bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improved method of estimating temperatures at meteor peak
heights
Authors: Sarkar Emranul , Kozlovsky Alexander , Ulich Thomas , Virtanen Ilkka , Lester Mark , Kaifler Bernd
Published: November 2020

Abstract. For two decades meteor radars have been routinely used to monitor temperatures around the 90 km altitude. A common method, based on a temperature-gradient model, is to use the height dependence of meteor decay time to obtain a height-averaged temperature in the peak meteor region. Traditionally this is done by fitting a linear regression model in the scattered plot of log10(1 / τ) and height, where τ is the half-amplitude decay time of the received signal. However, this method was found to be consistently biasing the slope estimate. The consequence of such bias is that it produces a systematic offset in the estimated temperature, and thus requiring calibration with other colocated measurements. The main reason for such a biasing effect is thought to be due to the failure of the classical regression model to take into account the measurement error in τ or the observed height. This is further complicated by the presence of various geophysical effects in the data, which are not taken into account in the physical model. The effect of such biasing is discussed on both theoretical and experimental grounds. An alternative regression method that incorporates various error terms in the statistical model is used for line fitting. This model is used to construct an analytic solution for the bias-corrected slope coefficient for this data. With this solution, meteor radar temperatures can be obtained independently without using any external calibration procedure. When compared with colocated lidar measurements, the temperature estimated using this method is found to be accurate within 7 % or better and without any systematic offset.
Hyperspectral longwave infrared reflectance spectra of naturally dried algae, anthropogenic plastics, sands and shells
Authors: Garaba Shungudzemwoyo P. , Acuña-Ruz Tomás , Mattar Cristian B.
Published: November 2020

Abstract. Remote sensing of litter is foreseen to become an important source of
additional information relevant to scientific awareness about plastic
pollution. Here, we document directional hemispherical reflectance
measurements of anthropogenic and natural materials gathered along the
shorelines of the Chiloé Archipelago, Chile. These spectral observations
were completed in a Chilean laboratory using a state-of-the-art
hyperspectral HyLogger-3™ thermal infrared (TIR) spectrometer
starting from the medium-wave infrared spectrum (6 µm) and going to the longwave infrared
(14.5 µm) spectrum at 0.025 µm intervals. The samples we
investigated included sands, shells, algae, nautical ropes,
Styrofoam®, gunny sacks and several fragments of
plastic-based items. The apparent visible colours of these samples included
shades of black, blue, brown, green, orange, white and yellow. We grouped
the samples using robust statistical approaches (derivatives, peak-seeking
technique) and visual analyses of the derived hyperspectral reflectances. In
each group we derived an average or TIR end-member signal and determined
diagnostic wavebands. Most of the diagnostic wavebands picked were found to
be inside the atmospheric window of the TIR spectrum region. Furthermore,
this laboratory reference dataset and findings might become useful in
related field observations using similar thermal infrared technologies,
especially in identifying anomalies resulting from environmental and
meteorological perturbations. Validation and verification of proposed
diagnostic wavebands would be part of a continuing effort to advance TIR
remote sensing knowledge as well as support robust detection algorithm
development to potentially distinguish plastics in litter throughout the
natural environments. Data are available in open-access form via the online
repository PANGAEA, database of the World Data Center for Marine
Environmental Sciences: https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.919536 (Acuña-Ruz
and Mattar, 2020).
Effects of black carbon morphology on the brown carbon
absorption estimation: from numerical aspects
Authors: Luo Jie , Zhang Yongming , Zhang Qixing
Published: November 2020

Abstract. In this work, we developed a numerical method to investigate the effects of black carbon morphology on the estimation of brown carbon (BrC) absorption using the Absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) method. Pseudo measurements of the total absorption were generated based on several morphologically mixed black carbon (BC) models, then the BrC absorption was inferred based on different AAE methods. By comparing the estimated BrC absorption with True BrC absorption, we found that both AAE = 1 and Mie AAE methods do not provide accurate estimation for the BrC absorption, and the estimated BrC absorption can deviate several times from True BrC absorption. The newly proposed Wavelength Dependent AAE (WDA) method does not necessarily improve the estimations, sometimes it may even provide worse estimations than the AAE = 1 and Mie AAE methods. Fixing the fractal dimension to be 1.8, the deviation between the estimated BrC mass absorption cross-section (MAC) and True BrC MAC can reach approximately 9 m2/g, which is far more than brown carbon MAC itself. Therefore, the estimation of BrC absorption based on the AAE method should carefully consider the morphological effects of BC. Our findings highlight the BC morphological effects on the BrC absorption estimation.
Hydrologic regimes drive nutrient export behavior in human
impacted watersheds
Authors: Gorski Galen , Zimmer Margaret A.
Published: November 2020

