Evaluation of Effects of Wastewater Treatment Discharge on Estuarine Water Quality

This report marks the completion of a two-year project focused on observed and estimated effects of wastewater treatment facilities (WWTFs) on estuarine water quality within the New Hampshire (NH) Seacoast region. This study was designed and carried out in an effort to help the NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) and NH Estuaries Project (NHEP) evaluate the effects of WWTF effluent quality on bacterial and nutrient concentrations in New Hampshire’s estuarine waters, as well as to help NHDES/NHEP identify related WWTF infrastructure problems. An extensive database of bacterial and nutrient concentrations in effluent collected post-disinfection from 9 NH WWTFs and 2 Maine WWTFs that discharge into the Great Bay and Hampton/Seabrook estuaries was developed. The data were used to determine ratios between different bacterial indicators in WWTF effluent, estimates of in-stream bacterial concentrations following effluent discharge to receiving waters and estimates of nutrient loading from selected WWTFs

Synthesis, structures and cytotoxicity studies of p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene lanthanide complexes

A number of p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene complexes of the lanthanides (Tb, Gd, and Eu) have been prepared, some in the presence of tetraazamacrocycle 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (DO3A), and fully characterised. Crystal structure determinations reveal lanthanide coordination at the sulfonate group, bridging several calixarene units, giving coordination polymers. All complexes in this study have been determined to be relatively non-toxic using in vitro cell assays with CC₅₀ values in the range 30–170 μM

Design of Robust Adaptive Unbalance Response Controllers for Rotors with Magnetic Bearings

Experimental results have recently demonstrated that an adaptive open loop control strategy can be highly effective in the suppression of unbalance induced vibration on rotors supported in active magnetic bearings. This algorithm, however, relies upon a predetermined gain matrix. Typically, this matrix is determined by an optimal control formulation resulting in the choice of the pseudo-inverse of the nominal influence coefficient matrix as the gain matrix. This solution may result in problems with stability and performance robustness since the estimated influence coefficient matrix is not equal to the actual influence coefficient matrix. Recently, analysis tools have been developed to examine the robustness of this control algorithm with respect to structured uncertainty. Herein, these tools are extended to produce a design procedure for determining the adaptive law's gain matrix. The resulting control algorithm has a guaranteed convergence rate and steady state performance in spite of the uncertainty in the rotor system. Several examples are presented which demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach and its advantages over the standard optimal control formulation

Detection of [O III] at z~3: A Galaxy above the Main Sequence, Rapidly Assembling its Stellar Mass

We detect bright emission in the far infrared fine structure [O III] 88$\mu$m line from a strong lensing candidate galaxy, H-ATLAS J113526.3-014605, hereafter G12v2.43, at z=3.127, using the $\rm 2^{nd}$ generation Redshift (z) and Early Universe Spectrometer (ZEUS-2) at the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment Telescope (APEX). This is only the fifth detection of this far-IR line from a sub-millimeter galaxy at the epoch of galaxy assembly. The observed [O III] luminosity of $7.1\times10^{9}\,\rm(\frac{10}{\mu})\,\rm{L_{\odot}}\,$ likely arises from HII regions around massive stars, and the amount of Lyman continuum photons required to support the ionization indicate the presence of $(1.2-5.2)\times10^{6}\,\rm(\frac{10}{\mu})$ equivalent O5.5 or higher stars; where $\mu$ would be the lensing magnification factor. The observed line luminosity also requires a minimum mass of $\sim 2\times 10^{8}\,\rm(\frac{10}{\mu})\,\rm{M_{\odot}}\,$ in ionized gas, that is $0.33\%$ of the estimated total molecular gas mass of $6\times10^{10}\,\rm(\frac{10}{\mu})\,\rm{M_{\odot}}\,$. We compile multi-band photometry tracing rest-frame UV to millimeter continuum emission to further constrain the properties of this dusty high redshift star-forming galaxy. Via SED modeling we find G12v2.43 is forming stars at a rate of 916 $\rm(\frac{10}{\mu})\,\rm{M_{\odot}}\,\rm{yr^{-1}}$ and already has a stellar mass of $8\times 10^{10}\,\rm(\frac{10}{\mu})\,\rm{M_{\odot}}\,$. We also constrain the age of the current starburst to be $\leqslant$ 5 million years, making G12v2.43 a gas rich galaxy lying above the star-forming main sequence at z$\sim$3, undergoing a growth spurt and, could be on the main sequence within the derived gas depletion timescale of $\sim$66 million years.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

