2,242 research outputs found
Mathematical models for multicontainer loading problems
This paper deals with the problem of a distribution company that has to serve its customers by putting first the products on pallets and then loading the pallets onto trucks. We approach the problem by developing and solving integer linear models. We start with basic models, that include the essential features of the problem, such as respecting the dimensions of the truck, and not exceeding the total weight capacity and the maximum weigh capacity on each axle. Then, we add progressively new conditions to consider the weight and volume of pallet bases and to include other desirable features for the solutions to be useful in practice, such as the position of the center of gravity and the minimization of the number of pallets.The models have been tested on a large set of real instances involving up to 46 trucks and kindly provided to us by a distribution company. The results show that in most cases the optimal solution can be obtained in small running times. Moreover, when optimality cannot be proven, the gap is very small, so we obtain high quality solutions for all the instances that we tested
Spectral optical monitoring of the double peaked emission line AGN Arp 102B: II. Variability of the broad line properties
We investigate a long-term (26 years, from 1987 to 2013) variability in the
broad spectral line properties of the radio galaxy Arp 102B, an active galaxy
with broad double-peaked emission lines. We use observations presented in Paper
I (Shapovalova et al. 2013) in the period from 1987 to 2011, and a new set of
observations performed in 2012--2013. To explore the BLR geometry, and clarify
some contradictions about the nature of the BLR in Arp 102B we explore
variations in the H and H line parameters during the monitored
period. We fit the broad lines with three broad Gaussian functions finding the
positions and intensities of the blue and red peaks in H and H.
Additionally we fit averaged line profiles with the disc model. We find that
the broad line profiles are double-peaked and have not been changed
significantly in shapes, beside an additional small peak that, from time to
time can be seen in the blue part of the H line. The positions of the
blue and red peaks { have not changed significantly during the monitored
period. The H line is broader than H line in the monitored
period. The disc model is able to reproduce the H and H broad
line profiles, however, observed variability in the line parameters are not in
a good agreement with the emission disc hypothesis. It seems that the BLR of
Arp 102B has a disc-like geometry, but the role of an outflow can also play an
important role in observed variation of the broad line properties.Comment: 17 pages, Accepted for publication in A&
Tabu Search with Consistent Neighbourhood for Strip Packing
This paper introduces a new tabu search algorithm for a strip packing problem. It integrates several key features: A consistent neighborhood, a fitness function including problem knowledge, and a diversification based on the history of the search. The neighborhood only considers valid, sometimes partial, packings. The fitness function incorporates measures related to the empty spaces. Diversification relies on a set of historically âfrozenâ objects. Experimental results are shown on a set of well-known hard instances and compared with previously reported tabu search algorithms as well as the best performing algorithms
Fisheries and Oceanography off Galicia, NW Spain: Mesoscale Spatial and Temporal Changes in Physical Processes and Resultant Patterns of Biological Productivity
The Galician shelf off NW Spain (43N degrees 9W degrees) exhibits mesoscale spatial and temporal changes in biological productivity associated with upwelling. Spatial heterogeneity results from local geomorphic and land-sea interactions superimposed on the large scale atmospheric processes that produce upwelling. Wind-induced upwelling events, commonly of short (i.e., week) duration, are more common in the summer than in the winter. A Series of cruises, including some time series sampling, and satellite imagery analysis showed that surface upwelling was more common and persistent on the northern coast compared with the western coast off the coastal embayments, the Rias Bajas. Nearshore off the rias, coastal runoff, which is greater in the rainy winter/spring versus the dry summer, affected upwelling. In early summer, upwelling less often reaches the surface because of increased water column stratification associated with lower surface salinities and thus upwelling is not detected by satellite imagery. Conversely, in late summer, upwelling more often reaches the surface because coastal runoff is reduced during the dry summer months and the water column tends to be less stratified. Plankton biomass and rate processes along the Galician shelf reflected both ambient hydrographic conditions as well as prior history of upwelling or downwelling. Phytoplankton and bacterioplankton were in greatest abundance during upwelling conditions (June through August); in contrast, both zooplankton and fish larvae