Abstract. Agricultural watersheds are significant contributors to downstream nutrient excess issues. The timing and magnitude of nutrient mobilization in these watersheds are driven by a combination of anthropogenic, hydrologic, and biogeochemical factors that operate across a range of spatial and temporal scales. However, how, when, and where these complex factors drive nutrient mobilization has previously been difficult to capture with low-frequency or spatially limited datasets. To address this knowledge gap, we analyzed daily nitrate concentration (c) and discharge (Q) data for a four-year period (2016–2019) from five nested, agricultural watersheds in the midwestern United States that contribute nutrient loads to the Gulf of Mexico. The watersheds span two distinct landforms shaped by differences in glacial history resulting in natural soil properties that necessitated different drainage infrastructure across the study area. To investigate nutrient export patterns under different hydrologic conditions, we partitioned the hydrograph into stormflow and baseflow periods and examined those periods separately through the analysis of their concentration-discharge (c-Q) relationships on annual, seasonal, and event time scales. Stormflow showed consistent chemostatic patterns across all seasons, while baseflow showed seasonally dynamic c-Q patterns. Baseflow exhibited chemodyanmic conditions in the summer and fall and more chemostatic conditions in the winter and spring, suggesting that water source contributions during baseflow were nonstationary. Baseflow chemodynamic behavior was driven by low-flow, low-NO3− conditions during which in-stream and near-stream biological processing likely moderated in-stream NO3− concentrations. Additionally, inputs from deeper groundwater with longer residence times and lower NO3− concentration likely contributed to low-NO3− conditions in-stream, particularly in the larger watersheds. Stormflow c-Q behavior was consistent across watersheds, but baseflow c-Q behavior was linked to intensity of agriculture and density of built drainage infrastructure, with more drainage infrastructure associated with higher loads and more chemostatic export patterns across the watersheds. This suggests that how humans replumb the subsurface in response to geologic conditions has implications for hydrologic connectivity, homogenization of source areas, and subsequently nutrient export during both baseflow and stormflow. Our analysis also showed that anomalous flow periods greatly influenced overall c-Q patterns, suggesting that the analysis of high-resolution records at multiple scales is critical when interpreting seasonal or annual patterns.
MAPPING AND MONITORING GROUND INSTABILITIES WITH SENTINEL-1 DATA: THE EXPERIENCE OF SERNAGEOMIN
Authors: Olea P. , Monserrat O. , Sierralta C. , Barra A. , Bono L. , Fuentes F. , Qiu Z. , Crippa B.
Published: November 2020

Abstract. The application of Satellite Differential SAR interferometry (DInSAR) has become a reliable solution as a tool for mapping and monitoring geohazards. Few years ago, the main applications of these techniques were devoted to science. However, nowadays, the easy access to SAR imagery and the maturity of the techniques to exploit these type of data has widened the user’s spectrum from only scientists to professional and decision makers. The advent of Sentinel-1 satellites has significantly contributed to this achievement. In particular, in the field of geohazard risk management, Sentinel-1 has solved one of the main constraining factors that hindered the operational use of interferometric techniques in the past: the lack of systematic acquisition plans. In this context, Sentinel-1 assures worldwide coverage with short temporal baselines (6 to 24 days). This has supposed a definitive step towards the implementation of DInSAR based techniques to support decision makers against geohazards. In this work, we show the first experiences of the remote sensing unit of the Geological and Mining Survey of Chile (Sernageomin) with Sentinel-1 data. Three different case studies in different areas of the Chilean territory are presented. The examples illustrate how DInSAR based techniques can provide different levels of information about geohazard activity in different environments.
IMPROVED BIOMASS AND BURNING EFFICIENCY FACTORS FOR FOREST FIRE EMISSIONS ESTIMATION IN CENTRAL CHILE
Authors: Oliva P. , Medina N. , Durán L. , Vidal P.
Published: November 2020

Abstract. In an era of increasing wildfires frequency and intensity an accurate estimation of the emissions released to the atmosphere is essential to reduce their impacts. In this study, we improve the accuracy of our estimations by introducing field measurements of biomass and adapting the burning efficiency factors to different levels of burn severity computed from Sentinel-2 data. The biomass measured in the field complemented the data found in the literature. The emissions derived were compared with the emissions from the GFED product showing a good agreement, although GFED values were higher than ours, suggesting that GFED may overestimate the emissions due to their coarse resolution and the generalized factors applied to large ecosystems.
DRIVERS OF BURNED AREA PATTERNS IN CERRADO: THE CASE OF MATOPIBA REGION
Authors: Silva P. S. , Rodrigues J. A. , Santos F. L. M. , Pereira A. A. , Nogueira J. , DaCamara C. C. , Libonati R.
Published: November 2020

Abstract. The Brazilian savanna (Cerrado) is one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in the world. Being a fire-dependent biome, its structure and vegetation dynamics are shaped by and rely on the natural occurring fire regime. Over the last decades, Cerrado has been increasingly threatened by accelerated land cover changes, namely the uncontrolled and intense use of fire for land expansion. This is particularly seen in Brazil’s new agricultural frontier in northeastern Cerrado: the MATOPIBA region. Changes in MATOPIBA’s fire regime resulting from this rapid expansion are still poorly understood. Here we use satellite-derived datasets to analyze burned area patterns in MATOPIBA over the last 18 years, at the microregions level. We further evaluate the role of climate and land use in spatial and temporal burned area variability and assess their trends in the last two decades. Results show an increased contribution of MATOPIBA to Cerrado’s total burned area over the last few years: Maranhão and Tocantins present the highest values of total burned area with some microregions burning more than twice its area over the study period. Climate is shown to play a relevant role in MATOPIBA’s fire activity, explaining 52% of the interannual variance, whereas land use and burned area were found to have more complex interactions that are highly dependent on the regional context. Lastly, climate and land use drivers are found to have an overall increasing trend over the last two decades, whereas burned area trends show much heterogeneity within MATOPIBA.
SPECKLE NOISE REDUCTION IN SAR IMAGES USING INFORMATION THEORY
Authors: Chan D. , Gambini J. , Frery A. C.
Published: November 2020

