A formal development framework and its use to manage software production

Within an ESPRIT project called FORMAST the authors devised the concept of a ƒorm to bring together all aspects of the development of a 'module' (i.e. specification, design and verification) within a distributed asynchronous system. The use of ƒorms can be extended to other compositional system development scenarios. Using ƒorms in a top-down fashion means that the logical interaction between the modules already designed and the formal specifications of modules required to complete the implementation can readily be ascertained. Moreover, this can be done at any stage of development. Thus one can maintain an overall view of the entire system design and use this to monitor the progress of program construction. This then provides a notion of traceability from a management standpoint

Quantum Pumping in the Magnetic Field: Role of Discrete Symmetries

We consider an effect of the discrete spatial symmetries and magnetic field on the adiabatic charge pumping in mesoscopic systems. In general case, there is no symmetry of the pumped charge with respect to the inversion of magnetic field Q(B) \neq Q(-B). We find that the reflection symmetries give rise to relations Q(B)=Q(-B) or Q(B)=-Q(-B) depending on the orientation of the reflection axis. In presence of the center of inversion, Q(B) = 0. Additional symmetries may arise in the case of bilinear pumping.Comment: 4 page

Ice sheet model dependency of the simulated Greenland Ice Sheet in the mid-Pliocene

The understanding of the nature and behavior of ice sheets in past warm periods is important for constraining the potential impacts of future climate change. The Pliocene warm period (between 3.264 and 3.025 Ma) saw global temperatures similar to those projected for future climates; nevertheless, Pliocene ice locations and extents are still poorly constrained. We present results from the efforts to simulate mid-Pliocene Greenland Ice Sheets by means of the international Pliocene Ice Sheet Modeling Intercomparison Project (PLISMIP). We compare the performance of existing numerical ice sheet models in simulating modern control and mid-Pliocene ice sheets with a suite of sensitivity experiments guided by available proxy records. We quantify equilibrated ice sheet volume on Greenland, identifying a potential range in sea level contributions from warm Pliocene scenarios. A series of statistical measures are performed to quantify the confidence of simulations with focus on inter-model and inter-scenario differences. We find that Pliocene Greenland Ice Sheets are less sensitive to differences in ice sheet model configurations and internal physical quantities than to changes in imposed climate forcing. We conclude that Pliocene ice was most likely to be limited to the highest elevations in eastern and southern Greenland as simulated with the highest confidence and by synthesizing available regional proxies; however, the extent of those ice caps needs to be further constrained by using a range of general circulation model (GCM) climate forcings

Error analysis of bulk density measurements for neutron moisture gauge calibration

Six bulk density sampling methods were evaluated for use in neutron gauge calibration. All six methods provided estimates of bulk density which were generally within 5% of bulk density profiles measured using a gamma probe. Standard errors of estimate ranged from 3 to 7 %. When used with care, downhole, coring, and drive samplers can be used to successfully measure soil moisture and bulk density profiles for use in neutron probe calibration

Iordanskii Force and the Gravitational Aharonov-Bohm effect for a Moving Vortex

I discuss the scattering of phonons by a vortex moving with respect to a superfluid condensate. This allows us to test the compatibility of the scattering-theory derivation of the Iordanskii force with the galilean invariance of the underlying fluid dynamics. In order to obtain the correct result we must retain $O(v_s^2)$ terms in the sound-wave equation, and this reinforces the interpretation, due to Volovik, of the Iordanskii force as an analogue of the gravitational Bohm-Aharonov effect.Comment: 20 pages, LaTe

Soil bulk density sampling for neutron gauge calibration

The ASCE Task Committee on Neutron Gauge Calibration met in Logan, Utah in July 1992 to investigate the various methods of soil sampling, installation of access tubes, effect of various parameters on gauge readings, methods of developing field calibration curves and comparison of neutron gauge characteristics. Details of the overall objectives of the study are covered by Stone (1993, this volume). This paper discusses the soil sampling methods and presents a comparative result based on bulk density, time required for sampling and cost of sampling equipment Other papers developed from this study describe the soils, the three sites investigated and the problems related to the tube installation process

