Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design and implementation of image fusion system

Image fusion is one of important image processing technologies. Multi-wavelets, Pulse Couple Neural Network (PCNN), and fractal dimension are very useful theoretical tools for image processing. We introduce the basic principles of image fusion at the level of pixel, feature, and decision. We describe the design rules and steps of Graphical User Interface (GUI). Image fusion system based on GUI is then designed and implemented. We give the framework of the overall design of the system and explain its usage method. The system has many functions: image denoising, image enhancement, image registration, image segmentation, image fusion, and fusion evaluation. Especially can the system implement image fusion based on wavelet, or multi-wavelets, or PCNN, or Match Measure of Pulse Number (MMPN). In order to show that the system is intuitive and easy to use, we apply it to visible image and IR image.
The locational dynamics of the Japanese plastic-mold manufacturing industry during the microelectronics innovation

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the locational dynamics of the Japanese plastic-mold manufacturing industry during the microelectronics innovation, as a typical example of the small- and medium-sized machinery industries. The plastic-mold manufacturing industry started around 1930 and a complex developed in Southern Tokyo. The development of mold technology formed the basis of the mass production of durable customer goods with dependence on skilled labor. When the Japanese industry as a whole experienced drastic decentralization in the 1960s and early 1970s, the mold industry maintained centralization in existing industrial regions. However, the recent technological innovation caused rapid locational dispersal into peripheral areas of the industry and the regional differentiation of production. The above facts do not conform to the hypothesis in the neo-Marshallian flexible specialization approach, which proposes that the diffusion of ME devices and flexible production methods resulted in re-regionalization. The innovation had the effect of producing spatially wider networks of small- and medium-sized manufacturers around the existing agglomeration structure.
Moored sediment trap measurements of carbon export in the Subantarctic and Polar Frontal zones of the Southern Ocean, south of Australia

Sediment trap moorings were deployed from September 21, 1997 through February 21, 1998 at three locations south of Australia along 140°E: at ∼47°S in the central Subantarctic Zone (SAZ) with traps at 1060, 2050, and 3850 m depth, at ∼51°S in the Subantarctic Front with one trap at 3080 m, and at ∼54°S in the Polar Frontal Zone (PFZ) with traps at 830 and 1580 m. Particle fluxes were high at all the sites (18–32 g m−2 yr−1 total mass and 0.5–1.4 g organic carbon m−2 yr−1 at −1000 m, assuming minimal flux outside the sampled summer period). These values are similar to other Southern Ocean results and to the median estimated for the global ocean by Lampitt and Antia [1997], and emphasize that the Southern Ocean exports considerable carbon to the deep sea despite its “high-nutrient, low chlorophyll” characteristics. The SAZ site was dominated by carbonate (>50% of total mass) and the PFZ site by biogenic silica (>50% of total mass). Both sites exhibited high export in spring and late summer, with an intervening low flux period in December. For the 153 day collection period, particulate organic carbon export was somewhat higher in all the traps in the SAZ (range 0.57–0.84 gC m−2) than in the PFZ (range 0.31–0.53), with an intermediate value observed at the SAF (0.60). The fraction of surface organic carbon export (estimated from seasonal nutrient depletion, Lourey and Trull [2001]) reaching 1000 m was indistinguishable in the SAZ and PFZ, despite different algal communities.
Geospatial and geostatistical approach for groundwater potential zone delineation

Over the past few decades, groundwater has become an essential commodity owing to increased demand as a result of growing population, industrialization, urbanization and so on. The water supply situation is expected to become more severe in the future because of continued unsustainable water use and projected change in hydrometeorological parameters due to climate change. This study is based on the integrated approach of remote sensing, geographical information system and multicriteria decision‐making techniques to determine the most important contributing factors that affect the groundwater resources and to delineate the groundwater potential zones. Ten thematic layers, namely, geomorphology, geology, soil, topographic elevation (digital elevation model), land use/land cover, drainage density, lineament density, proximity of surface water bodies, surface temperature and post‐monsoon groundwater depth, were considered for the present study. These thematic layers were selected for groundwater prospecting based on the literature; discussion with the experts of the Central Ground Water Board, Government of India; field observations; geophysical investigation; and multivariate techniques. The thematic layers and their features were assigned suitable weights on Saaty's scale according to their relative significance for groundwater occurrence. The assigned weights of the layers and their features were normalized by using the analytic hierarchy process and eigenvector method. Finally, the selected thematic maps were integrated using a weighted linear combination method to create the final groundwater potential zone map. The final output map shows different zones of groundwater potential, namely, very good (16%), good (35%), moderate (28%) low (17%) and very low (2.1%). The groundwater potential zone map was finally validated using the discharge and groundwater depth data from 28 and 98 pumping wells, respectively, which showed good correlation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Development of an equation to relate electrical conductivity to soil and water salinity in a Mediterranean agricultural environment