exhibited highest abundances in March, when there were upwelling conditions prior to our cruise. Spatial differences in the duration and frequency of upwelling events, in combination with advection of water masses, are critical to the patterns of water column productivity and sardine fisheries production off the Galician coast. More persistent upwelling at this NW corner of the Iberian peninsula Supports large sardine fisheries because zooplankton and larval fish populations have time to respond to the higher primary production. Farther down the western Galician coast, the episodic upwelling and resultant intermittent primary production does not support a stable food supply needed to support fisheries. Times series sampling revealed mean response times of bacteria, phytoplankton, and zooplankton to be on the order of a day, days, and weeks, respectively. Sardines showed no spawning response in the relatively short time series sampling. The observed distributional patterns of fish eggs and larvae showed some offshore transport of fish larvae that were spawned inshore during upwelling periods and aggregation of larvae in a convergence zone northwest of Cabo Villano
Automatic stellar spectra parameterisation in the IR CaII triplet region
(Abridged) Galactic archaeology aims to determine the evolution of the Galaxy
from the chemical and kinematical properties of its stars. The analysis of
current large spectroscopic surveys (thousands of stars) and future ones
(millions of stars) require automated analysis techniques to obtain robust
estimates of the stellar parameters. Several on-going and planned spectroscopic
surveys have selected their wavelength region to contain the IR CaII triplet
and this paper focuses on the automatic analysis of such spectra.
We investigated two algorithms, MATISSE and DEGAS, both of which compare the
observed spectrum to a grid of synthetic spectra, but each uses a different
mathematical approach for finding the optimum match and hence the best stellar
parameters.
We identified degeneracies in different regions of the HR diagram: hot dwarfs
and giants share the same spectral signatures. Furthermore, the surface gravity
of cooler dwarfs is difficult to determine accurately. These effects are
intensified when the information decreases (e.g. metal-poor stars or low SNR
spectra). Our results show that the local projection method MATISSE is
preferred for high SNR spectra, whereas the decision-tree method DEGAS is
preferred for noisier spectra. We therefore propose a hybrid approach of both
methods and show that sufficiently accurate results for the purposes of
galactic archaeology are retrieved down to SNR~20 for typical thin or thick
disc stars, and down to SNR~50 for the more metal-poor halo giants.
If unappreciated, degeneracies in stellar parameters can introduce biases in
derived quantities for target stars such as distances and full space motions.
These biases can be minimised using the knowledge gained by thorough testing of
the proposed algorithm, which in turn lead to robust automated methods for the
coming extensive stellar spectroscopic surveys in the Local Group.Comment: 17 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Highlights from the Pierre Auger Observatory
The Pierre Auger Observatory is the world's largest cosmic ray observatory.
Our current exposure reaches nearly 40,000 km str and provides us with an
unprecedented quality data set. The performance and stability of the detectors
and their enhancements are described. Data analyses have led to a number of
major breakthroughs. Among these we discuss the energy spectrum and the
searches for large-scale anisotropies. We present analyses of our X
data and show how it can be interpreted in terms of mass composition. We also
describe some new analyses that extract mass sensitive parameters from the 100%
duty cycle SD data. A coherent interpretation of all these recent results opens
new directions. The consequences regarding the cosmic ray composition and the
properties of UHECR sources are briefly discussed.Comment: 9 pages, 12 figures, talk given at the 33rd International Cosmic Ray
Conference, Rio de Janeiro 201
Anisotropy and chemical composition of ultra-high energy cosmic rays using arrival directions measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory
The Pierre Auger Collaboration has reported evidence for anisotropy in the
distribution of arrival directions of the cosmic rays with energies
eV. These show a correlation with the distribution
of nearby extragalactic objects, including an apparent excess around the
direction of Centaurus A. If the particles responsible for these excesses at
are heavy nuclei with charge , the proton component of the
sources should lead to excesses in the same regions at energies . We here
report the lack of anisotropies in these directions at energies above
(for illustrative values of ). If the anisotropies
above are due to nuclei with charge , and under reasonable
assumptions about the acceleration process, these observations imply stringent
constraints on the allowed proton fraction at the lower energies
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