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At least 721 records · Page 40

From lignin association to nano-/micro-particle preparation: Extracting higher value of lignin

As the most abundant source of renewable aromatic compounds on the planet, lignin is gaining growing interest in replacing petroleum-based chemicals and products. Value-added applications of lignin are also essential for economic viability for future bio-refineries. It is however an under-utilized natural resource due to its structural heterogeneities. Lignin nanoparticles offer many opportunities for value-added applications of lignin. The solution structures of lignin were proposed as one of the key elements in controlling lignin nano-/micro-particle preparation. Fundamental understanding of solutionstructures of lignin aid in designing better fabrication of lignin nanoparticles. A deeper understanding of the observed experimental results also points to the need for detailed studies of lignin in solution. Lastly, this review consists of two major topics, the solution structures of lignin and lignin nano-/micro-particle preparation. Suggestions for future studies regarding these two topics were also put forward.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Ethanol as a hydrogen carrier with a value-added co-product

Traditional liquid organic hydrogen carriers rely on return/re-charge of the carrier and financial subsidy. We show that ethanol, available at scale from fermentation, can be a revenue-positive hydrogen carrier, owing to the value of its potassium acetate co-product, itself an emerging fertilizer. Traditional liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) rely on return/re-charge of the carrier and financial subsidy. We show here that ethanol, available at scale from fermentation, can be a revenue-positive hydrogen carrier, owing to the value of its potassium acetate co-product, itself an emerging fertilizer.

Rander, Andrew R↗

Forward-Looking State-of-the-Art Review on Earned Value Management Systems: The Disconnect between Academia and Industry

Earned value management (EVM) is a project management approach that can enhance the probability of project success. It is applied widely across different industry sectors (e.g., energy, aerospace, construction, defense, and manufacturing), generally through the use of an earned value management system (EVMS). A holistic and up-to-date literature review on EVM and EVMS does not exist. A literature review can provide a comprehensive perspective on the topic, identifying and summarizing the existing body of knowledge, as a foundation to advance the state of practice of EVM/EVMS. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to investigate the EVM/EVMS state of the art by critically reviewing academic and industry publications, with a specific focus on the maturity of EVMS and the environment surrounding its implementation. By performing a systematic literature review, the authors identified 600 publications since the inception of the EVM concept in 1962, and then narrowed down this list to 160 relevant publications from the last decade for closer review. The findings include the discovery of eight emergent themes. Of these themes, “forecasting/prediction” constitutes the largest portion of the recent literature, followed by “application of EVMS.” One interesting finding is that EVMS maturity, although being a critical topic, is only discussed in one publication. Publications focused on EVM/EVMS have increased in the last decade and significant differences were found between academia and industry literature in terms of the limitations and extensions of EVM/EVMS, EVMS environment, and compliance. A key finding is that designing a reliable EVMS should combine both technical and social aspects of implementation. This forward-looking paper provides a state-of-the-art review while highlighting gaps in the existing EVM/EVMS body of knowledge and introducing new perspectives to support EVMS research and application.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Novel Earned Value Management System Maturity Framework and Its Relation to Project Performance

Earned value management systems (EVMS) are used by industry practitioners to successfully manage projects and programs; however, there has been no past study to characterize and evaluate the impact of EVMS maturity on project performance. This paper introduces a novel framework, developed to measure the EVMS maturity, composed of 56 attributes arrayed across ten subprocesses, which together make up an integrated project/program management system. This paper describes how the framework was conceived and developed, based on literature review and data collected from industry workshops. Then, it examines the relationship between EVMS maturity and ten project performance metrics through statistical analyses. The study analyzed project data from 35 projects and programs worth over $21.8 billion in total cost. For this sample, results showed statistically significant differences between projects with high and low EVMS maturity; on average, projects exhibiting high EVMS maturity have 54% less cost overruns and 19% less change orders versus their performance measurement baseline. Higher maturity projects and programs also achieve better customer satisfaction, meet business objectives more often, and are more often in compliance with EVMS standards and guidelines. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge by providing a practical and novel framework for assessing the maturity of earned value management systems. Practitioners can use the framework to improve their integrated project and program management.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