A linear equation to relate total ionic concentration to electrical conductivity (EC) in natural aqueous systems from low to medium level salt content was derived from the theory of EC in aqueous solutions. Some of the empirical equations used in soil science to characterise the salinity of soil and water based on the EC can be reduced to that equation. Also, it can be seen that aqueous systems with different relative ionic compositions have different values for the regression coefficient that relates EC to total ionic concentration. The equation was validated on the basis of the Faraday constant with some soil saturation extracts and irrigation waters sampled in different places along the Valencian Community (eastern Spain, western Mediterranean basin), and with data from the literature. The validation was performed using the chemical speciation program SOILSOLN. The results of the validation improved when activities were considered instead of concentrations, and in more dilute aqueous systems. Finally, the validation showed that the formation of ion pairs in the aqueous systems analysed was negligible due to the relatively low concentrations of sulfate, magnesium, and calcium.
Toxoplasmosis-Related Knowledge and Practices Among Pregnant Women in the United States

Background: Infection with Toxoplasma gondii during pregnancy can lead to severe illness in the fetus. Many T. gondii infections are preventable by simple hygienic measures. Methods: We surveyed pregnant women in the US to determine their knowledge about toxoplasmosis and their practices to prevent infection. Volunteer obstetricians selected to be demographically representative of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recruited the participants. Results: Of 403 women responding to the survey, 48% indicated that they had heard or seen information about toxoplasmosis; however, only 7% were aware of being tested for the disease. Forty percent of responding women knew that toxoplasmosis is caused by an infection, but 21% thought that a poison causes it. The highest level of knowledge was about cats and T. gondii ; 61% responded that the organism is shed in the feces of infected cats and 60% responded that people could acquire toxoplasmosis by changing cat litter. There was a low level of knowledge about other risk factors; only 30% of the women were aware that T. gondii may be found in raw or undercooked meat. Nevertheless, a high percentage of women indicated that they do not eat undercooked meat during pregnancy and that they practice good hygienic measures such as washing their hands after handling raw meat, gardening or changing cat litter. Conclusion: Except for the risk of transmission from cats, knowledge among pregnant women about toxoplasmosis is low. However, toxoplasmosis-preventive practices are generally good, suggesting that providers should continue to offer education about practices that help prevent foodborne diseases in general as well as information about preventing toxoplasmosis specifically.
Interactions Among Livestock Grazing, Vegetation Type, and Fire Behavior in the Murphy Wildland Fire Complex in Idaho and Nevada, July 2007

Larger and more frequent wildland fires are a growing reality in the management of Western rangelands. Annual weather conditions certainly influence the number of acres burned in any single year, but other factors such as livestock grazing management, the presence of invasive species, and more intensive human activity in wildland areas may also contribute to the risk of wildfire in sagebrushsteppe ecosystems.
Volcanic eruptions from ghost magma chambers

Recent studies have proposed that magma reservoirs crystallized to a virtually rigid crystal‐mush can be partially remelted by diffusion of hot fluids. We show that for a crystal mush with the composition of a K‐trachyte from the Campanian Ignimbrite (CI) Eruption, remelting can occur without a significant increase of the magma temperature, but simply by diffusion of H2O by the magmatic gases feeding the system. The CI origin is not the issue here, but rather the chemical and physical behavior of an almost solidified magma mass left over in a reservoir after a major eruption. To test our hypothesis, we run high pressure/high temperature laboratory experiments to study the kinetics of water diffusion, together with thermodynamics and fluid diffusion modelling. For small diffusivities, or large diffusion time, the remelting mechanism proposed above needs to be replaced by other processes as gas percolation or intrusion of a magmatic mass.
Pre‐monsoon Indian Ocean SST in contrasting years of Indian summer monsoon rainfall

The anomalous change in SST of June with reference to May studied for the Indian Ocean region (0–120°E, 40°S–40°N) during 1998 to 2005. The change in monthly SST anomaly in the equatorial region were studied along with changes in water vapor and wind field in 1998 and 2002, the years that representing contrasting changes in the summer monsoon rainfall. The westward extending equatorial warm pool in the Indian Ocean was found relative weak and found relatively weak during 1998 in contrast to those in 2002. Similar analysis further extended till 2005 indicated further the influence of the equatorial warm pool on the summer monsoon rainfall over the Indian subcontinent.
Analysis and interpretation of volcano deformation in Alaska: Studies from Okmok and Mt. Veniaminof volcanoes

