Monitoring deforestation in Kenya

Multi‐temporal data is used to determine the rate of deforestation between the years 1976, 1987 and 2000. Three Landsat images, for each period, are pre‐processed, mosaicked and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values computed. Based on the values, totally non‐forested areas are masked out. The forested areas, both partially and wholly, show a very high degree of correlation between all the bands (reflective), thus necessitating an application of principal components transformation. The first two principal components and NDVI values are used in K‐means unsupervised classification to distinguish forest from non‐forest areas (that appeared as forest at first). Comparison of the resulting thematic maps gives an annual deforestation rate of roughly 15,000 ha. or 2% between any two epochs.     

How to Adapt a Lab-Scale Freeze Dryer for Assessing Dehydrating Curves at Different Heating Conditions

A laboratory-scale freeze dryer was adapted to allow control of the heat supply and on-line monitoring of sample weight during drying under vacuum condition. Several tests were carried out to verify the reliability of the developed system. The system was also tested with 10-mm-thick banana slices, obtaining the fruit drying rate, at different sample holder plate temperatures including 20 and 30°C as well as an unheated plate. The system presented in this work represents a low-cost, flexible, and easy-to-assemble piece of equipment that allows the study and optimization of the freeze drying of foods.     

Hydrothermal synthesis and spark plasma sintering of NaY zeolite as solid-state matrices for cesium-137 immobilization

Hydrothermal synthesis of NaY-type zeolite was carried out and the effect of temperature on the phase composition, crystal structure, textural characteristics, particle size and morphology, as well as sorption properties to Cs⁺ ions was studied. Solid-state matrices based on NaY zeolite the Faujasite structure containing 26.1 wt% cesium were obtained by spark plasma sintering (SPS) with high values of compressive strength (to 132.9 MPa) and Vickers microhardness to HV~ 698, Fracture toughness (K_1c) ~ 1.26 MPa m^1/2. The kinetics of ceramic matrices consolidation, phase composition and morphology using dilatometric studies, XRD, and SEM were studied. The thermogravimetric analysis shown the high thermal stability of the obtained samples up to 1300 °C. The high hydrolytic stability of CsAlSiO₄ ceramic was proven (leaching rate of 2.33 ×10^?8 g·cm^?2·day^?1 and cesium diffusion coefficient De 1.41 ×10^?13), which exceeds the requirements of GOST R 50926–96 and ISO 6961:1982 for solid-state matrices.     

Exploring Hf-Ta-O precipitation upon ablation of Hf-Ta-Si-C coating on C/C composites

To improve the ablation resistance of C/C composites, a Hf-Ta-Si-C coating was fabricated by chemical vapor co-deposition. The ablation resistances of Hf-Si-C and Hf-Ta-Si-C coatings were characterized comparatively. After introducing Ta, the ablation resistance, smoothness and integrity of the ablated coating improved. Hf-Si-O and Hf-Ta-Si-O glass wires were observed. To investigate the reaction processes of the two types of glass wires, TEM observation was carried out and coupled to molecular dynamics simulations. These illustrated that Hf and Ta atoms tend gather together at high temperature. To investigate the effect of Hf-Ta-O precipitation on the ablation behavior, supplementary experiments were carried out on bulk ceramics with the same target composition, confirming that precipitation reaction could accelerated the formation of a smooth and intact oxide layer, playing a positive role in protecting C/C composites.     

Influence of curvature geometry of laminated FRP composite panels on delamination damage in adhesively bonded lap shear joints

Three dimensional non-linear finite element analyses of Lap Shear Joints (LSJs) made with curved laminated FRP composite panels having pre-existing delaminations between the first and second plies of the strap adherend have been carried out using contact and Multi-Point Constraint elements (MPC). Progressive growth of delamination has been simulated by sequential release of the MPC elements. Strain Energy Release Rate (SERR), being an indicative parameter has been computed using Virtual Crack Closure Technique (VCCT) for assessing the growth and propagation of the delamination damage fronts. The inter-laminar stresses and the SERRs at the two fronts of the pre-embedded delamination are found to be significantly influenced by the delamination size. The three individual modes of SERR on the two delamination fronts are found to be much different from each other, indicating dissimilar rates of propagation. The curvature geometry of adherends significantly influences the SERR values. It is seen that decrease of radius of curvature of adherend panels, keeping their widths unchanged, increases the SERR values. Flatter FRP composite adherends have superior resistance to delamination damage propagation as compared to LSJs made with curved composite laminated panels.     

