The use of geospatial technologies to increase students' spatial abilities and knowledge of certain atmospheric science content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hedley, Mikell Lynne

2008-10-01

The purpose of the study was to use geospatial technologies to improve the spatial abilities and specific atmospheric science content knowledge of students in high schools and junior highs in primarily high-needs schools. These technologies include remote sensing, geographic information systems, and global positioning systems. The program involved training the teachers in the use of the technologies at a five-day institute. Scientists who use the technologies in their research taught the basics of their use and scientific background. Standards-based activities were used to integrate the technologies in the classroom setting. Students were tested before any instruction in the technologies and then tested two other times. They used the technologies in field data collection and used that data in an inquiry-based project. Their projects were presented at a mini-science conference with scientists, teachers, parents, and other students in attendance. Significant differences were noted from pre-test to second post-test in the test in both the spatial abilities and science section. There was a gain in both spatial abilities and in specific atmospheric science content knowledge.

Advanced data structures for the interpretation of image and cartographic data in geo-based information systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peuquet, D. J.

1986-01-01

A growing need to usse geographic information systems (GIS) to improve the flexibility and overall performance of very large, heterogeneous data bases was examined. The Vaster structure and the Topological Grid structure were compared to test whether such hybrid structures represent an improvement in performance. The use of artificial intelligence in a geographic/earth sciences data base context is being explored. The architecture of the Knowledge Based GIS (KBGIS) has a dual object/spatial data base and a three tier hierarchial search subsystem. Quadtree Spatial Spectra (QTSS) are derived, based on the quadtree data structure, to generate and represent spatial distribution information for large volumes of spatial data.

Visual-spatial thinking: An aspect of science overlooked by educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathewson, James H.

1999-01-01

Thinking with images plays a central role in scientific creativity and communication but is neglected in science classrooms. This article reviews the fundamental role of imagery in science and technology and our current knowledge of visual-spatial cognition. A novel analogic and thematic organization of images and visualization within science and technology is proposed that can help in the generation and evaluation of classroom activities and materials, and serve as a focus for professional development programs in visual-spatial thinking for science teachers. Visual-spatial thinking includes vision - using the eyes to identify, locate, and think about objects and ourselves in the world, and imagery - the formation, inspection, transformation, and maintenance of images in the mind's eye in the absence of a visual stimulus. A spatial image preserves relationships among a complex set of ideas as a single chunk in working memory, increasing the amount of information that can be maintained in consciousness at a given moment. Vision and imagery are fundamental cognitive processes using specialized pathways in the brain and rely on our memory of prior experience. Visual-spatial thinking develops from birth, together with language and other specialized abilities, through interactions between inherited capabilities and experience. Scientific creativity can be considered as an amalgam of three closely allied mental formats: images; metaphors; and unifying ideas (themes). Combinations of images, analogies, and themes pervade science in the form of master images and visualization techniques. A critique of current practice in education contrasts the subservient role of visual-spatial learning with the dominance of the alphanumeric encoding skills in classroom and textbooks. The lack of coherence in curriculum, pedagogy, and learning theory requires reform that addresses thinking skills, including imagery. Successful integration of information, skills and attitudes into cohesive mental schemata employed by self-aware human beings is a basic goal of education. The current attempt to impose integration using themes is criticized on the grounds that the required underpinning in cognitive skills and content knowledge by teachers and students may be absent. Teaching strategies that employ visual-spatial thinking are reviewed. Master images are recommended as a novel point of departure for a systematic development of programs on visual-spatial thinking in research, teacher education, curriculum, and classroom practice.

Formally grounding spatio-temporal thinking.

PubMed

Klippel, Alexander; Wallgrün, Jan Oliver; Yang, Jinlong; Li, Rui; Dylla, Frank

2012-08-01

To navigate through daily life, humans use their ability to conceptualize spatio-temporal information, which ultimately leads to a system of categories. Likewise, the spatial sciences rely heavily on conceptualization and categorization as means to create knowledge when they process spatio-temporal data. In the spatial sciences and in related branches of artificial intelligence, an approach has been developed for processing spatio-temporal data on the level of coarse categories: qualitative spatio-temporal representation and reasoning (QSTR). Calculi developed in QSTR allow for the meaningful processing of and reasoning with spatio-temporal information. While qualitative calculi are widely acknowledged in the cognitive sciences, there is little behavioral assessment whether these calculi are indeed cognitively adequate. This is an astonishing conundrum given that these calculi are ubiquitous, are often intended to improve processes at the human-machine interface, and are on several occasions claimed to be cognitively adequate. We have systematically evaluated several approaches to formally characterize spatial relations from a cognitive-behavioral perspective for both static and dynamically changing spatial relations. This contribution will detail our framework, which is addressing the question how formal characterization of space can help us understand how people think with, in, and about space.

A parallel-processing approach to computing for the geographic sciences; applications and systems enhancements

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crane, Michael; Steinwand, Dan; Beckmann, Tim; Krpan, Greg; Liu, Shu-Guang; Nichols, Erin; Haga, Jim; Maddox, Brian; Bilderback, Chris; Feller, Mark; Homer, George

2001-01-01

The overarching goal of this project is to build a spatially distributed infrastructure for information science research by forming a team of information science researchers and providing them with similar hardware and software tools to perform collaborative research. Four geographically distributed Centers of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are developing their own clusters of low-cost, personal computers into parallel computing environments that provide a costeffective way for the USGS to increase participation in the high-performance computing community. Referred to as Beowulf clusters, these hybrid systems provide the robust computing power required for conducting information science research into parallel computing systems and applications.

Mapping Our City: Learning To Use Spatial Data in the Middle School Science Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McWilliams, Harold; Rooney, Paul

Mapping Our City is a two-year project in which middle school teachers and students in Boston explore the uses of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in project-based science, environmental education, and geography. The project is funded by the National Science Foundation and is being field tested in three Boston middle school science classrooms.…

Spatial Thinking in Atmospheric Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNeal, P. M.; Petcovic, H. L.; Ellis, T. D.

2016-12-01

Atmospheric science is a STEM discipline that involves the visualization of three-dimensional processes from two-dimensional maps, interpretation of computer-generated graphics and hand plotting of isopleths. Thus, atmospheric science draws heavily upon spatial thinking. Research has shown that spatial thinking ability can be a predictor of early success in STEM disciplines and substantial evidence demonstrates that spatial thinking ability is improved through various interventions. Therefore, identification of the spatial thinking skills and cognitive processes used in atmospheric science is the first step toward development of instructional strategies that target these skills and scaffold the learning of students in atmospheric science courses. A pilot study of expert and novice meteorologists identified mental animation and disembedding as key spatial skills used in the interpretation of multiple weather charts and images. Using this as a starting point, we investigated how these spatial skills, together with expertise, domain specific knowledge, and working memory capacity affect the ability to produce an accurate forecast. Participants completed a meteorology concept inventory, experience questionnaire and psychometric tests of spatial thinking ability and working memory capacity prior to completing a forecasting task. A quantitative analysis of the collected data investigated the effect of the predictor variables on the outcome task. A think-aloud protocol with individual participants provided a qualitative look at processes such as task decomposition, rule-based reasoning and the formation of mental models in an attempt to understand how individuals process this complex data and describe outcomes of particular meteorological scenarios. With our preliminary results we aim to inform atmospheric science education from a cognitive science perspective. The results point to a need to collaborate with the atmospheric science community broadly, such that multiple educational pipelines are affected including university meteorology courses for majors and non-majors, military weather forecaster preparation and professional training for operational meteorologists, thus improving student learning and the continued development of the current and future workforce.

Application of geo-information science methods in ecotourism exploitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Suocheng; Hou, Xiaoli

2004-11-01

Application of geo-information science methods in ecotourism development was discussed in the article. Since 1990s, geo-information science methods, which take the 3S (Geographic Information System, Global Positioning System, and Remote Sensing) as core techniques, has played an important role in resources reconnaissance, data management, environment monitoring, and regional planning. Geo-information science methods can easily analyze and convert geographic spatial data. The application of 3S methods is helpful to sustainable development in tourism. Various assignments are involved in the development of ecotourism, such as reconnaissance of ecotourism resources, drawing of tourism maps, dealing with mass data, and also tourism information inquire, employee management, quality management of products. The utilization of geo-information methods in ecotourism can make the development more efficient by promoting the sustainable development of tourism and the protection of eco-environment.

Spatial Relation Predicates in Topographic Feature Semantics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Varanka, Dalia E.; Caro, Holly K.

2013-01-01

Topographic data are designed and widely used for base maps of diverse applications, yet the power of these information sources largely relies on the interpretive skills of map readers and relational database expert users once the data are in map or geographic information system (GIS) form. Advances in geospatial semantic technology offer data model alternatives for explicating concepts and articulating complex data queries and statements. To understand and enrich the vocabulary of topographic feature properties for semantic technology, English language spatial relation predicates were analyzed in three standard topographic feature glossaries. The analytical approach drew from disciplinary concepts in geography, linguistics, and information science. Five major classes of spatial relation predicates were identified from the analysis; representations for most of these are not widely available. The classes are: part-whole (which are commonly modeled throughout semantic and linked-data networks), geometric, processes, human intention, and spatial prepositions. These are commonly found in the ‘real world’ and support the environmental science basis for digital topographical mapping. The spatial relation concepts are based on sets of relation terms presented in this chapter, though these lists are not prescriptive or exhaustive. The results of this study make explicit the concepts forming a broad set of spatial relation expressions, which in turn form the basis for expanding the range of possible queries for topographical data analysis and mapping.

Novel GIS approaches to watershed science and management: Description, prediction, and integration

EPA Science Inventory

Spatial data and geographic information systems (GIS) are playing an increasingly important role in watershed science and management, particularly in the face of increasing climate uncertainty and demand for water resources. Concomitantly, scientists and managers are presented wi...

Board on Earth Sciences and Resources and its activities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-06-01

The Board on Earth Sciences and Resources (BESR) coordinates, the National Research Council`s advice to the federal government on solid-earth science issues. The board identifies opportunities for advancing basic research and understanding, reports on applications of earth sciences in such areas as disaster mitigation and resource utilization, and analyzes the scientific underpinnings and credibility of earth science information for resource, environmental and other applications and policy decision. Committees operating under the guidance of the Board conducts studies addressing specific issues within the earth sciences. The current committees are as follows: Committee on Geophysical and Environmental Data; Mapping Sciences Committee; Committeemore » on Seismology; Committee on Geodesy; Rediscovering Geography Committee; Committee on Research Programs of the US Bureau of Mines. The following recent reports are briefly described: research programs of the US Bureau of Mines, first assessment 1994; Mount Rainier, active cascade volcano; the national geomagnetic initiative; reservoir class field demonstration program; solid-earth sciences and society; data foundation for the national spatial infrastructure; promoting the national spatial data infrastructure through partnerships; toward a coordinated spatial data infrastructure for the nation; and charting a course into the digital era; guidance to the NOAA`s nautical charting mission.« less

Developing Accurate Spatial Maps of Cotton Fiber Quality Parameters

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Awareness of the importance of cotton fiber quality (Gossypium, L. sps.) has increased as advances in spinning technology require better quality cotton fiber. Recent advances in geospatial information sciences allow an improved ability to study the extent and causes of spatial variability in fiber p...

The cognitive science of visual-spatial displays: implications for design.

PubMed

Hegarty, Mary

2011-07-01

This paper reviews cognitive science perspectives on the design of visual-spatial displays and introduces the other papers in this topic. It begins by classifying different types of visual-spatial displays, followed by a discussion of ways in which visual-spatial displays augment cognition and an overview of the perceptual and cognitive processes involved in using displays. The paper then argues for the importance of cognitive science methods to the design of visual displays and reviews some of the main principles of display design that have emerged from these approaches to date. Cognitive scientists have had good success in characterizing the performance of well-defined tasks with relatively simple visual displays, but many challenges remain in understanding the use of complex displays for ill-defined tasks. Current research exemplified by the papers in this topic extends empirical approaches to new displays and domains, informs the development of general principles of graphic design, and addresses current challenges in display design raised by the recent explosion in availability of complex data sets and new technologies for visualizing and interacting with these data. Copyright © 2011 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

A parallel-processing approach to computing for the geographic sciences

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crane, Michael; Steinwand, Dan; Beckmann, Tim; Krpan, Greg; Haga, Jim; Maddox, Brian; Feller, Mark

2001-01-01

The overarching goal of this project is to build a spatially distributed infrastructure for information science research by forming a team of information science researchers and providing them with similar hardware and software tools to perform collaborative research. Four geographically distributed Centers of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are developing their own clusters of low-cost personal computers into parallel computing environments that provide a costeffective way for the USGS to increase participation in the high-performance computing community. Referred to as Beowulf clusters, these hybrid systems provide the robust computing power required for conducting research into various areas, such as advanced computer architecture, algorithms to meet the processing needs for real-time image and data processing, the creation of custom datasets from seamless source data, rapid turn-around of products for emergency response, and support for computationally intense spatial and temporal modeling.

