An Evaluation of Public Concerns About Water Management in the Palestinian Territory Pre,During, and Post the National Uprising

We have evaluated the extent of public concerns about water management in the Palestinian Territory (PT) through a survey of the main Palestinian newspaper over the last thirteen years divided in three periods: pre (1984–1987), during (1988–1991), and post national uprising period (1992–1996). The public concern in the PT about various water management aspects was clear and influenced by the prevailing political conditions indicating (1) poor concerns in the first and second period where full Israeli military control of the PT and harsh practices prevailed with relatively more emphasis on regional water issues and (2) extensive-strong concerns in the third period when the peace process started and a partial lift of some of the Israeli water practices took place, along with an increased freedom in expressing public concerns which was granted with more emphasis on local issues and problems. Lack and limitation of water available to Palestinians, alternative solutions, and water quality and pollution control constituted the overwhelming majority of the topics of concern to the public for the three periods studied. Palestinian concerns were always greater than regional ones for the three periods and all of the topics considered. Public concern in the PT about all other water management aspects was poor and negligible especially in the first two periods. A massive increase in public concern has been observed in the third period in which the public expressed their concern over most water management aspects, indicating a possible change in public attitude toward water and water management and reflecting the change of the political status by the start of the peace process and the signing of the peace agreements.     

Transport properties of 1,1-difluoroethane (R152a)

Based on reliable. carefully selected data sets. equations for the thermal conductivity and the viscosity of the refrigerant R 112a are presented. They are valid at temperatures from 240 to 440 K, pressures up to 20 MPa. and densities up to 1050 kg · m^–3. including the critical region.     

High-field magnetic and transport critical current density of Sm-Ba-Cu-O: Agx superconductors at low temperature

Variation of magnetic critical current density (J _mc) and transport critical current density (J _tc) in high magnetic fields at liquid helium temperature were investigated on Sm-Ba-Cu-O: Ag _x (x=0.0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6) superconducting samples prepared by the coprecipitation technique.T _c and crystallographic parameters remain unaffected by Ag addition. However, bothJ _mc andJ _tc were found to increase on Ag addition. The volume pinning force (F _p) also increased with increase in Ag concentration, resulting in stronger flux line sheer. Microwave-induced d.c. voltage measurement shows a significant reduction of the total number of weak links between the superconducting grains with increasing concentration of Ag, which creates stronger pinning potentials between the boundary of the superconducting intergrains. Hence, the volume pinning force is greatly enhanced by Ag addition, leading to flux line lattice movement which is responsible for highJ _mc andJ _tc.     

Gas diffusion and dielectric studies of polystyrene‐fullerene compositions

Polystyrene‐fullerene compositions containing up to 0.45 mol % (3 wt %) fullerene C₆₀ were investigated. It was established that the addition of fullerene to polystyrene (PS) leads to an increase of molecular packing density and so influences the transport of small molecules through the polymer films. Gas diffusion through films of PS‐fullerene compositions is slower than through PS films, and gas separating properties of compositions are higher. Dielectric studies showed that the fullerene is distributed as clusters in the polymer matrix of solid composition prepared from a toluene solution of PS and fullerene. Heating without air to the temperature higher than PS glass transition leads to increasing relaxation time of α‐transition in PS of compositions containing >0.15 mol % (1 wt %) fullerene. This effect is caused by rather strong interaction of PS chains via fullerene molecules entered into the PS‐fullerene complex. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 85: 2946–2951, 2002     

砷化镓声电荷转移延迟线的设计与工艺研究

由于声电荷转移(ACT)这一新颖的高速缓冲抽样技术的发明,使得新一代高速高频信号处理器件的实现成为可能。本文研究了第二代平面结构的ACT器件转移沟道的电位分布特性,给出了平面结构ACT延迟线的设计,并研究了ACT器件的工艺实现。     

Long-term measurements of the concentrations of halocarbons in an urban area of Kraków, Poland

The results of the measurements of the concentrations of freons (F-11 and F-113), chloroform (CHCl₃), trichloroethane (CH₃CCl₃) and carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) in air are presented. The data concern concentration measurements that have been conducted in Krakow since half way through 1997 to the end of 1999. The mean monthly values of these concentrations have been compared with the data from Mace Head, the station situated at a similar longitude as Krakow. It has been concluded that, in the observed period of time, the concentrations of the pollutants in Krakow are higher than in Mace Head. The mean monthly concentrations of F-11 and CCl₄ decrease in Krakow faster than in Mace Head (2.5 and 3.3 times, respectively). The concentrations of CHCl₃ and CH₃CCl₃ decrease at both locations, but the change is greater in Krakow. In Krakow, the observed increase of F-113 is 0.13 ppt/month and has an opposite trend than in the same period at Mace Head.     

