Search Results (35)

The problem of reducing electric power consumption is critical to ferrous metallurgy as it is a very energy-intensive industry. Significant energy savings can be achieved by increasing the efficiency of high-power electric drives of rolling mills. Experiments with the 5000 plate mill showed that the deterioration of energy efficiency can be caused by the misalignment of loads between the upper and lower roller main electric drive motors (upper main drive/UMD and lower main drive/LMD, respectively) caused by the misalignment of roller motor speeds. Experiments showed that when the speed misalignment reaches 5%, the motor torques differ by two times. Various UMD and LMD speeds can be set to bend the front end of the workpiece (form a “ski”). The installed load division controller (LDC) option fails to provide load alignment due to a low response rate and late startup. This article’s contribution consists of the development of a forced UMD and LMD speed and torque alignment method. To implement this method, a load-division controller with a switching structure has been developed. The authors also developed an efficiency and electric loss monitor and provided an experimental assessment of electric losses per one-pass and per sheet batch rolling cycle. The prospects of this research include the optimization of high-speed and high-load electric drive modes to reduce the energy costs of rolling and the development of an LDC based on fuzzy logic algorithms. Full article

This research aims to estimate long-term aerosol radiative effects by combining radiation and Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) observations in Barcelona, Spain. Aerosol Radiative Forcing and Aerosol Forcing Efficiency (ARF and AFE) were estimated by combining shortwave radiation measurements from a SolRad-Net CM-21 pyranometer (level 1.5) and AERONET AOD (level 2), using the direct method. The shortwave AFE was derived from the slope between net solar radiation and AOD at 440, 675, 879, and 1020 nm, and the ARF was computed by multiplying the AFE by AOD at six solar zenith angles (20°, 30°, 40°, 50°, 60°, and 70°). Clear-sky conditions were selected from all-skies days by a quadratic fitting. The aerosol was classified to investigate the forcing contributions from each aerosol type. The aerosol classification was based on Pace and Toledano’s thresholds from AOD vs. Ångström Exponent (AE). The GRASP inversions were performed by combined AOD, radiation, Degree of Linear Polarization (DoLP) by zenith angles from the polarized sun–sky–lunar photometer and the elastic signal from the UPC-ACTRIS lidar system. The long-term AFE and ARF are both negative, with an increasing tendency (in absolute value) of +24% (AFE) and +40% (ARF) in 14 years. The yearly AFE varied from −331 to −10 Wm⁻²τ⁻¹, and the ARF varied from −64 to −2 Wm⁻², associated with an AOD (440 nm) from 0.016 to 0.690. The three types of aerosols on clear-sky days are mixed aerosols (61%), desert dust (10%), and urban/industrial-biomass burning aerosols (29%). Combined with Gobbi’s method, this classification clustered the aerosols into four groups by AE analysis (two coarse- and two fine-mode aerosols). Then, the contribution of the aerosol types to the ARF showed that the desert dust forcing had the largest cooling effect in Barcelona (−61.5 to −37.4 Wm⁻²), followed by urban/industrial-biomass burning aerosols (−40.4 to −20.4 Wm⁻²) and mixed aerosols (−31.8 and −24.0 Wm⁻²). Regarding the comparison among Generalized Retrieval of Atmosphere and Surface Properties (GRASP) inversions, AERONET inversions, and direct method estimations, the AFE and ARF had some differences owing to their definitions in the algorithms. The DoLP, used as GRASP input, decreased the ARF overestimation for high AOD. Full article

