Innovative method for gathering river stage data using only the sound of the water

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Alexander Osborne ◽  
Rebecca Hodge ◽  
Gordon Love ◽  
Peter Hawkin ◽  
Ruth Hawkin
Keyword(s):  
Winter Season ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Storm Events ◽  
River Bank ◽  
Power Efficient ◽  
River Flooding ◽  
River Stage ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
Environment Agency

<p>Splosh, gurgle, burble are all terms that can be used to describe how a river sounds as we stand on the bank. We have developed a new approach that uses the passive sound generated by a river, to gauge the current stage of the river, and generate (sono)hydrographs from the safety of the river bank. Our approach offers a cost-effective, power-efficient and flexible means to install flood monitors. We have developed a method of how to take the sound from around a river and translate it into a useful gauging tool without the need to listen to individual recordings. Using an internet of things approach we have developed a system of sound monitors that can be placed anywhere in the vicinity of a river. We aim to target the lesser studied parts of a river catchment, the headwaters, which are often data scarce environments. These environments are an opportunity to identify the real time responses of sub-catchments. The ultimate goal of our research is to enable community level flood monitoring, in areas that may be susceptible to river flooding, but are not yet actively gauged.</p><p> </p><p>We hypothesise that the sound generated by a river is a direct response to the obstacles found within the channel and the turbulence they cause. Sound is generated by the increase of energy available in the channel, being transformed into sound energy through turbulence generating structures, i.e. boulders. Data gathered over a winter season from several rivers in the North East of England, during Storm Ciara and Dennis, has shown sound to be a reliable method for determining rapid changes in river stage and is comparable to what the official Environment Agency gauges measured. Through an innovative approach, we have begun to understand the limits on sound data and the calibration of sound to the channel properties. Utilising a 7.5 m wide flume at a white water course we have recreated controlled environments and simulated different discharges and their effect on sound.</p><p> </p><p>Overall, we have found that sound is an opportunity to be taken to measure river stage in areas that are seldom studied. We have identified that sound works during extreme conditions, and being placed on the banks of the channel our monitors have a lower risk of being damaged during storm events and are easy and safe to install. We present the first means of using sound from a river to actively gauge a river and the full workflow from collection, analysis and dissemination of results.</p>

Past Verses Present; Metamorphosis in Different Spheres of Guwahati: A Study of Srutimala Duara’s Mindprints of Guwahati

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Ankita Pandey
Keyword(s):  
Point Of View ◽  
Areca Nut ◽  
Medieval Period ◽  
River Bank ◽  
North East India ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
Indian State ◽  
The City ◽  
Beautiful City

Guwahati derives its name from the Assamese word “Guwa” means areca nut and “Haat” means market. However, the modern Guwahati had been known as the ancient Pragjyotishpura and was the capital of Assam under the Kamrupa kingdom. A beautiful city Guwahati is situated on the south bank of the river Bramhaputra. Moreover, It is known as the largest city in the Indian state of Assam and also the largest metropolis in North East India. It has also its importance as the gateway to the North- East India. Assamese and English are the spoken languages in Guwahati.  In 1667, the Mogul forces were defeated in the battle by the Ahom forces commanded by Lachut Barphukan. Thus, in a sense Guwahati became the bone of contention among the Ahoms, Kochas and the Moguls during the medieval period.  Guwahati the administrative headquarters of Lower Assam with a viceroy or Barbhukan was made by the Ahom king.  Since 1972 it has been the capital of Assam. The present paper will discuss the changes happened in Guwahati over the period of late 1970s till the present time. It will focus on the behavior of people, transformed temples, Panbazar of the city, river bank of Bramhaputra, old Fancy Bazaar, chaotic ways, festivals and seasons including a fifth man made season etc. It will also deal how over the years a city endowed with nature’s gifts and scenic views, has been changing as “a dirty city”. Furthermore, it will also present the insurgencies that have barged into the city. The occurrence of changes will be discussed through the perspective and point of view of Srutimala Duara as presented in her book Mindprints of Guwahati.

scholarly journals Awareness of the cost of psychotropic medication among doctors: a service evaluation

2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (9) ◽  
pp. 364-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dhananjay Kumar Singh ◽  
Shakil Khawaja ◽  
Ishaq Pala ◽  
Jaleel Khaja ◽  
Ray Krishnanu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effective ◽  
Service Evaluation ◽  
Financial Resources ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
Old Age Psychiatry ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Structured Questionnaire

