<p>In order to find effective measures that meet the requirements for proper groundwater quality and quantity management, there is a need to develop a Decision Support System (DSS) and a suitable modelling tool. Central components of a DSS for groundwater management are thought to be models for surface- and groundwater flow and solute transport. The most feasible approach seems to be integration of available mathematical models, and development of a strategy for evaluation of the uncertainty propagation through these models. The physically distributed hydrological model ECOMAG has been integrated with the groundwater model MODFLOW to form a new integrated watershed modelling system - ECOFLOW. The modelling system ECOFLOW has been developed and embedded in Arc View. The multiple-scale modelling principle, combines a more detailed representation of the groundwater flow conditions with lumped watershed modelling, characterised by simplicity in model use, and a minimised number of model parameters. A Bayesian statistical downscaling procedure has also been developed and implemented in the model. This algorithm implies downscaling of the parameters used in the model, and leads to decreasing of the uncertainty level in the modelling results. The integrated model ECOFLOW has been applied to the Vemmenhög catchment, in Southern Sweden, and the Örsundaån catchment, in central Sweden. The applications demonstrated that the model is capable of simulating, with reasonable accuracy, the hydrological processes within both the agriculturally dominated watershed (Vemmenhög) and the forest dominated catchment area (Örsundaån). The results show that the ECOFLOW model adequately predicts the stream and groundwater flow distribution in these watersheds, and that the model can be used as a possible tool for simulation of surface– and groundwater processes on both local and regional scales. A chemical module ECOMAG-N has been created and tested on the Vemmenhög watershed with a highly dense drainage system and intensive fertilisation practises. The chemical module appeared to provide reliable estimates of spatial nitrate loads in the watershed. The observed and simulated nitrogen concentration values were found to be in close agreement at most of the reference points. The proposed future research includes further development of this model for contaminant transport in the surface- and ground water for point and non-point source contamination modelling. Further development of the model will be oriented towards integration of the ECOFLOW model system into a planned Decision Support System.</p>

In order to find effective measures that meet the requirements for proper groundwater quality and quantity management, there is a need to develop a Decision Support System (DSS) and a suitable modelling tool. Central components of a DSS for groundwater management are thought to be models for surface- and groundwater flow and solute transport. The most feasible approach seems to be integration of available mathematical models, and development of a strategy for evaluation of the uncertainty propagation through these models. The physically distributed hydrological model ECOMAG has been integrated with the groundwater model MODFLOW to form a new integrated watershed modelling system - ECOFLOW. The modelling system ECOFLOW has been developed and embedded in Arc View. The multiple-scale modelling principle, combines a more detailed representation of the groundwater flow conditions with lumped watershed modelling, characterised by simplicity in model use, and a minimised number of model parameters. A Bayesian statistical downscaling procedure has also been developed and implemented in the model. This algorithm implies downscaling of the parameters used in the model, and leads to decreasing of the uncertainty level in the modelling results. The integrated model ECOFLOW has been applied to the Vemmenhög catchment, in Southern Sweden, and the Örsundaån catchment, in central Sweden. The applications demonstrated that the model is capable of simulating, with reasonable accuracy, the hydrological processes within both the agriculturally dominated watershed (Vemmenhög) and the forest dominated catchment area (Örsundaån). The results show that the ECOFLOW model adequately predicts the stream and groundwater flow distribution in these watersheds, and that the model can be used as a possible tool for simulation of surface– and groundwater processes on both local and regional scales. A chemical module ECOMAG-N has been created and tested on the Vemmenhög watershed with a highly dense drainage system and intensive fertilisation practises. The chemical module appeared to provide reliable estimates of spatial nitrate loads in the watershed. The observed and simulated nitrogen concentration values were found to be in close agreement at most of the reference points. The proposed future research includes further development of this model for contaminant transport in the surface- and ground water for point and non-point source contamination modelling. Further development of the model will be oriented towards integration of the ECOFLOW model system into a planned Decision Support System. / QC 20101007