Window to the World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cannon, Kama

2018-01-01

Although formal papers are typical, sometimes posters or other visual presentations are more useful tools for sharing visual-spatial information. By incorporating creativity and technology into the study of geographical science, STEM (the study of Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics) is changed to STEAM (the A stands for ART)! The…

Detecting spatial regimes in ecosystems | Science Inventory ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Research on early warning indicators has generally focused on assessing temporal transitions with limited application of these methods to detecting spatial regimes. Traditional spatial boundary detection procedures that result in ecoregion maps are typically based on ecological potential (i.e. potential vegetation), and often fail to account for ongoing changes due to stressors such as land use change and climate change and their effects on plant and animal communities. We use Fisher information, an information theory based method, on both terrestrial and aquatic animal data (US Breeding Bird Survey and marine zooplankton) to identify ecological boundaries, and compare our results to traditional early warning indicators, conventional ecoregion maps, and multivariate analysis such as nMDS (non-metric Multidimensional Scaling) and cluster analysis. We successfully detect spatial regimes and transitions in both terrestrial and aquatic systems using Fisher information. Furthermore, Fisher information provided explicit spatial information about community change that is absent from other multivariate approaches. Our results suggest that defining spatial regimes based on animal communities may better reflect ecological reality than do traditional ecoregion maps, especially in our current era of rapid and unpredictable ecological change. Use an information theory based method to identify ecological boundaries and compare our results to traditional early warning

Design and implementation of information visualization system on science and technology industry based on GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xiaofang; Jiang, Liushi

2011-02-01

Usually in the traditional science and technology information system, the only text and table form are used to manage the data, and the mathematic statistics method is applied to analyze the data. It lacks for the spatial analysis and management of data. Therefore, GIS technology is introduced to visualize and analyze the information data on science and technology industry. Firstly, by using the developed platform-microsoft visual studio 2005 and ArcGIS Engine, the information visualization system on science and technology industry based on GIS is built up, which implements various functions, such as data storage and management, inquiry, statistics, chart analysis, thematic map representation. It can show the change of science and technology information from the space and time axis intuitively. Then, the data of science and technology in Guangdong province are taken as experimental data and are applied to the system. And by considering the factors of humanities, geography and economics so on, the situation and change tendency of science and technology information of different regions are analyzed and researched, and the corresponding suggestion and method are brought forward in order to provide the auxiliary support for development of science and technology industry in Guangdong province.

Spatial But Not Oculomotor Information Biases Perceptual Memory: Evidence From Face Perception and Cognitive Modeling.

PubMed

Wantz, Andrea L; Lobmaier, Janek S; Mast, Fred W; Senn, Walter

2017-08-01

Recent research put forward the hypothesis that eye movements are integrated in memory representations and are reactivated when later recalled. However, "looking back to nothing" during recall might be a consequence of spatial memory retrieval. Here, we aimed at distinguishing between the effect of spatial and oculomotor information on perceptual memory. Participants' task was to judge whether a morph looked rather like the first or second previously presented face. Crucially, faces and morphs were presented in a way that the morph reactivated oculomotor and/or spatial information associated with one of the previously encoded faces. Perceptual face memory was largely influenced by these manipulations. We considered a simple computational model with an excellent match (4.3% error) that expresses these biases as a linear combination of recency, saccade, and location. Surprisingly, saccades did not play a role. The results suggest that spatial and temporal rather than oculomotor information biases perceptual face memory. Copyright © 2016 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Geographic information systems, remote sensing, and spatial analysis activities in Texas, 2002-07

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pearson, D.K.; Gary, R.H.; Wilson, Z.D.

2007-01-01

Geographic information system (GIS) technology has become an important tool for scientific investigation, resource management, and environmental planning. A GIS is a computer-aided system capable of collecting, storing, analyzing, and displaying spatially referenced digital data. GIS technology is particularly useful when analyzing a wide variety of spatial data such as with remote sensing and spatial analysis. Remote sensing involves collecting remotely sensed data, such as satellite imagery, aerial photography, or radar images, and analyzing the data to gather information or investigate trends about the environment or the Earth's surface. Spatial analysis combines remotely sensed, thematic, statistical, quantitative, and geographical data through overlay, modeling, and other analytical techniques to investigate specific research questions. It is the combination of data formats and analysis techniques that has made GIS an essential tool in scientific investigations. This document presents information about the technical capabilities and project activities of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Texas Water Science Center (TWSC) GIS Workgroup from 2002 through 2007.

The spatial epidemiology of trauma: the potential of geographic information science to organize data and reveal patterns of injury and services

PubMed Central

Schuurman, Nadine; Hameed, S. Morad; Fiedler, Robert; Bell, Nathaniel; Simons, Richard K.

2008-01-01

Despite important advances in the prevention and treatment of trauma, preventable injuries continue to impact the lives of millions of people. Motor vehicle collisions and violence claim close to 3 million lives each year worldwide. Public health agencies have promoted the need for systematic and ongoing surveillance as a foundation for successful injury control. Surveillance has been used to quantify the incidence of injury for the prioritization of further research, monitor trends over time, identify new injury patterns, and plan and evaluate prevention and intervention efforts. Advances in capability to handle spatial data and substantial increases in computing power have positioned geographic information science (GIS) as a potentially important tool for health surveillance and the spatial organization of health care, and for informing prevention and acute care interventions. Two themes emerge in the trauma literature with respect to GIS theory and techniques: identifying determinants associated with the risk of trauma to guide injury prevention efforts and evaluating the spatial organization and accessibility of acute trauma care systems. We review the current literature on trauma and GIS research and provide examples of the importance of accounting for spatial scale when using spatial analysis for surveillance. The examples illustrate the effect of scale on incident analysis, the geographic variation of major injury across British Columbia's health service delivery areas (HSDAs) and the rates of variation of injury within individual HSDAs. PMID:18841227

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zong, Ziliang; Job, Joshua; Zhang, Xuesong

Geo-visualization is significantly changing the way we view spatial data and discover information. On the one hand, a large number of spatial data are generated every day. On the other hand, these data are not well utilized due to the lack of free and easily used data-visualization tools. This becomes even worse when most of the spatial data remains in the form of plain text such as log files. This paper describes a way of visualizing massive plain-text spatial data at no cost by utilizing Google Earth and NASAWorld Wind. We illustrate our methods by visualizing over 170,000 global downloadmore » requests for satellite images maintained by the Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Our visualization results identify the most popular satellite images around the world and discover the global user download patterns. The benefits of this research are: 1. assisting in improving the satellite image downloading services provided by USGS, and 2. providing a proxy for analyzing the hot spot areas of research. Most importantly, our methods demonstrate an easy way to geovisualize massive textual spatial data, which is highly applicable to mining spatially referenced data and information on a wide variety of research domains (e.g., hydrology, agriculture, atmospheric science, natural hazard, and global climate change).« less

A study of spatial data management and analysis systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christopher, Clyde; Galle, Richard

1989-01-01

The Earth Resources Laboratory of the NASA Stennis Space Center is a center of space related technology for Earth observations. It has assumed the task, in a joint effort with Jackson State University, to reach out to the science community and acquire information pertaining to characteristics of spatially oriented data processing.

Administering Spatial and Cognitive Instruments In-Class and On-Line: Are These Equivalent?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williamson, Kenneth C.; Williamson, Vickie M.; Hinze, Scott R.

2017-01-01

Standardized, well-established paper-and-pencil tests, which measure spatial abilities or which measure reasoning abilities, have long been found to be predictive of success in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. Instructors can use these tests for prediction of success and to inform instruction. A comparative…

Assessing wildfire risks at multiple spatial scales

Treesearch

Justin Fitch

2008-01-01

In continuation of the efforts to advance wildfire science and develop tools for wildland fire managers, a spatial wildfire risk assessment was carried out using Classification and Regression Tree analysis (CART) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The analysis was performed at two scales. The small-scale assessment covered the entire state of New Mexico, while...

Obtaining and Using Planetary Spatial Data into the Future: The Role of the Mapping and Planetary Spatial Infrastructure Team (MAPSIT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Radebaugh, J.; Thomson, B. J.; Archinal, B.; Hagerty, J.; Gaddis, L.; Lawrence, S. J.; Sutton, S.

2017-01-01

Planetary spatial data, which include any remote sensing data or derived products with sufficient positional information such that they can be projected onto a planetary body, continue to rapidly increase in volume and complexity. These data are the hard-earned fruits of decades of planetary exploration, and are the end result of mission planning and execution. Maintaining these data using accessible formats and standards for all scientists has been necessary for the success of past, present, and future planetary missions. The Mapping and Planetary Spatial Infrastructure Team (MAPSIT) is a group of planetary community members tasked by NASA Headquarters to work with the planetary science community to identify and prioritize their planetary spatial data needs to help determine the best pathways for new data acquisition, usable product derivation, and tools/capability development that supports NASA's planetary science missions.

The Multispectral Imaging Science Working Group. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, S. C. (Editor)

1982-01-01

Results of the deliberations of the six multispectral imaging science working groups (Botany, Geography, Geology, Hydrology, Imaging Science and Information Science) are summarized. Consideration was given to documenting the current state of knowledge in terrestrial remote sensing without the constraints of preconceived concepts such as possible band widths, number of bands, and radiometric or spatial resolutions of present or future systems. The findings of each working group included a discussion of desired capabilities and critical developmental issues.

Geographic information analysis and web-based geoportals to explore malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review of approaches.

PubMed

Marx, Sabrina; Phalkey, Revati; Aranda-Jan, Clara B; Profe, Jörn; Sauerborn, Rainer; Höfle, Bernhard

2014-11-20

Childhood malnutrition is a serious challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and a major underlying cause of death. It is the result of a dynamic and complex interaction between political, social, economic, environmental and other factors. As spatially oriented research has been established in health sciences in recent years, developments in Geographic Information Science (GIScience) provide beneficial tools to get an improved understanding of malnutrition. In order to assess the current state of knowledge regarding the use of geoinformation analyses for exploring malnutrition in SSA, a systematic literature review of peer-reviewed literature is conducted using Scopus, ISI Web of Science and PubMed. As a supplement to the review, we carry on to investigate the establishment of web-based geoportals for providing freely accessible malnutrition geodata to a broad community. Based on these findings, we identify current limitations and discuss how new developments in GIScience might help to overcome impending barriers. 563 articles are identified from the searches, from which a total of nine articles and eight geoportals meet inclusion criteria. The review suggests that the spatial dimension of malnutrition is analyzed most often at the regional and national level using geostatistical analysis methods. Therefore, heterogeneous geographic information at different spatial scales and from multiple sources is combined by applying geoinformation analysis methods such as spatial interpolation, aggregation and downscaling techniques. Geocoded malnutrition data from the Demographic and Health Survey Program are the most common information source to quantify the prevalence of malnutrition on a local scale and are frequently combined with regional data on climate, population, agriculture and/or infrastructure. Only aggregated geoinformation about malnutrition prevalence is freely accessible, mostly displayed via web map visualizations or downloadable map images. The lack of detailed geographic data at household and local level is a major limitation for an in-depth assessment of malnutrition and links to potential impact factors. We propose that the combination of malnutrition-related studies with most recent GIScience developments such as crowd-sourced geodata collection, (web-based) interoperable spatial health data infrastructures as well as (dynamic) information fusion approaches are beneficial to deepen the understanding of this complex phenomenon.

Political Science and Political Geography: Neglected Areas, Areas for Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laponce, J. A.

1983-01-01

Since at least the 1950s, political scientists have tended to ignore the possible contributions of political geography to political science because of a move away from considering spatial factors on political structure. Political scientists need to use more information from geography to enhance their understanding of political power and conflict.…

The Science of Colour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, S. J.

1975-01-01

Provides information on how humans see color including sensitivity of the eye, spatial effects, and temporal effects, and relative to the characteristics of the human eye explains how color is measured. (GS)

Artificial intelligence applications concepts for the remote sensing and earth science community

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, W. J.; Roelofs, L. H.

1984-01-01

The following potential applications of AI to the study of earth science are described: (1) intelligent data management systems; (2) intelligent processing and understanding of spatial data; and (3) automated systems which perform tasks that currently require large amounts of time by scientists and engineers to complete. An example is provided of how an intelligent information system might operate to support an earth science project.

Expression and Organization of Geographic Spatial Relations Based on Topic Maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, H. J.; Wang, H.; Cui, T. J.; Guo, J. F.

2017-09-01

Spatial Relation is one of the important components of Geographical Information Science and Spatial Database. There have been lots of researches on Spatial Relation and many different spatial relations have been proposed. The relationships among these spatial relations such as hierarchy and so on are complex and this brings some difficulties to the applications and teaching of these spatial relations. This paper summaries some common spatial relations, extracts the topic types, association types, resource types of these spatial relations using the technology of Topic Maps, and builds many different relationships among these spatial relations. Finally, this paper utilizes Java and Ontopia to build a topic map among these common spatial relations, forms a complex knowledge network of spatial relations, and realizes the effective management and retrieval of spatial relations.

A Geographic Information Science (GISc) Approach to Characterizing Spatiotemporal Patterns of Terrorist Incidents in Iraq, 2004-2009

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Medina, Richard M; Siebeneck, Laura K.; Hepner, George F.

2011-01-01

As terrorism on all scales continues, it is necessary to improve understanding of terrorist and insurgent activities. This article takes a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) approach to advance the understanding of spatial, social, political, and cultural triggers that influence terrorism incidents. Spatial, temporal, and spatiotemporal patterns of terrorist attacks are examined to improve knowledge about terrorist systems of training, planning, and actions. The results of this study aim to provide a foundation for understanding attack patterns and tactics in emerging havens as well as inform the creation and implementation of various counterterrorism measures.

Connecting mathematics learning through spatial reasoning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulligan, Joanne; Woolcott, Geoffrey; Mitchelmore, Michael; Davis, Brent

2018-03-01

Spatial reasoning, an emerging transdisciplinary area of interest to mathematics education research, is proving integral to all human learning. It is particularly critical to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. This project will create an innovative knowledge framework based on spatial reasoning that identifies new pathways for mathematics learning, pedagogy and curriculum. Novel analytical tools will map the unknown complex systems linking spatial and mathematical concepts. It will involve the design, implementation and evaluation of a Spatial Reasoning Mathematics Program (SRMP) in Grades 3 to 5. Benefits will be seen through development of critical spatial skills for students, increased teacher capability and informed policy and curriculum across STEM education.

