In this thesis we study the key requirements and solutions for the feasibility and application of Ethernet-TCP/IP technology to the networks we termed Highly-Variable Real-Time Networks (HVRN). This particular class of networks poses exceptionally demanding requirements because their physical and logical topologies are both temporally and spatially variable. We devised and introduced specific mechanisms for applying Ethernet-TCP/IP to HVRNs with particular emphasis on effective and reliable modular connectivity. Using a railroad train as a reference, this work analyzes the unique requirements of HVRNs and focuses on the backbone architecture for such a system under Ethernet and TCP/IP.

Anticipating how stream water quality will respond to change, such as increased pollution or water diversions, requires knowledge of the main mechanisms controlling water and chemical constituent movement and a reasonable representation of those mechanisms. By deriving mathematical models to represent a stream system and collecting supporting field-based measurements, water quality response can be predicted. However, because each stream is unique and the movement of water and constituents is spatially and temporally complex, assessing whether the stream is appropriately represented and whether predictions are trustworthy is still a challenge within the scientific and management communities. Building on decades of stream research, this dissertation provides a step towards better representing some of the complexities found within streams and rivers to better predict water quality responses over long stream distances. First, a method is presented to assess which mechanisms are considered most important in chemical constituent predictions. Next, the number of measurements necessary to represent the general complexities of water, mass, and heat movement in streams was determined. The advancements developed in this dissertation provide a foundation to more efficiently and accurately inform water resource management.

In this thesis we study the key requirements and solutions for the feasibility and application of Ethernet-TCP/IP technology to the networks we termed Highly-Variable Real-Time Networks (HVRN). This particular class of networks poses exceptionally demanding requirements because their physical and logical topologies are both temporally and spatially variable. We devised and introduced specific mechanisms for applying Ethernet-TCP/IP to HVRNs with particular emphasis on effective and reliable modular connectivity. Using a railroad train as a reference, this work analyzes the unique requirements of HVRNs and focuses on the backbone architecture for such a system under Ethernet and TCP/IP. / Doctorat en sciences appliquées / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished