bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low-Cost H-Grade Polyacrylamide Gel with High-Temperature Resistance
Authors: Yao Erdong , Li Bojun
Published: June 2022

This paper presents a low-cost, high-temperature-resistant and high-strength polyacrylamide gel system formed by secondary cross-linking. The gel system (named JM186) used phenolic resin and organic zirconium as cross-linking agents, and the performance of the gel system was systematically evaluated under high temperature. The gel properties studied include: gel formation time, gel strength, thermal stability, sand-filled pipe sealing efficiency, and its microstructure. The concentration of polyacrylamide in JM186 gel system was as low as 0.3%, which can control the gelling time in a range of 1–9 h by adjusting the ratio of two cross-linking agents. It can resist temperature up to 120 °C without dehydration, and its highest gel strength can reach H grade. The modulus of elasticity (G’) and viscosity (G”) can reach 32.33 Pa and 3.25 Pa, respectively. DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) test indicated that the temperature of structural failure for this composite gel is 310.5 °C. The average sealing efficiency of the gel is 96.03% in sand-filled pipes. Finally, the gel microstructure was observed by cryo-scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM). It was found that the gel system by secondary cross-linking has a dense and thickened network structure compared with the single cross-linker gel system. The gel is cross-linked by both the coordination bond and covalent bond, and the two cross-linking agents have a synergistic effect. This is the reason why the secondary cross-link gel system is better than the single-cross-linker gel system.
Quality Grade Evaluation of Niuhuang Qingwei Pills Based on UPLC and TCM Reference Drug—A Novel Principle of Analysis of Multiple Components in Ready-Made Chinese Herbal Medicine
Authors: Nie Li-Xing , Zha Yi-Fan , Yu Jian-Dong , Kang Shuai , Dai Zhong , Ma Shuang-Cheng , Chan Kelvin
Published: June 2022

Ready-made Chinese herbal medicine (RMCHM) is one of the most common types of synergistic herbal medicine used worldwide. It is based on composite herbal formulae (CHF), which makes quality control of this kind of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) difficult, let alone distinguishing the good from the bad. Taking Niuhuang Qingwei Pills (NHQWP) as an example, this study reported the development of a novel principle of analysis of multiple components in RMCHM. Experimental procedures involved the selection of high-quality Chinese materia medica (CMM, individual medicinal plant parts used in the NHQWP) to prepare three batches of TCM reference drugs (TCMRD). Pure compounds of the active ingredients identified in the herbal formula including berberine hydrochloride, geniposide, forsythiaside A, 3,5-O-dicaffeoyl quinic acid, hesperidin, baicalin, glycyrrhizic acid, and chrysophanol in the three TCMRDs were analyzed as well as those in 49 batches of commercial products from 18 manufacturers by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) method combined with wavelength switching. Using the TCMRD as the scientific ruler, quality grade specifications of NHQWP were proposed by comprehensive analysis of multiple components. Accordingly, 13, 28, and 8 batches of samples were primarily rated as first-grade, second-grade, and unqualified, respectively.
Special Issue on “Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction in Process Industry”
Authors: Man Yi , Sun Zhiqiang , Yang Sheng
Published: June 2022

The process industry is an important pillar industry for national economic and social development and an important support force for sustained economic growth [...]
Investigation on Vibration Signal Characteristics in a Centrifugal Pump Using EMD-LS-MFDFA
Authors: Liang Xing , Luo Yuanxing , Deng Fei , Li Yan
Published: June 2022

Vibration signals from centrifugal pumps are nonlinear, non-smooth, and possess implied trend terms, which makes it difficult for traditional signal processing methods to accurately extract their fault characteristics and details. With a view to rectifying this, we introduced empirical mode decomposition (EMD) to extract the trend term signals. These were then refit using the least squares (LS) method. The result (EMD-LS) was then combined with multi-fractal theory to form a new signal identification method (EMD-LS-MFDFA), whose accuracy was verified with a binomial multi-fractal sequence (BMS). Then, based on the centrifugal pump test platform, the vibration signals of shell failures under different degrees of cavitation and separate states of loosened foot bolts were collected. The signals’ multi-fractal spectra parameters were analyzed using the EMD-LS-MFDFA method, from which five spectral parameters (Δα, Δf, α0, αmax, and αmin) were extracted for comparison and analysis. The results showed EMD-LS-MFDFA’s performance was closer to the BMS theoretical value than that of MFDFA, displayed high accuracy, and was fully capable of revealing the multiple fractal characteristics of the centrifugal pump fault vibration signal. Additionally, the mean values of the five types of multi-fractal spectral characteristic parameters it extracted were much greater than the normal state values. This indicates that the parameters could effectively distinguish the normal state and fault state of the centrifugal pump. Moreover, α0 and αmax had a smaller mean square than Δα, Δf and αmin, and their stability was higher. Thus, compared to the feature parameters extracted by MFDFA, our method could better realize the separation between the normal state, cavitation (whether slight, moderate, or severe), and when the anchor bolt was loose. This can be used to characterize centrifugal pump failure, quantify and characterize a pump’s different working states, and provide a meaningful reference for the diagnosis and study of pump faults.
Application of MEREC in Multi-Criteria Selection of Optimal Spray-Painting Robot
Authors: Shanmugasundar G. , Sapkota Gaurav , Čep Robert , Kalita Kanak
Published: June 2022