Although climate warming-induced snow cover reduction, as well as the development of ski tourism in hot and dry countries, is shifting industries toward the use of technical snowmaking, its use raises hydrological, health-related, and environmental concerns. This study was aimed at enhancing our current understanding of the impact of technical snowmaking on the environment and human health. Culturable bacteriological indicators of water quality (Escherichia coli, fecal enterococci, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus), the presence and concentration of antimicrobials, genes determining bacterial antibiotic resistance (ARGs), and next-generation sequencing-based bacterial community composition and diversity were examined from river water, technological reservoirs, and technical snow from five ski resorts. The number of culturable bacteria and prevalence of most ARGs decreased during snowmaking. The concentration of antimicrobial agents changed irregularly, e.g., ofloxacin and erythromycin dropped in the snowmaking process, while cefoxitin was quantified only in technical snow. The bacterial community composition and diversity were altered through the technical snowmaking process, resulting in the survivability of freezing temperatures or the presence of antimicrobial agents. Water storage in reservoirs prior to snowmaking allows us to reduce bacterial and ARG contaminants. Frequent and thorough cleaning of snowmaking devices may aid in reducing the negative impact snowmaking can have on the environment by reducing contaminant input and limiting the disturbance of the ecological balance. Full article

Haze pollution control is integral to green development, and fiscal and taxation policies are fundamental mechanisms supporting this effort. This study leverages the implementation of China’s Environmental Protection Tax (EPT) Law as a quasi-natural experiment to assess the impact and mechanisms of the greening of the tax system on haze pollution based on panel data from 281 prefecture-level cities in China from 2012 to 2021. The findings indicate that (1) the implementation of the EPT Law significantly reduces haze pollution, with results confirmed after a series of robustness tests; (2) the EPT Law controls haze pollution through promoting cleaner industrial structure, fostering green technological innovation, and strengthening the rigidity of environmental law enforcement; (3) fiscal decentralization enhances the inhibitory effect of the implementation of the EPT Law on haze pollution; (4) the haze-reduction effect of the EPT Law is especially notable in non-old industrial bases, areas with less pressure on officials’ promotions, and areas with higher public environmental awareness. This study not only enriches research on the policy effects of the EPT Law but also contributes to the environmental sustainable development goal of greening the tax system and continuously fighting for blue skies. Full article

The processes of information exchange and the movement of material flows form a communication space that reflects the relationship of complex intersystem interactions in various spheres of our life within the framework of the concepts of information-theoretical theory. One of these concepts, reflecting the mutual influence between processes at a qualitative level, is the transfer of entropy. The direction and intensity of these flows reflect the main social and economic processes. As it is known, air transport is one of the most reliable and high-speed modes of transport, influencing the processes of socio-cultural interaction between different regions. This indirectly affects the development of industrial relations, the development of technology and intercultural exchange. New technologies in aviation improve the flight performance of airliners and reduce the costs of transporting passengers. The size and range of modern airliners are increasing, and ticket prices are being optimized. The processes of the liberalization of developing air transportation markets, the emergence of low-cost air carriers, open skies agreements, and the reduction in restrictions on the nomenclature of carriers and routes have led to the growth and diversity of air transport links. This article considers air transport as a complex system that takes into account the interconnectedness of the elements of the transportation system and the influence of some subsystems on others, which are not always obvious. The object of the study was the communication space formed on the basis of air transportation between regions of the world. To assess the dynamic properties of the world communication space, ICAO data for the period of 1970–2021 were used. The subject of the analysis was a time series reflecting the flows of passengers and cargo over the considered time horizon. The entropy transfer algorithm was used as an analysis tool. In the course of the research, the features of dynamic changes in the properties of the communication space were revealed. The analysis showed that the flows of entropy transfer between regions of the world change depending on political, economic, social, and technological factors. Examples of the application of the proposed approach are considered: an analysis of the cognitive model of the air transport flow structure, an analysis of the regional communication space, and an analysis of changes in the global communication field. The results of the analysis can be useful for assessing the development of the communication field of various regions, which will allow us to solve the problems of forming forecasts and effective scenarios for the development of transport flows at different hierarchical levels of economic management. Full article