A compilation of spatial digital databases for selected U.S. Geological Survey nonfuel mineral resource assessments for parts of Idaho and Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carlson, Mary H.; Zientek, Michael L.; Causey, J. Douglas; Kayser, Helen Z.; Spanski, Gregory T.; Wilson, Anna B.; Van Gosen, Bradley S.; Trautwein, Charles M.

2007-01-01

This report compiles selected results from 13 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) mineral resource assessment studies conducted in Idaho and Montana into consistent spatial databases that can be used in a geographic information system. The 183 spatial databases represent areas of mineral potential delineated in these studies and include attributes on mineral deposit type, level of mineral potential, certainty, and a reference. The assessments were conducted for five 1? x 2? quadrangles (Butte, Challis, Choteau, Dillon, and Wallace), several U.S. Forest Service (USFS) National Forests (including Challis, Custer, Gallatin, Helena, and Payette), and one Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Resource Area (Dillon). The data contained in the spatial databases are based on published information: no new interpretations are made. This digital compilation is part of an ongoing effort to provide mineral resource information formatted for use in spatial analysis. In particular, this is one of several reports prepared to address USFS needs for science information as forest management plans are revised in the Northern Rocky Mountains.

Case study of visualizing global user download patterns using Google Earth and NASA World Wind

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zong, Ziliang; Job, Joshua; Zhang, Xuesong; Nijim, Mais; Qin, Xiao

2012-01-01

Geo-visualization is significantly changing the way we view spatial data and discover information. On the one hand, a large number of spatial data are generated every day. On the other hand, these data are not well utilized due to the lack of free and easily used data-visualization tools. This becomes even worse when most of the spatial data remains in the form of plain text such as log files. This paper describes a way of visualizing massive plain-text spatial data at no cost by utilizing Google Earth and NASA World Wind. We illustrate our methods by visualizing over 170,000 global download requests for satellite images maintained by the Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Our visualization results identify the most popular satellite images around the world and discover the global user download patterns. The benefits of this research are: 1. assisting in improving the satellite image downloading services provided by USGS, and 2. providing a proxy for analyzing the "hot spot" areas of research. Most importantly, our methods demonstrate an easy way to geo-visualize massive textual spatial data, which is highly applicable to mining spatially referenced data and information on a wide variety of research domains (e.g., hydrology, agriculture, atmospheric science, natural hazard, and global climate change).

Citizen science: A new perspective to advance spatial pattern evaluation in hydrology.

PubMed

Koch, Julian; Stisen, Simon

2017-01-01

Citizen science opens new pathways that can complement traditional scientific practice. Intuition and reasoning often make humans more effective than computer algorithms in various realms of problem solving. In particular, a simple visual comparison of spatial patterns is a task where humans are often considered to be more reliable than computer algorithms. However, in practice, science still largely depends on computer based solutions, which inevitably gives benefits such as speed and the possibility to automatize processes. However, the human vision can be harnessed to evaluate the reliability of algorithms which are tailored to quantify similarity in spatial patterns. We established a citizen science project to employ the human perception to rate similarity and dissimilarity between simulated spatial patterns of several scenarios of a hydrological catchment model. In total, the turnout counts more than 2500 volunteers that provided over 43000 classifications of 1095 individual subjects. We investigate the capability of a set of advanced statistical performance metrics to mimic the human perception to distinguish between similarity and dissimilarity. Results suggest that more complex metrics are not necessarily better at emulating the human perception, but clearly provide auxiliary information that is valuable for model diagnostics. The metrics clearly differ in their ability to unambiguously distinguish between similar and dissimilar patterns which is regarded a key feature of a reliable metric. The obtained dataset can provide an insightful benchmark to the community to test novel spatial metrics.

On the relevance of Gibson's affordance concept for geographical information science (GISc).

PubMed

Jonietz, David; Timpf, Sabine

2015-09-01

J. J. Gibson's concept of affordances has provided a theoretical basis for various studies in geographical information science (GISc). This paper sets out to explain its popularity from a GISc perspective. Based on a short review of previous work, it will be argued that its main contributions to GISc are twofold, including an action-centered view of spatial entities and the notion of agent-environment mutuality. Using the practical example of pedestrian behavior simulation, new potentials for using and extending affordances are discussed.

Application of data mining in science and technology management information system based on WebGIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xiaofang; Xu, Zhiyong; Bao, Shitai; Chen, Feixiang

2009-10-01

With the rapid development of science and technology and the quick increase of information, a great deal of data is accumulated in the management department of science and technology. Usually, many knowledge and rules are contained and concealed in the data. Therefore, how to excavate and use the knowledge fully is very important in the management of science and technology. It will help to examine and approve the project of science and technology more scientifically and make the achievement transformed as the realistic productive forces easier. Therefore, the data mine technology will be researched and applied to the science and technology management information system to find and excavate the knowledge in the paper. According to analyzing the disadvantages of traditional science and technology management information system, the database technology, data mining and web geographic information systems (WebGIS) technology will be introduced to develop and construct the science and technology management information system based on WebGIS. The key problems are researched in detail such as data mining and statistical analysis. What's more, the prototype system is developed and validated based on the project data of National Natural Science Foundation Committee. The spatial data mining is done from the axis of time, space and other factors. Then the variety of knowledge and rules will be excavated by using data mining technology, which helps to provide an effective support for decisionmaking.

A coastal information system to propel emerging science and inform environmental management decisions

EPA Science Inventory

The Estuary Data Mapper (EDM) is a free, interactive virtual gateway to coastal data aimed to promote research and aid in environmental management. The graphical user interface allows users to custom select and subset data based on their spatial and temporal interests giving them...

The Ecological Approach to Text Visualization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wise, James A.

1999-01-01

Presents both theoretical and technical bases on which to build a "science of text visualization." The Spatial Paradigm for Information Retrieval and Exploration (SPIRE) text-visualization system, which images information from free-text documents as natural terrains, serves as an example of the "ecological approach" in its visual metaphor, its…

Representing Historical Knowledge in Geographic Information Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grossner, Karl Eric

2010-01-01

A growing number of historical scholars in social science and humanities fields are using geographic information systems (GIS) to help investigate spatial questions and map their findings. The nature of historical data and historiographic practices present several challenges in using GIS that have been addressed only partially to date. For…

How to compare movement? A review of physical movement similarity measures in geographic information science and beyond.

PubMed

Ranacher, Peter; Tzavella, Katerina

2014-05-27

In geographic information science, a plethora of different approaches and methods is used to assess the similarity of movement. Some of these approaches term two moving objects similar if they share akin paths. Others require objects to move at similar speed and yet others consider movement similar if it occurs at the same time. We believe that a structured and comprehensive classification of movement comparison measures is missing. We argue that such a classification not only depicts the status quo of qualitative and quantitative movement analysis, but also allows for identifying those aspects of movement for which similarity measures are scarce or entirely missing. In this review paper we, first, decompose movement into its spatial, temporal, and spatiotemporal movement parameters. A movement parameter is a physical quantity of movement, such as speed, spatial path, or temporal duration. For each of these parameters we then review qualitative and quantitative methods of how to compare movement. Thus, we provide a systematic and comprehensive classification of different movement similarity measures used in geographic information science. This classification is a valuable first step toward a GIS toolbox comprising all relevant movement comparison methods.

How to compare movement? A review of physical movement similarity measures in geographic information science and beyond

PubMed Central

Ranacher, Peter; Tzavella, Katerina

2014-01-01

In geographic information science, a plethora of different approaches and methods is used to assess the similarity of movement. Some of these approaches term two moving objects similar if they share akin paths. Others require objects to move at similar speed and yet others consider movement similar if it occurs at the same time. We believe that a structured and comprehensive classification of movement comparison measures is missing. We argue that such a classification not only depicts the status quo of qualitative and quantitative movement analysis, but also allows for identifying those aspects of movement for which similarity measures are scarce or entirely missing. In this review paper we, first, decompose movement into its spatial, temporal, and spatiotemporal movement parameters. A movement parameter is a physical quantity of movement, such as speed, spatial path, or temporal duration. For each of these parameters we then review qualitative and quantitative methods of how to compare movement. Thus, we provide a systematic and comprehensive classification of different movement similarity measures used in geographic information science. This classification is a valuable first step toward a GIS toolbox comprising all relevant movement comparison methods. PMID:27019646

Remote Sensing in Geography in the New Millennium: Prospects, Challenges, and Opportunities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quattrochi, Dale A.; Jensen, John R.; Morain, Stanley A.; Walsh, Stephen J.; Ridd, Merrill K.

1999-01-01

Remote sensing science contributes greatly to our understanding of the Earth's ecosystems and cultural landscapes. Almost all the natural and social sciences, including geography, rely heavily on remote sensing to provide quantitative, and indispensable spatial information. Many geographers have made significant contributions to remote sensing science since the 1970s, including the specification of advanced remote sensing systems, improvements in analog and digital image analysis, biophysical modeling, and terrain analysis. In fact, the Remote Sensing Specialty Group (RSSG) is one of the largest specialty groups within the AAG with over 500 members. Remote sensing in concert with a geographic information systems, offers much value to geography as both an incisive spatial-analytical tool and as a scholarly pursuit that adds to the body of geographic knowledge on the whole. The "power" of remote sensing as a research endeavor in geography lies in its capabilities for obtaining synoptic, near-real time data at many spatial and temporal scales, and in many regions of the electromagnetic spectrum - from microwave, to RADAR, to visible, and reflective and thermal infrared. In turn, these data present a vast compendium of information for assessing Earth attributes and characte6stics that are at the very core of geography. Here we revisit how remote sensing has become a fundamental and important tool for geographical research, and how with the advent of new and improved sensing systems to be launched in the near future, remote sensing will further advance geographical analysis in the approaching New Millennium.

Imaging Science Panel. Multispectral Imaging Science Working Group joint meeting with Information Science Panel: Introduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The state-of-the-art of multispectral sensing is reviewed and recommendations for future research and development are proposed. specifically, two generic sensor concepts were discussed. One is the multispectral pushbroom sensor utilizing linear array technology which operates in six spectral bands including two in the SWIR region and incorporates capabilities for stereo and crosstrack pointing. The second concept is the imaging spectrometer (IS) which incorporates a dispersive element and area arrays to provide both spectral and spatial information simultaneously. Other key technology areas included very large scale integration and the computer aided design of these devices.

Spatial Uncertainty Modeling of Fuzzy Information in Images for Pattern Classification

PubMed Central

Pham, Tuan D.

2014-01-01

The modeling of the spatial distribution of image properties is important for many pattern recognition problems in science and engineering. Mathematical methods are needed to quantify the variability of this spatial distribution based on which a decision of classification can be made in an optimal sense. However, image properties are often subject to uncertainty due to both incomplete and imprecise information. This paper presents an integrated approach for estimating the spatial uncertainty of vagueness in images using the theory of geostatistics and the calculus of probability measures of fuzzy events. Such a model for the quantification of spatial uncertainty is utilized as a new image feature extraction method, based on which classifiers can be trained to perform the task of pattern recognition. Applications of the proposed algorithm to the classification of various types of image data suggest the usefulness of the proposed uncertainty modeling technique for texture feature extraction. PMID:25157744

Remote sensing information sciences research group

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estes, John E.; Smith, Terence; Star, Jeffrey L.

1988-01-01

Research conducted under this grant was used to extend and expand existing remote sensing activities at the University of California, Santa Barbara in the areas of georeferenced information systems, matching assisted information extraction from image data and large spatial data bases, artificial intelligence, and vegetation analysis and modeling. The research thrusts during the past year are summarized. The projects are discussed in some detail.

Design and Implementation of Campus Application APP Based on Android

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

dongxu, Zhu; yabin, liu; xian lei, PI; weixiang, Zhou; meng, Huang

2017-07-01

In this paper, "Internet + campus" as the entrance of the Android technology based on the application of campus design and implementation of Application program. Based on GIS(Geographic Information System) spatial database, GIS spatial analysis technology, Java development technology and Android development technology, this system server adopts the Model View Controller architectue to realize the efficient use of campus information and provide real-time information of all kinds of learning and life for campus student at the same time. "Fingertips on the Institute of Disaster Prevention Science and Technology" release for the campus students of all grades of life, learning, entertainment provides a convenient.

Confidentiality and spatially explicit data: Concerns and challenges

PubMed Central

VanWey, Leah K.; Rindfuss, Ronald R.; Gutmann, Myron P.; Entwisle, Barbara; Balk, Deborah L.

2005-01-01

Recent theoretical, methodological, and technological advances in the spatial sciences create an opportunity for social scientists to address questions about the reciprocal relationship between context (spatial organization, environment, etc.) and individual behavior. This emerging research community has yet to adequately address the new threats to the confidentiality of respondent data in spatially explicit social survey or census data files, however. This paper presents four sometimes conflicting principles for the conduct of ethical and high-quality science using such data: protection of confidentiality, the social–spatial linkage, data sharing, and data preservation. The conflict among these four principles is particularly evident in the display of spatially explicit data through maps combined with the sharing of tabular data files. This paper reviews these two research activities and shows how current practices favor one of the principles over the others and do not satisfactorily resolve the conflict among them. Maps are indispensable for the display of results but also reveal information on the location of respondents and sampling clusters that can then be used in combination with shared data files to identify respondents. The current practice of sharing modified or incomplete data sets or using data enclaves is not ideal for either the advancement of science or the protection of confidentiality. Further basic research and open debate are needed to advance both understanding of and solutions to this dilemma. PMID:16230608

Jackson State University's Center for Spatial Data Research and Applications: New facilities and new paradigms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Bruce E.; Elliot, Gregory

1989-01-01

Jackson State University recently established the Center for Spatial Data Research and Applications, a Geographical Information System (GIS) and remote sensing laboratory. Taking advantage of new technologies and new directions in the spatial (geographic) sciences, JSU is building a Center of Excellence in Spatial Data Management. New opportunities for research, applications, and employment are emerging. GIS requires fundamental shifts and new demands in traditional computer science and geographic training. The Center is not merely another computer lab but is one setting the pace in a new applied frontier. GIS and its associated technologies are discussed. The Center's facilities are described. An ARC/INFO GIS runs on a Vax mainframe, with numerous workstations. Image processing packages include ELAS, LIPS, VICAR, and ERDAS. A host of hardware and software peripheral are used in support. Numerous projects are underway, such as the construction of a Gulf of Mexico environmental data base, development of AI in image processing, a land use dynamics study of metropolitan Jackson, and others. A new academic interdisciplinary program in Spatial Data Management is under development, combining courses in Geography and Computer Science. The broad range of JSU's GIS and remote sensing activities is addressed. The impacts on changing paradigms in the university and in the professional world conclude the discussion.