Robots are being increasingly utilized for various operations in industrial and household applications. One such application is for spray painting, wherein atomized paint particles are sprayed on a surface to coat the surface with paint. As there are different models of robots available for the job, it becomes crucial to select the best among them. Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques are widely used in various fields to tackle selection problems where there are many conflicting criteria and several alternatives. This work focuses on selecting the best robot among twelve alternatives based on seven criteria, among which payload, speed, and reach are beneficial criteria while mechanical weight, repeatability, cost, and power consumption are cost criteria. Five MCDM techniques, namely combination distance-based assessment (CODAS), complex proportional assessment (COPRAS), combined compromise solution (CoCoSo), multi-attributive border approximation area comparison (MABAC), and višekriterijumsko kompromisno rangiranje (VIKOR) were used for the selection while a weight calculation was performed using an objective weight calculation technique called MEREC. HY1010A-143 was found to be the most suitable robot for spray-painting applications by four of the five techniques used. Correlation studies showed a significant level of correlation among all the MCDM techniques.
Microwave Pre-Treatment of Model Food Waste to Produce Short Chain Organic Acids and Ethanol via Anaerobic Fermentation
Authors: Simonetti Serena , Fernández Martín Claudia , Dionisi Davide
Published: June 2022

As an alternative to conventional anaerobic digestion for methane production, anaerobic fermentation (AF) of organic matter can produce short chain organic acids (SCOAs) in a sustainable way. This study investigated the effect of microwave (MW) pre-treatment on the AF of model food waste to SCOAs and ethanol. The MW pre-treatment was investigated at three temperatures (120, 150 and 180 °C) and residence times (2, 5 and 8 min). The MW treatment gave a significant reduction in the pH and volatile suspended solids (VSS). The largest reduction in the VSS was 20%, indicating solubilisation of the organic matter. The latter was also confirmed by the increase, although it was not statistically significant, in the soluble chemical oxygen demand (COD) and soluble carbohydrates. In the fermentation batch tests, the total product yield was higher (17.5% COD COD−1) than for the untreated substrate (11.1% COD COD−1). An electricity price of GBP 0.06 kWh−1 would correspond to the market value of the additional SCOAs produced with the pre-treated substrate. Although this price is lower than the current business price of electricity in the UK, the MW pre-treatment could become economically feasible with scale-up effects and by using free excess electricity coming from renewable resources.
A Comprehensive Review of the Properties, Performance, Combustion, and Emissions of the Diesel Engine Fueled with Different Generations of Biodiesel
Authors: Zhang Yanhui , Zhong Yunhao , Lu Shengsen , Zhang Zhiqing , Tan Dongli
Published: June 2022

Due to the increasing air pollution from diesel engines and the shortage of conventional fossil fuels, many experimental and numerical types of research have been carried out and published in the literature over the past few decades to find a new, sustainable, and alternative fuels. Biodiesel is an appropriate alternate solution for diesel engines because it is renewable, non-toxic, and eco-friendly. According to the European Academies Science Advisory Council, biodiesel evolution is broadly classified into four generations. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the production, properties, combustion, performance, and emission characteristics of diesel engines using different generations of biodiesel as an alternative fuel to replace fossil-based diesel and summarizes the primary feedstocks and properties of different generations of biodiesel compared with diesel. The general impression is that the use of different generations of biodiesel decreased 30% CO, 50% HC, and 70% smoke emissions compared with diesel. Engine performance is slightly decreased by an average of 3.13%, 89.56%, and 11.98% for higher density, viscosity, and cetane, respectively, while having a 7.96% lower heating value compared with diesel. A certain ratio of biodiesel as fuel instead of fossil diesel combined with advanced after-treatment technology is the main trend of future diesel engine development.
Survey of Anti-Pathogen Antibody Levels in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Authors: O’Neal Adam J. , Glass Katherine A. , Emig Christopher J. , Vitug Adela A. , Henry Steven J. , Shungu Dikoma C. , Mao Xiangling , Levine Susan M. , Hanson Maureen R.
Published: June 2022

Infectious pathogens are implicated in the etiology of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) because of the occurrence of outbreaks of the disease. While a number of different infectious agents have been associated with the onset of ME/CFS, the identity of a specific organism has been difficult to determine in individual cases. The aim of our study is to survey ME/CFS subjects for evidence of an infectious trigger and/or evidence of immune dysregulation via serological testing of plasma samples for antibodies to 122 different pathogen antigens. Immune profiles were compared to age-, sex-, and BMI-matched controls to provide a basis for comparison. Antibody levels to individual antigens surveyed in this study do not implicate any one of the pathogens in ME/CFS, nor do they rule out common pathogens that frequently infect the US population. However, our results revealed sex-based differences in steady-state humoral immunity, both within the ME/CFS cohort and when compared to trends seen in the healthy control cohort.
An Overview of Packaging Waste Models in Some European Countries
Authors: Di Foggia Giacomo , Beccarello Massimo
Published: June 2022

