A comparison of hardware implementations of the biorthogonal 9/7 DWT: convolution versus lifting

The filter bank approach for computing the discrete wavelet transform (DWT), which we call the convolution method, can employ either a nonpolyphase or polyphase structure. This work compares filter banks with an alternative polyphase structure for calculating the DWT-the lifting method. We look at the traditional lifting structure and a recently proposed "flipping" structure for implementing lifting. All filter bank structures are implemented on an Altera field-programmable gate array. The quantization of the coefficients (for implementation in fixed-point hardware) plays a crucial role in the performance of all structures, affecting both image compression quality and hardware metrics. We design several quantization methods and compare the best design for each approach: the nonpolyphase filter bank, the polyphase filter bank, the lifting and flipping structures. The results indicate that for the same image compression performance, the flipping structure gives the smallest and fastest, low-power hardware.     

Theory of Seepage into an Auger Hole in a Confined Aquifer

A steady-state theory is presented for predicting flow into an auger hole partially penetrating a homogeneous and anisotropic confined aquifer that is underlain by an impermeable layer. The developed equations can be directly applied (i.e., without resorting to a coordinate transformation) to translate the rate of rise of the water in a pumped auger hole into directional conductivities of soil. The study shows that the conductivity values calculated by neglecting the confining pressure of an artesian aquifer (i.e., by applying the existing unconfined auger-hole seepage theories to experimental auger data obtained from a confined aquifer) may lead to serious error; hence, the confining head of an aquifer must be considered while the conductivity values are computed. Further, the distance of the outer layer also plays an important role in determining the flow to an auger hole penetrating a confined aquifer, and this parameter must therefore be included in the theoretical analysis of the problem. The validity of the proposed theory is checked by comparing a few results obtained from the theory with corresponding results obtained from numerical and analytical works. The developed theory is an addition to already existing auger-hole seepage theories for water-table aquifers; together with the available theories, the proposed solution is expected to cover the most commonly encountered auger hole experimental flow situations in the field.     

Space-charge-limited currents in polymethylmethacrylate films

An investigation was undertaken to examine the conduction mechanism in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) films. The current was measured in Al/PMMA/Al capacitors in the voltage range 4–300 V.     

Theoretical analysis of the transverse Hall effect in thin monocrystalline films

The transverse Hall coefficient of thin monocrystalline filmsR _HF is derived from the recently presented bidimensional conduction model by introducing a term in the Boltzmann equation representing the effective mean free path. Numerical evaluations ofR _HF show that the size effect inR _HF is less marked than that in resistivity and is much more sensitive to grain-boundary scattering than it is to external-surface scattering. Good agreement with the results from the previous experiments of several authors is found.     

Measurement of band emissivity of porous spheres at high temperatures

A relatively simple technique has been developed to measure the band emissivity of spherical solids at high temperatures. The technique involves measuring the surface temperature of a sphere when in thermal equilibrium with a furnace enclosure, followed by isolating it from the enclosure by means of a shield. The emissivity is evaluated from the drop in energy flux from the pellet consequent upon changing the enclosure from an effectively black-body to a freely radiating one. The value of the band emissivity is validated by simulating the experimental cooling curve using independently measured values of the effective thermal conductivity and total emissivity of the solid to obtain internal consistency. In this way highly accurate values of band emissivity are obtained. The technique was applied to pellets of both reacted and unreacted mixtures of calcined-dolomite and silicon, as used in the commercial production of magnesium.     

Innovative Utilization of Improved n-doped μc-SiOx:H Films to Amplify the Performance of Micromorph Solar Cells

Silicon - Due to in-situ deposition process doped SiOx material attracts the PV community as intermediate reflecting layer (IRL) for the less hazardous deposition process. Previously we have been...     

