Skip to main content

North Holland

Systems Engineering Using SDL-92
1st Edition
A. Olsen
O. Færgemand + 3 more
English
CCITT (now ITU-T) Specification and Description Language (SDL) and systems engineering (formal and informal) in SDL are considered in this publication. The latest version of the language, SDL-92 [ITU Z.100 SDL-92] is introduced. The book has been written for existing and potential users of SDL - technologists involved in the specification and engineering of systems. It offers easier learning, through examples and application, than the Z.100 Recommendation of March 1993, which gives precise technical definitions and concepts. The book has sufficient coverage of the language so that for normal use it should not be necessary to consult Z.100. For this reason, the grammars, both textual and graphical, are included, and the index makes it possible to find text on most of the language mechanisms.Chapter 1 provides an overview of specification and design of telecommunication systems. It considers the usage and scope of SDL. Chapter 2 gives an overview of the language, with an introduction of the major language elements. Chapter 3 focuses on the specification of behaviour and the information interchange between processes. Chapter 4 covers the structuring of systems in terms of instances, how these may be defined by types and how types may be organised in type/subtype hierarchies by inheritance. Parameterised types and packages of type definitions are also covered. Chapter 5 presents the part of the language that provides data types, with emphasis placed on how to use predefined data types. Chapter 6 presents the use of SDL for system engineering, with a discussion of general systems engineering principles followed by an introduction to methodologies which use SDL. The use of other languages in combination with SDL, documentation issues, naming and other lexical rules, errors and language support are considered, since they are more relevant to the use of language in engineering than when initially learning the language.
Kapitza in Cambridge and Moscow
Life and Letters of a Russian Physicist
1st Edition
J.W. Boag + 2 more
English
The unusual career of the famous Soviet physicist Peter Kapitza was divided between Cambridge and Moscow. In Cambridge he was a protegé of Rutherford and while studying there he opened up a new area of research in magnetism and low temperature physics. However, in 1934, during a summer visit to the Soviet Union, Kapitza was prevented from returning to Cambridge and remained in Moscow for the rest of his long life. In spite of many ups and downs and considerable difficulties in his relations with top political figures in the Kremlin, he continued to enhance his scientific reputation and late in life was awarded the Nobel Prize.After an introductory biographical memoir, the greater part of the book consists of extracts from the numerous letters Kapitza wrote throughout his life, letters which are distinguished by their eloquence, the originality of his opinions and his forthrightness. His very interesting correspondence with Rutherford and above all his many letters to top political figures in the Soviet Union such as Molotov, Stalin and Khrushchev on questions of scientific and industrial policy are all included in this unique document. Together they provide a rounded picture of a remarkable personality who contributed so much to the scientific and cultural life of both England and the Soviet Union.This fascinating book is illustrated with an impressive collection of historical photographs and should be of interest to science historians, to low temperature physicists and to `Sovietologists', but above all the book should appeal to the general reader for its human interest. Some of the letters reveal his emotional reactions to the major blows he had to suffer on several occasions, while others provide penetrating and often amusing comments on English life and institutions as seen by a Russian, and on Soviet life from the inside.
Similitude and Modelling
1st Edition
Volume 2
E. Szücs
English
Similitude and Modeling describes the theoretical aspects and application of similitude method using mathematical apparatus. This book is organized into two parts encompassing 13 chapters, and begins with an introduction to a simple technological problem in similitude modeling. The first part deals with the concept, physical fundamentals, dimensional analysis, and approximate and partial modeling of similitude. This part explores also the preparation and evaluation of similitude experiments, as well as the general types of similitude invariants. The second part highlights the application areas of similitude modeling, including heat conduction and diffusion, fluid dynamics, elastic deformation, and chemical reactions. This book will prove useful to plant and design engineers.
Dynamic Plasticity
1st Edition
Volume 4
N. Cristescu
English
Dynamic Plasticity discusses the problems encountered in the theory of dynamic deformation of plastic bodies. The book describes one-dimensional problems involving a single component of stress, particle velocity, and single spatial coordinate. The propagation of longitudinal elastic-plastic waves in thin rods or wires is a simple example of this problem of dynamic plasticity. Another one-dimensional problem, which has various possible transverse motions, is the dynamics of extensible strings. This problem is associated in calculations dealing with cables of suspension bridges, of elevator cables, of electric cables. The analogy with the mechanics of extensible strings can be extended to circular and rectangular membranes such as explained by Karunes and Onat. Karunes and Onat analyzed the propagation of transverse and longitudinal shock waves in such membranes using the Rakhmatulin theory for strings. The text also discusses axi-symmetrical problems and the problems of soil mechanics when applied to soft soils. The book can prove valuable to civil engineers, structural engineers, physicist, and students of mechanical engineering or industrial design.
Semimetals
1. Graphite and its Compounds
1st Edition
N.B. Brandt + 2 more
English