Efficient packaging waste management systems are essential considering recent revisions of the European legislation on packaging waste management that sets ambitious targets. European rules aim to deal with the increasing quantities of packaging waste, which cause environmental problems. Consequently, it is necessary to identify functional packaging waste management systems to achieve these targets effectively and efficiently. However, given the heterogeneity of the different packaging management systems, policymakers, scholars, and industry operators struggle to have a comparative view. The number of non-harmonized laws in force across countries, autonomous recycling targets, and constant updates are prominent problems that make it difficult to obtain comparable information for research, business, and policymaking. To fill this gap, our research question consists of assigning responsibilities for prevention, collection, recycling, and recovery and an overview of some models at a glance with respect to the general governance and functioning of the system. We base our research on a multiple-case design since more cases are examined using complementary data collection methods, analysis of the previous literature, reports, legislation, and business and institutional websites. Our results provide insights from the following cases: Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Portugal, Denmark, Spain, and Italy. In addition, policy implications emerge as our insights help overcome barriers in the European market’s development caused by the different rules on packaging management and design serving policymakers that aim to harmonize the management of packaging waste. The paper also contains managerial implications for circular economy business models that can be used by managers who aim to design or upgrade their business models according to both recent legislative upgrades and packaging management systems.
Rudimentary Assessment of Waste-to-Wealth of Used Tires Crumbs in Thermal Energy Storage
Authors: Al-Kayiem Hussain H. , Bhayo Bilawal A. , Magaril Elena , Ravi Pavithra
Published: June 2022

Disposing of waste tires is a major environmental and economic issue. Different recycling methods have been studied to account for its re-usage. This project aims to evaluate the possible usage of shredded waste tires in thermal energy storage (TES) applications, whether they are sensible or latent materials. An experimental setup has been developed with seven compartments. Each compartment contains different TES materials, including tire crumbs, paraffin wax, paraffin wax with shredded tires, pebbles, pebbles with shredded tires, concrete, and concrete with shredded tires. In all cases of the mixture, the base materials are 60%vol, and the tire crumbs are 40%vol. The experimental included three locations for temperature measurements in each compartment, solar irradiation, and ambient temperature. The tests were carried out from 9:00 a.m. till 7:00 p.m. and repeated for five days to account for the weather’s daily change. Results revealed that mixed 60%vol pebbles and 40%vol shredded tires have the highest recorded temperature, at 112.5 °C, with a 39.5% increment compared to pure pebbles. The interesting finding is that the added tire crumbs reduced the storage capacity of the paraffin wax, which is latent TES material. At the same time, it increased the storage capacity of the concrete and pebbles, which are sensible TES materials. Adding 40%vol of tire crumbs to the paraffin wax has a negative effect, where the thermal storage capacity is reduced by 43%, and the discharge capacity is reduced by 57%. In contrast, the concrete and the pebbles show enhanced storage capacity. Adding 40%vol of crumbs to the concrete increased the charging capacity by 54% and discharging capacity by 33.7%. The 40%vol added tire crumbs to the pebbles increased its charging capacity by 25% and the discharging capacity by 33%. The rudimentary assessment encourages further investigations on using the wasted tires crumbs for TES. The results reveal the probability of a circular economy using wasted tires with sensible TES for solar-to-thermal energy conversion.
Climate Emergency as Revelation: The Tragedy and Illusion of Sovereignty in Christian Political Theologies
Authors: LaMothe Ryan Williams
Published: June 2022

In this article, the realities of the climate emergency reveal that human beings, especially those of us in the grips of capitalism, imperialism, and nationalism, have little control over nature and we are inextricably a part of nature. This revelation further exposes the tragedy and illusions of sovereignty, which is produced and maintained, in part, by Judeo-Christian scriptures and political theologies. While this revelatory event is disruptive, it also invites us to reimagine political theologies without the belief that sovereignty is existentially or ontologically necessary for political belonging. This includes embracing the revelation of the infinite, non-privileging care of a non-sovereign God for all creation.
Representing and Experiencing Islamic Domes: Images, Cosmology, and Circumambulation
Authors: Jin Shunhua
Published: June 2022

Lindsay Jones developed the concept of “ritual-architectural event”, according to which the meaning of a sacred building depends upon the participant’s experience of it in the course of the rituals they perform. Starting from such approach, and taking the Islamic dome as my subject-matter, I examine the correlations that link architectural forms, ritual performance, and participants’ experience into a whole. I first survey a corpus of images related to domes in two types of manuscripts (poetry, and pilgrimage narratives), showing how these images suggest cosmological patterns. The second part unfolds these representations, proceeding from cosmology to ritual. The third and last part focuses on circumambulation as the ritual experience that best embodies the previously identified cosmological patterns. The connection between the three dimensions discussed here is ascertained by the fact that the combination of circle and square structures relates both to Islamic graphic representations and ritual practices. An aesthetic/spiritual experience is awakened both in the mind and in the bodily senses of the viewer/practitioner: When Muslims stand under a dome, in front of the mihrab, thus facing Mecca, and when they behold the dome under which they stand, the view of this circular space possibly translates into a kind of mental and spiritual circumambulation. The conclusion suggests that the meaning attached to sacred architecture places is triggered by a complex of interactions between patterns referred respectively to the mind, bodily actions, and cultural settings.
Catholic Education and the Study of Science: The Mysticism of Scientific Pursuit
Authors: Canetta Elisabetta
Published: June 2022

