Automotive Stirling engine: Mod 2 design report

The design of an automotive Stirling engine that achieves the superior fuel economy potential of the Stirling cycle is described. As the culmination of a 9-yr development program, this engine, designated the Mod 2, also nullifies arguments that Stirling engines are heavy, expensive, unreliable, demonstrating poor performance. Installed in a General Motors Chevrolet Celebrity car, this engine has a predicted combined fuel economy on unleaded gasoline of 17.5 km/l (41 mpg)- a value 50% above the current vehicle fleet average. The Mod 2 Stirling engine is a four-cylinder V-drive design with a single crankshaft. The engine is also equipped with all the controls and auxiliaries necessary for automotive operation

The DICEMAN description schemes for still images and video sequences

To address the problem of visual content description, two Description Schemes (DSs) developed within the context of a European ACTS project known as DICEMAN, are presented. The DSs, designed based on an analogy with well-known tools for document description, describe both the structure and semantics of still images and video sequences. The overall structure of both DSs including the various sub-DSs and descriptors (Ds) of which they are composed is described. In each case, the hierarchical sub-DS for describing structure can be constructed using automatic (or semi-automatic) image/video analysis tools. The hierarchical sub-DSs for describing the semantics, however, are constructed by a user. The integration of the two DSs into a video indexing application currently under development in DICEMAN is also briefly described.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Roche volume filling and the dissolution of open star clusters

From direct N-body simulations we find that the dynamical evolution of star clusters is strongly influenced by the Roche volume filling factor. We present a parameter study of the dissolution of open star clusters with different Roche volume filling factors and different particle numbers. We study both Roche volume underfilling and overfilling models and compare with the Roche volume filling case. We find that in the Roche volume overfilling limit of our simulations two-body relaxation is no longer the dominant dissolution mechanism but the changing cluster potential. We call this mechnism "mass-loss driven dissolution" in contrast to "two-body relaxation driven dissolution" which occurs in the Roche volume underfilling regime. We have measured scaling exponents of the dissolution time with the two-body relaxation time. In this experimental study we find a decreasing scaling exponent with increasing Roche volume filling factor. The evolution of the escaper number in the Roche volume overfilling limit can be described by a log-logistic differential equation. We report the finding of a resonance condition which may play a role for the evolution of star clusters and may be calibrated by the main periodic orbit in the large island of retrograde quasiperiodic orbits in the Poincar\'e surfaces of section. We also report on the existence of a stability curve which may be of relevance with respect to the structure of star clusters.Comment: 14 pages, 10+1 figures, accepted by Astronomische Nachrichte

A Regional and Industry Analysis of the Complexity of the Regulatory Environment Affecting Agricultural Producers in California

This paper provides results from a producers survey that enquired about the complexity of the regulatory environment in California. The primary objective of this paper is to examine the relationship between the complexity of the regulatory environment, agricultural industries in California, and different regions in California. This objective is achieved by taking information gathered from a producers survey and applying an ordered logit econometric model using complexity of the regulatory environment as the dependent variable. A secondary objective of this study is to develop a motivation why the complexity of the regulatory environment is important issue to consider. To achieve this goal, the perception of the complexity of the regulatory environment will be examined with potential management options that producers can take including increasing and decreasing their size of operation, leaving agricultural production, and moving out of the state.Agricultural and Food Policy,

An Estimation of the Regulatory Cost on California Agricultural Producers

This paper develops an estimation of the cost of regulations on California agricultural producers which can be used as a baseline for comparing regulatory environments. The estimated regulatory cost in relationship to operating costs for producers is between $2.19 billion to$2.21 billion. The range on percentage of income allocated to regulatory cost is between 5.24% and 9.19%.Environmental Economics and Policy,

Surface flaw reliability analysis of ceramic components with the SCARE finite element postprocessor program

