Coastal Conservation Lands Update (2005)

The Complex Systems Research Center (CSRC) at the University of New Hampshire has developed, implemented, and coordinated the GRANIT GIS clearinghouse since its inception in the mid 1980’s. One of the primary data sets maintained by CSRC and served through the clearinghouse is the Conservation and Protected Lands Data Layer. This data set contains a digital record of parcels of land of two or more acres that are mostly undeveloped and are protected from future development. Smaller parcels that adjoin previously mapped parcels or represent unique features, such as a bog or state-owned boat ramp, may also be included in this data layer. Through the GRANIT Conservation Lands Data Layer Update project, data on current protected lands were collected, reviewed, and processed for 48 communities in seacoast NH, including the 42 towns within the NH Estuaries Project area. GRANIT staff contacted each community’s conservation commission, as well as all quasi-public entities and land trusts active in the region, to solicit updates and additions to the data set. Concurrently, staff from the NH Office of Energy and Planning contacted the state and federal agencies that manage property in the seacoast to request comparable information. Through this collaborative process, 166 new tracts covering over 6,000 acres were added to the database. In addition, information on 122 existing tracts was modified to incorporate the reported corrections

GRANIT Conservation Lands Data Layer Update

The Complex Systems Research Center (CSRC) at the University of New Hampshire has developed, implemented, and coordinated the GRANIT GIS clearinghouse since its inception in the mid 1980’s. One of the primary data sets maintained by CSRC and served through the clearinghouse is the GRANIT Conservation and Protected Lands Data Layer. This data set contains a digital record of parcels of land of two or more acres that are mostly undeveloped and are protected from future development. Smaller parcels that adjoin previously mapped parcels or represent unique features, such as a bog or state-owned boat ramp, may also be included in the data layer. Through the GRANIT Conservation Lands Data Layer Update project, current protected lands data were collected, reviewed, and processed for the 47-community area within the NH Estuaries Project study area. GRANIT staff contacted each community’s conservation commission to solicit updates. Concurrently, staff from the Society for the Protection of NH Forests contacted the active land trusts in the region. Through this collaborative process, 235 tracts covering 6,997 acres were added to the database. In addition to new tracts, information for existing tracts was modified to incorporate any reported corrections. The resulting, updated data set is available to municipal decision-makers, the land trust community, and the general public through the GRANIT web site (www.granit.sr.unh.edu) and the GRANIT Conservation Lands Viewer (www.granitmap.sr.unh.edu)

The Scalar Curvature of a Causal Set

A one parameter family of retarded linear operators on scalar fields on causal sets is introduced. When the causal set is well-approximated by 4 dimensional Minkowski spacetime, the operators are Lorentz invariant but nonlocal, are parametrised by the scale of the nonlocality and approximate the continuum scalar D'Alembertian, $\Box$, when acting on fields that vary slowly on the nonlocality scale. The same operators can be applied to scalar fields on causal sets which are well-approximated by curved spacetimes in which case they approximate $\Box - {{1/2}}R$ where $R$ is the Ricci scalar curvature. This can used to define an approximately local action functional for causal sets.Comment: Typo in definition of equation (3) and definition of n(x,y) corrected. Note: published version still contains typ

The continuum limit of a 4-dimensional causal set scalar d'Alembertian

The continuum limit of a 4-dimensional, discrete d'Alembertian operator for scalar fields on causal sets is studied. The continuum limit of the mean of this operator in the Poisson point process in 4-dimensional Minkowski spacetime is shown to be the usual continuum scalar d'Alembertian $\Box$. It is shown that the mean is close to the limit when there exists a frame in which the scalar field is slowly varying on a scale set by the density of the Poisson process. The continuum limit of the mean of the causal set d'Alembertian in 4-dimensional curved spacetime is shown to equal $\Box - \frac{1}{2}R$, where $R$ is the Ricci scalar, under certain conditions on the spacetime and the scalar field.Comment: 31 pages, 2 figures. Slightly revised version, accepted for publication in Classical and Quantum Gravit

Teamwork and organizational innovation: the moderating role of the HRM context

Evidence is accumulating on the role of teams in shaping a variety of business outcomes, but our knowledge on the effect of teamwork on organizational innovation is still evolving. This study examines whether the extent to which two staff groups are organized in teams (production staff and management/administrative staff) affects organizational innovation and whether human resource management (HRM) systems, which can be of facilitating or con- straining nature, enhance the teamwork/innovation relationships. Hypotheses were tested with lagged and longitudinal data derived from 18 to 45 organizations from the UK manufacturing sector. Results suggest that the more widespread the use of teamwork in organizations, the higher the level of organizational innovation. Furthermore, this effect depends, particularly for production teams, on the overall quality of the HRM systems that exist in their organizations. Teamwork/innovation relationships are further moderated (for management and administrative teams) by an HRM practice that provides teams with time for thoughtful reflection. Thus, HRM systems can be of more or less facilitating or constraining nature for teams in organizations