Weak Value Theory

I show that the weak value theory is useful from the viewpoints of the experimentally verifiability, consistency, capacity for explanation as to many quantum paradoxes, and practical advantages. As an example, the initial state in the Hardy paradox can be experimentally verified using the weak value via the weak measurement.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Comparing modern measurements of the {sup 11}B(d,n{gamma}{sub 15.1}){sup 12}C excitation function with previous values

A possible means of active interrogation of special nuclear materials is detection of signature emissions following induced photofission. This method requires a probe gamma-ray beam to induce the photofission. The {sup 11}B(d,n{gamma}{sub 15.1}){sup 12}C reaction is a candidate for the source of this probe beam. The reaction is prolific and the produced 15.1 MeV gamma-ray is close to a photofission cross-section peak for {sup 235,238}U and {sup 238,239}Pu. In order to model an active interrogation system using the {sup 11}B(d,n{gamma}{sub 15.1}){sup 12}C reaction as a source probe an accurate value for its differential crosssection must be included in data libraries. Measurements of the differential cross-section for the {sup 11}B(d,n{gamma}{sub 15.1}){sup 12}C reaction have been carried out with a BGO detector and found to differ from previous measurements reported by Kavanagh (1958) and Kuan (1964). The discrepancy in the measurements may be explained by examining the detector response function used by Kavanagh and presumably Kuan to that modeled with MCNP5. A comparison of the MCNP5 and Kavanagh detector response functions normalized to the 15.1 MeV gamma-ray peak pulse height shows a factor of approximately 1.7 difference in integrated counts. Applying this correction to the differential cross-section previously reported by Kuan brings the values into agreement, within uncertainties, to the more recent measurements. The evaluation of the detector response function for the 15.1 MeV gamma-ray signal in the NaI detector reported by Kavanagh to that modeled by MCNP5 is shown. This result is applied to the comparison of recent measurements on the {sup 11}B(d,n{gamma}{sub 15.1}){sup 12}C reaction differential cross-section to those previously reported.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Asymptotics for inhomogeneous Dirichlet initial-boundary value problem for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation

We consider the inhomogeneous Dirichlet initial-boundary value problem for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation, formulated on a half-line. We study traditionally important problems of the theory of nonlinear partial differential equations, such as global in time existence of solutions to the initial-boundary value problem and the asymptotic behavior of solutions for large time.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Graphics processing units accelerated semiclassical initial value representation molecular dynamics

This paper presents a Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) implementation of the Semiclassical Initial Value Representation (SC-IVR) propagator for vibrational molecular spectroscopy calculations. The time-averaging formulation of the SC-IVR for power spectrum calculations is employed. Details about the GPU implementation of the semiclassical code are provided. Four molecules with an increasing number of atoms are considered and the GPU-calculated vibrational frequencies perfectly match the benchmark values. The computational time scaling of two GPUs (NVIDIA Tesla C2075 and Kepler K20), respectively, versus two CPUs (Intel Core i5 and Intel Xeon E5-2687W) and the critical issues related to the GPU implementation are discussed. The resulting reduction in computational time and power consumption is significant and semiclassical GPU calculations are shown to be environment friendly.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Phase portraits analysis of a barothropic system: The initial value problem

In this paper, we investigate the phase portraits features of a barothropic relaxing medium under pressure perturbations. In the starting point, we show within a third-order of accuracy that the previous system is modeled by a “dissipative” cubic nonlinear evolution equation. Paying particular attention to high-frequency perturbations of the system, we solve the initial value problem of the system both analytically and numerically while unveiling the existence of localized multivalued waveguide channels. Accordingly, we find that the “dissipative” term with a “dissipative” parameter less than some limit value does not destroy the ambiguous solutions. We address some physical implications of the results obtained previously.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

On piecewise interpolation techniques for estimating solar radiation missing values in Kedah

