Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Model structure and uncertainty for stochastic non-point source modelling applications

Abstract The uncertainty associated with a rainfall–runoff and non-point source loading (NPS) model can be attributed to both the parameterization and model structure. An interesting implication of the areal nature of NPS models is the direct relationship between model structure (i.e. sub-watershed size) and sample size for the parameterization of spatial data. The approach of this research is to find structural limitations in scale for the use of the conceptual NPS model, then examine the scales at which suitable stochastic depictions of key parameter sets can be generated. The overlapping regions are optimal (and possibly the only suitable regions) for conducting meaningful stochastic analysis with a given NPS model. Previous work has sought to find optimal scales for deterministic analysis (where, in fact, calibration can be adjusted to compensate for sub-optimal scale selection); however, analysis of stochastic suitability and uncertainty associated with both the conceptual model and the parameter set, as presented here, is novel; as is the strategy of delineating a watershed based on the uncertainty distribution. The results of this paper demonstrate a narrow range of acceptable model structure for stochastic analysis in the chosen NPS model. In the case examined, the uncertainties associated with parameterization and parameter sensitivity are shown to be outweighed in significance by those resulting from structural and conceptual decisions. Citation Parker, G. T. Rennie, C. D. & Droste, R. L. (2011) Model structure and uncertainty for stochastic non-point source modelling applications. Hydrol. Sci. J. 56(5), 870–882.
No 1196 March 2013 Where the Streets Have a Name : Income Comparisons in the US

This paper analyses how neighbors' income affect agents' well-being using unprecedented data from the BRFSS and the City of Somerville. We conduct a multi-scale approach at the county, ZIP code and street-levels and find that the association between well-being and neighbors' income follows an inverted U-shaped pattern in the size of the area. We find a negative relationship between well-being and neighbors' income in the county of residence, but the opposite at the ZIP code-level. Our results are consistent with the fact that agents enjoy living in a rich ZIP code but also having poor faraway neighbors since they have preferences for high social status. We test explicitly this interpretation by including amenities and the relative rank in the local income distribution in our model. At the street-level, we find a negative association between neighbors' income and self-reported well-being indicating the presence of income comparisons between very close neighbors. JEL Classifications: C25, D00, J31
Lidar and CTIPe model studies of the fast amplitude growth with altitude of the diurnal temperature “tides” in the Antarctic winter lower thermosphere and dependence on geomagnetic activity

Four years of lidar observations at McMurdo reveal that the fast amplitude growth with altitude of diurnal temperature tides from 100 to 110 km during Antarctic winters, exceeding that of the freely propagating tides from the lower atmosphere, increases in strength with the Kp magnetic activity index. Simulations with the Coupled Thermosphere Ionosphere Plasmasphere Electrodynamics (CTIPe) model reproduce the lidar observations and exhibit concentric ring structures of diurnal amplitudes encircling the south geomagnetic pole and overlapping the auroral zone. These findings point to a magnetospheric source origin. Mechanistic studies using CTIPe show that the adiabatic cooling/heating associated with Hall ion drag is the dominant source of this feature, while Joule heating is a minor contributor due to the counteraction by Joule‐heating‐induced adiabatic cooling. The sum of total dynamical effects and Joule heating explains ~80% of the diurnal amplitudes. Auroral particle heating, lower atmosphere tides, and direct solar heating have minor contributions.
In search of greener pastures: Using satellite images to predict the effects of environmental change on zebra migration

Historically, ungulate migrations occurred in most grassland and boreal woodland ecosystems, but many have been lost due to increasing habitat loss and fragmentation. With the rate of environmental change increasing, identifying and prioritizing migration routes for conservation has taken on a new urgency. Understanding the cues that drive long‐distance animal movements is critical to predicting the fate of migrations under different environmental change scenarios and how large migratory herbivores will respond to increasing resource heterogeneity and anthropogenic influences. We used an individual‐based modeling approach to investigate the influence of environmental conditions, monitored using satellite data, on departure date and movement speed of migrating zebras in Botswana. Daily zebra movements between dry and rainy season ranges were annotated with coincident observations of precipitation from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission data set and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer‐derived normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). An array of increasingly complex movement models representing alternative hypotheses regarding the environmental cues and controls for movement was parameterized and tested. The best and most justified model predicted daily zebra movement as two linear functions of precipitation rate and NDVI and included a modeled departure date as a function of cumulative precipitation. The model was highly successful at replicating both the timing and pace of seven actual migrations observed using GPS telemetry (R2 = 0.914). It shows how zebras rapidly adjust their movement to changing environmental conditions during migration and are able to reverse migration to avoid adverse conditions or exploit renewed resource availability, a nomadic behavior which should lend them a degree of resilience to climate and environmental change. Our results demonstrate how competing individual‐based migration models, informed by freely available satellite data, can be used to evaluate the weight of evidence for multiple hypotheses regarding the use of environmental cues in animal movement. This modeling framework can be applied to quantify how animals adapt the timing and pace of their movements to prevailing environmental conditions and to forecast migrations in near real time or under alternative environmental scenarios.
Source or Sink? An Assessment of the Role of the Old Red Sandstone in the Genesis of the Irish Zn-Pb Deposits

