Passive-tracer modelling at super-resolution with Weather Research and Forecasting – Advanced Research WRF (WRF-ARW) to assess mass-balance schemes

Super-resolution atmospheric modelling can be used to interpret and optimize environmental observations during top-down emission rate retrieval campaigns (e.g. aircraft-based) by providing complementary data that closely correspond to real-world atmospheric pollution transport and dispersion conditions. For this work, super-resolution model simulations with large-eddy-simulation sub-grid-scale parameterization were developed and implemented using WRF-ARW (Weather Research and Forecasting - Advanced Research WRF). We demonstrate a series of best practices for improved (realistic) modelling of atmospheric pollutant dispersion at super-resolutions. These include careful considerations for grid quality over complex terrain, sub-grid turbulence parameterization at the scale of large eddies, and ensuring local and global tracer mass conservation. The study objective was to resolve small dynamical processes inclusive of spatio-temporal scales of high-speed (e.g. 100 m s−1) airborne measurements. This was achieved by downscaling of reanalysis data from 31.25 km to 50 m through multi-domain model nesting in the horizontal and grid-refining in the vertical. Further, WRF dynamical-solver source code was modified to simulate the release of passive tracers within the finest-resolution domain. Different meteorological case studies and several tracer source emission scenarios were considered. Model-generated fields were evaluated against observational data (surface monitoring network and aircraft campaign data) and also in terms of tracer mass conservation. Results indicated agreement between modelled and observed values within 5 ∘C for temperature, 1 %–25 % for relative humidity, and 1–2 standard deviations for wind fields. Model performance in terms of (global and local) tracer mass conservation was within 2 % to 5 % of model input emissions. We found that, to ensure mass conservation within the modelling domain, tracers should be released on a regular-resolution grid (vertical and horizontal). Further, using our super-resolution modelling products, we investigated emission rate estimations based on flux calculation and mass-balancing. Our results indicate that retrievals under weak advection conditions (horizontal wind speeds &lt; 5 m s−1) are not reliable due to weak correlation between the source emission rate and the downwind tracer mass flux. In this work we demonstrate the development of accurate super-resolution model simulations useful for planning, interpreting, and optimizing top-down retrievals, and we discuss favourable conditions (e.g. meteorological) for reliable mass-balance emission rate estimations.</p

INS, GPS, and Photogrammetry Integration for Vector Gravimetry Estimation

Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University.This work was supported by the U.S. Air Force under contract F19628-95-K- 0020 (Defense Mapping Agency funding) and by the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (formerly DMA) under contract NMA202-98-1-1110.Vector gravimetry using Inertial Navigation System (INS) in semi-kinematic mode has been successfully applied. The integration of INS with other sensors, Global Positioning System (GPS) or Gradiometer, for instance, has been under investigation for many years. This dissertation examines the effect of photogrammetric derived orientation on the INS sensor’s calibration and estimation of the gravity vector. The capability of such integration in estimating the INS biases and drifts is studied. The underlying principle, mathematical models, and error sources are presented and analyzed. The estimation process utilizes the measurements of the Litton LN-100 inertial system, Trimble 4000 SSI GPS dual frequency receiver, and metric frame camera. An optimal filtering technique is used to integrate both GPS and INS on the level of raw measurement for both systems. Introducing accurate and independent orientation parameters, e.g., the photogrammetric source in this study, is demonstrated to enable calibration of inertial gyros and bounding of their drift errors. This leads to improvement in the horizontal components of the gravity vector estimation. The estimability and improvement of the deflection of the vertical components are tested using flight test data over Oakland, California, and a set of photogrammetric images simulated along the flight trajectory. The error statistics of the orientation measurement are modeled on the basis of the variance-covariance matrix of a photogrammetric bundle adjustment of all photos. With just a few ground control points at the beginning of the trajectory, the orientation measurement errors along the trajectory are correlated significantly from epoch to epoch, thus reducing the information content of the external orientation estimates. The horizontal gravity component estimation is tested with respect to its sensitivity to the variance of the orientation measurement errors, to its auto-correlation in time, to the cross-correlation between angles, and to the amount of available ground control. Although photogrammetric measurements, if uncorrelated, control orientation errors as well as better than achievable with aircraft maneuvers, the inherent correlation with a very limited amount of ground control provides only a small improvement. On the basis of the simulation parameters, the gravity estimation error was reduced from 20 mgal (GPS/INS only) to about 9 mgal (best uncorrelated control) versus 17 mgal (correlated control)

Invariant manifolds and equilibrium states for non-uniformly hyperbolic horseshoes

In this paper we consider horseshoes containing an orbit of homoclinic tangency accumulated by periodic points. We prove a version of the Invariant Manifolds Theorem, construct finite Markov partitions and use them to prove the existence and uniqueness of equilibrium states associated to H\"older continuous potentials.Comment: 33 pages, 6 figure

Continuity of Optimal Control Costs and its application to Weak KAM Theory

We prove continuity of certain cost functions arising from optimal control of affine control systems. We give sharp sufficient conditions for this continuity. As an application, we prove a version of weak KAM theorem and consider the Aubry-Mather problems corresponding to these systems.Comment: 23 pages, 1 figures, added explanations in the proofs of the main theorem and the exampl