Abstract. In this work, a new nonlocal means filter for single-look speckled data using the Shannon and Rényi entropies is proposed. The measure of similarity between a central window and patches of the image is based on a statistical test for comparing if two samples have the same entropy and hence have the same distribution.The results are encouraging, as the filtered image has better signal-to-noise ratio, it preserves the mean, and the edges are not severely blurred.
IMPACT OF SEGMENTATION PARAMETERS ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF VHR IMAGES ACQUIRED BY RPAS
Authors: Lacerda M. G. , Shiguemori E. H. , Damião A. J. , Anjos C. S. , Habermann M.
Published: November 2020

Abstract. RPAs (Remotely Piloted Aircrafts) have been used in many Remote Sensing applications, featuring high-quality imaging sensors. In some situations, the images are interpreted in an automated fashion using object-oriented classification. In this case, the first step is segmentation. However, the setting of segmentation parameters such as scale, shape, and compactness may yield too many different segmentations, thus it is necessary to understand the influence of those parameters on the final output. This paper compares 24 segmentation parameter sets by taking into account classification scores. The results indicate that the segmentation parameters exert influence on both classification accuracy and processing time.
ASSESSMENT OF PCA AND MNF INFLUENCE IN THE VHR SATELLITE IMAGE CLASSIFICATIONS
Authors: Molina P. C. , Castro M. P. , Anjos C. S.
Published: November 2020

Abstract. Orbital images have been increasingly refined spatially as spectrally as that is the case with those provided by satellite Earth observation WorldView-3 used in this paper. However, the images are very susceptible to noise interference, so it is difficult to identify and characterize objects. Therefore, it is essential to use techniques to minimize them. Thus, through increasingly innovative processing, it is possible to carry out detailed characterization mainly of urban areas. This work aims to perform the classification of images Worldview-3 using the advanced methods of classification Random Forest and Deep Learning for the region of Botafogo in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Such classifications were performed for four different data sets, including the spectral bands and transformations (MNF and PCA) resulting from the original images. The results demonstrate that the use of transformations resulting from the original images as input data for the extraction of attributes in conjunction with the spectral bands improves the accuracy of the classifications generated by the Random Forest and Deep Learning method.
DETECTING CENTER PIVOTS IN MATOPIBA USING HOUGH TRANSFORM AND WEB TIME SERIES SERVICE
Authors: Rodrigues M. L. , Körting T. S. , de Queiroz G. R. , Sales C. P. , da Silva L. A. R.
Published: November 2020

Abstract. In the last decades, the Brazilian Cerrado biome has undergone major transformations due to the expansion of the agricultural frontier. The region called MATOPIBA acronym for states Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí, and Bahia can be considered very attractive for agricultural expansion. The Cerrado predominates in the MATOPIBA region (91% of the area), also having small areas of the Amazon and Caatinga biomes to the northeast and east, respectively. In this work, we will present a study to identify center pivot irrigation systems in the MATOPIBA region using remote sensing images from Landsat-8 satellite. The methodology is based on the use of robust edge detection techniques such as Canny, Circular Hough Transform (CHT) and time series extraction through the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) product MOD13Q1 which has two vegetation indices NDVI and EVI. These time series will be used to filter the detected circles, seeking to eliminate the circles that do not correspond to center pivots. Our approach detected 80% of the center pivots mapped by the Brazilian National Water Agency (ANA) used as a knowledge base. The states with better detection were Piauí and Bahia that showed the accuracy of 90% and 85% respectively, Maranhão obtained 57% and Tocantins 41%.
EDGE PRESERVING CNN SAR DESPECKLING ALGORITHM
Authors: Vitale S. , Ferraioli G. , Pascazio V.
Published: November 2020

Abstract. SAR despeckling is a key tool for Earth Observation. Interpretation of SAR images are impaired by speckle, a multiplicative noise related to interference of backscattering from the illuminated scene towards the sensor. Reducing the noise is a crucial task for the understanding of the scene. Based on the results of our previous solution KL-DNN, in this work we define a new cost function for training a convolutional neural network for despeckling. The aim is to control the edge preservation and to better filter man-made structures and urban areas that are very challenging for KL-DNN. The results show a very good improvement on the not homogeneous areas keeping the good results in the homogeneous ones. Result on both simulated and real data are shown in the paper.
Micropalaeontology, biostratigraphy, and depositional setting of the mid-Cretaceous Derdere Formation at Derik, Mardin, south-eastern Turkey
Authors: Simmons Michael D. , Vicedo Vicent , Yılmaz İsmail Ö. , Hoşgör İzzet , Mülayim Oğuz , Sarı Bilal
Published: November 2020

