Understanding the Relationship Between Physical and Virtual Representations of Transit Agencies

Abstract

This study examines whether physical attributes of transit agencies, such as agency size, make a difference in how transit websites are designed, and how transit information is distributed. The objective of this study is to see if there is a relationship between physical and virtual representations of transit agencies. A rating instrument is developed for evaluating the quality of transit websites. Our findings suggest that transit agency size plays a key role in determining website quality: When the size of transit system is large, the information about the agency is too complex to be effectively presented on web pages. Thus, the quality of the large agencies’ websites is lower than medium-sized agencies. Instead, we find that large agencies attempt to design more user-friendly sites, and provide advanced information searching tools to compensate for low information quality. Policy implications for transit agencies are discussed.     

Measuring the thicknesses of the freshwater-layer plume and sea ice in the land-fast ice region of the Mackenzie Delta using helicopter-borne sensors

Helicopter-borne sensors have been used since the early 1990s to monitor ice properties in support of winter marine transportation along the east coast of Canada. The observations are used in ice chart production and to validate ice hazard identification algorithms using satellite advanced synthetic aperture radar (ASAR) imagery. In this study we evaluated the sensors' additional capability to monitor the freshwater plume characteristic beneath land-fast ice. During the Canadian Arctic Shelf Exchange Study (CASES) data were collected over the Mackenzie Delta in the southern Beaufort Sea where a buoyant river plume exists. Results showed that the electromagnetic–laser system could describe not only the ice properties but also the horizontal distribution of the freshwater plume depths that decreased in depth stepwise offshore as the flow of the buoyant plume was restricted by a series of ridge-rubble fields running parallel to the coast. Relative to the 2 m mean ice thickness, the plume layer depth varied from zero under mobile offshore pack ice to 3 m inshore of the third set of ridge-rubble fields.     

Measurement of air–water CO2 transfer at four coastal sites using a chamber method

We measured the air–water CO₂ flux in four coastal regions (two coral reefs, one estuary, and one coastal brackish lake) using a chamber method, which has the highest spatial resolution of the methods available for measuring coastal air–water gas flux. Some of the measurements were considerably higher than expected from reported wind-dependent relationships. The average k₆₀₀ values for Shiraho Reef, Fukido Reef, Fukido River, and Lake Nakaumi were 1.5 ± 0.6, 3.2 ± 0.3, 0.69 ± 0.26, and 2.2 ± 0.9 (mean ± S.D.) times larger than the wind-dependent relationships. Results were compared with current-dependent relationships and vertical turbulence intensity (VTI). VTI is an index of water-surface stirring and is calculated from near-surface vertical velocity. Although some measurements from the reefs and river closely matched those expected from wind-dependent relationships, others were considerably higher. All data were correlated with VTI and were qualitatively explained by bottom macro-roughness enhancement. In Lake Nakaumi, results tended to differ from the wind-dependent relationships, and the difference between the measured and expected gas-transfer velocity was correlated with biological DO changes and/or the intensity of density stratification. We found these factors to have important effects on coastal gas flux. In addition, the chamber method was an effective tool for evaluating coastal gas flux.     

自动化实时监测系统在中国台湾高速铁路浅埋隧道的应用

中国台湾高速铁路新竹二高隧道以覆土深度9～12m穿越台湾北部第二高速公路。为了考虑高速公路下方隧道穿越施工时的行车安全,采用自动化监测系统,监控隧道施工产生之顶部路面沉降与隧道侧墙土层之变位。监测系统采用捷仪工程科技公司GeoAuto自动化实时监测软件系统,该系统分前端、中端、后端三部分。前端部分在隧道顶部沿隧道方向安装有自动量测水平倾斜计、在隧道两侧各安装有自动量测垂直倾斜计与伸张仪,另沿高速公路方向安装3排路面沉降点以全站仪自动监测,前述各类仪器皆连接至资料集录器;中端部分为ADSL、直接联机与无线传输等方式进行数据传输;后端部分为GeoAuto自动监测软件系统,所有路面沉降、土层变位等现场数据,皆由前端仪器量测、经中端传输,最后将所有现场有关沉降、变位等数据,皆显现于后端电脑显示器上。在自动监测系统配合下,有效协助浅埋隧道凿进,顺利完成隧道施工。     

Two-Dimensional Motion of Four-Wheel Vehicles

This paper deals with two-dimensional motion of vehicles. Since the general four-wheel vehicle model is statically indeterminate, the motion of vehicles has been analyzed by replacing the vehicle with the equivalent two-wheel one proposed by E. Marquard. Because this approximation is based on the axisymmetry of vehicles, it causes significant errors in the general case. To improve the accuracy of the analysis of vehicle motion, a four-wheel model is suggested. In this model, it is assumed that the chassis remains in a flat plane during motion. By introducing this condition, the motion of the vehicle can be analyzed. Several results from the four-wheel model and the equivalent two-wheel model are shown for comparison, and the vehicle trajectories with time are discussed.     

Transformation and Expression of Choline Monooxygenase(CMO) Gene in Embryogenic Tissue of White Pine(Pinus strobus)

Many plants can accumulate glycine betaine(GlyBet, N, N, N-trimethylglycine), an non-toxic or osmo-protectant in response to salinity anddrought stress. Numerous experiments in vitrohave indicated that betaine acts as an osmoprotec-tant by stabilizing both the quaternary structure ofproteins and the highly ordered structure of mem-branes against the adverse effects of high salinityand extreme temperatures. Exogenous applicationof betaine to leaves or roots has been shown to in-crease the tol…     

Study of the seasonal cycle of the biogeochemical processes in the Ligurian Sea using a 1D interdisciplinary model

A one-dimensional coupled physical–biogeochemical model has been built to study the pelagic food web of the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean Sea). The physical model is the turbulent closure model (version 1D) developed at the GeoHydrodynamics and Environmental Laboratory (GHER) of the University of Liège. The ecosystem model contains 19 state variables describing the carbon and nitrogen cycles of the pelagic food web. Phytoplankton and zooplankton are both divided in three size-based compartments and the model includes an explicit representation of the microbial loop including bacteria, dissolved organic matter, nano-, and microzooplankton. The internal carbon/nitrogen ratio is assumed variable for phytoplankton and detritus, and constant for zooplankton and bacteria. Silicate is considered as a potential limiting nutrient of phytoplankton's growth. The aggregation model described by Kriest and Evans in (Proc. Ind. Acad. Sci., Earth Planet. Sci. 109 (4) (2000) 453) is used to evaluate the sinking rate of particulate detritus. The model is forced at the air–sea interface by meteorological data coming from the “Côte d'Azur” Meteorological Buoy. The dynamics of atmospheric fluxes in the Mediterranean Sea (DYFAMED) time-series data obtained during the year 2000 are used to calibrate and validate the biological model. The comparison of model results within in situ DYFAMED data shows that although some processes are not represented by the model, such as horizontal and vertical advections, model results are overall in agreement with observations and differences observed can be explained with environmental conditions.     

Sliding mode observers for vehicle mode detection

This paper explores the use of sliding mode observers to detect the onset of potentially dangerous vehicle modes such as oversteer, understeer or split-μ braking. Provided these modes can be detected quickly enough, existing stability controllers can be engaged to ensure safe performance of the vehicle. It is shown that the equivalent output error injection signals associated with the sliding mode observer have distinctive signatures depending on the particular mode encountered. Appropriate thresholds on these signals can be set so the scheme ignores variations which arise during normal driving, but can detect and isolate different undesirable vehicle modes within 0.3 seconds of their onset.