bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Start of the Green Season and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index in Alaska’s Arctic National Parks
Authors: Swanson David K.
Published: June 2021

Daily Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values from the MODIS Aqua and Terra satellites were compared with on-the-ground camera observations at five locations in northern Alaska. Over half of the spring rise in NDVI was due to the transition from the snow-covered landscape to the snow-free surface prior to the deciduous leaf-out. In the fall after the green season, NDVI fluctuated between an intermediate level representing senesced vegetation and lower values representing clouds and intermittent snow, and then dropped to constant low levels after establishment of the permanent winter snow cover. The NDVI value of snow-free surfaces after fall leaf senescence was estimated from multi-year data using a 90th percentile smoothing spline curve fit to a plot of daily NDVI values vs. ordinal date. This curve typically showed a flat region of intermediate NDVI values in the fall that represent cloud- and snow-free days with senesced vegetation. This “fall plateau” was readily identified in a large systematic sample of MODIS NDVI values across the study area, in typical tundra, shrub, and boreal forest environments. The NDVI level of the fall plateau can be extrapolated to the spring rising leg of the annual NDVI curve to approximate the true start of green season.
Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in Label-Free Manner Using Micromechanical Sensors
Authors: Aloraini Dalal A. , Almuqrin Aljawhara H. , Alanazi Amal , Ain Qura Tul , Alodhayb Abdullah N.
Published: June 2021

Coronavirus (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been identified as a deadly pandemic. The genomic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 is performed using a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique for identifying viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) in infected patients. However, the RT-PCR diagnostic technique is manually laborious and expensive; therefore, it is not readily accessible in every laboratory. Methodological simplification is crucial to combat the ongoing pandemic by introducing quick, efficient, and affordable diagnostic methods. Here, we report how microcantilever sensors offer promising opportunities for rapid COVID-19 detection. Our first attempt was to capture the single-stranded complementary DNA of SARS-CoV-2 through DNA hybridization. Therefore, the microcantilever surface was immobilized with an oligonucleotide probe and detected using complementary target DNA hybridization by a shift in microcantilever resonance frequency. Our results show that microcantilever sensors can discriminate between complementary and noncomplementary target DNA on a micro to nanoscale. Additionally, the microcantilever sensors’ aptitude toward partial complementary DNA determines their potential to identify new variants of coronavirus. Therefore, microcantilever sensing could be a vital tool in the effort to extinguish the spreading COVID-19 pandemic.
Fabrication and Qualitative Analysis of an Optical Fibre EFPI-Based Temperature Sensor
Authors: McGuinness Fintan , Cloonan Aidan , Oubaha Mohamed , Duraibabu Dinesh Babu , Ali M. Mahmood , Kilkelly Gerald , Tobin Emma , Leen Gabriel
Published: June 2021

The following presents a comparison of an extrinsic Fabry–Perot interferometer (EFPI)-based temperature sensor, constructed using a novel diaphragm manufacturing technique, with a reference all-glass EFPI temperature sensor. The novel diaphragm was manufactured using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The novel sensor fabrication involved fusing a single-mode fibre (SMF) to a length of fused quartz capillary, which has an inner diameter of 132 μm and a 220 μm outer diameter. The capillary was subsequently polished until the distal face of the capillary extended approximately 60 μm beyond that of the single mode fibre. Upon completion of polishing, the assembly is immersed in a solution of PVA. Controlled extraction resulted in creation of a thin diaphragm while simultaneously applying a protective coating to the fusion point of the SMF and capillary. The EFPI sensor is subsequently sealed in a second fluid-filled capillary, thereby creating a novel temperature sensor structure. Both temperature sensors were placed in a thermogravimetric analyser and heated from an indicated 30 °C to 100 °C to qualitatively compare sensitivities. Initial results indicated that the novel manufacturing technique both expedited production and produces a more sensitive sensor when compared to an all-glass construction.
BOTNet: Deep Learning-Based Bearings-Only Tracking Using Multiple Passive Sensors
Authors: Shalev Hadar , Klein Itzik
Published: June 2021

Bearings-only target tracking is commonly used in many fields, like air or sea traffic monitoring, tracking a member in a formation, and military applications. When tracking with synchronous passive multisensor systems, each sensor provides a line-of-sight measurement. They are plugged into an iterative least squares algorithm to estimate the unknown target position vector. Instead of using iterative least squares, this paper presents a deep-learning based framework for the bearing-only target tracking process, applicable for any bearings-only target tracking task. As a data-driven method, the proposed deep-learning framework offers several advantages over the traditional iterative least squares. To demonstrate the proposed approach, a scenario of tracking an autonomous underwater vehicle approaching an underwater docking station is considered. There, several passive sensors are mounted near a docking station to enable accurate localization of an approaching autonomous underwater vehicle. Simulation results show the proposed framework obtains better accuracy compared to the iterative least squares algorithm.
On the Optimal Field Sensing in Near-Field Characterization
Authors: Capozzoli Amedeo , Curcio Claudio , Liseno Angelo
Published: June 2021