This paper discusses the use of piecewise interpolation method based on cubic Ball and Bézier curves representation to estimate the missing value of solar radiation in Kedah. An hourly solar radiation dataset is collected at Alor Setar Meteorology Station that is taken from Malaysian Meteorology Deparment. The piecewise cubic Ball and Bézier functions that interpolate the data points are defined on each hourly intervals of solar radiation measurement and is obtained by prescribing first order derivatives at the starts and ends of the intervals. We compare the performance of our proposed method with existing methods using Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) and Coefficient of Detemination (CoD) which is based on missing values simulation datasets. The results show that our method is outperformed the other previous methods.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Exact mapping from singular value spectrum of a class of fractal images to entanglement spectrum of one-dimensional free fermions

We examine singular value spectrum of a class of two-dimensional fractal images. We find that the spectra can be mapped onto entanglement spectra of free fermions in one dimension. This exact mapping tells us that the singular value decomposition is a way of detecting a holographic relation between classical and quantum systems.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Dwindling the resistance value of PEDOT:PSS – coated on fabric yarns

Herein we describe by dip coating method to transform typical fabric yarn to conductive fiber. Different types of yarns have been used to coat from a known conductive polymer, Poly (3,4ethylenedioxythiophene) Poly (styrene sulfonic acid). We have optimized the method to have lesser resistance of the conductive yarns. The minimum resistance achieved has a value of 77 Ω/cm. This value is not high as metals but could be comparable to that of metal oxides or semiconducting materials. However, flexibility of yarns and feeling of fabric combining with the conductivity developed in this process is suitable for wearable electronics and also as gas sensors, electromagnetic shielding.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Magnonic interferometric switch for multi-valued logic circuits

We investigated a possible use of the magnonic interferometric switches in multi-valued logic circuits. The switch is a three-terminal device consisting of two spin channels where input, control, and output signals are spin waves. Signal modulation is achieved via the interference between the source and gate spin waves. We report experimental data on a micrometer scale prototype based on the Y 3 Fe 2 (FeO 4 ) 3 structure. The output characteristics are measured at different angles of the bias magnetic field. The On/Off ratio of the prototype exceeds 13 dB at room temperature. Experimental data are complemented by the theoretical analysis and the results of micro magnetic simulations showing spin wave propagation in a micrometer size magnetic junction. Here, we also present the results of numerical modeling illustrating the operation of a nanometer-size switch consisting of just 20 spins in the source-drain channel. The utilization of spin wave interference as a switching mechanism makes it possible to build nanometer-scale logic gates, and minimize energy per operation, which is limited only by the noise margin. The utilization of phase in addition to amplitude for information encoding offers an innovative route towards multi-state logic circuits. We describe possible implementation of the three-value logic circuits based on the magnonic interferometric switches. The advantages and shortcomings inherent in interferometric switches are also discussed.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Calculating Measurement Uncertainty of the “Conventional Value of the Result of Weighing in Air”

The conventional value of the result of weighing in air is frequently used in commercial calibrations of balances. The guidance in OIML D-028 for reporting uncertainty of the conventional value is too terse. When calibrating mass standards at low measurement uncertainties, it is necessary to perform a buoyancy correction before reporting the result. When calculating the conventional result after calibrating true mass, the uncertainty due to calculating the conventional result is correlated with the buoyancy correction. We show through Monte Carlo simulations that the measurement uncertainty of the conventional result is less than the measurement uncertainty when reporting true mass. The Monte Carlo simulation tool is available in the online version of this article.

42 ENGINEERING↗

IMPROVED V II log(gf) VALUES, HYPERFINE STRUCTURE CONSTANTS, AND ABUNDANCE DETERMINATIONS IN THE PHOTOSPHERES OF THE SUN AND METAL-POOR STAR HD 84937

New experimental absolute atomic transition probabilities are reported for 203 lines of V II. Branching fractions are measured from spectra recorded using a Fourier transform spectrometer and an echelle spectrometer. The branching fractions are normalized with radiative lifetime measurements to determine the new transition probabilities. Generally good agreement is found between this work and previously reported V II transition probabilities. Two spectrometers, independent radiometric calibration methods, and independent data analysis routines enable a reduction in systematic uncertainties, in particular those due to optical depth errors. In addition, new hyperfine structure constants are measured for selected levels by least squares fitting line profiles in the FTS spectra. The new V II data are applied to high resolution visible and UV spectra of the Sun and metal-poor star HD 84937 to determine new, more accurate V abundances. Lines covering a range of wavelength and excitation potential are used to search for non-LTE effects. Very good agreement is found between our new solar photospheric V abundance, log ε(V) = 3.95 from 15 V II lines, and the solar-system meteoritic value. In HD 84937, we derive [V/H] = –2.08 from 68 lines, leading to a value of [V/Fe] = 0.24.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

