scholarly journals Remote Measurements of Horizontal Eddy Diffusivity

2005 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 1373-1380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darek J. Bogucki ◽  
Burton H. Jones ◽  
Mary-Elena Carr

Abstract The rate of horizontal diffusivity or lateral dispersion is key to understanding the dispersion of tracers and contaminants in the ocean, and it is an elusive, yet crucial, parameter in numerical models of circulation. However, the difficulty of parameterizing horizontal mixing is exacerbated in the shallow coastal ocean, which points to the need for more direct measurements. Here, a novel and inexpensive approach to remotely measure the rate of horizontal diffusivity is proposed. Current shipboard measurement techniques require repeated surveys and are thus time consuming and labor intensive. Furthermore, intensive in situ sampling is generally impractical for routine coastal management or for rapid assessment in the case of emergencies. A remote approach is particularly useful in shallow coastal regions or those with complex bathymetry. A time series of images from a dye-release experiment was obtained with a standard three-megapixel digital camera from a helicopter that hovered over the study area. The red–green–blue (RGB) images were then 1) analyzed to distinguish the dye from the ambient color of the water and adjacent land features, 2) orthorectified, and 3) analyzed to obtain advection and diffusion rates of the thin subsurface dye layer. A horizontal current of the order of 6 cm s−1 was found. The estimated horizontal eddy diffusivity rate for scales of O(10 m) in the harbor was 0.1 m2 s−1. The dye diffusivity and advection rate that are calculated from the images are consistent with independent calculations based on in situ measurements of current speed fluctuations.

Author(s):  
Franklin E. Gbologah ◽  
Angshuman Guin ◽  
Roger Purcell ◽  
Michael O. Rodgers

The regular auditing of installed roadway lighting performance is essential in ensuring that in situ light levels are within design specifications despite the effects of lamp deterioration or changes in roadway functional class. However, existing guidelines for measuring roadway lighting performance are tedious and often impractical for transportation agencies and municipalities, which are already faced with time and resource constraints. A method for calibrating a digital single lens reflex camera for rapid assessment of illumination levels at roadway intersections is developed in this paper. The method uses an image analysis approach to extract pixel information in a digital image and link it to the scene luminance. It uses high-precision light meters to perform an initial calibration of the digital camera that has proved to be stable over long periods. The method was tested with field data, and the results indicate that average scene luminance derived from this method differs by less than 4% from the average observed scene luminance captured by high-precision luminance meters involving a rigorous field measurement methodology. The methodology developed in this study offers transportation agencies and municipalities a rapid, inexpensive, and efficient method for auditing the adequacy of roadway illumination.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikki Theofanopoulou ◽  
Katherine Isbister ◽  
Julian Edbrooke-Childs ◽  
Petr Slovák

BACKGROUND A common challenge within psychiatry and prevention science more broadly is the lack of effective, engaging, and scale-able mechanisms to deliver psycho-social interventions for children, especially beyond in-person therapeutic or school-based contexts. Although digital technology has the potential to address these issues, existing research on technology-enabled interventions for families remains limited. OBJECTIVE The aim of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility of in-situ deployments of a low-cost, bespoke prototype, which has been designed to support children’s in-the-moment emotion regulation efforts. This prototype instantiates a novel intervention model that aims to address the existing limitations by delivering the intervention through an interactive object (a ‘smart toy’) sent home with the child, without any prior training necessary for either the child or their carer. This pilot study examined (i) engagement and acceptability of the device in the homes during 1 week deployments; and (ii) qualitative indicators of emotion regulation effects, as reported by parents and children. METHODS In this qualitative study, ten families (altogether 11 children aged 6-10 years) were recruited from three under-privileged communities in the UK. The RA visited participants in their homes to give children the ‘smart toy’ and conduct a semi-structured interview with at least one parent from each family. Children were given the prototype, a discovery book, and a simple digital camera to keep at home for 7-8 days, after which we interviewed each child and their parent about their experience. Thematic analysis guided the identification and organisation of common themes and patterns across the dataset. In addition, the prototypes automatically logged every interaction with the toy throughout the week-long deployments. RESULTS Across all 10 families, parents and children reported that the ‘smart toy’ was incorporated into children’s emotion regulation practices and engaged with naturally in moments children wanted to relax or calm down. Data suggests that children interacted with the toy throughout the duration of the deployment, found the experience enjoyable, and all requested to keep the toy longer. Child emotional connection to the toy—caring for its ‘well-being’—appears to have driven this strong engagement. Parents reported satisfaction with and acceptability of the toy. CONCLUSIONS This is the first known study investigation of the use of object-enabled intervention delivery to support emotion regulation in-situ. The strong engagement and qualitative indications of effects are promising – children were able to use the prototype without any training and incorporated it into their emotion regulation practices during daily challenges. Future work is needed to extend this indicative data with efficacy studies examining the psychological efficacy of the proposed intervention. More broadly, our findings suggest the potential of a technology-enabled shift in how prevention interventions are designed and delivered: empowering children and parents through ‘child-led, situated interventions’, where participants learn through actionable support directly within family life, as opposed to didactic in-person workshops and a subsequent skills application.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1238
Author(s):  
Jere Kaivosoja ◽  
Juho Hautsalo ◽  
Jaakko Heikkinen ◽  
Lea Hiltunen ◽  
Pentti Ruuttunen ◽  
...  

