Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
C-Band Polarimetric Coherences and Ratios for Discriminating Sea Ice Roughness

The rapid decline of sea ice in the Arctic has resulted in a variable sea ice roughness that necessitates improved methods for efficient observation using high-resolution spaceborne radar. The utility of C-band polarimetric backscatter, coherences, and ratios as a discriminator of ice surface roughness is evaluated. An existing one-dimensional backscatter model has been modified to two-dimensions (2D) by considering deviation in the orientation (i.e., the slopes) in azimuth and range direction of surface roughness simultaneously as an improvement in the model. It is shown theoretically that the circular coherence () decreases exponentially with increasing surface roughness. The crosspolarized coherence () is found to be less sensitive to surface roughness, whereas the copolarized coherence () decreases at far-range incidence angles for all ice types. A complete validation of the adapted 2D model using direct measurements of surface roughness is suggested as an avenue for further research.
Quantifying relative contributions from sediment sources in Conservation Effects Assessment Project watersheds

A technique using the relationship between the naturally occurring radionuclide tracers, 7Be and 210Pbxs, was used to differentiate eroded surface soils and channel-derived sediments in the fine suspended sediment loads of runoff events in five Conservation Effects Assessment Project watersheds. A simple two end-member mixing model was used to determine the relative contribution from each source. Results suggest that eroded surface soils were more prevalent in the suspended load early in a runoff event, but channel contributions dominated the suspended load at later stages. The method proved useful for multiple sites due to a constant proportion of the atmospheric deliveries of the two radionuclides globally. Use of only two radionuclide tracers simplifies the differentiation of sediment sources within a watershed but limits precision.
International Journal of Innovation in Teaching and Learning (IJITL) Volume VI- Issue I (June 2020)

Gap in desired and achieved generic competences among university students has always been a point of concern for educationists and researchers. Those who desire for higher level of competence have greater probability of ending up with higher level of achievement. The present study aims to analyse the gap in generic competences among the prospective teachers enrolled in a B.Ed-4 year programme. Prospective teachers’ competence is one of the basic elements ensuring their student success in academic as well as professional life. This study investigated three gaps i.e. desire-gap (gap between desired and optimal level of prospective teachers regarding generic competences), achievement-gap (gap between achievement and optimal level of prospective teachers regarding generic competences) and desire-achievement gap (gap between desired and achievement level of prospective teachers regarding generic competences). There were only 13 public universities in Punjab offering B.Ed-4 year programme. Researchers conveniently sampled 210 prospective teachers from seven universities (53%) in Punjab; and surveyed them through quantitative research method. An adopted competence scale (from an international project i.e. the Reflex Project) comprising 19 generic competences was used to collect the data. The analysis of the data revealed that all three gaps existed among the prospective teachers regarding their generic competences. Desired level (i.e. 80%), though, high enough, nevertheless, yielded the desire-gap (100-80%) of 20%, which showed room for further development. Surprisingly, the achievement-gap (100-67%) was found to be 33%; and the desire-achievement gap (80-67%) to be 16%. Positive correlation showed (higher) achievement level associated with (higher) desired level. Positive relationship between desire and achievement levels implies that high desire brings high achievement. And to reach optimal level it is necessary 1 PhD Scholar, Department of Education, University of Sargodha Email:mehlah.n. 96@gmail.com 2 Professor, Department of Education, University of Sargodha Email: drsarwar@ymail.com 3 Assistant Professor, Department of Education, University of Sargodha Email: multanxa@gmail.com International Journal of Innovation in Teaching and Learning (IJITL) Volume VIIssue I (June 2020) 36 for the desire level to exalt it to the optimal point. The findings of the study may help prospective teachers to enhance their professional knowledge, skills and competences which increase their employment opportunity.
Consistency and differences between remotely sensed and surface observed total cloud cover over China