Estuary Data Mapper: A coastal information system to propel emerging science and inform environmental management decisions

EPA Science Inventory

The Estuary Data Mapper (EDM) is a free, interactive virtual gateway to coastal data aimed to promote research and aid in environmental management. The graphical user interface allows users to custom select and subset data based on their spatial and temporal interests giving them...

Citizen science: A new perspective to advance spatial pattern evaluation in hydrology

PubMed Central

Stisen, Simon

2017-01-01

Citizen science opens new pathways that can complement traditional scientific practice. Intuition and reasoning often make humans more effective than computer algorithms in various realms of problem solving. In particular, a simple visual comparison of spatial patterns is a task where humans are often considered to be more reliable than computer algorithms. However, in practice, science still largely depends on computer based solutions, which inevitably gives benefits such as speed and the possibility to automatize processes. However, the human vision can be harnessed to evaluate the reliability of algorithms which are tailored to quantify similarity in spatial patterns. We established a citizen science project to employ the human perception to rate similarity and dissimilarity between simulated spatial patterns of several scenarios of a hydrological catchment model. In total, the turnout counts more than 2500 volunteers that provided over 43000 classifications of 1095 individual subjects. We investigate the capability of a set of advanced statistical performance metrics to mimic the human perception to distinguish between similarity and dissimilarity. Results suggest that more complex metrics are not necessarily better at emulating the human perception, but clearly provide auxiliary information that is valuable for model diagnostics. The metrics clearly differ in their ability to unambiguously distinguish between similar and dissimilar patterns which is regarded a key feature of a reliable metric. The obtained dataset can provide an insightful benchmark to the community to test novel spatial metrics. PMID:28558050

The emergence of spatial cyberinfrastructure.

PubMed

Wright, Dawn J; Wang, Shaowen

2011-04-05

Cyberinfrastructure integrates advanced computer, information, and communication technologies to empower computation-based and data-driven scientific practice and improve the synthesis and analysis of scientific data in a collaborative and shared fashion. As such, it now represents a paradigm shift in scientific research that has facilitated easy access to computational utilities and streamlined collaboration across distance and disciplines, thereby enabling scientific breakthroughs to be reached more quickly and efficiently. Spatial cyberinfrastructure seeks to resolve longstanding complex problems of handling and analyzing massive and heterogeneous spatial datasets as well as the necessity and benefits of sharing spatial data flexibly and securely. This article provides an overview and potential future directions of spatial cyberinfrastructure. The remaining four articles of the special feature are introduced and situated in the context of providing empirical examples of how spatial cyberinfrastructure is extending and enhancing scientific practice for improved synthesis and analysis of both physical and social science data. The primary focus of the articles is spatial analyses using distributed and high-performance computing, sensor networks, and other advanced information technology capabilities to transform massive spatial datasets into insights and knowledge.

The emergence of spatial cyberinfrastructure

PubMed Central

Wright, Dawn J.; Wang, Shaowen

2011-01-01

Cyberinfrastructure integrates advanced computer, information, and communication technologies to empower computation-based and data-driven scientific practice and improve the synthesis and analysis of scientific data in a collaborative and shared fashion. As such, it now represents a paradigm shift in scientific research that has facilitated easy access to computational utilities and streamlined collaboration across distance and disciplines, thereby enabling scientific breakthroughs to be reached more quickly and efficiently. Spatial cyberinfrastructure seeks to resolve longstanding complex problems of handling and analyzing massive and heterogeneous spatial datasets as well as the necessity and benefits of sharing spatial data flexibly and securely. This article provides an overview and potential future directions of spatial cyberinfrastructure. The remaining four articles of the special feature are introduced and situated in the context of providing empirical examples of how spatial cyberinfrastructure is extending and enhancing scientific practice for improved synthesis and analysis of both physical and social science data. The primary focus of the articles is spatial analyses using distributed and high-performance computing, sensor networks, and other advanced information technology capabilities to transform massive spatial datasets into insights and knowledge. PMID:21467227

Using spatial principles to optimize distributed computing for enabling the physical science discoveries

PubMed Central

Yang, Chaowei; Wu, Huayi; Huang, Qunying; Li, Zhenlong; Li, Jing

2011-01-01

Contemporary physical science studies rely on the effective analyses of geographically dispersed spatial data and simulations of physical phenomena. Single computers and generic high-end computing are not sufficient to process the data for complex physical science analysis and simulations, which can be successfully supported only through distributed computing, best optimized through the application of spatial principles. Spatial computing, the computing aspect of a spatial cyberinfrastructure, refers to a computing paradigm that utilizes spatial principles to optimize distributed computers to catalyze advancements in the physical sciences. Spatial principles govern the interactions between scientific parameters across space and time by providing the spatial connections and constraints to drive the progression of the phenomena. Therefore, spatial computing studies could better position us to leverage spatial principles in simulating physical phenomena and, by extension, advance the physical sciences. Using geospatial science as an example, this paper illustrates through three research examples how spatial computing could (i) enable data intensive science with efficient data/services search, access, and utilization, (ii) facilitate physical science studies with enabling high-performance computing capabilities, and (iii) empower scientists with multidimensional visualization tools to understand observations and simulations. The research examples demonstrate that spatial computing is of critical importance to design computing methods to catalyze physical science studies with better data access, phenomena simulation, and analytical visualization. We envision that spatial computing will become a core technology that drives fundamental physical science advancements in the 21st century. PMID:21444779

Using spatial principles to optimize distributed computing for enabling the physical science discoveries.

PubMed

Yang, Chaowei; Wu, Huayi; Huang, Qunying; Li, Zhenlong; Li, Jing

2011-04-05

Contemporary physical science studies rely on the effective analyses of geographically dispersed spatial data and simulations of physical phenomena. Single computers and generic high-end computing are not sufficient to process the data for complex physical science analysis and simulations, which can be successfully supported only through distributed computing, best optimized through the application of spatial principles. Spatial computing, the computing aspect of a spatial cyberinfrastructure, refers to a computing paradigm that utilizes spatial principles to optimize distributed computers to catalyze advancements in the physical sciences. Spatial principles govern the interactions between scientific parameters across space and time by providing the spatial connections and constraints to drive the progression of the phenomena. Therefore, spatial computing studies could better position us to leverage spatial principles in simulating physical phenomena and, by extension, advance the physical sciences. Using geospatial science as an example, this paper illustrates through three research examples how spatial computing could (i) enable data intensive science with efficient data/services search, access, and utilization, (ii) facilitate physical science studies with enabling high-performance computing capabilities, and (iii) empower scientists with multidimensional visualization tools to understand observations and simulations. The research examples demonstrate that spatial computing is of critical importance to design computing methods to catalyze physical science studies with better data access, phenomena simulation, and analytical visualization. We envision that spatial computing will become a core technology that drives fundamental physical science advancements in the 21st century.

A review of second law techniques applicable to basic thermal science research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drost, M. Kevin; Zamorski, Joseph R.

1988-11-01

This paper reports the results of a review of second law analysis techniques which can contribute to basic research in the thermal sciences. The review demonstrated that second law analysis has a role in basic thermal science research. Unlike traditional techniques, second law analysis accurately identifies the sources and location of thermodynamic losses. This allows the development of innovative solutions to thermal science problems by directing research to the key technical issues. Two classes of second law techniques were identified as being particularly useful. First, system and component investigations can provide information of the source and nature of irreversibilities on a macroscopic scale. This information will help to identify new research topics and will support the evaluation of current research efforts. Second, the differential approach can provide information on the causes and spatial and temporal distribution of local irreversibilities. This information enhances the understanding of fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and heat and mass transfer, and may suggest innovative methods for reducing irreversibilities.

Object orientation affects spatial language comprehension.

PubMed

Burigo, Michele; Sacchi, Simona

2013-01-01

Typical spatial descriptions, such as "The car is in front of the house," describe the position of a located object (LO; e.g., the car) in space relative to a reference object (RO) whose location is known (e.g., the house). The orientation of the RO affects spatial language comprehension via the reference frame selection process. However, the effects of the LO's orientation on spatial language have not received great attention. This study explores whether the pure geometric information of the LO (e.g., its orientation) affects spatial language comprehension using placing and production tasks. Our results suggest that the orientation of the LO influences spatial language comprehension even in the absence of functional relationships. Copyright © 2013 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Integrating Hands-On Undergraduate Research in an Applied Spatial Science Senior Level Capstone Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kulhavy, David L.; Unger, Daniel R.; Hung, I-Kuai; Douglass, David

2015-01-01

A senior within a spatial science Ecological Planning capstone course designed an undergraduate research project to increase his spatial science expertise and to assess the hands-on instruction methodology employed within the Bachelor of Science in Spatial Science program at Stephen F Austin State University. The height of 30 building features…

Spatial Modelling Tools to Integrate Public Health and Environmental Science, Illustrated with Infectious Cryptosporidiosis

PubMed Central

Lal, Aparna

2016-01-01

Contemporary spatial modelling tools can help examine how environmental exposures such as climate and land use together with socio-economic factors sustain infectious disease transmission in humans. Spatial methods can account for interactions across global and local scales, geographic clustering and continuity of the exposure surface, key characteristics of many environmental influences. Using cryptosporidiosis as an example, this review illustrates how, in resource rich settings, spatial tools have been used to inform targeted intervention strategies and forecast future disease risk with scenarios of environmental change. When used in conjunction with molecular studies, they have helped determine location-specific infection sources and environmental transmission pathways. There is considerable scope for such methods to be used to identify data/infrastructure gaps and establish a baseline of disease burden in resource-limited settings. Spatial methods can help integrate public health and environmental science by identifying the linkages between the physical and socio-economic environment and health outcomes. Understanding the environmental and social context for disease spread is important for assessing the public health implications of projected environmental change. PMID:26848669

Spatial Modelling Tools to Integrate Public Health and Environmental Science, Illustrated with Infectious Cryptosporidiosis.

PubMed

Lal, Aparna

2016-02-02

Contemporary spatial modelling tools can help examine how environmental exposures such as climate and land use together with socio-economic factors sustain infectious disease transmission in humans. Spatial methods can account for interactions across global and local scales, geographic clustering and continuity of the exposure surface, key characteristics of many environmental influences. Using cryptosporidiosis as an example, this review illustrates how, in resource rich settings, spatial tools have been used to inform targeted intervention strategies and forecast future disease risk with scenarios of environmental change. When used in conjunction with molecular studies, they have helped determine location-specific infection sources and environmental transmission pathways. There is considerable scope for such methods to be used to identify data/infrastructure gaps and establish a baseline of disease burden in resource-limited settings. Spatial methods can help integrate public health and environmental science by identifying the linkages between the physical and socio-economic environment and health outcomes. Understanding the environmental and social context for disease spread is important for assessing the public health implications of projected environmental change.

Helmholtz Natural Modes: the universal and discrete spatial fabric of electromagnetic wavefields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Gawhary, Omar

2017-01-01

The interaction of electromagnetic waves with matter is at the foundation of the way we perceive and explore the world around us. In fact, when a field interacts with an object, signatures on the object’s geometry and physical properties are recorded in the resulting scattered field and are transported away from the object, where they can eventually be detected and processed. An optical field can transport information through its spectral content, its polarization state, and its spatial distribution. Generally speaking, the field’s spatial structure is typically subjected to changes under free-space propagation and any information therein encoded gets reshuffled by the propagation process. We must ascribe to this fundamental reason the fact that spectroscopy was known to the ancient civilizations already, and founded as modern science in the middle of seventeenth century, while to date we do not have an established scientific of field of ‘spatial spectroscopy’ yet. In this work we tackle this issue and we show how any field, whose evolution is dictated by Helmholtz equation, contains a universal and invariant spatial structure. When expressed in the framework of this spatial fabric, the spatial information content carried by any field reveals its invariant nature. This opens the way to novel paradigms in optical digital communications, inverse scattering, materials inspection, nanometrology and quantum optics.

