CITY OF TUCSON WASTE WATER EFFLUENT DELIVERY FACILITY1

ABSTRACT: The Tucson area is totally dependent on ground water, which is in increasingly short supply due to excessive overdrafts. Tucson area waste water treatment plants discharge material quantities of secondary effluent downstream, which is lost to evapotranspiration and recharge of the ground water basin. The city and the four large mining companies who share the common Santa Cruz basin ground water, recognized the common water supply problem and agreed to fund a feasibility study for mining process use of the effluent to partly alleviate the overdraft of ground water. The study analyzed the projected waste water effluent resources, potential mining company demand for waste water effluent and possible interface of an effluent delivery facility with the proposed Central Arizona Project. The effluent resources were analyzed with respect to potential demand. An optimum alignment was selected. An optimum system was detailed through design schematics, amortized cost and finance requirements, and an implementation schedule. It was concluded that a waste water effluent delivery facility could be implemented which would utilize reclaimed effluent in quantities approximating 35 percent of basin overdraft and which would provide revenue for full cost recovery over a 20 year operation period. The mining companies are studying the internal economic impacts of the project.     

Vigilance monitoring for operator safety: A simulation study on highway driving

INTRODUCTION: Alertness of individuals operating vehicles, aircrafts, and machinery is a pre-requisite for safety of the individual and for avoiding economic losses. In this paper, we present a new technique for determining the alertness level of the operator and elaborate the methodology for the specific case of highway driving METHOD: Our hypothesis is that the time derivative of force exerted by the driver at the vehicle-human interfaces can be used to construct a signature of individual driving styles and to discern different levels of alertness RESULTS: In this study, we present experimental results corroborating this hypothesis and introduce a parameter, 'spikiness index,' for the time series data of the force derivative to quantify driver alertness IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: The low cost, ruggedness, and low-volume data processing requirements of the proposed technique give it a competitive edge over existing predominantly image processing based vigilance monitoring systems.     

Ecological knowledge and North Sea environmental policies

In an analysis of North Sea eutrophication science and policies, focusing on the period 1980–2005, it was investigated how scientific information was used in policy-making. The analysis focused on the central assumptions of the rational policy-making model, i.e. that scientific information can be used to formulate decisions, based upon objective scientific information (rational decision-making), and secondly, can support implementing these decisions (rational management). In general terms, the following was concluded:

• •More knowledge has increased rather than reduced uncertainty;
• •In order to handle the problem of dealing with complexity and uncertainty at the political level, a simplification of facts has occurred, in this case focusing on nutrients as the main cause of the problem, at the same time excluding other possible causes;
• •Both the limited scientific view (i.e. the nutrient view) and the exaggeration of the seriousness of the problem (impacts, scope) have been used as an authoritative basis for the justification of political decisions. Both were not supported by the majority of the scientific community;
• •New scientific knowledge, not in support of existing policies, has been excluded from the policy process;
• •The science–policy interface, mainly consisting of “civil-servant scientists”, that emerged and increased its influence over the period of investigation, has been the central element in the simplification and exclusion process.

The main lesson learned is that work at the interface of science and policy must be subject to democratic principles, i.e. be transparent and involving all parties with a stake in the issue under consideration.     

不同类型紫色土土/气界面汞释放通量及其影响因素

运用动力通量箱与RA-915 汞分析仪联用技术,对重庆市3种类型紫色土的土/气界面汞交换通董进行了实地监测.结果显示,不同类型紫色土的土/气界面汞交换通量有一定差异,随着土壤pH值的增加,汞交换通量值增大,酸性紫色土平均通量值为(30.8±23.7)ng·m-2·h-1,中性紫色土为(34.9±25.7)ng·m-2·h-1,石灰性紫色土为(39.0±27.O)ng·m-2·h-1.土/气界面汞交换量受光照、气温、土壤温度和空气相对湿度等因素的影响,汞交换通量与光照、气温和土壤温度呈显著正相关关系,与相对湿度呈显著负相关关系,与大气压不相关.     