In this study, we conducted a comparison between surface-observed total cloud cover (TCCs) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-derived total cloud cover (TCCm) over China. A statistical method was applied to estimate the average field of view (FOV) of surface observers, and the radius range of FOV was 20–25, 25–35, 35–50, and 25–45 km for spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively. More differences would be added in the comparison when the satellite’s FOV was smaller or larger than the average FOV. Monthly mean TCCs was 74.78%, 74.41%, 66.5%, and 74.06% for each season and the corresponding TCCm was 75.27%, 78.34%, 73.82%, and 82.12%. The correlation between two data sets was stronger in spring (0.727) and summer (0.736) than in autumn (0.710) and winter (0.667). Over 60% of the differences were within the −10% to 10% range, and more differences occurred for smaller TCCs. As a special feature, we found that the dust, haze, and snow cover over specific regions in China were the possible causes of the significant differences. Generally, these two data sets were in good agreement over China, and can complement each other especially in those significant difference cases to provide more accurate TCC data sets.
Division of Flow in Short Open Channel Branches

A theoretical model for division of flow in a short branch channel set at right angles to a main channel is presented for various width ratios of the branch channel to the main channel. The model is developed using the principles of momentum, energy, and continuity and is based on the existence of free flow conditions in the branch channel. The analysis makes use of the similarity of flow configuration between the division of flow in a branch channel and in a two-dimensional lateral conduit outlet fitted with a barrier. This similarity of flow is used to estimate the contraction coefficient of the converging jet entering the branch channel. The ratio of the branch channel flow to the main channel flow is related to the Froude number in the main channel section downstream of the junction. Data from present experimental studies and those from earlier investigations are presented to validate the theoretical model.
Biotic influences on landslide occurrence in the Kaimai Range

Abstract Explanations are sought for the recent increased erosion in the Kaimai Range. Vegetation mortality adjacent to the landslide scars is thought to be the most important factor predisposing the area to erosion. No evidence was found to suggest that the mortality was due to browsing animals, but mortality was linked with a severe drought in 1946. Prevalent fog, by maintaining high soil moisture contents, may enhance vegetation susceptibility to drought and increase the landslide risk in the fog zone. Severe storms in 1954, 1960, 1966, and 1972 followed a period of below-average storm intensity and triggered the current erosion episode. An earthquake in 1972 postdated the main erosion increase and intensified the erosion episode. The same factors have produced increased erosion elsewhere in New Zealand. Consequently greater attention must be given to natural forest devastation of long return period acting indirectly on the regolith.
Local solvability of a class of degenerate second order operators

In this paper we will first present some results about the local solvability property of a class of degenerate second order linear partial differential operators with smooth coefficients. The class under consideration (which in turn is a generalization of the Kannai operator) exhibits a degeneracy due to the interplay between the singularity associated with the characteristic set of a system of vector fields and the vanishing of a function. Afterward we will also discuss some local solvability results for two classes of degenerate second order linear partial differential operators with non-smooth coefficients which are a variation of the main class presented above.
The relationship of gully sidewall shape to sediment production

Reports of gully side erosion describe a range of side forms. The lack of information on the relative significance of the various forms in terms of sediment production hinders the identification of the major sediment sources within gullies. Observations of gully sides in a catchment in central New South Wales showed a range of side forms being eroded at significantly different rates. Side classification and measurement by survey and erosion pins showed that vertical sides, subject to undercutting, had the highest erosion rate (75 mm yr-l) followed by vertical fluted walls (37 mm yr-l). These different rates are critical in predicting present and future rates of erosion and identifying sediment sources within gully systems.
Imaging brain aromatase by using PET : A way to study anabolic steroid abuse