IMPROVED Co i log(gf) VALUES AND ABUNDANCE DETERMINATIONS IN THE PHOTOSPHERES OF THE SUN AND METAL-POOR STAR HD 84937

New emission branching fraction measurements for 898 lines of the first spectrum of cobalt (Co i) are determined from hollow cathode lamp spectra recorded with the National Solar Observatory 1 m Fourier transform spectrometer on Kitt Peak, AZ and a high-resolution echelle spectrometer. Published radiative lifetimes from laser induced fluorescence measurements are combined with the branching fractions to determine accurate absolute atomic transition probabilities for the 898 lines. Hyperfine structure (hfs) constants for levels of neutral Co in the literature are surveyed and selected values are used to generate complete hfs component patterns for 195 transitions of Co i. These new laboratory data are applied to determine the Co abundance in the Sun and metal-poor star HD 84937, yielding log ϵ(Co) = 4.955 ± 0.007 (σ = 0.059) based on 82 Co i lines and log ϵ(Co) = 2.785 ± 0.008 (σ = 0.065) based on 66 Co i lines, respectively. A Saha or ionization balance test on the photosphere of HD 84937 is performed using 16 UV lines of Co ii, and good agreement is found with the Co i result in this metal-poor ([Fe i/H] = −2.32, [Fe ii/H] = −2.32) dwarf star. The resulting value of [Co/Fe] = +0.14 supports a rise of Co/Fe at low metallicity that has been suggested in other studies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Battery-powered bargains? Assessing electric vehicle resale value in the United States

Abstract The resale market will play a critical role in expanding plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) adoption to middle- and lower-income households. Understanding PEV depreciation trends in comparison to those of conventional gasoline vehicles (CVs) is critical for assessing PEV affordability and informing relevant policy, such as subsidies for used PEVs. We deliver comprehensive, high-resolution estimates of value retention rates at the make-model level in the United States for battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and CVs using a database of 9 million used cars listed online between 2016 and 2022. While BEVs and PHEVs have depreciated at faster rates than CVs, this trend is changing, with newer model year BEVs and those with larger ranges have significantly higher retention rates than older model years with smaller ranges. Tesla BEVs are a notable exception following the opposite trend, with earlier model years holding their value better than newer model years. Subsidized BEVs in the new market are associated with lower prices for the same model in the resale market, with the $7500 federal subsidy translating to a 3% lower resale price on average. Finally, disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic have affected affordability across all vehicles, with mean listing prices rising 37% and 39% for CVs and BEVs, respectively, from January 2020 to March 2022 in inflation-adjusted 2019 dollars.

Environmental Sciences & Ecology↗

Computation of the expectation value of the spin operator S^ 2 for the spin-flip Bethe–Salpeter equation

Spin-flip (SF) methods applied to excited-state approaches like the Bethe–Salpeter equation allow access to the excitation energies of open-shell systems, such as molecules and defects in solids. The eigenstates of these solutions, however, are generally not eigenstates of the spin operator S^ 2 . Even for simple cases where the excitation vector is expected to be, for example, a triplet state, the value of S^ 2 may be found to differ from 2.00; this difference is called 'spin contamination'. The expectation values S^ 2 must be computed for each excitation vector, to assist with the characterization of the particular excitation and to determine the amount of spin contamination of the state. Here, our aim is to provide for the first time in the SF methods literature a comprehensive resource on the derivation of the formulas for S^ 2 as well as its computational implementation. After a brief discussion of the theory of the SF Bethe–Salpeter equation (BSE) and some examples further illustrating the need for calculating S^ 2 , we present the derivation for the general equation for computing S^ 2 with the eigenvectors from an SF-BSE calculation, how it is implemented in a Python script, and timing information on how this calculation scales with the size of the SF-BSE Hamiltonian.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