湖泊沉积物-水界面微量重金属扩散作用及其水质影响研究

通过对云南泸沽湖、洱海沉积物孔隙水微量重金属剖面特征及界面扩散通量的研究,定量评估了微量重金属界面扩散作用对上覆湖水水质的影响,并探讨了春季节性变化规律,结果表明,孔隙水微量重金属浓度面均呈典型的峰形分布,界面氧化还原状况的变化是影响这种分布的主要因素;微量重金属界面扩散通量在夏季明显大于冬季,深水区大于浅水区;这种擅长 用作用对湖水中微量重金属含量的变化影响较大,尤其对深度较小,水体寄宿时间长、     

钢筋混凝土界面的疲劳损伤

钢筋与混凝土界面的脱粘是钢筋混凝土材料与结构的主要失效形式之一。针对笔者建立的几何剪切筒模型和选取的常用实验加载方式 ,推导出循环荷载作用下钢筋与混凝土界面脱粘应力解析模型 ,借助断裂力学的基本理论 ,进一步研究和分析了界面疲劳脱粘速率及界面摩擦剪应力与循环加载次数的关系 ,同时考虑了泊松比对疲劳特性的影响 ,为混凝土结构的安全评估提供一个新思路。     

Plasma induced degradation of Indigo Carmine by bipolar pulsed dielectric barrier discharge(DBD) in the water-air mixture

Degradation of the Indigo Carmine (IC) by the bipolar pulsed DBD in water-air mixture was studied. Effects of vadous parameters such as gas flow rate, solution conductivity, pulse repetitive rate and ect., on color removal efficiency of dying wastewater were investigated. Concentrations of gas phase O3 and aqueous phase H2O2 under various conditions were measured. Experimental results showed that air bubbling facil~tates the breakdown of water and promotes generation of chemically active species. Color removal efficiency of IC solution can be greatly improved by the air aeration under various solution conductivities. Decolorization efficiency increases with the increase of the gas flow rate, and decreases with the increase of the initial solution conductivity. A higher pulse repetitive rate and a larger pulse capacitor Cp are favorable for the decolorization process. Ozone and hydrogen peroxide formed decreases with the increase of initial solution conductivity. In addition, preliminary analysis of the decolorization mechanisms is given.     

Democratising planetary boundaries: experts,social values and deliberative risk evaluation in Earth system governance

ABSTRACT

Recent debates about the concept of planetary boundaries recall longstanding concerns about whether ecological limits are compatible with ecological democracy. The planetary boundaries framework (originally set out in Rockström et al., 2009a, 2009b) defines values for key Earth-system processes such as climate change and biodiversity that aim to maintain a ‘safe’ distance from thresholds or levels that could endanger human wellbeing. Despite having a significant impact in policy debates, the framework has been criticised as implying an expert-driven approach to governing global environmental risks that lacks democratic legitimacy. Drawing on research on deliberative democracy and the role of science in democratic societies, we argue that planetary boundaries can be interpreted in ways that remain consistent with democratic decision-making. We show how an iterative, dialogical process to formulate planetary boundaries and negotiate ‘planetary targets’ could form the basis for a democratically legitimate division of labour among experts, citizens and policy-makers in evaluating and responding to Earth-system risks. Crucial to this division of evaluative labour is opening up space for deliberative contestation about the value judgments inherent in collective responses to Earth-system risks, while also safeguarding the ability of experts to issue warnings about what they consider to be unacceptable risks.     

安徽省地震前兆SQL网络数据库通用接口程序

为充分发挥前兆数字化数据在地震预报中的作用 ,研制了基于SQL网络数据库的通用接口程序。该程序通过ODBC数据源直接从网上对数据库进行存取 ,并通过数据导出和日期格式的转换而形成前兆分析人员所需的数据格式。     

黑色金属挤压力的智能化计算

以MATLAB应用软件作为开发平台介绍了黑色金属挤压力智能化计算软件的开发方法,设计的界面友好,操作简单,可实现冷挤压力的智能化计算以及工艺参数优化设计。软件计算的挤压力的大小与传统方法比较相对误差小于5%。