Earth Science Data Analytics: Preparing for Extracting Knowledge from Information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kempler, Steven; Barbieri, Lindsay

2016-01-01

Data analytics is the process of examining large amounts of data of a variety of types to uncover hidden patterns, unknown correlations and other useful information. Data analytics is a broad term that includes data analysis, as well as an understanding of the cognitive processes an analyst uses to understand problems and explore data in meaningful ways. Analytics also include data extraction, transformation, and reduction, utilizing specific tools, techniques, and methods. Turning to data science, definitions of data science sound very similar to those of data analytics (which leads to a lot of the confusion between the two). But the skills needed for both, co-analyzing large amounts of heterogeneous data, understanding and utilizing relevant tools and techniques, and subject matter expertise, although similar, serve different purposes. Data Analytics takes on a practitioners approach to applying expertise and skills to solve issues and gain subject knowledge. Data Science, is more theoretical (research in itself) in nature, providing strategic actionable insights and new innovative methodologies. Earth Science Data Analytics (ESDA) is the process of examining, preparing, reducing, and analyzing large amounts of spatial (multi-dimensional), temporal, or spectral data using a variety of data types to uncover patterns, correlations and other information, to better understand our Earth. The large variety of datasets (temporal spatial differences, data types, formats, etc.) invite the need for data analytics skills that understand the science domain, and data preparation, reduction, and analysis techniques, from a practitioners point of view. The application of these skills to ESDA is the focus of this presentation. The Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) Federation Earth Science Data Analytics (ESDA) Cluster was created in recognition of the practical need to facilitate the co-analysis of large amounts of data and information for Earth science. Thus, from a to advance science point of view: On the continuum of ever evolving data management systems, we need to understand and develop ways that allow for the variety of data relationships to be examined, and information to be manipulated, such that knowledge can be enhanced, to facilitate science. Recognizing the importance and potential impacts of the unlimited ways to co-analyze heterogeneous datasets, now and especially in the future, one of the objectives of the ESDA cluster is to facilitate the preparation of individuals to understand and apply needed skills to Earth science data analytics. Pinpointing and communicating the needed skills and expertise is new, and not easy. Information technology is just beginning to provide the tools for advancing the analysis of heterogeneous datasets in a big way, thus, providing opportunity to discover unobvious scientific relationships, previously invisible to the science eye. And it is not easy It takes individuals, or teams of individuals, with just the right combination of skills to understand the data and develop the methods to glean knowledge out of data and information. In addition, whereas definitions of data science and big data are (more or less) available (summarized in Reference 5), Earth science data analytics is virtually ignored in the literature, (barring a few excellent sources).

Analysis of Spatial Concepts, Spatial Skills and Spatial Representations in New York State Regents Earth Science Examinations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kastens, Kim A.; Pistolesi, Linda; Passow, Michael J.

2014-01-01

Research has shown that spatial thinking is important in science in general, and in Earth Science in particular, and that performance on spatially demanding tasks can be fostered through instruction. Because spatial thinking is rarely taught explicitly in the U.S. education system, improving spatial thinking may be "low-hanging fruit" as…

The effects of an inquiry-based earth science course on the spatial thinking of pre-service elementary teacher education students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weakley, Kevin Douglas

This study examined the effectiveness of two geography courses at improving student spatial thinking skills. Spatial thinking is an important cognitive skill in the sciences and everyday life. A taxonomy of spatial thinking was constructed by Gersmehl (2008) in geography education which included core modes assessed in this study: comparison, region, transition, analogy, pattern, and association. Two additional modes related to space over time, change and movement, were also assessed. The central research question in this study is: What are the effects of a pre-service teacher education earth science content course (Geography 1900) that is conceptually designed and inquiry-based on the spatial thinking of university students compared to the Geography 1020 course that follows a lecture format with an atlas study component? The six sub-questions to this central question were: (1) What spatial thinking modes are embedded in the Geography 1900 course based on the Gersmehl (2008) classification of modes of spatial thinking? (2) What modes of spatial thinking do pre-service elementary education students exhibit prior to instruction in Geography 1900 and 1020? (3) What changes occur in spatial thinking and spatial skills as a result of enrolling in and completing a conceptually based, inquiry course (Geography 1900) that has embedded clearly identifiable spatial tasks based on Gersmehl's classification? (4) What are the effects of Geography 1900 on the modes of spatial thinking that students apply at the completion of the course? (5) What modes of spatial thinking do students transfer from the classroom to the outdoors as they move about campus? (6) Are there differences in spatial thinking between the Geography 1900 population and the Geography 1020 comparison sample of students that received a different course treatment? The research used a mixed methods approach with both quantitative and qualitative information. Statistically significant changes were observed in the use of spatial constructs and concepts by students in each of the course treatments that were compared. Students were also observed to apply spatial modes outside the classroom that represented the spatial thinking within the new context of the university environment as they observed and described the landscape.

Citizen science: A new perspective to evaluate spatial patterns in hydrology.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koch, J.; Stisen, S.

2016-12-01

Citizen science opens new pathways that can complement traditional scientific practice. Intuition and reasoning make humans often more effective than computer algorithms in various realms of problem solving. In particular, a simple visual comparison of spatial patterns is a task where humans are often considered to be more reliable than computer algorithms. However, in practice, science still largely depends on computer based solutions, which is inevitable giving benefits such as speed and the possibility to automatize processes. This study highlights the integration of the generally underused human resource into hydrology. We established a citizen science project on the zooniverse platform entitled Pattern Perception. The aim is to employ the human perception to rate similarity and dissimilarity between simulated spatial patterns of a hydrological catchment model. In total, the turnout counts more than 2,800 users that provided over 46,000 classifications of 1,095 individual subjects within 64 days after the launch. Each subject displays simulated spatial patterns of land-surface variables of a baseline model and six modelling scenarios. The citizen science data discloses a numeric pattern similarity score for each of the scenarios with respect to the reference. We investigate the capability of a set of innovative statistical performance metrics to mimic the human perception to distinguish between similarity and dissimilarity. Results suggest that more complex metrics are not necessarily better at emulating the human perception, but clearly provide flexibility and auxiliary information that is valuable for model diagnostics. The metrics clearly differ in their ability to unambiguously distinguish between similar and dissimilar patterns which is regarded a key feature of a reliable metric.

Evaluating Interactive Transect Area Assessments Hands-On Instruction for Natural Resource Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unger, Daniel; Schwab, Sarah; Jacques, Ryan; Zhang, Yanli; Hung, I-Kuai; Kulhavy, David

2016-01-01

Undergraduate students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Spatial Science degree at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) receive instruction in the spatial sciences with a focus on hands-on applications. All undergraduate students take the course Introduction to Spatial Science which includes a comprehensive overview of spatial science…

The potential contributions of geographic information science to the study of social determinants of health in Iran.

PubMed

Rabiei-Dastjerdi, Hamidreza; Matthews, Stephen A

2018-01-01

Recent interest in the social determinants of health (SDOH) and the effects of neighborhood contexts on individual health and well-being has grown exponentially. In this brief communication, we describe recent developments in both analytical perspectives and methods that have opened up new opportunities for researchers interested in exploring neighborhoods and health research within a SDOH framework. We focus specifically on recent advances in geographic information science, statistical methods, and spatial analytical tools. We close with a discussion of how these recent developments have the potential to enhance SDOH research in Iran.

Singing numbers…in cognitive space--a dual-task study of the link between pitch, space, and numbers.

PubMed

Fischer, Martin H; Riello, Marianna; Giordano, Bruno L; Rusconi, Elena

2013-04-01

We assessed the automaticity of spatial-numerical and spatial-musical associations by testing their intentionality and load sensitivity in a dual-task paradigm. In separate sessions, 16 healthy adults performed magnitude and pitch comparisons on sung numbers with variable pitch. Stimuli and response alternatives were identical, but the relevant stimulus attribute (pitch or number) differed between tasks. Concomitant tasks required retention of either color or location information. Results show that spatial associations of both magnitude and pitch are load sensitive and that the spatial association for pitch is more powerful than that for magnitude. These findings argue against the automaticity of spatial mappings in either stimulus dimension. Copyright © 2013 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Using higher-level inquiry to improve spatial ability in an introductory geology course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevens, Lacey A.

Visuo-spatial skills, the ability to visually take in information and create a mental image are crucial for success in fields involving science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) as well as fine arts. Unfortunately, due to a lack of curriculum focused on developing spatial skills, students enrolled in introductory college-level science courses tend to have difficulty with spatially-related activities. One of the best ways to engage students in science activities is through a learning and teaching strategy called inquiry. There are lower levels of inquiry wherein learning and problem-solving are guided by instructions and higher levels of inquiry wherein students have a greater degree of autonomy in learning and creating their own problem-solving strategy. A study involving 112 participants was conducted during the fall semester in 2014 at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) in an 1040 Introductory Geology Lab to determine if a new, high-level, inquiry-based lab would increase participants' spatial skills more than the traditional, low-level inquiry lab. The study also evaluated whether a higher level of inquiry differentially affected low versus high spatial ability participants. Participants were evaluated using a spatial ability assessment, and pre- and post-tests. The results of this study show that for 3-D to 2-D visualization, the higher-level inquiry lab increased participants' spatial ability more than the lower-level inquiry lab. For spatial rotational skills, all participants' spatial ability scores improved, regardless of the level of inquiry to which they were exposed. Low and high spatial ability participants were not differentially affected. This study demonstrates that a lab designed with a higher level of inquiry can increase students' spatial ability more than a lab with a low level of inquiry. A lab with a higher level of inquiry helped all participants, regardless of their initial spatial ability level. These findings show that curriculum that incorporates a high level of inquiry that integrates practice of spatial skills can increase students' spatial abilities in Geology-related coursework.

Representing spatial structure through maps and language: Lord of the Rings encodes the spatial structure of middle Earth.

PubMed

Louwerse, Max M; Benesh, Nick

2012-01-01

Spatial mental representations can be derived from linguistic and non-linguistic sources of information. This study tested whether these representations could be formed from statistical linguistic frequencies of city names, and to what extent participants differed in their performance when they estimated spatial locations from language or maps. In a computational linguistic study, we demonstrated that co-occurrences of cities in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit predicted the authentic longitude and latitude of those cities in Middle Earth. In a human study, we showed that human spatial estimates of the location of cities were very similar regardless of whether participants read Tolkien's texts or memorized a map of Middle Earth. However, text-based location estimates obtained from statistical linguistic frequencies better predicted the human text-based estimates than the human map-based estimates. These findings suggest that language encodes spatial structure of cities, and that human cognitive map representations can come from implicit statistical linguistic patterns, from explicit non-linguistic perceptual information, or from both. Copyright © 2012 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Estimating occupancy probability of moose using hunter survey data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crum, Nathan J.; Fuller, Angela K.; Sutherland, Christopher S.; Cooch, Evan G.; Hurst, Jeremy E.

2017-01-01

Monitoring rare species can be difficult, especially across large spatial extents, making conventional methods of population monitoring costly and logistically challenging. Citizen science has the potential to produce observational data across large areas that can be used to monitor wildlife distributions using occupancy models. We used citizen science (i.e., hunter surveys) to facilitate monitoring of moose (Alces alces) populations, an especially important endeavor because of their recent apparent declines in the northeastern and upper midwestern regions of the United States. To better understand patterns of occurrence of moose in New York, we used data collected through an annual survey of approximately 11,000 hunters between 2012 and 2014 that recorded detection–non-detection data of moose and other species. We estimated patterns of occurrence of moose in relation to land cover characteristics, climate effects, and interspecific interactions using occupancy models to analyze spatially referenced moose observations. Coniferous and deciduous forest with low prevalence of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) had the highest probability of moose occurrence. This study highlights the potential of data collected using citizen science for understanding the spatial distribution of low-density species across large spatial extents and providing key information regarding where and when future research and management activities should be focused.

RADSS: an integration of GIS, spatial statistics, and network service for regional data mining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Haitang; Bao, Shuming; Lin, Hui; Zhu, Qing

2005-10-01

Regional data mining, which aims at the discovery of knowledge about spatial patterns, clusters or association between regions, has widely applications nowadays in social science, such as sociology, economics, epidemiology, crime, and so on. Many applications in the regional or other social sciences are more concerned with the spatial relationship, rather than the precise geographical location. Based on the spatial continuity rule derived from Tobler's first law of geography: observations at two sites tend to be more similar to each other if the sites are close together than if far apart, spatial statistics, as an important means for spatial data mining, allow the users to extract the interesting and useful information like spatial pattern, spatial structure, spatial association, spatial outlier and spatial interaction, from the vast amount of spatial data or non-spatial data. Therefore, by integrating with the spatial statistical methods, the geographical information systems will become more powerful in gaining further insights into the nature of spatial structure of regional system, and help the researchers to be more careful when selecting appropriate models. However, the lack of such tools holds back the application of spatial data analysis techniques and development of new methods and models (e.g., spatio-temporal models). Herein, we make an attempt to develop such an integrated software and apply it into the complex system analysis for the Poyang Lake Basin. This paper presents a framework for integrating GIS, spatial statistics and network service in regional data mining, as well as their implementation. After discussing the spatial statistics methods involved in regional complex system analysis, we introduce RADSS (Regional Analysis and Decision Support System), our new regional data mining tool, by integrating GIS, spatial statistics and network service. RADSS includes the functions of spatial data visualization, exploratory spatial data analysis, and spatial statistics. The tool also includes some fundamental spatial and non-spatial database in regional population and environment, which can be updated by external database via CD or network. Utilizing this data mining and exploratory analytical tool, the users can easily and quickly analyse the huge mount of the interrelated regional data, and better understand the spatial patterns and trends of the regional development, so as to make a credible and scientific decision. Moreover, it can be used as an educational tool for spatial data analysis and environmental studies. In this paper, we also present a case study on Poyang Lake Basin as an application of the tool and spatial data mining in complex environmental studies. At last, several concluding remarks are discussed.

Hyperspectral imaging for non-contact analysis of forensic traces.

PubMed

Edelman, G J; Gaston, E; van Leeuwen, T G; Cullen, P J; Aalders, M C G

2012-11-30

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) integrates conventional imaging and spectroscopy, to obtain both spatial and spectral information from a specimen. This technique enables investigators to analyze the chemical composition of traces and simultaneously visualize their spatial distribution. HSI offers significant potential for the detection, visualization, identification and age estimation of forensic traces. The rapid, non-destructive and non-contact features of HSI mark its suitability as an analytical tool for forensic science. This paper provides an overview of the principles, instrumentation and analytical techniques involved in hyperspectral imaging. We describe recent advances in HSI technology motivating forensic science applications, e.g. the development of portable and fast image acquisition systems. Reported forensic science applications are reviewed. Challenges are addressed, such as the analysis of traces on backgrounds encountered in casework, concluded by a summary of possible future applications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advancing Geospatial Technologies in Science and Social Science: A Case Study in Collaborative Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, N. A.; Morris, J. N.; Simms, M. L.; Metoyer, S.

