MOON: MapReduce On Opportunistic eNvironments

Abstract—MapReduce offers a flexible programming model for processing and generating large data sets on dedicated resources, where only a small fraction of such resources are every unavailable at any given time. In contrast, when MapReduce is run on volunteer computing systems, which opportunistically harness idle desktop computers via frameworks like Condor, it results in poor performance due to the volatility of the resources, in particular, the high rate of node unavailability. Specifically, the data and task replication scheme adopted by existing MapReduce implementations is woefully inadequate for resources with high unavailability. To address this, we propose MOON, short for MapReduce On Opportunistic eNvironments. MOON extends Hadoop, an open-source implementation of MapReduce, with adaptive task and data scheduling algorithms in order to offer reliable MapReduce services on a hybrid resource architecture, where volunteer computing systems are supplemented by a small set of dedicated nodes. The adaptive task and data scheduling algorithms in MOON distinguish between (1) different types of MapReduce data and (2) different types of node outages in order to strategically place tasks and data on both volatile and dedicated nodes. Our tests demonstrate that MOON can deliver a 3-fold performance improvement to Hadoop in volatile, volunteer computing environments

Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy of nanoscale twisted bilayer graphene

Nanoscale twisted bilayer graphene (TBG) is quite instable and will change its structure to Bernal (or AB-stacking) bilayer with a much lower energy. Therefore, the lack of nanoscale TBG makes its electronic properties not accessible in experiment up to now. In this work, a special confined TBG is obtained in the overlaid area of two continuous misoriented graphene sheets. The width of the confined region of the TBG changes gradually from about 22 nm to 0 nm. By using scanning tunnelling microscopy, we studied carefully the structure and the electronic properties of the nanoscale TBG. Our results indicate that the low-energy electronic properties, including twist-induced van Hove singularities (VHSs) and spatial modulation of local density-of-state, are strongly affected by the translational symmetry breaking of the nanoscale TBG. Whereas, the electronic properties above the energy of the VHSs are almost not influenced by the quantum confinement even when the width of the TBG is reduced to only a single moire spot.Comment: 4 Figure

Cost-optimal energy management of hybrid electric vehicles using fuel cell/battery health-aware predictive control

Energy management is an enabling technology for increasing the economy of fuel cell/battery hybrid electric vehicles. Existing efforts mostly focus on optimization of a certain control objective (e.g., hydrogen consumption), without sufficiently considering the implications for on-board power sources degradation. To address this deficiency, this article proposes a cost-optimal, predictive energy management strategy, with an explicit consciousness of degradation of both fuel cell and battery systems. Specifically, we contribute two main points to the relevant literature, with the purpose of distinguishing our study from existing ones. First, a model predictive control framework, for the first time, is established to minimize the total running cost of a fuel cell/battery hybrid electric bus, inclusive of hydrogen cost and costs caused by fuel cell and battery degradation. The efficacy of this framework is evaluated, accounting for various sizes of prediction horizon and prediction uncertainties. Second, the effects of driving and pricing scenarios on the optimized vehicular economy are explored

Comprehensive evaluation of green transportation in Chongqing main urban area based on sustainable development theory

Taking the main urban area of Chongqing as the research area, this paper combines the content of urban green transportation and sustainable development, characteristics of mountain cities and factors affecting green transportation. The relevant indexes of urban green traffic evaluation index system are screened by taking into account the availability of each indicator data, while a comprehensive evaluation index system of green traffic suitable for mountain cities is established. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Information Entropy Method are used to determine the weight of each factor and the combination weight of each index in the urban traffic green evaluation index system. Then, the weights of the evaluation factors and indicators are combined and empowered. Combining ArcGIS software with evaluation model, data collection and evaluation of green traffic indicators are carried out in nine districts of Chongqing. Finally, suggestions and improvement measures are put forward to promote the development of green traffic in Chongqing