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The dispersal of herbivorous insects in large plantations must be modelled by taking into account many behavioral aspects of the individual movement. The insect ability to search for (and find) better plant quality are of fundamental importance to the development of a mathematical model. Also, many insects present an aggregation tendency which seems to be a population strategy to optimize harvesting and survival. In the present work, in order to analyze the spatio-temporal dynamics of an insect population, both kinds of behaviour are microscopically described by a Coupled Map Lattice model which includes a short range taxis for plant quality to a long range taxis with respect to their own population density. We observed, in the macroscopic scale, stable and dynamical heterogeneous spatial pattern formation when the difference between the scales is significant. / A dispersão de insetos herbívoros em uma plantação deve ser descrita levando em conta o complexo movimento individual do inseto na procura do alimento. Este movimento é influenciado pela textura da plantação e, fundamentalmente, pela qualidade da vegetação definida pela atratividade que as plantas exercem sobre o inseto. Além disso, muitos herbívoros apresentam um comportamento de agregação como uma estratégia para melhorar sua eficiência na alimentação ou simplesmente porque o agrupamento favorece a sobrevivência da espécie. Neste trabalho, desenvolvemos um modelo do tipo Rede de Mapas Acoplados para analisar a dinâmica espaço-temporal de uma população de insetos (crescimento e dispersão) em grandes plantações texturizadas sob a hipótese de movimento orientado dos herbívoros com relação à qualidade do seu alimento e um comportamento de agregação não local em relação aos co-específicos. Observamos, na escala macroscópica, a formação de padrões espaciais heterogêneos estáveis e dinâmicos quando a diferença entre as escalas de movimentação é significativa.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The knowledge of the role of physical and biological processes on animal community distribution is influenced by the spatial scale adopted in ecological studies. Due the scarcity of studies of distributional patterns of benthic macroinvertebrates in multiple scales in tropical and subtropical regions, this paper analyzes the structure of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in different spatial scales (among small watersheds and different river orders of each watershed) and the influence of certain environmental variables on these communities. The sampling was performed with Surber sampler in the small watersheds of the Vacacaí-Mirim River (August, 2008), and the Ibicuí-Mirim and Tororaipí rivers (August 2009). In each watershed were selected four sampling sites following the longitudinal gradient (stretches of 1st, 2nd, 3th and 4th orders. The environmental factors analyzed were: water temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, substrate granulometry and presence of aquatic and riparian vegetation. A total of 10.985 individuals, 42 families and 129 taxa were collected and, in general, the dominant taxa were Simuliidae (14%), Naididae (13%), Cricotopus sp. 1 (13%), Cricotopus sp. 2 (8%) (Chironomidae), Paragripopteryx (5%) (Gripopterygidae) and Americabaetis (5%) (Baetidae) representing 58% of the total specimens collected. There were no differences in macroinvertebrate richness among watersheds, however, the community structure showed differences among the three watersheds. The stretches of 3th and 4th orders showed higher richness than the stretches of 1st and 2nd orders. Additionally, there was recorded difference among communities structure of different orders stretches (56%). In general the environmental variables that influenced the distribution of the communities were granulometry, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity and aquatic vegetation. The macroinvertebrates characteristic of 1st and 2nd order stretches of the Vacacaí-Mirim River and of 1st order of the Tororaipí River watersheds where influenced mainly by bigger granulometry and dissolved oxygen, while the macroinvertebrates associated to the 3th and 4th order stretches were influenced by the higher electrical conductivity. The small watersheds of the Ibicuí-Mirim (except the 2nd order stretch) and Tororaipí rivers (except the 1st and 4th order stretches) did not show difference concerning the river orders, and were associated to the smaller electrical conductivity and absence of aquatic vegetation. The 4th order stretches of the Tororaipí River was segregated of the other stretches due to its smaller granulometry. The granulometry did not influence the small watershed of the Ibicuí-Mirim and Tororaipí rivers (except the 4th order stretches) due to the presence of fine substrate, while the Vacacaí-Mirim River watershed showed coarse substrate. This difference is probably determined by the fact that the Vacacaí-Mirim River represents a tributary of a different and bigger hydrographic watershed, the Jacuí River Basin, while the others small watersheds represents tributaries of the Ibicuí River Basin. Possibly, the Jacuí River Basin have higher electrical conductvity, since this factor was high in all the sampled stretches, being encreased by the proximity to urban areas with domestic sewage and agricultural activities near the river banks. In the small watersheds of the Ibicuí-Mirim and Tororaipí rivers, the difference between the community structures is possibly related to environmental features, such as finer substrate in both rivers and well developed riparian vegetation in the Tororaipí River. / As percepções dos processos físicos e biológicos dependem da escala em que as observações são feitas. Devido à escassez de estudos sobre