Monitoring and failure mechanism interpretation of an unstable slope in Southern Switzerland based on terrestrial laser scanner

We present the application of terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) for the monitoring and characterization of an active landslide area in Val Canaria (Ticino, Southern Swiss Alps). At catchment scale, the study area is affected by a large Deep Seated Gravitational Slope Deformation (DSGSD) area presenting, in the lower boundary, several retrogressive landslides active since the 1990s. Due to its frequent landslide events this area was periodically monitored by TLS since 2006. Periodic acquisitions provided new information on 3D displacements at the bottom of slope and the detection of centimetre to decimetre level scale changes (e.g. rockfall and pre-failure deformations). In October 2009, a major slope collapse occured at the bottom of the most unstable area. Based on the comparison between TLS data before and after the collapse, we carried out a detailed failure mechanism analysis and volume calculation.

Analysis of Active Magnet Bearing Control Software

Problems of the designing active magnet bearingcontrol are developed. The estimation controller are designed and applied to a rigid rotor. The mathematical model of the active magnet bearing controller is developed. This mathematical model is realized on a DSP. The results of this realization are analyzed. The conclusions about the digital signal processing are made.

Guillem Masó, mercader de Sant Joan de les Abadesses: bestiar, draps i crèdit en una vila monàstica al darrer quart del segle XIV

El present treball es fonamenta amb el contingut del llibre particular o extraordinari del mercader Guillem Masó, de Sant Joan de les Abadesses, actiu durant la segona meitat del segle XIV. La majoria d’assentaments que conté el volum fan referència a tractes de bestiar, amb la inclusió de diverses tipologies o variants en els contractes, des de la simple compravenda fins a comandes-parceria. L’activitat del mercader Masó, tanmateix, no se centra exclusivament en aquests negocis. S’intueix una diversificació de les seves activitats que es vinculen, fonamentalment, amb la producció i comercialització de draps de llana i de lli. El context social i econòmic de la vila de Sant Joan durant aquest període afavoreix la presència d’aquests empresaris tèxtils que, per a aconseguir els seus objectius, s’introdueixen en els ressorts del poder civil de la vila i en els dels gremis i confraries que regulen i controlen els processos de fabricació dels productes

Active sulphide mine tailings impoundments as sources of contaminated drainage: controlling factors, methods of characterisation and geochemical constraints for mitigation

Low quality mine drainage from tailings facilities persists as one of the most significant global environmental concerns related to sulphide mining. Due to the large variation in geological and environmental conditions at mine sites, universal approaches to the management of mine drainage are not always applicable. Instead, site-specific knowledge of the geochemical behaviour of waste materials is required for the design and closure of the facilities. In this thesis, tailings-derived water contamination and factors causing the pollution were investigated in two coeval active sulphide mine sites in Finland: the Hitura Ni mine and the Luikonlahti Cu-Zn-Co-Ni mine and talc processing plant. A hydrogeochemical study was performed to characterise the tailingsderived water pollution at Hitura. Geochemical changes in the Hitura tailings were evaluated with a detailed mineralogical and geochemical investigation (solid-phase speciation, acid mine drainage potential, pore water chemistry) and using a spatial assessment to identify the mechanisms of water contamination. A similar spatial investigation, applying selective extractions, was carried out in the Luikonlahti tailings area for comparative purposes (Hitura low-sulphide tailings vs. Luikonlahti sulphide-rich tailings). At both sites, hydrogeochemistry of tailings seepage waters was further characterised to examine the net results of the processes observed within the impoundments and to identify constraints for water treatment. At Luikonlahti, annual and seasonal variation in effluent quality was evaluated based on a four-year monitoring period. Observations pertinent to future assessment and mine drainage prevention from existing and future tailings facilities were presented based on the results. A combination of hydrogeochemical approaches provided a means to delineate the tailings-derived neutral mine drainage at Hitura. Tailings effluents with elevated Ni, SO₄ ^2- and Fe content had dispersed to the surrounding aquifer through a levelled-out esker and underneath the seepage collection ditches. In future mines, this could be avoided with additional basal liners in tailings impoundments where the permeability of the underlying Quaternary deposits is inadequate, and with sufficiently deep ditches. Based on the studies, extensive sulphide oxidation with subsequent metal release may already initiate during active tailings disposal. The intensity and onset of oxidation depended on e.g. the Fe sulphide content of the tailings, water saturation level, and time of exposure of fresh sulphide grains. Continuous disposal decreased sulphide weathering in the surface of low-sulphide tailings, but oxidation initiated if they were left uncovered after disposal ceased. In the sulphide-rich tailings, delayed burial of the unsaturated tailings had resulted in thick oxidized layers, despite the continuous operation. Sulphide weathering and contaminant release occurred also in the border zones. Based on the results, the prevention of sulphide oxidation should already be considered in the planning of tailings disposal, taking into account the border zones. Moreover, even lowsulphide tailings should be covered without delay after active disposal ceases. The quality of tailings effluents showed wide variation within a single impoundment and between the two different types of tailings facilities assessed. The affecting factors included source materials, the intensity of weathering of tailings and embankment materials along the seepage flow path, inputs from the process waters, the water retention time in tailings, and climatic seasonality. In addition, modifications to the tailings impoundment may markedly change the effluent quality. The wide variation in the tailings effluent quality poses challenges for treatment design. The final decision on water management requires quantification of the spatial and seasonal fluctuation at the site, taking into account changes resulting from the eventual closure of the impoundment. Overall, comprehensive hydrogeochemical mapping was deemed essential in the identification of critical contaminants and their sources at mine sites. Mineralogical analysis, selective extractions, and pore water analysis were a good combination of methods for studying the weathering of tailings and in evaluating metal mobility from the facilities. Selective extractions with visual observations and pH measurements of tailings solids were, nevertheless, adequate in describing the spatial distribution of sulphide oxidation in tailings impoundments. Seepage water chemistry provided additional data on geochemical processes in tailings and was necessary for defining constraints for water treatment.

