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Why Magenta Is Not a Real Color, and How It Is Related to Fuzzy Control and Quantum Computing
Get PDFIt is well known that every color can be represented as a combination of three basic colors: red, green, and blue. In particular, we can get several colors by combining two of the basic colors. Interestingly, while a combination of two neighboring colors leads to a color that corresponds to a certain frequency, the combination of two non-neighboring colors -- red and blue -- leads to magenta, a color that does not correspond to any frequency. In this paper, we provide a simple explanation for this phenomenon, and we also show that a similar phenomenon happens in two other areas where we can find a natural analogy with colors: fuzzy control and quantum computing. Since the analogy with fuzzy control has already led to efficient applications, we hope that the newly discovered analogy with quantum computing will also lead to computational speedup
Routing Opportunities for Commercial Crossings Between El Paso and Juarez
No full textThis thesis explores the topic of commercial movements between the El Paso and Ciudad Juarez road networks and the implications of the possible changes in their routing. This area houses several ports of entry, which present one of the busiest commercial and personal border crossings in the whole nation. The primary focus was to evaluate the recently proposed reconstruction scenario of removing trucks from the Bridge of the Americas and study the impacts on the flows throughout the other ports. The chosen tool to support the analysis is a mesoscopic simulation software called DynusT, which is capable of modeling the whole bi-national network and answering questions on a macroscopic scale while still providing a sufficient level of detail. As part of the modeling efforts, a base scenario representing the current transportation network calibrated with traffic flows from 2022 was compared with two alternatives. One scenario simulated the closure of the Bridge of the Americas for commercial trucks without any other provisions. The second scenario included adjustments to the toll rates. The results uncovered that without any additional provisions, the vast majority of trucks would reroute to the nearest Ysleta-Zaragoza port, which would suffer from high volumes, leading to possible deterioration of the quality of service. However, in the second scenario, the toll change led to a nearly 900 % increase in crossing volumes at Tornillo in the southbound direction. This increase could help address the recent concerns about the port\u27s severe underutilization. In order to ensure success, several recommendations were given. The most vital suggestion is to bring the demand closer to the vicinity of Tornillo, relieving the Ysleta port while still enabling the shift of trucks away from the downtown area, paving the path towards a more sustainable, cleaner, safer, and smarter El Paso
“Inwombed” Expressions of Anxiety: Myth, Humor, and the Absurd
No full textInwombed is a collection of poems created from a sort of dream journal which was kept for some sixty odd days during a time of deep anxiety and turmoil in my life. Anxiety which was reaching its peak seven and a half years after conceiving and raising identical triplet daughters and ten years after getting married. The collection is inspired by the dreams and the images they conjured which came about while struggling with the anxiety of parenthood and spousehood. Although the anxiety of house and home was the germ of the collection the poems were also written at a time of peak anxiety over many things outside the home as well. Things like climate change seemingly going largely ignored and downplayed, war and political turmoil breaking out locally and abroad, the seeming decline of civil rights, democracy, and freedom in general. Not to mention the residue of anxiety persistent on the tail end of a global pandemic. The book then also came to be about how out of control one feels living in contemporary society and the anxiety and fear that comes along with it
Investigating Changes in Surface Water Chemistry Across the Llano Uplift and the Balcones Fault Zone in Central Texas Using Strontium and Uranium Isotopes
No full textThe landscape of central Texas is shaped by over one billion years of Earth\u27s history. An array of lithology lies within central Texas along with two large geological structures. The Llano Uplift, characterized by Proterozoic metamorphic and igneous rocks dating back to 1.37 billion years ago, is encircled by Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. To the southeast of the Llano Uplift lies the Balcones Fault Zone (BFZ), an extensional structural system of mostly normal faults that delineates the transition between Paleozoic-Mesozoic sedimentary rocks and Cenozoic sedimentary cover, which are influential to the regional hydrogeology. This study investigates the hydrogeological dynamics influenced by these geological features, focusing on spatial variations in surface water chemistry across these two features. In this region, rivers traversing through Paleozoic-Mesozoic carbonate rocks exhibit elevated electrical conductivity (EC) and bicarbonate (HCO3) concentrations due to chemical weathering processes, while those flowing over Proterozoic crystalline rocks demonstrate lower EC levels. This study also reveals significant trends in strontium and uranium isotopic ratios, providing insights into water-rock interactions and potential groundwater influences in the BFZ and the Llano Uplift. These insights advance our understanding and knowledge of the hydrogeological processes and implications for water resource management, groundwater sustainability, and contamination mitigation efforts in central Texas