The ongoing effects of climate change have led to a rise in global temperature, significantly reducing snow cover and resulting in the abandonment of numerous ski areas across Switzerland. As a result, many ski lifts have been decommissioned and left to deteriorate due to lenient local regulations. To address this issue, this paper presents a case study approach to repurposing steel trusses from abandoned ski lifts for a new structural application within the building industry. The design, sourcing, and construction of a new load-supporting column are described, focusing on reusing the ski lift steel trusses as a whole, without dismantling them into their components. After collection, these elements are adapted to comply with current building standards. By pouring out the hollow structure with the recently developed building material Cleancrete ©, a new load-bearing structure is developed. A comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) demonstrates the environmental performance of the steel–Cleancrete hybrid construction, which achieves a global warming potential (GWP) of 536.58 kg CO₂-eq. In comparison, alternative designs using wood and concrete exhibited GWP values of 679.45 kg CO₂-eq, +26.6%, and 1593.72 kg CO₂-eq, +197.02%, respectively. These findings suggest that repurposing abandoned ski lift structures can significantly contribute to sustainable building practices, waste reduction, and the promotion of circular economy principles. The process outlined in this paper holds potential for future applications, particularly in the reuse of other steel components, ensuring continued circularity even as the supply of ski lift structures may dwindle. Full article

This article draws on the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) model to understand the role of negative emotions in the anti-brand behaviors of online users who consume snow sports brands. To this end, both the online social influence and the mediating effect of symbolic incongruence (stimulus) on the generation of negative emotions (anger, stress, frustration, fear, boredom and sadness) (organism), and how these influence the formation of negative customer brand engagement (nCBE) (response), are analyzed. The study also analyses the moderating effects of “level of expertise”, this makes it possible to capture differences in behaviors based on the profile of the users in each of the proposed relationships. Questionnaire responses of 400 ski and snowboard users over 18 years of age were analyzed using a quantitative methodology. The results obtained have important theoretical and practical implications, since they confirm that online social influences have both a direct and indirect (mediating) effect on negative emotions, which positively affects the nCBE of online users of snow sports brands. Significant differences in behavior based on experience level (moderation effect) were also found. The study proposes useful practical recommendations applicable in online environments that the extreme sports industry could use to neutralize/avoid highly detrimental consequences. Full article

This study investigates the influences of air temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), wind speed (WS), clearance index (KT), particulate matter (PM) concentrations (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5), and aerosol optical depth (AOD) on ultraviolet (UV) radiation during clear skies in Riyadh, central Saudi Arabia. The observational dataset utilized in this study comprises global solar radiation (G), UVA radiation, AOD measurements, and PM concentrations. The data were collected from 2014 to 2015 at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) campus in Riyadh. Regression analyses were conducted to investigate the relationships between UV radiation and the considered variables. The methodology is based on the least square method and associated statistical tests. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the impacts of meteorological variables and aerosols on UV radiation, contributing to the understanding of environmental and industrial applications in the Arabian Peninsula. The analyses showed that the strengths and magnitudes differed from one variable to another. No significant correlations between UVA radiation (315–400 nm) and hourly and daily values of PM_2.5 were found. Moreover, no significant correlations were seen between daily values of the UVA radiation and RH and between the UVB (280–315 nm) and PM₁₀. The rest of the correlations (between UV radiation and the PM₁₀ and meteorological variables) were found to be significant. While WS, the ratio of the PM concentrations (PM_2.5/PM₁₀), KT, and T exhibited positive correlations with UV radiation, the rest of the variables had anti-correlations with UV radiation. The influences of T, WS, and RH on ambient PM concentrations during the considered period were taken into account, and it was found that the PM concentrations correlate, with different magnitudes and strengths, positively with T and negatively with RH and WS. Full article

Artificial intelligence is developing at a rapid pace, with examples of machine learning already being used in aviation to improve efficiency. In the coming decade, it is likely that intelligent assistants (IAs) will be deployed to assist aviation personnel in the cockpit, the air traffic control center, and in airports. This will be a game-changer and may herald the way forward for single-pilot operations and AI-based air traffic management. Yet in aviation there is a core underlying tenet that ‘people create safety’ and keep the skies and passengers safe, based on a robust industry-wide safety culture. Introducing IAs into aviation might therefore undermine aviation’s hard-won track record in this area. Three experts in safety culture and human-AI teaming used a validated safety culture tool to explore the potential impacts of introducing IAs into aviation. The results suggest that there are indeed potential negative outcomes, but also possible safety affordances wherein AI could strengthen safety culture. Safeguards and mitigations are suggested for the key risk owners in aviation organizations, from CEOs to middle managers, to safety departments and frontline staff. Such safeguards will help ensure safety remains a priority across the industry. Full article

