Water Engineering in the Ancient World

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles R. Ortloff
Keyword(s):  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Survival Strategies ◽  
Economic Stability ◽  
Supply And Distribution ◽  
Modern Computer ◽  
Agricultural Water Supply ◽  
Ancient Times ◽  
Ancient Civilizations ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
Current Concerns

Charles Ortloff provides a new perspective on archaeological studies of the urban and agricultural water supply and distribution systems of the major ancient civilizations of South America, the Middle East, and South-East Asia, by using modern computer analysis methods to extract the true hydraulic/hydrological knowledge base available to these peoples. His many new revelations about the capabilities and innovations of ancient water engineers force us to re-evaluate what was known and practised in the hydraulic sciences in ancient times. Given our current concerns about global warming and its effect on economic stability, it is fascinating to observe how some ancient civilizations successfully coped with major climate change events by devising defensive agricultural survival strategies, while others, which did not innovate, failed to survive.

Automated Design of Image Operators that Detect Interest Points

2008 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 483-507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonardo Trujillo ◽  
Gustavo Olague
Keyword(s):  
Computer Vision ◽  
Search Space ◽  
Search Problem ◽  
Interest Points ◽  
Fitness Evaluation ◽  
Modern Computer ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
Processing Techniques ◽  
Point Detection ◽  
Optimization Search

This work describes how evolutionary computation can be used to synthesize low-level image operators that detect interesting points on digital images. Interest point detection is an essential part of many modern computer vision systems that solve tasks such as object recognition, stereo correspondence, and image indexing, to name but a few. The design of the specialized operators is posed as an optimization/search problem that is solved with genetic programming (GP), a strategy still mostly unexplored by the computer vision community. The proposed approach automatically synthesizes operators that are competitive with state-of-the-art designs, taking into account an operator's geometric stability and the global separability of detected points during fitness evaluation. The GP search space is defined using simple primitive operations that are commonly found in point detectors proposed by the vision community. The experiments described in this paper extend previous results (Trujillo and Olague, 2006a,b) by presenting 15 new operators that were synthesized through the GP-based search. Some of the synthesized operators can be regarded as improved manmade designs because they employ well-known image processing techniques and achieve highly competitive performance. On the other hand, since the GP search also generates what can be considered as unconventional operators for point detection, these results provide a new perspective to feature extraction research.

scholarly journals Waterborne outbreaks in the Nordic countries, 1998 to 2012

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (24) ◽  
Author(s):  
B Guzman-Herrador ◽  
A Carlander ◽  
S Ethelberg ◽  
B Freiesleben de Blasio ◽  
M Kuusi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Treatment ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Nordic Countries ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Water Supplies ◽  
Treatment Regimens ◽  
Supply And Distribution ◽  
Household Water

A total of 175 waterborne outbreaks affecting 85,995 individuals were notified to the national outbreak surveillance systems in Denmark, Finland and Norway from 1998 to 2012, and in Sweden from 1998 to 2011. Between 4 and 18 outbreaks were reported each year during this period. Outbreaks occurred throughout the countries in all seasons, but were most common (n = 75/169, 44%) between June and August. Viruses belonging to the Caliciviridae family and Campylobacter were the pathogens most frequently involved, comprising n = 51 (41%) and n = 36 (29%) of all 123 outbreaks with known aetiology respectively. Although only a few outbreaks were caused by parasites (Giardia and/or Cryptosporidium), they accounted for the largest outbreaks reported during the study period, affecting up to 53,000 persons. Most outbreaks, 124 (76%) of those with a known water source (n = 163) were linked to groundwater. A large proportion of the outbreaks (n = 130/170, 76%) affected a small number of people (less than 100 per outbreak) and were linked to single-household water supplies. However, in 11 (6%) of the outbreaks, more than 1,000 people became ill. Although outbreaks of this size are rare, they highlight the need for increased awareness, particularly of parasites, correct water treatment regimens, and vigilant management and maintenance of the water supply and distribution systems.