Analyzing the Impact of Oil and Gas-Contaminated Fluids on Soil in Eddy and Lea Counties Using Sequential Extraction
No full textThe study investigates the impacts of oil and gas-contaminated fluids on soil within the context of Eddy and Lea Counties in New Mexico, the United States. The increase in oil and gas operations has led to enormous wastewater production that is handled, stored, and transported, leading to thousands of spills yearly. The continuous and accidental release of this wastewater poses several risks to the environment due to its high levels of hazardous pollutants. Several studies were conducted on how to reduce the contaminants; however, the impact caused on the environment and the fate of the spilled fluids is unclear due to the complexity of reporting requirements, size, location of the spills, and gaps in research data on spills. The experimental research design employed as the primary research methodology, involved using sequential extraction techniques and rigorous analysis of the soil\u27s physical characteristics of Eddy and Lea Counties. T-test and spatial analysis were conducted to validate the findings. The study aimed to identify the distribution patterns, behavior, and potential implications of soil contamination resulting from oil and gas wastewater spills and leaks by employing these techniques. The research findings revealed the existence of soil contaminants attributed to the spills from oil and gas wastewater. They also highlighted the significance of understanding how contaminants interact with soil particles and the subsequent effects on soil quality. Furthermore, the findings highlighted the importance of soil properties in influencing the mobility of contaminants. The insights gained from this research can help policymakers communicate informed policy decisions on oil and gas wastewater management. They are also essential in communicating to stakeholders to conduct an in-depth study on the broader impact of oil and gas wastewater on other ecosystem areas, such as groundwater sources in different regions
Laser Powder Directed Energy Deposition (LP-DED) Inconel 718: Laser Power and Heat Treatment Effects on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties
No full textThis study examines the microstructure and mechanical properties (tensile, hardness, and fatigue endurance) of laser powder-directed energy deposition (LP-DED) printed specimens with varying deposition parameters. Five samples with power inputs ranging from 350 to 2620W, all of similar thicknesses, were evaluated to enable a direct comparison. The varying specimens were heat treated, including stress relief, hot isostatic pressing, solution, and two-step aging. The resulting microstructures and their corresponding hardness values were compared at each heat treatment stage. The fully heat-treated specimens\u27 tensile properties and fatigue life were also examined and compared. Key findings of this study indicate that complete heat treatment will recrystallize and homogenize the microstructures of specimens printed, regardless of the varying parameters. This transformation shifts the microstructure from a predominantly dendritic structure to an austenitic one, incorporating annealing twins and increasing its hardness correspondingly. This heat treatment schedule produced nearly comparable tensile and fatigue properties, irrespective of the parameter variations. This investigation reveals that samples produced at the lowest laser power (350W) demonstrated a finer microstructure, improving overall mechanical properties. This research provides an efficient post-processing HT schedule for LP-DED Inconel 718 for aerospace applications. It contributes to the material\u27s characterization and the printing process\u27s standardization
Physics-Guided Scan Paths Optimization for Controlled Microstructure in Laser Powder Bed Fusion
No full textLaser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) is a renowned additive manufacturing technique, celebrated for its capability to construct intricate metal components with remarkable precision. However, one of the main challenges with L-PBF is the formation of complex microstructures, which can significantly impact the final material properties. To address this issue, our study proposes a physics-guided and machine-learning-aided approach to optimize scan paths for achieving desired microstructure outcomes, such as the generation of equiaxed grains that enhance material properties. By using phase-field modeling, a physics-based computational method, we gain insights into microstructure evolution. To reduce computational costs, we train a surrogate machine-learning model using a 3D U-Net convolutional neural network and single-track phase-field simulations as dataset. This enables the machine learning model to predict crystalline grain orientations accurately based on the initial microstructure and thermal history. As a preliminary approach, we investigate three primary scanning strategies; vertical serpentine, spiral serpentine and diagonal scanning at various hatch spacings to identify the most effective paths for