The development of UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) imaging technologies for precision farming applications is rapid, and new studies are published frequently. In cases where measurements are based on aerial imaging, there is the need to have ground truth or reference data in order to develop reliable applications. However, in several precision farming use cases such as pests, weeds, and diseases detection, the reference data can be subjective or relatively difficult to capture. Furthermore, the collection of reference data is usually laborious and time consuming. It also appears that it is difficult to develop generalisable solutions for these areas. This review studies previous research related to pests, weeds, and diseases detection and mapping using UAV imaging in the precision farming context, underpinning the applied reference measurement techniques. The majority of the reviewed studies utilised subjective visual observations of UAV images, and only a few applied in situ measurements. The conclusion of the review is that there is a lack of quantitative and repeatable reference data measurement solutions in the areas of mapping pests, weeds, and diseases. In addition, the results that the studies present should be reflected in the applied references. An option in the future approach could be the use of synthetic data as reference.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-100
Author(s):  
Philip Poillot ◽  
Christine L. Le Maitre ◽  
Jacques M. Huyghe

AbstractThe strain-generated potential (SGP) is a well-established mechanism in cartilaginous tissues whereby mechanical forces generate electrical potentials. In articular cartilage (AC) and the intervertebral disc (IVD), studies on the SGP have focused on fluid- and ionic-driven effects, namely Donnan, diffusion and streaming potentials. However, recent evidence has indicated a direct coupling between strain and electrical potential. Piezoelectricity is one such mechanism whereby deformation of most biological structures, like collagen, can directly generate an electrical potential. In this review, the SGP in AC and the IVD will be revisited in light of piezoelectricity and mechanotransduction. While the evidence base for physiologically significant piezoelectric responses in tissue is lacking, difficulties in quantifying the physiological response and imperfect measurement techniques may have underestimated the property. Hindering our understanding of the SGP further, numerical models to-date have negated ferroelectric effects in the SGP and have utilised classic Donnan theory that, as evidence argues, may be oversimplified. Moreover, changes in the SGP with degeneration due to an altered extracellular matrix (ECM) indicate that the significance of ionic-driven mechanisms may diminish relative to the piezoelectric response. The SGP, and these mechanisms behind it, are finally discussed in relation to the cell response.


2016 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 199-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marilena Cardu ◽  
Sergio Dipietromaria ◽  
Pierpaolo Oreste

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the state of stress of a „voids-pillar“ structure excavated by means of the sub-level stoping method in an underground limestone quarry near Bergamo (Italy). Both the current structure of the quarry (i.e. the rooms exploited till now) and a possible future scenario were analysed using the (FDM) FLAC 2D code. The quarry has been in operation since 1927; at present, exploitation is carried out underground via the sub-level stoping method. Exploitation involves two levels, with 5 rooms on the upper level and 9 rooms on the lower level. After analysing data obtained from laboratory and in situ tests carried out on rock samples and natural discontinuities, the geomechanical properties of the medium, knowledge of which is essential in order to establish the parameters that must be included in the numerical model, were evaluated. The implementation of three numerical models made it possible to study both the present conditions of quarry exploitation and the evolution of the exploited rooms, as well as a possible expansion involving a third level of rooms. Using the results obtained regarding the stress-strain present in the pillars, a potential change in room geometry was proposed aimed at reducing the stress state inside the pillars, decreasing plasticity and increasing overall quarry safety.