This study explores the comprehensive understanding of taekwondo, the application of fourth industrial revolution technologies in various kinds of sports, the development of taekwondo through artificial intelligence (AI), and essential technology in the fourth industrial revolution while suggesting advanced science directions through a literature review. Literature was sourced from six internet search electronic databases, consisting of three English databases and three Korean databases, from January 2016 to August 2023. The literature indicated cases of sports convergence with the application of fourth industrial revolution technologies, such as the game of go, golf, table tennis, soccer, American football, skiing, archery, and fencing. These sports not only use big data but also virtual reality and augmented reality. Taekwondo is a traditional martial art that originated in Republic of Korea and gradually became a globally recognized sport. Since taekwondo’s competition analysis is an analysis in which researchers manually write events, it takes a very long time to analyze, and the scale of the analysis varies depending on the researcher’s tendencies. This study presented the development of an AI Taekwondo performance improvement analysis and evaluation system and a metaverse-based virtual Taekwondo pumsae/fighting coaching platform through an AI-based motion tracking analysis method. Full article

Winter, snow, and mountains, epitomized by the world-renowned Rocky Mountain range, are an integral part of Canada’s sport-culture identity and international tourism brand, yet the climate change risk posed to this important ski tourism region remains uncertain. This study used the ski operations model SkiSim 2.0 to analyze the climate risk for the region’s ski industry (26 ski areas in the province of Alberta and 40 in British Columbia) with advanced snowmaking, including changes in key performance metrics of ski season length, snowmaking requirements, holiday operations, and lift and terrain capacity. If Paris Climate Agreement targets are met, average seasons across all ski areas decline 14–18% by mid-century, while required snowmaking increases 108–161%. Regional average operational terrain declined only 4–9% in mid-century, as the largest ski areas were generally more climate resilient. More pronounced impacts are projected under late-century, high-emission scenarios and in low latitudes and coastal British Columbia regions. When compared with continental and international ski tourism markets, Western Canada has relatively lower climate change impacts, which could improve its competitiveness. The results inform further research on demand-side as well as the winter sport-tourism industry and destination-scale climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. Full article

Currently, sport is considered an entertainment and leisure industry and includes activities such as athletics, water, and skiing. The influence of a sport event exceeds the event itself, which indicates the importance of a sport facility to the building and construction. A sport facility refers to a facility related to the sport industry, mainly including not only stadiums, swimming pools, and sport centers, but also water parks, ski resorts, and other amusement facilities. At present, there is a lack of comprehensive exploration of integrated building information modeling (BIM) with sport and facilities and performance of applications to help identify potential opportunities to support sustainable development. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the integration of BIM, sport, and facility by revealing the current research status and hotspots in the field, which identifies the development lineage and emerging areas of the research and highlights the development trends and directions for future research towards sustainable development. This paper adopts a quantitative research method to investigate the current research status, hotspots, emerging areas, development trends, and important directions in the integration of BIM, sport, and facilities from macro-quantitative perspectives via bibliometric tools, i.e., VOSviewer and CiteSpace software packages. The main findings of this paper are that the hot keywords on the integration of BIM, sport, and facilities are mainly focused on BIM, facility management, framework, management, sport, construction, and design. Moreover, over the past 26 years (year 1997 to 2022), hot keywords for each year have been revealed through keyword co-occurrence overlay visualization analysis and identified in five schemes, i.e., life cycle assessment, emerging technology, behavior and sport, health and wellbeing, and sustainable built environment. Furthermore, the application of deep learning, IoT, and immersive experience technologies are current hot topics which could provide more innovative breakthroughs for the integration of BIM, sport, and facilities in the future for sustainable development. Full article