Broadband excitation in the system identification of active magnetic bearing rotor systems

One of the targets of the climate and energy package of the European Union is to increase the energy efficiency in order to achieve a 20 percent reduction in primary energy use compared with the projected level by 2020. The energy efficiency can be improved for example by increasing the rotational speed of large electrical drives, because this enables the elimination of gearboxes leading to a compact design with lower losses. The rotational speeds of traditional bearings, such as roller bearings, are limited by mechanical friction. Active magnetic bearings (AMBs), on the other hand, allow very high rotational speeds. Consequently, their use in large medium- and high-speed machines has rapidly increased. An active magnetic bearing rotor system is an inherently unstable, nonlinear multiple-input, multiple-output system. Model-based controller design of AMBs requires an accurate system model. Finite element modeling (FEM) together with the experimental modal analysis provides a very accurate model for the rotor, and a linearized model of the magneticactuators has proven to work well in normal conditions. However, the overall system may suffer from unmodeled dynamics, such as dynamics of foundation or shrink fits. This dynamics can be modeled by system identification. System identification can also be used for on-line diagnostics. In this study, broadband excitation signals are adopted to the identification of an active magnetic bearing rotor system. The broadband excitation enables faster frequency response function measurements when compared with the widely used stepped sine and swept sine excitations. Different broadband excitations are reviewed, and the random phase multisine excitation is chosen for further study. The measurement times using the multisine excitation and the stepped sine excitation are compared. An excitation signal design with an analysis of the harmonics produced by the nonlinear system is presented. The suitability of different frequency response function estimators for an AMB rotor system are also compared. Additionally, analytical modeling of an AMB rotor system, obtaining a parametric model from the nonparametric frequency response functions, and model updating are discussed in brief, as they are key elements in the modeling for a control design. Theoretical methods are tested with a laboratory test rig. The results conclude that an appropriately designed random phase multisine excitation is suitable for the identification of AMB rotor systems.

A Diachronic Study of the Practises of Translation of Gerunds and Gerundives from Latin into Old English and Middle English in History Narratives

This is a philologically oriented thesis which studies the possible adoption of a grammatical feature from one language into another from historical linguistic perspective. The foci of the study are, on the one hand, the Latin gerund and gerundive and, on the other hand, the English gerund. The material of this study consists of excerpts from two British history narratives in Latin and from the Old English and Middle English translations of these history narratives. The British history narratives selected for the material of this thesis are the 8th century Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum by Bede and the 14th century Polychronicon by Ranulf Higden. Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum has been compared with its Old English translation from the 11th century, the author of which is unknown. The Polychronicon, on the other hand, has been compared with two different Middle English translations: one from the 14th century, by John Trevisa; the other from the 15th century, the author of which is also unknown. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate whether the gerund, which was adopted into English by the Middle English period, has been used to translate the Latin gerunds and gerundives. At the basis of the study is the hypothesis that the English gerund has been used to translate the Latin gerunds and gerundives at least occasionally. The methodology of this thesis consists of detailed and qualitative study of the primary material. The primary material has been studied from synchronic, diachronic and paratextual perspective. The results of this thesis confirm that the English gerund has occasionally been used to translate the Latin gerunds and gerundives. The instances that confirm with the hypothesis are so rare, however, that the relationship between the English gerund and the Latin gerund and gerundive seems to be indirect or at least enshadowed by wide-ranging grammatical differences.

