Fuzzy reasoning morphological operators and their optical implementation

Fuzzy-reasoning theory is widely used in industrial control. Mathematical morphology is a powerful tool to perform image processing. We apply fuzzy-reasoning theory to morphology and suggest a scheme of fuzzy-reasoning morphology, including fuzzy-reasoning dilation and erosion functions. These functions retain more fine details than the corresponding conventional morphological operators with the same structuring element. An optical implementation has been developed with area-coding and thresholding methods. (C) 1997 Optical Society of America.

A colorimetric determination of hydrocyanic acid

The object of this investigation is to devise a rapid, fairly accurate, colorimetric analysis for HCN to be used in field work for determining instantaneous concentrations of the gas under fumigating canvas. A large amount of money is expended yearly by the citrus industry of this state in attempting to control and to eradicate the scale pests. Although fumigation with HCN has been practiced tor many years, the progress made has been anything but satisfactory. The greater portion of the work has always been carried on by contractors, who in a large number of cases have been very unscrupulous. The materials and labor are very expensive and the growers have been satisfied to adhere to beaten paths and hope for the best results on scale kill with the least attendant foliage injury. One familiar with fumigating, either from the grower's or the operator's viewpoint, knows that very widely varying results are obtained, even under what are apparently identical condition. Even after discounting for the dishonesty of some operators and the prejudices of the grower, there is still a large variance between desired or expected results and those actually obtained.

Paranormal operator on a Hilbert space

In this thesis an extensive study is made of the set P of all paranormal operators in B(H), the set of all bounded endomorphisms on the complex Hilbert space H. T ϵ B(H) is paranormal if for each z contained in the resolvent set of T, d(z, σ(T))//(T-zI)^-1 = 1 where d(z, σ(T)) is the distance from z to σ(T), the spectrum of T. P contains the set N of normal operators and P contains the set of hyponormal operators. However, P is contained in L, the set of all T ϵ B(H) such that the convex hull of the spectrum of T is equal to the closure of the numerical range of T. Thus, N≤P≤L.

If the uniform operator (norm) topology is placed on B(H), then the relative topological properties of N, P, L can be discussed. In Section IV, it is shown that: 1) N P and L are arc-wise connected and closed, 2) N, P, and L are nowhere dense subsets of B(H) when dim H ≥ 2, 3) N = P when dimH ˂ ∞ , 4) N is a nowhere dense subset of P when dimH ˂ ∞ , 5) P is not a nowhere dense subset of L when dimH ˂ ∞ , and 6) it is not known if P is a nowhere dense subset of L when dimH ˂ ∞.

The spectral properties of paranormal operators are of current interest in the literature. Putnam [22, 23] has shown that certain points on the boundary of the spectrum of a paranormal operator are either normal eigenvalues or normal approximate eigenvalues. Stampfli [26] has shown that a hyponormal operator with countable spectrum is normal. However, in Theorem 3.3, it is shown that a paranormal operator T with countable spectrum can be written as the direct sum, N ⊕ A, of a normal operator N with σ(N) = σ(T) and of an operator A with σ(A) a subset of the derived set of σ(T). It is then shown that A need not be normal. If we restrict the countable spectrum of T ϵ P to lie on a C²-smooth rectifiable Jordan curve G_o, then T must be normal [see Theorem 3.5 and its Corollary]. If T is a scalar paranormal operator with countable spectrum, then in order to conclude that T is normal the condition of σ(T) ≤ G_o can be relaxed [see Theorem 3.6]. In Theorem 3.7 it is then shown that the above result is not true when T is not assumed to be scalar. It was then conjectured that if T ϵ P with σ(T) ≤ G_o, then T is normal. The proof of Theorem 3.5 relies heavily on the assumption that T has countable spectrum and cannot be generalized. However, the corollary to Theorem 3.9 states that if T ϵ P with σ(T) ≤ G_o, then T has a non-trivial lattice of invariant subspaces. After the completion of most of the work on this thesis, Stampfli [30, 31] published a proof that a paranormal operator T with σ(T) ≤ G_o is normal. His proof uses some rather deep results concerning numerical ranges whereas the proof of Theorem 3.5 uses relatively elementary methods.