os padrões de distribuição de macroinvertebrados bentônicos em múltiplas escalas em regiões tropicais e subtropicais, o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a estruturação das comunidades de macroinvertebrados bentônicos em diferentes escalas espaciais (entre microbacias e entre trechos de diferentes ordens de cada riacho) e identificar a influência de variáveis ambientais sobre a estruturação dessas comunidades. A amostragem foi realizada com amostrador tipo Surber, nas microbacias dos rios Vacacaí-Mirim (agosto de 2008), Ibicuí-Mirim e Tororaipí (agosto de 2009). Em cada microbacia foram selecionados quatro pontos de coleta segundo gradiente longitudinal (trechos de 1ª, 2ª, 3ª e 4ª ordens). Em cada ponto de coleta foram amostradas as variáveis ambientais: temperatura da água, pH, condutividade elétrica, oxigênio dissolvido, granulometria do substrato e presença de vegetação aquática e ripária. Um total de 10.985 indivíduos, 42 famílias e 129 táxons foram coletados, sendo que os táxons dominantes foram Simuliidae (14%), Naididae (13%), Cricotopus sp. 1 (13%), Cricotopus sp. 2 (8%) (Chironomidae) e Paragripopteryx (5%) (Gripopterygidae) e Americabaetis (5%) (Baetidae), perfazendo 58% da abundância total. Não houve diferença na riqueza entre as microbacias, entretanto ocorreu diferença na estrutura das comunidades das três microbacias. As microbacias dos rios Tororaipí e Ibicuí-Mirim apresentaram menor diferença entre si, que em relação à microbacia do Rio Vacacaí-Mirim. Os trechos de 3ª e 4ª ordens apresentaram maior riqueza que os trechos de 1ª e 2ª ordens. Adicionalmente, ocorreu diferença na estrutura das comunidades entre os trechos amostrados (56%), sendo que apenas os trechos de 2ª e 3ª ordens não apresentaram diferença significativa entre si. De modo geral, as variáveis ambientais que influenciaram a distribuição da comunidade foram a granulometria, a concentração de oxigênio dissolvido, a condutividade elétrica e a vegetação aquática. Os macroinvertebrados típicos dos trechos de 1ª e 2ª ordens da microbacia do Rio Vacacaí-Mirim e de 1ª ordem do Rio Tororaipí foram influenciados principalmente pela maior granulometria e concentração de oxigênio dissolvido, enquanto os associados aos trechos de 3ª e 4ª ordens foram influenciados pela maior condutividade elétrica. As microbacias dos rios Ibicuí-Mirim (exceto o trecho de 2ª ordem) e Tororaipí (exceto os trechos de 1ª e 4ª ordens) não apresentaram diferença quanto às ordens, sendo associadas à menor condutividade elétrica e à ausência de vegetação aquática. A granulometria não influenciou a diferenciação das microbacias dos rios Ibicuí-Mirim e Tororaipí (exceto o trecho de 4ª ordem), pois ambos possuem substrato mais fino, enquanto a microbacia do Rio Vacacaí-Mirim apresenta substrato pedregoso. Isto provavelmente se deve ao fato do Rio Vacacaí-Mirim pertencer a uma bacia hidrográfica diferente (Bacia do Rio Jacuí) das demais microbacias (Bacia do Rio Ibicuí). Possivelmente a maior condutividade elétrica seja típica da primeira Bacia, visto que esta foi maior em todos os trechos amostrados, sendo aumentada ainda pela proximidade da área urbana, com despejo de efluentes domésticos, assim como pela presença de agricultura próxima às margens. Nas microbacias dos rios Ibicuí-Mirim e Tororaipí a diferenciação da estrutura da comunidade encontrada deve ocorrer devido às características ambientais, como presença de substrato mais fino em ambos os rios e maior quantidade de vegetação ripária no Rio Tororaipí

The development and implementation of effective species and population-specific management strategies requires population-specific information. To demonstrate the relative extirpation risk associated with various road mortality scenarios for a population of Blanding’s turtles at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories in Chalk River, Ontario, a Population Viability Analysis was conducted. Road mortality of two adult females every ten years resulted in population extirpation within 200 years relative to a stable population not experiencing road mortality. To accommodate informed decision-making for the management of this species at risk, the movement patterns and habitat selection of this Blanding’s turtle population were described. There was no significant difference between males and females in distance moved between relocations in either the spring or the summer, but turtles moved greater distances in the spring than in the summer. Annual and seasonal home range size did not differ between the sexes or between spring and summer periods. A compositional analysis indicated Blanding’s turtles preferred marsh habitats over bog, swamp, lake, and upland. Matched-paired logistic regression was used to determine selection of microhabitat features, such as type of vegetation, in the spring and summer. Turtles preferred sites with warmer air temperatures, shallower water, a higher availability of open water, and greater coverage of emergent and floating vegetation types in the spring period. In the summer period, turtles preferred sites characterized by cooler, deeper water, a higher availability of open water, and greater coverage of emergent and floating vegetation types. This population of Blanding’s turtles appears to be relatively small and the continued threat of road mortality indicates a delicate situation for its persistence. Considering seasonally preferred habitats will best inform management decisions for seasonal work restrictions and future development plans.