In a previous study, we demonstrated that androgenic-anabolic steroids increased aromatase expression in the bed nucleus of stria terminalis and preoptic area in rat brain, as evaluated using autoradiography with [11C]vorozole, a potential positron emission tomography tracer for aromatase. In this study, we explored whether the increase in aromatase binding is mediated via androgen receptors and whether this increase occurs in neurons or glial cells. Rats were given nandrolone decanoate (15 mg/kg body weight once every 3 days) and flutamide (20 mg/kg/day) alone or in combination for 20 days. Results indicated a significant increase of [11C]vorozole binding by nandrolone decanoate in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and preoptic area, as in our previous study. Flutamide treatment, on the other hand, decreased [11C]vorozole binding in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, preoptic area, and medial amygdala. Immunohistochemical examination demonstrated that upregulation of aromatase expression occurred in neurons. Our findings suggest that aromatase is regulated through an androgen receptor-mediated system. This aromatase-specific tracer and the positron emission tomography technique could be useful for exploring the role of aromatase in anabolic androgenic steroids abusers.
Mammals from the St. Mary River Formation (Upper Cretaceous), Montana

ABSTRACT The St. Mary River Formation (Fm) crops out in restricted parts of southwestern Alberta and northwestern Montana. Mammals are poorly known from the formation, but material collected from Alberta has played a role in recognizing an ‘Edmontonian’ Land Mammal Age between the better sampled Judithian (∼79–74 Ma) and Lancian (∼67–65 Ma) land mammal ages. New and well-preserved multituberculate and metatherian material collected from a single locality in the lower third of the St. Mary River Fm of Montana adds complexity to the interpretation of a discrete ‘Edmontonian’ Land Mammal Age. We report here three taxa of multituberculates (Paracimexomys propriscus, sp. nov., Nidimys occultus, gen. et sp. nov., and a primitive ptilodontoid of comparable size to the smallest species of Mesodma Jepsen, 1940, and Cimexomys Sloan and Van Valen, 1965) and two metatherian taxa (Leptalestes toevsi, sp. nov., and Turgidodon russelli). Paracimexomys propriscus and Turgidodon russelli are probably conspecific with Judithian forms that did not survive to the Lancian. Leptalestes toevsi and Nidimys occultus are taxa unique to the ‘Edmontonian’ but may represent lineages that separated from their closest relatives prior to the Judithian. Lack of Lancian-aspect mammals contrasts sharply with other ‘Edmontonian’ faunas, including an older fauna recovered from the Williams Fork Fm of Colorado, suggesting that the replacement of Judithian mammals by Lancian forms was a complex transition. We tentatively suggest that the Lancian fauna may have expanded into the northern part of the Western Interior in response to the appearance of new terrestrial habitats as sea level fell.
Effects of Bed Compaction on Scour at Piers in Sand-Clay Mixtures

AbstractScour at piers embedded in a bed of cohesive sediment mixture is investigated to quantify the effects of bed compaction. Experiments were conducted in a large rectangular laboratory flume with natural clay sediment collected from a stream located at the Chilean coastal range. Nonintrusive and high-resolution topographic measurements of scoured bed in the vicinity of piers were performed during the experimental runs with an installation of a laser distance sensor (LDS) that was traversed by the precision step motors. Measurements were taken by the LDS in different azimuthal half-planes to study the spatiotemporal variation of the topography of evolving scour holes. Experiments were conducted over 40 h, until an advanced stage of scour was reached, with the approaching flow having a bed shear stress equaling 95% of the Shields critical condition for the initiation of motion of sand in a sand-clay mixture. Results show that the bed is successively scoured in three different forms, chunks of aggregate.
Genesis of the St. Lawrence fluorspar deposits as indicated by fluid inclusion, rare earth element, and isotopic data