Stability of parametrically excited differential equations

Sufficient stability criteria for classes of parametrically excited differential equations are developed and applied to example problems of a dynamical nature.

Stability requirements are presented in terms of 1) the modulus of the amplitude of the parametric terms, 2) the modulus of the integral of the parametric terms and 3) the modulus of the derivative of the parametric terms.

The methods employed to show stability are Liapunov’s Direct Method and the Gronwall Lemma. The type of stability is generally referred to as asymptotic stability in the sense of Liapunov.

The results indicate that if the equation of the system with the parametric terms set equal to zero exhibits stability and possesses bounded operators, then the system will be stable under sufficiently small modulus of the parametric terms or sufficiently small modulus of the integral of the parametric terms (high frequency). On the other hand, if the equation of the system exhibits individual stability for all values that the parameter assumes in the time interval, then the actual system will be stable under sufficiently small modulus of the derivative of the parametric terms (slowly varying).

Advancements in jet turbulence and noise modeling: accurate one-way solutions and empirical evaluation of the nonlinear forcing of wavepackets

Jet noise reduction is an important goal within both commercial and military aviation. Although large-scale numerical simulations are now able to simultaneously compute turbulent jets and their radiated sound, lost-cost, physically-motivated models are needed to guide noise-reduction efforts. A particularly promising modeling approach centers around certain large-scale coherent structures, called wavepackets, that are observed in jets and their radiated sound. The typical approach to modeling wavepackets is to approximate them as linear modal solutions of the Euler or Navier-Stokes equations linearized about the long-time mean of the turbulent flow field. The near-field wavepackets obtained from these models show compelling agreement with those educed from experimental and simulation data for both subsonic and supersonic jets, but the acoustic radiation is severely under-predicted in the subsonic case. This thesis contributes to two aspects of these models. First, two new solution methods are developed that can be used to efficiently compute wavepackets and their acoustic radiation, reducing the computational cost of the model by more than an order of magnitude. The new techniques are spatial integration methods and constitute a well-posed, convergent alternative to the frequently used parabolized stability equations. Using concepts related to well-posed boundary conditions, the methods are formulated for general hyperbolic equations and thus have potential applications in many fields of physics and engineering. Second, the nonlinear and stochastic forcing of wavepackets is investigated with the goal of identifying and characterizing the missing dynamics responsible for the under-prediction of acoustic radiation by linear wavepacket models for subsonic jets. Specifically, we use ensembles of large-eddy-simulation flow and force data along with two data decomposition techniques to educe the actual nonlinear forcing experienced by wavepackets in a Mach 0.9 turbulent jet. Modes with high energy are extracted using proper orthogonal decomposition, while high gain modes are identified using a novel technique called empirical resolvent-mode decomposition. In contrast to the flow and acoustic fields, the forcing field is characterized by a lack of energetic coherent structures. Furthermore, the structures that do exist are largely uncorrelated with the acoustic field. Instead, the forces that most efficiently excite an acoustic response appear to take the form of random turbulent fluctuations, implying that direct feedback from nonlinear interactions amongst wavepackets is not an essential noise source mechanism. This suggests that the essential ingredients of sound generation in high Reynolds number jets are contained within the linearized Navier-Stokes operator rather than in the nonlinear forcing terms, a conclusion that has important implications for jet noise modeling.

Detection of cryptosporidium oocysts in water and environmental concentrates

Whilst current methods for the isolation and enumeration of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts in water have provided some insight into their occurrence and significance, they are regarded as being inefficient, variable and time-consuming, with much of the interpretation being left to the expertise of the analyst. Two expectations of novel developments are to reduce the variability and subjectivity associated with the isolation and identification of oocysts. Flocculation, immunomagnetisable and flow cytometric techniques, for concentrating oocysts from water samples, should prove more reliable than current methods, whilst the development of more avid and specific monoclonal antibodies in conjunction with the use of nuclear fluorochromes will aid identification. Further insight into the viability, taxonomy, species identification, infectivity and virulence of the parasite should be forthcoming through the use of techniques such as the polymerase chain reaction, in situ hybridisation and non-uniform alternating current electrical fields. Such information is necessary in order to enable microbiologists, epidemiologists, engineers, utility operators and regulators to assess the safety of a water supply, with respect to Cryptosporidium contamination, more effectively.

