In the time of rapid growth, there is an increase of demand for a reliable and stable power supply. Due to this, utility companies are forced to operate their power system nearer to its maximum capabilities since system expansion may be a costly option. As a result, the power system will be at risk to voltage collapse. Voltage collapse phenomenon is known to be complex and localised in nature but with a widespread effect. The ultimate effect of voltage collapse would be total system collapse which would incur high losses to utility companies. This thesis discusses the voltage collapse phenomenon, its causes, effects and its analytical tools. Looking into its analytical tools, it is observed that it relies upon system equations and models. Published results from these techniques are accurate but may require long computation time for a big and complex system. As a possible solution, this thesis looks into combining machine learning techniques with fuzzy logic in creating a fuzzy decision tree (FDT) tool for voltage collapse analysis. The algorithm utilises static power flow solution as data sets in partitioning the power system into strong and weak areas. From several test results and algorithm development, this research concludes with a possible voltage collapse analytical tool using a hybrid FDT approach based upon multiple attribute partitioning. This thesis concludes with discussions on test results highlighting the FDT performance and ends with a discussion on possible future development on the FDT in creating a more complete tool for voltage collapse analysis.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Supervisors: Jay Banner and Libby Stern. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available from UMI.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Available also in an electronic form.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Rhode Island, 2004. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 140-149).

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The moduli space of stable quotients, introduced by Marian, Oprea, and Pandharipande, provides a nonsingular compactification of the moduli space of degree d maps from smooth genus 1 curves into projective space ℙⁿ. This is done by allowing the domain curve to have nodal singularities and by admitting certain rational maps. The rational maps are introduced in the following way: A map to projective space can be defined by a quotient bundle of the trivial bundle on the domain curve; in the compactification, the quotient bundle is replaced by a sheaf which may not be locally free. The boundary is filtered by the degree of the torsion subsheaf of the quotient. Yijun Shao has defined a similar compactification of the moduli space of degree d maps from ℙ¹ into a Grassmannian. A blow-up process is carried out on the compactification in order to produce a boundary which is a simple normal crossings divisor: The closed subschemes in the filtration of the boundary are blown up in order of decreasing torsion. In this thesis, we carry out an analogous blow-up process on the moduli space of stable quotients. We show that the end result is a nonsingular compactification which has as its boundary a simple normal crossings divisor.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2005. / Advisor: Jeffrey P. Chanton, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Oceanography. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Jan. 26, 2006). Document formatted into pages; contains xii, 145 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Abstract Amorphous Calcium Carbonate (ACC) is a naturally occurring amorphous form of the widely distributed mineral calcium carbonate (CaCO3). ACC has been found increasingly as a precursor phase, calcium storage site, or strengthening structural phase in a wide array of different biomineralizing organisms. An accurate understanding of the widely used classic carbonate-water paleothermometry relies on formation of CaCO3 minerals and associated oxygen isotope effects. Moreover, ACC has oft been pointed to as a possible reason for non-equilibrium isotope effects, also called vital effects, in biogenic carbonates. It is, therefore, vital to understand whether ACC can reach equilibrium with its surrounding solution, as well as the role of ACC precursors in the isotopic composition and evolution of the final crystalline phase they transform into. This study is designed to answer these questions through the precipitation of stable ACC by two methods, the alkaline method (AM) which utilizes high pH to precipitate ACC, and the silica method (SM) which envelopes precipitating ACC particles in silica vesicles to prevent crystallization. These differently precipitated ACCs are then subjected to several different experimental treatments. This is achieved by monitoring the crystallization by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and isotopic evolution of the ACC precipitates by Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) as they age and concurrently crystallize in parent solution, or in 18O enriched re-equilibration solution. This research indicated a marked difference in the crystallization behaviour, isotopic composition, and isotopic evolution of ACC produced by these two precipitation methods. With the AM method, ACC precipitates (AM-ACC) crystallized more predictably to calcite and maintained δ18O signatures that were slightly lower than the equilibrium CO32- and resisted further isotopic exchange with surrounding solution. We propose that the former is mostly due to an incomplete DIC-water oxygen isotope equilibrium prior to the AM-ACC precipitation and the latter is a result of the high pH of the precipitating solution decreasing the solubility of the precipitated ACC phase, disallowing isotope exchange, and favouring crystallization by solid-state transformation. Conversely, while ACC precipitated using the SM (SM-ACC) yielded much more variable results, both in terms of mineralogical identity upon crystallization, and δ18O values. Isotopic results were much closer to the expected equilibrium δ18O value for calcite, hinting at an expedited oxygen isotope exchange between SM-ACC and parent solution. Furthermore, SM-ACC was capable of isotopic exchange with the 18O enriched re-equilibration solution, a feat corresponding AM-ACC was incapable of. Overall, our experimental results gleaned here that precipitation method or precipitation environment play a critical role in the isotopic evolution of precursor ACC to crystalline CaCO3, suggesting ACC as an important source of the vital effect. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

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