More than 40 separate fluorspar veins are associated with the Lower Carboniferous St. Lawrence Granite of southeastern Newfoundland, with more than 3.4 million short tons mined since 1933, and a further 9 million short tons of reserves contained in the three main veins. It is estimated from these tonnages that fluorine concentrations in the magma of only 19 ppm would have been adequate to form the veins, much less than the average of 1,567 ppm F found in the granite. Fluid inclusions show that salinities remain within the range of 5 to 15 equivalent weight percent NaCl, although homogenization temperatures fluctuate between 100 degrees and 500 degrees C. Evidence for boiling between 450 degrees and 223 degrees C indicates that the homogenization temperatures are trapping temperatures, at low pressures between 65 and 650 bars. Some 18 O depletion in the aqueous fluids owing to unmixing and loss of CO 2 . In the fluorite veins, delta 18 O quartz is approximately 14 per mil, and calculated fluid delta values are 10 per mil (450 degrees C) to -6 per mil (120 degrees C); waters released from low-temperature magmatic fluids which underwent transient mixing with a cool low 18 O meteoric reservoir. --Modified journal abstract.
Thufur in the mohlesi valley, lesotho, Southern Africa

Although a considerable amount of periglacial work has concentrated on thufur found in polar and subpolar regions, information pertaining to those in other areas, especially the alpine regions of Africa, is extremely limited. Field observations and measurements provide empirical information on their external and internal morphology in an alpine region of Lesotho, southern Africa. Animal activity, wind action, the effects of surface water and/or ice, and the influence of needle ice are factors which cause thufa breakup. Some thufur in the Mohlesi valley are inactive while others are periodically active under present climatic conditions. Quoique un nombre considerable de recherches aient ete consacrees a l'etude des buttes gazonnees des regions polaires et subpolaires, les informations se rapportant a ces formes dans d'autres regions et specialement dans les regions alpines de l'Afrique sont extrěmement limitees. Des observations de terrain et des mesures ont ete effectuees sur la morphologie interne et externe de ces formes dans les regions alpines du Lesotho en Afrique du Sud. L'activite animale, l'activite du vent, les effets de l'eau de surface et de la glace, ainsi que l'action des [pipkrakes] sont des facteurs qui provoquent la rupture des buttes gazonnees. Quelques buttes gazonnees de la vallee Mohlesi sont inactives tandis que d'autres sont au moins periodiquement actives sous les conditions climatiques actuelles.
Assessment of production losses due to water erosion in rainfed areas of India

Soil erosion by water has a debilitating effect on crop productivity. Though limited and scattered data is available on loss of production due to water erosion in India, no systematic effort has been made to compute the losses in crop production based upon experimental data, major soil groups, and prevailing erosion rates. The objective of this study is to estimate on-site physical and economic loss of production of major cereal, oilseed, and pulse crops cultivated on rainfed areas of India due to soil erosion by water. The estimation is done by integrating the available experimental data of a crop with the rainfed area of that crop under each erosion intensity category for each of the three major soil groups (alluvial, black and red) in a given state. Following this approach, the total production loss due to water erosion of rainfed areas under major cereal, oilseed, and pulse crops in India was observed to occur at 16%, which in actual physical terms was estimated as 13.4 million t (13.2 million tn) and in economic terms as $2.51 billion (INR 111.3 billion) (the conversion has been given in US dollars as per average conversion rate of 2005 to 2006, i.e., at INR 44.273 per US dollar). Among the six zones of India, the average production loss occurred within a range of 10% (northern) to 24% (southern). At state level, the production loss ranged from 1.4% in Punjab and Haryana states located in alluvial Indo-Gangetic Plains to 41% in the erosion-prone northeastern Himalayan state of Nagaland. In terms of production loss among major groups of crops, cereals contributed 66% to the total loss, followed by oilseeds (21%) and pulses (13%). A similar trend was observed for the monetary losses amounting to 45% for cereals, 33% for oilseeds, and 22% for pulses. Paddy was the most affected among all the crops in terms of both production (4.3 million t [4.23 million tn]) and monetary ($0.56 billion [INR 24.4 billion]) losses. Since the losses are cumulative over time, it is imperative to undertake appropriate soil and water conservation measures for rehabilitation of rainfed areas to prevent huge declines in their productivity levels, which may escalate further due to population pressures.
Two-image photometric stereo method