Russia has considerable experience in the development of winter sports and ski resorts. The region around Lake Baikal possesses unique landscapes and cultural unity, making it a hot spot for winter tourism in Russia. The ski resorts around Lake Baikal are among the most attractive tourist destinations during the winter season, attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists. Based on the experience of the Northeast Asia Sustainable Development Research Centre, this study includes a survey of experts from China and Russia. The study focuses on five major ski resorts near Lake Baikal. A comprehensive competitiveness assessment index system and a quantitative evaluation model for winter tourism resorts have been established, which enable a scientific evaluation of the level of comprehensive competitiveness of winter tourism regions near Lake Baikal. The study showed that the Sobolinaya ski resort has excellent competitiveness among the resorts studied, while Bychya and Istland have average competitiveness and Davan and Mamai have low competitiveness. Local natural resources and the level of infrastructure development make the most significant contributions to the overall competitiveness of a resort. The study proposes development measures, such as the creation of a winter tourism complex with the Sobolinaya resort as its core and the establishment of an international special zone for winter tourism along the China–Mongolia–Russia economic corridor. The research results can serve as a basis for decision making to improve the overall competitiveness of the winter tourism industry around Lake Baikal and provide scientific and technical support for cross-border international cooperation in the winter tourism industry between China and Russia. Full article

China’s ski tourism industry has grown tremendously in the past few years, leading to an increasing amount of tourism-related carbon emissions with negative environmental impacts. Although the government and other market participants are trying to solve the problem from both legislative and technological perspectives, encouraging tourists to engage in low-carbon behavior may play a more important role. This study aims to explore how tourism involvement influences ski tourists’ low-carbon behavior. A sampling survey was conducted to collect 422 valid responses from two ski resorts (indoor and outdoor). Findings from structural equation modeling revealed a significant positive impact of tourism involvement on both low-carbon tourism behavior and low-carbon daily behavior, and this impact can be serially mediated by place attachment and environmental responsibility. In addition, we confirmed that the impact of ski tourism involvement on place attachment is more significant for outdoor ski resorts compared with indoor ones. This study expands the categories of destinations for research on ski tourism and low-carbon behavior. It provides implications for encouraging visitor pro-environmental behavior while corroborating the social value of ski tourism in addressing environmental issues. It also offers insights for government low-carbon campaigns, business management practices, and individuals with actionable attitudes. However, it is worth noting that this study was conducted in a single latitude region and did not conduct a comparative analysis with different locations across latitudes. Future research could investigate skiers in cities of different latitudes to gain a more comprehensive understanding. Full article

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), also known as drones have been used for a variety of reasons and the commercial drone market growth is expected to reach remarkable levels in the near future. However, some drone users can mistakenly or intentionally fly into flight paths at major airports, flying too close to commercial aircraft or invading people’s privacy. In order to prevent these unwanted events, counter-drone technology is needed to eliminate threats from drones and hopefully they can be integrated into the skies safely. There are various counter-drone methods available in the industry. However, a counter-drone system supported by an artificial intelligence (AI) method can be an efficient way to fight against drones instead of human intervention. In this paper, a deep reinforcement learning (DRL) method has been proposed to counter a drone in a 3D space by using another drone. In a 2D space it is already shown that the deep reinforcement learning method is an effective way to counter a drone. However, countering a drone in a 3D space with another drone is a very challenging task considering the time required to train and avoid obstacles at the same time. A Deep Q-Network (DQN) algorithm with dueling network architecture and prioritized experience replay is presented to catch another drone in the environment provided by an Airsim simulator. The models have been trained and tested with different scenarios to analyze the learning progress of the drone. Experiences from previous training are also transferred before starting a new training by pre-processing the previous experiences and eliminating those considered as bad experiences. The results show that the best models are obtained with transfer learning and the drone learning progress has been increased dramatically. Additionally, an algorithm which combines imitation learning and reinforcement learning is implemented to catch the target drone. In this algorithm, called deep q-learning from demonstrations (DQfD), expert demonstrations data and self-generated data by the agent are sampled and the agent continues learning without overwriting the demonstration data. The main advantage of this algorithm is to accelerate the learning process even if there is a small amount of demonstration data. Full article