Cascade-based attack vulnerability on the US power grid

The vulnerability of real-life networks subject to intentional attacks has been one of the outstanding challenges in the study of the network safety. Applying the real data of the US power grid, we compare the effects of two different attacks for the network robustness against cascading failures, i.e., removal by either the descending or ascending orders of the loads. Adopting the initial load of a node j to be L_j=[k_j(Σ_mΓjk_m)]^α with k_j and Γ_j being the degree of the node j and the set of its neighboring nodes, respectively, where α is a tunable parameter and governs the strength of the initial load of a node, we investigate the response of the US power grid under two attacks during the cascading propagation. In the case of α<0.7, our investigation by the numerical simulations leads to a counterintuitive finding on the US power grid that the attack on the nodes with the lowest loads is more harmful than the attack on the ones with the highest loads. In addition, the almost same effect of two attacks in the case of α=0.7 may be useful in furthering studies on the control and defense of cascading failures in the US power grid.     

PARAMETER ESTIMATION OF THE NONLINEAR MUSKINGUM MODEL USING HARMONY SEARCH1

ABSTRACT: A newly developed heuristic algorithm, Harmony Search, is applied to the parameter estimation problem of the nonlinear Muskingum model. Harmony Search found better values of parameters in the nonlinear Muskingum model than five other methods including another heuristic method, genetic algorithm, in terms of SSQ (the sum of the square of the deviations between the observed and routed outflows), SAD (the sum of the absolute value of the deviations between the observed and routed outflows), DPO (deviations of peak of routed and actual flows), and DPOT (deviations of peak time of routed and actual outflow). Harmony Search also has the advantage that it does not require the process of assuming the initial values of design parameters. The sensitivity analysis of Harmony Memory Considering Rate showed that relatively large values of Harmony Memory Considering Rate makes the Harmony Search converge to a better solution.     

Hematology and Some Biochemical Parameters of Wild Rodents in Pistachio Gardens of Kerman Province, Southeast Iran

Wild rodents were collected using live snap traps in pistachio gardens of Kerman Province, Southeast Iran from 2007 to 2009, then some physiological parameters of them were measured. The samples were identified as follow: Nesokia indica, Meriones persicus, Meriones lybicus and Tatera indica. Blood samples were obtained from the heart, then the blood parameters (glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, total protein, HDL, red and white blood cell number) in wild species of rodents and laboratory rat were compared. The results showed that there were no significant differences in serum glucose, triglyceride, HDL and total protein levels among different experimental groups. The concentration of cholesterol in T. indica was more than that in N. indica (P < 0.01). The total numbers of red blood cells also showed significant difference between wild garden rodent species and laboratory rat (P < 0.01), while the numbers of white blood cells showed no significant difference.     

A NEW LOOK AT FLOOD RISK DETERMINATION1

ABSTRACT: The probability distributions of annual peak flows used in flood risk analysis quantify the risk that a design flood will be exceeded. But the parameters of these distributions are themselves to a degree uncertain and this uncertainty increases the risk that the flood protection provided will in fact prove to be inadequate. The increase in flood risk due to parameter uncertainty is small when a fairly long record of data is available and the annual flood peaks are serially independent, which is the standard assumption in flood frequency analysis. But standard tests for serial independence are insensitive to the type of grouping of high and low values in a time series, which is measured by the Hurst coefficient. This grouping increases the parameter uncertainty considerably. A study of 49 annual peak flow series for Canadian rivers shows that many have a high Hurst coefficient. The corresponding increase in flood risk due to parameter uncertainty is shown to be substantial even for rivers with a long record, and therefore should not be neglected. The paper presents a method of rationally combining parameter uncertainty due to serial correlation, and the stochastic variability of peak flows in a single risk assessment. In addition, a relatively simple time series model that is capable of reproducing the observed serial correlation of flood peaks is presented.     

