Economic reconstruction amidst conflict: Insights from Afghanistan and Iraq

Economic reconstruction typically takes place after the end of war. Yet recently, economic reconstruction has been viewed as a means to ‘win hearts and minds’ during ongoing conflict. Drawing on a variety of reconstruction experiences from Afghanistan and Iraq, we identify four ‘reconstruction traps’ that result from the incentives and constraints faced by actors involved in economic reconstruction during ongoing conflict. These traps include: 1. the credible commitment trap, 2. the knowledge trap, 3. the political economy trap, and 4. the bureaucracy trap. Avoiding these traps is critical for successful economic reconstruction; and we discuss potential strategies for doing so.     

Don't stop with Joint Forces Command … cut AFRICOM too

Abstract

The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has been a military success but a strategic messaging failure. The United States’ relationships across Africa cannot be boiled down to military affairs. This paper argues that Africa has many more opportunities than challenges and thus requires a more balanced foreign policy solution from Washington DC than a new military command. For the military engagement that does need to take place, a more low-profile approach would benefit the United States in Africa.     

CALLING FOR ACTION

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards are under more stress today than at any time in their history. Compliance concerns, a shortage of resources and technology, and growing responsibilities threaten to undermine the effectiveness and credibility of this vital and fundamental pillar of the nonproliferation regime. To address this challenge, the United States recently launched the Next Generation Safeguards Initiative. The goal of this initiative is to ensure the IAEA makes the fullest possible use of its existing authority to prevent the diversion of safeguarded material and to investigate suspicious activities. The initiative will advance state-of-the-art technology, foster the development of a new generation of safeguards experts, and promote technology collaborations and safeguards-conscious infrastructure in states using or pursuing nuclear power. Although it has a domestic focus, the initiative's intent is to catalyze a much broader commitment to international safeguards in partnership with other governments and the IAEA.     

基于CNN的三相逆变器开路故障诊断及其样本条件分析

为了合理选择样本条件以实现高效的智能化诊断,以及克服智能化方法中传统反向传播(back propagation, BP)网络权值较多、局部信息提取能力不足的问题,对基于卷积神经网络(convolutional neural network, CNN)的开路故障诊断方法进行研究,并以典型的三相两电平逆变器为具体对象,着重分析样本时长、样本数量变化时,CNN方法相较于BP网络方法在网络权值数量、训练稳定性、诊断准确率上的量化优势。结果表明,基于CNN的方法可在权值数量远少于BP网络方法的情况下构建深度更深的诊断模型,并在更短样本时长、更少训练样本数量下实现高效、准确的开路故障诊断。     

GMAW焊接熔敷成形中电弧对熔池热与力作用的数值模拟分析

电弧对熔池的热与力作用直接影响到熔化极气体保护焊(Gas Metal Arc Welding,GMAW)熔敷成形的精度与质量。通过数值模拟方法研究电弧对熔池热与力的作用规律,有助于提高熔敷成形精度与质量。结合流体动力学理论与多物理场耦合分析有限元技术,建立了GMAW焊接电弧的3维数值分析模型,计算分析了熔滴过渡过程对熔池表面处热流密度与电弧力的影响情况。结果表明:电弧中的熔滴降低了熔池表面上的最大热流密度与电弧力;当电弧中没有熔滴及熔滴距离焊丝端部较近时,熔池表面处的热流密度及电弧力基本呈高斯分布;而当熔滴与焊丝端部距离进一步增大时,热流密度及电弧力均不再呈高斯分布,最大热流密度及电弧力都没有发生在电弧轴线位置。     

受限空间雾化射流降温与加湿作用数值分析

以雾化射流预防、控制受限空间内油气热安全事故为工程背景,综合可压缩流场控制方程、k-ε湍流模型、粒子动力学模型与相变传热模型,构建了描述受限空间内雾化射流降温与加湿作用的数值分析模型。借助Fluent流体动力学仿真软件,以1 600 mm×200 mm二维狭长受限空间中不同工况的雾化射流为算例,对雾化射流降温与加湿过程进行了数值模拟,并探讨了雾化射流流量与粒径的不同对上述作用的影响。所得结果为进一步探究雾化射流降温与加湿行为,推进雾化射流在热安全防护领域的工程应用提供借鉴和参考。     

舰载预警直升机机载雷达有效探测距离模型

针对机载雷达最大作用距离这一参数,难以满足舰载预警直升机部署决策需求,建立了舰载预警直升机与目标接近到某一相对距离时,机载预警雷达发现目标的概率分布模型,进而给出了对特定目标满足给定发现概率和建航概率的有效探测距离计算模型,为针对不同目标预警时,舰载预警直升机的阵位配置研究提供了可靠依据。     

舰载预警直升机机载雷达发现概率与建航概率模型研究

针对舰载预警直升机机载雷达的作战需求,基于机载预警雷达单次扫描发现概率模型,从作战使用的角度,建立了机载预警雷达累积发现概率模型和建航概率模型,为机载雷达有效探测距离的确定提供了依据,为舰载预警直升机预警搜索决策的研究奠定了基础。     

Innovation Inhibitors in War: Overcoming Obstacles in the Pursuit of Military Effectiveness

What explains the pace at which militaries adopt new technology? We argue that the hierarchical structure and unique expertise requirements of military organizations combine to empower select individuals as ‘gatekeepers’ of innovation. These individuals acquire beliefs throughout their military careers regarding the nature and means of warfare that act to shape their attitudes towards new military innovations. By filtering, sidelining, and ignoring competing sources of advice and information, these officers actively inhibit the adoption of new, often advantageous, innovations. We develop this argument through the analysis of two cases: the delayed acquisition of breech-loading and repeating rifles by the Union Army during the American Civil War, and the failure of the US Army to adopt an adequate heavy-type tank in World War II.     

面向访问模式的多核末级Cache优化方法

多核处理器架构已经成为当前处理器的主流趋势,应用程序中访问模式的多样性给多核处理器的末级Cache带来了许多挑战。提出了访问模式的多核末级Cache优化方法,它包含"可配置的共享私有Cache划分"、"可配置的旁路Cache策略"和"优先权替换策略"三个协同递进的层次。通过使用该方法,程序员能够灵活地改变末级Cache执行行为,从而高效地适应应用程序访问模式的变化。实验结果表明,提出的方法能够显著降低末级Cache的缺失率,进而提高系统的整体性能。