2011 ◽  
Vol 90-93 ◽  
pp. 2033-2036 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Shan Sun ◽  
Hong Jun Guo ◽  
Wen Bo Lu ◽  
Qing Hui Jiang

The factors affecting the TBM tunnel behavior in jointed rock mass is investigated. In the numerical models the concrete segment lining of TBM tunnel is concerned, which is simulated as a tube neglecting the segment joint. And the TBM tunnel construction process is simulate considering the excavation and installing of the segment linings. Some cases are analyzed with different joint orientation, joint spacing, joint strength and tunnel depth. The results show that the shape and areas of loosing zones of the tunnel are influenced by the parameters of joint sets and in-situ stress significantly, such as dip angle, spacing, strength, and the in-situ stress statement. And the stress and deformation of the tunnel lining are influenced by the parameters of joint sets and in-situ stress, too.


2017 ◽  
Vol 58 ◽  
pp. 6.1-6.36 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Gultepe ◽  
A. J. Heymsfield ◽  
P. R. Field ◽  
D. Axisa

AbstractIce-phase precipitation occurs at Earth’s surface and may include various types of pristine crystals, rimed crystals, freezing droplets, secondary crystals, aggregates, graupel, hail, or combinations of any of these. Formation of ice-phase precipitation is directly related to environmental and cloud meteorological parameters that include available moisture, temperature, and three-dimensional wind speed and turbulence, as well as processes related to nucleation, cooling rate, and microphysics. Cloud microphysical parameters in the numerical models are resolved based on various processes such as nucleation, mixing, collision and coalescence, accretion, riming, secondary ice particle generation, turbulence, and cooling processes. These processes are usually parameterized based on assumed particle size distributions and ice crystal microphysical parameters such as mass, size, and number and mass density. Microphysical algorithms in the numerical models are developed based on their need for applications. Observations of ice-phase precipitation are performed using in situ and remote sensing platforms, including radars and satellite-based systems. Because of the low density of snow particles with small ice water content, their measurements and predictions at the surface can include large uncertainties. Wind and turbulence affecting collection efficiency of the sensors, calibration issues, and sensitivity of ground-based in situ observations of snow are important challenges to assessing the snow precipitation. This chapter’s goals are to provide an overview for accurately measuring and predicting ice-phase precipitation. The processes within and below cloud that affect falling snow, as well as the known sources of error that affect understanding and prediction of these processes, are discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Legendre ◽  
Richard B Rivkin ◽  
Nianzhi Jiao

Abstract This “Food for Thought” article examines the potential uses of several novel scientific and technological developments, which are currently available or being developed, to significantly advance or supplement existing experimental approaches to study water-column biogeochemical processes (WCB-processes). After examining the complementary roles of observation, experiments and numerical models to study WCB-processes, we focus on the main experimental approaches of free-water in situ experiments, and at-sea and on-land meso- and macrocosms. We identify some of the incompletely resolved aspects of marine WCB-processes, and explore advanced experimental approaches that could be used to reduce their uncertainties. We examine three such approaches: free-water experiments of lengthened duration using bioArgo floats and gliders, at-sea mesocosms deployed several 100s m below the sea-surface using new biogeochemical sensors, and 50 m-tall on-land macrocosms. These approaches could lead to significant progress in concepts related to marine WCB-processes.


Author(s):  
Stefan Schmid ◽  
Rudi Kulenovic ◽  
Eckart Laurien

For the validation of empirical models to calculate leakage flow rates in through-wall cracks of piping, reliable experimental data are essential. In this context, the Leakage Flow (LF) test rig was built up at the IKE for measurements of leakage flow rates with reduced pressure (maximum 1 MPA) and temperature (maximum 170 °C) compared to real plant conditions. The design of the test rig enables experimental investigations of through-wall cracks with different geometries and orientations by means of circular blank sheets with integrated cracks which are installed in the tubular test section of the test rig. In the paper, the experimental LF set-up and used measurement techniques are explained in detail. Furthermore, first leakage flow measurement results for one through-wall crack geometry and different imposed fluid pressures at ambient temperature conditions are presented and discussed. As an additional aspect the experimental data are used for the determination of the flow resistance of the investigated leak channel. Finally, the experimental results are compared with numerical results of WinLeck calculations to prove specifically in WinLeck implemented numerical models.


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