Parallelism

EnProblems involving the idea of parallelism occur in finite geometry and in graph theory. This article addresses the question of constructing parallelisms with some degree of "symmetry". In particular, can we say anything on parallelisms admitting an automorphism group acting doubly transitively on "parallel classes"

Energy harvesting from slow rotational motion

An electromechanical rotating energy harvester design is presented. The Energy Harvester is devoted to extract energy from a rotating flange in an agricultural machinery designed for ploughing and laying seeds. The harvested energy is used to supply a motion sensor that sends wireless signals to a console controlling the process. The device is structured as an axial electromechanical generator with excitation provided by permanent magnets. As no contact with stationary parts is allowed, an inertial reference is provided by a pendulum. Integrated design of electromechanical generator and pendulum is performed and results in terms of maximum harvested power are provided

Passive elasto-magnetic suspensions: nonlinear models and experimental outcomes

The paper presents a passive elasto-magnetic suspension based on rare-earth permanent magnets: the dynamical system is described with theoretical and numerical nonlinear models, whose results are validated through experimental compar- ison. The goal is to minimize the dependence on mass of the natural frequency of a single degree of freedom system. For a system with variable mass, static configuration and dynamical behaviour are compared for classic linear elastic systems, for purely magnetic suspensions and for a combination of the two. In particular the dynamics of the magneto-mechanic inter- action is predicted by use of nonlinear and linearised models and experimentally observed through a suitable single degree of freedom test ri

On the existence spectrum for sharply transitive G-designs, G a [k]-matching

In this paper we consider decompositions of the complete graph Kv into matchings of uniform cardinality k. They can only exist when k is an admissible value, that is a divisor of v(v−1)/2 with 1≤k≤v/2. The decompositions are required to admit an automorphism group Γ acting sharply transitively on the set of vertices. Here Γ is assumed to be either non-cyclic abelian or dihedral and we obtain necessary conditions for the existence of the decomposition when k is an admissible value with 1<k<v/2. Differently from the case where Γ is a cyclic group, these conditions do exclude existence in specific cases. On the other hand we produce several constructions for a wide range of admissible values, in particular for every admissible value of k when v is odd and Γ is an arbitrary group of odd order possessing a subgroup of order gcd(k,v)

Primitive collineation groups of ovals with a fixed point

AbstractWe investigate collineation groups of a finite projective plane of odd order n fixing an oval and having two orbits on it, one of which is assumed to be primitive. The situation in which the group fixes a point off the oval is considered. We prove that it occurs in a Desarguesian plane if and only if (n+1)/2 is an odd prime, the group lying in the normalizer of a Singer cycle of PGL(2,n) in this case. For an arbitrary plane we show that the group cannot contain Baer involutions and derive a number of structural and numerical properties in the case where the group has even order. The existence question for a non-Desarguesian example is addressed but remains unanswered, although such an example cannot have order n≤23 as computer searches carried out with GAP show

A class of complete arcs in multiply derived planes

We prove that unital-derived (q^2 - q + 1)-arcs of PG(2, q^2) still yield complete arcs after multiple derivation with respect to disjoint derivation sets on a given line

Primitive one-factorizations and the geometry of mixed translations

AbstractWe construct an infinite family of one-factorizations of Kv admitting an automorphism group acting primitively on the set of vertices but no such group acting doubly transitively. We also give examples of one-factorizations which are live, in the sense that every one-factor induces an automorphism, but do not coincide with the affine line parallelism of AG(n,2). To this purpose we develop the notion of a “mixed translation” in AG(n,2)

Even cycles and even 2-factors in the line graph of a simple graph

Let G be a connected graph with an even number of edges. We show that if the subgraph of G induced by the vertices of odd degree has a perfect matching, then the line graph of G has a 2-factor whose connected components are cycles of even length (an even 2-factor). For a cubic graphG, we also give a necessary and sufficient condition so that the corresponding line graph L(G) has an even cycle decomposition of index 3, i.e., the edge-set of L(G) can be partitioned into three 2-regular subgraphs whose connected components are cycles of even length. The more general problem of the existence of even cycle decompositions of index m in 2d-regular graphs is also addressed

Incorporation Of Deepwater Horizon Oil In A Terrestrial Bird

Carbon isotopic evidence revealed Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil entering coastal planktonic and lower terrestrial food webs. The integration of spilled oil into higher terrestrial trophic levels, however, remains uncertain. Wemeasured radiocarbon (C-14) and stable carbon (C-13) in seaside sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus) feathers and crop contents. Lower C-14 and C-13 values in feathers and crop contents of birds from contaminated areas indicated incorporation of carbon from oil. Our results, although based on a small sample of birds, thus reveal a food-web link between oil exposure and a terrestrial ecosystem. They also suggest that the reduction in reproductive success previously documented in the same population might be due to the (direct) toxic effect of oil exposure, rather than to (indirect) ecological effects. Werecommend future studies test our results by using larger samples of birds from a wider area in order to assess the extent and implications ofDWHoil incorporation into the terrestrial food web

Identification Techniques Applied to a Passive Elasto-magnetic Suspension

The paper presents an experimental passive elasto-magnetic suspension based on rare-earth permanent magnets, characterized by negligible dependence on mass of its natural frequency. The nonlinear behaviour of this system, equipped with a traditional linear elastic spring coupled to a magnetic spring, is analysed in time domain, for non-zero initial conditions, and in frequency domain, by applying sweep excitations to the test rig base. The dynamics of the system is very complex in dependence of the magnetic contribution, showing both hardening behaviour in the elasto-magnetic setup, and softening motion amplitude dependent behaviour in the purely magnetic case. Hence it is necessary to adopt nonlinear identification techniques, such as non-parametric restoring force mapping method and direct parametric estimation technique, in order to identify the system parameters in the different configurations. Finally, it is discussed the ability of identified versus analytical models in reproducing the nonlinear dependency of frequency on motion amplitude and the presence of jump phenomen