We deal with the problem of characterizing a source or scatterer from electromagnetic radiated or scattered field measurements. The problem refers to the amplitude and phase measurements which has applications also to interferometric approaches at optical frequencies. From low frequencies (microwaves) to high frequencies or optics, application examples are near-field/far-field transformations, object restoration from measurements within a pupil, near-field THz imaging, optical coherence tomography and ptychography. When analyzing the transmitting-sensing system, we can define “optimal virtual” sensors by using the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) approach which has been, since long time, recognized as the “optimal” tool to manage linear algebraic problems. The problem however emerges of discretizing the relevant singular functions, thus defining the field sampling. To this end, we have recently developed an approach based on the Singular Value Optimization (SVO) technique. To make the “virtual” sensors physically realizable, in this paper, two approaches are considered: casting the “virtual” field sensors into arrays reaching the same performance of the “virtual” ones; operating a segmentation of the receiver. Concerning the array case, two ways are followed: synthesize the array by a generalized Gaussian quadrature discretizing the linear reception functionals and use elementary sensors according to SVO. We show that SVO is “optimal” in the sense that it leads to the use of elementary, non-uniformly located field sensors having the same performance of the “virtual” sensors and that generalized Gaussian quadrature has essentially the same performance.
A Low-Power Spiking Neural Network Chip Based on a Compact LIF Neuron and Binary Exponential Charge Injector Synapse Circuits
Authors: Asghar Malik Summair , Arslan Saad , Kim Hyungwon
Published: June 2021

To realize a large-scale Spiking Neural Network (SNN) on hardware for mobile applications, area and power optimized electronic circuit design is critical. In this work, an area and power optimized hardware implementation of a large-scale SNN for real time IoT applications is presented. The analog Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) implementation incorporates neuron and synaptic circuits optimized for area and power consumption. The asynchronous neuronal circuits implemented benefit from higher energy efficiency and higher sensitivity. The proposed synapse circuit based on Binary Exponential Charge Injector (BECI) saves area and power consumption, and provides design scalability for higher resolutions. The SNN model implemented is optimized for 9 × 9 pixel input image and minimum bit-width weights that can satisfy target accuracy, occupies less area and power consumption. Moreover, the spiking neural network is replicated in full digital implementation for area and power comparisons. The SNN chip integrated from neuron and synapse circuits is capable of pattern recognition. The proposed SNN chip is fabricated using 180 nm CMOS process, which occupies a 3.6 mm2 chip core area, and achieves a classification accuracy of 94.66% for the MNIST dataset. The proposed SNN chip consumes an average power of 1.06 mW—20 times lower than the digital implementation.
A Multi-Sensor System for Sea Water Iodide Monitoring and Seafood Quality Assurance: Proof-of-Concept Study
Authors: Zompanti Alessandro , Grasso Simone , Sabatini Anna , Vollero Luca , Pennazza Giorgio , Santonico Marco
Published: June 2021

Iodine is a trace chemical element fundamental for a healthy human organism. Iodine deficiency affects about 2 billion people worldwide causing from mild to severe neurological impairment, especially in children. Nevertheless, an adequate nutritional intake is considered the best approach to prevent such disorders. Iodine is present in seawater and seafood, and its common forms in the diet are iodide and iodate; most iodide in seawater is caused by the biological reduction of the thermodynamically stable iodate species. On this basis, a multisensor instrument which is able to perform a multidimensional assessment, evaluating iodide content in seawater and seafood (via an electrochemical sensor) and discriminating when the seafood is fresh or defrosted quality (via a Quartz Micro balance (QMB)-based volatile and gas sensor), is strategic for seafood quality assurance. Moreover, an electronic interface has been opportunely designed and simulated for a low-power portable release of the device, which should be able to identify seafood over or under an iodide threshold previously selected. The electrochemical sensor has been successfully calibrated in the range 10–640 μg/L, obtaining a root mean square error in cross validation (RMSECV) of only 1.6 μg/L. Fresh and defrosted samples of cod, sea bream and blue whiting fish have been correctly discriminated. This proof-of-concept work has demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed application which must be replicated in a real scenario.
Comparison of Direct Intersection and Sonogram Methods for Acoustic Indoor Localization of Persons
Authors: Schott Dominik Jan , Saphala Addythia , Fischer Georg , Xiong Wenxin , Gabbrielli Andrea , Bordoy Joan , Höflinger Fabian , Fischer Kai , Schindelhauer Christian , Rupitsch Stefan Johann
Published: June 2021