2007-12-01

The Advancing Geospatial Skills in Science and Social Sciences (AGSSS) program, funded by NSF, provides middle and high school teacher-partners with access to graduate student scientists for classroom collaboration and curriculum adaptation to incorporate and advance skills in spatial thinking. AGSSS Fellows aid in the delivery of geospatially-enhanced activities utilizing technology such as geographic information systems, remote sensing, and virtual globes. The partnership also provides advanced professional development for both participating teachers and fellows. The AGSSS program is mutually beneficial to all parties involved. This successful collaboration of scientists, teachers, and students results in greater understanding and enthusiasm for the use of spatial thinking strategies and geospatial technologies. In addition, the partnership produces measurable improvements in student efficacy and attitudes toward processes of spatial thinking. The teacher partner training and classroom resources provided by AGSSS will continue the integration of geospatial activities into the curriculum after the project concludes. Time and resources are the main costs in implementing this partnership. Graduate fellows invest considerable time and energy, outside of academic responsibilities, to develop materials for the classroom. Fellows are required to be available during K-12 school hours, which necessitates forethought in scheduling other graduate duties. However, the benefits far outweigh the costs. Graduate fellows gain experience in working in classrooms. In exchange, students gain exposure to working scientists and their research. This affords graduate fellows the opportunity to hone their communication skills, and specifically allows them to address the issue of translating technical information for a novice audience. Teacher-partners and students benefit by having scientific expertise readily available. In summation, these experiences result in changes in teacher/student perceptions of science and scientists. Evidence of the aforementioned changes are provided through external evaluation and results obtained from several assessment tools. The program also utilizes an internal evaluator to monitor participants thoughts and opinions on the previous years' collaboration. Additionally, graduate fellows maintain a reflective journal to provide insight into experiences occurring both in-class and among peers. Finally, student surveys administered prior to and concluding the academic year assess changes in student attitudes and self-perception of spatial thinking skills.

Models as Feedback: Developing Representational Competence in Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Padalkar, Shamin; Hegarty, Mary

2015-01-01

Spatial information in science is often expressed through representations such as diagrams and models. Learning the strengths and limitations of these representations and how to relate them are important aspects of developing scientific understanding, referred to as "representational competence." Diagram translation is particularly…

European Science Notes Information Bulletin. Reports on Current European and Middle Eastern Science

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-01-01

ACTIVITIES IN THE ICE AND "l’lcsc conditions occur because of the relatively high CLIMATE DIVISION amount of radiation cooling from the ice surface...variant of dependent but space-inidepcndcnt noise seems to the Brusselator with diffusion. induce spatial correlations in a simple one -dimen- sional...that are designed to detect This report provides a background as to how objects on or near the sea surface.

On the Science-Policy Bridge: Do Spatial Heat Vulnerability Assessment Studies Influence Policy?

PubMed

Wolf, Tanja; Chuang, Wen-Ching; McGregor, Glenn

2015-10-23

Human vulnerability to heat varies at a range of spatial scales, especially within cities where there can be noticeable intra-urban differences in heat risk factors. Mapping and visualizing intra-urban heat vulnerability offers opportunities for presenting information to support decision-making. For example the visualization of the spatial variation of heat vulnerability has the potential to enable local governments to identify hot spots of vulnerability and allocate resources and increase assistance to people in areas of greatest need. Recently there has been a proliferation of heat vulnerability mapping studies, all of which, to varying degrees, justify the process of vulnerability mapping in a policy context. However, to date, there has not been a systematic review of the extent to which the results of vulnerability mapping studies have been applied in decision-making. Accordingly we undertook a comprehensive review of 37 recently published papers that use geospatial techniques for assessing human vulnerability to heat. In addition, we conducted an anonymous survey of the lead authors of the 37 papers in order to establish the level of interaction between the researchers as science information producers and local authorities as information users. Both paper review and author survey results show that heat vulnerability mapping has been used in an attempt to communicate policy recommendations, raise awareness and induce institutional networking and learning, but has not as yet had a substantive influence on policymaking or preventive action.

Demonstrating the value of community-based ('citizen science') observations for catchment modelling and characterisation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starkey, Eleanor; Parkin, Geoff; Birkinshaw, Stephen; Large, Andy; Quinn, Paul; Gibson, Ceri

2017-05-01

Despite there being well-established meteorological and hydrometric monitoring networks in the UK, many smaller catchments remain ungauged. This leaves a challenge for characterisation, modelling, forecasting and management activities. Here we demonstrate the value of community-based ('citizen science') observations for modelling and understanding catchment response as a contribution to catchment science. The scheme implemented within the 42 km2 Haltwhistle Burn catchment, a tributary of the River Tyne in northeast England, has harvested and used quantitative and qualitative observations from the public in a novel way to effectively capture spatial and temporal river response. Community-based rainfall, river level and flood observations have been successfully collected and quality-checked, and used to build and run a physically-based, spatially-distributed catchment model, SHETRAN. Model performance using different combinations of observations is tested against traditionally-derived hydrographs. Our results show how the local network of community-based observations alongside traditional sources of hydro-information supports characterisation of catchment response more accurately than using traditional observations alone over both spatial and temporal scales. We demonstrate that these community-derived datasets are most valuable during local flash flood events, particularly towards peak discharge. This information is often missed or poorly represented by ground-based gauges, or significantly underestimated by rainfall radar, as this study clearly demonstrates. While community-based observations are less valuable during prolonged and widespread floods, or over longer hydrological periods of interest, they can still ground-truth existing traditional sources of catchment data to increase confidence during characterisation and management activities. Involvement of the public in data collection activities also encourages wider community engagement, and provides important information for catchment management.

GENESI-DR Portal: a scientific gateway to distributed repositories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goncalves, Pedro; Brito, Fabrice; D'Andria, Fabio; Cossu, Roberto; Fusco, Luigi

2010-05-01

GENESI-DR (Ground European Network for Earth Science Interoperations - Digital Repositories) is a European Commission (EC)-funded project, kicked-off early 2008 lead by ESA; partners include Space Agencies (DLR, ASI, CNES), both space and no-space data providers such as ENEA (I), Infoterra (UK), K-SAT (N), NILU (N), JRC (EU) and industry as Elsag Datamat (I), CS (F) and TERRADUE (I). GENESI-DR intends to meet the challenge of facilitating "time to science" from different Earth Science disciplines in discovery, access and use (combining, integrating, processing, …) of historical and recent Earth-related data from space, airborne and in-situ sensors, which are archived in large distributed repositories. "Discovering" which data are available on a "geospatial web" is one of the main challenges ES scientists have to face today. Some well- known data sets are referred to in many places, available from many sources. For core information with a common purpose many copies are distributed, e.g., VMap0, Landsat, and SRTM. Other data sets in low or local demand may only be found in a few places and niche communities. Relevant services, results of analysis, applications and tools are accessible in a very scattered and uncoordinated way, often through individual initiatives from Earth Observation mission operators, scientific institutes dealing with ground measurements, service companies or data catalogues. In the discourse of Spatial Data Infrastructures, there are "catalogue services" - directories containing information on where spatial data and services can be found. For metadata "records" describing spatial data and services, there are "registries". The Geospatial industry coins specifications for search interfaces, where it might do better to reach out to other information retrieval and Internet communities. These considerations are the basis for the GENESI-DR scientific portal, which adopts a simple model allowing the geo-spatial classification and discovery of information as a loosely connected federation of nodes. This network had however to be resilient to node failures and able to scale with the growing addition of new information about data and services. The GENESI-DR scientific portal is still evolving as the project deploys the different components amongst the different partners, but the aim is to provide the connection to information, establish rights, access it and in some cases apply algorithms using the computer power available on the infrastructure with simple interfaces. As information is discovered in the network, it can be further exploited, filtered or enhanced according to the user goals. To implement this vision two specialized graphical interfaces were designed on the portal. The first, concentrates on the text-based search of information, while the second is a command and control of submission and order status on a distributed processing environment. The text search uses natural language features that extract the spatial temporal components from the user query. This is then propagated to the nodes by mapping them to OpenSearch extensions, and then returned to the user as an aggregated list of the resources. These can either be access points to dataset series or services that can be further analysed and processed. At this stage, the user is presented with dedicated interfaces that correspond to context of the action that is performing. Be it a bulk data download, data processing or data mining, the different services offer specialized interfaces that are integrated on the portal. In the overall, the GENESI-DR project identifies best practices and supporting context for the use of a minimal abstract model to loosely connect a federation of Digital Repositories. Surpassing the apparent lack of cost effectiveness of the Spatial Data Infrastructures effort in developing "catalogue services" is achieved by trimming the use cases to the most common and relevant. The GENESI-DR scientific portal is, as such, the visible front-end of a dedicated infrastructure providing transparent access to information and allowing Earth Science communities to easily and quickly derive objective information and share knowledge based on all environmentally sensitive domains.

Geographic information systems, remote sensing, and spatial analysis activities in Texas, 2008-09

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2009-01-01

Geographic information system (GIS) technology has become an important tool for scientific investigation, resource management, and environmental planning. A GIS is a computer-aided system capable of collecting, storing, analyzing, and displaying spatially referenced digital data. GIS technology is useful for analyzing a wide variety of spatial data. Remote sensing involves collecting remotely sensed data, such as satellite imagery, aerial photography, or radar images, and analyzing the data to gather information or investigate trends about the environment or the Earth's surface. Spatial analysis combines remotely sensed, thematic, statistical, quantitative, and geographical data through overlay, modeling, and other analytical techniques to investigate specific research questions. It is the combination of data formats and analysis techniques that has made GIS an essential tool in scientific investigations. This fact sheet presents information about the technical capabilities and project activities of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Texas Water Science Center (TWSC) GIS Workgroup during 2008 and 2009. After a summary of GIS Workgroup capabilities, brief descriptions of activities by project at the local and national levels are presented. Projects are grouped by the fiscal year (October-September 2008 or 2009) the project ends and include overviews, project images, and Internet links to additional project information and related publications or articles.

Development of a prototype spatial information processing system for hydrologic research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sircar, Jayanta K.

1991-01-01

Significant advances have been made in the last decade in the areas of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis technology, both in hardware and software. Science user requirements are so problem specific that currently no single system can satisfy all of the needs. The work presented here forms part of a conceptual framework for an all-encompassing science-user workstation system. While definition and development of the system as a whole will take several years, it is intended that small scale projects such as the current work will address some of the more short term needs. Such projects can provide a quick mechanism to integrate tools into the workstation environment forming a larger, more complete hydrologic analysis platform. Described here are two components that are very important to the practical use of remote sensing and digital map data in hydrology. Described here is a graph-theoretic technique to rasterize elevation contour maps. Also described is a system to manipulate synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data files and extract soil moisture data.

Oceanography in the formal and informal classroom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richardson, A.; Jasnow, M.; Srinivasan, M.; Rosmorduc, V.; Blanc, F.

2002-01-01

The TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason-1 ocean altimeter missions offer the educator in the middle school or informal education venue a unique opportunity for reinforcing ocean science studies. An educational poster from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and France's Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales provide teachers and students a tool to examine topics such as the dynamics of ocean circulation, ocean research, and the oceans' role in climate.

From Planetary Mapping to Map Production: Planetary Cartography as integral discipline in Planetary Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nass, Andrea; van Gasselt, Stephan; Hargitai, Hendrik; Hare, Trent; Manaud, Nicolas; Karachevtseva, Irina; Kersten, Elke; Roatsch, Thomas; Wählisch, Marita; Kereszturi, Akos

2016-04-01

Cartography is one of the most important communication channels between users of spatial information and laymen as well as the open public alike. This applies to all known real-world objects located either here on Earth or on any other object in our Solar System. In planetary sciences, however, the main use of cartography resides in a concept called planetary mapping with all its various attached meanings: it can be (1) systematic spacecraft observation from orbit, i.e. the retrieval of physical information, (2) the interpretation of discrete planetary surface units and their abstraction, or it can be (3) planetary cartography sensu strictu, i.e., the technical and artistic creation of map products. As the concept of planetary mapping covers a wide range of different information and knowledge levels, aims associated with the concept of mapping consequently range from a technical and engineering focus to a scientific distillation process. Among others, scientific centers focusing on planetary cartography are the United State Geological Survey (USGS, Flagstaff), the Moscow State University of Geodesy and Cartography (MIIGAiK, Moscow), Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE, Hungary), and the German Aerospace Center (DLR, Berlin). The International Astronomical Union (IAU), the Commission Planetary Cartography within International Cartographic Association (ICA), the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC), the WG IV/8 Planetary Mapping and Spatial Databases within International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) and a range of other institutions contribute on definition frameworks in planetary cartography. Classical cartography is nowadays often (mis-)understood as a tool mainly rather than a scientific discipline and an art of communication. Consequently, concepts of information systems, mapping tools and cartographic frameworks are used interchangeably, and cartographic workflows and visualization of spatial information in thematic maps have often been neglected or were left to software systems to decide by some arbitrary default values. The diversity of cartography as a research discipline and its different contributions in geospatial sciences and communication of information and knowledge will be highlighted in this contribution. We invite colleagues from this and other discipline to discuss concepts and topics for joint future collaboration and research.

Tampa Bay Study Data and Information Management System (DIMS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edgar, N. T.; Johnston, J. B.; Yates, K.; Smith, K. E.

