scholarly journals A New Approach to Studying Traditional Roof Behaviour in a Changing Climate—A Case Study from the Mediterranean Island of Malta

Heritage ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 3543-3571
Author(s):  
JoAnn Cassar ◽  
Charles Galdies ◽  
Elizabeth Muscat Azzopardi
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Changing Climate ◽  
In Situ Data ◽  
Use Of Data ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
Mediterranean Island ◽  
Zero Carbon ◽  
Uav Images

The behaviour of traditional roofs affects issues relating to sustainability, zero-carbon targets, and Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. This paper discusses an innovative approach towards understanding the behaviour of porous, and other types, of roofs in Malta in relation to temperature and moisture characteristics, and to project this behaviour onto a changing climate, predicted to be hotter and drier. The new methodology is being trialled on four roof types, on historic buildings, the innovation being the use of data from co-temporal Earth Observations (EO) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), in conjunction with in-situ data. This research is helping to develop a new application for Remote Sensing in Cultural Heritage; results should enable recommendations for sustainable use of traditional roof-building techniques. The initial results show that the traditional roof has different (reflective and emissive) properties from the hybrid roof, that are being detected from space, complemented with UAV, hand-held thermal camera and in-situ measurements. These results are preliminary; satellite images for spring/early summer and mid-summer and the corresponding UAV images are expected to provide more conclusive information. These promising results should enable the proof-of-concept to progress onto a larger number and greater variety of roof types, even in other Mediterranean countries.

scholarly journals Numerical experiments in calculating snow water equivalent and estimating their impact on the formation of spring floods

2020 ◽  
Vol 163 ◽  
pp. 06003
Author(s):  
Evgenii Churiulin ◽  
Vladimir Kopeykin ◽  
Natalia Frolova ◽  
Inna Krylenko
Keyword(s):  
Snow Cover ◽  
Snow Water Equivalent ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Hydrological Models ◽  
In Situ Data ◽  
Use Of Data ◽  
Complex Approach ◽  
Snow Water ◽  
Seasonal Snow Cover

Seasonal snow cover has a significant impact on forming spring floods. Sparse snow course-measuring network does not meet the requirements of modern tasks related to the technologies of numerical weather prediction (NWP) systems and runoff formation models. Moreover, insufficient volume of hydrometeorological data creates a need to improve spring floods forecasting methods by means of available modern hydrometeorological information related to snow cover. To work out an efficient solution to the issue of initial snow data preparation we need a complex approach including the use of data from satellite, atmospheric models, physical-mathematical models of snow cover and insitu information. This approach will provide modern NWP and hydrological models with reliable initial data on snow cover (snow water equivalent – SWE, snow density – SD). The main purpose of our investigation is related to approbation of satellite data and development of snow cover calculation methods for NWP and hydrological models. Numerous SWE and SD experiments have been performed in order to achieve this aim. A regional snow data assimilation system for COSMORu was implemented during the research. Moreover, a new method of hydrological modelling of spring floods based on ECOMAG model with initial information from COSMO-Ru, SnoWE and in-situ data has been proposed and tested.

scholarly journals RAPID RADIOMETRIC CALIBRATION OF MULTIPLE CAMERA ARRAY USING IN-SITU DATA FOR UAV MULTISPECTRAL PHOTOGRAMMETRY

2019 ◽  
Vol XLII-2/W17 ◽  
pp. 209-215
Author(s):  
R. Minařík ◽  
J. Langhammer
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Testing ◽  
Radiometric Calibration ◽  
Accuracy Improvement ◽  
Raw Data ◽  
Multiple Camera ◽  
In Situ Data ◽  
In Situ Calibration ◽  
Laboratory Calibration ◽  
Uav Images

Abstract. This study compares two possible radiometric calibration approaches of Tetracam μMCA Snap multispectral camera using the Dark offset subtraction and Look-Up Table (LUT) methods. A laboratory-based calibration using correction images taken under the controlled conditions was compared with a rapid in-situ based calibration featuring correction images taken during the field campaign. The hypothesis was that the accuracy of in-situ calibration could be comparable with the laboratory calibration, and thus could replace it and simplify the radiometric calibration process. The accuracy of calibration approaches was assessed by comparison of three validation targets reflectance values extracted from corrected UAV images based on laboratory and in-situ calibration with a reference spectroscopy measurement. The results of the field experiment showed that both calibration approaches led to significant accuracy improvement compared to raw data. The vignetting correction using resulted in a significant reduction of the Coefficient of variation by half in all bands and overall equalizing the DNs on the selected diagonal profile. The NRMSEs after processing all corrections ranged from 0.24 to 3.40%. Although the statistical testing revealed slightly better agreement of laboratory calibrated reflectance with reference data, the accuracy of in-situ calibration is sufficient, because the accuracy improvement quantified by the NRMSE is 2–10 times better using both calibration approaches compared to raw data than the NRMSE differences between them. These findings make the proposed in-situ approach usable for various environmental studies featuring UAV multispectral photogrammetry.