We discuss two methods to detect the presence and location of a person in an acoustically small-scale room and compare the performances for a simulated person in distances between 1 and 2 m. The first method is Direct Intersection, which determines a coordinate point based on the intersection of spheroids defined by observed distances of high-intensity reverberations. The second method, Sonogram analysis, overlays all channels’ room impulse responses to generate an intensity map for the observed environment. We demonstrate that the former method has lower computational complexity that almost halves the execution time in the best observed case, but about 7 times slower in the worst case compared to the Sonogram method while using 2.4 times less memory. Both approaches yield similar mean absolute localization errors between 0.3 and 0.9 m. The Direct Intersection method performs more precise in the best case, while the Sonogram method performs more robustly.
A Data-Driven Long Time-Series Electrical Line Trip Fault Prediction Method Using an Improved Stacked-Informer Network
Authors: Guo Li , Li Runze , Jiang Bin
Published: June 2021

The monitoring of electrical equipment and power grid systems is very essential and important for power transmission and distribution. It has great significances for predicting faults based on monitoring a long sequence in advance, so as to ensure the safe operation of the power system. Many studies such as recurrent neural network (RNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM) network have shown an outstanding ability in increasing the prediction accuracy. However, there still exist some limitations preventing those methods from predicting long time-series sequences in real-world applications. To address these issues, a data-driven method using an improved stacked-Informer network is proposed, and it is used for electrical line trip faults sequence prediction in this paper. This method constructs a stacked-Informer network to extract underlying features of long sequence time-series data well, and combines the gradient centralized (GC) technology with the optimizer to replace the previously used Adam optimizer in the original Informer network. It has a superior generalization ability and faster training efficiency. Data sequences used for the experimental validation are collected from the wind and solar hybrid substation located in Zhangjiakou city, China. The experimental results and concrete analysis prove that the presented method can improve fault sequence prediction accuracy and achieve fast training in real scenarios.
On-Board Monitoring of SO2 Ship Emissions Using Resonant Photoacoustic Gas Detection in the UV Range
Authors: El-Safoury Mahmoud , Dufner Miguel , Weber Christian , Schmitt Katrin , Pernau Hans-Fridtjof , Willing Bert , Wöllenstein Jürgen
Published: June 2021

A photoacoustic gas detector for SO2 was developed for ship exhaust gas emission monitoring. The basic measurement setup is based on the absorption of electromagnetic radiation of SO2 at 285 nm wavelength. A commercially available ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diode (LED) is used as the light source and a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) microphone as the detector. In order to achieve the required detection limits in marine applications, a measuring cell which allows an acoustically resonant amplification of the photoacoustic signal was developed and characterized. A limit of detection of 1 ppm was achieved in lab conditions during continuous gas flow. Long-term measurements on a container ship demonstrated the application relevance of the developed system.
Evaluation of Shock Tube Retrofitted with Fast-Opening Valve for Dynamic Pressure Calibration
Authors: Amer Eynas , Wozniak Mikolaj , Jönsson Gustav , Arrhén Fredrik
Published: June 2021

Accurate dynamic pressure measurements are increasingly important. While traceability is lacking, several National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) and calibration laboratories are currently establishing calibration capacities. Shock tubes generating pressure steps with rise times below 1 μs are highly suitable as standards for dynamic pressures in gas. In this work, we present the results from applying a fast-opening valve (FOV) to a shock tube designed for dynamic pressure measurements. We compare the performance of the shock tube when operated with conventional single and double diaphragms and when operated using an FOV. Different aspects are addressed: shock-wave formation, repeatability in amplitude of the realized pressure steps, the assessment of the required driver pressure for realizing nominal pressure steps, and economy. The results show that using the FOV has many advantages compared to the diaphragm: better repeatability, eight times faster to operate, and enables automation of the test sequences.
A Pencil-Drawn Electronic Tongue for Environmental Applications
Authors: Kirsanov Dmitry , Mukherjee Subhankar , Pal Souvik , Ghosh Koustuv , Bhattacharyya Nabarun , Bandyopadhyay Rajib , Jendrlin Martin , Radu Aleksandar , Zholobenko Vladimir , Dehabadi Monireh , Legin Andrey
Published: June 2021

We report on the development of a simple and cost-effective potentiometric sensor array that is based on manual “drawing” on the polymeric support with the pencils composed of graphite and different types of zeolites. The sensor array demonstrates distinct sensitivity towards a variety of inorganic ions in aqueous media. This multisensor system has been successfully applied to quantitative analysis of 100 real-life surface waters sampled in Mahananda and Hooghly rivers in the West Bengal state (India). Partial least squares regression has been utilized to relate responses of the sensors to the values of different water quality parameters. It has been found that the developed sensor array, or electronic tongue, is capable of quantifying total hardness, total alkalinity, and calcium content in the samples, with the mean relative errors below 18%.
Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems in Spain: Analysis of the Research on SUDS Based on Climatology
Authors: Abellán García Ana Isabel , Cruz Pérez Noelia , Santamarta Juan C.
Published: June 2021

Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS), or urban green infrastructure for stormwater control, emerged for more sustainable management of runoff in cities and provide other benefits such as urban mitigation and adaptation to climate change. Research in Spain began a little over twenty years ago, which was later than in other European countries, and it began in a heterogeneous way, both in the SUDS typology and spatially within the peninsular geography. The main objective of this work has been to know through bibliographic review the state of the art of scientific research of these systems and their relationship with the different types of climates in the country. These structures have a complex and sensitive dependence on the climate, which in the Iberian Peninsula is mostly type B and C (according to the Köppen classification). This means little water availability for the vegetation of some SUDS, which can affect the performance of the technique. To date, for this work, research has focused mainly on green roofs, their capabilities as a sustainable construction tool, and the performance of different plant species used in these systems in arid climates. The next technique with the most real cases analyzed is permeable pavements in temperate climates, proving to be effective in reducing flows and runoff volumes. Other specific investigations have focused on the economic feasibility of installing rainwater harvesting systems for the laundry and the hydraulic performance of retention systems located specifically in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula. On the contrary, few scientific articles have appeared that describe other SUDS with vegetation such as bioretention systems or green ditches, which are characteristic of sustainable cities, on which the weather can be a very limiting factor for their development.
Evaluating Information System Success and Impact on Sustainability Practices: A Survey and a Case Study of Regional Mesonet Information Systems
Authors: Cao Qing (Ray) , Chen Andrew N. K. , Ewing Bradley T. , Thompson Mark A.
Published: June 2021

This study examines the role of information systems (IS) on environmental sustainability by gaining an understanding of how benefits may be realized from using IS in a green context (a particular IS, regional mesonet (RM) equipped with information- and communication-based technologies and a comprehensive information system) through the use of duel approaches: a survey (218 respondents) and a case study (six interviews of stakeholders of a RM). Our results provide evidence how IS use contributes to different goals at different levels of sustainability and advance knowledge of utilizing IS for providing actual as well as anticipated benefits to sustainability. In addition, our findings provide suggestions on how successful IS might be used to further induce actions and advance goals of environmental sustainability that can contribute to energy policy-making.
Sustainable Business Model Innovation: An Umbrella Review
Authors: Sinkovics Noemi , Gunaratne Denanjalee , Sinkovics Rudolf R. , Molina-Castillo Francisco-Jose
Published: June 2021

The purpose of this paper is to conduct an umbrella review of systematic literature reviews of sustainable business model innovation. Despite its relative novelty, sustainable business model innovation is a multifaceted phenomenon. Our aim is to capture the different manifestations of sustainable business model innovation and organise their antecedents and outcomes into an integrative framework. The Web of Science database was used to identify existing systematic literature reviews. The final sample for analysis comprised 57 review articles published up to March 2021. The qualitative data analysis software NVivo was used to facilitate the analysis.
Reported Behavioural Patterns of Electricity Use among Low-Income Households in Makhanda, South Africa
Authors: Mutumbi Uzziah , Thondhlana Gladman , Ruwanza Sheunesu
Published: June 2021

Households consume up to 20% of overall electricity consumption globally; hence, they are important role players in efforts towards promoting sustainable consumption. Research on electricity use behaviour is important for informing intervention strategies; however, relative to developed countries, research on this subject is lacking in developing countries where electricity access is limited. In South Africa, electricity use behaviour among poor neighbourhoods remains little studied and understood. This study was carried out among low-income households in Makhanda, South Africa, characterised by high poverty and unemployment rates, low education levels, and limited access to basic services. Using a self-reporting approach, electricity use behaviour of low-income households was assessed against a list of common household electricity use actions. A survey of 297 households was conducted. The findings show mixed results, with households reporting both good electricity use behaviour (e.g., cooling down hot food before refrigeration and using washing machines on full load) and wasteful actions (e.g., leaving appliances on standby). Our results show that electricity use behaviour was influenced by socio-psychological values including universalism, benevolence, hedonism, and power. Some of the reported electricity behavioural patterns are consistent with those previously reported among high-income households. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.
Research on the Performance of Regenerant Modified Cold Recycled Mixture with Asphalt Emulsions
Authors: Wang Decai , Guo Tengteng , Chang Haolei , Yao Xianhua , Chen Yuanzhao , Wang Tongning
Published: June 2021

