Detection of hidden structures on all scales in amorphous materials and complex physical systems: basic notions and applications to networks, lattice systems, and glasses

Recent decades have seen the discovery of numerous complex materials. At the root of the complexity underlying many of these materials lies a large number of possible contending atomic- and larger-scale configurations and the intricate correlations between their constituents. For a detailed understanding, there is a need for tools that enable the detection of pertinent structures on all spatial and temporal scales. Towards this end, we suggest a new method by invoking ideas from network analysis and information theory. Our method efficiently identifies basic unit cells and topological defects in systems with low disorder and may analyze general amorphous structures to identify candidate natural structures where a clear definition of order is lacking. This general unbiased detection of physical structure does not require a guess as to which of the system properties should be deemed as important and may constitute a natural point of departure for further analysis. The method applies to both static and dynamic systems.Comment: (23 pages, 9 figures

Vertical gardening: For present age environmental protection

The term “vertical gardening” is self-explanatory. Vertical gardens, also known as green walls are contemporary forms of gardening. The increase in the urban living and lifestyle has raised the number of apartments in India. This has led to the encroachment of spaces all over the city. For a person who is a nature lover, it is very difficult to have their own garden especially when they are residing in an apartment. Perhaps, they need not lose hope as a vertical garden can let you indulge in gardening and your love towards gardening. You can attain this by cultivating a vertical garden in your apartment balconies or any other appropriate place. This will help create green walls in limited space of your apartment. A vertical garden will give your home a chic look by acting as an elegant home décor as well as it freshens up the air. They can be classically minimal or overgrown based on your preference. Vertical gardens can be mounted on walls using different suitable mediums like bags, pouches, water bottles, plastic containers, fabrics and so on. These gardens can be used to block unpleasant sights or penetrating sunlight in your apartment. With the popularity and versatility of vertical gardening systems, there are now several designs of green-walls on the market for both aesthetic and productive gardens. It’s important to have an understanding of the strengths of each system so you can create the effect you are after, not only for the weeks after installation but in the years to come. A vertical garden performs environmental magic while hiding ugly walls or providing the whole family with an abundance of fresh food but they need to be easy to install and even easier to maintain. They add height to horizontal gardens, making them more visually thought provoking

Determinants of Energy Intensity in Indian Manufacturing Industries: A Firm Level Analysis

The demand for energy, particularly for commercial energy, has been growing rapidly with the growth of the economy, changes in the demographic structure, rising urbanization, socio-economic development, and the desire for attaining and sustaining self-reliance in some sectors of the economy. In this context the energy intensity is one of the key factors, which affect the projections of future energy demand for any economy. Energy intensity in Indian industry is among the highest in the world. According to the GoI statistics, the manufacturing sector is the largest consumer of commercial energy in India. Energy consumption per unit of production in the manufacturing of steel, aluminum, cement, paper, textile, etc. is much higher in India, even in comparison with some developing countries. In this study we attempt to analyze energy intensity at firm level and define energy intensity as the ratio of energy consumption to sales turnover. The purpose of this study is to understand the factors that determine industrial energy intensity in Indian manufacturing. The results of the econometric analysis, based on firm level data drawn from the PROWESS data base of the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy during recent years, identify the sources of variation in energy intensity. Also, we found a non-linear ‘U’ shaped relationship between energy intensity and firm size, implying that both very large and very small firms tend to be more energy intensive. The analysis also highlights that ownership type is an important determinant of energy intensity. We found that foreign owned firms exhibit a higher level of technical efficiency and therefore are less energy intensive. The technology import activities are important contributors to the decline in firm- level energy intensity. The paper also identifies that there is a sizable difference between energy intensive firm and less energy intensive firms. In addition the results shows that younger firms are more energy efficient as compared to the older firms and an inverse U’ shaped relationship is found between the energy intensity and the age of the firm.Energy Intensity, Commercial Energy Consumption, Indian Manufacturing Industries