In the past forty years, science has been gradually relegated to technology and utilitarian knowledge. To avoid forgetting what science truly is, it is paramount to train students to discern the difference between scientific knowledge and technological progress. Catholic education possesses the necessary tools to achieve such a goal and to give back, to science, its rightful place in human knowledge as a mystical instrument that can demonstrate the logic in the existence of a Creator beyond creation and enable humanity to climb the mountain of truth. The starting point of this ascent is to use scientific approaches to unravel the laws that govern the natural world. At the top of the mountain, the climber will contemplate the hidden mysteries of the Creator and His creation. In this paper, the development of science, from a united body of knowledge to a compartmentalized ensemble of different disciplines, will be presented. The difference between science as liberal knowledge and technology as utilitarian knowledge will also be discussed, and the fundamental role that Catholic education has to play in the restoration of scientific knowledge, as a liberal endeavour of the human mind, will be considered. The necessity of using the dialogue between faith and reason as a tool to train students in understanding the essence of scientific pursuit will be presented.
Self-Portrait of a Bible: The Ezra Image of Codex Amiatinus
Authors: Watson Francis Benedict
Published: June 2022

Dating from the early 8th century and created in Anglo-Saxon Northumbria, Codex Amiatinus is the oldest intact single-volume Bible in any language. Within its extensive prefatory material is an image of Ezra, the scribe who according to legend rewrote the whole of the Old Testament, while behind him stands a large open book cupboard in which nine volumes of the scriptures are displayed. In this paper, I will argue that this image depicts a tension between two versions of the Old Testament that the compilers of the codex have had to resolve. In the image, this Bible represents itself as the product of the decisions that have gone into its making.
Effects of Chemotherapy on Fertility Preservation in Patients with Tumors of the Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues
Authors: Akino Ryosuke , Nishii Shogo , Odawara Kei , Saito Megumi , Sakamoto Miwa , Kondo Tetsuro , Sekizawa Akihiko
Published: June 2022

Fertility preservation is an important concern for young cancer patients. Oocyte or embryo cryopreservation prior to chemotherapy administration is desirable but often difficult for patients with hematopoietic and lymphoid tissue tumors. In this study, we examined the results of fertility preservation therapy in patients with hematopoietic and lymphoid tissue tumors. We retrospectively examined hematopoietic and lymphoid tissue tumors of five patients who underwent oocyte cryopreservation as a fertility preservation therapy after chemotherapy, at Showa University Hospital from February 2017 to September 2020. Eleven treatment cycles were administered (one of which was cancelled). The mean age of the patients was 28.6 years. The mean controlled ovarian stimulation duration for 10 cycles was 15.9 days, the mean total gonadotropin dose was 3705 IU, and the mean peak E2 was 502.8 (pg/mL). The mean number of eggs retrieved was 3.2, the mean number of mature oocytes was 2.1, and the mean maturation rate (mature oocytes/returned oocytes) was 70.7%. Fertility preservation procedures in the early period after chemotherapy may be viable because they allow for the acquisition of mature oocytes, even though the procedures may take longer and yield fewer oocytes.
Optimization in Item Delivery as Risk Management: Multinomial Case Using the New Method of Statistical Inference for Online Decision
Authors: Indratno Sapto Wahyu , Sari Kurnia Novita , Yudhanegara Mokhammad Ridwan
Published: June 2022

Online activity increasing spreads with the power of technological development. Many studies reported the impact of online activities on decision making. From the statistical perspective, decision making is related to statistical inference. In this regard, it is interesting to propose a new method of statistical inference for online decisions. This method is built by the logarithm distribution of the likelihood function, which allows us to determine statistics using the normal statistical test approach iteratively. It means that the inference can be made in an online way every time new data arrive. Compared to classical methods (commonly, chi-squared), the advantage of this method is that it allows us to make decisions without storing large data. In particular, the novelty of this research is expressed in the algorithm, theorem, and corollary for the statistical inference procedure. In detail, this paper’s simulation discusses online statistical tests for multinomial cases and applies them to transportation data for item delivery, namely traffic density. Changes in traffic density resulted in changes to the strategy of item delivery. The goal is to obtain a minimum delivery time for the risk of losses.
Assessment of Saildrone Extreme Wind Measurements in Hurricane Sam Using MW Satellite Sensors
Authors: Ricciardulli Lucrezia , Foltz Gregory R. , Manaster Andrew , Meissner Thomas
Published: June 2022