Aims and methodCost-effective prescribing is an increasingly important aspect of our practice. A service evaluation was carried out to assess the level of awareness and knowledge of different aspects of cost-effective prescribing among doctors working in the North East London Foundation Trust. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to benchmark knowledge against six standards.ResultsThe survey was completed by 71% of doctors working in adult or old age psychiatry. A total of 2% of doctors stated that they should always take into consideration the price of the drug when prescribing and only 5% of doctors claimed to know the price of medications they prescribe most frequently.Clinical implicationsStrategies to improve the poor level of knowledge and awareness in this area of clinical practice would be of benefit in making the best use of limited financial resources without any detriment to patient care.

scholarly journals A computer database for falling snowflakes

1993 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 11-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken-ichiro Muramoto ◽  
Kohki Matsuura ◽  
Toshio Harimaya ◽  
Tatsuo Endoh
Keyword(s):  
Winter Season ◽  
Japan Sea ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Maximum Diameter ◽  
Fall Velocity ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
The Japan Sea ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Average Size

A computer-based measurement system for characteristics of snowfall is described. To measure the size and velocity of falling snowflakes quantitatively, images of snowflakes were input to an image processor and the primary data were analyzed in real time. In this process, maximum diameter in a horizontal plane and falling velocity were recorded in previously set intervals, then stored on a disk. Since a lot of data were obtained during a full winter season, data had to be processed to make up a database after an experiment. Using this database, the data of the distribution of size and velocity of snowflakes can be retrieved at anytime.We observed snowflakes during winter months of 1986-92 in Sapporo and Toyama, which are located near the north east and middle of the Japan Sea coast respectively. The data indicate that the average size of snowflakes in Toyama was larger than that in Sapporo, while the number concentration of snowflakes in Sapporo was rather higher. The fall velocity tends to increase with increasing size of snowflakes, as observed in both areas.

scholarly journals Assessing the Effectiveness of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS): Interventions, Impacts and Challenges

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3160
Author(s):  
Sarah Cotterill ◽  
Louise J. Bracken
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Drainage Network ◽  
Drainage Systems ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Wireless Telecommunication ◽  
Environment Agency ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Sustainable Drainage Systems

Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) can be a key tool in the management of extremes of rainfall, due to their capacity to attenuate and treat surface water. Yet, implementation is a complex process, requiring buy-in from multiple stakeholders. Buy-in is often undermined by a lack of practical evidence and monitoring of implemented SuDS. In this paper, we present a collaborative case study between a local authority, university and the UK Environment Agency. This partnership approach enabled the installation of SuDS and monitoring equipment to address surface runoff in the north east of England. Ultrasonic sensors were installed in the drainage network to evaluate the attenuation of surface water. SuDS were installed during an atypically wet spring, followed by a hot and dry summer, providing a range of conditions to assess their performance. Results demonstrate that there was a statistically significant difference in the detected flow level in manholes downstream of the SuDS interventions. Several challenges occurred, from signal obstacles in wireless telecommunication services, to logistical constraints of installing sensors in the drainage network, and issues with the adoption of property level SuDS. These issues require further research. Qualitative support for partnership working was crucial to increase the capacity for delivering SuDS. To ensure the success of future schemes and likelihood of SuDS uptake, partnership working and engaging with communities is vital.

scholarly journals A Quantitative Framework for Analyzing Spatial Dynamics of Flood Events: A Case Study of Super Cyclone Amphan

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (20) ◽  
pp. 3454
Author(s):  
Mohammad Mehedy Hassan ◽  
Kevin Ash ◽  
Joynal Abedin ◽  
Bimal Kanti Paul ◽  
Jane Southworth
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Association ◽  
Spatial Dynamics ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
Water Index ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
Super Cyclone ◽  
Flooding Risk ◽  
Flood Maps

