A novel approach to modelling of flow in fractured porous medium

summary:There are many problems of groundwater flow in a disrupted rock massifs that should be modelled using numerical models. It can be done via “standard approaches” such as increase of the permeability of the porous medium to account the fracture system (or double-porosity models), or discrete stochastic fracture network models. Both of these approaches appear to have their constraints and limitations, which make them unsuitable for the large- scale long-time hydrogeological calculations. In the article, a new approach to the modelling of groudwater flow in fractured porous medium, which combines the above-mentioned models, is described. This article presents the mathematical formulation and demonstration of numerical results obtained by this new approach. The approach considers three substantial types of objects within a structure of modelled massif important for the groudwater flow – small stochastic fractures, large deterministic fractures, and lines of intersection of the large fractures. The systems of stochastic fractures are represented by blocks of porous medium with suitably set hydraulic conductivity. The large fractures are represented as polygons placed in 3D space and their intersections are represented by lines. Thus flow in 3D porous medium, flow in 2D and 1D fracture systems, and communication among these three systems are modelled together

Influence of structure of iron nanoparticles in aggregates on their magnetic properties

Zero-valent iron nanoparticles rapidly aggregate. One of the reasons is magnetic forces among the nanoparticles. Magnetic field around particles is caused by composition of the particles. Their core is formed from zero-valent iron, and shell is a layer of magnetite. The magnetic forces contribute to attractive forces among the nanoparticles and that leads to increasing of aggregation of the nanoparticles. This effect is undesirable for decreasing of remediation properties of iron particles and limited transport possibilities. The aggregation of iron nanoparticles was established for consequent processes: Brownian motion, sedimentation, velocity gradient of fluid around particles and electrostatic forces. In our previous work, an introduction of influence of magnetic forces among particles on the aggregation was presented. These forces have significant impact on the rate of aggregation. In this article, a numerical computation of magnetic forces between an aggregate and a nanoparticle and between two aggregates is shown. It is done for random position of nanoparticles in an aggregate and random or arranged directions of magnetic polarizations and for structured aggregates with arranged vectors of polarizations. Statistical computation by Monte Carlo is done, and range of dominant area of magnetic forces around particles is assessed. © 2011 Rosická and Šembera

A wildland fire model with data assimilation

A wildfire model is formulated based on balance equations for energy and fuel, where the fuel loss due to combustion corresponds to the fuel reaction rate. The resulting coupled partial differential equations have coefficients that can be approximated from prior measurements of wildfires. An ensemble Kalman filter technique with regularization is then used to assimilate temperatures measured at selected points into running wildfire simulations. The assimilation technique is able to modify the simulations to track the measurements correctly even if the simulations were started with an erroneous ignition location that is quite far away from the correct one.Comment: 35 pages, 12 figures; minor revision January 2008. Original version available from http://www-math.cudenver.edu/ccm/report

Influence of structure of iron nanoparticles in aggregates on their magnetic properties

Zero-valent iron nanoparticles rapidly aggregate. One of the reasons is magnetic forces among the nanoparticles. Magnetic field around particles is caused by composition of the particles. Their core is formed from zero-valent iron, and shell is a layer of magnetite. The magnetic forces contribute to attractive forces among the nanoparticles and that leads to increasing of aggregation of the nanoparticles. This effect is undesirable for decreasing of remediation properties of iron particles and limited transport possibilities. The aggregation of iron nanoparticles was established for consequent processes: Brownian motion, sedimentation, velocity gradient of fluid around particles and electrostatic forces. In our previous work, an introduction of influence of magnetic forces among particles on the aggregation was presented. These forces have significant impact on the rate of aggregation. In this article, a numerical computation of magnetic forces between an aggregate and a nanoparticle and between two aggregates is shown. It is done for random position of nanoparticles in an aggregate and random or arranged directions of magnetic polarizations and for structured aggregates with arranged vectors of polarizations. Statistical computation by Monte Carlo is done, and range of dominant area of magnetic forces around particles is assessed

Changes in the nanoparticle aggregation rate due to the additional effect of electrostatic and magnetic forces on mass transport coefficients

The need may arise to be able to simulate the migration of groundwater nanoparticles through the ground. Transportation velocities of nanoparticles are different from that of water and depend on many processes that occur during migration. Unstable nanoparticles, such as zero-valent iron nanoparticles, are especially slowed down by aggregation between them. The aggregation occurs when attracting forces outweigh repulsive forces between the particles. In the case of iron nanoparticles that are used for remediation, magnetic forces between particles contribute to attractive forces and nanoparticles aggregate rapidly. This paper describes the addition of attractive magnetic forces and repulsive electrostatic forces between particles (by 'particle', we mean both single nanoparticles and created aggregates) into a basic model of aggregation which is commonly used. This model is created on the basis of the flow of particles in the proximity of observed particles that gives the rate of aggregation of the observed particle. By using a limit distance that has been described in our previous work, the flow of particles around one particle is observed in larger spacing between the particles. Attractive magnetic forces between particles draw the particles into closer proximity and result in aggregation. This model fits more closely with rapid aggregation which occurs between magnetic nanoparticles.Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic of the Technical University in Liberec [7822]; Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic [FR-TI1/456]; Ministry of Industry and Trad

Constitucional institutes of pardon and amnesty

1 Abstract CONSTITUTIONAL INSTITUTES OF PARDON AND AMNESTY This thesis deals with constitutional institutes of pardon and amnesty. The thesis aims to provide information on existing legal regulation of this area, closer explanation of the particular legal institutes, describe their historical development and show the way of their application during tenures of Czech presidents. The Introduction contains brief summary of the goals of the thesis, its structure and reasons for choice of the respective topic. The First Chapter is devoted to definition of elementary terms of pardon and amnesty and explanation of basic differences of their forms, i.e. abolition, agraciation and rehabilitation since correct understanding of these terms is crucial for understanding of the whole following text, The Second Chapter deals with historical development of the constitutional institutes in question before emergence of the independent Czech Republic. The Third Chapter contains analysis of current legal regulation in constitutional and general law. The Fourth Chapter is devoted to pardon, particularly more thorough analysis of transfer of capacity to grant pardons and procedural affairs related to granting of pardons in practice. Final part of this Chapter contains description of specific pardons granted during tenures of..