A Power Law Model for River Flow Velocity in Iowa Basins

This study explores power law relationships to estimate water flow velocity as a function of discharge and drainage area across river networks. We test the model using empirical data from 214 United States (U.S.) Geological Survey gauging stations distributed over the state of Iowa in the U.S. The empirical data are the measurements of the mean cross‐sectional velocity and concurrent discharge. The data are used to estimate parameters for a state‐wide model and to test for spatial variability for 15 large river basins contained within the state. Spatial differences among the basins are small but some parameters significantly differ from the state‐wide model. Using individual station data, the authors also explore a simpler power law model that disregards dependence on the drainage area. Overall, the study shows that including drainage area improves the model. Our study provides parameter values that can be directly incorporated into a regional scale routing model, and provides a framework for developing flow velocity models for hydraulically similar rivers in the U.S. and the world.     

Comparing discriminant analysis, neural networks and logistic regression for predicting species distributions: a case study with a Himalayan river bird

We assessed the occurrence of a common river bird, the Plumbeous Redstart Rhyacornis fuliginosus, along 180 independent streams in the Indian and Nepali Himalaya. We then compared the performance of multiple discrimant analysis (MDA), logistic regression (LR) and artificial neural networks (ANN) in predicting this species’ presence or absence from 32 variables describing stream altitude, slope, habitat structure, chemistry and invertebrate abundance. Using the entire data (=training set) and a threshold for accepting presence in ANN and LR set to P≥0.5, ANN correctly classified marginally more cases (88%) than either LR (83%) or MDA (84%). Model performance was assessed from two methods of data partitioning. In a ‘leave-one-out’ approach, LR correctly predicted more cases (82%) than MDA (73%) or ANN (69%). However, in a holdout procedure, all the methods performed similarly (73–75%). All methods predicted true absence (i.e. specificity in holdout: 81–85%) better than true presence (i.e. sensitivity: 57–60%). These effects reflect species’ prevalence (=frequency of occurrence), but are seldom considered in distribution modelling. Despite occurring at only 36% of the sites, Plumbeous Redstarts are one of the most common Himalayan river birds, and problems will be greater with less common species. Both LR and ANN require an arbitrary threshold probability (often P=0.5) at which to accept species presence from model prediction. Simulations involving varied prevalence revealed that LR was particularly sensitive to threshold effects. ROC plots (received operating characteristic) were therefore used to compare model performance on test data at a range of thresholds; LR always outperformed ANN. This case study supports the need to test species’ distribution models with independent data, and to use a range of criteria in assessing model performance. ANN do not yet have major advantages over conventional multivariate methods for assessing bird distributions. LR and MDA were both more efficient in the use of computer time than ANN, and also more straightforward in providing testable hypotheses about environmental effects on occurrence. However, LR was apparently subject to chance significant effects from explanatory variables, emphasising the well-known risks of models based purely on correlative data.     

Developing an empirical model of phytoplankton primary production: a neural network case study

We describe the development of a neural network model for estimating primary production of phytoplankton. Data from an enriched estuary in the eastern United States, Chesapeake Bay, were used to train, validate and test the model. Two error backpropagation multilayer perceptrons were trained: a simpler one (3-5-1) and a more complex one (12-5-1). Both neural networks outperformed conventional empirical models, even though only the latter, which exploits a larger suite of predictive variables, provided truly accurate outputs. The application of this neural network model is thoroughly discussed and the results of a sensitivity analysis are also presented.     

人工神经网络和专家系统在污水生物处理系统中的应用

对近年来国内外污水生物处理系统中人工神经网络和专家系统的应用进行了简要的回顾。分析了废水生物处理工艺难于控制的原因及人工神经网络和专家系统的结构和特点。结果表明．国外智能控制发展迅速,并且应用领域遍及污水生物处理的各个方面,国内尚处于起步阶段。简要探讨了废水生物处理智能控制今后应深入研究的问题及方向。     

Double-conscious professional self-expression of racial minority scientists-in-training

Double-consciousness pervades the workplace experiences of minority professionals. Prior research captures various manifestations of double-consciousness in the workplace, yet much of what we know comes from understanding the experiences of minority professionals in predominantly White workplaces. Inherent in conceptions of double-consciousness is the sense of twoness in one's self concept that arises from seeing oneself through the eyes of both the predominantly White profession and one's own racial community. In this study, we examine contrasts as well as commonalities in experiences of double-consciousness across different social contexts in the socialization of minority scientists-in-training. We draw from qualitative data collected from 64 individuals (including 39 underrepresented minority doctoral students, and 25 faculty, staff, and administrators) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) doctoral programs in both predominantly White and historically Black institutions to examine and compare the factors across different contexts that influence how minority scientists-in-training are able to express their emerging professional identity. Our findings reveal how minority scientists-in-training experience twoness as both a struggle and a strength, and we develop an inductive model of how different socializations influence the double-conscious professional self-expressions of minority scientists in training.     