In the photometric stereo method, the surface orientation of an object is determined by using multiple images (at least three images). The multiple images are obtained by changing the position of a light source, and the surface orientation of the object can be determined only in the area of the object illuminated by all light sources. So it is desirable that the number of light sources should be reduced. We propose a method for determining surface orientation along with reflectance, in which only two light sources are used. It is assumed that an object is convex and has a smooth Lambertian surface with locally constant reflectance. We have found the following: there exists a 'separation line' in the image, along which the surface normal is represented as a linear combination of two vectors pointing toward the direction of light sources, and the separation line separates the surface into two regions. Not only when the reflectance is known, but even though the reflectance is unknown, we can determine the surface orientation of the object using the property of the separation line. Here we use the constraint of convexity. Simulations carried out under various situations yielded satisfactory results.
Revista ELectrónica de Investigación y EValuación Educativa

Educational research examines complex and dynamic social phenomena which requires a global perspective. The integrative approach of mixed methodologies (MM) allows QUAL and QUAN perspectives to be merged during the research process. Flexibility, the nature of the phenomenon and analytical density are essential aspects of this integration. The present study aims to analyse the integration of MM as a way of improving the quality and validity of educational research. A systematic review of literature published over the last ten years was carried out following the PRISMA protocol. A total of 22 documents were analysed. Present findings reveal that the effectiveness of MM lies in the degree of integration achieved with regards to methodological equality. In order to address this, it is necessary to consider its integration within theoretical perspectives, alongside research justification, design, objectives, methods, data analysis and transfer, and organisation of the research team. Nonetheless, there are many challenges to effective integration. These include debate pertaining to the rigidity of QUAL and QUAN approaches, the efficacy of integrating MM, research quality and the evaluation criteria of separatist currents which may overshadow the nature of integration. The rise of MM has contributed to understanding the dynamism of educational phenomena. The greatest potential of MM is found in its capacity to achieve effective integration but, at the same time, it presents a challenge for research teams. Hence, consolidated bases are needed to enable the scientific community to develop practices guided by principles of quality, validity and research effectiveness.
Crustal structure in the Shizuoka district, central Japan as derived from explosion seismic observations.

Six explosions ranging from 300kg to 600kg and a quarry blast of 7.5 tons in and around the Shizuoka district were observed within distances less than 150km from the shot points for refraction surveys of the crust in this province. As the geological structures in the Shizuoka district are highly complex, the shooting and the recording had to be made in various geological formations, which gave rise to difficult conditions that all seismic rays consisted of complicated paths. Accordingly, some of the results obtained by the experiments so far made near this region were also incorporated into this study. Combination of our experiments and those made by other researchers, in spite of short distances of observation lines, enables us to propose a four layered crustal model on the uppermost mantle. The main features of the model obtained here are as follows: (1) The east side of the Median Tectonic Line is depressed by about 5.7km and covered with thick surface layers. (2) The upper boundary of the granitic layer is expected to be upward convex beneath the western Izu Peninsula at a depth of about 2km. (3) The basaltic layer has a thickness of about 15 km. (4) The Moho is estimated as 33km deep beneath Suruga Bay.
Rhenium–Osmium (Re–Os) molybdenite systematics and geochronology of the Cruachan Granite skarn mineralization, Etive Complex: implications for emplacement chronology

Synopsis New Re–Os molybdenite geochronology yields the absolute timing (414.6 ± 2.1 and 414.7 ± 2.1 Ma) of Skarn-type mineralization associated with the Cruachan Granite of the Etive Complex at Coire Buidhe, Glencoe, Scotland. The Re–Os dates agree with recent U–Pb zircon geochronology (414.9 ± 0.7 Ma; Neilson et al. 2009) for the host pluton indicating that the mineralization is genetically related to the Cruachan Granite and that the Re–Os dates provide a minimum emplacement timing for the granite. Combined, the new Re–Os and U–Pb dates demonstrate that the crystallization of the Gruachan Granite occurred c. 10 Ma earlier than previously thought.