We model different nonlinear systems, analyze their nonlinear aspects and discuss their applications. First, we present a semi-analytical, geometrically-exact, unsteady potential flow model is developed for airfoils undergoing large amplitude maneuvers. Towards this objective, the classical unsteady theory of Theodorsen is revisited by relaxing some of the major assumptions such as (1) flat wake, (2) small angle of attack, (3) small disturbances to the mean flow components, and (4) time-invariant free-stream. The kinematics of the wake vortices is simulated numerically while the wake and bound circulation distribution and, consequently, the associated pressure distribution are determined analytically. The steady and unsteady behaviors of the developed model are validated against experimental and computational results. The model is then used to determine the lift frequency response at different mean angles of attack. Second, we investigate the nonlinear characteristics of an autoparametric vibration system. This system consists of a base structure and a cantilever beam with a tip mass. The dynamic equations for the system are derived using the extended Hamilton's principle. The method of multiple scales is then used to analytically determine the stability and bifurcation of the system. The effects of the amplitude and frequency of the external force, the damping coefficient and frequency of the attached cantilever beam and the tip mass on the nonlinear responses of the system are determined. As an application, the concept of energy harvesting based on the autoparametric vibration system consisting of a base structure subjected to the external force and a cantilever beam with a tip mass is evaluated. Piezoelectric sheets are attached to the cantilever beam to convert the vibrations of the base structure into electrical energy. The coupled nonlinear distributed-parameter model is developed and analyzed. The effects of the electrical load resistance on the global frequency and damping ratio of the cantilever beam are analyzed by linearizion of the governing equations and perturbation method. Nonlinear analysis is performed to investigate the impacts of external force and load resistance on the response of the harvester. Finally, the concept of harvesting energy from ambient and galloping vibrations of a bluff body is investigated. A piezoelectric transducer is attached to the transverse degree of freedom of the body in order to convert the vibration energy to electrical power. A coupled nonlinear distributed-parameter model is developed that takes into consideration the galloping force and moment nonlinearities and the base excitation effects. The aerodynamic loads are modeled using the quasi-steady approximation. Linear analysis is performed to determine the effects of the electrical load resistance and wind speed on the global damping and frequency of the harvester as well as on the onset of instability. Then, nonlinear analysis is performed to investigate the impact of the base acceleration, wind speed, and electrical load resistance on the performance of the harvester and the associated nonlinear phenomena. Short- and open-circuit configurations for different wind speeds and base accelerations are assessed. / Ph. D.