STORM ICE OIL WIND WAVE WATCH SYSTEM (SIOWS): WEB GIS APPLICATION FOR MONITORING THE ARCTIC

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Myasoedov ◽  
Alexander Myasoedov ◽  
Sergey Azarov ◽  
Sergey Azarov ◽  
Ekaterina Balashova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Satellite Data ◽  
Wind Wave ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
Web Gis ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Flexible Tool ◽  
In Situ Data ◽  
Current State ◽  
Watch System

Working with satellite data, has long been an issue for users which has often prevented from a wider use of these data because of Volume, Access, Format and Data Combination. The purpose of the Storm Ice Oil Wind Wave Watch System (SIOWS) developed at Satellite Oceanography Laboratory (SOLab) is to solve the main issues encountered with satellite data and to provide users with a fast and flexible tool to select and extract data within massive archives that match exactly its needs or interest improving the efficiency of the monitoring system of geophysical conditions in the Arctic. SIOWS - is a Web GIS, designed to display various satellite, model and in situ data, it uses developed at SOLab storing, processing and visualization technologies for operational and archived data. It allows synergistic analysis of both historical data and monitoring of the current state and dynamics of the "ocean-atmosphere-cryosphere" system in the Arctic region, as well as Arctic system forecasting based on thermodynamic models with satellite data assimilation.

scholarly journals Reference Measurements in Developing UAV Systems for Detecting Pests, Weeds, and Diseases

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1238
Author(s):  
Jere Kaivosoja ◽  
Juho Hautsalo ◽  
Jaakko Heikkinen ◽  
Lea Hiltunen ◽  
Pentti Ruuttunen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reference Data ◽  
Measurement Techniques ◽  
Synthetic Data ◽  
Ground Truth ◽  
Precision Farming ◽  
Aerial Imaging ◽  
Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Uav Images ◽  
Reference Measurements

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.

scholarly journals Critical Dynamics of Defects and Mechanisms of Damage-Failure Transitions in Fatigue

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 2554
Author(s):  
Oleg Naimark ◽  
Vladimir Oborin ◽  
Mikhail Bannikov ◽  
Dmitry Ledon
Keyword(s):  
Fatigue Damage ◽  
Kinetic Equations ◽  
Experimental Methodology ◽  
Preliminary Deformation ◽  
Scaling Properties ◽  
In Situ Data ◽  
Number Of Cycles ◽  
Fish Eye ◽  
Very High

An experimental methodology was developed for estimating a very high cycle fatigue (VHCF) life of the aluminum alloy AMG-6 subjected to preliminary deformation. The analysis of fatigue damage staging is based on the measurement of elastic modulus decrement according to “in situ” data of nonlinear dynamics of free-end specimen vibrations at the VHCF test. The correlation of fatigue damage staging and fracture surface morphology was studied to establish the scaling properties and kinetic equations for damage localization, “fish-eye” nucleation, and transition to the Paris crack kinetics. These equations, based on empirical parameters related to the structure of the material, allows us to estimate the number of cycles for the nucleation and advance of fatigue crack.

scholarly journals Measuring and inferring the ice thickness distribution of four glaciers in the Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Lander Van Tricht ◽  
Philippe Huybrechts ◽  
Jonas Van Breedam ◽  
Johannes J. Fürst ◽  
Oleg Rybak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cross Validation ◽  
Thickness Distribution ◽  
Tien Shan ◽  
Ice Thickness ◽  
Ice Volume ◽  
In Situ Data ◽  
Radio Echo Sounding ◽  
Thickness Measurements ◽  
Tien Shan Mountains

Abstract Glaciers in the Tien Shan mountains contribute considerably to the fresh water used for irrigation, households and energy supply in the dry lowland areas of Kyrgyzstan and its neighbouring countries. To date, reconstructions of the current ice volume and ice thickness distribution remain scarce, and accurate data are largely lacking at the local scale. Here, we present a detailed ice thickness distribution of Ashu-Tor, Bordu, Golubin and Kara-Batkak glaciers derived from radio-echo sounding measurements and modelling. All the ice thickness measurements are used to calibrate three individual models to estimate the ice thickness in inaccessible areas. A cross-validation between modelled and measured ice thickness for a subset of the data is performed to attribute a weight to every model and to assemble a final composite ice thickness distribution for every glacier. Results reveal the thickest ice on Ashu-Tor glacier with values up to 201 ± 12 m. The ice thickness measurements and distributions are also compared with estimates composed without the use of in situ data. These estimates approach the total ice volume well, but local ice thicknesses vary substantially.

scholarly journals A new hypothesis for the origin of Amazonian Dark Earths

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucas C. R. Silva ◽  
Rodrigo Studart Corrêa ◽  
Jamie L. Wright ◽  
Barbara Bomfim ◽  
Lauren Hendricks ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Mineral Elements ◽  
High Fertility ◽  
Natural Processes ◽  
Plant Cultivation ◽  
In Situ Deposition ◽  
Amazonian Dark Earths ◽  
Landscape Formation

