The Cost-Effectiveness of Remote Nuclear Reactor Siting

This paper attempts to gain insights into the cost-effectiveness of remote nuclear power plant siting as a means of minimizing potential radiation exposure. A simplified approach was used in which the reduction in population dose as a function of increasing distance between the nuclear power plant and the densely populated area it serves is evaluated against the resulting increase in power transmission cost. The model only considers power transmission costs as an economic variable; other advantages, such as the use of secondary heat, are not included. These calculations indicate that, based upon the guideline value of $1,000/man-rem, remote siting of nuclear power facilities would not seem to be a cost-effective way to control potential radiation exposures. But only the biological effects of potential radiation exposure were considered; if other risk aspects were to be included remote siting might be justified

Measuring Attitudes Towards the Use of Nuclear Power: An Analysis of a Measurement Instrument

A questionnaire was designed to obtain three independent measures of public attitudes towards energy systems, one of which is based on the concept developed by Fishbein. A sample of 147 university students was examined to investigate the meaningfulness of a set of 30 items designed to capture attitudes towards the use of nuclear energy. High correlations were found to exist among all the attitude measures taken, which indicated the appropriate selection and formulation of the attributes used. Analysis of the belief factor scores of the questionnaire yielded four factors: Societal Risks, Economic Benefits, Safety Considerations and Technological Implications. Comparison of sub-groups, pro and con the use of nuclear energy, showed significant differences in their perceptions of the four categories of issues. In addition, the Fishbein model was demonstrated to be insensitive to modifications of scaling as well as to the inclusion of an additional weighting parameter. A standard procedure for the data analysis is suggested

Optimal Detection for Diffusion-Based Molecular Timing Channels

This work studies optimal detection for communication over diffusion-based molecular timing (DBMT) channels. The transmitter simultaneously releases multiple information particles, where the information is encoded in the time of release. The receiver decodes the transmitted information based on the random time of arrival of the information particles, which is modeled as an additive noise channel. For a DBMT channel without flow, this noise follows the L\'evy distribution. Under this channel model, the maximum-likelihood (ML) detector is derived and shown to have high computational complexity. It is also shown that under ML detection, releasing multiple particles improves performance, while for any additive channel with $\alpha$-stable noise where $\alpha<1$ (such as the DBMT channel), under linear processing at the receiver, releasing multiple particles degrades performance relative to releasing a single particle. Hence, a new low-complexity detector, which is based on the first arrival (FA) among all the transmitted particles, is proposed. It is shown that for a small number of released particles, the performance of the FA detector is very close to that of the ML detector. On the other hand, error exponent analysis shows that the performance of the two detectors differ when the number of released particles is large.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures. Submitted for publicatio

A Non-Linear Eight Level Tandem Model to Calculate the Future CO2 and C-14-Burden to the Atmosphere

The combustion of fossil fuels leads to carbon dioxide emissions which may significantly disturb the global carbon cycle. This leads to a potential risk on account of the influence on the radiation balance of the earth. An eight-level tandem-model, based upon non-linear differential equations, was developed to simulate the possible effects of alternative strategies which might be used to meet future energy demands. This tandem-model also calculates C-14-flows, therefore making it possible to simulate the Suess-effect and the influence of C-14-emissions from the nuclear power fuel cycle. The radiation exposure due to C-14 does not depend upon its absolute atmospheric concentration, but upon the C-12/C-14-isotope ratio; therefore, two effects are counteracting. The C-14-free C02-emissions of fossil fuel consumption dilute the relative concentration and lead to a decrease in radiation exposure. Even based upon optimistic assumptions for the introduction of nuclear energy, an average global temperature increase of 1.8 degrees C is predicted by the end of the next century. The radiation dose due to C-14 would increase 2.4 mrem/yr above natural level. Assuming energy needs are met solely from fossil fuel, an average temperature increase of around 9 degrees C is estimated

Further study of the Over-Barrier Model to compute charge exchange processes

In this paper we study theoretically the process of electron capture between one-optical-electron atoms (e.g. hydrogenlike or alkali atoms) and ions at low-to-medium impact velocities ($v/v_e \approx 1$) working on a modification of an already developed classical In this work we present an improvement over the Over Barrier Model (OBM) described in a recent paper [F. Sattin, Phys. Rev. A {\bf 62}, 042711 (2000)]. We show that: i) one of the two free parameters there introduced actually comes out consistently from the starting assumptions underlying the model; ii) the modified model thus obtained is as much accurate as the former one. Furthermore, we show that OBMs are able to accurately predict some recent results of state selective electron capture, at odds with what previously supposed.Comment: RevTeX, 7 pages, 4 eps figures. To appear in Physical Review A (2001-september issue

Efficient evaluation of the Fourier Transform over products of Slater-type orbitals on different centers

Using the shift-operator technique, a compact formula for the Fourier transform of a product of two Slater-type orbitals located on different atomic centers is derived. The result is valid for arbitrary quantum numbers and was found to be numerically stable for a wide range of geometrical parameters and momenta. Details of the implementation are presented together with benchmark data for representative integrals. We also discuss the assets and drawbacks of alternative algorithms available and analyze the numerical efficiency of the new scheme.Comment: Revised versio

What did the students expect from TPU and what they have got: comparative study

Backlight units are the most relevant element in display with respect to the energy consumption. In addition, the quality of backlight units in terms of brightness, homogenous light distribution, and the angle of light radiation, dramatically influence the overall quality of a display. Within this paper a new approach for the production of complex micro optics on large surfaces is presented. The technology is being optimised within the FlexPAET project for the production of next generation backlight units which allow for more efficient display illumination

Brief of Defendant-Appellees Catholic Diocese of Cleveland and Bishop Anthony M. Pilla , Hawley v. City of Cleveland, 24 F3d 814 (6th Cir. 1994)

A City of Cleveland Ordinance leasing space in the airport to the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland for use as a chapel, which is available to religious groups and persons of all faiths does not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment

Brief of Defendant-Appellees Catholic Diocese of Cleveland and Bishop Anthony M. Pilla , Hawley v. City of Cleveland, 24 F3d 814 (6th Cir. 1994)

A City of Cleveland Ordinance leasing space in the airport to the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland for use as a chapel, which is available to religious groups and persons of all faiths does not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment

A classical Over Barrier Model to compute charge exchange between ions and one-optical-electron atoms

In this paper we study theoretically the process of electron capture between one-optical-electron atoms (e.g. hydrogenlike or alkali atoms) and ions at low-to-medium impact velocities (v/v_e <= 1) working on a modification of an already developed classical Over Barrier Model (OBM) [V. Ostrovsky, J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. {\bf 28} 3901 (1995)], which allows to give a semianalytical formula for the cross sections. The model is discussed and then applied to a number of test cases including experimental data as well as data coming from other sophisticated numerical simulations. It is found that the accuracy of the model, with the suggested corrections and applied to quite different situations, is rather high.Comment: 12 pages REVTEX, 5 EPSF figures, submitted to Phys Rev