Occurrence of Lawn Care and Agricultural Pesticides in the Don River and Humber River Watersheds (1998–2002)

Between 1998 and 2002, surface water samples were collected from several sites in the Don River and Humber River watersheds, both tributaries to Lake Ontario, and analyzed for a variety of pesticides, including those used for urban lawn care. Analyses included 152 pesticide active ingredients and eight metabolites. Samples were collected during base flow periods (i.e., dry events) and rainfall events (i.e., wet events). The objectives of the study were to determine which pesticides were detectable, whether there was a difference in the detection frequency between the two watersheds and between upstream and downstream in each river, and whether precipitation influenced the frequency of detection. Eleven pesticides and one metabolite were detected in surface waters of the Don and Humber rivers or their tributaries, with approximately 72% of samples containing at least one pesticide attributable to lawn care use. The pesticides and pesticide metabolite detected in this study included 2,4-D, atrazine, bromacil, carbofuran, chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, diazinon, dicamba, MECOPROP, metolachlor, metribuzin, and an atrazine metabolite (des-ethyl atrazine). Four pesticides exceeded federal or provincial water quality guidelines/objectives. Diazinon exceeded the provincial water quality objective in 28% of the samples taken. For the three other pesticides (atrazine, carbofuran and chlorpyrifos) exceedance of a water quality criteria occurred in less than 1% of the samples.     

Application of a Three-dimensional Wind Driven Circulation Model to Assess the Locations of New Drinking Water Intakes in Lake Ontario

A 3D transport model is used to perform a comparative analysis of several potential drinking water intakes located along the northwest shore of Lake Ontario between Toronto and Oshawa. The model is specifically used to assess each intake under both long- and short-term transport of a potential pollutant release from the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station and potential and actual pollutant releases from local land sources respectively. A model based on a 500 m grid resolution is calibrated using data collected in the aftermath of the 1992 tritium spill at the Pickering Nuclear Generation Station and subsequently used to simulate long-term transport. A model based on a 100 m grid resolution is verified using drogue studies and used to simulate short-term transport events. Both models are used to assess pollutant levels at each of nine potential intake locations under different wind scenarios and pollutant releases. Field data for the study included water quality and flow measurements from local sewers and rivers, and estimates of pollutant levels from the local waste water treatment plants. This paper describes the model setup for both the long-term and short-term transport models, calibration using field data, long-term transport modeling, short-term transport modeling, and the comprehensive analysis approach used to evaluate the nine potential intake locations proposed. Results indicated that four intakes in particular outperformed other intake locations by maintaining bottom pollutant levels within governmental standards and warning times that exceeded 20 hours.     

A Mass Transport Model for Drying Wood under Isothermal Conditions

Mass transport in wood during drying can have different mechanisms at different periods of drying. Depending on the current moisture content (MC) and the structure of the wood, the driving forces for the mass transport are essentially different. Above the fiber saturation point (FSP), the lumens are partially saturated and the transport of liquid (free) water occurs as a consequence of capillary action. On the other hand, below the FSP, bound water within the cell walls is conveyed by diffusion, and water vapor in the lumens moves under influence of pressures gradient. Based on these considerations, a unified model is presented that takes into account the transport of the different moisture phases. Simulation of the drying of a Norway spruce sample at 50°C from about 135 to 7% MC is carried out using the finite element method (FEM). Comparison between the simulated average MC and the experimental observations obtained from X-ray computed tomography (CT) shows reasonable agreement. Possible simplifications in the model are briefly discussed as well as some aspects of the numerical implementation. Finally, the influence of absolute permeability on the average MC is studied.