Identifying the flooding risk hotspot is crucial for aiding a rapid response and prioritizes mitigation efforts over large disaster impacted regions. While climate change is increasing the risk of floods in many vulnerable regions of the world, the commonly used crisis map is inefficient and cannot rapidly determine the spatial variation and intensity of flooding extension across the affected areas. In such cases, the Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA) statistic can detect heterogeneity or the flooding hotspot at a local spatial scale beyond routine mapping. This area, however, has not yet been studied in the context of the magnitude of the floods. The present study incorporates the LISA methodology including Moran’s I and Getis–Ord Gi* to identify the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the occurrence of flooding from super cyclone Amphan across 16 coastal districts of Bangladesh. Using the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data from Sentinel-1 and a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification, “water” and “land” were classified for the pre-event (16 May 2020) and post-events (22 May, 28 May, and 7 June 2020) of the area under study. A Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI), and visual comparison were used to evaluate the flood maps. A compelling agreement was accomplished between the observed and predicted flood maps, with an overall precision of above 95% for all SAR classified images. As per this study, 2233 km2 (8%) of the region is estimated to have been inundated on 22 May. After this point, the intensity and aerial expansion of flood decreased to 1490 km2 by 28 May before it increased slightly to 1520 km2 (2.1% of the study area) on 7 June. The results from LISA indicated that the main flooding hotspots were located in the central part, particularly in the region off the north-east of the mangrove forest. A total of 238 Unions (smallest administrative units) were identified as high flooding hotspots (p < 0.05) on 22 May, but the number of flooding hotspots dropped to 166 in the second week (28 May) after Amphan subsided before it increased to a further 208 hotspots (p < 0.05) on 7 June due to incessant rainfall and riverbank failure in the south-west part of the study area. As such, an appropriate, timely, and cost-effective strategy would be to assess existing flooding management policies through the identified flooding hotspot regions. This identification would then allow for the creation of an improved policy to help curtail the destructive effects of flooding in the future.

scholarly journals Efficacité technique et rentabilité économique des méthodes de contrôle culturale et chimique des mauvaises herbes en culture d’oignon (Allium cepa L.) au Nord-Est du Bénin

2019 ◽  
Vol 42.2 ◽  
pp. 7207-7225
Author(s):  
Saliou Bello ◽  
Lucien Guillaume Amadji ◽  
Adam Ahanchédé
Keyword(s):  
Synergistic Effect ◽  
Allium Cepa ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Portulaca Oleracea ◽  
Cyperus Rotundus ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
Allium Cepa L ◽  
Mauvaises Herbes

Objectif : Le sarclage pratiqué en culture d‘oignon est inefficace contre les Portulacacées et les Cypéracées. La présente étude a permis de comparer les effets des sarclo-binages et d’applications simple et combinée d’herbicides sur la phytotoxicité pour l’oignon, le recouvrement et la biomasse des mauvaises herbes et le rendement de l’oignon au Nord-Est du Bénin. Méthodologie et résultats : Le dispositif expérimental est un bloc complètement aléatoire installé dans 30 parcelles paysannes représentant chacune une répétition comportant six traitements constitués des pratiques de sarclo-binages exclusifs et combinées à l’application d’herbicides. Les herbicides appliqués sont les sélectifs Agristomp à base de pendiméthaline à la teneur de 400 g/l et Dadyochlor à la teneur de 50% d’acétochlore ainsi que les totaux Round Up et Dady Up à base de glyphosate aux teneurs respectives de 360 g/l et de 480 g/l. Les variables recouvrement, biomasse et rendement ont été soumises respectivement au test T de Student, à l’analyse de variance à deux facteurs et au test de Tukey. Une faible phytotoxicité et une meilleure répression de Portulaca quadrifida et de Portulaca oleracea avec Agristomp, une meilleure gestion de Cyperus rotundus et une faible production de biomasse totale avec Round Up ont été observées. Des différences très hautement significatives et un effet synergique ont été observés entre les pratiques de luttes culturale et chimique. Dady Up a engendré le rendement le plus élevé et le plus rentable avec 28,72 t/ha de bulbes, comparativement aux autres traitements. Conclusion et application des résultats : La combinaison des sarclo-binages et d’application d’herbicides, plus efficace contre les mauvaises herbes avec un effet synergique et une meilleure rentabilité économique, a été recommandée. Technical and economical efficacy of hoe-weeding and herbicides application in onion’ crop (Allium cepa L.) in the North-East of Benin ABSTRACT Objective: Weeding in onion is ineffective against Portulacacées and Cyperaceae.. This study compared the effects of weeding, simple and combined herbicide applications on phytotoxicity on onions, weed recovery and biomass, and onion yield in northeastern Benin.Methodology and results: The experimental design is a completely randomized block of 30 replications with six treatments which include exclusive and combined hoe weeding practices to herbicides application. Applied herbicides were selective Agristomp with 400 g/l of pendimethalin and dadyochlor with 50% of acetochlor, Round Up and Dady Up with 360 g/l and 480 g/l of glyphosate respectively. Weed covering and onion yield were submitted to T of Student test, two-way analysis of variance and Tukey test.Low phytotoxicity and better control of Portulaca quadrifida and Portulaca oleracea with Agristomp, better management of Cyperus rotundus and low total biomass production with Round Up were observed.. Very significant differences and a synergistic effect have been observed between the practices of crop and chemical control. Dady Up generated the highest and most cost-effective yield with 28.72 t/ha of bulbs, compared to other treatments. Finding and applying the results: The combination of weeding and herbicide application, which is more effective against weeds with synergistic effect and improved economic profitability, was recommended.