Avoiding the capacity cost trap: Three means of smoothing under cyclical production planning

Companies tend to set their master production schedule weekly, even when producing and shipping on a daily basis—the term for this is staggered deliveries. This practice is common even when there is no marginal cost of setting a new schedule. We argue that the practice is sound for companies that use the ubiquitous order-up-to (OUT) policy to control production of products with a significant capacity cost. Under these conditions, the length of the order cycle (time between schedule updates) has a damping effect on production, while a unit (daily) order cycle can cause significant capacity costs. We call this the capacity cost trap. Developing an analytical model based on industrial evidence, we derive capacity and inventory costs under the staggered OUT policy, showing that for this policy there is an optimal order cycle possibly greater than unity. To improve on this solution, we consider three approaches to smoothing: either levelling within the cycle, deferring excess production or idling to future cycles via a proportional OUT policy, or increasing the length of the cycle. By deriving exact cost expressions we compare these approaches, finding that smoothing by employing the proportional OUT policy is sufficient to avoid the capacity cost trap

Geodatabase Development to Support Hyperspectral Imagery Exploitation

Geodatabase development for coastal studies conducted by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is essential to support the exploitation of hyperspectral imagery (HSI). NRL has found that the remote sensing and mapping science community benefits from coastal classifications that group coastal types based on similar features. Selected features in project geodatabases relate to significant biological and physical forces that shape the coast. The project geodatabases help researchers understand factors that are necessary for imagery post processing, especially those features having a high degree of temporal and spatial variability. NRL project geodatabases include a hierarchy of environmental factors that extend from shallow water bottom types and beach composition to inland soil and vegetation characteristics. These geodatabases developed by NRL allow researchers to compare features among coast types. The project geodatabases may also be used to enhance littoral data archives that are sparse. This paper highlights geodatabase development for recent remote sensing experiments in barrier island, coral, and mangrove coast types

Evaluation of Load Transfer in the Cellulosic-Fiber/Polymer Interphase Using a Micro-Raman Tensile Test

The objectives of this research were (1) to use a Raman micro-spectroscopic technique to determine the tensile stress distributions of a cellulosic-fiber/polymer droplet interphase, and (2) to examine if the stress profile could be used to evaluate load transfer in fiber/polymer adhesion. Cellulosic fibers were treated with various silanes (amino, phenylamino, phenyl, and octadecyl functionalities) and a styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer to create different interphases upon bonding with polystyrene. A single fiber, bonded with a micro-droplet of polystyrene in the mid-span region of its gage length, was strained in tension. Raman spectra were collected at five-micrometer intervals along the embedded region of the fiber. The stress-dependent peak of cellulose (895 cm-1) was analyzed for frequency shift so that the local tensile stress in the interface region could be determined. Results showed that the local tensile stresses of the strained fiber were lower in the embedded region compared to the exposed region, suggesting a transfer of load from the fiber to the matrix polymer. A deeper and sharper decline of the stress profile was observed when the fiber/droplet interaction was enhanced. Further analyses, involving conversion of tensile stress profiles to shear stress distributions in the interphase, confirmed that the micro-Raman/tensile test can be employed to evaluate fiber/matrix interfacial bonding in composites. This success signifies the possibility of evaluating adhesion between cellulosic fibers and brittle polymers, which is difficult to study using common micromechanical tests. Use of the micro-Raman technique can improve our understanding of wood/polymer adhesion