achieving the desired microstructure. This lays the foundation for a comprehensive examination of how different scan paths and parameters affect the resulting microstructure. By combining this strategic analysis with our advanced modeling techniques, we provide insights into how scan path influences the attainment of optimal crystalline grain structure in L-PBF processes. This approach not only enhances our ability to predict microstructural outcomes but also advances the precision manufacturing capabilities of L-PBF, merging theoretical knowledge with practical application to guide future advancements in additive manufacturing. Importantly, our methodology achieves a computational time reduction by approximately three orders of magnitude, underscoring the efficiency of our ML approach in accelerating the design process
Examining the Effects of Acute and Chronic Stress on the Interrogative Suggestibility of Young Adults
No full textHigh-stress situations, like police interrogations, can hinder an individual\u27s decision-making and critical-thinking ability (Liston et al., 2009), making them more susceptible to suggestive or leading messages during questioning. While research on suggestibility mainly focuses on children and adolescents, young adults may also be vulnerable to suggestion because of their sensitivity to social feedback (Blakemore & Mills, 2014; Redlich & Goodman, 2003). Since the legal consequences of suggestibility for young adults are more severe than for children or adolescents, it is essential to examine the role of stress in young adults\u27 suggestibility. The present study used objective and subjective methods to examine the impact of acute and chronic stress on young adults\u27 suggestibility. Participants (N = 128) aged 18 to 26 were randomly assigned to complete either a stressful social task (TSST; Kirschbaum et al., 1993) or a control condition. The Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale (GSS; Gudjonsson, 1984) and self-report measures were used to assess the participants\u27 suggestibility and experiences with stress. Heart rate and Galvanic Skin Responses (GSR) were also obtained as physiological indices of stress. Although our study did not find significant evidence to support the hypothesized effects of acute and chronic stress on young adults\u27 suggestibility, this research nonetheless highlights the importance of understanding the complex interplay of stress and suggestibility to extend legal recommendations beyond children and adolescents to include young adults in situations where suggestibility is likely to occur
Prediction Modeling of Foreign Object Impact Debris on Aircraft Through Digital Engineering
No full textThe contribution of the research made is derived into two sections. The first topic discusses the prediction modeling of Foreign Object debris (FOd) impact on aircraft structures through the use of digital engineering. The program used in this project is Ansys Explicit Dynamics to evaluate the stress and strain caused by the initial conditions of flight trajectory and impact created from FOd found inside of aircraft structures. The prediction modeling consists of creating a repetition of simulations with different FOds to evaluate the damage created to subsystems of the wing bay such as the fuel system and internal structures. The FOds used for this analysis are washers, fasteners, & plastic caps. By defining the solutions from the explicit dynamic environment, it can be concluded that such foreign objects (FO) can or cannot cause failure to the aircraft. The development of these simulations would be exported to Unity to create a model for in-depth analysis of impact and location of FOd after flight trajectory. With this research, it would assist engineers in how to prevent a major accident from happening while an aircraft is operating. The second topic focuses on the optimization of scanning parameters of Non-Destructive Equipment (NDE) and the development of different intentional defects on manufactured curved carbon fiber composites. Composites are made of carbon fiber and epoxy resin with placement of washers and teflon pieces layer by layer through compression pressing and molded vacuum bagging. The technique used for NDE is ultrasonic testing and the transducer used was a phased array probe and the NDE equipment was an Omniscanner SX. The use of this technique allows us to scan the composite row by row to detect handmade defects on composites at different locations. The Omniscanner SX would allow us to obtain high resolution scans for present research. By having different scans, an AI model is created and trained to automatically detect such defects at different depths and location on composites
Comparative Analysis of the Effects of Post Processing on the Flexural Fatigue Endurance of Additively Manufactured Ti-6AL-4V
No full textThis study delves into analyzing the effects of various machining techniques on the flexural fatigue life of Ti-6Al-4V L-PBF specimens. The fatigue life and fracture behavior of specimens subjected to milling, grinding, polishing, and abrasive media blasting were compared. The findings reveal significant differences in the fatigue resistance between machined and non-machined parts. This study contributes to the understanding of the effects of post-processing on the durability of L-PBF manufactured components, offering insights for enhancing their application in critical aerospace and biomedical applications