The Zn-Pb (-Ba) deposits of central Ireland are hosted by Lower Carboniferous Waulsortian limestone and Navan Group carbonate sediments. The deposits are located near the margins of subbasins in close association with extensional faults. The source of metals and the flow pathways utilized by the hydrothermal fluids responsible for ore genesis have long been a matter of conjecture. The Devonian to Lower Carboniferous Old Red Sandstone has been suggested as a possible regional aquifer and metals source. Therefore, a petrographic and lead isotope study of this unit was conducted to assess its putative role in ore formation. Hydrothermally unaltered Old Red Sandstone has 206Pb/204Pb, 207Pb/204Pb, and 208Pb/204Pb ratios ranging from 18.71 to 22.45, 15.52 to 15.86, and 38.57 to 42.71, respectively. The sedimentological characteristics of the red beds, coupled with results of isotopic modeling, support the conclusion that the lead isotope signature of the unit is predominantly controlled by radiogenic Caledonian granite detritus that has an Avalonian-like character. The modeled lead isotope composition of the Old Red Sandstone at the time of the Lower Carboniferous ore-forming event is too radiogenic for it to have acted as the main source of lead for the Irish ore field. Examination of drill core, outcrop, and underground exposures reveals that hydrothermal alteration within the Old Red Sandstone forms a halo around faults, indicating that fluid flow in the unit was predominantly structurally focused. These hydrothermally altered sediments have 206Pb/204Pb, 207Pb/204Pb, and 208Pb/204Pb ratios of 18.21 to 21.77, 15.54 to 15.91, and 38.02 to 41.57, respectively. Unlike the unaltered sediments, several altered samples have lead isotope compositions similar to galena from the Lower Carboniferous deposits. Petrographic examination reveals that these samples contain trace hydrothermal sulfides that are probably responsible for the orelike signature. Therefore, it appears that, at least locally, the Old Red Sandstone functioned as a sink for lead during the Lower Carboniferous mineralizing event. The conclusions from this study eliminate the Old Red Sandstone as the main source of lead in the ore field and suggest that deposit lead is derived primarily from lower Paleozoic rocks (± Precambrian crystalline basement). In view of these results, regional gravity-driven fluid flow models calling upon an Old Red Sandstone-focused flow regime and metals source can be discounted. Rather, deep circulation of fluids through the fractured basement underlying central Ireland plays an integral role in the evolution of the ore-forming system.
Land-cover change and human–environment interactions in a rural cultural landscape in South Africa

This paper presents an historical analysis (1974–97) of associations between land-cover change and socio-economic factors for three villages in a former bantustan region of South Africa. The notion of social–ecological systems is used as the conceptual framework for this analysis, in which the former bantustan region of Bushbuckridge is posited as a cultural landscape. The local landscape showed distinctive modifications over the study period, broad trends including the growth of human settlements and the decrease in woodland cover. However, changes were not uniform across sites, and the direction and magnitude of changes in land cover were often nonlinear and site-specific. Analysis of associations between biophysical and socio-economic changes at different scales revealed a range of important interacting forces such as population growth, drought, shortages of land, grazing and wood resources, weakening institutional governance of natural resources, and the diversification of livelihood strategies, including the sale of fuelwood, concurrent with declining employment security and cattle ownership. Evidence suggests a possible erosion of resilience in these social–ecological systems at various scales, with important implications for socio-economic development and sustainable resource management.
Anisotropic low‐velocity lower crust beneath the northeastern margin of Tibetan Plateau: Evidence for crustal channel flow

Detailed seismic structure in the crust beneath the northeastern margin of Tibetan Plateau was revealed by receiver functions of a regional permanent seismic network. At most stations, negative P‐to‐S converted phases can be detected in the radial receiver functions, prior to the Moho phases, indicating low velocities in the midlower crust. Prominent azimuthal variations in the transverse receiver functions with polarity reversal suggest azimuthal anisotropy in the crust. We used time variations of the P‐to‐S converted phases at the Moho in the radial receiver functions and the azimuth‐weighted stacking of transverse receiver functions to determine the fast direction and magnitude of anisotropy. The low‐velocity midlower crust with the coherent azimuthal anisotropy in the northeastern margin of Tibetan Plateau is consistent with the lower crustal channel flow model.
A rule-based urban land use inferring method for fine-resolution multispectral imagery

