Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Incorporating legacy soil data to minimize errors in salinity change detection: a case study of Darab Plain, Iran

The results of a 1990 soil survey of a salinized region in Darab Plain, southern Iran, were combined with soil sampling data taken in 2002 from the same locations and employed as a basis for salinity change detection in the region. New preprocessing of satellite imagery was used, along with statistical analysis of the digital number (DN)−salinity relationship, in order to determine salinization of the area. Removal of outliers on the basis of interfering land uses improved the correlations. Nonlinear regression (NLR) in the form y = a + bx α provided a suitable predictor of salinity (y, dS m−1) for both 1990 and 2002 based on DNs (x). Among the 12 tested methods of salinity classification in this study, the six salinity class method with intervals 0–4, 4–10, 10–32, 32–64, 64–80 and >80 dS m–1 was selected. A series of accuracy assessments through a trial-and-error procedure was the basis of the selection of the best method and led to a final accuracy of 91%. About 42% of the lands located on ‘no saline’ and ‘low salinity’ classes in 1990 had changed to the ‘medium’, ‘very high’ and ‘new agricultural land’ classes in 2002.
Characterization of soil moisture conditions at temporal scales from a few days to annual

This work proposes the analysis of soil moisture conditions based on the use of two recently developed descriptive techniques: (1) wavelet analysis and (2) self‐organizing mapping through Kohonen neural networks. This analysis is applied to soil moisture profiles as well as supporting data, i.e. precipitation, temperature and flow observations, from an experimental site in the Orgeval watershed in France. With wavelet analysis and self‐organizing mapping, a comprehensive description of the structure of soil moisture profile, its evolution over time, and how it relates to observations of precipitation, temperature and flow can be obtained. Soil moisture conditions, particularly in the Orgeval watershed, are an important feature of the hydrologic cycle. There might be a significant advantage to consider soil moisture information in a variety of hydrologic models, such as streamflow models often employed in simulation and prediction modes for operational purposes, and the analysis performed here provides some avenues leading to the consideration of this information. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Estimation of the elastic earth parameters using slr data for the low satellites STARLETTE and STELLA

In this paper we present estimated values for the global elastic parameters (k2, k3) and (h2, l2) derived from the analysis of Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) data. We analyse SLR data for two low satellites, STARLETTE and STELLA, collected over a period of two years, from 1 January 2005 to 1 January 2007, from 18 globally distributed ground stations. We carry out a sequential analysis for the two satellites jointly, and study the stability of the estimates as a function of the length of the data set used. The adjusted final values of (k2, k3) and (h2, l2) for STARLETTE and STELLA are compared to, and are largely found to support, the estimates we previously published based on data for two high satellites LAGEOS 1 and LAGEOS 2. A major discrepancy between the two solutions was only found for the Shida number l2.
INTRODUCTION OF A NEW APPROACH TO GEOMETRIC DESIGN AND ROAD SAFETY

It is often argued that roads designed to accepted minimum geometric standards are safe. And yet the most recent South African statistics indicate that 9 000 people die in road accidents every year. If fully laden Boeing 747s were to hit Table Mountain at regular fortnightly intervals, the outcome would be the same. The difference lies in the public outcry that, after the second crash, would increase to such deafening proportions that official heads would roll and everybody would refuse to go by air. In 1998, 120 000 people were injured in road crashes, a quarter of these seriously. Imagine a platoon of four Municipal buses transporting the injured to hospital every day of the week. We achieve this carnage through the medium of crashes at the rate of over 1 400 per day. The South African road network is truly a hostile environment. The apparent indifference of the travelling public to road fatalities and injuries is inexplicable but does not absolve transportation professionals from their responsibilities in assuring that the road network is as safe as possible.
Auditory Temporal Processing Abilities in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 and Type 2