Abstract. The micropalaeontology of the mid-Cretaceous Derdere Formation (Mardin Group) from outcrops close to the town of Derik in south-eastern Turkey is described here. In thin sections from the carbonates that form the majority of this formation, rich and diverse micropalaeontological assemblages are present. These include larger benthonic foraminifera, planktonic foraminifera, and other microfossils, including calcareous algae. Alveolinid foraminifera are particularly common and include a new species – Simplalveolina mardinensis. In contrast to some previous studies, the majority of the section can be demonstrated to be Cenomanian (notably middle Cenomanian) in age with no confirmation of extension into the Albian or Turonian. Deposition took place on a carbonate ramp within a range of discrete deposition settings ranging from peritidal to outer ramp. A notable feature is the small-scale (a few metres) shallowing-up cycles within the inner-ramp facies that may be allocyclic or autocyclic in origin. Three major deepening events are recognised within the succession, characterised by more open marine microfauna and microfacies. These occur at the base of the formation, within the mid-Cenomanian lower part, and towards the top of the formation. These may correlate with three Cenomanian deepening phases seen in other parts of the Arabian Plate.
Traditional Chinese Yuekou locks
Authors: Zhang Yang , Hsiao Kuo-Hung
Published: November 2020

Abstract. In the Qing dynasty (1644–1911 CE), the town of Yuekou, in Hubei Province, was an
important and renowned lock production center. Yuekou locks produced there
won high acclaim for their use of quality materials. Transported via water
routes, they were marketed in other provinces in China and other Southeast
Asian countries. Even today, Yuekou locks are the favorites of antique
collectors. After the introduction of the Western-style pin tumbler lock in
the 1950s, the popularity of traditional Chinese locks began to decline, and they disappeared from
the market. Receiving no attention from people, they were forgotten. From
2009 to 2016, the research team visited Yuekou eight times to conduct field
research and interview surviving locksmiths and their descendants, achieving
significant results. There are six main types of Yuekou locks, including
combination locks, regular locks, pull-back locks, maze locks, multi-stage
locks, and hidden-keyhole locks. The crafting of Yuekou locks is conducted
in four stages: material preparation, molding, shaping, and assembling. The
entire process is operated manually. This work introduces the historical
development of Yuekou locks, summarizes the verbatim interviews, explores
the production of Yuekou locks, and analyzes the types and structures of
Yuekou locks.
Assessment of 21 years of Arctic Ocean Absolute Sea Level Trends
(1995–2015)
Authors: Ludwigsen Carsten Ankjær , Andersen Ole Baltazar , Rose Stine Kildegaard
Published: November 2020

Abstract. The Arctic Ocean is at the frontier of the fast changing climate in the northern latitudes. As the first study, we assess the different mass and steric components of the observed sea level trend from both absolute sea level (ASL) from altimetry and tide gauges, without using gravimetric observations from GRACE. This approach permits a longer time series and avoids problems with errors from leakage effects in GRACE-products. ASL is equal to mass-driven sea level added with steric sea level, while tide gauge based sea level are also corrected with novel estimates of vertical land movement. Calculations of the mass component from present-day deglaciation, shows that deglaciation rises Arctic sea level with more than 1 mm y−1, while the steric contribution is between −5 and 15 mm y−1 with large spatial variability, with the halosteric signal dominating the pattern. A dynamic mass contribution is derived from the Estimating Circulation and Climate of the Oceans (ECCO)-model (version 4 release 4), which varies between −1 and 2 mm y−1. The combined mass and steric product agrees (within uncertainty) with ASL-trends observed from altimetry in 99 % of the Arctic, although large uncertainties originate from poor data coverage in the steric data and large variability in the dynamic product. A comparison with ASL trends observed at tide gauges agrees with mass+steric at 11 of 12 tide gauge sites.
Lateral transports of mass, inorganic nutrients and dissolved
oxygen in the Cape Verde Frontal Zone in summer 2017
Authors: Burgoa Nadia , Machín Francisco , Rodríguez-Santana Ángel , Marrero-Díaz Ángeles , Álvarez-Salgado Xosé Antón , Gelado-Caballero María Dolores , Arístegui Javier
Published: November 2020

Abstract. The circulation patterns in the confluence of the North Atlantic Subtropical and Tropical gyres delimited by the Cape Verde Frontal Zone (CVFZ) in summer 2017 were examined. Hydrology, dissolved oxygen (O2) and inorganic nutrients data collected in a closed box embracing the CVFZ allowed estimating transports of water masses, O2 and inorganic nutrients for the first time. Higher transports occurred mainly at the surface and central waters, and were moderately affected by the Cape Verde Front located in the southeastern part of the domain. Thus, the front conditioned the meridional transports, acting as a barrier between North and South Atlantic Central waters. Specifically, −3.2±1.7 Sv entered through north and east and 6.7±1.7 Sv left through west and south transects. At intermediate levels, the most important source came from the south with −2.2±1.5 Sv of modified Antarctic Intermediate water, moderately affected by the circulation pattern above. The transports of O2 and inorganic nutrients conditioned by their distributions behaved quite similar to mass transports. The most intense and important transports of O2 and inorganic nutrients occurred in the deepest layer of central waters and in the shallowest two layers of intermediate waters where inorganic nutrients accumulated and large differences in concentrations of O2 were found, especially in the deepest layer of central waters between the northeast and southeast zones. In these three layers, transports of O2 and inorganic nutrients came from the east and south and they left northward and westward. This circulation pattern delivers inorganic nutrient from east and south to oligotrophic waters of north and west of CVFZ. Nevertheless, it can also hinders the ventilation of the deepest layer of central waters and the shallowest two layers of intermediate waters.
Tracing devastating fires in Portugal to a snow archive in the Swiss Alps: a case study
Authors: Osmont Dimitri , Brugger Sandra , Gilgen Anina , Weber Helga , Sigl Michael , Modini Robin L. , Schwörer Christoph , Tinner Willy , Wunderle Stefan , Schwikowski Margit
Published: November 2020