In 2021, a novel NOAA-Saildrone project deployed five uncrewed surface vehicle Saildrones (SDs) to monitor regions of the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea frequented by tropical cyclones. One of the SDs, SD-1045, crossed Hurricane Sam (Category 4) on September 30, providing the first-ever surface-ocean videos of conditions in the core of a major hurricane and reporting near-surface winds as high as 40 m/s. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis and interpretation of the Saildrone ocean surface wind measurements in Hurricane Sam, using the following datasets for direct and indirect comparisons: an NDBC buoy in the path of the storm, radiometer tropical cyclone (TC) winds from SMAP and AMSR2, wind retrievals from the ASCAT scatterometers and SAR (RadarSat2), and HWRF model winds. The SD winds show excellent consistency with the satellite observations and a remarkable ability to detect the strength of the winds at the SD location. We use the HWRF model and satellite data to perform cross-comparisons of the SD with the buoy, which sampled different relative locations within the storm. Finally, we review the collective consistency among these measurements by describing the uncertainty of each wind dataset and discussing potential sources of systematic errors, such as the impact of extreme conditions on the SD measurements and uncertainties in the methodology.
GPU-Accelerated Computation of EM Scattering of a Time-Evolving Oceanic Surface Model II: EM Scattering of Actual Oceanic Surface
Authors: Linghu Longxiang , Wu Jiaji , Wu Zhensen , Jeon Gwanggil , Wu Tao
Published: June 2022

Based on marine environmental factors of different sea areas, a high-performance sea clutter time series modeling algorithm for the real sea surface is developed to study the amplitude mean and Doppler spectrum characteristics of sea clutter. The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) data set (ERA-Interim) and ESA’s soil moisture and ocean salinity (SMOS) data set are utilized to establish databases of different marine environmental factors. Combined with the mixed spectrum model, the geometric fine structure of wind-driven sea surface with swell superposition is established by using the double-superposition method (DSM) and comprehensively considering small-scale capillary ripples, large-scale gravity waves and swell. A triangle facet-based sea clutter series modeling algorithm is developed, in which the quasi-specular scattering based on a triangle and the scattering based on gravity wave modulation capillary spectrum are calculated, respectively, and compared with the measured results. For high-resolution radar, dynamic sea surface modeling and sea clutter calculation are very time consuming. In this paper, the Tesla K80 GPU manufactured by NVIDIA in Santa Clara, Computed Unified Device architecture (CUDA) high-performance parallel technology and some optimization strategies are adopted to improve the efficiency of sea clutter modeling. The results can be used to analyze the distribution characteristics of marine factors, the average amplitude and Doppler characteristics of sea clutter in different sea areas.
Key Areas of Ecological Restoration in Inner Mongolia Based on Ecosystem Vulnerability and Ecosystem Service
Authors: Feng Siyuan , Liu Xin , Zhao Wenwu , Yao Ying , Zhou Ao , Liu Xiaoxing , Pereira Paulo
Published: June 2022

Inner Mongolia is located in China’s arid and semi-arid regions, with sensitive and fragile ecosystems at risk of increased desertification, necessitating ecological restoration. However, economic resources for large-scale ecological restoration are often scarce, so it is vital to identify key areas for ecological restoration. Previous desertification research has focused mainly on the condition and changes in soil or vegetation. However, not all changes in soil or vegetation directly impact humans. New perspectives are increasingly needed to bridge the gap between biophysical and human well-being. We construct a framework to identify priority restoration areas based on ecosystem services and ecosystem vulnerability over a long time series. The results show that: (1) soil conservation services in northeast and southwest Inner Mongolia have degraded. Sand fixation services in central and eastern Inner Mongolia have shown a degradation trend. Habitat quality has been generally stable and sporadic in the past 20 years. (2) The areas with higher ecosystem vulnerability are concentrated in the northeast, mainly due to higher climate exposure and climate sensitivity but relatively lower climate resilience in the northeast. (3) Compared with the results of ecological restoration areas identified based on the trends of traditional vegetation indicators (fractional vegetation cover and net primary productivity), we found a greater proportion of land in northeastern Inner Mongolia in need of restoration. Additionally, there was identified a decreased restoration proportion in southwestern Inner Mongolia to ensure the self-restoration and regulation of desert ecosystems, which is conducive to realizing nature-based solutions.
Remote Sensing Analysis of Ecological Maintenance in Subtropical Coastal Mountain Area, China
Authors: Han Run , Sha Jinming , Li Xiaomei , Lai Shuhui , Lin Zejing , Lin Qixin , Wang Jinliang
Published: June 2022

