Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microscale tortuosity and its variation as observed in triggered lightning channels

Slow-streak photographic recordings of the lowest approximately 4–5 m of lightning channels in four triggered flashes are presented to document examples of microscale tortuosity variations (∼ 10 cm or smaller geometric features). These recordings have both high spatial resolution (centimeter scale) and modest temporal resolution (∼ 1.5 ms) such that the channel geometry is accurately rendered formost return strokes and their ensuing M-component events. The M-component events, verified as such from ancillary fast-streak data records, often show a significant enhancement of the microscale tortuosity relative to the previous return stroke channel. Channel length increases (two-dimensional) corresponding to the tortuosity enhancements are found to be as large as 55%, though the mean for 10 evaluations is 23%. In contrast, two M-component events show a marked overall reduction of the microscale tortuosity relative to an immediately preceding sequence of several discharge pulses along the same meter scale channel. Ensuing return strokes occurring along common but previously distorted channels also show a tendency for overall tortuosity reduction or “straightening. ” These tortuosity variations appear to be unrelated to the presence of the vaporized trigger wire residue. Three primary mechanisms of tortuosity enhancement are examined: Z pinch magnetohydrodynamic instability (MHD), discharge generated turbulence, and ambient planetary boundary layer turbulence. The Z pinch instability is assessed quantitatively and may be a contributor through either the high current phase or integrated over a continuing current period. Three variants of discharge generated turbulence also could be contributors, but a critical test of these mechanisms cannot be made with the present data set. Ambient planetary boundary layer turbulence appears unable to account for the observed tortuosity enhancements. An inductive mechanism of tortuosity reduction is also examined as a possible explanation for the disappearance of individual acute kinks or loops as well as overall channel tortuosity reductions. This mechanism cannot explain M-component related tortuosity reductions, but it might be a viable explanation for return stroke straightening given the much larger current derivatives involved. A full accounting of microscale tortuosity variations in lightning discharge channels remains to be achieved.
Dating Diastrophism in the Devonian of Eastern Australia: Biostratigraphic and Biogeographic Constraints

Abstract Abrupt regression events in the Devonian of eastern Australia, lacking synchroneity from region to region, contrast with the extensive and well defined inter-regionally synchronous transgression-regression pattern; the latter is fundamentally concordant with the global eustatic pattern recently discriminated for the Devonian. Such abrupt events, typically characterized by dramatic change in style of sedimentation, are taken to be connected with the changing pattern of diastrophism through Devonian time in eastern Australia. There was plurality of such events but whether these, in aggregate, are reflections of episodic or continuous style diastrophism is not yet clear. The best available data for time constraints on these diastrophic events are set forth and shown to be consistent with a more intricate pattern than generally visualized. For pre-Emsian Bowning and/or Bindi diastrophic pulses (and their associated vulcanism and plutonism) the main focus of activity was in southeastern Australia, as it was for antecedent Silurian diastrophism. For Tabberabberan events (serotinus Zone and younger), the data - though not necessarily constraining as to interpretation - are consistent with maximum intensity in the south with, through time, northward augmentation of the area undergoing orogenesis. This accords with oblique and diachronous plate-interaction. The pattern of plate movements, nevertheless, has yet to be satisfactorily elucidated. The tectonics obviously involved considerable strike-slip fault movement, including large scale (hundreds of kilometres) relative displacement of tectonostratigraphic terranes. This has not been taken into account in recent palinspastic reconstructions.
Influence of bottom topography on cross-shelf circulation forced by time dependent wind