Detailed urban land use mapping requires high-resolution remotely sensed data. The pan-sharpened multispectral IKONOS imagery of 1 m pixel resolution is experimented with for urban land use classification. With the increase of spatial resolution, between-class spectral confusion and within-class spectral variation increase. Spectral-based traditional image classification methods cannot be directly applied to the IKONOS data for urban land use mapping. In this study, a rule-based urban land use inferring method is proposed and tested on 36 samples of typical land use classes and an IKONOS subscene of various classes in London, Ontario, Canada. The proposed method includes two general steps. First, the conventional multispectral classification method is applied to produce a preliminary land cover map. Second, urban land use information is inferred from the combination of several land cover classes existing in a neighbourhood by a rule-based modelling process. The inferring rules involve the percent composition ranges of compatible land cover categories for a certain land use class, the interrelationship of the compatible land covers, and exclusion of incompatible land covers. The results show that the proposed method has successfully identified level II and level III land use classes using the U.S. Geological Survey land use classification system. The proposed method has successfully identified the land use classes in the sample image with over 90% accuracy. For the subscene, the proposed method has produced a land use map with 88.5% overall accuracy.
On Kurtosis and Occurrence Probability of Freak Waves

Based on a weakly non-Gaussian theory, the occurrence probability of freak waves is formulated in terms of the number of waves in a time series and the surface elevation kurtosis. Finite kurtosis gives rise to a significant enhancement of freak wave generation in comparison with the linear narrowbanded wave theory. For a fixed number of waves, the estimated amplification ratio of freak wave occurrence due to the deviation from the Gaussian theory is 50%–300%. The results of the theory are compared with laboratory and field data.
PARTISIPASI MASYARAKAT DESA KOMODO DALAM PENGEMBANGAN EKOWISATA DI PULAU KOMODO

The purpose of this study was to examine the participationof community members of Komodo village with regard toecotourism development in the island of Komodo, KomodoNational Park, West Manggarai Regency. For the purpose ofthe study, qualitative research method was applied with theapplication of qualitative data collection techniques, includinginterviews, observation, and documentary analysis. Specifically,the study was conducted in the village of Komodo withactive participation of 22 key informants. The results of thisstudy revealed the roles of the community of Komodo villageparticipation in ecotourism development, namely communitymembers’ participation in the program of Komodo TourismVillage of BNI (Bank Negara Indonesia), participation inecotourism business, and participation in conservation. Factorsthat affect Komodo village community participation weredivided into two main factors, such as factors that support andfactor that hinder the community participation. The result alsoindicated the positive impact of the community participation oneconomic, environment, and social and cultural.
Multilinear Regression Equations for Predicting Lateral Spread Displacement from Soil Type and Cone Penetration Test Data

AbstractIn the 1990s, Bartlett and Youd introduced empirical equations for predicting horizontal displacement from liquefaction-induced lateral spreading; these equations have become popular in engineering practice. The equations were developed by multilinear regression (MLR) of lateral spreading case history data compiled by these researchers. In 2002, these equations were revised and updated to include additional case history data. The regressions indicated that the amount of horizontal displacement is statistically related to the topography, earthquake magnitude, and distance from the seismic energy source. It is also related to the thickness, fines content, and mean grain size of the saturated, granular sediments with corrected standard penetration test blow count values less than 15. This paper proposes to modify the MLR empirical equations by replacing the fines content and mean grain size factors with soil description factors. Such modification allows investigators performing preliminary evaluation.
Oxidized and Reduced Biogenic Nitrogen Compound Emissions into the Rural Troposphere: Characterization and Modeling

Abstract : Nitrogen compound emissions are known to have profound effects on air quality. Consequences associated with increased emissions of oxidized and reduced nitrogen species are known to be increased tropospheric ozone production, fine particulate aerosol production, nitrate contamination of drinking water, eutrophication and acidification of soil and water bodies. It is well recognized that soil emissions can contribute a substantial percent of the total inventory for both the oxidized and reduced species, but great uncertainty still exists in this inventory. Using a dynamic flow-through chamber technique in conjunction with a state-of-the-art mobile laboratory, this research attempts to characterize and model these oxidized and reduced biogenic nitrogen compound emissions into the rural troposphere. North Carolina has relatively recently witnessed the increased use of both municipal waste biosolids and the land application of swine waste effluent; two processes which both contribute nitrogen to the ecosystem. The first of these processes involves the land application of municipal waste biosolids as a cost effective way to dispose of these nutrient rich byproducts of the wastewater treatment process. During the last three decades extensive research has been conducted on nitric oxide emissions from agricultural soils and consequently an extensive database has been developed which is used to relate these emissions to various environmental parameters. Biosolid amended soils, however remain a land-use type which are comparatively much less studied.
Linear and nonlinear statistical analysis of the impact of sub‐tropical ridge intensity and position on south‐east Australian rainfall

