Competent genetic-evolutionary optimization of water distribution systems

A genetic algorithm has been applied to the optimal design and rehabilitation of a water distribution system. Many of the previous applications have been limited to small water distribution systems, where the computer time used for solving the problem has been relatively small. In order to apply genetic and evolutionary optimization technique to a large-scale water distribution system, this paper employs one of competent genetic-evolutionary algorithms - a messy genetic algorithm to enhance the efficiency of an optimization procedure. A maximum flexibility is ensured by the formulation of a string and solution representation scheme, a fitness definition, and the integration of a well-developed hydraulic network solver that facilitate the application of a genetic algorithm to the optimization of a water distribution system. Two benchmark problems of water pipeline design and a real water distribution system are presented to demonstrate the application of the improved technique. The results obtained show that the number of the design trials required by the messy genetic algorithm is consistently fewer than the other genetic algorithms

Level sequence and splitting identification of closely-spaced energy levels by angle-resolved analysis of the fluorescence light

The angular distribution and linear polarization of the fluorescence light following the resonant photoexcitation is investigated within the framework of the density matrix and second-order perturbation theory. Emphasis has been placed on "signatures" for determining the level sequence and splitting of intermediate (partially) overlapping resonances, if analyzed as a function of the photon energy of the incident light. Detailed computations within the multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock method have been performed especially for the $1s^{2}2s^{2}2p^{6}3s\;\, J_{i}=1/2 \,+\, \gamma_{1} \:\rightarrow\: (1s^{2}2s2p^{6}3s)_{1}3p_{3/2}\;\, J=1/2, \, 3/2 \:\rightarrow\: 1s^{2}2s^{2}2p^{6}3s\;\, J_{f}=1/2 \,+\, \gamma_{2}$ photoexcitation and subsequent fluorescence emission of atomic sodium. A remarkably strong dependence of the angular distribution and linear polarization of the $\gamma_{2}$ fluorescence emission is found upon the level sequence and splitting of the intermediate $(1s^{2}2s2p^{6}3s)_{1}3p_{3/2}\;\, J=1/2, \, 3/2$ overlapping resonances owing to their finite lifetime (linewidth). We therefore suggest that accurate measurements of the angular distribution and linear polarization might help identify the sequence and small splittings of closely-spaced energy levels, even if they can not be spectroscopically resolved.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure

Authorization and access control of application data in Workflow systems

Workflow Management Systems (WfMSs) are used to support the modeling and coordinated execution of business processes within an organization or across organizational boundaries. Although some research efforts have addressed requirements for authorization and access control for workflow systems, little attention has been paid to the requirements as they apply to application data accessed or managed by WfMSs. In this paper, we discuss key access control requirements for application data in workflow applications using examples from the healthcare domain, introduce a classification of application data used in workflow systems by analyzing their sources, and then propose a comprehensive data authorization and access control mechanism for WfMSs. This involves four aspects: role, task, process instance-based user group, and data content. For implementation, a predicate-based access control method is used. We believe that the proposed model is applicable to workflow applications and WfMSs with diverse access control requirements

Theory of the Magnetic Moment in Iron Pnictides

We show that the combined effects of spin-orbit, monoclinic distortion, and p-d hybridization in tetrahedrally coordinated Fe in LaOFeAs invalidates the naive Hund's rule filling of the Fe d-levels. The two highest occupied levels have one electron each but as a result of the p-d hybridization have very different on-site repulsions. As a result, electrons in the upper level are more itinerant while those in the lower level are more localized. It is the xy-projection of the spin in the lower level that orders antiferromagnetically as the z-components of the spins in the two levels is shown to be vanishingly small in the ground state. The resulting magnetic moment is highly anisotropic with an in-plane value of $0.25-0.35\mu_B$ per Fe and a z-projection of $0.06\mu_B$, both of which are in agreement with experiment. As a consequence, we arrive the minimal model that describes the electronic properties of LaOFeAs.Comment: Published Versio

Aqua MODIS Electronic Crosstalk on SMWIR Bands 20 to 26

Aqua MODIS Moon images obtained with bands 20 to 26 (3.66 - 4.55 and 1.36 - 1.39 $\mu$m) during scheduled lunar events show evidence of electronic crosstalk contamination of the response of detector 1. In this work, we determined the sending bands for each receiving band. We found that the contaminating signal originates, in all cases, from the detector 10 of the corresponding sending band and that the signals registered by the receiving and sending detectors are always read out in immediate sequence. We used the lunar images to derive the crosstalk coefficients, which were then applied in the correction of electronic crosstalk striping artifacts present in L1B images, successfully restoring product quality.Comment: Accepted to be published in the IEEE 2017 International Geoscience & Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS 2017), scheduled for July 23-28, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas, US

Making new connections towards cooperation in the prisoner's dilemma game

Evolution of cooperation in the prisoner's dilemma game is studied where initially all players are linked via a regular graph, having four neighbors each. Simultaneously with the strategy evolution, players are allowed to make new connections and thus permanently extend their neighborhoods, provided they have been successful in passing their strategy to the opponents. We show that this simple coevolutionary rule shifts the survival barrier of cooperators towards high temptations to defect and results in highly heterogeneous interaction networks with an exponential fit best characterizing their degree distributions. In particular, there exist an optimal maximal degree for the promotion of cooperation, warranting the best exchange of information between influential players.Comment: 6 two-column pages, 7 figures; accepted for publication in Europhysics Letter

X-ray Polarization Signatures of Compton Scattering in Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables

Compton scattering within the accretion column of magnetic cataclysmic variables (mCVs) can induce a net polarization in the X-ray emission. We investigate this process using Monte Carlo simulations and find that significant polarization can arise as a result of the stratified flow structure in the shock-ionized column. We find that the degree of linear polarization can reach levels up to ~8% for systems with high accretion rates and low white-dwarf masses, when viewed at large inclination angles with respect to the accretion column axis. These levels are substantially higher than previously predicted estimates using an accretion column model with uniform density and temperature. We also find that for systems with a relatively low-mass white dwarf accreting at a high accretion rate, the polarization properties may be insensitive to the magnetic field, since most of the scattering occurs at the base of the accretion column where the density structure is determined mainly by bremsstrahlung cooling instead of cyclotron cooling.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figures, accepted by MNRA

Field study on adaptive thermal comfort in typical air conditioned classrooms

This study investigates adaptive thermal comfort in air conditioned classrooms in Hong Kong. A field survey was conducted in several typical classrooms at the City University of Hong Kong. This survey covered objective measurement of thermal environment parameters and subjective human thermal responses. A total of 982 student volunteers participated in the investigation. The results indicate that students in light clothing (0.42 clo) have adapted to the cooler classroom environments. The neutral temperature is very close to the preferred temperature of approximately 24 °C. Based on the MTSV ranging between −0.5 and + 0.5, the comfort range is between 21.56 °C and 26.75 °C. The lower limit is below that of the ASHRAE standard. Of the predicted mean vote (PMV) and the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) model, the UCB model predictions agree better with the mean thermal sensation vote (MTSV). Also, the respective fit regression models of the MTSV versus each of the following: operative temperature (Top), PMV, and UCB were obtained. This study provides a better understanding of acceptable classroom temperatures