Analysis of three-dimensional transient seepage into ditch drains from a ponded field

An analytical solution in the form of infinite series is developed for predicting time-dependent three-dimensional seepage into ditch drains from a flat, homogeneous and anisotropic ponded field of finite size, the field being assumed to be surrounded on all its vertical faces by ditch drains with unequal water level heights in them. It is also assumed that the field is being underlain by a horizontal impervious barrier at a finite distance from the surface of the soil and that all the ditches are being dug all the way up to this barrier. The solution can account for a variable ponding distribution at the surface of the field. The correctness of the proposed solution for a few simplified situations is tested by comparing predictions obtained from it with the corresponding values attained from the analytical and experimental works of others. Further, a numerical check on it is also performed using the Processing MODFLOW environment. It is noticed that considerable improvement on the uniformity of the distribution of the flow lines in a three-dimensional ponded drainage space can be achieved by suitably altering the ponding distribution at the surface of the soil. As the developed three-dimensional ditch drainage model is pretty general in nature and includes most of the common variables of a ditch drainage system, it is hoped that the drainage designs based on it for reclaiming salt-affected and water-logged soils would prove to be more efficient and cost-effective as compared with designs based on solutions developed by making use of more restrictive assumptions. Also, as the developed model can handle three-dimensional flow situations, it is expected to provide reliable and realistic drainage solutions to real field situations than models being developed utilizing the two-dimensional flow assumption. This is because the existing two-dimensional solutions to the problem are actually valid not for a field of finite size but for an infinite one only.     

The magnitude of arsenic contamination in groundwater and its health effects to the inhabitants of the Jalangi--one of the 85 arsenic affected blocks in West Bengal, India

To better understand the magnitude of arsenic contamination in groundwater and its effects on human beings, a detailed study was carried out in Jalangi, one of the 85 arsenic affected blocks in West Bengal, India. Jalangi block is approximately 122 km2 in size and has a population of 215538. Of the 1916 water samples analyzed (about 31% of the total hand tubewells) from the Jalangi block, 77.8% were found to have arsenic above 10 microg l(-1) [the World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended level of arsenic in drinking water], 51% had arsenic above 50 microg l(-1) (the Indian standard of permissible limit of arsenic in drinking water) and 17% had arsenic at above 300 microg l(-1) (the concentration predicting overt arsenical skin lesions). From our preliminary medical screening, 1488 of the 7221 people examined in the 44 villages of Jalangi block exhibit definite arsenical skin lesions. An estimation of probable population that may suffer from arsenical skin lesions and cancer in the Jalangi block has been evaluated comparing along with international data. A total of 1600 biologic samples including hair, nail and urine have been analyzed from the affected villages of Jalangi block and on an average 88% of the biologic samples contain arsenic above the normal level. Thus, a vast population of the block may have arsenic body burden. Cases of Bowen's disease and cancer have been identified among adults who also show arsenical skin lesions and children in this block are also seriously affected. Obstetric examinations were also carried out in this block.     

EXSHOF-II: Active filter design, from approximation function to graphic display of the circuit

This paper presents an expert-system-based package for active filter synthesis, called EXSHOF-II. It starts with approximation function and ends with graphic display of the complete filter circuit. The package is an improved and enhanced version of its mother EXSHOF ( pert system based ynthesis of igh rder ilter). EXSHOF-II gives quantitative and qualitative help at various stages of filter design. Besides the Butterworth, Chebyshev and Elliptic functions which were considered in EXSHOF, the inverse Chebyshev function is also included in EXSHOF-II. For choosing particular approximation EXSHOF-II gives the order of the transfer function. The group delay characteristics of all four approximation functions are plotted on the screen by EXSHOF-II. This aids the user to make a proper choice of an approximation function. Like its mother, EXSHOF-II also considers four high-order structures. The filtering requirement in EXSHOF-II can be directly input on the attenuation characteristics, making the system more user-friendly. The circuit implementation has been done using nine different biquadratic active RC building blocks. The delay requirement can be easily satisfied by cascaded all-pass second-order networks.