scholarly journals Caveat emptor NICE: biased use of cost-effectiveness is inefficient and inequitable

F1000Research ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 1078 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack Dowie ◽  
Mette Kjer Kaltoft ◽  
Jesper Bo Nielsen ◽  
Glenn Salkeld
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Health Gain ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
The South ◽  
Constrained System ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
South West ◽  
Undesirable Consequence ◽  
The Cost

Concern with the threshold applied in cost-effectiveness analyses by bodies such as NICE distracts attention from their biased use of the principle. The bias results from the prior requirement that an intervention be effective (usually 'clinically effective') before its cost-effectiveness is considered. The underlying justification for the use of cost-effectiveness as a criterion, whatever the threshold adopted, is that decisions in a resource-constrained system have opportunity costs. Their existence rules out any restriction to those interventions that are 'incrementally cost-effective' at a chosen threshold and requires acceptance of those that are 'decrementally cost-effective' at the same threshold. Interventions that fall under the linear ICER line in the South-West quadrant of the cost-effectiveness plane are cost-effective because they create net health benefits, as do those in the North-East quadrant. If there is objection to the fact that they are cost-effective by reducing effectiveness as well as costs, it is possible to reject them, but only on policy grounds other than their failure to be cost-effective. Having established this, the paper considers and seeks to counter the arguments based on these other grounds. Most notably these include those proposing a different threshold in the South-West quadrant from the North-East one, i.e. propose a 'kinked ICER'. Another undesirable consequence of the biased use of cost-effectiveness is the failure to stimulate innovations that would increase overall health gain by being less effective in the condition concerned, but generate more benefits elsewhere. NICE can only reward innovations that cost more.

Excavations at Ur, 1927–8

1928 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 415-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Leonard Woolley
Keyword(s):  
Winter Season ◽  
British Museum ◽  
Field Work ◽  
University Of Pennsylvania ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
Catch Up ◽  
October 17 ◽  
The University

During the winter season of 1927-8 the Joint Expedition of the British Museum and of the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania was engaged upon two distinct pieces of work; at the beginning of the season, for about nine weeks, we continued the excavation of the early cemetery discovered in the previous year, while for the rest of the time the whole gang was employed on the clearing of the interior of the great courtyard building which lies in front of the north-east face of the Ziggurat. Field work started on October 17 and continued until February 18, the average number of men on the pay-roll being 130 for the first half of the time, and 170 for the second half. This year there was no architect with the expedition, for the reason that the plan of the courtyard building had already been made out and for the digging of the cemetery the services of an architect would not be required: otherwise the staff was the same as last year, my wife being responsible for the drawings, the Rev. E. Burrows, S.J., for the inscriptional material, and Mr. M. E. L. Mallowan acting as general archaeological assistant. The extraordinary richness of the discoveries meant even harder work than usual, and it was at times difficult to keep pace with them, but by occasional shifting of the gang from the graves to the courtyard this was made possible, the respite so gained enabling us to catch up temporary arrears: but I owe it to my assistants to express my gratitude for their whole-hearted co-operation. As usual, Hamoudi of jerablus was foreman, and was invaluable; his two sons, Yahia and Ibrahim, served under him as junior foremen, and the former did all the photographic work also.

scholarly journals A computer database for falling snowflakes

1993 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 11-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken-ichiro Muramoto ◽  
Kohki Matsuura ◽  
Toshio Harimaya ◽  
Tatsuo Endoh
Keyword(s):  
Winter Season ◽  
Japan Sea ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Maximum Diameter ◽  
Fall Velocity ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
The Japan Sea ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Average Size