The SCARE (Structural Ceramics Analysis and Reliability Evaluation) computer program on statistical fast fracture reliability analysis with quadratic elements for volume distributed imperfections is enhanced to include the use of linear finite elements and the capability of designing against concurrent surface flaw induced ceramic component failure. The SCARE code is presently coupled as a postprocessor to the MSC/NASTRAN general purpose, finite element analysis program. The improved version now includes the Weibull and Batdorf statistical failure theories for both surface and volume flaw based reliability analysis. The program uses the two-parameter Weibull fracture strength cumulative failure probability distribution model with the principle of independent action for poly-axial stress states, and Batdorf's shear-sensitive as well as shear-insensitive statistical theories. The shear-sensitive surface crack configurations include the Griffith crack and Griffith notch geometries, using the total critical coplanar strain energy release rate criterion to predict mixed-mode fracture. Weibull material parameters based on both surface and volume flaw induced fracture can also be calculated from modulus of rupture bar tests, using the least squares method with known specimen geometry and grouped fracture data. The statistical fast fracture theories for surface flaw induced failure, along with selected input and output formats and options, are summarized. An example problem to demonstrate various features of the program is included

Beyond Water-Quality Regulations for CAFOs? Manure Management Costs to Meet Air-Quality Objectives

Federal policy on manure management has focused on water-quality protection. However, animal agriculture is an important source of ammonia-nitrogen and other air emissions, increasing attention on air-quality concerns. Policies to address air emissions would influence both the costs of meeting water-quality objectives and environmental tradeoffs. We consider hypothetical policies at a regional level.manure management, confined animals, water quality, air quality, regional optimization, Chesapeake Bay, Environmental Economics and Policy,

Advanced content-based semantic scene analysis and information retrieval: the SCHEMA project

The aim of the SCHEMA Network of Excellence is to bring together a critical mass of universities, research centers, industrial partners and end users, in order to design a reference system for content-based semantic scene analysis, interpretation and understanding. Relevant research areas include: content-based multimedia analysis and automatic annotation of semantic multimedia content, combined textual and multimedia information retrieval, semantic -web, MPEG-7 and MPEG-21 standards, user interfaces and human factors. In this paper, recent advances in content-based analysis, indexing and retrieval of digital media within the SCHEMA Network are presented. These advances will be integrated in the SCHEMA module-based, expandable reference system

Economics and Biodiversity in Intensively Managed Agro-Ecosystems

This paper explores the dynamic effects of biodiversity conservation on agricultural production in the context of specialised intensive farming systems. The focus is on the analysis of the dynamic effects of changes in the levels of agrobiodiversity, on technical change and productivity in intensive agricultural systems. A theoretical model is used to derive hypotheses regarding these linkages that are empirically tested using a stochastic production frontier model with data from a panel of UK cereal farms for the period 1989-2000. The results suggest that the increased agrobiodiversity has positively helped to shift the production frontier outwards. This indicates that the evolution of an intensive agricultural system to less intensive use of inputs can be consistent with non-decreasing output levels and an enhancement of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes.Agrobiodiversity, Intensive Agriculture, Productivity, Technical change, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy, Q12, Q16, Q24,

The Economics of Biodiversity Conservation in Agricultural Transition

This paper explores the dynamic effects of biodiversity conservation on agricultural production in the context of specialised intensive farming systems that may be in transition towards more sustainable farming. The focus is on the analysis of the dynamic effects of changes in the levels of agrobiodiversity, on technical change and productivity in intensive agricultural systems. A theoretical model is used to derive hypotheses regarding these linkages that are empirically tested using a stochastic production frontier model with data from a panel of UK cereal farms for the period 1989-2000. The results suggest that the increased agrobiodiversity has positively helped to shift the production frontier outwards. This indicates that agricultural transition from more to less intensive agricultural systems can be consistent with non-decreasing output levels and an enhancement of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes.agrobiodiversity, intensive agriculture, productivity, technical change, Environmental Economics and Policy, Q12, Q16, Q24,