AbstractAmazonian Dark Earths (ADEs) are unusually fertile soils characterised by elevated concentrations of microscopic charcoal particles, which confer their distinctive colouration. Frequent occurrences of pre-Columbian artefacts at ADE sites led to their ubiquitous classification as Anthrosols (soils of anthropic origin). However, it remains unclear how indigenous peoples created areas of high fertility in one of the most nutrient-impoverished environments on Earth. Here, we report new data from a well-studied ADE site in the Brazilian Amazon, which compel us to reconsider its anthropic origin. The amounts of phosphorus and calcium—two of the least abundant macronutrients in the region—are orders of magnitude higher in ADE profiles than in the surrounding soil. The elevated levels of phosphorus and calcium, which are often interpreted as evidence of human activity at other sites, correlate spatially with trace elements that indicate exogenous mineral sources rather than in situ deposition. Stable isotope ratios of neodymium, strontium, and radiocarbon activity of microcharcoal particles also indicate exogenous inputs from alluvial deposition of carbon and mineral elements to ADE profiles,  beginning several thousands of years before the earliest evidence of soil management for plant cultivation in the region. Our data suggest that indigenous peoples harnessed natural processes of landscape formation, which led to the unique properties of ADEs, but were not responsible for their genesis. If corroborated elsewhere, this hypothesis would transform our understanding of human influence in Amazonia, opening new frontiers for the sustainable use of tropical landscapes going forward.

scholarly journals Evaluating model parameterizations of submicron aerosol scattering and absorption with in situ data from ARCTAS 2008

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (14) ◽  
pp. 9435-9455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Alvarado ◽  
Chantelle R. Lonsdale ◽  
Helen L. Macintyre ◽  
Huisheng Bian ◽  
Mian Chin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Aerosol Size Distribution ◽  
Visible Radiation ◽  
Submicron Aerosol ◽  
In Situ Data ◽  
Aerosol Absorption ◽  
Aerosol Scattering ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Accurate modeling of the scattering and absorption of ultraviolet and visible radiation by aerosols is essential for accurate simulations of atmospheric chemistry and climate. Closure studies using in situ measurements of aerosol scattering and absorption can be used to evaluate and improve models of aerosol optical properties without interference from model errors in aerosol emissions, transport, chemistry, or deposition rates. Here we evaluate the ability of four externally mixed, fixed size distribution parameterizations used in global models to simulate submicron aerosol scattering and absorption at three wavelengths using in situ data gathered during the 2008 Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites (ARCTAS) campaign. The four models are the NASA Global Modeling Initiative (GMI) Combo model, GEOS-Chem v9-02, the baseline configuration of a version of GEOS-Chem with online radiative transfer calculations (called GC-RT), and the Optical Properties of Aerosol and Clouds (OPAC v3.1) package. We also use the ARCTAS data to perform the first evaluation of the ability of the Aerosol Simulation Program (ASP v2.1) to simulate submicron aerosol scattering and absorption when in situ data on the aerosol size distribution are used, and examine the impact of different mixing rules for black carbon (BC) on the results. We find that the GMI model tends to overestimate submicron scattering and absorption at shorter wavelengths by 10–23 %, and that GMI has smaller absolute mean biases for submicron absorption than OPAC v3.1, GEOS-Chem v9-02, or GC-RT. However, the changes to the density and refractive index of BC in GC-RT improve the simulation of submicron aerosol absorption at all wavelengths relative to GEOS-Chem v9-02. Adding a variable size distribution, as in ASP v2.1, improves model performance for scattering but not for absorption, likely due to the assumption in ASP v2.1 that BC is present at a constant mass fraction throughout the aerosol size distribution. Using a core-shell mixing rule in ASP overestimates aerosol absorption, especially for the fresh biomass burning aerosol measured in ARCTAS-B, suggesting the need for modeling the time-varying mixing states of aerosols in future versions of ASP.

scholarly journals Flux rope axis geometry of magnetic clouds deduced from in situ data

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (S300) ◽  
pp. 265-268
Author(s):  
Miho Janvier ◽  
Pascal Démoulin ◽  
Sergio Dasso
Keyword(s):  
Interplanetary Medium ◽  
Magnetic Cloud ◽  
Flux Rope ◽  
Magnetic Clouds ◽  
Direct Integration ◽  
Axis Orientation ◽  
In Situ Data ◽  
Geometrical Features ◽  
Wide Range

AbstractMagnetic clouds (MCs) consist of flux ropes that are ejected from the low solar corona during eruptive flares. Following their ejection, they propagate in the interplanetary medium where they can be detected by in situ instruments and heliospheric imagers onboard spacecraft. Although in situ measurements give a wide range of data, these only depict the nature of the MC along the unidirectional trajectory crossing of a spacecraft. As such, direct 3D measurements of MC characteristics are impossible. From a statistical analysis of a wide range of MCs detected at 1 AU by the Wind spacecraft, we propose different methods to deduce the most probable magnetic cloud axis shape. These methods include the comparison of synthetic distributions with observed distributions of the axis orientation, as well as the direct integration of observed probability distribution to deduce the global MC axis shape. The overall shape given by those two methods is then compared with 2D heliospheric images of a propagating MC and we find similar geometrical features.

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