基于复杂网络的城市燃气输配系统失效因素分析

将复杂网络相关理论方法引入城市燃气输配系统失效因素的分析中。选取引起城市燃气输配系统失效的主要影响因素为节点,以它们之间的相互关系为边,建立网络并进行相关分析。发现节点的度分布近似具有幂律的特性,幂指数为1.76;通过节点度的分析,确定出管道附属设备、用户设施失效、第三方影响破坏等因素为引起输配系统失效的主要原因,与引起燃气事故的统计分析资料基本相符合。这为确定城市燃气输配系统关键失效因素提供了一种新的思路。     

矿井通风网络数据可靠性检验

进行矿井通风阻力测定时,由于受环境的温度、湿度、压力传递存在时间差以及测点处标高不准确等因素的影响,根据实测数据,计算所得矿井巷道基础数据存在一定的误差,常用的测量数据检验方法只能对若干条通路进行闭合回路检验,而不能对全矿井通风网络基础参数进行可靠性检验。本文中所介绍的检验方法将风网基础数据输入通风网络解算软件,以实测风量和经过计算所得巷道风阻为基准,实测风量为目标条件,进行计算机通风网络模拟,对全矿井巷道风阻进行连续的优化调整,使通风网络模拟结果与实际测定各巷道风量基本符合,从而实现全矿井风网基础数据的可靠性检验。该方法在某矿进行了实际应用,实践证明此方法科学、准确的获得了全矿巷道风阻参数,为矿井的通风改造奠定了技术基础。     

Exploration of spatial morphometry and socioeconomic variables in modelling urban land use change

The incorporation of land use (LU) data with socioeconomic data is a main issue in modelling. This is as a result of difference in data model and scale. This study proposed and tested the change–pattern approach, which allows the incorporation of these data sets in modelling LU change. Focusing on LU dynamics for a selected part of the Thames Gateway within the City of London, the approach tested two different methods of input selection for the modelling operations. Variables selected from these two methods serve as inputs into several neural networks tested in order to identify the direction of change for each of the LU types within the study area. The result shows that direction of LU change across the study area could be identified when spatial morphology of the area and socioeconomic variables are considered. Some classes of change could be identified fairly accurately using landscape metrics indicating level of fragmentation, extent of LU patches, shape complexity of LU patches in combination with some socioeconomic variables.     

石化装置火灾爆炸贝叶斯网络与防护层集成分析

复杂的石油化工装置在运转过程中存在诸多不确定因素,易发生火灾、爆炸等重大事故,给安全生产带来极大威胁。考虑到传统的系统安全分析方法在风险评估中存在一定局限性,引入贝叶斯网络与防护层集成分析模型。应用GeNIe软件将系统故障树转成贝叶斯网络,根据贝叶斯双向推理进行故障预测和诊断,快速识别系统薄弱环节并确定为风险贝叶斯故障节点,结合防护层分析提出相应的独立防护层,确定剩余风险水平。实例应用表明,所构建的贝叶斯网络与防护层集成分析模型对复杂系统进行风险评估是可行的,较传统的事件树、故障树分析方法更加科学、合理。     

Simulation-based fault propagation analysis—Application on hydrogen production plant

Recently production of hydrogen from water through the Cu–Cl thermochemical cycle is developed as a new technology. The main advantages of this technology over existing ones are higher efficiency, lower costs, lower environmental impact and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Considering these advantages, the usage of this technology in new industries such as nuclear and oil is increasingly developed. Due to hazards involved in hydrogen production, design and implementation of hydrogen plants require provisions for safety, reliability and risk assessment. However, very little research is done from safety point of view. This paper introduces fault semantic network (FSN) as a novel method for fault diagnosis and fault propagation analysis by using evolutionary techniques like genetic programming (GP) and neural networks (NN), to uncover process variables’ interactions. The effectiveness, feasibility and robustness of the proposed method are demonstrated on simulated data obtained from the simulation of hydrogen production process in Aspen HYSYS^®. The proposed method has successfully achieved reasonable detection and prediction of non-linear interaction patterns among process variables.