Surface waves on a grounded anisotropic plasma slab

The dispersion relations of the plane surface waves supported by a grounded magnetoplasma slab immersed in free space are discussed for the case in which the magnetostatic field is parallel to both the direction of propagation and the vacuum-plasma interface. The dependence of the surface-wave characteristics on the thickness of the plasma slab and the strength of the magnetostatic field is also examined.     

Study of Chromium Activity in the Cr-Fe-N System by Galvanic Cell Method

In the present work, the Cr-Fe-N alloys with different compositions were synthesized by nitriding the Cr-Fe powder mixtures in the purified nitrogen gas (101,325 Pa) at 1473 K for 2 weeks. The phase relationships in the synthesized alloys and the alloys equilibrated at 1173 K were carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The nitrogen content in the alloys equilibrated in the nitrogen gas (101,325 Pa) at 1173 K was analyzed using the inert-gas fusion thermal conductivity (IGFTC) method. The thermodynamic activities of Cr in Fe-Cr-N alloys were measured in the temperature range 973 to 1123 K using the solid-state galvanic cell technique with CaF₂ single crystal as the solid electrolyte. Based on the measured EMF values, the chromium activities in the alloys were calculated with respect to pure Cr with bcc structure as the standard state. The effect of nitrogen on Cr activities in the Cr-Fe-N system was examined by comparing the experimental results of the Cr activities in the Cr-Fe and Cr-Fe-C systems.     

Increasing data rate over wireless channels

Space-time coding (STC) is a new coding/signal processing framework for wireless communication systems with multiple transmit and multiple receive antennas. This new framework has the potential of dramatically improve the capacity and data rates. In addition, this framework presents the best trade-off between spectral efficiency and power consumption. ST codes (designed so far) come in two different types. ST trellis codes offer the maximum possible diversity gain and a coding gain without any sacrifice in the transmission bandwidth. The decoding of these codes, however, would require the use of a vector form of the Viterbi decoder. Space-time block codes (STBCs) offer a much simpler may of obtaining transmit diversity without any sacrifice in bandwidth and without requiring huge decoding complexity. In fact, the structure of the STBCs is such that it allows for very simple signal processing (linear combining) for encoding/decoding, differential encoding/detection, and interference cancellation. This new signal processing framework offered by ST codes can be used to enhance the data rate and/or capacity in various wireless applications. That is the reason many of these STC ideas have already found their way to some of the current third-generation wireless systems standards     

Recycling of Aluminum Salt Cake: Utilization of Evolved Ammonia

The communication presents an extension of the leaching process of the salt cake earlier developed by the present authors. The process describes the investigations in capturing the ammonia gas evolved by hydrolysis of AlN during aqueous leaching at 373 K (100 °C) by CO₂-saturated water. The product, i.e., ammonium bicarbonate which is free of chlorides, is a value-added product and can find application in the fertilizer industry. The present method has the added advantage of fixing CO₂ as well.     

Fitness-for-service assessment of spherical pressure vessels with hot spots

Spherical shapes are used in industry as hemispherical vessel heads or high-pressure storage vessels due to the inherent strength associated with the shape. Structural integrity of such components needs to be evaluated periodically to prevent failure of the vessels under operating conditions. The paper develops a method for Level 2 (as defined by API 579 [(2000). Fitness-for-service, API 579. Washington, DC: American Petroleum Institute]) fitness-for-service estimation of spherical shapes subject to local hot spots where the temperatures are elevated due to local damage. The decay length for spherical shells is determined, and the size of hot spot to be identified as local is proposed. A lower bound “remaining strength factor” (RSF) for spherical pressure vessels containing hot spots is formulated by the application of Mura's variational formulation and the m-multiplier method. The effectiveness of the proposed Level 2 method is evaluated and demonstrated through an example.     

A Distributed Stream Query Optimization Framework through Integrated Planning and Deployment

This paper addresses the problem of optimizing multiple distributed stream queries that are executing simultaneously in distributed data stream systems. We argue that the static query optimization approach of "plan, then deployment” is inadequate for handling distributed queries involving multiple streams and node dynamics faced in distributed data stream systems and applications. Thus, the selection of an optimal execution plan in such dynamic and networked computing systems must consider operator ordering, reuse, network placement, and search space reduction. We propose to use hierarchical network partitions to exploit various opportunities for operator-level reuse while utilizing network characteristics to maintain a manageable search space during query planning and deployment. We develop top-down, bottom-up, and hybrid algorithms for exploiting operator-level reuse through hierarchical network partitions. Formal analysis is presented to establish the bounds on the search space and suboptimality of our algorithms. We have implemented our algorithms in the IFLOW [CHECK END OF SENTENCE] system, an adaptive distributed stream management system. Through simulations and experiments using a prototype deployed on Emulab [CHECK END OF SENTENCE], we demonstrate the effectiveness of our framework and our algorithms.     

The Case for VM-Based Cloudlets in Mobile Computing

Mobile computing continuously evolve through the sustained effort of many researchers. It seamlessly augments users' cognitive abilities via compute-intensive capabilities such as speech recognition, natural language processing, etc. By thus empowering mobile users, we could transform many areas of human activity. This article discusses the technical obstacles to these transformations and proposes a new architecture for overcoming them. In this architecture, a mobile user exploits virtual machine (VM) technology to rapidly instantiate customized service software on a nearby cloudlet and then uses that service over a wireless LAN; the mobile device typically functions as a thin client with respect to the service. A cloudlet is a trusted, resource-rich computer or cluster of computers that's well-connected to the Internet and available for use by nearby mobile devices. Our strategy of leveraging transiently customized proximate infrastructure as a mobile device moves with its user through the physical world is called cloudlet-based, resource-rich, mobile computing. Crisp interactive response, which is essential for seamless augmentation of human cognition, is easily achieved in this architecture because of the cloudlet's physical proximity and one-hop network latency. Using a cloudlet also simplifies the challenge of meeting the peak bandwidth demand of multiple users interactively generating and receiving media such as high-definition video and high-resolution images. Rapid customization of infrastructure for diverse applications emerges as a critical requirement, and our results from a proof-of-concept prototype suggest that VM technology can indeed help meet this requirement.     

Identification of Cracking in Beam Structures Using Timoshenko and Euler Formulations

Timoshenko and Euler beam formulations, using energy approach, have been used to estimate the influence of crack size and location on the natural frequencies of cracked beams. Fracture mechanics approach has been used to consider the effect of cracking on the dynamic response of the beam. Galerkin’s approach has been used to solve the problem numerically. It is shown that for slender beams the deep beam influence is felt only when the [(basic?bending?length)/h] ratio of the fundamental sinusoid of a beam becomes very small for higher modes. When the (l/h) ratio becomes small (<10), the influence of shear rotation and rotary inertia effects become dominant; the inclusion of these effects makes the beam less stiff than a Euler beam. The crack influence on Euler and Timoshenko beams are similar for beams with l/h>10; but when l/h<10, the results of cracked Euler and Timoshenko beams slowly become different and diverge. The frequency contour method identifies the crack size and location properly, using the lower order frequencies. When structural symmetry gives an ambiguity regarding the crack location, the vibration behavior of the same beam with an asymmetrically placed mass, in conjunction with the frequency contour method, would uniquely identify the crack size and location.