A series of numerical experiments is conducted in order to examine the role of topographic irregularities in generation of subinertial cross-channel barotropic currents and to obtain quantitative estimates of the offshore flow amplitude, its ratio to the magnitude of the alongshore currents and the alongshore correlation scale. A periodic (along the coast) channel with geometry representative of continental margins is considered. Topographic disturbances have mult iple alongshore wavenumber contributions, kr , and the amplitude proportional to kr (except one experiment). The motion is forced by spatially uniform and temporally varying alongshore wind stress, which drives t he background current a long t he channel. The background current adjusts to topographic disturbances and, in particular, Barotropic Shelf Waves (BSW) result. That gives rise to the offshore currents. The amplitude of the cross-channel flow is shown to increase with kr in the long wave limit (order of 100 km in the model) and , in contrast, to decrease with kr in the short wave limit (less than 20 km in the model). As a rule, the strongest response is attained on t he intermediate scales where lee waves form most efficiently. Hart's {1990} quasi-geostrophic solution provided quantitative parameters to explain the scale dependence and helped to interpret the results of simulations meant to examine sensitivity of the cross-channel flow characteristics to variation of the governing parameters. It is shown that the structure of the resonant wave is established by the combination of spatial properties of the bottom bumps, and by the period and amplitude of the fluctuating background current. On the basis of this analysis, it is demonstrated how the BSW dispersion diagram can be used for diagnostic purposes. The averaged (in time and along the channel) amplitude of subinertial cross-channel currents ranged from negligible values to about 5.5 em/ sec , indicating that, indeed, rather substantial offshore flow can be generated due to the effect of t he topographic irregularities. T he alongshore correlation scale was no smaller than about 5 km and in a few simulations (for instance, with lee-wave-favourable mean wind included) reached 30 -50 km. Thesis Supervisor: Kenneth H. Brink Title: Senior Scientist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Hostile Shores. Catastrophic Events in Prehistoric New Zealand and their Impact on Maori Coastal Communities

Du a un archeologue chevronne, auteur de plus de soixante-dix contributions scientifiques tirees de quatre decennies de travail de fouille et d’analyse des donnees de terrain, ce livre a deux ambitions explicites, exposees dans son sous-titre et rappelees p. 15 : « en premier lieu decrire les diverses catastrophes naturelles » anciennes survenues en Nouvelle-Zelande « dans leur contexte stratigraphique pour correler et dater ces evenements prehistoriques » et « en second lieu explorer les eff.
Vestibular perceptual testing from lab to clinic: a review

Not all dizziness presents as vertigo, suggesting other perceptual symptoms for individuals with vestibular disease. These non-specific perceptual complaints of dizziness have led to a recent resurgence in literature examining vestibular perceptual testing with the aim to enhance clinical diagnostics and therapeutics. Recent evidence supports incorporating rehabilitation methods to retrain vestibular perception. This review describes the current field of vestibular perceptual testing from scientific laboratory techniques that may not be clinic friendly to some low-tech options that may be more clinic friendly. Limitations are highlighted suggesting directions for additional research.
RDD-YOLOv5: Road Defect Detection Algorithm with Self-Attention Based on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Inspection

Road defect detection is a crucial aspect of road maintenance projects, but traditional manual methods are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and lack accuracy. Leveraging deep learning frameworks for object detection offers a promising solution to these challenges. However, the complexity of backgrounds, low resolution, and similarity of cracks make detecting road cracks with high accuracy challenging. To address these issues, a novel road crack detection algorithm, termed Road Defect Detection YOLOv5 (RDD-YOLOv5), was proposed. Firstly, a model was proposed to integrate the transformer structure and explicit vision center to capture the long-distance dependency and aggregate key characteristics. Additionally, the Sigmoid-weighted linear activations in YOLOv5 were replaced with the Gaussian Error Linear Units to enhance the model’s nonlinear fitting capability. To evaluate the algorithm’s performance, a UAV flight platform was constructed, and experimental freebies were provided to boost inspection efficiency. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of RDD-YOLOv5, achieving a mean average precision of 91.48%, surpassing the original YOLOv5 by 2.5%. The proposed model proves its ability to accurately identify road cracks, even under challenging and complex traffic backgrounds. This advancement in road crack detection technology has significant implications for improving road maintenance and safety.
Extractable organic matter in municipal wastewaters. 1. Petroleum hydrocarbons: temporal variations and mass emission rates to the ocean