A dimensional analysis of the benzylic hydroxylase active site in mortierella isabellina

The spatial limits of the active site in the benzylic hydroxylase enzyme of the fungus Mortierella isabellina were investigated. Several molecular probes were used in incubation experiments to determine the acceptability of each compound by this enzyme. The yields of benzylic alcohols provided information on the acceptability of the particular compound into the active site, and the enantiomeric excess values provided information on the "fit" of acceptable substrates. Measurements of the molecular models were made using Cambridge Scientific Computing Inc. CSC Chem 3D Plus modeling program. i The dimensional limits of the aromatic binding pocket of the benzylic hydroxylase were tested using suitably substituted ethyl benzenes. Both the depth (para substituted substrates) and width (ortho and meta substituted substrates) of this region were investigated, with results demonstrating absolute spatial limits in both directions in the plane of the aromatic ring of 7.3 Angstroms for the depth and 7.1 Angstroms for the width. A minimum requirement for the height of this region has also been established at 6.2 Angstroms. The region containing the active oxygen species was also investigated, using a series of alkylphenylmethanes and fused ring systems in indan, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene and benzocycloheptene substrates. A maximum distance of 6.9 Angstroms (including the 1.5 Angstroms from the phenyl substituent to the active center of the heme prosthetic group of the enzyme) has been established extending directly in ii front of the aromatic binding pocket. The other dimensions in this region of the benzylic hydroxylase active site will require further investigation to establish maximum allowable values. An explanation of the stereochemical distributions in the obtained products has also been put forth that correlates well with the experimental observations.

The Implementation of Jenkins’s 21st-Century Skills in the Curriculum: A Cross-National Policy Analysis

This meta-analytic study sought to determine if cross-national curricula are aligned with burgeoning digital learning environments in order to help policy makers develop curriculum that incorporates 21st-century skills instruction. The study juxtaposed cross- national curricula in Ontario (Canada), Australia, and Finland against Jenkins’s (2009) framework of 11 crucial 21st-century skills that include: play, performance, simulation, appropriation, multitasking, distributed cognition, collective intelligence, judgment, transmedia navigation, networking, and negotiation. Results from qualitative data collection and analysis revealed that Finland implements all of Jenkins’s 21st-century skills. Recommendations are made to implement sound 21st-century skills in other jurisdictions.

Studies On Vulcanization, Rheology And Reinforcement Of Natural Rubber Latex With Special Reference To Accelerator Combinations, Surface Active Agents And Gamma Irradiation

In the present work, studies on vulcanization, rheology and reinforcement of natural rubber latex with special reference to accelerator combinations, surface active agents and gamma irradiation have been undertaken. In vulcanization, the choice of vulcanization system, the extent and mc-zie of vulcanization and network structure of the vulcanizate are important factors contributing to the overall quality of the product. The vulcanization system may be conventional type using elemental sulfur or a system involving sulfur donors. The latter type is used mainly in the manufacture of heat resistant products. For improving the technical properties of the products such as modulus and tensile strength, different accelerator combinations are used. It is known that accelerators have a strong effect on the physical properties of rubber vulcanizates. A perusal of the literature indicates that fundamental studies on the above aspects of latex technology are very limited. Thereforea systematic study on vulcanization, rheology and reinforcement of natural rubber latex with reference to the effect of accelerator combinations, surface active agents and gamma irradiation has been undertaken. The preparation and evaluation of some products like latex thread was also undertaken as a part of the study. The thesis consists of six chapter

Development of selected electro-active polymer-ceramic nanocomposites as pyroelectric thermal/infrared detector materials