The intensity and position of the sub‐tropical ridge (STR) have strong relationships with rainfall variability in southern Australia. The combined effect of intensity and position in March‐April‐May (MAM) and June‐July‐August (JJA) is the focus of this research. Linear statistics were used first: area‐averaged and Australia‐wide spatial correlations of STR intensity and position with precipitation in south‐west eastern Australia reveal that STR intensity has a much stronger and more widespread relationship with precipitation in both seasons. Over time, these relationships vary in magnitude and spatial extent with the sign of the correlation changing between two 50‐year epochs. These nonlinearities were investigated further using classification trees. Area‐averaged precipitation data (terciles) for south‐west eastern Australia was classified on the basis of STR intensity and position. In both seasons the classification trees identify STR intensity as the primary partition defining the dry group, supporting the linear analysis. In the transition season of MAM, the time of year when the mean position of the STR is more southerly, STR position is important in distinguishing between a ‘winter‐like’ and a ‘summer‐like’ wet groups, providing STR intensity is low. Vector wind analyses were computed to explain the composite seasonal precipitation anomaly results in terms of different circulation patterns associated with these two wet groups. The frequency of wet and dry cases in each group was examined with changes evident over the recent years. The research confirms that STR intensity is more important than STR position in explaining inter‐annual rainfall variability across southern Australia but also demonstrates the additional role of STR position in MAM. These results explain the low correlation between rainfall and STR position and why this relationship has evolved during the 20th century as the mean location of the STR has shifted south in MAM.
The geotechnical characteristics of the till deposits of Holderness

Abstract The glacial deposits of Holderness are well displayed along the coast of Humberside from Bridlington to Spurn Head. These deposits consist primarily of tills which may contain chalky debris and include pockets and lenses of sands and gravel. They have been subdivided in the past into four units the Basement, Drab, Purple and Hessle Boulder Clays. This has been re-interpreted as three tills (the Basement, Skipsea and Withernsea Tills) below a composite weathered unit of Skipsea and Withernsea Till. The dominant clay minerals in all the clays are kaolinite and illite. In addition, the clay fraction usually constitutes up to 30% of the deposit. Accordingly the clays have a low plasticity. However, because the Basement Till contains a larger content of fines it does have higher consistency limits. The geotechnical data confirm the interpretation of the “Hessle Clay” as a weathered product of the Skipsea and Withernsea Tills
River flood plains are model ecosystems to test general hydrogeomorphic and ecological concepts

A major challenge in ecology is to link patterns and processes across different spatial and temporal scales. Flood plains are ideal model ecosystems to study (i) the processes that create and maintain environmental heterogeneity and (ii) to quantify the effects of environmental heterogeneity on ecosystem functioning and biodiversity. Fluvial processes of cut‐and‐fill alluviation create new channels, bars and benches within a flood plain that in turn provides new surface for subsequent vegetative recruitment and growth resulting in a shifting mosaic of interconnected aquatic and terrestrial habitat patches. Composition and spatial arrangement of these habitat patches control the movement of organisms and matter among adjacent patches; and the capacity of a habitat to process matter depends on the productivity of adjacent patches and on the exchange among these patches. The exchange of matter and organisms among habitats of different age and productivity is often pulsed in nature. Small pulses of a physical driver (e.g. short‐term increase in flow) can leach large amounts of nutrients thereby stimulating primary production in adjacent aquatic patches, or trigger mass emergence of aquatic insects that may in turn impact recipient terrestrial communities. Hence, biodiversity in a river corridor context is hierarchically structured and strongly linked to the dynamic biophysical processes and feedback mechanisms that drive these chronosequences over broad time and space scales. Today, the active conversion of degraded ecosystems back to a more heterogeneous and dynamic state has become an important aspect of restoration and management where maintaining or allowing a return to the shifting habitat mosaic dynamism is the goal with the expected outcome greater biodiversity and clean water among other valuable ecosystem goods and services. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Strength of Discontinuous Rocks in Direct Shear

Synopsis The strength of discontinuous rocks under direct shear loading is examined analytically and experimentally. In the direct shear test a homogeneous and isotropic block of rock may fail by three mechanisms: failure in tension, failure in shear and failure at ultimate strength. The strength parameters include the tensile strength, fundamental shear strength (cohesion), angle of internal friction, the angle of friction at ultimate strength and the normal stress on plane of enforced shear. The direct shear strength of planes of weakness, orientated in the plane of enforced shear, is derived from two sources: strength of solid rock where no separation exists and joint friction along the separated parts of the shear surface. Maximum shear strength develops only if solid strength and joint friction are mobilized simultaneously, that is at the same deformation. On examine analytiquement et experimentalement la resistance de roches discontinues soumises a une charge de cisaillement direct. Dans un essai de.