Samples of final effluent were collected from the major municipal wastewater discharges in southern California during 1979 and analyzed for total, aliphatic, and aromatic hydrocarbons. Mean total hydrocarbon contents of those effluents having received mainly primary treatment ranged from 6.1 to 16.3 mg/L, whereas sludge concentrations were approximately 340 mg/L. The vast majority of these hydrocarbons are associated with particulate matter; however, their composition was virtually identical for all effluents. The temporal variations of wastewater total hydrocarbon concentrations (approx.13-37%) appear to be independent of sampling frequency. From these data, southern California's treatment plants are estimated to discharge more than 17.4 X 10/sup 3/ metric tons of hydrocarbons/yr or 4.9 g/(capita day) to coastal waters. This is approximately double the input rate due to surface runoff in this region. Moreover, it represents nearly 6% of the worldwide input of wastewater-borne petroleum to the ocean. Problems associated with global input assessments are discussed, and a correlative means of estimating wastewater hydrocarbon concentrations is presented.
Fractal Nature of the Band-Thickness in the Archean Banded Iron Formation in the Yellowknife Greenstone Belt, Northwest Territories, Canada

Banded iron formations (BIFs) are chemically precipitated deposits on the Precambrian sea floor and are characterised by alternations of repeat Fe-rich and Si-rich layers [1]. Temporal varia‐ tions in the volumes of BIFs are considered to be related to early evolution of the atmosphere, oceans, life and the Earth’s interior [2, 3]. In general, BIFs contain various scales of banding. Bands with a thickness of several tens of meters to meters, a thickness of centimetres and a thickness of submillimetre to millimetres are named macrobands, mesobands and microbands, respective‐ ly [4]. Some depositions are related to periodic phenomena, such as annual cycles [4], tidal and solar cycles [5–7], and Milankovitch cycles [8, 9] in the Precambrian. On the other hand, quanti‐ tative analysis of the banding is limited to Paleoproterozoic Hamersley (Superior-type) BIFs, although BIFs occur within an age range from 3.8 Ga to about 0.7 Ga [10]. Therefore, it is necessa‐ ry to investigate different BIFs, in terms of both their age and type, clarified by size and litholog‐ ical facies (i.e., Superiorand Algoma-types) to understand the nature of their banded structures.
Exploring opto-electronic approaches for an accurate face reconstruction

This work focuses on the description of face reconstruction by using several image techniques. The main purpose is to explore many opto-electronic configurations for camera capture in order to obtain an accurate reconstruction. In this work, we used different camera technologies and lenses for face reconstruction. We compared the analyzed techniques and applied objective measures to evaluate the best camera configuration for reconstruction accuracy. Computer simulation results are obtained in order to evaluate the performance of the proposed system in terms of reconstruction performance, and computational efficiency.
Approaches to developing tolerance and error budget for active three mirror anastigmat space telescopes

The size of the optics used in observatories is often limited by fabrication, metrology, and handling technology, but having a large primary mirror provides significant benefits for scientific research. The evolution of rocket launch options enables heavy payload carrying on orbit and outstretching the telescope’s form-factor choices. Moreover, cost per launch is lower than the traditional flight method, which is obviously advantageous for various novel space observatory concepts. The University of Arizona has successfully fabricated many large-scale primary optics for ground-based observatories including the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT, 8.4 meter diameter two primary mirrors), Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (now renamed to Vera C. Rubin Observatory, 8.4 meter diameter monolithic primary and tertiary mirror), and the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT, 8.4 meter diameter primary mirror seven segments). Launching a monolithic primary mirror into space could bypass many of the difficulties encountered during the assembly and deployment of the segmented primary mirrors. However, it might bring up unprecedented challenges and hurdles, also. We explore and foresee the expected challenges and evaluate them. To estimate the tolerance and optical error budget of a large optical system in space such as three mirror anastigmat telescope, we have developed a methodology that considers various errors from design, fabrication, assembly, and environmental factors.
On The Grounds Of Post-Byzantine Greek Icons