``Semimetals'' presents, for the first time in the literature, a consistent and unifying treatment of semimetals (As, Bi, Sb, Bi-Sb alloys, graphite and its compounds). It describes their structural features and their electric, magnetic, galvanomagnetic, thermoelectric, optical, magneto-optical, acoustic, thermal, and mechanical properties on the basis of modern concepts of the electron and phonon energy spectra.The book discusses in detail the character of the changes in the energy spectrum and properties of semimetals due to temperature variations, application of a magnetic field, pressure, anisotropic strain, doping by donor, acceptor and neutral impurities, which indicate how the above properties may be altered and how materials with preassigned parameters can be produced. Furthermore, it discusses specific phenomena associated with low dimensionality and the very low carrier density, such as quantum oscillations and magnetoplasma behaviour.
Finite-Size Scaling
1st Edition
Volume 2
J. Cardy
English
Over the past few years, finite-size scaling has become an increasingly important tool in studies of critical systems. This is partly due to an increased understanding of finite-size effects by analytical means, and partly due to our ability to treat larger systems with large computers. The aim of this volume was to collect those papers which have been important for this progress and which illustrate novel applications of the method. The emphasis has been placed on relatively recent developments, including the use of the &egr;-expansion and of conformal methods.
Physics in the Making
Essays on Developments in 20th Century Physics
1st Edition
A. Sarlemijn + 1 more
English
H.B.G. Casimir's life, interests and works are intertwined with the importantdevelopment... that have taken place in physics during this century. This book was compiled by his friends and admirers in honour of his 80th birthday andconcentrates mainly on Casimir's achievements in the field of physics, thoughwithout ignoring the peripheral areas of the history and philosophy of physics in which he was greatly interested. The book is divided into four parts. Part I describes Casimir's teachers, Ehrenfest, Bohr and Pauli, and will be of general interest due to the key role which these physicists played in moderndevelopments. The articles do give new facts and provide new insights into thehistory of modern physics. Part II consists of essays on recent developments invarious areas of physics in which Casimir has taken an active interest, such asthe modern concept of time, statistical foundations of electrodynamic theory andfield theory. The subjects covered in Part III have been selected because ofCasimir's efforts in the industrial research area of physics. They cover past,present and future expectations in research. Part IV contains an essay whichdiscusses a philosophy of physics currently under discussion, which states thatphenomenological laws prevail over fundamental ones for the purpose ofexperimental and technical physics. A second chapter in this final part gives acritical analysis of this philosophical view. The book is concluded by anappendix discussing Casimir's activities as a lecturer, written by a formerstudent.
Asymptotic Wave Theory
1st Edition
Maurice Roseau
English
Asymptotic Wave Theory investigates the asymptotic behavior of wave representations and presents some typical results borrowed from hydrodynamics and elasticity theory. It describes techniques such as Fourier-Laplace transforms, operational calculus, special functions, and asymptotic methods. It also discusses applications to the wave equation, the elements of scattering matrix theory, problems related to the wave equation, and diffraction. Organized into eight chapters, this volume begins with an overview of the Fourier-Laplace integral, the Mellin transform, and special functions such as the gamma function and the Bessel functions. It then considers wave propagation, with emphasis on representations of plane, cylindrical or spherical waves. It methodically introduces the reader to the reflexion and refraction of a plane wave at the interface between two homogeneous media, the asymptotic expansion of Hankel's functions in the neighborhood of the point at infinity, and the asymptotic behavior of the Laplace transform. The book also examines the method of steepest descent, the asymptotic representation of Hankel's function of large order, and the scattering matrix theory. The remaining chapters focus on problems of flow in open channels, the propagation of elastic waves within a layered spherical body, and some problems in water wave theory. This book is a valuable resource for mechanics and students of applied mathematics and mechanics.
Fifth Generation Computer Systems
1st Edition
T. Moto-Oka
English
The Japan Information Processing Development Centre (JIPDEC) established a committee for Study and Research on Fifth-Generation Computers. Beginning in 1979, this Committee set out on a two-year investigation into the most desirable types of computer systems for application in the 1990`s (fifth-generation computers) and how the development projects aimed at the realization of these systems should be carried forward.This book contains the papers presented at the International Conference on Fifth Generation Computer Systems. Included among these papers is a preliminary report on the findings of the Committee.
Atomic Mechanics of Solids
1st Edition
A.K. Macpherson
English
This volume brings together some of the presently available theoretical techniques which will be useful in the design of solid-state materials. At present, it is impossible to specify the atomic composition of a material and its macroscopic physical properties. However, the future possibilities for such a science are being laid today. This is coming about due to the development of fast, cheap computers which will be able to undertake the calculations which are necessary.Since this field of science is fairly new, it is not yet quite clear which direction of analysis will eventually prove to be the most successful. In this respect the author has included the most relevant promising subject areas, based on seven years of research experience in the field. An extensive literature already exists for most of the areas covered here, thus when more detailed analysis can be found elsewhere, the assumptions made are discussed, and only an outline of the method involved is presented. Comprehensive indexes are provided to assist the reader in further studies. This is a potentially important field which is slowly getting underway and only needs a significant development to attract a broader scientific interest. The work will be of considerable interest to program managers needing to assess this new field.

Browse by Publisher