14,618 research outputs found
On the stability of travelling waves with vorticity obtained by minimisation
We modify the approach of Burton and Toland [Comm. Pure Appl. Math. (2011)]
to show the existence of periodic surface water waves with vorticity in order
that it becomes suited to a stability analysis. This is achieved by enlarging
the function space to a class of stream functions that do not correspond
necessarily to travelling profiles. In particular, for smooth profiles and
smooth stream functions, the normal component of the velocity field at the free
boundary is not required a priori to vanish in some Galilean coordinate system.
Travelling periodic waves are obtained by a direct minimisation of a functional
that corresponds to the total energy and that is therefore preserved by the
time-dependent evolutionary problem (this minimisation appears in Burton and
Toland after a first maximisation). In addition, we not only use the
circulation along the upper boundary as a constraint, but also the total
horizontal impulse (the velocity becoming a Lagrange multiplier). This allows
us to preclude parallel flows by choosing appropriately the values of these two
constraints and the sign of the vorticity. By stability, we mean conditional
energetic stability of the set of minimizers as a whole, the perturbations
being spatially periodic of given period.Comment: NoDEA Nonlinear Differential Equations and Applications, to appea
Estimating the Impacts of Storage Dry Matter Losses on Switchgrass Production
This poster estimates dry matter losses as a function of harvest method, storage treatment, and time in storage. We then calculate the cost to store switchgrass bales under alternate harvest method and storage treatment scenarios; and determine the breakeven harvest method and storage treatment as a function of biomass price and time in storage.Biomass, bioenergy crops, function form, sustainable systems, Farm Management, Production Economics, Q10, Q42,
The use and effectiveness of the eLib subject gateways: a preliminary investigation
Internet subject gateways were set up under the Electronic Libraries Programme (eLib) in order to address some of the problems of searching the Internet which have been identified by information professionals, i.e. locating relevant, good quality information. This preliminary study examines the extent to which academics in two universities use three eLib subject gateways (EEVL, OMNI and SOSIG). The results are generally encouraging for the eLib programme, but it is necessary for the gateways to be more effectively promoted. The study also found that academics do not have the same misgivings about the general search engines as the information professionals and seem to use them more readily than the gateways
Is Switchgrass Yield Response to Nitrogen Fertilizer Dynamic? Implications for Profitability and Sustainability at the Farm Level
Revised version of the paper submitted 2/11/2010Biomass, Energy Crops, Sequential Inputs, West Tennessee, Crop Production/Industries, Farm Management, Production Economics, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,
Switchgrass Production in Marginal Environments: A Comparative Economic Analysis across Four West Tennessee Landscapes
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) has been identified as a model feedstock for the emerging biofuels industry. Its selection was based, in part, upon the observation that switchgrass can produce high yields in marginal production environments. This trait may become particularly valuable in coming years, as renewable fuel mandates begin to take effect and concerns over the food-versus-fuel debate increase. Relatively little research information exists about how management practices and production costs vary across different production environments. The objectives of this research were (a) to compare switchgrass yields as influenced by seeding rate and nitrogen fertilization rates in low-, intermediate-, and high-yielding switchgrass production environments, (b) to determine the economically optimal seeding rate and nitrogen fertilization rate for each environment, and (c) to calculate per-ton production costs. Experimental yield data from four locations were utilized for this study. Plots were seeded in 2004 with treatments of 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0, and 12.5 lbs/acre. Nitrogen was applied in subsequent intervals at 0, 60, 120 and 180 lbs/acre. For an expected stand lifespan of 10 years, production costs ranged from 70 per ton in a marginal, poorly drained flood plain in which the switchgrass stand was slow to establish and which demonstrated lower overall yields.Crop Production/Industries, International Relations/Trade,
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How does glaucoma look?: Patient perception of visual field loss
Objective: To explore patient perception of vision loss in glaucoma and, specifically, to test the hypothesis that patients do not recognize their impairment as a black tunnel effect or as black patches in their field of view.
Design: Clinic-based cross-sectional study.
Participants: Fifty patients (age range, 52-82 years) with visual acuity better than 20/30 and with a range of glaucomatous visual field (VF) defects in both eyes, excluding those with very advanced disease (perimetrically blind).
Methods: Participants underwent monocular VF testing in both eyes using a Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA; 24-2 Swedish interactive threshold algorithm standard tests) and other tests of visual function. Participants took part in a recorded interview during which they were asked if they were aware of their VF loss; if so, there were encouraged to describe it in their own words. Participants were shown 6 images modified in a variety of ways on a computer monitor and were asked to select the image that most closely represented their perception of their VF loss.
Main Outcome Measures: Forced choice of an image best representing glaucomatous vision impairment.