GEOLOGIC INFERENCE FROM “FLOW NET” TRANSMISSIVITY DETERMINATION: THREE CASE STUDIES1

A graphical inverse method for determining the regional transmissivity distribution was applied to three field problems. The study areas were the Hanford Site, Washington; the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Colorado; and the Nevada Test Site, Nevada. This method can aid in flow system conceptualization by revealing the location of bedrock controls for groundwater flow. It is a valuable tool for aiding the hydrogeologist in asking questions about the nature of trends in the pattern of transmissivity values. Quantitative estimates of regional transmissivities can be used as starting points for further parameter refinement. Sensitivity analysis using Monte Carlo simulation shows that quantitative estimates of transmissivity can be obtained when measurement error in the hydraulic head does not cause a large error in the hydraulic gradient.     

PARAMETRIC ESTIMATION OF COVARIANCES OF REGIONALIZED VARIABLES1

ABSTRACT: The usefulness of stochastic models in describing the spatial variability of hydrogeologic quantities, such as permeability, storativity, piezometric head, seepage velocity, and solute concentrations is now widely recognized. In practice, these quantities are represented as the sum of a well-structured component, or drift, and a more erratic fluctuation component which is described statistically through its covariance function. This paper reviews some of the most recent and most promising methods for the estimation of parameters of these covariances from existing data. They are maximum likelihood, restricted maximum likelihood, minimum-variance unbiased quadratic estimation, and minimum-norm (weighted least squares) estimation. The applicability of such methods to conditional and unconditional probability problems is discussed.     

IDENTIFICATION OF AQUIFER DISPERSIVITIES: METHODS OF ANALYSIS AND PARAMETER UNCERTAINTY1

ABSTRACT: This paper presents a method for estimating aquifer dispersivities in solute transport models. Sensitivity equations are derived for the calculation of sensitivity coefficients. A modified Gauss-Newton algorithm is used to perform the least-squares minimization. A statistical procedure is outlined to assess reliability of the estimated parameters. The solute transport model is solved by the upstream weighted, multiple cell balance method which combines the concepts of local mass balance and finite element approximations. A one-dimensional solute transport problem in a vertical column system is first used to illustrate the inverse technique. A second example considers the parameter identification problem for three-dimensional solute transport with a unidirectional steady and uniform flow field. The third example solves the parameter identification problem in a three-dimensional, stream-aquifer, solute transport system with steady state flow. Numerical experiments are conducted to study data requirements for parameter identification.     

KRIGED ESTIMATES OF TRANSMISSIVITY IN THE MESILLA BOLSON,NEW MEXICO1

ABSTRACT: Kriging utilizes a statistically based procedure of spatial interpolation that incorporates the spatial correlation structure of the phenomenon, and provides an error estimate. Kriging was applied to a total of 141 transmissivity values in an attempt to quantify the transmissivity distribution of the Santa Fe aquifer in Mesilla Bolson. New Mexico. The analysis produced contour maps of estimated transmissivity values and associated estimation variances. Through variogram analysis and fitting of an exponential variogrsm to 141 natural log of transmissivity (InT) values, the range was determined to be 3 miles, the average variance 2.74 (σ_InT= 1.65) with a mean of 8.65. Kriged estimates were generally lower when compared to estimates based on available transmissivity maps.     

城市生活垃圾综合处理前分选系统设计

本文以江油市城市生活垃圾处理厂为工程实例,介绍了垃圾前分选系统中的垃圾储料车间、行车与抓斗、垃圾上料机构、双层振动筛以及人工分选平台的工艺设计参数及设计依据,并在此基础上提出了该系统的改进建议.     

大气污染与平流层气溶胶

本文简述了大气污染与气溶胶的关系，论述了平流层气溶胶对地球辐射收支的影响，从而说明平流层气溶胶的光学性质的变化将影响全球大气环境，在此基础上，计算了不同背景平流层气溶胶的光学常数和光学特性参数。并使用模式光学常数计算了３种火山模工气溶胶的光学特性参数。同时，考察了这些特性参数对光学常数的敏感性。结果表明，后向散射系数对光学常数的变化最敏感，对于某些波长，它的相对变化可比光学常数的相对变化大一个数量