Introduction : Diabetes mellitus (DM) is most common chronic disease characteristic by carbohydrate metabolic disorder in which absolute or relative de ﬁ ciency in insulin and various pathological changes in the body system. The central nervous system disorders is among system affected by toxic effect and hyperglycemia. Auditory temporal processing is one of the important abilities of the central nervous system which may be affected by diabetes. However, the extent and nature of the central manifestations are still unknown. Objective : The aim of this study was to compare auditory temporal processing in these patients (DM type 1 and Type 2) with normal patients through temporal auditory processing tests: auditory fusion test-revised (AFT) which investigate the temporal resolution and gap detection, as well as Pitch Pattern Test (PPT) and Duration Pattern Test (DPT) for testing temporal ordering and sequencing of tonal stimuli. Patients and method : This study was carried out on three groups of patients including 20 patients with DM type II, 20 with DM type 1 and 20 normal hearing patients not suffering from diabetes. Anova-test was used to compare the mean of numerical values between normal and DM patients and Pearson correlation coef ﬁ cient test was used to check the correlation between age of patient and duration of diabetes on auditory temporal processing test. Results : Statistically signi ﬁ cant difference was found between DM type 2 and the two other groups for all tests of temporal processing. Conclusion : Temporal resolution and temporal ordering is affected in individuals with DM type 2 compared with DM type 1 and control group, ﬁ nding which is attributed to age and duration of diabetes in these patients.
An Update on EMU Sovereign Yield Spread Drivers in Times of Crisis: A Panel Data Analysis

We empirically investigate the determinants of EMU sovereign bond yield spreads with respect to the German bund. Using panel data techniques, we examine the role of a wide set of potential drivers. To our knowledge, this paper presents one of the most exhaustive compilations of the variables used in the literature to study the behaviour of sovereign yield spreads and, in particular, to gauge the effect on these spreads of changes in market sentiment and risk aversion. We use a sample of both central and peripheral countries from January 1999 to December 2012 and assess whether there were significant changes after the outbreak of the euro area debt crisis. Our results suggest that the rise in sovereign risk in central countries can only be partially explained by the evolution of local macroeconomic variables in those countries. Besides, without exception, the marginal effects of sovereign spread drivers (specifically, the variables that measure global market sentiment) increased during the crisis compared to the pre-crisis period, especially in peripheral countries.
Significance of trace element composition of quartz cement as a key to reveal the origin of silica in sandstones: an example from the Cretaceous of the Barrow Sub-basin, Western Australia

Trace elements have been used to constrain the origin of silica in quartz cement: one of the most abundant authigenic minerals in marine sandstones of the Lower Cretaceous Barrow Group, Barrow Sub-basin, Australia. Petrographic, fluid inclusion, electron microprobe and cathodoluminescence data from quartz cements in these sandstones indicate multiple stages of cementation at different temperatures. Three quartz cementation phases were detected by using the cathodoluminescence imaging. Homogenization temperature calculations from fluid inclusions indicate precipitation temperature in a range of 60–140°C; phase I between 60 and 90°C; phase II between 90 and 105°C; phase III between 105 and 140°C. Oil stains and bitumen coat the second phase of quartz overgrowths and were trapped between the middle and the late phases, implying that the late phase formed after oil migration commenced. Trace element concentrations and mass balance calculations suggest two predominant sources for silica: feldspar alteration and pressure dissolution. Aluminium varies consistently between each cement phase with an average 245 p.p.m. for phase I,805 p.p.m. for phase II and 89 p.p.m. for phase III. Textural analysis and depth-related patterns suggest that silica in the two first phases was probably a by-product of feldspar alteration reactions whilst the last phase was probably a result of pressure dissolution. The lack of correlation between aluminium content and temperature implies that the primary source of the silica is the main control on the aluminium content of quartz cement.
Analytical study of induced anisotropy in idealized granular materials

Development of induced anisotropy during shear deformation of plane granular assemblies is investigated by introducing statistical characteristics of fabric and contact forces. The introduced microstructural parameters are explicitly related to the measure of deviatoric load by considering conditions of static equilibrium. Verification of the relationship between parameters of anisotropy, average forces and external loads is presented based on numerical simulation of tests on plane granular assemblies. The physical significance of introduced parameters of microstructure and their evolution during shear deformations is discussed.
Servicescapes, Designscapes, Branding, and The Creation of Place‐Identity: South of Litchfield, Christchurch