Modeling of rate-dependent phase transition in bacterial flagellar filament

Recent experiment of Darnton and Berg [34] showed that phase transition of bacterial flagellar filament is loading rate-dependent. The object of this paper is to describe the observed loading rate-dependent phase transition responses of the filament by using time dependent Ginzberg–Landau continuum model. We developed a finite element method (FEM) code to simulate the phase transition under a displacement-controlled loading condition (controlled helix-twist) by using viscosity-type kinetics. Our FEM simulation captures the main features of the rate-dependence: under slow loading (i.e., loading time ? the relaxation time) the filament phase transition is an equilibrium process and each phase grows via interface propagation on the Maxwell line; under rapid loading (i.e., loading time ? the relaxation time), the phase transition does not occur and the response is elastic. Our FEM model provides a tool to study the effects of loading-rate dependent phase transition for bio-filament with viscous kinetics.     

Instabilities of Regression Estimates Relating Air Pollution to Mortality

The instability of ordinary least squares estimates of linear regression coefficients is demonstrated for mortality rates regressed around various socioeconomic, weather and pollution variables. A ridge regression technique presented by Hoer1 and Kennard (Technometrics 12 (1970) 69–82) is employed to arrive at “stable” regression coefficients which, in some instances, differ considerably from the ordinary least squares estimates. In addition, two methods of variable elimination are compared—one based on total squared error and the other on a ridge trace analysis.     

Ring shear characteristics of discontinuous plane

Residual shear strength is an essential parameter in evaluating the long-term stability of reactivated landslides in geotechnical engineering. According to previous studies, earthquake-induced landslides may occur on discontinuous planes, such as bedding planes, between weathered and unweathered mudstones having different cementation properties resulting from diagenesis. However, the shear behaviour at the contact surfaces between the cemented and the non-cemented soil layers has not yet been sufficiently investigated. The objective of this study is to elucidate the residual strength characteristics of artificial bedding planes that model the actual behaviour of slip surfaces occurring between two layers with different degrees of cementation. The experimental tests were conducted with a ring shear test apparatus. Additionally, in order to simulate the realistic mechanical behaviour of naturally cemented clay, artificial cementation bonds were created by adding a cementing agent at different ratios to clay slurry. A series of ring shear tests was performed under various conditions on one-layer non-cemented and cemented kaolin samples, respectively, as well as on two-layer specimens composed of one layer each of cemented kaolin and non-cemented kaolin. The test results showed that the residual friction angle of the two-layer combinations of non-cemented and cemented kaolin was approximately 33.6% lower than that of pure kaolin. In contrast, the residual friction angle of cemented kaolin may be as much as 6.2° greater than that of non-cemented kaolin. At cement ratios of up to 2%, the stress ratio of cemented kaolin increased as the shear displacement rate increased. As the cement content was increased beyond 2%, the degree of increase was not significant. These results suggest that the residual strength of cemented kaolin at cement contents greater than 2% is independent of the shear rate.     

A review study on titanium niobium oxide-based composite anodes for Li-ion batteries: Synthesis,structure, and performance

The growing demands for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) in the electrification revolution, require the development of advanced electrode materials. Recently, intercalating titanium niobium oxide (TNO) anode materials with the general formula of TiNb_xO_2+2.5x have received lots of attention as an alternative to graphite and Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ commercial anodes. The desirability of this family of compounds stems from their high theoretical capacities (377–402 mAh/g), high safety, high working voltage, excellent cycling stability, and significant pseudocapacitive behavior. However, the rate performance of TNO-based anodes is poor owing to their low electronic and ionic conductivities. TNO-based composites generally are prepared with two aims of enhancing the conductivity of TNO and achieving a synergic effect between the TNO and the other component of the composite. Compositing with carbon matrices, such as graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are the most studied strategy for improving the conductivity of TNO and optimizing its high-rate performance. Also, for obtaining anode materials with high capacity and high long-term stability, the composites of TNO with transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) materials were proposed in previous literature. In this work, a comprehensive review of the TNO-based composites as the anodes for LIBs is presented which summarizes in detail the main recent literature from their synthesis procedure, optimum synthesis parameters, and the obtained morphology/structure to their electrochemical performance as the LIBs anode. Finally, the research gaps and the future perspective are proposed.     

Regulatory and ratemaking approaches to mitigate financial impacts of net-metered PV on utilities and ratepayers

The financial interests of U.S. utilities are poorly aligned with customer-sited solar photovoltaics (PV) under traditional regulation. Customer-sited PV, especially under a net-metering arrangement, may result in revenue erosion and lost earnings opportunities for utility shareholders as well as increases in average retail rates for utility ratepayers. Regulators are considering alternative regulatory and ratemaking approaches to mitigate these financial impacts. We performed a scoping analysis using a financial model to quantify the efficacy of mitigation approaches in reducing financial impacts of customer-sited PV on utility shareholders and ratepayers. We find that impacts can be mitigated through various incremental changes to utility regulatory and business models, though the efficacy varies considerably depending on design and particular utility circumstances. Based on this analysis, we discuss tradeoffs policymakers should consider, which ultimately might need to be resolved within broader policy contexts.