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This paper considers the diapycnal transport of passive tracers during a Kelvin–Helmholtz mixing event. Numerical simulations of a traditional Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) configuration of a stratified shear flow are extended to include layers of passive tracer at different locations relative to the shear layer. The evolution of the tracers during the simulation is followed and is analysed using different theoretical approaches. One is to consider the evolution via the distribution in density–tracer space which clearly reveals how the tracers are redistributed across isopycnals by the mixing driven by the growing and saturating KH billow. The shape of the distribution places constraints on the redistribution of the tracer and, for this problem of symmetrically stratified shear, it is shown that the distribution typically tends to a compact form, with significant regions that are nearly linear. The redistribution across isopycnals is also considered via a diffusion equation for the tracer relative to coordinates based on the geometry of density surfaces. The equation is a generalisation of an equation previously derived for transport of density in these coordinates and includes an extra eddy term that arises because there is variation of the tracer along density surfaces. Under certain circumstances and at later stages of the flow, the eddy term can be neglected, and the evolution of the mean tracer profile can be adequately represented using a simple diffusion equation where diffusivity is defined as the effective diffusivity of density, scaled by the molecular diffusion of the tracer.

We present in this paper a method for the estimation of traffic state at road junctions controlled with traffic lights. We assume mixed traffic where a proportion of vehicles are equipped with communication resources. The estimation of road traffic state uses information given by communicating vehicles. The method we propose is built upon a previously published method which was applied to estimate the traffic in the case where roads are composed of two lanes. In this paper, we consider the case where roads are composed of three lanes and we show that this solution can address the general case, where roads are composed of any number of lanes. We assume the geometry of the road junction is known, as well as its connections between incoming and outgoing lanes and roads. Using the location data provided by the communicating vehicles, first, we estimate some primary parameters including the penetration ratio of the probe vehicles, as well as the arrival rates of vehicles (equipped and non-equipped) per lane by introducing the assignment onto the lanes. Second, we give estimations of the queue length of the 3-lanes road, without and with the additional information provided by the location of the communicating vehicles in the queue. We illustrate and discuss the proposed model with numerical simulations.

Numerical modeling was used to provide a new estimate of the amount of 137Cs released directly into the ocean from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (NPP) after the accident in March 2011 and to gain insights into the physical processes that led to its dispersion in the marine environment during the months following the accident. An inverse method was used to determine the time‐dependent137Cs input responsible for the concentrations observed at the NPP's two liquid discharge outlets. The method was then validated through comparisons of the simulated concentrations with concentrations measured in seawater at different points in the neighborhood of the plant. An underestimation was noticed for stations located 30 km offshore. The resulting bias in the release inventory was estimated. Finally, the maximum 137Cs activity released directly to the ocean was estimated to lie between 5.1 and 5.5 PBq (Peta Becquerel = 1015 Bq) but uncertainties remain on the amount of radionuclides released during the first few days after the accident. This estimate was compared to previous ones and differences were analyzed further. The temporal and spatial variations of the 137Cs concentration present in the coastal waters were shown to be strongly related to the wind intensity and direction. During the first month after the accident, winds blowing toward the south confined the radionuclides directly released into the ocean to a narrow coastal band. Afterwards, frequent northward wind events increased the dispersion over the whole continental shelf, leading to strongly reduced concentrations. Key Points Assessment of cesium‐137 released from Fukushima power plant Dispersion of radionuclides induced by winds

We present in this paper a method to estimate urban traffic state with communicating vehicles. Vehicles moving on the links of the urban road network form queues at the traffic lights. We assume that a proportion of vehicles are equipped with localization and communication capabilities, and name them probe vehicles. First, we propose a method for the estimation of the penetration ratio of probe vehicles, as well as the vehicles arrival rate on a link. Moreover, we show that turn ratios at each junction can be estimated. Second, assuming that the turn ratios at each junction are given, we propose an estimation of the queue lengths on a 2-lanes link, by extending a 1-lane existing method. Our extension introduces vehicles assignment onto the lanes. Third, based on this approach, we propose optimal control laws for the traffic light and for the assignment of the arriving vehicles onto the lane queues. Finally, numerical simulations are conducted with Veins framework that bi-directionally couples microscopic road traffic and communication simulators. We illustrate and discuss our propositions with the simulation results.

We present in this paper a new algorithm for urban traffic light control with mixed traffic (communicating and non communicating vehicles) and mixed infrastructure (equipped and unequipped junctions). We call equipped junction here a junction with a traffic light signal (TLS) controlled by a road side unit (RSU). On such a junction, the RSU manifests its connectedness to equipped vehicles by broadcasting its communication address and geographical coordinates. The RSU builds a map of connected vehicles approaching and leaving the junction. The algorithm allows the RSU to select a traffic phase, based on the built map. The selected traffic phase is applied by the TLS; and both equipped and unequipped vehicles must respect it. The traffic management is in feedback on the traffic demand of communicating vehicles. We simulated the vehicular traffic as well as the communications. The two simulations are combined in a closed loop with visualization and monitoring interfaces. Several indicators on vehicular traffic (mean travel time, ended vehicles) and IEEE 802.11p communication performances (end-to-end delay, throughput) are derived and illustrated in three dimension maps. We then extended the traffic control to a urban road network where we also varied the number of equipped junctions. Other indicators are shown for road traffic performances in the road network case, where high gains are experienced in the simulation results.