scholarly journals Complex statistical data analysis of electric power consumption, consumption of energy resources and production volumes

2020 ◽  
pp. 22-28
Author(s):  
А. Voloshko ◽  
Ya. Bederak ◽  
T. Dzheria
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Power Consumption ◽  
Electric Power ◽  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Energy Resources ◽  
Compressed Air ◽  
Electric Power Consumption ◽  
Supply And Distribution ◽  
Consumption Data ◽  
Complex Statistical Analysis

Aims of this research are development of a complex statistical analysis algorithm for active electric power consumption data, consumption of energy resources and manufacturing products, implementation of statistical analysis in practice. Proposed parameters and criteria, which can help to technical staff in factories, to provide optimal and economical operating of supply and distribution systems as electricity, water, gas, heat, compressed air, etc. for production facilities, based on the collected active electric power consumption data for previous periods, information about consumption dynamic. It is concluded that the statistical analysis of the data, obtained for each type of engineering equipments (water supply and sewage, supply systems of compressed air, gas, electricity and steam) and various consumables coefficients (in the proposed algorithm) make possible to identify "weak areas" and to determine the most rational ways to optimize energy usage.

scholarly journals Hydraulic Engineering at 100 BC-AD 300 Nabataean Petra (Jordan)

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 3498
Author(s):  
Charles R. Ortloff
Keyword(s):  
Water Supply ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Maximum Flow ◽  
Hydraulic Engineering ◽  
World Heritage Site ◽  
Maximum Flow Rate ◽  
Pipeline System ◽  
Supply And Distribution ◽  
Pipeline Systems

The principal water supply and distribution systems of the World Heritage site of Petra in Jordan were analyzed to bring forward water engineering details not previously known in the archaeological literature. The three main water supply pipeline systems sourced by springs and reservoirs (the Siq, Ain Braq, and Wadi Mataha pipeline systems) were analyzed for their different pipeline design philosophies that reflect different geophysical landscape challenges to provide water supplies to different parts of urban Petra. The Siq pipeline system’s unique technical design reflects use of partial flow in consecutives sections of the main pipeline to support partial critical flow in each section that reduce pipeline leakage and produce the maximum flow rate the Siq pipeline can transport. An Ain Braq pipeline branch demonstrated a new hydraulic engineering discovery not previously reported in the literature in the form of an offshoot pipeline segment leading to a water collection basin adjacent to and connected to the main water supply line. This design eliminates upstream water surges arising from downstream flow instabilities in the two steep pipelines leading to a residential sector of Petra. The Wadi Mataha pipeline system is constructed at the critical angle to support the maximum flow rate from a reservoir. The analyses presented for these water supply and distribution systems brought forward aspects of the Petra urban water supply system not previously known, revising our understanding of Nabataean water engineers’ engineering knowledge.

scholarly journals Philo-physical model for the theory of everything

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Nasser Mohammed Ali
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Physical Model ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
Classical Physics ◽  
Missing Link ◽  
Theory Of Everything ◽  
Ancient Civilizations ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
The Universe ◽  
Origin Of The Universe

      Abstract: Ancient Egyptians and other ancient civilizations relied on a theory that binds all the components of the universe to each other. Because this approach is different from the rules of modern science, we find it difficult to explain how they founded their civilization in such a wonderful way. I have put a conception for the principles of this theory and it was able to explain all phemenona in the universe, materialistic and theological.(*) It depends on an Idea that the whole universe consists of four primary units, of which pairs are formed and the proportion of units in each pair determines their relation to each other and their relation to them in accordance with the principles of this theory It is simple in its totality to the extent that the non-specialist can understand the most complex interpretations of phenomena in simple way it remove the puzzles between philosophy and physics. It is the missing link between the oddity of quantum mechanics and classical physics. This theory will lead us to conceptualize the universe with a new perspective: that the universe is connected to all its components, so Any change at any point in the universe will change the rest of its components. This Theory can explain Phenomenon by different way; such as space-time, the origin of the universe and the interpretation of ambiguity in ancient civilizations.  

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