Mountain areas in China account for 69% of the total land area; however, it is still an urgent that we grasp the special ecological structure of mountain areas and maximize the resource advantages of mountain areas under the principle of maintaining a certain ecological level. In this paper, Landsat 5, Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2A images were used as data sources to monitor and analyze land development and ecological change in Gui ’an in 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2021, so as to explore ecological maintenance mechanisms. Firstly, random forest classification based on multi-source remote sensing data was used to classify land, and the five phases of land-use change were assessed using quantitative analysis, in order to analyze the mountain region’s land-use-change characteristics at different stages of development. The results show that Gui ’an has the “two-stage”, rapid-development, rapid-recovery mode. Each stage includes a development-and-expansion period and a construction-and-protection period. In the construction period, ecological recovery construction will be emphasized, and the change intensity and rate of the second stage are lower than that of the first stage. Secondly, using a remote sensing ecological index, vegetation coverage, and a landscape index, an ecological evaluation model of the study area was constructed to analyze changes in the ecological environment and its protection in the process of land development. The ecological maintenance status of the five stages was quantitatively monitored using the analysis methods of difference change and coefficient of variation. The results showed that in the first stage of land development and expansion, the landscape pattern and ecological quality fluctuated greatly, and the proportion of ecological quality of an excellent grade decreased by 28.46%. However, in the second stage, the change slowed down and remained unchanged, and gradually moved to the middle and upper level. The results show that there is a close relationship between ecological maintenance and the land development mode, and new mountain towns can maintain ecological quality and achieve sustainable development through a reasonable land development mode. At the end of this paper, the factors affecting the ecological maintenance capacity of Gui ’an are discussed, providing effective reference material and development models for the development of mountainous areas.
Sensing the Nighttime Economy–Housing Imbalance from a Mobile Phone Data Perspective: A Case Study in Shanghai
Authors: Li Mingxiao , Tu Wei , Lu Feng
Published: June 2022

Sensing the nighttime economy–housing imbalance is of great importance for urban planning and commerce. As an efficient tool of social sensing and human observation, mobile phone data provides an effective way to address this issue. In this paper, an indicator, mobile phone data-based nighttime economy–housing imbalance intensity, is proposed to measure the degree of the nighttime economy–housing imbalance. This indicator can distinguish vitality variations between sleep periods and nighttime activity periods, which are highly related to the nighttime economy–housing imbalance. The spatial pattern of the nighttime economy–housing imbalance was explored, and its association with the built environment was investigated through city-scale geographical regression analysis in Shanghai, China. The results showed that the sub-districts of Shanghai with high-positive-imbalance intensities displayed structures with superimposed rings and striped shapes, and the sub-districts with negative imbalance intensities were distributed around high positive-intensity areas. There were significant linear correlations between imbalance intensity and the built environment. The multiple influences of built environment factors and related mechanisms were explored from a geographical perspective. Our study utilized the social sensing data to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the nighttime economy–housing imbalance. These findings will be useful for fostering the nighttime economy and supporting urban renewal.
Accuracy, Efficiency, and Transferability of a Deep Learning Model for Mapping Retrogressive Thaw Slumps across the Canadian Arctic
Authors: Huang Lingcao , Lantz Trevor C. , Fraser Robert H. , Tiampo Kristy F. , Willis Michael J. , Schaefer Kevin
Published: June 2022

Deep learning has been used for mapping retrogressive thaw slumps and other periglacial landforms but its application is still limited to local study areas. To understand the accuracy, efficiency, and transferability of a deep learning model (i.e., DeepLabv3+) when applied to large areas or multiple regions, we conducted several experiments using training data from three different regions across the Canadian Arctic. To overcome the main challenge of transferability, we used a generative adversarial network (GAN) called CycleGAN to produce new training data in an attempt to improve transferability. The results show that (1) data augmentation can improve the accuracy of the deep learning model but does not guarantee transferability, (2) it is necessary to choose a good combination of hyper-parameters (e.g., backbones and learning rate) to achieve an optimal trade-off between accuracy and efficiency, and (3) a GAN can significantly improve the transferability if the variation between source and target is dominated by color or general texture. Our results suggest that future mapping of retrogressive thaw slumps should prioritize the collection of training data from regions where a GAN cannot improve the transferability.
Editorial: Geospatial Understanding of Sustainable Urban Analytics Using Remote Sensing
Authors: Sabri Soheil , Rajabifard Abbas , Chen Yiqun , Chen Nengcheng , Sheng Hao
Published: June 2022

The increasing trend of urbanization has challenged the traditional ways of urban planning, design, and management [...]
Calibration of Co-Located Identical PAR Sensors Using Wireless Sensor Networks and Characterization of the In Situ fPAR Variability in a Tropical Dry Forest
Authors: Sanchez-Azofeifa Arturo , Sharp Iain , Green Paul D. , Nightingale Joanne
Published: June 2022