Estimation of road traffic is a fundamental problem which has been addressed with a variety of methods. In the present paper, a variant of the mobile observer method is proposed. It is assumed that some vehicles composing the road traffic are communicating vehicles. These communicating vehicles broadcast periodically beacon messages. The proposed method uses only these beacon messages as input data, and needs no additional equipment such as radar or GPS device in order to estimate the road traffic. The model is tested with the bi-directional simulation framework VEINS, which combines a microscopic road traffic simulator and a communication simulator. The preliminary results show the potential of the method and confirm the validity of the approach.

We present in this article traffic flow and control models for the train dynamics in metro lines. The first model, written in the max-plus algebra, takes into account minimum running, dwell and safety time constraints, without any control of the train dwell times at platforms, and without consideration of the passenger travel demand. We show that the dynamics are stable and converge to stationary regimes with a unique asymptotic average growth rate. Moreover, the asymptotic average train time-headway, dwell time, as well as close-in time, are derived analytically, as functions of the number of running trains on the metro line. We then introduce, in a second model, the effect of the passenger demand on the train dwell times at platforms. We review that, if this effect is not well controlled, then the traffic is unstable. Finally, we propose a traffic control model which deals with this instability, by well controlling the effect of passenger arrivals on the train dwell times at platforms. We show that the dynamics are stable and converge to stationary regimes with a unique asymptotic average growth rate. We then calculate by numerical simulations the asymptotic average time-headway as a function of the number of running trains, compare the results with those of the max-plus algebra model, and derive the effect of the passenger travel demand on the frequency of the metro line, under the proposed control model.

We present in this article a semi-decentralized approach for urban traffic control, based on the TUC (Traffic responsive Urban Control) strategy. We assume that the control is centralized as in the TUC strategy, but we introduce a contention time window inside the cycle time, where antagonistic stages alternate a priority rule. The priority rule is set by applying green colours for given stages and yellow colours for antagonistic ones, in such a way that the stages with green colour have priority over the ones with yellow colour. The idea of introducing this time window is to reduce the red time inside the cycle, and by that, increase the capacity of the network junctions. In practice, the priority rule could be applied using vehicle-to-vehicle (v2v) or vehicle-to-infrastructure (v2i) communications. The vehicles having the priority pass almost normally through the junction, while the others reduce their speed and yield the way. We propose a model for the dynamics and the control of such a system. The model is still formulated as a linear quadratic problem, for which the feedback control law is calculated off-line, and applied in real time. The model is implemented using the Simulation of Urban MObility (SUMO) tool in a small regular (American-like) network configuration. The results are presented and compared to the classical TUC strategy.

African swine fever (ASF) is the cause of a recent pandemic that is posing a threat to much of the world swine production. The etiological agent, ASF virus (ASFV), infects domestic and wild swine, producing a variety of clinical presentations depending on the virus strain and the genetic background of the pigs infected. No commercial vaccine is currently available, although recombinant live attenuated vaccine candidates have been shown to be efficacious. In addition to determining efficacy, it is paramount to evaluate the safety profile of a live attenuated vaccine. The presence of residual virulence and the possibility of reversion to virulence are two of the concerns that must be evaluated in the development of live attenuated vaccines. Here we evaluate the safety profile of an efficacious live attenuated vaccine candidate, ASFV-G-ΔI177L. Results from safety studies showed that ASFV-G-ΔI177L remains genetically stable and phenotypically attenuated during a five-passage reversion to virulence study in domestic swine. In addition, large-scale experiments to detect virus shedding and transmission confirmed that even under varying conditions, ASFV-G-ΔI177L is a safe live attenuated vaccine.

To identify early indications of waning antibody levels to the spike protein (S-antibody) after complete two-dose vaccination, we did a cross-sectional analysis of fully vaccinated adults (aged ≥18 years) who submitted capillary blood samples for Virus Watch, a longitudinal community cohort study in England and Wales.4 The study received ethical approval from the Hampstead NHS Health Research Authority Ethics Committee (20/HRA/2320). Sera were tested using Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S and N electro-chemiluminescent immunoassays (Roche Diagnostics, Basel, Switzerland); the S assay targets total antibodies to the S1 subunit of the spike protein (range 0·4–25 000 units per mL [U/mL]), whereas the N assay targets total antibodies to the full-length nucleocapsid protein, which we took as a proxy for previous SARS-CoV-2 infection (specificity 99·8% [99·3–100]).5 Serological results were linked with demographic and clinical information collected at enrolment and with weekly self-reported vaccination status. 605 adults submitted a valid sample on June 14–15, 2021. In the context of recent advice in support of booster vaccinations from the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation,13 and given the potentially rapid S-antibody decline suggested by these data, heterologous regimens, which preliminary data suggest elicit stronger antibody and T-cell responses,14,15 might provide more durable immunity and greater protection against emerging variants.