2005-05-01

Providing easy access to data and information is an essential component of both science and management. The Tampa Bay Data and Information Management System (DIMS) catalogs and publicizes data and products which are generated through the Tampa Bay Integrated Science Study. The publicly accessible interface consists of a Web site (http://gulfsci.usgs.gov), a digital library, and an interactive map server (IMS). The Tampa Bay Study Web site contains information from scientists involved in the study, and is also the portal site for the digital library and IMS. Study information is highlighted on the Web site according to the estuarine component: geology and geomorphology, water and sediment quality, ecosystem structure and function, and hydrodynamics. The Tampa Bay Digital Library is a web-based clearinghouse for digital products on Tampa Bay, including documents, maps, spatial and tabular data sets, presentations, etc. New developments to the digital library include new search features, 150 new products over the past year, and partnerships to expand the offering of science products. The IMS is a Web-based geographic information system (GIS) used to store, analyze and display data pertaining to Tampa Bay. Upgrades to the IMS have improved performance and speed, as well as increased the number of data sets available for mapping. The Tampa Bay DIMS is a dynamic entity and will continue to evolve with the study. Beginning in 2005, the Tampa Bay Integrated Coastal Model will have a more prominent presence within the DIMS. The Web site will feature model projects and plans; the digital library will host model products and data sets; the IMS will display spatial model data sets and analyses. These tools will be used to increase communication of USGS efforts in Tampa Bay to the public, local managers, and scientists.

Remote Sensing Information Science Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clarke, Keith C.; Scepan, Joseph; Hemphill, Jeffrey; Herold, Martin; Husak, Gregory; Kline, Karen; Knight, Kevin

2002-01-01

This document is the final report summarizing research conducted by the Remote Sensing Research Unit, Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara under National Aeronautics and Space Administration Research Grant NAG5-10457. This document describes work performed during the period of 1 March 2001 thorough 30 September 2002. This report includes a survey of research proposed and performed within RSRU and the UCSB Geography Department during the past 25 years. A broad suite of RSRU research conducted under NAG5-10457 is also described under themes of Applied Research Activities and Information Science Research. This research includes: 1. NASA ESA Research Grant Performance Metrics Reporting. 2. Global Data Set Thematic Accuracy Analysis. 3. ISCGM/Global Map Project Support. 4. Cooperative International Activities. 5. User Model Study of Global Environmental Data Sets. 6. Global Spatial Data Infrastructure. 7. CIESIN Collaboration. 8. On the Value of Coordinating Landsat Operations. 10. The California Marine Protected Areas Database: Compilation and Accuracy Issues. 11. Assessing Landslide Hazard Over a 130-Year Period for La Conchita, California Remote Sensing and Spatial Metrics for Applied Urban Area Analysis, including: (1) IKONOS Data Processing for Urban Analysis. (2) Image Segmentation and Object Oriented Classification. (3) Spectral Properties of Urban Materials. (4) Spatial Scale in Urban Mapping. (5) Variable Scale Spatial and Temporal Urban Growth Signatures. (6) Interpretation and Verification of SLEUTH Modeling Results. (7) Spatial Land Cover Pattern Analysis for Representing Urban Land Use and Socioeconomic Structures. 12. Colorado River Flood Plain Remote Sensing Study Support. 13. African Rainfall Modeling and Assessment. 14. Remote Sensing and GIS Integration.

Sensitivity to the Sampling Process Emerges From the Principle of Efficiency.

PubMed

Jara-Ettinger, Julian; Sun, Felix; Schulz, Laura; Tenenbaum, Joshua B

2018-05-01

Humans can seamlessly infer other people's preferences, based on what they do. Broadly, two types of accounts have been proposed to explain different aspects of this ability. The first account focuses on spatial information: Agents' efficient navigation in space reveals what they like. The second account focuses on statistical information: Uncommon choices reveal stronger preferences. Together, these two lines of research suggest that we have two distinct capacities for inferring preferences. Here we propose that this is not the case, and that spatial-based and statistical-based preference inferences can be explained by the assumption that agents are efficient alone. We show that people's sensitivity to spatial and statistical information when they infer preferences is best predicted by a computational model of the principle of efficiency, and that this model outperforms dual-system models, even when the latter are fit to participant judgments. Our results suggest that, as adults, a unified understanding of agency under the principle of efficiency underlies our ability to infer preferences. Copyright © 2018 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Remodeling census population with spatial information from Landsat TM imagery

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yuan, Y.; Smith, R.M.; Limp, W.F.

1997-01-01

In geographic information systems (GIS) studies there has been some difficulty integrating socioeconomic and physiogeographic data. One important type of socioeconomic data, census data, offers a wide range of socioeconomic information, but is aggregated within arbitrary enumeration districts (EDs). Values reflect either raw counts or, when standardized, the mean densities in the EDs. On the other hand, remote sensing imagery, an important type of physiogeographic data, provides large quantities of information with more spatial details than census data. Based on the dasymetric mapping principle, this study applies multivariable regression to examine the correlation between population counts from census and land cover types. The land cover map is classified from LandSat TM imagery. The correlation is high. Census population counts are remodeled to a GIS raster layer based on the discovered correlations coupled with scaling techniques, which offset influences from other than land cover types. The GIS raster layer depicts the population distribution with much more spatial detail than census data offer. The resulting GIS raster layer is ready to be analyzed or integrated with other GIS data. ?? 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bayesian modeling to assess populated areas impacted by radiation from Fukushima

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hultquist, C.; Cervone, G.

2017-12-01

Citizen-led movements producing spatio-temporal big data are increasingly important sources of information about populations that are impacted by natural disasters. Citizen science can be used to fill gaps in disaster monitoring data, in addition to inferring human exposure and vulnerability to extreme environmental impacts. As a response to the 2011 release of radiation from Fukushima, Japan, the Safecast project began collecting open radiation data which grew to be a global dataset of over 70 million measurements to date. This dataset is spatially distributed primarily where humans are located and demonstrates abnormal patterns of population movements as a result of the disaster. Previous work has demonstrated that Safecast is highly correlated in comparison to government radiation observations. However, there is still a scientific need to understand the geostatistical variability of Safecast data and to assess how reliable the data are over space and time. The Bayesian hierarchical approach can be used to model the spatial distribution of datasets and flexibly integrate new flows of data without losing previous information. This enables an understanding of uncertainty in the spatio-temporal data to inform decision makers on areas of high levels of radiation where populations are located. Citizen science data can be scientifically evaluated and used as a critical source of information about populations that are impacted by a disaster.

Remote Sensing Product Verification and Validation at the NASA Stennis Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanley, Thomas M.

2005-01-01

Remote sensing data product verification and validation (V&V) is critical to successful science research and applications development. People who use remote sensing products to make policy, economic, or scientific decisions require confidence in and an understanding of the products' characteristics to make informed decisions about the products' use. NASA data products of coarse to moderate spatial resolution are validated by NASA science teams. NASA's Stennis Space Center (SSC) serves as the science validation team lead for validating commercial data products of moderate to high spatial resolution. At SSC, the Applications Research Toolbox simulates sensors and targets, and the Instrument Validation Laboratory validates critical sensors. The SSC V&V Site consists of radiometric tarps, a network of ground control points, a water surface temperature sensor, an atmospheric measurement system, painted concrete radial target and edge targets, and other instrumentation. NASA's Applied Sciences Directorate participates in the Joint Agency Commercial Imagery Evaluation (JACIE) team formed by NASA, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to characterize commercial systems and imagery.

Mental Rotation and Diagrammatic Reasoning in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stieff, M.

2007-01-01

This article presents 3 studies that examine how students and experts employ mental rotation and a learned heuristic to solve chemistry tasks that involve spatial information. Results from Study 1 indicate that despite instruction in analytical strategies, students choose to employ mental rotation on canonical assessment tasks. In Study 2, experts…

Quantitative geomorphology with geographical information systems (GIS) for evolving societies and science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomez, C.; Oguchi, T.; Evans, I. S.

2016-05-01

Based on the two sessions on spatial analysis, GIS and geostatistics convened by T. Oguchi, I. Evans and C. Gomez at the 2013 International Association of Geomorphology in Paris, the conveners have edited two special issues on the topic: volume 242 and the present one.

Uses of GIS for Homeland Security and Emergency Management for Higher Education Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murchison, Stuart B.

2010-01-01

Geographic information systems (GIS) are a major component of the geospatial sciences, which are also composed of geostatistical analysis, remote sensing, and global positional satellite systems. These systems can be integrated into GIS for georeferencing, pattern analysis, visualization, and understanding spatial concepts that transcend…

Accuracy of Scale Conceptions in Science: Mental Maneuverings across Many Orders of Spatial Magnitude

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tretter, Thomas R.; Jones, M. Gail; Minogue, James

2006-01-01

The use of unifying themes that span the various branches of science is recommended to enhance curricular coherence in science instruction. Conceptions of spatial scale are one such unifying theme. This research explored the accuracy of spatial scale conceptions of science phenomena across a spectrum of 215 participants: fifth grade, seventh…

On the Science-Policy Bridge: Do Spatial Heat Vulnerability Assessment Studies Influence Policy?

PubMed Central

Wolf, Tanja; Chuang, Wen-Ching; McGregor, Glenn

2015-01-01

Human vulnerability to heat varies at a range of spatial scales, especially within cities where there can be noticeable intra-urban differences in heat risk factors. Mapping and visualizing intra-urban heat vulnerability offers opportunities for presenting information to support decision-making. For example the visualization of the spatial variation of heat vulnerability has the potential to enable local governments to identify hot spots of vulnerability and allocate resources and increase assistance to people in areas of greatest need. Recently there has been a proliferation of heat vulnerability mapping studies, all of which, to varying degrees, justify the process of vulnerability mapping in a policy context. However, to date, there has not been a systematic review of the extent to which the results of vulnerability mapping studies have been applied in decision-making. Accordingly we undertook a comprehensive review of 37 recently published papers that use geospatial techniques for assessing human vulnerability to heat. In addition, we conducted an anonymous survey of the lead authors of the 37 papers in order to establish the level of interaction between the researchers as science information producers and local authorities as information users. Both paper review and author survey results show that heat vulnerability mapping has been used in an attempt to communicate policy recommendations, raise awareness and induce institutional networking and learning, but has not as yet had a substantive influence on policymaking or preventive action. PMID:26512681

Resource materials for a GIS spatial analysis course

USGS Publications Warehouse

Raines, Gary L.

2001-01-01

This report consists of materials prepared for a GIS spatial analysis course offered as part of the Geography curriculum at the University of Nevada, Reno and the University of California at Santa Barbara in the spring of 2000. The report is intended to share information with instructors preparing spatial-modeling training and scientists with advanced GIS expertise. The students taking this class had completed each universities GIS curriculum and had a foundation in statistics as part of a science major. This report is organized into chapters that contain the following: Slides used during lectures, Guidance on the use of Arcview, Introduction to filtering in Arcview, Conventional and spatial correlation in Arcview, Tools for fuzzification in Arcview, Data and instructions for creating using ArcSDM for simple weights-of-evidence, fuzzy logic, and neural network models for Carlin-type gold deposits in central Nevada, Reading list on spatial modeling, and Selected student spatial-modeling posters from the laboratory exercises.

Science in the Sun: How Science is Performed as a Spatial Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kass, Natalie

This study analyzes how spatial organization impacts science communication at the St. Petersburg Science Festival in Florida. Through map analysis, qualitative interviews, and a close reading of evaluation reports, the author determines that sponsorship, logistics, exhibitor ambience, and map usability and design are the factors most affecting the spatial performance of science. To mitigate their effects, technical communicators can identify these factors and provide the necessary revisions when considering how science is communicated to the public.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pacold, J. I.; Altman, A. B.; Donald, S B

Materials of interest for nuclear forensic science are often highly heterogeneous, containing complex mixtures of actinide compounds in a wide variety of matrices. Scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) is ideally suited to study such materials, as it can be used to chemically image specimens by acquiring X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) data with 25 nm spatial resolution. In particular, STXM in the soft X-ray synchrotron radiation regime (approximately 120 – 2000 eV) can collect spectroscopic information from the actinides and light elements in a single experiment. Thus, STXM combines the chemical sensitivity of X-ray absorption spectroscopy with high spatial resolutionmore » in a single non-destructive characterization method. This report describes the application of STXM to a broad range of nuclear materials. Where possible, the spectroscopic images obtained by STXM are compared with information derived from other analytical methods, and used to make inferences about the process history of each material. STXM measurements can yield information including the morphology of a sample, “elemental maps” showing the spatial distribution of major chemical constituents, and XANES spectra from localized regions of a sample, which may show spatial variations in chemical composition.« less

Avenues for crowd science in Hydrology.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koch, Julian; Stisen, Simon

2016-04-01

Crowd science describes research that is conducted with the participation of the general public (the crowd) and gives the opportunity to involve the crowd in research design, data collection and analysis. In various fields, scientists have already drawn on underused human resources to advance research at low cost, with high transparency and large acceptance of the public due to the bottom up structure and the participatory process. Within the hydrological sciences, crowd research has quite recently become more established in the form of crowd observatories to generate hydrological data on water quality, precipitation or river flow. These innovative observatories complement more traditional ways of monitoring hydrological data and strengthen a community-based environmental decision making. However, the full potential of crowd science lies in internet based participation of the crowd and it is not yet fully exploited in the field of Hydrology. New avenues that are not primarily based on the outsourcing of labor, but instead capitalize the full potential of human capabilities have to emerge. In multiple realms of solving complex problems, like image detection, optimization tasks, narrowing of possible solutions, humans still remain more effective than computer algorithms. The most successful online crowd science projects Foldit and Galaxy Zoo have proven that the collective of tens of thousands users could clearly outperform traditional computer based science approaches. Our study takes advantage of the well trained human perception to conduct a spatial sensitivity analysis of land-surface variables of a distributed hydrological model to identify the most sensitive spatial inputs. True spatial performance metrics, that quantitatively compare patterns, are not trivial to choose and their applicability is often not universal. On the other hand humans can quickly integrate spatial information at various scales and are therefore a trusted competence. We selected zooniverse, the most popular crowd science platform where over a million registered users contribute to various research projects, to build a survey of the human perception. The survey will be shown during the interactive discussion, but moreover for building future avenues of crowd science in Hydrology the following questions should be discussed: (1) What hydrological problems are suitable for an internet based crowd science application? (2) How to abstract the complex problem to a medium that appeals to the crowd? (3) How to secure good science with reliable results? (4) Can the crowd replace existing and established computer based applications like parameter optimization or forecasting at all?