Modelling and Simulation of ERTMS for Current and Future Mobile Technologies

Nowadays, train control in-lab simulation tools play a crucial role in reducing extensive and expensive on-site railway testing activities. In this paper, we present our contribution in this arena by detailing the internals of our European Railway Train Management System in-lab demonstrator. This demonstrator is built over a general-purpose simulation framework, Riverbed Modeler, previously Opnet Modeler. Our framework models both ERTMS subsystems, the Automatic Train Protection application layer based on movement authority message exchange and the telecommunication subsystem based on GSM-R communication technology. We provide detailed information on our modelling strategy. We also validate our simulation framework with real trace data. To conclude, under current industry migration scenario from GSM-R legacy obsolescence to IP-based heterogeneous technologies, our simulation framework represents a singular tool to railway operators. As an example, we present the assessment of related performance indicators for a specific railway network using a candidate replacement technology, LTE, versus current legacy technology. To the best of our knowledge, there is no similar initiative able to measure the impact of the telecommunication subsystem in the railway network availability.

Quantum Simulation of Dissipative Processes without Reservoir Engineering

We present a quantum algorithm to simulate general finite dimensional Lindblad master equations without the requirement of engineering the system-environment interactions. The proposed method is able to simulate both Markovian and non-Markovian quantum dynamics. It consists in the quantum computation of the dissipative corrections to the unitary evolution of the system of interest, via the reconstruction of the response functions associated with the Lindblad operators. Our approach is equally applicable to dynamics generated by effectively non-Hermitian Hamiltonians. We confirm the quality of our method providing specific error bounds that quantify its accuracy.

On Nonnegative Solutions of Fractional q-Linear Time-Varying Dynamic Systems with Delayed Dynamics

This paper is devoted to the investigation of nonnegative solutions and the stability and asymptotic properties of the solutions of fractional differential dynamic linear time-varying systems involving delayed dynamics with delays. The dynamic systems are described based on q-calculus and Caputo fractional derivatives on any order.

The U.S. Gulf of Mexico Party Boat Industry: Activity Centers, Species Targeted, and Fisheries Management Opinions

In addition to providing an overview of the party boat fishery in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, a management-oriented methodology is presented that can be used elsewhere to assess regulatory impacts. Party boat operators were interviewed to determine species targeted, percent time committed to targeting each species, and opinions on current catch restrictions. Over two-thirds of the fieet was located on the west coast of Florida. Overall, most boats targeted <5 species. Four species accounted for 90 percent of the estimated effort by party boats in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico: Snapper; Lutjanus sp.; grouper, Epinephelus sp. and Mycteroperca sp.; amberjack, Seriola dumerili; and king mackerel, Scomberomorus cavalla. Party boat effort in Texas was devoted primarily to snapper, whereas in Florida most effort was devoted to snapper and grouper collectively. Party boat operators were diverse in their opinions of management regulations in force when interviewed. Results revealed why major opposition would he expected from Texas party boat operators for red snapper bag limits and other restrictions proposed by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council.

The U.S. Gulf of Mexico Charter Boat Industry: Activity Centers, Species Targeted, and Fisheries Management Opinions

The charter boat industry in U. S. Gulf of Mexico provides access to offshore fishing opportunities for about 570,000 passengers per year on 971 boats. A 25% random sample of charter boat operators was interviewed during 1987-88 to determine species targeted, percent time committed to targeting each species, and reactions to existing catch restrictions. Three-fourths of the charter boat fleet was in Florida, 13% in Texas, 5% in Louisiana, 4% in Alabama, and 2% in Mississippi. Responses were diverse regarding species focus within the region. Species of dominant importance included groupers, Epinephelus sp. and Mycteroperca sp. (Fla.); snapper, Lutjanus campechanus (Ala., Fla., Miss., and La.); king mackerel, Scomberomorus cavalla (Miss., Tex., Ala. and Fla.); spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus (Tex. and La.); and red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus (Tex. and La). Catch restrictions were generally supported with higher levels of opposition to restricted high effort fish and/or one fish or closed fishery limits.

