scholarly journals An Optimal Control Perspective on Weather and Climate Modification

Mathematics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 305
Author(s):  
Sergei Soldatenko ◽  
Rafael Yusupov

Intentionally altering natural atmospheric processes using various techniques and technologies for changing weather patterns is one of the appropriate human responses to climate change and can be considered a rather drastic adaptation measure. A fundamental understanding of the human ability to modify weather conditions requires collaborative research in various scientific fields, including, but not limited to, atmospheric sciences and different branches of mathematics. This article being theoretical and methodological in nature, generalizes and, to some extent, summarizes our previous and current research in the field of climate and weather modification and control. By analyzing the deliberate change in weather and climate from an optimal control and dynamical systems perspective, we get the ability to consider the modification of natural atmospheric processes as a dynamic optimization problem with an emphasis on the optimal control problem. Within this conceptual and unified theoretical framework for developing and synthesizing an optimal control for natural weather phenomena, the atmospheric process in question represents a closed-loop dynamical system described by an appropriate mathematical model or, in other words, by a set of differential equations. In this context, the human control actions can be described by variations of the model parameters selected on the basis of sensitivity analysis as control variables. Application of the proposed approach to the problem of weather and climate modification is illustrated using a low-order conceptual model of the Earth’s climate system. For the sake of convenient interpretation, we provide some weather and climate basics, as well as we give a brief glance at control theory and sensitivity analysis of dynamical systems.

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergei A. Soldatenko ◽  
Rafael M. Yusupov

Geophysical cybernetics allows for exploring weather and climate modification (geoengineering) as an optimal control problem in which the Earth’s climate system is considered as a control system and the role of controller is given to human operators. In mathematical models used in climate studies control actions that manipulate the weather and climate can be expressed via variations in model parameters that act as controls. In this paper, we propose the “instability-sensitivity” approach that allows for determining feasible control variables in geoengineering. The method is based on the sensitivity analysis of mathematical models that describe various types of natural instability phenomena. The applicability of this technique is illustrated by a model of atmospheric baroclinic instability since this physical mechanism plays a significant role in the general circulation of the atmosphere and, consequently, in climate formation. The growth rate of baroclinic unstable waves is taken as an indicator of control manipulations. The information obtained via calculated sensitivity coefficients is very beneficial for assessing the physical feasibility of methods of control of the large-scale atmospheric dynamics and for designing optimal control systems for climatic processes. It also provides insight into potential future changes in baroclinic waves, as a result of a changing climate.


2012 ◽  
Vol 65 (11) ◽  
pp. 1912-1922 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xavier Flores-Alsina ◽  
Krist V. Gernaey ◽  
Ulf Jeppsson

This paper presents the results of a global sensitivity analysis (GSA) of a phenomenological model that generates dynamic wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) influent disturbance scenarios. This influent model is part of the Benchmark Simulation Model (BSM) family and creates realistic dry/wet weather files describing diurnal, weekend and seasonal variations through the combination of different generic model blocks, i.e. households, industry, rainfall and infiltration. The GSA is carried out by combining Monte Carlo simulations and standardized regression coefficients (SRC). Cluster analysis is then applied, classifying the influence of the model parameters into strong, medium and weak. The results show that the method is able to decompose the variance of the model predictions (R2> 0.9) satisfactorily, thus identifying the model parameters with strongest impact on several flow rate descriptors calculated at different time resolutions. Catchment size (PE) and the production of wastewater per person equivalent (QperPE) are two parameters that strongly influence the yearly average dry weather flow rate and its variability. Wet weather conditions are mainly affected by three parameters: (1) the probability of occurrence of a rain event (Llrain); (2) the catchment size, incorporated in the model as a parameter representing the conversion from mm rain · day−1 to m3 · day−1 (Qpermm); and, (3) the quantity of rain falling on permeable areas (aH). The case study also shows that in both dry and wet weather conditions the SRC ranking changes when the time scale of the analysis is modified, thus demonstrating the potential to identify the effect of the model parameters on the fast/medium/slow dynamics of the flow rate. The paper ends with a discussion on the interpretation of GSA results and of the advantages of using synthetic dynamic flow rate data for WWTP influent scenario generation. This section also includes general suggestions on how to use the proposed methodology to any influent generator to adapt the created time series to a modeller's demands.