In order to study the mechanical properties and effect of a regenerant on a cold recycled mixture with asphalt emulsions (CRMEs), the moisture susceptibility, high-temperature performance, low-temperature performance, dynamic mechanical properties and durability of CRMEs were analyzed and evaluated by immersion splitting strength tests, freeze-thaw splitting strength tests, rutting tests, semi-circle bending tests, uniaxial compression dynamic modulus tests and indirect tensile tests. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze the micromorphology of CRMEs modified with regenerant. Finally, a comprehensive evaluation system of five different CRMEs was established based on the efficacy coefficient method to quantitatively analyze the comprehensive performance of the CRMEs. The test results showed that the regenerant can significantly improve the water immersion splitting strength, freeze-thaw splitting strength fracture energy density, and fatigue resistance of CRMEs. However, the addition of regenerant affected the high-temperature performance of the cold recycled mixture. The dynamic modulus of the CRMEs first increased and then decreased with regenerant content increasing. When the regenerant content was 8%, the dynamic modulus of the CRMEs was the highest. Adding styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) latex can improve the high-temperature performance of CRMEs, but the moisture susceptibility, low temperature performance and fatigue resistance of the cold recycled mixture were not significantly improved, and the dynamic modulus of the mixture was reduced. Based on the efficacy coefficient method, the optimal content of regenerant is 8%. Regenerant are potential modifiers for cold recycled mixture that they can significantly improve the dynamic mechanical properties and durability.
An Investigation on the Effects of Input Parameters on the Dynamic and Electric Consumption of Electric Motorcycles
Authors: Hieu Le-Trong , Khoa Nguyen Xuan , Lim Ocktaeck
Published: June 2021

The purpose of this paper is to study how input parameters affect the dynamic characteristics and electric consumption characteristics of an electric motorcycle. To achieve this goal, a simulation model of the electric motorcycle, including dynamic models and battery models were established based on mathematical models and using the MATLAB SIMULINK software (Parnas Tower 14th Floor521 Teheran-street Gangnam-district Seoul 06164 Korea). The simulation model was used to determine the velocity, propulsion torque, electric consumption characteristics with variable electric motorcycle mass, driver mass, wheel radius, frontal area, and transmission ratio. Through the simulation study, the paper found that when the electric motorcycle mass was increased from 60 kg to 100 kg, the maximum velocity decreased by 5.45%, the moving distance was reduced by 5.89%, and electric consumption increased by 0.11%. Following increased driver mass from 48 kg to 88 kg, the velocity and moving distance decreased by 5.45% and 5.89%, respectively, while also increasing electric consumption by 0.11%. When the wheel radius was changed from 0.205 m to 0.245 m, the maximum velocity increased by 11%, the moving distance increased by 11.2%, and electric consumption increased by 0.11%. When the frontal area was increased from 0.52 m2 to 0.92 m2, the velocity and moving distance decreased by 2.43% and 2.06%, respectively, while electric consumption increased by 0.04%. When the transmission ratio was increased from 2.66 to 4.94, the velocity and moving distance increased from 30.74 km/h to 70.7 km/h and from 303.12 m to 710.44 m, respectively, while electric consumption increased by 0.16%. Finally, an experimental study is conducted to examine the dynamics of the electric motorcycle. The experimental results have the same trend with simulation in the same initial condition. Through combination simulation and experiment, the researcher can optimize the dynamic and electric consumption of an electric motorcycle.
The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility on the Technology Innovation of High-Growth Business Organizations
Authors: Huang Jun , Xie Peijun , Zeng Yating , Li Yun
Published: June 2021

The implementation of innovation-driven strategy requires business organizations to actively conduct technological innovation activities. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance is an important factor to promote technological innovation, and venture capital (VC) as a matching capital with technological innovation also affects technological innovation. Using Chinese listed companies on the Growth Enterprise Market (GEM) during the 2014–2018 period as a sample, we study the role of corporate social responsibility performance in technological innovation and the impact of venture capital on the relationship between the two. We find that social responsibility performance can effectively promote innovation, which is promoted significantly by the shareholder responsibility and employee responsibility dimensions of social responsibility. We also find that venture capital inhibits the promotion of social responsibility to technological innovation. This work will guide VC institutions to pay more attention to business organizations social innovation projects.
The Nexus between Digital Finance and Economic Development: Evidence from China
Authors: Jiang Xiuxiu , Wang Xia , Ren Jia , Xie Zhimin
Published: June 2021

In the context of the digital economy and based on the characteristics of digital financial development in China, this paper investigates the effect of digital finance on economic growth and explores its influencing mechanism. A panel econometric model, mediating effect model, and instrumental variable method were employed to evaluate yearly data from 30 provinces of China from 2011 to 2018. The results show that the development of digital finance has significantly driven economic growth, which is quantitatively robust after the selection of historical data as instrumental variables and other robustness tests. A heterogeneity analysis proved that provinces in the central and western regions, which have a lower urbanization rate and lower physical capital, more clearly embody the facilitating impacts of digital finance on economic growth compared to their counterparts in other regions. Further analysis found that the development of digital finance has spurred the liberation of regional entrepreneurship, which in turn promoted economic growth—that is, there is an entrepreneurial channel by which digital finance could boost economic growth.
Assessing Potential Bioenergy Production on Urban Marginal Land in 20 Major Cities of China by the Use of Multi-View High-Resolution Remote Sensing Data
Authors: Zhang Ben , Yang Jie , Cao Yinxia
Published: June 2021