Efficient sampling of atomic configurational spaces.

We describe a method to explore the configurational phase space of chemical systems. It is based on the nested sampling algorithm recently proposed by Skilling (AIP Conf. Proc. 2004, 395; J. Bayesian Anal. 2006, 1, 833) and allows us to explore the entire potential energy surface (PES) efficiently in an unbiased way. The algorithm has two parameters which directly control the trade-off between the resolution with which the space is explored and the computational cost. We demonstrate the use of nested sampling on Lennard-Jones (LJ) clusters. Nested sampling provides a straightforward approximation for the partition function; thus, evaluating expectation values of arbitrary smooth operators at arbitrary temperatures becomes a simple postprocessing step. Access to absolute free energies allows us to determine the temperature-density phase diagram for LJ cluster stability. Even for relatively small clusters, the efficiency gain over parallel tempering in calculating the heat capacity is an order of magnitude or more. Furthermore, by analyzing the topology of the resulting samples, we are able to visualize the PES in a new and illuminating way. We identify a discretely valued order parameter with basins and suprabasins of the PES, allowing a straightforward and unambiguous definition of macroscopic states of an atomistic system and the evaluation of the associated free energies.

Financial assistance for purchase of large fishing vessels

The Government of Sri Lanka is improving off-shore and deep-shore fishing by introducing more sophisticated and larger vessels into the Sri Lanka waters, together with the offer of subsidies, tax holidays and other concessions to those who seek to operate such fishing vessels. As a first step, some thirty 38 foot class fishing vessels are to be introduced. The requisite variety and quantity of fishing gear is supplied together with the vessels, and operators will be given further assistance to either export or market their catches locally by provision of insulated fish transport vans, jeeps with trailers, crushed ice plants, fish storage cabinets and adequate spares for at least the next few years. A description is given of the credit terms offered for the purchase of such vessels, pre-shipment finance, and loans and hire purchase facilities.

Status of fish broodstock management and seed production in Bangladesh

The study was conducted with the broad objectives to assess the existing situation of broodstock management and fish seed production in private fish seed farms in Bangladesh. The data were collected from 100 private hatcheries and 40 nurseries in seven upazilas under four districts. There was no shed in forty hatcheries and the owners faced many problems. Brood fish ponds were found suitable for rearing brood fish. About 66% of the hatchery owners collected brood fish from their own ponds and ponds of neighboring areas. Activities like pond preparation; manuring and supplementary feeding were done properly but stocking density of brood fish in 76% of the hatcheries was 3,000-7,000 kg/ha. Infection of argulosis was found in brood fish of 87% of the hatcheries. About 67% of the hatchery owners practiced inter-species crossing. Major problems faced by the hatchery owners were argulosis of brood fish, unavailability of pure brood stock, inadequate brood fish pond. The hatchery owners were found interested to find out the preventive measures of argulosis, develop pure brood stock of indigenous carp and import pure strain of exotic carp. According to the nursery operators, they cultivated hybrid fry because of high demand, rapid growth and good taste. Problems of using hatchery spawn as mentioned by the nursery operators were inbreeding, under sized and aged brood stock, stunted growth, physical deformities and high mortality of spawn due to unknown causes.

Fish seed production and marketing in some selected areas of Bangladesh

The main objective of the study was to assess the production and marketing system of fish seed and examining the demand for and supply of fry and fingerlings in some selected areas viz. Mymensingh, Netrokona and Tangail in Bangladesh. The present study selected the related stakeholders like 20 Fish Seed Multiplication Farms (FSMF) owners, 80 nursery operators, 20 fry traders and 90 fish farmers who are the beneficiaries and directly involved with the fish seed production and supply chain, and marketing system of fish seed. In case of nursing and rearing fingerlings, only those stakeholders (nurserers and fish farmers) attached with NGOs were selected and the NGOs were GRAMUS, SARA and ORD from Mymensingh and SATU from Tangail district. Data were collected for the period 2004-2005 and most analyses were done by using tables and flow chart to determine production and marketing system of fish seed.