Air Pollution Emission Inventory Survey for Israel

High ozone levels are regularly measured during summer months over the inland and mountainous regions of Israel. Studies analyzing the back trajectories of air masses responsible for the high ozone levels showed that the precursors originated from the densely populated Israeli coastline. In order to better understand the contribution of those emission sources to ozone production, it is essential to have an accurate emission inventory that can be inputted into a photochemical model. The present paper describes the methods used in preparing an emission inventory for Israel based on information available and published until 1998. The source and accuracy of the data available are described. The calculations performed and the assumptions taken in order to obtain data not directly available are clarified. The sources reported in the inventory were the major polluters (power plants, oil refineries, and cement industries); industry; transportation; and biogenic sources. The pollutants studied were SO₂, NO_x, CO, saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons, ethylene, isoprene, toluene, xylene, formaldehyde, and aldehydes. The inventory showed that transportation is responsible for almost the entire CO and 30% of the volatile organic compounds emitted, although transportation itself accounts for only a fifth of total fuel consumption. About 75% of the NO_x emitted can be attributed to industrial sources and the remaining 25% to transportation. Model simulations using the emission inventory were performed and compared to data available from a monitoring station situated 30 km east of Tel Aviv. The results showed good agreement, validating the accuracy of the emission inventory. The present emission inventory provides an important database as input to photochemical models used in forecasting ozone levels over Israel.     

Nature over nurture: Temperament, personality, and life span development.

Temperaments are often regarded as biologically based psychological tendencies with intrinsic paths of development. It is argued that this definition applies to the personality traits of the five-factor model. Evidence for the endogenous nature of traits is summarized from studies of behavior genetics, parent–child relations, personality structure, animal personality, and the longitudinal stability of individual differences. New evidence for intrinsic maturation is offered from analyses of NEO Five-Factor Inventory scores for men and women age 14 and over in German, British, Spanish, Czech, and Turkish samples (N?=?5,085). These data support strong conceptual links to child temperament despite modest empirical associations. The intrinsic maturation of personality is complemented by the culturally conditioned development of characteristic adaptations that express personality; interventions in human development are best addressed to these. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Numerical analysis of tunnel dynamic response to earth motions

The paper deals with analysis of the dynamic response of the rock surrounding tunnels during earthquakes. The analysis presented illustrates the effect of the dynamic loads on the stability of tunnels. It is concluded that the stresses induced by earthquakes are usually much smaller than the strength of the rock that surrounds the tunnel. Generally, tunnels have a fairly high safety against earthquakes. However, at the earth surface the reaction. to the earthquake action may lead to more complicated consequences. The proposed approach can also be used for estimation of dynamic load influence on development of stress and displacement fields around tunnels. For the purpose of the analysis modification in the numerical program FLAC were introduced. The improvement allows for more suitable boundary conditions that match the dynamic process.     

On the Multiphoton Multimode Interaction Between a Two Level Atom and a Quantum Electromagnetic Radiation Field

Abstract

The multiphoton multimode generalization of Jaynes-Cummings Hamiltonian is both derived and linearized in the paper: it is derived from a first-principle Hamiltonian by adiabatic elimination and then shown to be exactly linearized to a form of a Jaynes-Cummings Hamiltonian, which enables an easy solution.     

Electromagnetic Wave Reflection and Transmission at a Chiral-dielectric Interface

Abstract

Reflection and transmission of electronmagnetic waves at a chiral-dielectric interface are analysed for normal and oblique incidence and for critical angles. Graphs of the reflection and transmission coefficients are given for various parameters of the two media as a function of the angle of incidence. The results of the analysis and the behaviour of the graphs are discussed and conclusions are drawn from this discussion.     

On the Squeezing of Coherent States by the Multiphoton Jaynes-Cummings Hamiltonian with an Intensity-dependent Coupling

Abstract

The squeezing properties of the multiphoton Hamiltonian with intensity-dependent coupling are evaluated for the [xcirc] and [pcirc] _x quadratures, for the initial state of a coherent electromagnetic field and an atom in the ground state. Two measures of squeezing: the percentage of total squeezing and the squeezing time-period percentage, are introduced. Interesting squeezing properties with respect to [xcirc] are observed for real coherent states when the time evolution of the above measures and of the time-averaged squeezing are analysed. The multiphoton intensity-dependent coupling Hamiltonian is found to be almost independent of the specific powers of the annihilation and creation operators, as long as the sum of the powers is kept constant.     

Attenuation of noise and vibration caused by underground trains, using soil replacement

Tunnels are used to convey transportation in dense urban areas, especially by underground trains. Underground trains radiate noise and vibration by airborne sound and by transmission of vibration through the rails to the surrounding ground. The acoustic wave propagates through the ground, being transmitted by soil–structure interactions to nearby buildings. The transportation induced vibrations add to the static and other types of loads, and their specific spectral features are well distinguished and perceived as nuisance to people. The disturbing effect caused by these solid borne vibrations can be significantly mitigated by soil replacement of the material under the rails. This technique, which was described in previous publications by the authors, is further developed and analyzed here by modeling and numerical analysis, for underground applications. Illustrative examples show through spectral analysis the role of soil replacement, avoiding sound bridges. In this context, the required thickness of the soil replacement layer was considered. It is shown that a 0.5 m thick layer may be sufficient for most practical purposes.     

The use of boundary strip method (BSM) for evaluation of the transverse mechanical properties of fibrous composites

The boundary strip method (BSM) is applied for evaluation of the transverse mechanical properties of fibrous composites with random and periodical fiber distributions. This special semi numerical method helps find the link between the microscopic behavior of the composite material and its macroscopic response in a rather detailed manner, enabling definition of stress and strain magnitudes at each point of the cross section. Here, specifically statistical model based on the boundary strip method, is used for assessment of the transverse effective moduli of fibrous composites. Random fiber distributions are compared with periodic fiber distributions having square or hexagonal array arrangements. Those are the common models used nowadays and modeled by the finite element or the boundary element. A comparison with the bounds of the polarization extremum principles is conducted too. The influence of the randomly distributed fibers on the transverse effective moduli is investigated and a good correlation is found between the results of the present model and the lower bound of the polarization extremum principles.     

Quality fruit

Non-destructive methods for determining quality are crucial to the agricultural industries. The authors describe a non-destructive ultrasonic measurement system that was developed to test the maturity, firmness and other quality-related properties of avocado and mango fruits