Geothermal energy is an important source of clean and renewable energy. This project deals with the study of deep geothermal power plants for the generation of electricity. The design involves the extraction of heat from the Earth and its conversion into electricity. This is performed by allowing fluid deep into the Earth where it gets heated due to the surrounding rock. The fluid gets vaporized and returns to the surface in a heat pipe. Finally, the energy of the fluid is converted into electricity using turbine or organic rankine cycle (ORC). The main feature of the system is the employment of side channels to increase the amount of thermal energy extracted. A finite difference computer model is developed to solve the heat transport equation. The numerical model was employed to evaluate the performance of the design. The major goal was to optimize the output power as a function of parameters such as thermal diffusivity of the rock, depth of the main well, number and length of lateral channels. The sustainable lifetime of the system for a target output power of 2 MW has been calculated for deep geothermal systems with drilling depths of 8000 and 10000 meters, and a financial analysis has been performed to evaluate the economic feasibility of the system for a practical range of geothermal parameters. Results show promising an outlook for deep geothermal systems for practical applications.

Exchange rate forecasting is hard issue for most of floating exchange rate economies. Studying exchange rate is very attractive matter since almost no model could beat random walk in short run yet. Relative yields and information in relative yield curves are contemporary topics in empirical literature and this study follows Chen and Tsang (2009) who model exchange rate changes with relative factors obtained from Nelson-Siegel (1987) yield curve model and find that relative factor model can forecast exchange rate change up to 2 years and perform better than random walk in short run. Analysis follows the methodology defined by Chen and Tsang (2009) and TL/USD, TL/EUR exchange rate changes are modeled by the relative factors namely relative level, relative slope and relative curvature. Basically, 162 weekly datasets from 09.01.2007 to 16.03.2010 are used and the relative factors for each week are estimated. Afterwards, regression analysis is made and results show that relative level and relative curvature factors are significant up to 4-6 weeks horizon but relative slope does not provide any valuable information for exchange rate prediction in Turkish financial market. Length of forecasting horizon of relative factor model is too short when compared to other exchange rate models. Since it is accepted that exchange rates follow random walk, we provided some tests to compare performance of the model. Similar to the literature, only short run performance of relative factor model is compared to random walk model and concluded that the relative factor model does not provide better forecasting performance in Turkish financial market

The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves is a popular tool for evaluating continuous diagnostic tests. The traditional definition of ROC curves incorporates implicitly the idea of "hard" thresholding, which also results in the empirical curves being step functions. The first topic is to introduce a novel definition of soft ROC curves, which incorporates the idea of "soft" thresholding. The softness of a soft ROC curve is controlled by a regularization parameter that can be selected suitably by a cross-validation procedure. A byproduct of the soft ROC curves is that the corresponding empirical curves are smooth. The second topic is on combination of several diagnostic tests to achieve better diagnostic accuracy. We consider the optimal linear combination that maximizes the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC); the estimates of the combination's coefficients can be obtained via a non-parametric procedure. However, for estimating the AUC associated with the estimated coefficients, the apparent estimation by re-substitution is too optimistic. To adjust for the upward bias, several methods are proposed. Among them the cross-validation approach is especially advocated, and an approximated cross-validation is developed to reduce the computational cost. Furthermore, these proposed methods can be applied for variable selection to select important diagnostic tests. However, the above best-subset variable selection method is not practical when the number of diagnostic tests is large. The third topic is to further develop a LASSO-type procedure for variable selection. To solve the non-convex maximization problem in the proposed procedure, an efficient algorithm is developed based on soft ROC curves, difference convex programming, and coordinate descent algorithm.

Secure communication is critical to many applications. To this end, various security goals can be achieved using elliptic/hyperelliptic curve and pairing based cryptography. Polynomial multiplication is used in the underlying operations of these protocols. Therefore, as part of this thesis different recursive algorithms are studied; these algorithms include Karatsuba, Toom, and Bernstein. In this thesis, we investigate algorithms and implementation techniques to improve the performance of the cryptographic protocols. Common factors present in explicit formulae in elliptic curves operations are utilized such that two multiplications are replaced by a single multiplication in a higher field. Moreover, we utilize the idea based on common factor used in elliptic curves and generate new explicit formulae for hyperelliptic curves and pairing. In the case of hyperelliptic curves, the common factor method is applied to the fastest known even characteristic hyperelliptic curve operations, i.e. divisor addition and divisor doubling. Similarly, in pairing we observe the presence of common factors inside the Miller loop of Eta pairing and the theoretical results show significant improvement when applying the idea based on common factor method. This has a great advantage for applications that require higher speed.