Four studies focus on the deformation at Okmok Volcano, the Alaska Peninsula and Mt. Veniaminof. The main focus of the thesis is the volcano deformation at Okmok Volcano and Mt. Veniaminof, but also includes an investigation of the tectonic related compression of the Alaska Peninsula. The complete data set of GPS observations at Okmok Volcano are investigated with the Unscented Kalman Filter time series analysis method. The technique is shown to be useful for inverting geodetic data for time dependent non-linear model parameters. The GPS record at Okmok from 2000 to mid 2007 shows distinct inflation pulses which have several months duration. The inflation is interpreted as magma accumulation in a shallow reservoir under the caldera center and approximately 2.5km below sea level. The location determined for the magma reservoir agrees with estimates determined by other geodetic techniques. Smaller deflation signals in the Okmok record appear following the inflation pulses. A degassing model is proposed to explain the deflation. Petrologic observations from lava erupted in 1997 provide an estimate for the volatile content of the magma. The solution model VolatileCalc is used to determine the amount of volatiles in the gas phase. Degassing can explain the deflation, but only under certain circumstances. The magma chamber must have a radius between ~1and 2km and the intruding magma must have less than approximately 500ppm CO2. At Mt. Veniaminof the deformation signal is dominated by compression caused by the convergence of the Pacific and North American Plates. A subduction model is created to account for the site velocities. A network of GPS benchmarks along the Alaska Peninsula is used to infer the amount of coupling along the mega-thrust. A transition from high to low coupling near the Shumagin Islands has important implications for the seismogenic potential of this section of the fault. The Shumagin segment likely ruptures in more frequent smaller magnitude quakes. The tectonic study provides a useful backdrop to examine the volcano deformation at Mt. Veniaminof. After being corrected for tectonic motion the sites velocities indicate inflation at the volcano. The deformation is interpreted as pressurization occurring beneath the volcano associated with eruptive activity in 2005.
Ine ¢ cient Borrowing in Production Economies

In models of small open economies with occasionally binding borrowing constraints it is well known that ine¢ cient levels of borrowing can occur. The current literature shows that these ine¢ ciencies can be mitigated with ex-ante policies that tax debt. In this paper we show that the design of ex-ante policies is not a robust feature of multi-sector production economies with occasionally binding credit constraints. Further, our results show that the design of ex-post policies is robust to the exact speci cation of the model and that they yield much larger welfare gains than ex ante policies in production economies. In other words, we argue that macro-prudential policies are not always desirable and may lead to welfare losses in multi-good, production economies. In contrast, ex post policies are always welfare improving in production economies. JEL Classi cation: E52, F37, F41
Integration of outcrop and subsurface data during the development of a naturally fractured Eocene carbonate reservoir at the East Ras Budran concession, Gulf of Suez, Egypt

Abstract The East Ras Budran Concession is located in the eastern rift shoulder of the Gulf of Suez. Syn- and pre-rift rocks are exposed in the north and east of the concession, and the Markha alluvial plain covers the SW. The Markha plain occupies the hanging wall of a large extensional fault which preserves most of the pre-rift stratigraphic sequence and >3500 m of syn-rift strata. Vertical wells drilled in 1999 indicated the presence of a >200 m oil column in low-porosity naturally fractured limestone beds of the Eocene Darat and Thebes formations. Outcrop, borehole image and core data define NW, WNW, N, NE, and ENE steeply dipping fracture sets. Borehole breakouts and drilling-induced fractures show that the minimum horizontal stress is aligned NNE to NE, so the NW and WNW fractures should be open in the subsurface. Using this structural picture, a near-horizontal well of 300 m length was drilled into the Darat in a NE direction. During testing, the well flowed at a rate of 1900 barrels of oil per day with no water. Future development of the field includes drilling similarly oriented wells with longer horizontal sections.
Extensional collapse of thickened continental lithosphere: A working hypothesis for the Alboran Sea and Gibraltar arc

Several features of the Alboran Sea suggest that it may have been a high collisional ridge in Paleogene time that subsequently underwent extensional-collapse, driving radial thrusting around the Gibraltar arc. (1) The basin is underlain by thin (13-20 km) continental crust, has an east-west-trending horst and graben morphology, was the locus of Neogene volcanism, and has subsided 2-4 km since the middle Miocene. (2) Extension and subsidence in the basin coincided in time with outwardly directed thrusting in the surrounding mountain chains. (3) Africa and Europe were converging slowly during this period, so extension must have been driven by internally generated forces. (4) Onshore, rocks metamorphosed at 40 km depth are exposed beneath major low-angle normal faults that separate them from low-grade rocks above. (5) Emplacement of solid bodies of Iherzolite at asthenospheric temperature into the base of the collisional edifice in late Oligocene time suggests detachment of the lithospheric root beneath the collision zone. This would have increased the surface elevation and the potential energy of the system and would have favored extensional collapse of the ridge.
Forest atmosphere carbon transfer and storage (FACTS-II) the aspen Free-air CO2 and O3 Enrichment (FACE) project: an overview.

