Introduction of a spatiotemporal Life Cycle Inventory method using a wind energy example

This is the final version of the article. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.Life cycle assessment (LCA) is "primarily a steady-state-tool" and few studies to date have included dynamic temporal and spatial information in matrix-based LCA. Because of this many environmental impacts cannot be determined accurately in conventional LCA. We have integrated both temporal and spatial information in a novel dynamical life cycle inventory (LCI) framework that can produce detailed spatiotemporal results and thus offering more insights for sustainability assessment. This framework employs the existing Enhanced Structural Path Analysis (ESPA) method combined with spatial analysis to determine spatialised LCI over time. Previously we tested this new approach with a local spatial dispersion model using wheat production as an illustration. In this paper we demonstrate the new spatiotemporal LCI method over an entire life cycle, using wind energy as an example and a different approach to spatial analysis at a global scale.XY acknowledges financial support from the EU under Interreg project “ICE: Intelligent Community Energy”

Microwave performance of high-density bulk MgB2

We have performed microwave measurements on superconducting hot-isostatically- pressed (HIPed) bulk MgB2 using a parallel-plate resonator technique. The high density and strength of the HIPed material allowed preparation of samples with mirror-like surfaces for microwave measurements. The microwave surface resistance decreased by about 40% at 20 K when the root-mean-square surface roughness was reduced from 220 nm to 110 nm through surface-polishing and ion-milling. The surface resistance was independent of surface microwave magnetic field at least up to 4 Oe and below 30 K. We attribute this behavior, and the overall low surface resistance (~0.8 mOhms at 10 GHz and 20 K), to the high density of our samples and the absence of weak links between grains

Mg(B,O)2 precipitation in MgB2

MgB2 samples prepared by solid-state reaction were investigated using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HREM), X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), and energy-filtered imaging. Large amounts of coherent precipitates with a size range from about 5 nm up to about 100 nm were found in the MgB2 crystallite matrices. The precipitates are of different shapes including sphere, ellipsoid, and faceted polyhedron depending on the size of the precipitates. EDX and EELS analyses confirm that smaller precipitates contain magnesium, boron and oxygen while larger faceted precipitates contain mainly magnesium and oxygen, implying that the oxygen content increases with precipitate size. HREM and electron diffraction investigations found that the precipitates have the same crystal lattice structure as that of MgB2 but with various composition modulations depending on the composition of the precipitates. The precipitates transform to the MgO phase after long exposure to residual oxygen in flowing Ar gas at high temperatures. The effect of the precipitates in different size ranges on flux pinning is discussed.Comment: 29 pages, 9 Figures, to be published in J. Applied Physic

Quark Orbital-Angular-Momentum Distribution in the Nucleon

We introduce gauge-invariant quark and gluon angular momentum distributions after making a generalization of the angular momentum density operators. From the quark angular momentum distribution, we define the gauge-invariant and leading-twist quark {\it orbital} angular momentum distribution $L_q(x)$. The latter can be extracted from data on the polarized and unpolarized quark distributions and the off-forward distribution $E(x)$ in the forward limit. We comment upon the evolution equations obeyed by this as well as other orbital distributions considered in the literature.Comment: 8 pages, latex, no figures, minor corrections mad

Off‐pump coronary artery bypass surgery: physiology and anaesthetic management†

Increasing interest is being shown in beating heart (off‐pump) coronary artery surgery (OPCAB) because, compared with operations performed with cardiopulmonary bypass, OPCAB surgery may be associated with decreased postoperative morbidity and reduced total costs. Its appears to produce better results than conventional surgery in high‐risk patient populations, elderly patients, and those with compromised cardiac function or coagulation disorders. Recent improvements in the technique have resulted in the possibility of multiple‐vessel grafting in all coronary territories, with a graft patency comparable with conventional surgery. During beating‐heart surgery, anaesthetists face two problems: first, the maintenance of haemodynamic stability during heart enucleation necessary for accessing each coronary artery; and second, the management of intraoperative myocardial ischaemia when coronary flow must be interrupted during grafting. The anaesthetic technique is less important than adequate management of these two major constraints. However, experimental and recent clinical data suggest that volatile anaesthetics have a marked cardioprotective effect against ischaemia, and might be specifically indicated. OPCAB surgery requires team work between anaesthetists and surgeons, who must be aware of each other's constraints. Some surgical aspects of the operation are reviewed along with physiological and anaesthetic data. Br J Anaesth 2004; 92: 400-1

Generalized Parton Distributions at x->1

Generalized parton distributions at large $x$ are studied in perturbative QCD approach. As $x\to 1$ and at finite $t$, there is no $t$ dependence for the GPDs which means that the active quark is at the center of the transverse space. We also obtain the power behavior: $H_q^\pi(x,\xi,t)\sim (1-x)^2/(1-\xi^2)$ for pion; $H_q(x,\xi,t)\sim (1-x)^3/(1-\xi^2)^2$ and $E_q(x,\xi,t)\sim (1-x)^5/(1-\xi^2)^3f(\xi)$ for nucleon, where $f(\xi)$ represents the additional dependence on $\xi$.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure

The influence of structural defects on intra-granular critical currents of bulk MgB2

Bulk MgB2 samples were prepared under different synthesis conditions and analyzed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The critical current densities were determined from the magnetization versus magnetic field curves of bulk and powder-dispersed-in-epoxy samples. Results show that through a slow cooling process, the oxygen dissolved in bulk MgB2 at high synthesis temperatures can segregate and form nanometer-sized coherent precipitates of Mg(B,O)2 in the MgB2 matrix. Magnetization measurements indicate that these precipitates act as effective flux pinning centers and therefore significantly improve the intra-grain critical current density and its field dependence.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to be published in IEE Transactions in Applied Superconductivit

Higher twists in the pion structure function

We calculate the QCD moments of the pion structure function using Drell-Yan data on the quark distributions in the pion and a phenomenological model for the resonance region. The extracted higher twist corrections are found to be larger than those for the nucleon, contributing around 50% of the lowest moment at Q^2=1 GeV^2.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Angular Dependence of the Radiative Gluon Spectrum and the Energy Loss of Hard Jets in QCD Media

The induced momentum spectrum of soft gluons radiated from a high energy quark propagating through a QCD medium is derived in the BDMPS formalism. A calorimetric measurement for the medium dependent energy lost by a jet with opening angle $\theta_{{\rm cone}}$ is proposed.The fraction of this energy loss with respect to the integrated one appears to be the relevant observable.It exhibits a universal behaviour in terms of the variable $\theta^2_{{\rm cone}} L^3 \hat q$ where $L$ is the size of the medium and $\hat q$ the transport coefficient. Phenomenological implications for the differences between cold and hot QCD matter are discussed.Comment: 13 pages and 7 figures, RevTe