Experimental analysis of a cooling system effect on photovoltaic panels' efficiency and its preheating water production

This paper addresses a low complexity and high efficient cooling system applicable on photovoltaic (PV) system leading to enhance electrical efficiency and provide preheated water. The developed system consists of a photovoltaic panel, a cooling water system establishing a uniform surface temperature, and a solar water heater. According to the proposed system characteristics, the setup is constructed based on a single mono-crystalline solar panel to absorb more solar radiation intensity and generate more electrical energy per area in compare to a poly-crystalline panel. The preheated water produced by absorbed heat from the photovoltaic is conducted to a solar water heater to satisfy domestic hot water demand. The experimental results show the electrical, thermal and overall energy efficiencies are boosted to 12.3%, 49.4%, and 61.7%, respectively. The results are obtained on July in Tehran, Iran. Moreover, comparing the performance of the cooling system with the conventional systems reveals that the proposed system has higher efficiency originated from the uniform minute holes in the implemented shower stuck on the panel back. Furthermore, if the heat transferred to water in the cooling system is utilized, the payback period is estimated 1.7 years; otherwise, the payback period exceeds 8.7 years if only PV conversion efficiency is included

From Multiview Image Curves to 3D Drawings

Reconstructing 3D scenes from multiple views has made impressive strides in recent years, chiefly by correlating isolated feature points, intensity patterns, or curvilinear structures. In the general setting - without controlled acquisition, abundant texture, curves and surfaces following specific models or limiting scene complexity - most methods produce unorganized point clouds, meshes, or voxel representations, with some exceptions producing unorganized clouds of 3D curve fragments. Ideally, many applications require structured representations of curves, surfaces and their spatial relationships. This paper presents a step in this direction by formulating an approach that combines 2D image curves into a collection of 3D curves, with topological connectivity between them represented as a 3D graph. This results in a 3D drawing, which is complementary to surface representations in the same sense as a 3D scaffold complements a tent taut over it. We evaluate our results against truth on synthetic and real datasets.Comment: Expanded ECCV 2016 version with tweaked figures and including an overview of the supplementary material available at multiview-3d-drawing.sourceforge.ne

A regularisation approach to causality theory for C^{1,1}Lorentzian metrics

We show that many standard results of Lorentzian causality theory remain valid if the regularity of the metric is reduced to C^{1,1}. Our approach is based on regularisations of the metric adapted to the causal structure

On the Large Time Behavior of Solutions of Hamilton-Jacobi Equations Associated with Nonlinear Boundary Conditions

In this article, we study the large time behavior of solutions of first-order Hamilton-Jacobi Equations, set in a bounded domain with nonlinear Neumann boundary conditions, including the case of dynamical boundary conditions. We establish general convergence results for viscosity solutions of these Cauchy-Neumann problems by using two fairly different methods : the first one relies only on partial differential equations methods, which provides results even when the Hamiltonians are not convex, and the second one is an optimal control/dynamical system approach, named the "weak KAM approach" which requires the convexity of Hamiltonians and gives formulas for asymptotic solutions based on Aubry-Mather sets

Curvature in Noncommutative Geometry

Our understanding of the notion of curvature in a noncommutative setting has progressed substantially in the past ten years. This new episode in noncommutative geometry started when a Gauss-Bonnet theorem was proved by Connes and Tretkoff for a curved noncommutative two torus. Ideas from spectral geometry and heat kernel asymptotic expansions suggest a general way of defining local curvature invariants for noncommutative Riemannian type spaces where the metric structure is encoded by a Dirac type operator. To carry explicit computations however one needs quite intriguing new ideas. We give an account of the most recent developments on the notion of curvature in noncommutative geometry in this paper.Comment: 76 pages, 8 figures, final version, one section on open problems added, and references expanded. Appears in "Advances in Noncommutative Geometry - on the occasion of Alain Connes' 70th birthday

Cutting processes of natural fiber reinforced polymer composites

Recently, natural fiber-reinforced polymers (NFRPs) have become important materials in many engineering applications; thus, to employ these materials some final industrial processes are needed, such as cutting, trimming, and drilling. Because of the heterogeneous nature of NFRPs, which differs from homogeneous materials such as metals and polymers, several defects have emerged when processing the NFRPs through traditional cutting methods such as high surface roughness and material damage at cutting zone. In order to overcome these challenges, unconventional cutting methods were considered. Unconventional cutting methods did not take into account the effects of cutting forces, which are the main cause of cutting defects in traditional cutting processes. The most prominent unconventional cutting processes are abrasive waterjet (AWJM) and laser beam (LBM) cutting technologies, which are actually applied for cutting various NFRPs. In this study, previously significant studies on cutting NFRPs by AWJM and LBM are discussed. The surface roughness, kerf taper, and heat-affected zone (HAZ) represent the target output parameters that are influenced and controlled by the input parameters of each process. However, this topic requires further studies on widening the range of material thickness and input parameter values