The grounds of 51 post-Byzantine icons (Eastern Orthodox panel paintings) were studied by means of analytical techniques. The artefacts cover the period from the mid-15th to the mid-19th century and originate mainly from western (Epirus and the Ionian Islands) and southern Greece (Crete). The findings are examined in the light of technical recipes from related areas and eras, while special insights are gained from the exploration of a gypsum processing recipe by Dionysius of Fourna. A spectrum of ground fabrication practices that is richer than that reported so far or can be deduced from surviving Greek recipes is documented; three instances of ‘grosso-sottile’ type grounds and a case of ‘inverse grosso-sottile’ ground are among the reported novel, for post-Byzantine icons, findings. Moreover, a case of an early icon restoration intervention is documented.
Cycling of phosphorus and Manganese in the Arabian Sea during the Late Quaternary

This thesis investigates phosphorus and manganese cycling in the Arabian Sea during the Late Quaternary, using sediment records recovered during the Netherlands Indian Ocean Programme (NIOP) in 1992. The first part is concerned with the reconstruction of Late Quaternary variability in paleoproductivity and oxygen minimum zone intensity. Special attention is given to manganese and sulphur accumulation patterns in order to trace back variations in bottom water oxygen content of the deep basin and continental slope. In the second part of this thesis P cycling in the Arabian Sea sediments is investigated. Pore water fluxes and solid-phase P speciation results are combined to assess the diagenetic processes controlling the benthic regeneration and burial of P. The contrasting environmental conditions that 'characterized the Arabian Sea in past and present provide an excellent opportunity to elucidate the mechanisms that govern P removal from the oceans, and to determine the potential role ofP cycling on changes in paleoproductivity over geological time scales.
An exploratory framework for accelerated airport pavement testing using the geotechnical centrifuge

ABSTRACT Full-scale Accelerated Pavement testing (APT) has been regarded as an essential step to bridge the gap between research and practice for pavement design because it can fully mimic a large number of heavy wheel loading on pavements. Despite being able to test pavements in an accelerated manner compared to Long-term Performance Monitoring (LTPM), conducting one full-scale APT experiment is still demanding in terms of monetary cost, space, time, etc., and the accessibility to APT facilities is only available in a few countries nowadays. In this study, an exploratory APT study with a down-scaled pavement model in a high-g environment created by geotechnical centrifuge was performed with up to half a million simulated aircraft load repetitions. Through this test, it was proved that the centrifuge APT can reproduce the full-scale airfield pavement responses, including rutting, cracking, material fatigue, etc. The transient and permanent deflection of the pavement surface, variations in stress and strain states within the pavement structure over its lifespan can be well captured for analysis. This framework of centrifuge APT provides a new methodology for pavement testing and can significantly save the current cost and time of full-scale APT.
Comparison of the external load of professional goalkeepers in different weekly training sessions

The aim of this study was to compare the external load of professional goalkeepers (GKs) in different training sessions of the microcycle. Three professional GKs (age: 28.1 ± 6.9 years; stature: 190.1 ± 1.9 cm; body mass: 84.8 ± 1.1 kg) were monitored by GPS devices during different training sessions according to the days since/until the match day (MD) at MD+1, MD-4, MD-3, MD-2 and MD-1. Different external load measures were calculated: total distance, distance covered at > 14 km · h−1, acceleration load, player load, number of dives, dive load, number of explosive efforts of displacement, number of low intensity (< 0.3 m), medium intensity (0.3–0.4 m), high intensity (> 0.4 m) and medium-high intensity jumps (> 0.3 m). The results showed that there is a decrease in the external load as the GKs’ training sessions approach the match, with the lowest value of external load observed at MD-1, and the highest external loads at MD+1 and MD-4. This analysis of the external load demands of professional soccer GKs provides new information that will be useful to inform professionals when planning and implementing training and/or recovery strategies for soccer GKs during the microcycle.
The greening of the Sahara during the mid-Holocene: results of an interactive atmosphere-biome model