Abstract. Recent large wildfires, such as those in Portugal in
2017, have devastating impacts on societies, economy, ecosystems and
environments. However, wildfires are a natural phenomenon, which has been
exacerbated by land use during the past millennia. Ice cores are one of the
archives preserving information on fire occurrences over these timescales. A
difficulty is that emission sensitivity of ice cores is often unknown, which
constitutes a source of uncertainty in the interpretation of such archives.
Information from specific and well-documented case studies is therefore
useful to better understand the spatial representation of ice-core burning
records. The wildfires near Pedrógão Grande in central Portugal in
2017 provided a test bed to link a fire event to its footprint left in a
high-alpine snowpack considered a surrogate for high-alpine ice-core sites.
Here, we (1) analysed black carbon (BC) and microscopic charcoal particles
deposited in the snowpack close to the high-alpine research station
Jungfraujoch in the Swiss Alps; (2) calculated backward trajectories based
on ERA-Interim reanalysis data and simulated the transport of these
carbonaceous particles using a global aerosol-climate model; and (3)
analysed the fire spread, its spatial and temporal extent, and its
intensity with remote-sensing (e.g. MODIS) Active Fire and Burned Area products. According to modelled emissions of the FINN v1.6 database, the
fire emitted a total amount of 203.5 t BC from a total burned area of 501 km2 as observed on the basis of satellite fire products. Backward
trajectories unambiguously linked a peak of atmospheric-equivalent BC
observed at the Jungfraujoch research station on 22 June – with
elevated levels until 25 June – with the highly intensive fires in
Portugal. The atmospheric signal is in correspondence with an outstanding
peak in microscopic charcoal observed in the snow layer, depositing nearly
as many charcoal particles as during an average year in other ice archives.
In contrast to charcoal, the amount of atmospheric BC deposited during the
fire episode was minor due to a lack of precipitation. Simulations with a
global aerosol-climate model suggest that the observed microscopic
charcoal particles originated from the fires in Portugal and that their
contribution to the BC signal in snow was negligible. Our study revealed
that microscopic charcoal can be transported over long distances (1500 km)
and that snow and ice archives are much more sensitive to distant events
than sedimentary archives, for which the signal is dominated by local fires.
The findings are important for future ice-core studies as they document
that, for BC as a fire tracer, the signal preservation depends on precipitation.
Single events, like this example, might not be preserved due to unfavourable
meteorological conditions.
Evaluating Airborne Ku-Band Radar Altimetry over Landfast
First-Year Sea Ice
Authors: Donchenko Paul , King Joshua , Kelly Richard
Published: November 2020

Abstract. Recent studies have challenged the assumption that Ku-band radar used by the CryoSat-2 altimeter fully penetrates the dry snow cover of Arctic sea ice. There is also uncertainty around the proper technique for handling retracker threshold selection in the Threshold First-Maxima Retracker (TFMRA) method which estimates the ice surface elevation from the radar echo waveform. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and penetration of the TFMRA retracking method applied to the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar and Interferometric Radar Altimeter System (ASIRAS), an airborne simulator of the CryoSat-2, to investigate the effect of surface characteristics and improve accuracy. The ice surface elevation estimate from ASIRAS was evaluated by comparing to the snow surface measured by aggregating laser altimetry observations from the Airborne Laser Scanner (ALS), and the ice surface measured by subtracting ground observations of snow depth from the snow surface. The perceived penetration of the ice surface estimate was found to increase with the retracker threshold and was correlated with the value of surface properties. The slope of the relationship between penetration and threshold was greater for a deformed ice surface, a rough snow surface, a deeper snow cover, an absence of salinity and a larger snow grain size. As a result, the ideal retracked threshold, one that would achieve 100 % penetration, varies depending on properties of the surface being observed. Under conditions such deep snow or a large grain size, the retracked elevation sr was found in some cases to not penetrate fully the snowpack. This would cause an overestimation of the sea ice freeboard and as a consequence, the sea ice thickness. Results suggest that using a single threshold with the TFMRA retracking method will not yield a reliable estimate of the snow-ice interface when observed over an area with diverse surface properties. However, there may be potential to improve the retracking method by incorporating knowledge of the sensed surface physical characteristics. This study shows that remotely sensed surface properties, such as the ice deformity or snow surface roughness, can be combined with the waveform shape to select an ideal retracker for individual returns with an additional offset to account for the incomplete penetration of Ku-band over appropriate surface characteristics.
Do people walk more in transit-accessible places?
Authors: Choi Yunkyung , Guhathakurta Subhrajit
Published: November 2020