Results: Participants had a range of VF defect severity: average HFA mean deviation was -8.7 dB (standard deviation [SD], 5.8 dB) and -10.5 dB (SD, 7.1 dB) in the right and left eyes, respectively. Thirteen patients (26%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 15%-40%) reported being completely unaware of their vision loss. None of the patients chose the images with a distinct black tunnel effect or black patches. Only 2 patients (4%; 95% CI, 0%-14%) chose the image with a tunnel effect with blurred edges. An image depicting blurred patches and another with missing patches was chosen by 54% (95% CI, 39%-68%) and 16% (95% CI, 7%-29%) of the patients, respectively. Content analysis of the transcripts from the recorded interviews indicated a frequent use of descriptors of visual symptoms associated with reported blur and missing features.
Conclusions: Patients with glaucoma do not perceive their vision loss as a black tunnel effect or as black patches masking their field of view. These findings are important in the context of depicting the effects of glaucomatous vision loss and raising awareness for glaucoma detection.
Financial Disclosure(s): The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article
Near-Infrared Spectroscopy of Molecular Hydrogen Emission in Four Reflection Nebulae: NGC 1333, NGC 2023, NGC 2068, and NGC 7023
We present near-infrared spectroscopy of fluorescent molecular hydrogen (H_2)
emission from NGC 1333, NGC 2023, NGC 2068, and NGC 7023 and derive the
physical properties of the molecular material in these reflection nebulae. Our
observations of NGC 2023 and NGC 7023 and the physical parameters we derive for
these nebulae are in good agreement with previous studies. Both NGC 1333 and
NGC 2068 have no previously-published analysis of near-infrared spectra. Our
study reveals that the rotational-vibrational states of molecular hydrogen in
NGC 1333 are populated quite differently from NGC 2023 and NGC 7023. We
determine that the relatively weak UV field illuminating NGC 1333 is the
primary cause of the difference. Further, we find that the density of the
emitting material in NGC 1333 is of much lower density, with n ~ 10^2 - 10^4
cm^-3. NGC 2068 has molecular hydrogen line ratios more similar to those of NGC
7023 and NGC 2023. Our model fits to this nebula show that the bright,
H_2-emitting material may have a density as high as n ~ 10^5 cm^-3, similar to
what we find for NGC 2023 and NGC 7023. Our spectra of NGC 2023 and NGC 7023
show significant changes in both the near-infrared continuum and H_2 intensity
along the slit and offsets between the peaks of the H_2 and continuum emission.
We find that these brightness changes may correspond to real changes in the
density and temperatures of the emitting region, although uncertainties in the
total column of emitting material along a given line of sight complicates the
interpretation. The spatial difference in the peak of the H_2 and near-infrared
continuum peaks in NGC 2023 and NGC 7023 shows that the near-infrared continuum
is due to a material which can survive closer to the star than H_2 can.Comment: Submitted for publication in ApJ. 34 pages including 12 embedded
postscript figures. Also available at
http://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/~martini/pub
Isolated X-ray -- infrared sources in the region of interaction of the supernova remnant IC 443 with a molecular cloud
The nature of the extended hard X-ray source XMMU J061804.3+222732 and its
surroundings is investigated using XMM-Newton, Chandra, and Spitzer
observations. This source is located in an interaction region of the IC 443
supernova remnant with a neighboring molecular cloud. The X-ray emission
consists of a number of bright clumps embedded in an extended structured
non-thermal X-ray nebula larger than 30" in size. Some clumps show evidence for
line emission at ~1.9 keV and ~3.7 keV at the 99% confidence level. Large-scale
diffuse radio emission of IC 443 passes over the source region, with an
enhancement near the source. An IR source of about 14" x 7" size is prominent
in the 24 um, 70 um, and 2.2 um bands, adjacent to a putative Si K-shell X-ray
line emission region. The observed IR/X-ray morphology and spectra are
consistent with those expected for J/C-type shocks of different velocities
driven by fragmented supernova ejecta colliding with the dense medium of a
molecular cloud. The IR emission of the source detected by Spitzer can be
attributed to both continuum emission from an HII region created by the ejecta
fragment and line emission excited by shocks. This source region in IC 443 may
be an example of a rather numerous population of hard X-ray/IR sources created
by supernova explosions in the dense environment of star-forming regions.
Alternative Galactic and extragalactic interpretations of the observed source
are also discussed.Comment: The Astrophysical Journal, v. 677 (April 2008), in pres
An ASCA Study of the W51 Complex
We present the analysis of ASCA archival data from the Galactic source W51.
The ASCA spectra show that the soft (kT<= 2.5 keV) X-rays are of thermal origin
and are compatible with W51C being a single, isothermal (kT~0.3 keV) supernova
remnant at the far-side of the Sagittarius arm. The ASCA images reveal hard
(kT>=2.5 keV) X-ray sources which were not seen in previous X-ray observations.
Some of these sources are coincident with massive star-forming regions and the
spectra are used to derive X-ray parameters. By comparing the X-ray absorbing
column density with atomic hydrogen column density, we infer the location of
star-forming regions relative to molecular clouds. There are unidentified hard
X-ray sources superposed on the supernova remnant and we discuss the
possibility of their association.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, to be published in Astronomical Journa
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