Multiquality Data Replication in Multimedia Databases

In contrast to other database applications, multimedia data can have a wide range of quality parameters, such as spatial and temporal resolution and compression format. Users can request data with specific quality requirements due to the needs of their application or the limitations of their resources. The database can support multiple qualities by converting data from the original (high) quality to another (lower) quality to support a user's query or precompute and store multiple quality replicas of data items. On-the-fly conversion of multimedia data (such as video transcoding) is very CPU intensive and can limit the level of concurrent access supported by the database. Storing all possible replicas, on the other hand, requires unacceptable increases in storage requirements. In this paper, we address the problem of multiple-quality replica selection subject to an overall storage constraint. We establish that the problem is NP-hard and provide heuristic solutions under two different system models: hard-quality and soft-quality. Under the soft-quality model, users are willing to negotiate their quality needs, as opposed to the hard-quality system wherein users can only accept the exact quality requested. Extensive simulations show that our algorithm performs significantly better than other heuristics. Our algorithms are flexible in that they can be extended to deal with changes in query pattern     

Thermal contact conductance of pressed contacts at low temperatures

The influence of variations of interface temperature in the range 50-300 K on the thermal contact conductance between aluminium and stainless steel joints was determined. Predictions were done by modeling the deformation at the interface for different values of surface finish and contact pressure over the range of interface temperatures. Both elastic and plastic deformation was considered. Experiments were carried out in a closed loop cryostat and the results were shown to compare well with the predictions. A reduction of the interface temperature resulted in a smaller value of thermal contact conductance. Interfacial pressure variation had much lower influence at the smaller value of temperatures. The role of surface roughness at the contact was also seen to be less significant at lower interface temperatures and the zone of hysteresis was smaller. A correlation was developed for estimating thermal contact conductance at joints over this temperature range. An explicit dependence of contact conductance on temperature was not seen to be necessary as long as the changes in the hardness and thermal conductivity of the material with temperature are incorporated in the correlation.     

Polarized Lidar Reflectance Measurements of Vegetation at Near-Infrared and Green Wavelengths

There is growing interest in the use of lidar for remote sensing of vegetation owing to the emergence of reliable and rugged lasers and highly sensitive detectors. Lidar remote sensing has a distinct advantage over conventional techniques in vegetation remote sensing due to its capability for three-dimensional characterization of vegetative targets. The Multiwavelength Airborne Polarimetric Lidar (MAPL) system was developed primarily for vegetation remote sensing applications from an airborne platform of up to 1,000 -m altitude. The lidar system has full waveform capture and polarimetric measurement capability at two wavelengths in the near-infrared (1064 nm) and the green (532 nm) spectral regions. This study presents preliminary ground-based lidar reflectance measurements on a variety of deciduous and coniferous trees under fully foliated conditions with a view towards tree species discrimination. Variations in the reflectance characteristics of selected deciduous trees under unfoliated and fully foliated conditions were also investigated. Our study reveals distinct differences in the reflectance characteristics of various trees.     

Investigations on the Influence of Surface Texturing on a Couple Stress Fluid–Based Journal Bearing by Using JFO Boundary Conditions

The present study was conducted to examine the effect of laser surface texturing combined with couple stress fluids on the hydrodynamic lubrication of finite journal bearing in this work. The Jakobsson-Floberg-Olsson (JFO) boundary conditions were engaged instead of Reynolds boundary conditions to achieve realistic results. Moreover, the results were computed and authenticated with the previous published work. It was observed that the load-carrying capacity is increased with couple stresses for smooth journal bearings at different eccentricity ratios. However, the increment in load-carrying capacity with texture affects only at low eccentricity ratios. The combined effects of texturing with couple stress fluids lower the performance of journal bearings at different eccentricity ratios.     

Design and development of the magnetorheological abrasive flow finishing (MRAFF) process

A new precision finishing process for complex internal geometries using smart magnetorheological polishing fluid is developed. Magnetorheological abrasive flow finishing (MRAFF) process provides better control over rheological properties of abrasive laden magnetorheological finishing medium. Magnetorheological (MR) polishing fluid comprises of carbonyl iron powder and silicon carbide abrasives dispersed in the viscoplastic base of grease and mineral oil; it exhibits change in rheological behaviour in presence of external magnetic field. This smart behaviour of MR-polishing fluid is utilized to precisely control the finishing forces, hence final surface finish. A hydraulically powered experimental setup is designed to study the process characteristics and performance. The setup consists of two MR-polishing fluid cylinders, two hydraulic actuators, electromagnet, fixture and supporting frame. Experiments were conducted on stainless steel workpieces at different magnetic field strength to observe its effect on final surface finish. No measurable change in surface roughness is observed after finishing at zero magnetic field. However, for the same number of cycles the roughness reduces gradually with the increase of magnetic field. This validates the role of rheological behaviour of magnetorheological polishing fluid in performing finishing action.     

Solution Annealing of Super Duplex Stainless Steel: Correlating Corrosion Performance with Grain Size and Phase-Specific Chemistry

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A - A super duplex stainless steel was subjected to solution annealing at 1323 K. This led to grain coarsening, ‘limited’ (~ 7 pct by...     

Glycolamide-functionalized ionic liquid: Synthesis and actinide ion extraction studies

A glycolamide-functionalized ionic liquid (G-FIL) was synthesized for the first time and was evaluated for the extraction of actinide ions such as Am³⁺, Pu⁴⁺ and UO₂²⁺ and fission product element ions such as Eu³⁺, Sr²⁺ and Cs⁺. The extraction of the trivalent metal ions was found to be exceptionally high at low acid concentrations, which rapidly decreased with increasing acidity. In view of the high viscosity of the G-FIL, the studies were carried out using its diluted solution in a commercial ionic liquid, viz. 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([C₄mim][Tf₂N]).     

Determination of Maximum Loadability by a Mixed Complementarity Formulation of the Adjusted Power Flow Problem

The ever-increasing demand for power leads to increased loading on the power system. It is necessary to determine the maximum loadability of power systems so that a sufficient margin can be maintained. Maximum loadability can be determined by solving the power flow equations successively while increasing the loading gradually; conventionally, the unadjusted power flow problem is solved. This also helps in determining the voltage profile with respect to loading. However, determination of loadability margin by the solution of adjusted power flow problem is challenging in the presence of certain limits such as the limits of tap-changing and phase-shifting transformers, and the operating limits of Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) controllers. In the course of determination of maximum loading, it is likely that these limits are encountered. A novel method for systematic handling of these limits is presented in this paper. A Mixed Complementarity Problem formulation is proposed for inclusion of the limits of tap-changing and phase-shifting transformers, and FACTS controllers. The proposed method is tested on the IEEE 300 bus system and the WSCC 9 bus system in the presence of FACTS controllers.