While transit-oriented developments (TODs) are generally believed to promote the use of sustainable travel modes, the degree to which various components of TODs influence travel behavior is still debatable. This paper revisits Chatman’s (2013) question: “Does TOD need the T?” by addressing the effect of rail transit access in influencing walking behavior in TOD areas. In particular, we compare TODs to other similar areas, with rail transit access being the key variable, and examine whether people are more likely to walk in TODs for purposes other than transit use. This hypothesis is tested using traffic analysis zones (TAZs) in the Atlanta Metropolitan Region. First, we identify TAZs within rail catchment areas and use propensity scores to match them with other TAZs with similar built environmental characteristics except for rail transit access. We then conduct a statistical analysis comparing walking trips for both commuting and non-commuting trips in these two TAZ groups. Our results confirm that the likelihood of walking trips increases in transit-accessible TAZs compared to other similar areas without transit. Therefore, states and localities can maximize the benefits of pedestrian-friendly built environments by making rail transit access an important part of their planning and design.
Multilevel spatial impact analysis of high-speed rail and station placement: A short-term empirical study of the Taiwan HSR
Authors: Tsai Yu-Hsin , Guan Jhong-yun , Chung Yi-hsin
Published: November 2020

Understanding the impact of high-speed rail (HSR) services on spatial distributions of population and employment is important for planning and policy concerning HSR station location as well as a wide range of complementary spatial, transportation, and urban planning initiatives. Previous research, however, has yielded mixed results into the extent of this impact and a number of influential factors rarely have been controlled for during assessment. This study aims to address this gap by controlling for socioeconomic and transportation characteristics in evaluating the spatial impacts of HSR (including station placement) at multiple spatial levels to assess overall impact across metropolitan areas. The Taiwan HSR is used for this empirical study. Research methods include descriptive statistics, multilevel analysis, and multiple regression analysis. Findings conclude that HSR-based towns, on average, may experience growing population and employment, but HSR-based counties are likely to experience relatively less growth of employment in the tertiary sector. HSR stations located in urban or suburban settings may have a more significant spatial impact. This differential in spatial change may be attributed to a high concentration of some subsectors and transportation services in the study area. Policy implications include adopting policies that encourage higher density at the local level, considering rural areas as a last choice for the installation of new HSR stations, and the use of HSR station placement to initiate brownfield urban regeneration in the urban core.
Correlation of serum levels of anti-tumor necrosis factor agents with perianal fistula healing in Crohn’s disease: a narrative review
Authors: Miranda Eron Fabio , Nones Rodrigo Bremer , Kotze Paulo Gustavo
Published: November 2020

With the overspread use of measurement of serum levels of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents (therapeutic drug monitoring, TDM), new therapeutic strategies have been used in the management of Crohn’s disease (CD). Different targets are correlated with increased levels of circulating drugs. Recent evidence demonstrated that higher serum levels of anti-TNF agents may be associated to better outcomes in perianal fistulizing CD (PFCD). Overall, patients with healed fistulas had higher serum levels of infliximab and adalimumab as compared to those with active drainage. This was demonstrated in some cohort studies, in induction and maintenance, in adults and children with PFCD. In this narrative review, authors summarize current evidence on the use of serum level measurement of anti-TNF agents and its correlation with perianal fistula healing in CD patients. Data on the use of TDM in PFCD is discussed in detail. The retrospective design of the studies and the lack of objective parameters to measure fistula healing are the main limitations of published data. Prospective studies, with central reading of objective radiological parameters, such as pelvic magnetic resonance imaging scores, can improve the level of evidence on the possible advantages of TDM in perianal fistula in CD and are warranted.
Vinculación de conocimientos locales a la práctica pedagógica en contextos rurales
Authors: Figueroa-Ibérico Ángela María
Published: November 2020

En el Perú la expansión de la demanda en la educación rural ha llevado a una revisión profunda de los objetivos pedagógicos, a partir del análisis de nuevas configuraciones y problemáticas en los contextos educativos. La incorporación de los conocimientos locales en las prácticas pedagógicas es un campo emergente para la investigación. El objetivo del presente estudio es identificar y analizar los conocimientos locales que se incorporan en las prácticas pedagógicas del nivel secundario. Este estudio presenta dos estudios de caso de instituciones educativas rurales, en la provincia de Huaura, región de Lima. La información se recogió mediante la observación de clases y entrevistas semiestructuradas con profesores y estudiantes. Las categorías de análisis aplicadas fueron: saberes previos, interacciones cognitivas e interacciones conductuales. Los resultados evidencian una tendencia en la incorporación de los conocimientos locales referidos específicamente a datos y hechos, y alertan sobre la necesidad de vincular con mayor profundidad otros conocimientos locales en las prácticas pedagógicas.
Educación ambiental lúdica para fortalecer habilidades cognitivas en niños escolarizados
Authors: Acuña Agudelo María Piedad , Quiñones Tello Yaneth del Carmen
Published: November 2020