The present work emphasises on the synthesis and characterization of electro-active polymer-ceramic nanocomposites which can be used for pyroelectric thermal/infrared detection applications. Two sets of samples belong to polymer-microcrystalline composites have also been investigated in the work. The polymers used in the work have been commercially available ones, but the nanoceramics have been synthesized following simple chemical routes and aqueous organic gel routes. After characterizing the nanoceramics for their structure by powder XRD, they have been dispersed in liquid polymer and sonicated for uniform dispersion. The viscous mixture so formed was cast in the form of films for experimentation. Samples with volume fraction of the ceramic phase varied from 0 to 0.25 have been prepared. Solution growth was followed to prepare microcrystalline samples for the polymer-microcrystalline composites. The physical properties that determine the pyroelectric sensitivity of a material are dielectric constant, dielectric loss, pyroelectric coefficient, thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity. These parameters have been determined for all the samples and compositions reported in this work.The pyroelectric figures of merit for all the samples were determined. The pyroelectric figures of merit that determine the pyroelectric sensitivity of a material are current sensitivity, voltage responsivity and detectivity. All these have been determined for each set of samples and reported in the thesis. In order to assess the flexibility and mouldability of the composites we have measured the Shore hardness of each of the composites by indentation technique and compared with the pyroelectric figures of merit. Some important factors considered during the material fabrication stages were maximum flexibility and maximum figures of merit for pyroelectric thermal/IR detection applications. In order to achieve these goals, all the samples are synthesized as composites of polymers and nano/microcrystalline particles and are prepared in the form of freestanding films. The selected polymer matrices and particle inclusions possess good pyroelectric coefficients, low thermal and dielectric properties, so that good pyroelectric figures of merit could be achieved. The salient features of the work include the particle size of the selected ceramic materials. Since they are in nanometer size it was possible to achieve high flexibility and moldability with high figures of merit for even low volume fractions of inclusions of the prepared nanocrystalline composites. In the case of microcrystalline TGS and DTGS, their composites in PU matrix protect them from fragility and humidity susceptibility and made them for environmental friendly applications.

Development of hybrid UV VCSEL with organic active material and dielectric DBR mirrors for medical, sensoric and data storage applications

Lasers play an important role for medical, sensoric and data storage devices. This thesis is focused on design, technology development, fabrication and characterization of hybrid ultraviolet Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (UV VCSEL) with organic laser-active material and inorganic distributed Bragg reflectors (DBR). Multilayer structures with different layer thicknesses, refractive indices and absorption coefficients of the inorganic materials were studied using theoretical model calculations. During the simulations the structure parameters such as materials and thicknesses have been varied. This procedure was repeated several times during the design optimization process including also the feedback from technology and characterization. Two types of VCSEL devices were investigated. The first is an index coupled structure consisting of bottom and top DBR dielectric mirrors. In the space in between them is the cavity, which includes active region and defines the spectral gain profile. In this configuration the maximum electrical field is concentrated in the cavity and can destroy the chemical structure of the active material. The second type of laser is a so called complex coupled VCSEL. In this structure the active material is placed not only in the cavity but also in parts of the DBR structure. The simulations show that such a distribution of the active material reduces the required pumping power for reaching lasing threshold. High efficiency is achieved by substituting the dielectric material with high refractive index for the periods closer to the cavity. The inorganic materials for the DBR mirrors have been deposited by Plasma- Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) and Dual Ion Beam Sputtering (DIBS) machines. Extended optimizations of the technological processes have been performed. All the processes are carried out in a clean room Class 1 and Class 10000. The optical properties and the thicknesses of the layers are measured in-situ by spectroscopic ellipsometry and spectroscopic reflectometry. The surface roughness is analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and images of the devices are taken with scanning electron microscope (SEM). The silicon dioxide (SiO2) and silicon nitride (Si3N4) layers deposited by the PECVD machine show defects of the material structure and have higher absorption in the ultra violet range compared to ion beam deposition (IBD). This results in low reflectivity of the DBR mirrors and also reduces the optical properties of the VCSEL devices. However PECVD has the advantage that the stress in the layers can be tuned and compensated, in contrast to IBD at the moment. A sputtering machine Ionsys 1000 produced by Roth&Rau company, is used for the deposition of silicon dioxide (SiO2), silicon nitride (Si3N4), aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and zirconium dioxide (ZrO2). The chamber is equipped with main (sputter) and assisted ion sources. The dielectric materials were optimized by introducing additional oxygen and nitrogen into the chamber. DBR mirrors with different material combinations were deposited. The measured optical properties of the fabricated multilayer structures show an excellent agreement with the results of theoretical model calculations. The layers deposited by puttering show high compressive stress. As an active region a novel organic material with spiro-linked molecules is used. Two different materials have been evaporated by utilizing a dye evaporation machine in the clean room of the department Makromolekulare Chemie und Molekulare Materialien (mmCmm). The Spiro-Octopus-1 organic material has a maximum emission at the wavelength λemission = 395 nm and the Spiro-Pphenal has a maximum emission at the wavelength λemission = 418 nm. Both of them have high refractive index and can be combined with low refractive index materials like silicon dioxide (SiO2). The sputtering method shows excellent optical quality of the deposited materials and high reflection of the multilayer structures. The bottom DBR mirrors for all VCSEL devices were deposited by the DIBS machine, whereas the top DBR mirror deposited either by PECVD or by combination of PECVD and DIBS. The fabricated VCSEL structures were optically pumped by nitrogen laser at wavelength λpumping = 337 nm. The emission was measured by spectrometer. A radiation of the VCSEL structure at wavelength 392 nm and 420 nm is observed.