No description available.

Elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) has played a significant role on secure devices since it was introduced by Koblitz and Miller more than three decades ago. The great demand for ECC is created by its shorter key length while it provides an equivalent security level in comparison to previously introduced public-key cryptosystems (e.g.RSA). From an implementation point of view a shorter key length means a higher processing speed, smaller power consumption, and silicon area requirement. Scalar multiplication is the main operation in Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDH), which is a key-agreement protocol using ECC. As shown in the prior literature, this operation is both vulnerable to Power Analysis attack and requires a large amount of time. Therefore, a lot of research has focused on enhancing the performance and security of scalar multiplication. In this work, we describe three schemes to counter power analysis cryptographic attacks. The first scheme provides improved security at the expense of a very small cost of additional hardware overhead; its basic idea is to randomize independent field operations in order to have multiple power consumption traces for each point operation. In the second scheme, we introduce an atomic block that consists of addition, multiplication and addition [A-M-A]. This technique provides a very good scalar multiplication protection but with increased computation cost. The third scheme provides both security and speed by adopting the second tech- nique and enhancing the instruction-level parallelism at the atomic level. As a result, the last scheme also provides a reduction in computing time. With these schemes the users can optimize the trade-off between speed, cost, and security level according to their needs and resources. / Graduate / 0544 / 0984 / z.mohaimeed@gmail.com

A determinação das principais propriedades magnéticas de um ímã permanente geralmente requer sistemas de medição sofisticados e custosos. Este trabalho analisa e propõe um sistema de caracterização de ímãs permanentes de Terras Raras e Cerâmicos à temperatura ambiente de baixo custo e de implementação mais simples. Para isso, o Histerisímetro de Entreferro Variável, HEV, é concebido e estudado. Ele consiste de um circuito magnético formado pelo ímã permanente sob caracterização, uma culatra de aço, um entreferro variável, bobinas de magnetização e desmagnetização de baixa potência, uma sonda de efeito Hall com seu respectivo gaussímetro, um fluxímetro com sua bobina exploradora, o circuito eletrônico de comando das bobinas de excitação e a interface a um sistema de instrumentação virtual. Para demonstrar os desenvolvimentos do trabalho são apresentados o estado da arte da caracterização dos ímãs permanentes, conceitos básicos de magnetismo em relação aos ímãs permanentes, instrumentação necessária para sua caracterização, a concepção e modelagem do HEV, os resultados dos testes realizados e uma abrangente análise de suas incertezas. Com isso é demonstrado que o Histerisímetro de Entreferro Variável é uma alternativa de caracterização de ímãs permanentes com desmagnetização linear com incertezas dentro do que é definido pela norma. / The determination of the main magnetic properties of permanent magnets usually requires sophisticated and expensive measuring systems. This work analyses and proposes a low-cost system for the characterization of Rare Earth and Ceramics permanent magnets at room temperature with simpler implementation. It comprehends a magnetic circuit with the permanent magnet under test, a steel yoke with appropriate pole pieces, a variable air gap, low power magnetization and demagnetization coils, a Hall Effect probe with its respective gaussmeter, a fluxmeter with its own search coil, a coil driver electronic circuit and a virtual instrumentation system (computer plus graphical interface software). To demonstrate the developments of the work, it is presented the state of the art of permanent magnets characterization, basic concepts of magnetism related to permanent magnets, the instrumentation required for its characterization, the HEV design and modeling, the results of the tests and a comprehensive analysis of related uncertainties. Thus, it is shown that the Variable Gap Hysteresimeter is an alternative characterization system for linear demagnetization permanent magnets with uncertainties within those defined by the standards.

This thesis focus on a yield curve modelling. It estimates unobserved "global" yield curve factors which drives changes in individual real yield curves. Yield curves of USD, GBP, JPY and EUR are considered and global factors are able to explain substantial part of their variances. The method is built on the Nelson-Siegel model which is implemented in a state-space form to be able to extract the unobserved yield factors. The estimated global yield factors are further used for explaining the evolution of the Czech yield curve. Their impact to the Czech yield curve is estimated in a time-varying regression which results show that the impact of the global factors is stronger during the years of the interventions of the Czech National Bank and thus suggests that the interventions help to transmit the global low interest rates to the Czech economy.