El propósito de esta investigación fue determinar la importancia de la educación ambiental lúdica para el fomento de habilidades cognitivas en niños de 4 a 6 años. La investigación se desarrolló con la estrategia metodológica de la investigación-acción, y enfoque cualitativo. Se revisaron prácticas docentes, se implementaron actividades orientadas al desarrollo de habilidades cognitivas, se analizaron sus efectos, se rediseñaron procesos de la educación ambiental en la primera infancia y se propusieron orientaciones para docentes de educación inicial. El trabajo realizado permitió comprobar que es posible fomentar el desarrollo de estas habilidades cognitivas en los niños escolarizados, utilizando la lúdica como herramienta didáctica y aprovechando el ambiente como el espacio pedagógico.
Effect of Organizational Sponsorship, Career Management Behaviour and Proactive Personality in Predicting Managers’ Subjective Career Success
Authors: Omondi Anjeline Akinyi
Published: November 2020

The main aim of the study was to examine the role of organizational sponsorship, career management behaviour and proactive personality in predicting subjective career success of managerial staff in large scale manufacturing firms in Kenya. Primary data was collected using a sample of 255 managers from large scale manufacturing firms in Kenya based on descriptive survey. Hypothesis was tested using hierarchical regression model. The findings indicate that the joint effect of the predictor variables was greater than their individual effect on subjective career success. The study recommends that large manufacturing firms should facilitate their staff’s career success by providing them with organizational sponsorship programmes. The findings also point out the need for the staff to be proactive and to adopt suitable career management behaviour that can enhance their achievement of career success. Future researchers may benefit from the already established conceptual and methodological reference in their pursuit for further studies with regards to this area in different contexts.
The Soils Within the Perimeter of the Archaeological Site no. 1, Caracal-Ring Road (Agricultural Research-Development Station) and the Possible Influence of Roman Dwelling on Them
Authors: Stănilă Anca-Luiza , Cruceru Nicolae , Negru Mircea
Published: November 2020

Soils represent that superficial deposit from the land surface in a continuous evolution, but with a high vulnerability to climate change and anthropogenic interventions. The current soil was born in a long period of time (numbering hundreds of years) through pedogenetic factors and processes, but also anthropogenic influences on the parent material.The purpose of this article is to investigate the soil on the territory of a Roma village (vicus), located on both sides of the Caracal Municipality Ring Road. This is located near the Roman road from Romula (Resca village, Dobrosloveni commune, Olt County), the residence of the Dacia Inferior (Malvensis) Roman province’s governor and Sucidava (Corabia-Celei, Olt County), in a region where there was a fertile land favourable to agriculture.The parental materials (carbonate loess-like deposits loamy-clayey loam) belonging to that period are well represented in the soil horizons starting 25-30 cm from the surface to a variable depth, a fact which will be validated by on-going geophysical studies. The dominant soil is argic chernozem, belonging to the cernisols class specific to the plain area, but with a higher amount of clay. It is important to note that in the 4 soil profiles analysed in detail we find differences in soil texture within the horizons, even if there are traces of the Roman period.
Pseudo-incorporation and its movement patterns
Authors: Driemel Imke
Published: November 2020

While movement of pseudo-incorporated arguments seems to be restricted generally, there is considerable variation across languages to what extend dislocation can take place. Whereas Turkish, German, and Hindi have been shown to allow for certain movement operations, pseudo-incorporated objects in Tamil for example are argued to require surface adjacency with the verb. This paper provides new evidence against surface adjacency in Tamil. More importantly, the study points out a striking parallel between movement of pseudo-incorporated objects and the respective VP-movement patterns within Tamil, Mongolian, Turkish, and German. Pseudo-incorporated objects are argued to constitute partially verbal categories, which explains the movement patterns, along with two other trademark properties of pseudo-incorporation – lack of case marking and scope inertness.
Questionários online: análise comparativa de ferramentas para a criação e aplicação de e-surveys
Authors: Neves Catarina , Augusto Cláudia , Terra Ana Lúcia
Published: November 2020

Introdução: A disponibilidade de uma grande panóplia de ferramentas para a recolha de dados através de inquéritos online (e-surveys) oferece novas oportunidades de escolha aos utilizadores mas também dificulta o processo de seleção. Neste sentido, torna-se relevante mapear as ferramentas existentes e analisá-las à lente de critérios objetivos uniformes. Método: Foi realizada uma pesquisa exploratória, com base em dados secundários, para mapeamento das ferramentas de e-surveys existentes. Foi criada e aplicada uma grelha de análise a 15 ferramentas selecionadas num mapeamento inicial. Foi criada uma grelha de avaliação comparativa e de pontuação aplicada a 10 ferramentas escolhidas de entre as 15 analisadas. Resultados: É proporcionado um levantamento sistemático e atualizado das ferramentas de e-surveys existentes e apresentada uma avaliação pontuada das suas principais funcionalidades. São sintetizadas as principais características e funcionalidades das três ferramentas melhor pontuadas (SurveyMonkey, SurveyGizmo e SoGoSurvey), proporcionando aos potenciais utilizadores dados relevantes para que façam uma escolha informada. Conclusão: É evidenciada a necessidade de uma avaliação metódica das ferramentas de e-surveys, dada a existência de muitas ferramentas com características semelhantes. Destaca-se a importância de atender aos condicionalismos do utilizador e aos objetivos da aplicação do questionário. A presente pesquisa terá elevadas potencialidades de uso prático por parte de investigadores, estudantes ou profissionais do setor privado que necessitem de trabalhar com e-surveys.
A PERSPECTIVA HISTÓRICA EM A MONTANHA MÁGICA, DE THOMAS MANN
Authors: Marchesin Moises Carolina
Published: November 2020