For the purpose of bioenergy production, biomass cropping on marginal land is an appropriate method. Less consideration has been given to estimating the marginal land in cities at a fine spatial resolution, especially in China. Marginal land within cities has great potential for bioenergy production. Therefore, in this research, the urban marginal land of 20 representative cities of China was estimated by using detailed land-cover and 3D building morphology information derived from Ziyuan-3 high-resolution remote sensing imagery, and ancillary geographical data, including land use, soil type, and digital elevation model data. We then classified the urban marginal land into “vacant land” and “land between buildings”, and further revealed its landscape patterns. Our results showed that: (1) the suitable marginal land area ranged from 17.78 ± 1.66 km2 to 353.48 ± 54.19 km2 among the 20 cities; (2) it was estimated that bioethanol production on marginal land could amount to 0.005–0.13 mT, corresponding to bioenergy of 2.1 × 1013–4.0 × 1014 J for one city; (3) from the landscape viewpoint, the marginal landscape pattern tended to be more fragmented in more developed cities. Our results will help urban planners to reclaim unused urban land and develop distributed bioenergy projects at the city scale.
Interpreting Perceptions about Coastal Fisheries in Sierra Leone: Scapegoats and Panaceas
Authors: Okeke-Ogbuafor Nwamaka , Gray Tim
Published: June 2021

This paper analyses the myriad perceptions about coastal fisheries in Sierra Leone expressed by respondents in 66 interviews conducted in 2017 and 2020 during two periods of fieldwork in two coastal communities (Tombo and Goderich). Most of these perceptions focused on the respondents’ explanations for the dire state of the coastal fisheries, and often these explanations sought ‘scapegoats’ to blame. Our findings are that the main ‘scapegoats’ were foreigners, industrial trawlers, artisanal fishers, fishers’ unions and the government. Other interpretations focused on the respondents’ recommendations for restoring the health of the coastal fisheries, and our findings here are that the main ‘panaceas’ were coercion, sensitisation, and co-management. In discussing these findings, we came to the conclusion that both the identification of scapegoats and the search for panaceas were unhelpful ways of understanding and alleviating the problems facing Sierra Leone’s coastal fisheries because they polarised and over-simplified the issues, sowing divisions between the stakeholders, thereby reinforcing and prolonging the crisis. A more fruitful approach is to look for ways of forging links and establishing partnerships between the disparate players, especially between the government and community organisations.
Assessing the Impact of the National Sustainable Development Planning of Resource-Based Cities Policy on Pollution Emission Intensity: Evidence from 270 Prefecture-Level Cities in China
Authors: Meng Yuxin , Liu Lu , Wang Jianlong , Ran Qiying , Yang Xiaodong , Shen Jianliang
Published: June 2021

The question of how to achieve the sustainable development of resource-based cities has been a major concern for the whole world. In response, the Chinese government has introduced the National Sustainable Development Planning of Resource-Based Cities Policy (SDPRP) to address sustainable development issues in resource-based cities. However, few studies have evaluated the environmental effects of the implementation of the SDPRP. Therefore, difference-in-differences (DID) and mediation effect models were applied to investigate the impact of the SDPRP on pollution emission intensity using balanced panel data for 270 prefecture-level cities in China from 2003 to 2018. The statistical results reveal that the SDPRP significantly reduced pollution emission intensity. Robustness test results showed that the conclusions are robust. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of the SDPRP on pollution emission intensity increased year after year. We also found that the SDPRP can reduce pollution emission intensity by facilitating technological innovation, accelerating digital transformation, and improving human capital level, in which the role of human capital is stronger, while the role of digital transformation is weaker. The heterogeneity results suggest that compared with mature resource-based cities, the SDPRP had a stronger inhibitory effect on the pollution emission intensity in declining resource-based cities. However, the impact of the SDPRP on pollution emission intensities in growing resource-based cities was significant, while it was not significant in regenerative resource-based cities. Similarly, the SDPRP had a significantly greater inhibitory effect on pollution emission intensity in megacities than in large cities, while it increased the pollution emission intensity in small- and medium-sized cities.
Identification of Villages’ Development Types Using a Comprehensive Natural–Socioeconomic Framework
Authors: Liu Yaqiu , Liu Jian , Guo Can , Zhang Tingting , Wang Ailing , Yu Xinyang
Published: June 2021

