELLITE IMAGES

VHR images of earths ’ surface are more frequently used and taken advantage of in substitution to aerial photographs. Geometric dependences of creation orthophoto based on aerial photos are known and distinguished from images of VHR. Results of work led are presented in this article within the confines of an investigative project under the Committee of Scientific Research of Poland concerning the geometric mechanism of VHR images and corrections. Two test fields have been made up for this project (city, country and mountain terrain). For those test fields, images from IKONOS, QuickBird were ordered. In the conducted research the angle of the axes was take into consideration: 0 ° – 15 ° In each test field area, after the identification of control points on the VHR images, about 30 – 90 GCP have been measured with GPS in accuracy of 10 cm. For image geometric corrections in this project two types of available DTM models in Poland have been applied with varying accuracy. Geometric correction have been realized with the aid of generally available software as PCI Geomatica 9 with taking into consideration RPC method and camera ( rigorous) model. Throughout the work investigated, in each of the individual scenes of VHR various distribution and number of GCP was utilized for the process of orthorectification. Accuracy of orthorectification process received in result of led work, for VHR images at different configuration of geometry and methodology. Detailed results of experiments allow determining the optimal foundation for different methods of geometric corrections from IKONOS, QuickBird images and establishing effective process of dependence and defining geometric accuracy for different applications. 1

Towards the noise reduction of piezoelectrical-driven synthetic jet actuators

This paper details an experimental investigation aimed at reducing the noise output of piezoelectrical-driven synthetic jet actuators without compromising peak jet velocity. Specifically, the study considers double-chamber ('back-to-back') actuators for anti-phase noise suppression and corrugated-lobed orifices as a method to enhance turbulent mixing of the jets to suppress jet noise. The study involved the design, manufacture and bench test of interchangeable actuator hardware. Hot-wire anemometry and microphone recordings were employed to acquire velocity and noise measurements respectively for each chamber configuration and orifice plate across a range of excitation frequencies and for a fixed input voltage. The data analysis indicated a 32% noise reduction (20 dBA) from operating a singlechamber, circular orifice SJA to a double-chamber, corrugated-lobed orifice SJA at the Helmholtz resonant frequency. Results also showed there was a small reduction in peak jet velocity of 7% (~3 m/s) between these two cases based on orifices of the same discharge area. Finally, the electrical-to-fluidic power conversion efficiency of the double-chamber actuator was found to be 15% across all orifice designs at the resonant frequency; approximately double the efficiency of a single-chamber actuator. This work has thus demonstrated feasible gains in noise reduction and power efficiency through synthetic jet actuator design

Regulating and Deregulating the Public Utilities 1830-2010

History can provide invaluable insights into important issues of the economic and social regulation of utilities, and offer lessons towards future debates. But the history of utility regulation – which speaks of changing, diverse and complex experiences around the world – was, unfortunately, sidelined or marginalised when economists and policymakers enthusiastically embraced the question of how to reform the utilities from the 1970s. This paper provides an overview of the three, overarching, `waves' of utility regulation from the nineteenth century to the present, documenting how, when and why the ways in which the roles of the state, the market and firms altered over time. It then contextualises and explains the main contributions of each of the papers included in this special issue of Business History, which cover energy, communications, water, transportation and other urban infrastructure regulation, across Western Europe, the United States and Australia