Ler A Montanha Mágica é ler a história do início do século XX. A literatura fundamental da época, através da história da viagem de um jovem alemão a um sanatório na Suíça, traz diversas visões do novo século e pode dar pistas sobre a sociedade europeia naquele momento. A partir da história do jovem Hans Castorp, Thomas Mann traça um panorama das questões filosóficas, estéticas, políticas e literárias de sua época, sendo a obra caracterizada pelo próprio autor e seus críticos como um romance de época, que pretende fazer uma apresentação do seu presente. Porém, como o livro foi escrito em um período longo e conturbado, mostra uma escrita ainda mais interessante aos olhos do historiador: a do tempo em transformação.
RELAÇÕES DE GÊNERO E RAÇA NO LIVRO “A INTRUSA” DE JÚLIA LOPES DE ALMEIDA
Authors: Shalders Jhullya Da Rosa
Published: November 2020

Este trabalho tem como finalidade analisar o romance A Intrusa, de Júlia Lopes de Almeida, publicado primeiramente como folhetim em 1905 e como livro em 1908, inserindo-o no contexto político-social da época em que foi escrito e apresentando aspectos que fazem com que a autora e sua obra sejam pertinentes ao estudar o final do século XIX (época em que o romance é ambientado) e início do século XX. A relação entre história e literatura também vai ser abordada, considerando que se pode observar aspectos históricos importantes do período no romance, como a construção de identidades, diferenças entre o público e privado e questões de gênero e raça.
UM ESTUDO ACERCA DA CONSTRUÇÃO DO IDEÁRIO MONÁRQUICO E POLÍTICO DENTRO DA ALEGORIA DE RAIMUNDO LÚLIO, O LIVRO DAS BESTAS (1285-1294)
Authors: De Souza Anna Luíza Dias Rosa
Published: November 2020

A obra de Raimundo Lúlio, O Livro das Bestas, século XIII, funciona como um pequeno compêndio, escrito em forma de alegoria, de virtudes que um governante deveria ter. Objetivou-se estudar e analisar a construção do ideário monárquico na sociedade feudal da Península Ibérica, século XIII, presente nela. Pretendeu-se entender como ela retratava a atuação dos elementos políticos dentro da corte, de que forma o autor constrói esse ideal de rei e quais as críticas acerca da realidade dessa monarquia. Verificaram-se diversas questões acerca das virtudes e qualidades que esperava-se de um rei dentro de uma realidade feudal cristã. Justo, bom, temente a Deus e honesto, eram algumas das qualidades descritas por Lúlio. Percebe-se, ao final, a clara influência que a religião católica exercia na política e no imaginário da época. Um rei que defenda a imagética e virtudes católicas é, na obra, o objeto final.
Reviewer Acknowledgements for Journal of Business Administration Research, Vol. 9, No. 2
Authors: Lee Grace
Published: November 2020

Reviewer Acknowledgements for Journal of Business Administration Research, Vol. 9, No. 2, 2020.
Covid19 Identification from Chest X-ray Images using Machine Learning Classifiers with GLCM Features
Authors: Thepade Sudeep D , Bang Shalakha V , Chaudhari Piyush R , Dindorkar Mayuresh R
Published: November 2020

From staying quarantined at home, practicing work from home to moving outside wearing masks and carrying sanitizers, every individual has now become so adaptive to so called ‘New Normal’ post series of lockdowns across the countries. The situation triggered by novel Coronavirus has changed the behaviour of every individual towards every other living as well as non-living entity. In the Wuhan city of China, multiple cases were reported of pneumonia caused due to unknown reasons. The concerned medical authorities confirmed the cause to be Coronavirus. The symptoms seen in these cases were not much different than those seen in case of pneumonia. Earlier the research has been carried out in the field of pneumonia identification and classification through X-ray images of chest. The difficulty in identifying Covid19 infection at initial stage is due to high resemblance of its symptoms with the infection caused due to pneumonia. Hence it is trivial to well distinguish cases of coronavirus from pneumonia that may help in saving life of patients. The paper uses chest X-ray images to identify Covid19 infection in lungs using machine learning classifiers and ensembles with Gray-Level Cooccurrence Matrix (GLCM) features. The advocated methodology extracts statistical texture features from X-ray images by computing a GLCM for each image. The matrix is computed by considering various stride combinations. These GLCM features are used to train the machine learning classifiers and ensembles. The paper explores both the multiclass classification (X-ray images are classified into one of the three classes namely Covid19 affected, Pneumonia affected and normal lungs) and binary classification (Covid19 affected and other). The dataset used for evaluating performance of the method is open sourced and can be accessed easily. Proposed method being simple and computationally effective achieves noteworthy performance in terms of Accuracy, F-Measure, MCC, PPV and Sensitivity. In sum, the best stride combination of GLCM and ensemble of machine learning classifiers is suggested as vital outcome of the proposed method for effective Covid19 identification from chest X-ray images