The fraction of photosynthetic active radiation (fPAR) attempts to quantify the amount of enery that is absorbed by vegetation for use in photosynthesis. Despite the importance of fPAR, there has been little research into how fPAR may change with biome and latitude, or the extent and number of ground networks required to validate satellite products. This study provides the first attempt to quantify the variability and uncertainties related to in-situ 2-flux fPAR estimation within a tropical dry forest (TDF) via co-located sensors. Using the wireless sensor network (WSN) at the Santa Rosa National Park Environmental Monitoring Super Site (Guanacaste, Costa Rica), this study analyzes the 2-flux fPAR response to seasonal, environmental, and meteorological influences over a period of five years (2013–2017). Using statistical tests on the distribution of fPAR measurements throughout the days and seasons based on the sky condition, solar zenith angle, and wind-speed, we determine which conditions reduce variability, and their relative impact on in-situ fPAR estimation. Additionally, using a generalized linear mixed effects model, we determine the relative impact of the factors above, as well as soil moisture on the prediction of fPAR. Our findings suggest that broadleaf deciduous forests, diffuse light conditions, and low wind patterns reduce variability in fPAR, whereas higher winds and direct sunlight increase variability between co-located sensors. The co-located sensors used in this study were found to agree within uncertanties; however, this uncertainty is dominated by the sensor drift term, requiring routine recalibration of the sensor to remain within a defined criteria. We found that for the Apogee SQ-110 sensor using the manufacturer calibration, recalibration around every 4 years is needed to ensure that it remains within the 10% global climate observation system (GCOS) requirement. We finally also find that soil moisture is a significant predictor of the distribution and magnitude of fPAR, and particularly impacts the onset of senescence for TDFs.
Construction of a Semantic Segmentation Network for the Overhead Catenary System Point Cloud Based on Multi-Scale Feature Fusion
Authors: Xu Tao , Gao Xianjun , Yang Yuanwei , Xu Lei , Xu Jie , Wang Yanjun
Published: June 2022

Accurate semantic segmentation results of the overhead catenary system (OCS) are significant for OCS component extraction and geometric parameter detection. Actually, the scenes of OCS are complex, and the density of point cloud data obtained through Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) scanning is uneven due to the character difference of OCS components. However, due to the inconsistent component points, it is challenging to complete better semantic segmentation of the OCS point cloud with the existing deep learning methods. Therefore, this paper proposes a point cloud multi-scale feature fusion refinement structure neural network (PMFR-Net) for semantic segmentation of the OCS point cloud. The PMFR-Net includes a prediction module and a refinement module. The innovations of the prediction module include the double efficient channel attention module (DECA) and the serial hybrid domain attention (SHDA) structure. The point cloud refinement module (PCRM) is used as the refinement module of the network. DECA focuses on detail features; SHDA strengthens the connection of contextual semantic information; PCRM further refines the segmentation results of the prediction module. In addition, this paper created and released a new dataset of the OCS point cloud. Based on this dataset, the overall accuracy (OA), F1-score, and mean intersection over union (MIoU) of PMFR-Net reached 95.77%, 93.24%, and 87.62%, respectively. Compared with four state-of-the-art (SOTA) point cloud deep learning methods, the comparative experimental results showed that PMFR-Net achieved the highest accuracy and the shortest training time. At the same time, PMFR-Net segmentation performance on S3DIS public dataset is better than the other four SOTA segmentation methods. In addition, the effectiveness of DECA, SHDA structure, and PCRM was verified in the ablation experiment. The experimental results show that this network could be applied to practical applications.
Characterizing Spatial Patterns of the Response Rate of Vegetation Green-Up Dates to Land Surface Temperature in Beijing, China (2001–2019)
Authors: Wang Fumin , Chen Siting , Yi Qiuxiang , Peng Dailiang , Yao Xiaoping , Xu Tianyue , Zheng Jueyi , Li Jiale
Published: June 2022

The phenology indicator of vegetation green-up dates (GUD) is prone to being affected by changes in temperature. However, the influencing degree of urbanization-induced temperature warming on vegetation GUDs among different vegetation species along the urban-rural gradient remains inadequately described. In this study, based on the long-term (2001–2019) satellite-derived vegetation GUDs and nighttime land surface temperature (LST) of forests, grasslands, and croplands along the urban-rural gradient with Beijing (China) as a case study area, the responses of vegetation GUDs to temperature changes were quantitatively analyzed, taking into account the vegetation types and distances away from the urban domain. The results show that (1) long-term GUDs and LST are significantly negatively correlated, characterized by a weaker significant correlation near the urban area when compared with its surrounding areas, with the greatest absolute linear correlation coefficients (r) happening at rings 32 km (rmax = −0.93, forests), 20 km and 48 km (rmax = −0.83, grasslands), and 34 km (rmax = −0.82, croplands), respectively; (2) the magnitude of change in GUDs over the past 19 year (2001–2019) are significantly positively correlated with these in LST near the urban area, demonstrating a distance-decay trend, with the greatest advance in GUDs occurring at the ring nearest the urban area, by about 20 days (forests), 24.5 days (grasslands), and 15.6 days (croplands), respectively; (3) the spatial pattern of the response rate of GUDs change to LST change (days K−1) also showed a declining trend with distance, with GUD advanced by 6.8 days K−1 (forests), 7.5 days K−1 (grasslands), and 4.9 days K−1 (croplands) at the closest ring to the urban, decreasing to about 2.3 days K−1 (48 km), 4.1 days K−1 (18 km), and 1 day K−1 (18 km), respectively, indicating a notable influence of temperature warming on vegetation GUDs near the urban domains.
Multi-Criteria Assessment for City-Wide Rooftop Solar PV Deployment: A Case Study of Bandung, Indonesia
Authors: Sakti Anjar Dimara , Ihsan Kalingga Titon Nur , Anggraini Tania Septi , Shabrina Zahratu , Sasongko Nugroho Adi , Fachrizal Reza , Aziz Muhammad , Aryal Jagannath , Yuliarto Brian , Hadi Pradita Octoviandiningrum , Wikantika Ketut
Published: June 2022