This publication briefly reviews the impact of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide and tropospheric ozone on global climate change, and the response of forest trees to these atmospheric pollutants and their interactions; points out the need for large-scale field experiments to evaluate the response of plants to these environmental stresses; and describes the development, operational parameters, experimental methods, and the potential research scope of the aspen Free-air Carbon dioxide and ozone Enrichment (FACE) project.
The recent crustal stress field in central Europe: Trajectories and finite element modeling

The recent crustal stress field of Central Europe and especially of the adjoining areas to the east is presented in terms of the directions of maximum horizontal stress (SHmax). The analysis is based on fault plane solutions, in situ stress measurements, geologic fault slip determinations, and repeated precise geodetic triangulations. A bending of the direction of SHmax from the well-known NW-SE direction in the western part of the study area to directions of NE-SW to E-W in the eastern part is shown. First results on the recent crustal stress field of the study area were presented by Grunthal and Stromeyer (1986), who substantiated this tendency of bending in the central and eastern parts of the study area by few observations only. Therefore one aim of this paper was to compile observations on the areas with few data points. Generally, these additional data confirm the previously established pattern; in some areas, especially in the Pannonian basin, the stress features became more complicated compared with those solely based on a few data points. The second part of the paper presents steady state elastic finite element model calculations to provide some possible explanations of the observed stress orientations as a result of plate driving forces. Simulation of the North Atlantic seafloor spreading and the northward directed motion of the African plate by appropriate boundary loads produces a pattern of SHmax directions for the western part of the Eurasian plate which is compatible with the broad-scale observed stress directions. Subregional anomalies such as the fanlike stress pattern perpendicular to the arc of the Western Alps or the radial directions around the Pannonian basin can be explained only when additional stress producing features are introduced overmodulating the regional field. Rigorous introduction of physically constrained model parameters for all these features was not feasible to date. Therefore the preliminary empirical model calculations presented in this paper are attempts to discuss which features have the most influence on the stress field. They are, in a regional scale, the North Atlantic seafloor spreading, the northward motion of the African and the Arabian plate, and obviously, subregionally, increased stiffness of the Apulian promontary as well as of the Bohemian massif.
The Late‐glacial reoccupation of the British Isles and the Creswellian

This paper presents a review of AMS radiocarbon dating evidence for human occupation of Britain during the Late‐glacial Interstadial. The dates are all on humanly modified materials, including artefacts, and on human bone. The CalPal program is used to test whether the earliest evidence of human presence shows any correlation with more widespread climatic events, and if the British chronology differs significantly from that of neighbouring regions of northwest Europe. In the second part of the paper a number of well‐dated sites with British Late Upper Palaeolithic ‘Creswellian’ technology are examined and compared with lithic assemblages from The Netherlands and Belgium. The main conclusions of this work are that expansion of human populations into the northern edge of the upland zone just before or at the beginning of GI‐1 was followed by repopulation of the British Isles possibly with very little time‐lag. The British Creswellian sites offer evidence of this earliest resettlement, which is mainly focused on the upland margins of western and central Britain. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hydrologic sensitivities of the Sacramento‐San Joaquin River Basin, California, to global warming

The hydrologic sensitivities of four medium-sized mountainous catchments in the Sacramento and San Joaquin River basins to long-term global warming were analyzed. The hydrologic response of these catchments, all of which are dominated by spring snowmelt runoff, were simulated by the coupling of the snowmelt and the soil moisture accounting models of the U.S. National Weather Service River Forecast System. In all four catchments the global warming pattern, which was indexed to CO{sub 2} doubling scenarios simulated by three (global) general circulation models, produced a major seasonal shift in the snow accumulation pattern. Under the alternative climate scenarios more winter precipitation fell as rain instead of snow, and winter runoff increased while spring snowmelt runoff decreased. In addition, large increases in the annual flood maxima were simulated, primarily due to an increase in rain-on-snow events, with the time of occurrence of many large floods shifting from spring to winter.