A determinação das principais propriedades magnéticas de um ímã permanente geralmente requer sistemas de medição sofisticados e custosos. Este trabalho analisa e propõe um sistema de caracterização de ímãs permanentes de Terras Raras e Cerâmicos à temperatura ambiente de baixo custo e de implementação mais simples. Para isso, o Histerisímetro de Entreferro Variável, HEV, é concebido e estudado. Ele consiste de um circuito magnético formado pelo ímã permanente sob caracterização, uma culatra de aço, um entreferro variável, bobinas de magnetização e desmagnetização de baixa potência, uma sonda de efeito Hall com seu respectivo gaussímetro, um fluxímetro com sua bobina exploradora, o circuito eletrônico de comando das bobinas de excitação e a interface a um sistema de instrumentação virtual. Para demonstrar os desenvolvimentos do trabalho são apresentados o estado da arte da caracterização dos ímãs permanentes, conceitos básicos de magnetismo em relação aos ímãs permanentes, instrumentação necessária para sua caracterização, a concepção e modelagem do HEV, os resultados dos testes realizados e uma abrangente análise de suas incertezas. Com isso é demonstrado que o Histerisímetro de Entreferro Variável é uma alternativa de caracterização de ímãs permanentes com desmagnetização linear com incertezas dentro do que é definido pela norma. / The determination of the main magnetic properties of permanent magnets usually requires sophisticated and expensive measuring systems. This work analyses and proposes a low-cost system for the characterization of Rare Earth and Ceramics permanent magnets at room temperature with simpler implementation. It comprehends a magnetic circuit with the permanent magnet under test, a steel yoke with appropriate pole pieces, a variable air gap, low power magnetization and demagnetization coils, a Hall Effect probe with its respective gaussmeter, a fluxmeter with its own search coil, a coil driver electronic circuit and a virtual instrumentation system (computer plus graphical interface software). To demonstrate the developments of the work, it is presented the state of the art of permanent magnets characterization, basic concepts of magnetism related to permanent magnets, the instrumentation required for its characterization, the HEV design and modeling, the results of the tests and a comprehensive analysis of related uncertainties. Thus, it is shown that the Variable Gap Hysteresimeter is an alternative characterization system for linear demagnetization permanent magnets with uncertainties within those defined by the standards.

A determinação das principais propriedades magnéticas de um ímã permanente geralmente requer sistemas de medição sofisticados e custosos. Este trabalho analisa e propõe um sistema de caracterização de ímãs permanentes de Terras Raras e Cerâmicos à temperatura ambiente de baixo custo e de implementação mais simples. Para isso, o Histerisímetro de Entreferro Variável, HEV, é concebido e estudado. Ele consiste de um circuito magnético formado pelo ímã permanente sob caracterização, uma culatra de aço, um entreferro variável, bobinas de magnetização e desmagnetização de baixa potência, uma sonda de efeito Hall com seu respectivo gaussímetro, um fluxímetro com sua bobina exploradora, o circuito eletrônico de comando das bobinas de excitação e a interface a um sistema de instrumentação virtual. Para demonstrar os desenvolvimentos do trabalho são apresentados o estado da arte da caracterização dos ímãs permanentes, conceitos básicos de magnetismo em relação aos ímãs permanentes, instrumentação necessária para sua caracterização, a concepção e modelagem do HEV, os resultados dos testes realizados e uma abrangente análise de suas incertezas. Com isso é demonstrado que o Histerisímetro de Entreferro Variável é uma alternativa de caracterização de ímãs permanentes com desmagnetização linear com incertezas dentro do que é definido pela norma. / The determination of the main magnetic properties of permanent magnets usually requires sophisticated and expensive measuring systems. This work analyses and proposes a low-cost system for the characterization of Rare Earth and Ceramics permanent magnets at room temperature with simpler implementation. It comprehends a magnetic circuit with the permanent magnet under test, a steel yoke with appropriate pole pieces, a variable air gap, low power magnetization and demagnetization coils, a Hall Effect probe with its respective gaussmeter, a fluxmeter with its own search coil, a coil driver electronic circuit and a virtual instrumentation system (computer plus graphical interface software). To demonstrate the developments of the work, it is presented the state of the art of permanent magnets characterization, basic concepts of magnetism related to permanent magnets, the instrumentation required for its characterization, the HEV design and modeling, the results of the tests and a comprehensive analysis of related uncertainties. Thus, it is shown that the Variable Gap Hysteresimeter is an alternative characterization system for linear demagnetization permanent magnets with uncertainties within those defined by the standards.