NUMERICAL MODELLING OF THE SOUND FIELDS IN URBAN STREETS WITH DIFFUSELY REFLECTING BOUNDARIES

A radiosity-based theoretical/computer model has been developed to study the fundamental characteristics of the sound fields in urban streets resulting from diffusely reflecting boundaries, and to investigate the effectiveness of architectural changes and urban design options on noise reduction. Comparison between the theoretical prediction and the measurement in a scale model of an urban street shows very good agreement. Computations using the model in hypothetical rectangular streets demonstrate that though the boundaries are diffusely reflective, the sound attenuation along the length is significant, typically at 20-30 dB/100 m. The sound distribution in a cross-section is generally even unless the cross-section is very close to the source. In terms of the effectiveness of architectural changes and urban design options, it has been shown that over 2-4 dB extra attenuation can be obtained either by increasing boundary absorption evenly or by adding absorbent patches on the façades or the ground. Reducing building height has a similar effect. A gap between buildings can provide about 2-3 dB extra sound attenuation, especially in the vicinity of the gap. The effectiveness of air absorption on increasing sound attenuation along the length could be 3-9 dB at high frequencies. If a treatment is effective with a single source, it is also effective with multiple sources. In addition, it has been demonstrated that if the façades in a street are diffusely reflective, the sound field of the street does not change significantly whether the ground is diffusely or geometrically reflective.     

Ermakov Approach for Minisuperspace Oscillators

The Wheeler–DeWitt equation of arbitrary Hartle–Hawking factor ordering for several minisuperspace universe models, such as the pure gravity Friedmann–Robertson–Walker and Taub ones, is mapped onto the dynamics of corresponding classical oscillators. The latter ones are studied by the classical Ermakov invariant method, which is a natural approach in this context. For the more realistic case of a minimally coupled massive scalar field, one can study, within the same type of approach, the corresponding squeezing features as a possible means of describing cosmological evolution. Finally, we comment on the analogy with the accelerator physics.     

Studies on amine hydrothiocyanates. IV. Thermal decomposition studies using TG

The thermal decomposition of piperidine hydrothiocyanate, piperazine hydrothiocyanate, and the dihydrothiocyanates of ethylenediamine and 1,3-diaminopropane has been studied using TG. Piperidine hydrothiocyanate decomposes in a single step while the dihydrothiocyanates follow more complicated decomposition patterns yielding H₂S and half of the organic moiety first. The second step involves the loss of H₂S and the remainder of the organic moiety. In each case, complex polymeric materials result. Piperazine hydrothiocyanate also decomposes in two steps, the first involving the loss of half of the piperazine and the second involving the loss of piperazine and H₂S. Kinetic parameters have been determined for all these reactions.     

Mode of complement activation by acidic heteroglycans from the leaves of Artemisia princeps PAMP.

The mode of action of the anti-complementary acidic heteroglycans, AAF-IIb-2 and IIb-3 which consisted of rhamnogalacturonan core and arabinogalactan moieties, purified from the leaves of Artemisia princeps PAMP (Japanese name = Gaiyo) were investigated. The anti-complementary activities of AAF-IIb-2 and IIb-3 were reduced partially in the absence of Ca2+ ions. A marked consumption of C4 was observed to have occurred when serum was incubated with both polysaccharides in the presence of Ca2+ ions. AAF-IIb-2 showed more potent C4 consumption than IIb-3. After the incubation of the serum with AAF-IIb-2 in the absence of Ca2+ ions, a cleavage of C3 in the serum was detected by immunoelectrophoresis. AAF-IIb-2 showed more significant consumption of the complement than IIb-3 when rabbit erythrocytes were used in the assay system in the absence of Ca2+ ions. These results indicate that AAF-IIb-2 activates the complement via both the alternative and classical pathways, whereas IIb-3 mainly activates the complement via the classical pathway. The absorption of serum with Protein A-Sepharose results in a decrease of the activity of AAF-IIb-2 and IIb-3. However, the decrease of the activity was restored by the replacement of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) fraction after its recovery from the Protein A-Sepharose. These results suggest that IgG dependent mechanisms are both involved in the anti-complementary activity of AAF-IIb-2 and IIb-3.     

Hilbert重级数定理的一个改进

The object of this note is to prove the followingTheorem Let{a_n}and{b_n}be sequences of real numbers such that0<∑∑a_n~2<+∞and0<∑b_n~2<+∞.Then we have the inequalitysum from m=1 to∞sum from n=1 to∞a_mb_n/m+n<{sum from n=1 to∞(π-θ/n~(1/2)a_n~2}~1/2{sum from n=1 to∞(π-θ/n~(1/2)b_n~2}~1/2 (1)whereθ=3/2~(1/2)-1=1.121320343.     

Affine-scaling for linear programs with free variables

The affine-scaling modification of Karmarkar's algorithm is extended to solve problems with free variables. This extended primal algorithm is used to prove two important results. First the geometrically elegant feasibility algorithm proposed by Chandru and Kochar is the same algorithm as the one obtained by appending a single column of residuals to the constraint matrix. Second the dual algorithm as first described by Adler et al., is the same as the extended primal algorithm applied to the dual.     

Piecewise-linearized methods for oscillators with limit cycles

A piecewise linearization method based on the linearization of nonlinear ordinary differential equations in small intervals, that provides piecewise analytical solutions in each interval and smooth solutions everywhere, is developed for the study of the limit cycles of smooth and non-smooth, conservative and non-conservative, nonlinear oscillators. It is shown that this method provides nonlinear maps for the displacement and velocity which depend on the previous values through the nonlinearity and its partial derivatives with respect to time, displacement and velocity, and yields non-standard finite difference formulae. It is also shown by means of five examples that the piecewise linearization method presented here is more robust and yields more accurate (in terms of displacement, energy and frequency) solutions than the harmonic balance procedure, the method of slowly varying amplitude and phase, and other non-standard finite difference equations.     

Automated proving and analysis of geometric theorems in coordinate-free form by using the anticommutative Gröbner basis method

Some geometric theorems can be stated in coordinate-free form as polynomials in Grassman algebra and can be proven by the anticommutative Gröbner basis method. In this article, we analyze some properties of both sets of hypotheses and conclusions of the theorem.     

Germanium growth on Br-terminated Si(1 0 0)

The consequences of Ge deposition on Br-terminated Si(1 0 0) were studied with scanning tunneling microscopy at ambient temperature after annealing at 650 K. One monolayer of Br was sufficient to prevent the formation of Ge huts beyond the critical thickness of 3 ML. This is possible because Br acts as a surfactant whose presence lowered the diffusivity of Ge adatoms. Hindered mobility was manifest at low coverage through the formation of short Ge chains. Further deposition resulted in the extension and connection of the Ge chains and gave rise to the buildup of incomplete layers. The deposition of 7 ML of Ge resulted in a rough surface characterized by irregularly shaped clusters. A short 800 K anneal desorbed the Br and allowed Ge atoms to reorganize into the more energetically favorable “hut” structures produced by conventional Ge overlayer growth on Si(1 0 0).