36,963 research outputs found

    Levels of abstraction in human supervisory control teams

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    This paper aims to report a study into the levels of abstraction hierarchy (LOAH) in two energy distribution teams. The original proposition for the LOAH was that it depicted five levels of system representation, working from functional purpose through to physical form to determine causes of a malfunction, or from physical form to functional purpose to determine the purpose of system function. The LOAH has been widely used throughout human supervisory control research to explain individual behaviour. The research seeks to focus on the application the LOAH to human supervisory control teams in semi-automated “intelligent” systems

    Modulated phases in a three-dimensional Maier-Saupe model with competing interactions

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    This work is dedicated to the study of the discrete version of the Maier-Saupe model in the presence of competing interactions. The competition between interactions favoring different orientational ordering produces a rich phase diagram including modulated phases. Using a mean-field approach and Monte Carlo simulations, we show that the proposed model exhibits isotropic and nematic phases and also a series of modulated phases that meet at a multicritical point, a Lifshitz point. Though the Monte Carlo and mean-field phase diagrams show some quantitative disagreements, the Monte Carlo simulations corroborate the general behavior found within the mean-field approximation.We thank P. Gomes, R. Kaul, G. Landi, M. Oliveira, R. Oliveira, and S. Salinas for useful discussions and suggestions. P.F.B. was supported by Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP) and the Condensed Matter Theory Visitors Program at Boston University. N.X. and A.W.S. were funded in part by the NSF under Grant No. DMR-1410126. Some of the calculations were carried out on Boston University's Shared Computing Cluster. (Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP); Condensed Matter Theory Visitors Program at Boston University; DMR-1410126 - NSF)Accepted manuscrip

    Nuclear shell evolution and in-medium NN interaction

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    We report on a quantitative study of the evolution of the nuclear shell structure, in particular, effective single-particle energies (ESPEs), based on the spin-tensor decomposition of an effective two-body shell-model interaction. While the global trend of the ESPEs is mainly due to the central term of the effective interaction, variations of shell gaps invoke various components of the in-medium NN force. From a detailed analysis of a well-fitted realistic interaction in the sdpf shell-model space, two most important contributions for the evolution of the N = 20 and N = 28 shell gaps are confirmed to be the central term and the tensor term. The role of the latter is dominant to explain the energy shift of spin-orbit partners. Spin-tensor analysis of microscopic effective interactions in sd, pf, and gds shell-model spaces, contrasted with that of the phenomenologically adjusted ones, shows no evidence of amplification of the tensor component contribution; however, it points toward the neglect of three-body forces in the present microscopic interactions

    Discrete adjoint approximations with shocks

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    This paper is concerned with the formulation and discretisation of adjoint equations when there are shocks in the underlying solution to the original nonlinear hyperbolic p.d.e. For the model problem of a scalar unsteady one-dimensional p.d.e. with a convex flux function, it is shown that the analytic formulation of the adjoint equations requires the imposition of an interior boundary condition along any shock. A 'discrete adjoint' discretisation is defined by requiring the adjoint equations to give the same value for the linearised functional as a linearisation of the original nonlinear discretisation. It is demonstrated that convergence requires increasing numerical smoothing of any shocks. Without this, any consistent discretisation of the adjoint equations without the inclusion of the shock boundary condition may yield incorrect values for the adjoint solution

    The valuation tool user guide: monetizing Cradle to Cradle®

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    This User Guide outlines the object, scope and expected deliverables from the Valuation Tool component of the Cradle to Cradle ® C2C BIZZ project. It describes the compendium of subtools that have been developed comprising: i) overview of funding tools; ii) C2C investment appraisal tool; and iii) C2C value indexing tool. The underpinning methodologies, as well as their inherent strengths and limitations are also described. The C2C BIZZ project as a whole aims specifically to promote and enhance the implementation of C2C methods in business site development within North Western Europe (NWE) (PAD, p.14). It is intended to infuse C2C notions into conventional site development, restructuring and management. The primary focus of the project is on planning, building and managing of business sites with C2C credentials (PAD, p.18) using sites in Lille Metropole (La Lainiere), London (London Sustainable Industries Park) and Luxemburg (Ecoparc Windhof) as experimental fields. C2C BIZZ is not concerned with the internal operations and activities of occupiers or users of the developed site. Accordingly, the scope of the valuation tool is confined to the planning, building and management of C2C sites. The deliverable from this component is a compendium of subtools (see Figure 1 below) that may be used to analyse the financial performance of C2C credentials in business sites to aid the making of a business case for such developments and evaluating the financial incentives for particular C2C site development projects. This entire work is premised on the argument that the wider adoption of C2C principles within the built environment depends on the rate of uptake by the private sector. The private sector, being profit driven, are likely to engage in C2C site development if they are convinced of its capacity to contribute to their business goals which ultimately is a return on their investment. The tool development described in this document attempts to provide a framework for collating an evidence base that can assist in articulating the business case for C2C in business site developments
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