Subseasonal extremes of precipitation and active-break cycles of the Indian summer monsoon in a climate-change scenario

Changes to the behaviour of subseasonal precipitation extremes and active-break cycles of the Indian summer monsoon are assessed in this study using pre-industrial and 2 × CO2 integrations of the Hadley Centre coupled model HadCM3, which is able to simulate the monsoon seasonal cycle reasonably. At 2 × CO2, mean summer rainfall increases slightly, especially over central and northern India. The mean intensity of daily precipitation during the monsoon is found to increase, consistent with fewer wet days, and there are increases to heavy rain events beyond changes in the mean alone. The chance of reaching particular thresholds of heavy rainfall is found to approximately double over northern India, increasing the likelihood of damaging floods on a seasonal basis. The local distribution of such projections is uncertain, however, given the large spread in mean monsoon rainfall change and associated extremes amongst even the most recent coupled climate models. The measured increase of the heaviest precipitation events over India is found to be broadly in line with the degree of atmospheric warming and associated increases in specific humidity, lending a degree of predictability to changes in rainfall extremes. Active-break cycles of the Indian summer monsoon, important particularly due to their effect on agricultural output, are shown to be reasonably represented in HadCM3, in particular with some degree of northward propagation. We note an intensification of both active and break events, particularly when measured against the annual cycle, although there is no suggestion of any change to the duration or likelihood of monsoon breaks. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society

Methylxanthines are the psycho-pharmacologically active constituents of chocolate

Rationale: Liking, cravings and addiction for chocolate ("chocoholism") are often explained through the presence of pharmacologically active compounds. However, mere "presence" does not guarantee psycho-activity. Objectives: Two double-blind, placebo-controlled studies measured the effects on cognitive performance and mood of the amounts of cocoa powder and methylxanthines found in a 50 g bar of dark chocolate. Methods: In study 1, participants (n=20) completed a test battery once before and twice after treatment administration. Treatments included 11.6 g cocoa powder and a caffeine and theobromine combination (19 and 250 mg, respectively). Study 2 (n=22) comprised three post-treatment test batteries and investigated the effects of "milk" and "dark" chocolate levels of these methylxanthines. The test battery consisted of a long duration simple reaction time task, a rapid visual information processing task, and a mood questionnaire. Results: Identical improvements on the mood construct "energetic arousal" and cognitive function were found for cocoa powder and the caffeine+theobromine combination versus placebo. In chocolate, both "milk chocolate" and "dark chocolate" methylxanthine doses improved cognitive function compared with "white chocolate". The effects of white chocolate did not differ significantly from those of water. Conclusion: A normal portion of chocolate exhibits psychopharmacological activity. The identical profile of effects exerted by cocoa powder and its methylxanthine constituents shows this activity to be confined to the combination of caffeine and theobromine. Methylxanthines may contribute to the popularity of chocolate; however, other attributes are probably much more important in determining chocolate's special appeal and in explaining related self-reports of chocolate cravings and "chocoholism".

'Thou glorious kingdome, thou chiefe of empires': Persia in seventeenth-century travel literature

Bringing together a range of little-considered materials, this article assesses the portrayal of Persia in seventeenth-century travel literature and drama. In particular it argues that such texts use their awareness of Islamic sectarian division to portray Persia as a good potential trading partner in preference to the Ottoman Empire. A close reading of John Day, William Rowley and George Wilkins’ The Travailes of the Three English Brothers (1607) demonstrates how the play develops a fantasy model of how relations between Persia and England might function. The potential unity between England and Persia, imagined in terms of both religion and trade, demonstrates how Persia figured as a model ‘other England’ in early modern literature.

Denial of change: the 'Military Revolution' as seen by contemporaries

Writers on military matters from the 14th century until the late 18th century either regretted the decadence of their times compared with Antiquity, or they saw no great change in military affairs since Antiquity. Few saw a revolutionary change ushered in by gunpowder, although this number increased since the great "querelle" about the Ancients and the Moderns under Louis XIV. In the early 19th century, the balance tipped, and few would have denied that technology had profoundly changed warfare. All this is a far cry, however, from any contemporary perception of a "Military Revolution" in the 16th and 17th centuries.