Atmosphere ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Kochanski ◽  
Aimé Fournier ◽  
Jan Mandel

Observational data collected during experiments, such as the planned Fire and Smoke Model Evaluation Experiment (FASMEE), are critical for evaluating and transitioning coupled fire-atmosphere models like WRF-SFIRE and WRF-SFIRE-CHEM into operational use. Historical meteorological data, representing typical weather conditions for the anticipated burn locations and times, have been processed to initialize and run a set of simulations representing the planned experimental burns. Based on an analysis of these numerical simulations, this paper provides recommendations on the experimental setup such as size and duration of the burns, and optimal sensor placement. New techniques are developed to initialize coupled fire-atmosphere simulations with weather conditions typical of the planned burn locations and times. The variation and sensitivity analysis of the simulation design to model parameters performed by repeated Latin Hypercube Sampling is used to assess the locations of the sensors. The simulations provide the locations for the measurements that maximize the expected variation of the sensor outputs with varying the model parameters.


Complexity ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergei A. Soldatenko

The weather and climate manipulation is examined as an optimal control problem for the earth climate system, which is considered as a complex adaptive dynamical system. Weather and climate manipulations are actually amorphous operations. Since their objectives are usually formulated vaguely, the expected results are fairly unpredictable and uncertain. However, weather and climate modification is a purposeful process and, therefore, we can formulate operations to manipulate weather and climate as the optimization problem within the framework of the optimal control theory. The complexity of the earth’s climate system is discussed and illustrated using the simplified low-order coupled chaotic dynamical system. The necessary conditions of optimality are derived for the large-scale atmospheric dynamics. This confirms that even a relatively simplified control problem for the atmospheric dynamics requires significant efforts to obtain the solution.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. B. H. Njagarah ◽  
F. Nyabadza

A mathematical model for the dynamics of cholera transmission with permissible controls between two connected communities is developed and analysed. The dynamics of the disease in the adjacent communities are assumed to be similar, with the main differences only reflected in the transmission and disease related parameters. This assumption is based on the fact that adjacent communities often have different living conditions and movement is inclined toward the community with better living conditions. Community specific reproduction numbers are given assuming movement of those susceptible, infected, and recovered, between communities. We carry out sensitivity analysis of the model parameters using the Latin Hypercube Sampling scheme to ascertain the degree of effect the parameters and controls have on progression of the infection. Using principles from optimal control theory, a temporal relationship between the distribution of controls and severity of the infection is ascertained. Our results indicate that implementation of controls such as proper hygiene, sanitation, and vaccination across both affected communities is likely to annihilate the infection within half the time it would take through self-limitation. In addition, although an infection may still break out in the presence of controls, it may be up to 8 times less devastating when compared with the case when no controls are in place.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
pp. 103956
Author(s):  
Takasar Hussain ◽  
Muhammad Ozair ◽  
Farhad Ali ◽  
Sajid ur Rehman ◽  
Taghreed A. Assiri ◽  
...  

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 624
Author(s):  
Yan Shan ◽  
Mingbin Huang ◽  
Paul Harris ◽  
Lianhai Wu

A sensitivity analysis is critical for determining the relative importance of model parameters to their influence on the simulated outputs from a process-based model. In this study, a sensitivity analysis for the SPACSYS model, first published in Ecological Modelling (Wu, et al., 2007), was conducted with respect to changes in 61 input parameters and their influence on 27 output variables. Parameter sensitivity was conducted in a ‘one at a time’ manner and objectively assessed through a single statistical diagnostic (normalized root mean square deviation) which ranked parameters according to their influence of each output variable in turn. A winter wheat field experiment provided the case study data. Two sets of weather elements to represent different climatic conditions and four different soil types were specified, where results indicated little influence on these specifications for the identification of the most sensitive parameters. Soil conditions and management were found to affect the ranking of parameter sensitivities more strongly than weather conditions for the selected outputs. Parameters related to drainage were strongly influential for simulations of soil water dynamics, yield and biomass of wheat, runoff, and leaching from soil during individual and consecutive growing years. Wheat yield and biomass simulations were sensitive to the ‘ammonium immobilised fraction’ parameter that related to soil mineralization and immobilisation. Simulations of CO2 release from the soil and soil nutrient pool changes were most sensitive to external nutrient inputs and the process of denitrification, mineralization, and decomposition. This study provides important evidence of which SPACSYS parameters require the most care in their specification. Moving forward, this evidence can help direct efficient sampling and lab analyses for increased accuracy of such parameters. Results provide a useful reference for model users on which parameters are most influential for different simulation goals, which in turn provides better informed decision making for farmers and government policy alike.