Place branding lies at the intersection of tourism geography and marketing Contemporary place branding requires the use of hardware, in the form of servicescapes and designscapes that are developed via architecture, design, and heritage; and software, in the form of branding, marketing, and promotion. Both hardware and software are studied in the case of the South of Litchfield development project in Christchurch, New Zealand. The study highlights the way that aesthetic and consumptive practices are used to appeal to specific lifestyle groups. At a meta‐theoretical level the study indicates that the study of hegemonic cultural processes needs to be extended beyond that of brands to note the way that design ideas, such as “new urbanism,” are applied in local contexts. It is concluded that while places use branding and design to differentiate themselves the uncritical adoption of top‐down design ideas via real estate and design agents only served to homogenize place and deny authenticity. The author wishes to acknowledge the insights of Karina Comeskey on SOL (“South of Lichfield”).
Competitiveness of Port-Cities: The Case of Marseille-Fos, France

This working paper offers an evaluation of the performance of the port of Marseille-Fos, an analysis of the impact of the port on its territory and an assessment of policies and governance in this field. It examines declining port performance over the last decades and identifies the principal factors that have contributed to it. The effect of the ports on economic and environmental questions is studied and quantified where possible. The value added of the port cluster of Marseille-Fos is calculated and its interlinkages with other economic sectors and other regions in France delineated. The paper outlines the impact of the ports? operations, and shows how their activities spill over into other regions than the one in which the port of Marseille-Fos is located. The major policies governing the ports are assessed, along with policies governing transport and economic development, the environment and spatial planning. These include measures instituted by the port authorities, as well as by local, regional and national governments. Governance mechanisms at these different levels are described and analysed. Based on the report? s findings, recommendations are proposed with a view to improving port performance and increasing the positive effects of the port of Marseille-Fos on its territory.
Historic Lime-Mortar 14C Dating of Santa María La Real (Zarautz, Northern Spain): Extraction of Suitable Grain Size for Reliable 14C Dating

This paper describes a method for effective separation of the pure binder fraction of lime mortars for reliable radiocarbon dating. The methodology allows removal of the detrital carbonate fraction and the unburnt limestone particles, obtaining particles of under 1 μm. The extracted fraction ensured that all carbonate has been generated by slaked lime carbonation. Consequently, the measured carbon corresponds to atmospheric carbon. The proposed method allows to obtain pure datable binder, simplifying considerably the performance of radiometric measurements because dating other grain-size fraction is unnecessary. In order to prove the effectiveness of binder refining, the extraction method has been applied to 5 lime mortars of different archaeological periods from the perimeter walls of Santa María la Real parish church (Zarautz, northern Spain).
Monitoring of large landslides by Terrestrial Laser Scanning techniques: field data collection and processing

Abstract We have monitored a large landslide that causes extensive damage by using Terrestrial Laser Scanners (TLS) and Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers. Our surveys have confirmed that the slope undergoes a continuous change. When using TLS some operational difficulties arise. We have used different TLSs types to better evaluate the reliability of our surveys; a full wave TLS has allowed to make easier the data filtering. All surveys have been framed in the same absolute reference system; this has been done by connecting both targets and laser stations to a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Permanent Reference Stations network. A direct comparison among the DEMs allows to infer the movements of the landslide.
Relationship between bedload and suspended sediment in the sand-bed Exu River, in the semi-arid region of Brazil