Tight-binding g-Factor Calculations of CdSe Nanostructures

The Lande g-factors for CdSe quantum dots and rods are investigated within the framework of the semiempirical tight-binding method. We describe methods for treating both the n-doped and neutral nanostructures, and then apply these to a selection of nanocrystals of variable size and shape, focusing on approximately spherical dots and rods of differing aspect ratio. For the negatively charged n-doped systems, we observe that the g-factors for near-spherical CdSe dots are approximately independent of size, but show strong shape dependence as one axis of the quantum dot is extended to form rod-like structures. In particular, there is a discontinuity in the magnitude of g-factor and a transition from anisotropic to isotropic g-factor tensor at aspect ratio ~1.3. For the neutral systems, we analyze the electron g-factor of both the conduction and valence band electrons. We find that the behavior of the electron g-factor in the neutral nanocrystals is generally similar to that in the n-doped case, showing the same strong shape dependence and discontinuity in magnitude and anisotropy. In smaller systems the g-factor value is dependent on the details of the surface model. Comparison with recent measurements of g-factors for CdSe nanocrystals suggests that the shape dependent transition may be responsible for the observations of anomalous numbers of g-factors at certain nanocrystal sizes.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures. Fixed typos to match published versio

Computer simulations of hard pear-shaped particles

We report results obtained from Monte Carlo simulations investi- gating mesophase formation in two model systems of hard pear-shaped particles. The first model considered is a hard variant of the trun- cated Stone-Expansion model previously shown to form nematic and smectic mesophases when embedded within a 12-6 Gay-Berne-like po- tential [1]. When stripped of its attractive interactions, however, this system is found to lose its liquid crystalline phases. For particles of length to breadth ratio k = 3, glassy behaviour is seen at high pressures, whereas for k = 5 several bi-layer-like domains are seen, with high intradomain order but little interdomain orientational correlation. For the second model, which uses a parametric shape parameter based on the generalised Gay-Berne formalism, results are presented for particles with elongation k = 3; 4 and 5. Here, the systems with k = 3 and 4 fail to display orientationally ordered phases, but that with k = 5 shows isotropic, nematic and, unusually for a hard-particle model, interdigitated smectic A2 phases.</p

Wavefunction topology of two-dimensional time-reversal symmetric superconductors

We discuss the topology of the wavefunctions of two-dimensional time-reversal symmetric superconductors. We consider (a) the planar state, (b) a system with broken up-down reflection symmetry, and (c) a system with general spin-orbit interaction. We show explicitly how the relative sign of the order parameter on the two Fermi surfaces affects this topology, and clarify the meaning of the $Z_2$ classification for these topological states.Comment: only the Introduction has been modified from v

Last interglacial temperature evolution – a model inter-comparison

Abstract. There is a growing number of proxy-based reconstructions detailing the climatic changes during the Last Interglacial period. This period is of special interest because large parts of the globe were characterized by a warmer-than-present-day climate, making this period an interesting test bed for climate models in the light of projected global warming. However, mainly because synchronizing the different records is difficult, there is no consensus on a global picture of Last Interglacial temperature changes. Here we present the first model inter-comparison of transient simulations covering the Last Interglacial period. By comparing the different simulations we aim at investigating the robustness of the simulated surface air temperature evolution. The model inter-comparison shows a robust Northern Hemisphere July temperature evolution characterized by a maximum between 130–122 ka BP with temperatures 0.4 to 6.8 K above pre-industrial values. This temperature evolution is in line with the changes in June insolation and greenhouse-gas concentrations. For the evolution of July temperatures in the Southern Hemisphere, the picture emerging from the inter-comparison is less clear. However, it does show that including greenhouse-gas concentration changes is critical. The simulations that include this forcing show an early, 128 ka BP July temperature anomaly maximum of 0.5 to 2.6 K. The robustness of simulated January temperatures is large in the Southern Hemisphere and the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. In these latitudes maximum January temperature anomalies of respectively −2.5 to 2 K and 0 to 2 K are simulated for the period after 118 ka BP. The inter-comparison is inconclusive on the evolution of January temperatures in the high-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Further investigation of regional anomalous patterns and inter-model differences indicate that in specific regions, feedbacks within the climate system are important for the simulated temperature evolution. Firstly in the Arctic region, changes in the summer sea-ice cover control the evolution of Last Interglacial winter temperatures. Secondly, for the Atlantic region, the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific, possible changes in the characteristics of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation are critical. The third important feedback, having an impact on the temperature evolution of the Northern Hemisphere, is shown to be the presence of remnant continental ice from the preceding glacial period. Another important feedback are changes in the monsoon regime which controls the evolution of temperatures over parts of Africa and India. Finally, the simulations reveal an important land-sea contrast, with temperature changes over the oceans lagging continental temperatures by up to several thousand years. The aforementioned feedback mechanisms tend to be highly model-dependent, indicating that specific proxy-data is needed to constrain future climate simulations and to further enhance our understanding of the evolution of the climate during the Last Interglacial period