A computer-based measurement system for characteristics of snowfall is described. To measure the size and velocity of falling snowflakes quantitatively, images of snowflakes were input to an image processor and the primary data were analyzed in real time. In this process, maximum diameter in a horizontal plane and falling velocity were recorded in previously set intervals, then stored on a disk. Since a lot of data were obtained during a full winter season, data had to be processed to make up a database after an experiment. Using this database, the data of the distribution of size and velocity of snowflakes can be retrieved at anytime. We observed snowflakes during winter months of 1986-92 in Sapporo and Toyama, which are located near the north east and middle of the Japan Sea coast respectively. The data indicate that the average size of snowflakes in Toyama was larger than that in Sapporo, while the number concentration of snowflakes in Sapporo was rather higher. The fall velocity tends to increase with increasing size of snowflakes, as observed in both areas.

Erosion monitoring of coastal cliffs of geoheritage significance – an example from north east England.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesley Dunlop ◽  
Matthew J Westoby ◽  
Michael Lim
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Storm Events ◽  
Storm Activity ◽  
North East ◽  
Environmental Controls ◽  
Coastal Cliffs ◽  
Wave Heights ◽  
Offshore Wave

&lt;p&gt;The coastline of County Durham and Tyne and Wear, north east of England, is of geological interest as it displays extensive cliff and foreshore exposures of the dolomites and limestones of later Permian age. The coastline is covered by multiple designations ranging from being a Site of Special Scientific Interest for geological factors to other forms of national and international protection. However, the high cliffs and nature of the deposits means that it is subject to much erosion, rockfalls and exposure to storm activity. For this reason, a lengthy monitoring programme using terrestrial laser scanning (Westoby et al, 2018), photogrammetry (Westoby et al, 2012) and geophysical techniques has been taking place in order to characterise the erosion, recognise points of issue and recommend potential action.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The carbonate rocks, also known as the Magnesian Limestone, were deposited in the Zechstein Sea in a relatively shallow landlocked sea. Straddling latitude 30&amp;#176; north during Late Permian times, the Zechstein Sea was subjected to high evaporation rates leading to evaporate sequences being present. The Permian concretionary limestone is most common in the headlands, stacks and arches, whereas the bays are cut into a weaker dolomite. Marsden Bay includes beach, rock and cliff features and is a classic locality for beach process studies (King, 1953). Whitburn was previously a quarry and coal mine, later infilled and now subject to erosion, undercutting and sink hole appearance.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Rockfalls are often characterised as episodic and unpredictable events, leading to uncertainty and risk for infrastructure and people. As a result of the monitoring it is possible to demonstrate that there are lithologically distinct responses to the passage of the largest storm events. &amp;#160;Foreshore morphology is significant for modulating the relative importance of subaerial and marine erosion drivers. The influence of external environmental controls, notably storm activity, is clearly detectable through regression analysis of rockfall descriptors and environmental variables. Increased storminess, associated with increases in offshore wave heights and cumulative precipitation, corresponds with an increase in total and mean rockfall volume rockfalls at the cliff top during these periods.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The study demonstrates that it is possible to quantify links between environmental variables, in this case offshore wave heights, and erosion prediction. From a hazard and geosite management perspective this finding and framework is significant because it represents an effective new tool for quantifying temporal convergence in rockfall dynamics at lithologically complex rocky coasts over timescales that are relevant for hazard assessment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;King, C.A.M. (1953) The relationship between wave incidence, wind direction and beach changes at Marsden Bay, County Durham. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 19, 13&amp;#8211;23.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Westoby, M.J., Brasington, J., Glasser, N.F., Hambrey, M.J., and Reynolds, J.M., 2012, &amp;#8216;Structure-from-Motion&amp;#8217; photogrammetry: A low-cost, effective tool for geoscience applications: Geomorphology, v. 179, p. 300-314, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2012.08.021 .&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Westoby, M.J., Lim, M., Hogg, M., Pound, M.J., Dunlop, L., and Woodward, J., 2018, Cost-effective erosion monitoring of coastal cliffs: Coastal Engineering, v. 138, p. 152-164, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coastaleng.2018.04.008.&lt;/p&gt;

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