The establishment of a comprehensive framework to identify village development types is crucial to formulate plans for rural development and promote rural revitalization. This study proposed a natural–socioeconomic framework to identify the types of villages based on field survey, statistical data, and multi-source remote sensing images. The framework was constructed by combining the two-dimensional natural suitability/restriction evaluation and the four-dimensional socioeconomic development level evaluation. Then, the modified multiplication-weighted summation method and the coupling coordination degree algorithm were employed to identify the villages’ development types. A total of 774 villages of the Laiyang County, eastern China were used as the study areas to examine the framework. The results demonstrated the following. (1) There were 243,318 and 151 villages with high, moderate, low natural suitability, and 62 villages with natural restrictions; and 158,366 and 250 villages with high, moderate, and low economic development level, respectively. The distribution characteristic of natural evaluation was “high in the southwest and low in the northeast”, and the socioeconomic development level was generally centered on the urban area, which presented a “high–medium–low” circle-layer distribution structure. (2) There were 247 villages with high-level coupling coordination, 464 villages with intermediate coupling coordination, 1 village with low-level coupling coordination, and 62 villages with disordered coupling. (3) Based on the coupling coordination evaluation results, villages in the study area were grouped into five types: urbanization development (31%), construction development (16%), agglomeration linkage development (27%), decrease and improvement development (18%), and relocation and integration development (8%). The framework of villages’ development types identification established in this study can enrich the theory of rural geography, and the applied research results can provide a basis for rural revitalization and development planning.
Outside Dynamic Evacuation Routes to Escape a Wildfire: A Prototype App for Forest Firefighters
Authors: Castro-Basurto Kerly , Jijon-Veliz Freddy , Medina Washington , Velasquez Washington
Published: June 2021

This paper describes a prototype application to use different algorithms for creating optimal evacuation routes in the presence of a wildfire with a dynamic event-based update. The application uses a meteorological API that obtains real-time temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, speed, and wind direction of each location within an area using geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) for creating a sensor network. The data are stored in a database for monitoring and visualization using the open-source platform Grafana, which includes an early warning mechanism that sends messages when it detects a temperature outside the normal range. Three different simulation scenarios were evaluated, varying the fire’s starting point coordinates and the evacuation route. The results show that the algorithm reacts to the presence of fire, maximizing safety margins even on longer evacuation routes. The prototype can be used to create an application to fight forest fires and safeguard rescue agents’ lives.
Changes in the Water Resources of Selected Lakes in Poland in the Period 1916–2020 as Information to Increase Their Availability
Authors: Ptak Mariusz , Choiński Adam , Sojka Mariusz , Zhu Senlin
Published: June 2021

The historical effects of land development on water management currently require a new approach, in many cases involving attempts at the restoration of the quasi-natural state. This is evident in reference to many regions in Poland, where the hydrographic network has been diminishing over the centuries, among others in favour of obtaining new agricultural land. Such activities overlap with natural processes causing transformations of the hydrosphere. The most serious problems currently include water deficits resulting from climate change and human activity. This paper employed archival bathymetric maps from the beginning of the 20th century for the determination of the scale of changes in the morphometric parameters of six lakes in western Poland. It was determined that over a period of more than a hundred years, the surface area (12.2%) and original volume of water bodies (13.9%) were largely reduced. This situation was caused by both natural (overgrowing and shallowing) and anthropogenic (change in water level) factors. The obtained information points to the need of an inventory of historical bathymetric maps of lakes. In combination with modern research, this will allow for the determination of changes in the water resources of lakes and, in a longer-term perspective, potential possibilities of their renaturisation. This knowledge is important in the context of the reconstruction of water resources in the territory of Poland, where their deficits are recorded increasingly frequently. It should also be emphasised that the restoration of the natural capacity of water retention in lakes is a more economical solution and, most importantly, it is not invasive for the environment.
Hydraulic and Swell–Shrink Characteristics of Clay and Recycled Zeolite Mixtures for Liner Construction in Sustainable Waste Landfill
Authors: Widomski Marcin K. , Musz-Pomorska Anna , Franus Wojciech
Published: June 2021

This paper presents research considering hydraulic as well as swelling and shrinkage characteristics of potential recycled fine particle materials for compacted clay liner for sustainable landfills. Five locally available clay soils mixed with 10% (by mass) of NaP1 recycled zeolite were tested. The performed analysis was based on determined plasticity, cation exchange capacity, coefficient of saturated hydraulic conductivity after compaction, several shrinkage and swelling characteristics as well as, finally, saturated hydraulic conductivity after three cycles of drying and rewetting of tested specimens and the reference samples. The obtained results showed that addition of zeolite to clay soils allowed reduction in their saturated hydraulic conductivity to meet the required threshold (≤1 × 10−9 m/s) of sealing capabilities for compacted clay liner. On the other hand, an increase in plasticity, swelling, and in several cases in shrinkage, of the clay–zeolite mixture was observed. Finally, none of the tested mixtures was able to sustain its sealing capabilities after three cycles of drying and rewetting. Thus, the studied clayey soils mixed with sustainable recycled zeolite were assessed as promising materials for compacted liner construction. However, the liner should be operated carefully to avoid extensive dissication and cracking.
How Fairness Principles in the Climate Debate Relate to Theories of Distributive Justice
Authors: Davidson Marc David
Published: June 2021