Abstract Suspended sediment and bedload discharges in sand-bed rivers shape semi-arid landscapes and impact sediment delivery from these landscapes, but are still incompletely understood. Suspended sediment and bedload fluxes of the intermittent Exu River, Brazil, were sampled by direct measurements. The highest suspended sediment concentration observed was 4847.4 mg L-1 and this value was possibly associated with the entrainment of sediment that was deposited in the preceding year. The bedload flux was well related to the stream power and the river efficiently transported all available bedload with a mean rate of 0.0047 kg m-1 s-1, and the percentage of bedload to suspended sediment varied between 4 and 12.72. The bed sediment of Exu River was prone to entrainment and showed a proclivity for transport. Thus, sand-bed and gravel-bed rivers of arid environments seem to exhibit the same mobility in the absence of armour layer. Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor B. Touaibia Citation Cantalice, J.R. B. , Cunha Filho, M. , Stosic, B.D. , Piscoya, V.C. , Guerra, S.M.S., and Singh, V.P., 2013. Relationship between bedload and suspended sediment in the sand-bed Exu River, in the semi-arid region of Brazil. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (8), 1789–1802.
Assessing CO2 sink/source strength of a degraded temperate peatland: atmospheric and hydrological drivers and responses to extreme events

Monthly mean sink/source strength pattern of a degraded temperate peatland in northwestern Turkey was quantified using the eddy covariance technique between July 2010 and February 2014. Atmospheric and hydrological drivers and responses to extreme events of sink/source strength were analysed using multiple linear regression models, support vector machine, multilayer perceptron with principal component analysis and multiple comparisons following general linear models. On the basis of the three full‐year measurements, mean annual, growing season and maximum estimates of net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) were −0.22 mg CO2 m−2 s−1, −0.28 mg CO2 m−2 s−1 and −0.11 mg CO2 m−2 s−1 in July, respectively. The main driver of changes in monthly mean NEE pattern was found to be latent heat flux. Independent validation results showed a similar predictive performance (r2 = 74%) of multiple linear regression and support vector machine models as a function of month, total rainfall, water table depth, relative humidity, latent heat, atmospheric water vapour, wind direction and downwelling shortwave radiation. A shift in NEE from a net sink to a net source was observed in response to the deepest and shallowest water table depths due to drought and flooding, respectively. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of Water Deficit and Soil Nitrogen on Dry Matter and Nitrogen Accumulation and Mobilization in Durum Wheat under Semi-Arid Environment

The effects of water deficit and nitrogen (N) application were evaluated on dry matter (DM) and N remobilization in eight durum wheat varieties. Cham5, Cham3, Om Quis, Kayar Tunis and Hourani Nawawi had the highest DM remobilization under wetter environment ranging from 16.7 to 16.8%, rising to 20.7 to 23.7% in the drier environment. Cham 5 and Cham 3 also showed higher N translocation to grains (values=67.3 and 72.9%) under drier conditions. N deficiency significantly (P<0.05) increased N remobilization to grain in Deir Alla 6 and Hourani Nawawi; increasing N rate from 0 to 200 kg urea ha-1 decreased N remobilization from 40.8 to 20.8% and from 40.3 to 32.3% in Deir Alla 6 and Hourani Nawawi, respectively. In conclusion, some varieties showed high capacity for DM and N translocation under unfavorable conditions and they could be considered as a potential source of genes for plant breeding.
Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction at Beidha, southern Jordan (c. 18,000–8,500 BP): implications for human occupation during the Natufian and Pre-Pottery Neolithic

The Beidha archaeological site in Southern Jordan was occupied during the Natufian (two discrete occupation phases, c. 15,200–14,200 cal. BP and c. 13,600– 13,200 cal. years BP) and Pre-Pottery B Neolithic periods (c. 10,300–8,600 cal. years BP). This chapter reconstructs the palaeoenvironments at Beidha during these periods, using sedimentological observations and the stable isotopic composition (oxygen and carbon) of carbonate deposits. Age control is provided by uranium-series and radiocarbon dating. Detailed analysis of a carbonate stratigraphic section related to a fossil spring close to the site, and a sequence of carbonate nodules from a section on the western edge of the archaeological site, permits a reconstruction of climatic variations between c. 18,000 and c. 8,500 years BP. The results of the palaeoenvironmental study are compared with the archaeological evidence, to explore the relationship between human occupation and climatic variability at Beidha. The results indicate a marked correspondence between more favourable (wetter) environmental conditions and phases of occupation at Beidha, and provide clues to the likely sources of water that sustained the settlement during the Late Pleistocene and early Holocene.
Power diagrams and sparse paged grids for high resolution adaptive liquids