Author(s):  
Sebastian Brandstaeter ◽  
Sebastian L. Fuchs ◽  
Jonas Biehler ◽  
Roland C. Aydin ◽  
Wolfgang A. Wall ◽  
...  

AbstractGrowth and remodeling in arterial tissue have attracted considerable attention over the last decade. Mathematical models have been proposed, and computational studies with these have helped to understand the role of the different model parameters. So far it remains, however, poorly understood how much of the model output variability can be attributed to the individual input parameters and their interactions. To clarify this, we propose herein a global sensitivity analysis, based on Sobol indices, for a homogenized constrained mixture model of aortic growth and remodeling. In two representative examples, we found that 54–80% of the long term output variability resulted from only three model parameters. In our study, the two most influential parameters were the one characterizing the ability of the tissue to increase collagen production under increased stress and the one characterizing the collagen half-life time. The third most influential parameter was the one characterizing the strain-stiffening of collagen under large deformation. Our results suggest that in future computational studies it may - at least in scenarios similar to the ones studied herein - suffice to use population average values for the other parameters. Moreover, our results suggest that developing methods to measure the said three most influential parameters may be an important step towards reliable patient-specific predictions of the enlargement of abdominal aortic aneurysms in clinical practice.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 4290
Author(s):  
Dongmei Zhang ◽  
Yuyang Zhang ◽  
Bohou Jiang ◽  
Xinwei Jiang ◽  
Zhijiang Kang

Reservoir history matching is a well-known inverse problem for production prediction where enormous uncertain reservoir parameters of a reservoir numerical model are optimized by minimizing the misfit between the simulated and history production data. Gaussian Process (GP) has shown promising performance for assisted history matching due to the efficient nonparametric and nonlinear model with few model parameters to be tuned automatically. Recently introduced Gaussian Processes proxy models and Variogram Analysis of Response Surface-based sensitivity analysis (GP-VARS) uses forward and inverse Gaussian Processes (GP) based proxy models with the VARS-based sensitivity analysis to optimize the high-dimensional reservoir parameters. However, the inverse GP solution (GPIS) in GP-VARS are unsatisfactory especially for enormous reservoir parameters where the mapping from low-dimensional misfits to high-dimensional uncertain reservoir parameters could be poorly modeled by GP. To improve the performance of GP-VARS, in this paper we propose the Gaussian Processes proxy models with Latent Variable Models and VARS-based sensitivity analysis (GPLVM-VARS) where Gaussian Processes Latent Variable Model (GPLVM)-based inverse solution (GPLVMIS) instead of GP-based GPIS is provided with the inputs and outputs of GPIS reversed. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed GPLVM-VARS in terms of accuracy and complexity. The source code of the proposed GPLVM-VARS is available at https://github.com/XinweiJiang/GPLVM-VARS.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiyoaki Sugiura ◽  
Yuki Seo ◽  
Takayuki Takahashi ◽  
Hideyuki Tokura ◽  
Yasuhiro Ito ◽  
...  

Abstract Background TAS-102 plus bevacizumab is an anticipated combination regimen for patients who have metastatic colorectal cancer. However, evidence supporting its use for this indication is limited. We compared the cost-effectiveness of TAS-102 plus bevacizumab combination therapy with TAS-102 monotherapy for patients with chemorefractory metastatic colorectal cancer. Method Markov decision modeling using treatment costs, disease-free survival, and overall survival was performed to examine the cost-effectiveness of TAS-102 plus bevacizumab combination therapy and TAS-102 monotherapy. The Japanese health care payer’s perspective was adopted. The outcomes were modeled on the basis of published literature. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) between the two treatment regimens was the primary outcome. Sensitivity analysis was performed and the effect of uncertainty on the model parameters were investigated. Results TAS-102 plus bevacizumab had an ICER of $21,534 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained compared with TAS-102 monotherapy. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that TAS-102 monotherapy was more cost-effective than TAS-102 and bevacizumab combination therapy at a willingness-to-pay of under $50,000 per QALY gained. Conclusions TAS-102 and bevacizumab combination therapy is a cost-effective option for patients who have metastatic colorectal cancer in the Japanese health care system.


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