A central question in international climate policy making is how to distribute the burdens of keeping global average temperature increase to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels. In particular, there are four distributional issues: how to allocate the total amount of greenhouse gases that can still be emitted, who should bear the costs of mitigation, who should bear the costs of adaptation to unavoidable climate change, and who should bear the costs of residual climate damage. Regarding these distributional issues the academic literature offers a plethora of fairness principles, such as ‘polluter pays’, ‘beneficiary pays’, ‘equal per capita rights’, ‘grandfathering’, ‘ability to pay’, ‘historical responsibility’ and ‘cost effectiveness’. Remarkably, there is a theoretical gap between these principles and the central theories of distributive justice in moral and political philosophy. As a consequence, it is unclear how these principles are related, whether they can be combined or are mutually exclusive, and what the fundamental underlying values are. This paper aims to elucidate that debate. Understanding the different underlying values may facilitate bridge-building and movement in negotiation positions.
Sustainability Transitions in University Food Service—A Living Lab Approach of Locavore Meal Planning and Procurement
Authors: Kretschmer Sebastian , Dehm Sheena
Published: June 2021

Due to its purchasing power, the public food service sector is viewed as a potential transformative driver towards sustainable food systems. Organic meal planning and regional procurement may be a vital implementation strategy towards Planetary Health Diets in the communal catering arena. Capable of unleashing desirable synergies within local foodsheds, this transition pathway can potentially benefit all stages of the value chain, while also positively influencing consumer dietary behavior. Transformation, however, poses complex challenges to caterers, as it demands a shift in mindset regarding the philosophy, organization, and management of cafeteria systems as well as the need for affordable and aggregated supplies of source-identified local organic foods. This action research case study engaged the public caterer of a German University, undergraduate students, and additional stakeholders in a Living Lab to develop a weekly farm-to-table cafeteria menu, including its actual preparation, based on a conceptual sustainability standard. Hence, through an iterative process, involving two feedback cycles, an ambitious set of nutritional and procurement criteria were devised, inspired by the external input from exemplary practitioners in the field of green cuisine and procurement. The resulting meal plan was then subjected to an evaluation vis-á-vis its compliance with (1) dietary recommendations, (2) seasonality, (3) organic certification, (4) a defined foodshed boundary, (5) budget neutrality, and (6) life cycle assessment.
Social Sustainability of Post-Disaster: How Teachers Enable Primary School Students to Be Resilient in Times of Ranau Earthquake
Authors: Bikar Soon Singh , Rathakrishnan Balan , Kamaluddin Mohammad Rahim , Che Mohd Nasir Norruzeyati , Mohd Nasir Mohd Azrin
Published: June 2021

The Ranau Earthquake that struck on 5 June 2015, February 2018, and April 2021, were a new disaster in Sabah and caused many Sabahan to panic. The unpredicted disaster also caused a serious impact on all aspects of life in Sabah. The earthquake has caused severe damage to eight primary schools in the vicinity of the epicenter, although no casualties were reported. However, the disaster has deep passing psychological effects among students. In this study, we examine how the primary school teachers enabled the student to be resilient during and after the disaster. Based on the interviews with 16 primary school students, it was revealed that most of the teachers used WhatsApp to support resilience during and after the earthquake. Interviews with 16 primary school teachers revealed there were two main reasons for them to communicate with students, namely, delivering emotional aid and monitoring their stress. Based on student interviews, five content categories of emotional support were identified: caring, reassuring, emotion sharing, belonging, and distracting. The main contribution of this study is that social media can be used as a spontaneous and proactive tool for supporting the student’s resilience during and after the earthquake trauma.
Multicriteria Definition of Small-Scale Biorefineries Based on a Statistical Classification
Authors: Ait Sair Aicha , Kansou Kamal , Michaud Franck , Cathala Bernard
Published: June 2021

Biorefineries have many possible designs and therefore, present varied benefits in regards to sustainable development. Evaluating these biorefineries is central for the domain, and, as small-scale biorefineries (SSB) are commonly opposed to the large ones, specifying the concept of scale of a biorefinery is essential as well. However, there is no consensual definition of the “scale”, and the meaning of the term changes with the context. This paper presents a methodology to specify the concept of scale by grouping various biorefineries processing lignocellulosic biomass according to factors related to feedstock, process, economy and mobility of the facility, without any predetermined pattern. Data from 15 operational biorefineries are analyzed using a multivariate analysis combined with a hierarchical clustering. The classification obtained categorizes biorefineries into four design classes: smallest, small, hybrid and large scale. Small-scale biorefineries are characterized by a small investment cost (less than 2 M€), a low processing capacity (less than 100 t/day) and a low process complexity, while the end-products’ added value is variable. The mobility of the plants is a sufficient, but not necessary, criterion to have a small-scale biorefinery. Finally, the designs of the investigated biorefineries can be explained by two main trade-offs: one between the mobility and the processing capacity-investment cost, and the other between the process complexity and the added value.