Spin-dependent charge recombination along para-phenylene molecular wires

We have used an efficient new quantum mechanical method for radical pair recombination reactions to study the spin-dependent charge recombination along PTZ$^{\bullet+}$--Ph$_n$--PDI$^{\bullet-}$ molecular wires. By comparing our results to the experimental data of E. Weiss {\em et al.} [J. Am. Chem. Soc. {\bf 126}, 5577 (2004)], we are able to extract the spin-dependent (singlet and triplet) charge recombination rate constants for wires with $n=2-5$. These spin-dependent rate constants have not been extracted previously from the experimental data because they require fitting its magnetic field-dependence to the results of quantum spin dynamics simulations. We find that the triplet recombination rate constant decreases exponentially with the length of the wire, consistent with the superexchange mechanism of charge recombination. However, the singlet recombination rate constant is nearly independent of the length of the wire, suggesting that the singlet pathway is dominated by an incoherent hopping mechanism. A simple qualitative explanation for the different behaviours of the two spin-selective charge recombination pathways is provided in terms of Marcus theory. We also find evidence for a magnetic field-independent background contribution to the triplet yield of the charge recombination reaction, and suggest several possible explanations for it. Since none of these explanations is especially compelling given the available experimental evidence, and since the result appears to apply more generally to other molecular wires, we hope that this aspect of our study will stimulate further experimental work.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figure

Measurement of representative landfill gas migration samples at landfill perimeters: a case study

This paper describes the development of a fully integrated autonomous system based on existing infrared sensing technology capable of monitoring landfill gas migration (specifically carbon dioxide and methane) at landfill sites. Sampling using the described system was validated against the industry standard, GA2000 Plus hand held device, manufactured by Geotechnical Instruments Inc. As a consequence of repeated sampling during validation experiments, fluctuations in the gas mixtures became apparent. This initiated a parallel study into what constitutes a representative sample of landfill gas migration as reported to the Environmental Protection Agency. The work described in this paper shows that gas mixture concentrations change with depth of extraction from the borehole well, but with evidence of a steady state after a time

Monitoring of gas emissions at landfill sites using autonomous gas sensors

Executive Summary This report details the work carried out during the Smart Plant project (2005-AIC-MS-43-M4). As part of this research, an autonomous platform for monitoring greenhouse gases (methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2)) has been developed, prototyped and field validated. The modular design employed means that the platform can be readily adapted for a variety of applications involving these and other target gases such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S), ammonia (NH3) and carbon monoxide (CO) and the authors are in the process of completing several short demonstrator projects to illustrate the potential of the platform for some of these applications. The field validation for the greenhouse gas monitoring platform was carried out at two landfill sites in Ireland. The unit was used to monitor the concentration of CO2 and CH4 gas at perimeter borehole wells. The final prototype was deployed for over 4 months and successfully extracted samples from the assigned perimeter borehole well headspace, measured them and sent the data to a database via a global system for mobile (GSM) communications. The data were represented via an updating graph in a web interface. Sampling was carried out twice per day, giving a 60-fold increase on current monitoring procedures which provide one gas concentration measurement per month. From additional work described in this report, a number of conclusions were drawn regarding lateral landfill gas migration on a landfill site and the management of this migration to the site’s perimeter. To provide frequent, reliable monitoring of landfill gas migration to perimeter borehole wells, the unit needs to: • Be fully autonomous; • Be capable of extracting a gas sample from a borehole well independently of personnel; • Be able to relay the data in near real time to a base station; and • Have sensors with a range capable of adequately monitoring gas events accurately at all times. The authors believe that a unit capable of such monitoring has been developed and validated. This unit provides a powerful tool for effective management of landfill site gases. The effectiveness of this unit has been recognised by the site management team at the long-term deployment trial site, and the data gathered have been used to improve the day-to-day operations and gas management system on-site. The authors make the following recommendations: 1. The dynamics of the landfill gas management system cannot be captured by taking measurements once per month; thus, a minimum sampling rate of once per day is advised. 2. The sampling protocol should be changed: (i) Borehole well samples should not be taken from the top of the well but should be extracted at a depth within the headspace (0.5–1.0 m). The measurement depth will be dependent on the water table and headspace depth within the borehole well. (ii) The sampling time should be increased to 3 min to obtain a steady-state measurement from the headspace and to take a representative sample; and (iii) For continuous monitoring on-site, the extracted sample should be recycled back into the borehole well. However, for compliance monitoring, the sample should not be returned to the borehole well. 3. Devices should be placed at all borehole wells so the balance on the site can be maintained through the gas management system and extraction issues can be quickly recognised and addressed before there are events of high gas migration to the perimeter. 4. A pilot study should be carried out by the EPA using 10 of these autonomous devices over three to five sites to show the need and value for this type of sampling on Irish landfill sites