The Agulhas Current is a major western boundary current flowing polewards on the southeast coast of South Africa.This analysis assesses its characteristics and suitability to generate power as a source of clean renewa...The Agulhas Current is a major western boundary current flowing polewards on the southeast coast of South Africa.This analysis assesses its characteristics and suitability to generate power as a source of clean renewable energy.On a section of coastline some 400 km long,over a period spanning more than 5 years an extensive set of current measurements was obtained.These data confirmed that south-westward currents with a speed greater than 1.2 m s^(-1)occurred over more than 60%of the recorded time;such ocean current speeds compare very favourably to winds required for energy generation.These currents occurred at the continental shelf break in water depths around 100 m,in the upper 50 m of the water column.Occasional current slowdowns and reversals did occur,with the major influence coming from‘Natal Pulses’,which are large-scale meanders in the Current that temporarily reversed the currents at the measurement sites.However,because of the surface temperature structure of the relevant water masses,such meanders can be identified in satellite imagery giving a few days advance warning of such current reversals.The characteristics of western boundary currents have been known for many years,but at Present,there is no operational system where this source of power is being utilised.It has tremendous potential for renewable energy generation,but is symptomatic of the many engineering challenges that still have to be solved to make such generation economically viable.展开更多
The popular single-factor complexity measure cannot comprehensively reflect program complexity and the existing hybrid complexity measure cannot express the interactive behaviors of programs. To treat these problems, ...The popular single-factor complexity measure cannot comprehensively reflect program complexity and the existing hybrid complexity measure cannot express the interactive behaviors of programs. To treat these problems, in this paper, we propose a complexity measure based on program slicing（CMBPS）. CMPBS not only can evaluate factors which affect program complexity such as the length of the program, control flow, data flow and data types of output variables, but also can give expression of the interactive relation between programs. And we also prove that CMBPS satisfies all of Weyuker properties. Compared with the popular complexity measures, CMBPS is a well-structured complexity measure.展开更多
This study reports the development and validation of an instrument,“Undergraduate STEM Educational Process Questionnaire”(USEPQ)to assess the learning experiences of STEM(science,technology,engineering and mathemati...This study reports the development and validation of an instrument,“Undergraduate STEM Educational Process Questionnaire”(USEPQ)to assess the learning experiences of STEM(science,technology,engineering and mathematics)-major undergraduates from the perspective of a conceptualized comprehensive STEM educational process framework that consists of key essentials such as course learning and instruction,educational environment,assessment methods,and unique STEM attributes.Exploration Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis performed on independent samples indicate that the finalized 9-factor,41-item USEPQ possesses a stable factor structure and sound psychometric properties.The factors of the validated scale are Classroom Instruction of Courses,Support from Faculty Members,Alternative Assessment Methods,Cooperative Learning,Resources and Service,Academic Competition,Cross-discipline Features of Program Courses,Connectedness of Program Courses,and Examination Difficulty.展开更多
文摘The Agulhas Current is a major western boundary current flowing polewards on the southeast coast of South Africa.This analysis assesses its characteristics and suitability to generate power as a source of clean renewable energy.On a section of coastline some 400 km long,over a period spanning more than 5 years an extensive set of current measurements was obtained.These data confirmed that south-westward currents with a speed greater than 1.2 m s^(-1)occurred over more than 60%of the recorded time;such ocean current speeds compare very favourably to winds required for energy generation.These currents occurred at the continental shelf break in water depths around 100 m,in the upper 50 m of the water column.Occasional current slowdowns and reversals did occur,with the major influence coming from‘Natal Pulses’,which are large-scale meanders in the Current that temporarily reversed the currents at the measurement sites.However,because of the surface temperature structure of the relevant water masses,such meanders can be identified in satellite imagery giving a few days advance warning of such current reversals.The characteristics of western boundary currents have been known for many years,but at Present,there is no operational system where this source of power is being utilised.It has tremendous potential for renewable energy generation,but is symptomatic of the many engineering challenges that still have to be solved to make such generation economically viable.
基金Supported by the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China(863 Program)(2009AA01220)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(91118007)
文摘The popular single-factor complexity measure cannot comprehensively reflect program complexity and the existing hybrid complexity measure cannot express the interactive behaviors of programs. To treat these problems, in this paper, we propose a complexity measure based on program slicing（CMBPS）. CMPBS not only can evaluate factors which affect program complexity such as the length of the program, control flow, data flow and data types of output variables, but also can give expression of the interactive relation between programs. And we also prove that CMBPS satisfies all of Weyuker properties. Compared with the popular complexity measures, CMBPS is a well-structured complexity measure.
基金The fourth author of this paper Prof.Yipeng Tang thanks National Natural Science Foundation of China(NNSFC)for collaboratively funding the research(No.71704115).
文摘This study reports the development and validation of an instrument,“Undergraduate STEM Educational Process Questionnaire”(USEPQ)to assess the learning experiences of STEM(science,technology,engineering and mathematics)-major undergraduates from the perspective of a conceptualized comprehensive STEM educational process framework that consists of key essentials such as course learning and instruction,educational environment,assessment methods,and unique STEM attributes.Exploration Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis performed on independent samples indicate that the finalized 9-factor,41-item USEPQ possesses a stable factor structure and sound psychometric properties.The factors of the validated scale are Classroom Instruction of Courses,Support from Faculty Members,Alternative Assessment Methods,Cooperative Learning,Resources and Service,Academic Competition,Cross-discipline Features of Program Courses,Connectedness of Program Courses,and Examination Difficulty.
