Naval Postgraduate School

About: Naval Postgraduate School is a education organization based out in Monterey, California, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Tropical cyclone & Nonlinear system. The organization has 5246 authors who have published 11614 publications receiving 298300 citations. The organization is also known as: NPS & U.S. Naval Postgraduate School.

Precipitation over the Pacific Ocean, 30°S to 60°N

Abstract: By using present weather observations taken by ships and relating them to a given amount of precipitation, new estimates of oceanic rainfall for the Pacific Ocean between 30°S and 60°N have been derived. Satellite microwave measurements and Taylor's (1973) island analysis support our findings. Annual and quarterly rainfall maps, drawn from our estimates, agree with other modem, land-derived values, but provide greater detail. Between the equator and 60°N, the annual depth and volume rainfall totals are 1282 mm and 1.16×105 km3, respectively. Maps of amplitude and phase show that most of the rainfall north of 28°N occurs in winter, while maximum rainfall occurs in July and August in the tropics. Diurnal rainfall, studied at selected locations, is at a minimum at noon in all but the western pan of the North Pacific. Here there is no distinct minimum.

Strategies for Combating Dark Networks

Abstract: Our goal in this paper is to explore two generic approaches to disrupting dark networks: kinetic and nonkinetic The kinetic approach involves aggressive and offensive measures to eliminate or capture network members and their supporters, while the non-kinetic approach involves the use of subtle, non-coercive means for combating dark networks Two strategies derive from the kinetic approach: Targeting and Capacity-building Four strategies derive from the non-kinetic approach: Institution-Building, Psychological Operations, Information Operations and Rehabilitation We use network data from Noordin Top’s South East Asian terror network to illustrate how both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies could be pursued depending on a commander’s intent Using this strategic framework as a backdrop, we strongly advise the use of SNA metrics in developing alterative counter-terrorism strategies that are contextdependent rather than letting SNA metrics define and drive a particular strategy

A sliding time window heuristic for open pit mine block sequencing

Abstract: The open pit mine block sequencing problem (OPBS) seeks a discretetime production schedule that maximizes the net present value of the orebody extracted from an open-pit mine. This integer program (IP) discretizes the mine’s volume into blocks, imposes precedence constraints between blocks, and limits resource consumption in each time period. We develop a “sliding time window heuristic” to solve this IP approximately. The heuristic recursively defines, solves and partially fixes an approximating model having: (i) fixed variables in early time periods, (ii) an exact submodel defined over a “window” of middle time periods, and (iii) a relaxed submodel in later time periods. The heuristic produces near-optimal solutions (typically within 2% of optimality) for model instances that standard optimization software fails to solve. Furthermore, it produces these solutions quickly, even though our OPBS model enforces standard upper-bounding constraints on resource consumption along with less standard, but important, lower-bounding constraints.