An asynchronously coupled atmospherebiome model was used to assess the biogeophysical interaction during the mid-Holocene, 6000 years before present. The model determines its own land surface conditions and can, therefore, predict quasiequilibrium changes in global vegetation patterns. For the mid-Holocene, the coupled model simulated a northward shift of savanna up to 20? N into the Sahara which in turn amplified the response of the atmospheric circulation to changes in the Earth's orbit during the Holocene. Moreover, in the simulation, most of the western part of the Sahara appeared to be vegetated by xerophytic woods/shrub and warm grass, while the eastern part remained a desert. The simulated vegetation distribution agreed better with palaeobotanical reconstructions than results from the same model, but omitting vegetation-atmosphere interaction.
Asymmetric accretion along the slow‐spreading Mariana Ridge

We report the results of several surface geophysical surveys of the central part of the Mariana Basin, western Pacific. Analysis of bathymetric and magnetic data along three distinct spreading segments indicates highly asymmetric spreading processes, the half‐spreading rate being two to three times more important on the western side of the basin than on its eastern side. Such an asymmetry is as strong at the centers of segments as at their ends, and does not systematically correlate with an asymmetric shape of the rift valley. A half‐graben shape of the rift valley is observed only at segment ends. At segments centers, a symmetric graben shape characterizes the valley. The asymmetric shape of the valley at segment ends probably reflects the localization of the tectonic strain due to changes in lithospheric rheology and thickness. Asymmetric spreading is likely accomplished through a different amount of deformation and magma emplacement on both sides of the spreading axis. It may result from the combined effects of (1) asymmetric rheologic, melting and stress conditions imposed by the influence of the pre‐existing volcanic arc and its melt sources on the eastern side of the basin, (2) the northwestward movement of the Philippine Sea Plate while the almost vertical Pacific slab in the Mariana subduction zone resists to this motion, (3) a roll‐back component at the Mariana subduction zone.
Serious Games Accessibility Design Model for Low-Vision Children

The evolution in information technology has brought worldwide access to information. Information technology has become an approach for effective learning in the education sector. This development provides an opportunity for people with disabilities. However, many educational software and applications in the market, such as serious games, cannot be accessed by low-vision children due to the visual properties in game design. For instance, small text and graphic sizes, lack of colour contrast, complex visual effects, or reliance on visual cues for instructions are among the visual properties that contribute to these accessibility challenges. They can play serious games as long as they are designed based on their accessibility needs. This paper proposed a serious games design model for low-vision children. The three main components are accessibility, game design, and pedagogy. The serious game accessibility design model is implemented using a low-fidelity prototype that takes the form of a serious game mockup. This prototype allows for basic interaction and testing of the game’s features, with a focus on accessibility considerations. The expert validation was conducted on the prototype using heuristic evaluation to assess its usability. Based on the evaluation, the experts agreed on implementing the proposed model to the prototype.
Three-dimensional numerical simulations of equatorial spread F: Results and observations in the Pacific sector

[1] A three-dimensional numerical simulation of plasma density irregularities in the postsunset equatorial F region ionosphere leading to equatorial spread F (ESF) is described. The simulation evolves under realistic background conditions including bottomside plasma shear flow and vertical current. It also incorporates C/NOFS satellite data which partially specify the forcing. A combination of generalized Rayleigh-Taylor instability (GRT) and collisional shear instability (CSI) produces growing waveforms with key features that agree with C/NOFS satellite and ALTAIR radar observations in the Pacific sector, including features such as gross morphology and rates of development. The transient response of CSI is consistent with the observation of bottomside waves with wavelengths close to 30 km, whereas the steady state behavior of the combined instability can account for the 100+ km wavelength waves that predominate in the F region.