We present an efficient and scalable octree-inspired fluid simulation framework with the flexibility to leverage adaptivity in any part of the computational domain, even when resolution transitions reach the free surface. Our methodology ensures symmetry, definiteness and second order accuracy of the discrete Poisson operator, and eliminates numerical and visual artifacts of prior octree schemes. This is achieved by adapting the operators acting on the octree's simulation variables to reflect the structure and connectivity of a power diagram, which recovers primal-dual mesh orthogonality and eliminates problematic T-junction configurations. We show how such operators can be efficiently implemented using a pyramid of sparsely populated uniform grids, enhancing the regularity of operations and facilitating parallelization. A novel scheme is proposed for encoding the topology of the power diagram in the neighborhood of each octree cell, allowing us to locally reconstruct it on the fly via a lookup table, rather than resorting to costly explicit meshing. The pressure Poisson equation is solved via a highly efficient, matrix-free multigrid preconditioner for Conjugate Gradient, adapted to the power diagram discretization. We use another sparsely populated uniform grid for high resolution interface tracking with a narrow band level set representation. Using the recently introduced SPGrid data structure, sparse uniform grids in both the power diagram discretization and our narrow band level set can be compactly stored and efficiently updated via streaming operations. Additionally, we present enhancements to adaptive level set advection, velocity extrapolation, and the fast marching method for redistancing. Our overall framework gracefully accommodates the task of dynamically adapting the octree topology during simulation. We demonstrate end-to-end simulations of complex adaptive flows in irregularly shaped domains, with tens of millions of degrees of freedom.
The tectonic evolution of the lower Palaeozoic rocks of extreme SE Ireland

Summary Five deformation phases (D0–D4) and four metamorphic events (M0–M3) are recognised in the lower Palaeozoic rocks of an extensive area lying to the south of the Leinster granite. D0 and M0 features are interpreted as being the result of post diagenetic burial metamorphism. The main regional deformation (D1) preceded the intrusion of the Leinster granite and produced tight folds and an axial-planar slaty cleavage. D2 and D3 deformations produced more brittle linear and planar structures. They show a localised development which is interpreted as being due to late stage movements of unexposed granite bodies at relatively shallow depths.
Methane flux in subalpine wetland and unsaturated soils in the southern Rocky Mountains

Methane exchange between the atmosphere and subalpine wetland and unsaturated soils was evaluated over a 15‐month period during 1995–1996. Four vegetation community types along a moisture gradient (wetland, moist‐grassy, moist‐mossy, and dry) were included in a 100 m sampling transect situated at 3200 m elevation in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Methane fluxes and soil temperature were measured during snow‐free and snow‐covered periods, and soil moisture content was measured during snow‐free periods. The range of mean measured fluxes through all seasons (a positive value represents CH4 efflux to the atmosphere) were: 0.3 to 29.2 mmol CH4 m−2 d−1 wetland area; 0.1 to 1.8 mmol CH4 m−2 d−1, moist‐grassy area; −0.04 to 0.7 mmol CH4 m−2 d−1, moist‐mossy area; and −0.6 to 0 mmol CH4m−2 d−1, dry area. Methane efflux was significantly correlated with soil temperature (5 cm) at the continuously saturated wetland area during snow‐free periods. Consumption of atmospheric methane was significantly correlated with moisture content in the upper 5 cm of soil at the dry area. A model based on the wetland flux‐temperature relationship estimated an annual methane emission of 2.53 mol CH4 m−2 from the wetland. Estimates of annual methane flux based on field measurements at the other sites were 0.12 mol CH4 m−2, moist‐grassy area; 0.03 mol CH4 m−2, moist‐mossy area; and −0.04 mol CH4 m−2, dry area. Methane fluxes during snow‐covered periods were responsible for 25, 73, 23, and 43% of the annual fluxes at the wetland, moist‐grassy, moist‐mossy, and dry sites, respectively.