Large amplitude internal solitary waves in the coastal ocean are commonly modelled with the Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation or a closely related evolution equation. The characteristic feature of these models is the solitary wave solution, and it is well documented that these provide the basic paradigm for the interpretation of oceanic observations. However, often internal waves in the ocean survive for several inertial periods, and in that case, the KdV equation is supplemented with a linear non-local term representing the effects of background rotation, commonly called the Ostrovsky equation. This equation does not support solitary wave solutions, and instead a solitary-like initial condition collapses due to radiation of inertia-gravity waves, with instead the long-time outcome typically being an unsteady nonlinear wave packet. The KdV equation and the Ostrovsky equation are formulated on the assumption that only a single vertical mode is used. In this thesis we consider the situation when two vertical modes are used, due to a near-resonance between their respective linear long wave phase speeds. This phenomenon can be described by a pair of coupled Ostrovsky equations, which is derived asymptotically from the full set of Euler equations and solved numerically using a pseudo-spectral method. The derivation of a system of coupled Ostrovsky equations is an important extension of coupled KdV equations on the one hand, and a single Ostrovsky equation on the other hand. The analytic structure and dynamical behaviour of the system have been elucidated in two main cases. The first case is when there is no background shear flow, while the second case is when the background state contains current shear, and both cases lead to new solution types with rich dynamical behaviour. We demonstrate that solitary-like initial conditions typically collapse into two unsteady nonlinear wave packets, propagating with distinct speeds corresponding to the extremum value in the group velocities. However, a background shear flow allows for several types of dynamical behaviour, supporting both unsteady and steady nonlinear wave packets, propagating with the speeds which can be predicted from the linear dispersion relation. In addition, in some cases secondary wave packets are formed associated with certain resonances which also can be identified from the linear dispersion relation. Finally, as a by-product of this study it was shown that a background shear flow can lead to the anomalous version of the single Ostrovsky equation, which supports a steady wave packet.

This research investigates the realization of parametric amplification in superconducting circuits and structures where nonlinearity is provided by Josephson junction (JJ) elements. We aim to develop a systematic analysis over JJ-based devices toward design of novel traveling-wave Josephson parametric amplifiers (TW-JPA). Chapters of this thesis fall into three categories: lumped JPA, superconducting periodic structures and discrete Josephson transmission lines (DJTL). The unbiased Josephson junction (JJ) is a nonlinear element suitable for parametric amplification through a four-photon process. Two circuit topologies are introduced to capture the unique property of the JJ in order to efficiently mix signal, pump and idler signals for the purpose of signal amplification. Closed-form expressions are derived for gain characteristics, bandwidth determination, noise properties and impedance for this kind of parametric power amplifier. The concept of negative resistance in the gain formulation is observed. A design process is also introduced to find the regimes of operation for gain achievement. Two regimes of operation, oscillation and amplification, are highlighted and distinguished in the result section. Optimization of the circuits to enhance the bandwidth is also carried out. Moving toward TW-JPA, the second part is devoted to modelling the linear wave propagation in a periodic superconducting structure. We derive closed-form equations for dispersion and s-parameters of infinite and finite periodic structures, respectively. Band gap formation is highlighted and its potential applications in the design of passive filters and resonators are discussed. The superconducting structures are fabricated using YBCO and measured, illustrating a good correlation with the numerical results. A novel superconducting Transmission Line (TL), which is periodically loaded by Josephson junctions (JJ) and assisted by open stubs, is proposed as a platform to realize a traveling-wave parametric device. Using the TL model, this structure is modeled by a system of nonlinear partial differential equations (PDE) with a driving source and mixed-boundary conditions at the input and output terminals, respectively. This model successfully emulates parametric and nonlinear microwave propagation when long-wave approximation is applicable. The influence of dispersion to sustain three non-degenerate phased-locked waves through the TL is highlighted. A rigorous and robust Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) solver based on the explicit Lax-Wendroff and implicit Crank-Nicolson schemes has been developed to investigate the device responses under various excitations. Linearization of the wave equation, under small-amplitude assumption, dispersion and impedance analysis is performed to explore more aspects of the device for the purpose of efficient design of a traveling-wave parametric amplifier. Knowing all microwave characteristics and identifying different regimes of operation, which include impedance properties, cut-off propagation, dispersive behaviour and shock-wave formation, we exploit perturbation theory accompanied by the method of multiple scale to derive the three nonlinear coupled amplitude equations to describe the parametric interaction. A graphical technique is suggested to find three waves on the dispersion diagram satisfying the phase-matching conditions. Both cases of perfect phase-matching and slight mismatching are addressed in this work. The incorporation of two numerical techniques, spectral method in space and multistep Adams-Bashforth in time domain, is employed to monitor the unilateral gain, superior stability and bandwidth of this structure. Two types of functionality, mixing and amplification, with their requirements are described. These properties make this structure desirable for applications ranging from superconducting optoelectronics to dispersive readout of superconducting qubits where high sensitivity and ultra-low noise operation is required.