The world faces the threat of an energy crisis that is exacerbated by the dominance of fossil energy sources that negatively impact the sustainability of the earth’s ecosystem. Currently, efforts to increase the supply of renewable energy have become a global agenda, including using solar energy which is one of the rapidly developing clean energies. However, studies in solar photovoltaic (PV) modelling that integrates geospatial information of urban morphological building characters, solar radiation, and multiple meteorological parameters in low-cost scope have not been explored fully. Therefore, this research aims to model the urban rooftop solar PV development in the Global South using Bandung, Indonesia, as a case study. This research also has several specific purposes: developing a building height model as well as determining the energy potential of rooftop solar PV, the energy needs of each building, and the residential property index. This study is among the first to develop the national digital surface model (DSM) of buildings. In addition, the analysis of meteorological effects integrated with the hillshade parameter was used to obtain the solar PV potential value of the roof in more detail. The process of integrating building parameters in the form of rooftop solar PV development potential, energy requirements, and residential property index of a building was expected to increase the accuracy of determining priority buildings for rooftop solar PV deployment in Bandung. This study shows that the estimated results of effective solar PV in Bandung ranges from 351.833 to 493.813 W/m2, with a total of 1316 and 36,372 buildings in scenarios 1 and 2 being at a high level of priority for solar PV development. This study is expected to be a reference for the Indonesian government in planning the construction of large-scale rooftop solar PV in urban areas to encourage the rapid use of clean energy. Furthermore, this study has general potential for other jurisdictions for the governments focusing on clean energy using geospatial information in relation with buildings and their energy consumption.
Quantifying the Artificial Reduction of Glacial Ice Melt in a Mountain Glacier (Urumqi Glacier No. 1, Tien Shan, China)
Authors: Liu Shuangshuang , Wang Feiteng , Xie Yida , Xu Chunhai , Xue Yuang , Yue Xiaoying , Wang Lin
Published: June 2022

Artificial glacier melt reduction is gaining increasing attention because of rapid glacier retreats and the projected acceleration of future mass losses. However, quantifying the effect of artificial melt reduction on glaciers in China has not been currently reported. Therefore, the case of Urumqi Glacier No.1 (eastern Tien Shan, China) is used to conduct a scientific evaluation of glacier cover efficiency for melt reduction between 24 June and 28 August 2021. By combining two high-resolution digital elevation models derived from terrestrial laser scanning and unmanned aerial vehicles, albedo, and meteorological data, glacier ablation mitigation under three different cover materials was assessed. The results revealed that up to 32% of mass loss was preserved in the protected areas compared with that of the unprotected areas. In contrast to the unprotected glacier surface, the nanofiber material reduced the glacier melt by up to 56%, which was significantly higher than that achieved by geotextiles (29%). This outcome could be attributed to the albedo of the materials and local climate factors. The nanofiber material showed higher albedo than the two geotextiles, dirty snow, clean ice, and dirty ice. Although clean snow had a higher albedo than the other materials, its impact on slowing glacier melt was minor due to the lower snowfall and relatively high air temperature after snowfall in the study area. This indicates that the efficiencies of nanofiber material and geotextiles can be beneficial in high-mountain areas. In general, the results of our study demonstrate that the high potential of glacier cover can help mitigate issues related to regions of higher glacier melt or lacking water resources, as well as tourist attractions.
Encoding Geospatial Vector Data for Deep Learning: LULC as a Use Case
Authors: Mc Cutchan Marvin , Giannopoulos Ioannis
Published: June 2022

Geospatial vector data with semantic annotations are a promising but complex data source for spatial prediction tasks such as land use and land cover (LULC) classification. These data describe the geometries and the types (i.e., semantics) of geo-objects, such as a Shop or an Amenity. Unlike raster data, which are commonly used for such prediction tasks, geospatial vector data are irregular and heterogenous, making it challenging for deep neural networks to learn based on them. This work tackles this problem by introducing novel encodings which quantify the geospatial vector data allowing deep neural networks to learn based on them, and to spatially predict. These encodings were evaluated in this work based on a specific use case, namely LULC classification. We therefore classified LULC based on the different encodings as input and an attention-based deep neural network (called Perceiver). Based on the accuracy assessments, the potential of these encodings is compared. Furthermore, the influence of the object semantics on the classification performance is analyzed. This is performed by pruning the ontology, describing the semantics and repeating the LULC classification. The results of this work suggest that the encoding of the geography and the semantic granularity of geospatial vector data influences the classification performance overall and on a LULC class level. Nevertheless, the proposed encodings are not restricted to LULC classification but can be applied to other spatial prediction tasks too. In general, this work highlights that geospatial vector data with semantic annotations is a rich data source unlocking new potential for spatial predictions. However, we also show that this potential depends on how much is known about the semantics, and how the geography is presented to the deep neural network.