Designing Infographics to support teaching complex science subject: A comparison between static and animated Infographics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassan, Hesham Galal

This thesis explores the proper principles and rules for creating excellent infographics that communicate information successfully and effectively. Not only does this thesis examine the creation of Infographics, it also tries to answer which format, Static or Animated Infographics, is the most effective when used as a teaching-aid framework for complex science subjects, and if compelling Infographics in the preferred format facilitate the learning experience. The methodology includes the creation of infographic using two formats (Static and Animated) of a fairly complex science subject (Phases Of The Moon), which were then tested for their efficacy as a whole, and the two formats were compared in terms of information comprehension and retention. My hypothesis predicts that the creation of an infographic using the animated format would be more effective in communicating a complex science subject (Phases Of The Moon), specifically when using 3D computer animation to visualize the topic. This would also help different types of learners to easily comprehend science subjects. Most of the animated infographics produced nowadays are created for marketing and business purposes and do not implement the analytical design principles required for creating excellent information design. I believe that science learners are still in need of more variety in their methods of learning information, and that infographics can be of great assistance. The results of this thesis study suggests that using properly designed infographics would be of great help in teaching complex science subjects that involve spatial and temporal data. This could facilitate learning science subjects and consequently impact the interest of young learners in STEM.

Maintaining the momentum of Open Search in Earth Science Data discovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newman, D. J.; Lynnes, C.

2013-12-01

Federated Search for Earth Observation data has been a hallmark of EOSDIS (Earth Observing System Data and Information System) for two decades. Originally, the EOSDIS Version 0 system provided both data-collection-level and granule/file-level search in the mid 1990s with EOSDIS-specific socket protocols and message formats. Since that time, the advent of several standards has helped to simplify EOSDIS federated search, beginning with HTTP as the transfer protocol. Most recently, OpenSearch (www.opensearch.org) was employed for the EOS Clearinghouse (ECHO), based on a set of conventions that had been developed within the Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) Federation. The ECHO OpenSearch API has evolved to encompass the ESIP RFC and the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Open Search standard. Uptake of the ECHO Open Search API has been significant and has made ECHO accessible to client developers that found the previous ECHO SOAP API and current REST API too complex. Client adoption of the OpenSearch API appears to be largely driven by the simplicity of the OpenSearch convention. This simplicity is thus important to retain as the standard and convention evolve. For example, ECHO metrics indicate that the vast majority of ECHO users favor the following search criteria when using the REST API, - Spatial - bounding box, polygon, line and point - Temporal - start and end time - Keywords - free text Fewer than 10% of searches use additional constraints, particularly those requiring a controlled vocabulary, such as instrument, sensor, etc. This suggests that ongoing standardization efforts around OpenSearch usage for Earth Observation data may be more productive if oriented toward improving support for the Spatial, Temporal and Keyword search aspects. Areas still requiring improvement include support of - Concrete requirements for keyword constraints - Phrasal search for keyword constraints - Temporal constraint relations - Terminological symmetry between search URLs and response documents for both temporal and spatial terms - Best practices for both servers and clients. Over the past year we have seen several ongoing efforts to further standardize Open Search in the earth science domain such as, - Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) - Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) - Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS)

Toy-playing behavior, sex-role orientation, spatial ability, and science achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tracy, Dyanne M.

The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the possible relationships among children's extracurricular toy-playing habits, sex-role orientations, spatial abilities, and science achievement. Data were gathered from 282 midwestern, suburban, fifth-grade students. It was found that boys had significantly higher spatial skills than girls. No significant differences in spatial ability were found among students with different sex-role orientations. No significant differences in science achievement were found between girls and boys, or among students with the four different sex-role orientations. Students who had high spatial ability also had significantly higher science achievement scores than students with low spatial ability. Femininely oriented boys who reported low playing in the two-dimensional, gross-body-movement, and proportional-arrangement toy categories scored significantly higher on the test of science achievement than girls with the same sex-role and toy-playing behavior.

A Study on Environmental Research Trends Using Text-Mining Method - Focus on Spatial information and ICT -

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, M. J.; Oh, K. Y.; Joung-ho, L.

2016-12-01

Recently there are many research about analysing the interaction between entities by text-mining analysis in various fields. In this paper, we aimed to quantitatively analyse research-trends in the area of environmental research relating either spatial information or ICT (Information and Communications Technology) by Text-mining analysis. To do this, we applied low-dimensional embedding method, clustering analysis, and association rule to find meaningful associative patterns of key words frequently appeared in the articles. As the authors suppose that KCI (Korea Citation Index) articles reflect academic demands, total 1228 KCI articles that have been published from 1996 to 2015 were reviewed and analysed by Text-mining method. First, we derived KCI articles from NDSL(National Discovery for Science Leaders) site. And then we pre-processed their key-words elected from abstract and then classified those in separable sectors. We investigated the appearance rates and association rule of key-words for articles in the two fields: spatial-information and ICT. In order to detect historic trends, analysis was conducted separately for the four periods: 1996-2000, 2001-2005, 2006-2010, 2011-2015. These analysis were conducted with the usage of R-software. As a result, we conformed that environmental research relating spatial information mainly focused upon such fields as `GIS(35%)', `Remote-Sensing(25%)', `environmental theme map(15.7%)'. Next, `ICT technology(23.6%)', `ICT service(5.4%)', `mobile(24%)', `big data(10%)', `AI(7%)' are primarily emerging from environmental research relating ICT. Thus, from the analysis results, this paper asserts that research trends and academic progresses are well-structured to review recent spatial information and ICT technology and the outcomes of the analysis can be an adequate guidelines to establish environment policies and strategies. KEY WORDS: Big data, Test-mining, Environmental research, Spatial-information, ICT Acknowledgements: The authors appreciate the support that this study has received from `Building application frame of environmental issues, to respond to the latest ICT trends'.

A method of constructing geo-object ontology in disaster system for prevention and decrease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Bin; Liu, Jiping; Shi, Lihong; Wang, Zhenfeng

2009-10-01

A kind of formal system, which can express clearly a certain entity or information, is needed to express geographical concept. Besides, some rules explaining the interrelationship and action between different components are also required. Therefore, the conception of geo-object ontology is introduced. It is a shared formalization and display specification of conceptual knowledge system in the field of concrete application of spatial information science. It can constitute hierarchy structure, which derives from the concept classification system in the geographical area. Its concepts can be described by the property. Property sets can form a vector space with multi-dimensional characteristics. Geographic space is composed of different types of geographic entities. And its concept is formed by a series of geographic entities with the same properties and actions. Moreover, each of the geographic entities can be mapped to an object, and each object has its spatial property, time information and topology, semantic relationships associated with other objects. The biggest difference between ecumenical information ontology and geo-ontology is that the latter has the spatial characteristics. During the construction process of geo-object ontology, some important components, such as geographic type, spatial relation, spatial entity type and coordinates, time, should be included to make further research. Here, taking disaster as an example, by using Protégé and OWL, combined methods used by constructing the geo-object ontology in the form of being manual made by domanial experts and semi-automatic are investigated oriented to disaster to serve ultimately geographic information retrieval service driven by ontology.

Developing geospatial thinking and the science practices of investigation and evalutation with geographic information systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamilton, Kelli

Geospatial thinking is a subset of spatial thinking, which has been identified by the National Geography Standards as an essential skill for students to gain through geography instruction (Heffron & Downs, 2013). One tool which has been shown to help students develop their geospatial thinking skills is Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (Kim & Bednraz, 2013; Lee & Bednarz, 2009; Patterson, 2007). Much of the research conducted with GIS has been in the context of social studies classrooms. This study examined the use of GIS with seventh grade students in a science classroom. Results of this study indicate that students who use GIS as part of their science instruction are able to practice geospatial thinking skills. In addition, this study examined how GIS could be used to enhance the instruction of the science practices of investigation and evaluation. The Next Generation Science Standards identify certain science practices which students should experience as part of science instruction (NGSS Lead States, 2013). Among those practices are investigation and evaluation. Students in this study used GIS to investigate and evaluate scientific data. Both the teacher and the students were able to identify ways that GIS enhanced both the investigation and evaluation of data.

Uncertainty in Citizen Science observations: from measurement to user perception

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lahoz, William; Schneider, Philipp; Castell, Nuria

2016-04-01

Citizen Science activities concern general public engagement in scientific research activities when citizens actively contribute to science either with their intellectual effort or surrounding knowledge or with their tools and resources. The advent of technologies such as the Internet and smartphones, and the growth in their usage, has significantly increased the potential benefits from Citizen Science activities. Citizen Science observations from low-cost sensors, smartphones and Citizen Observatories, provide a novel and recent development in platforms for observing the Earth System, with the opportunity to extend the range of observational platforms available to society to spatio-temporal scales (10-100s m; 1 hr or less) highly relevant to citizen needs. The potential value of Citizen Science is high, with applications in science, education, social aspects, and policy aspects, but this potential, particularly for citizens and policymakers, remains largely untapped. Key areas where Citizen Science data start to have demonstrable benefits include GEOSS Societal Benefit Areas such as Health and Weather. Citizen Science observations have many challenges, including simulation of smaller spatial scales, noisy data, combination with traditional observational methods (satellite and in situ data), and assessment, representation and visualization of uncertainty. Within these challenges, that of the assessment and representation of uncertainty and its communication to users is fundamental, as it provides qualitative and/or quantitative information that influences the belief users will have in environmental information. This presentation will discuss the challenges in assessment and representation of uncertainty in Citizen Science observations, its communication to users, including the use of visualization, and the perception of this uncertainty information by users of Citizen Science observations.

Calendar of Selected Aeronautical and Space Meetings July 1988 (Calendrier des Manifestations Aeronautiques et Spatiales (Selecgion) Juillet 1988)

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-07-01

Environnement terrestre 78 09 - Information, Documentation et Informatique 81 *10 - Themes g~n~raux (phuridisciplinaires) et divers 94 11 - Salons et...Dayton, OH 45432 US UTIIS University of Tokyo Institute of Industrial Science: 7-22-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106 JA VDE Verband Deutscher

Calendar of Selected Aeronautical and Space Meetings (Calendrier des Manifestations Aeronautiques et Spatiales (Selection))

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-01-01

Structurces, Matdriaux et MWcanique appliqu&c 53 08 - Physique de U’Atmosph~re et Environnement terrestre 73 09 -Information, Documentation et Informatique 77...CO 80840 US UTIIS University of Tokyo Institute of Industrial Science: 7-22-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106 JA VDE Verband Deutscher

Visualizing and communicating uncertainty in the earth and environmental sciences: a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pebesma, Edzer

2014-05-01

I will review past attempts to visualising uncertainty in spatial or spatio-temporal predictions of groundwater quality, quality predictions, sea bed sediment, bird densities, air quality measurements, and exposure to air quality of individuals and populations. The attempts involved software development (aguila [1], greenland [2]), the development of standards for communicating uncertain spatial and spatio-temporal information (UncertML, [3]), and have been illustrated by applications in a number of EU projects (Apmosphere [4], INTAMAP [5], UncertWeb [6] and GeoViQua [7]). I will also report on usability studies that were carried out (e.g. [8]). [1] http://pcraster.geo.uu.nl/projects/developments/aguila/ [2] https://wiki.52north.org/bin/view/Geostatistics/Greenland [3] http://www.uncertml.org/ [4] http://www.apmosphere.org/ [5] http://www.intamap.org/ [6] http://www.uncertweb.org/ [7] http://www.geoviqua.org/ [8] Senaratne, H. L. Gerharz, E. Pebesma, A. Schwering, 2012. Usability of Spatio-Temporal Uncertainty Visualisation Methods. In: Bridging the Geographic Information Sciences, Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography, J. Gensel, D. Josselin and D. Vandenbroucke. Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

Spatial abilities, Earth science conceptual understanding, and psychological gender of university non-science majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Black, Alice A. (Jill)

Research has shown the presence of many Earth science misconceptions and conceptual difficulties that may impede concept understanding, and has also identified a number of categories of spatial ability. Although spatial ability has been linked to high performance in science, some researchers believe it has been overlooked in traditional education. Evidence exists that spatial ability can be improved. This correlational study investigated the relationship among Earth science conceptual understanding, three types of spatial ability, and psychological gender, a self-classification that reflects socially-accepted personality and gender traits. A test of Earth science concept understanding, the Earth Science Concepts (ESC) test, was developed and field tested from 2001 to 2003 in 15 sections of university classes. Criterion validity was .60, significant at the .01 level. Spearman/Brown reliability was .74 and Kuder/Richardson reliability was .63. The Purdue Visualization of Rotations (PVOR) (mental rotation), the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) (spatial perception), the Differential Aptitude Test: Space Relations (DAT) (spatial visualization), and the Bem Inventory (BI) (psychological gender) were administered to 97 non-major university students enrolled in undergraduate science classes. Spearman correlations revealed moderately significant correlations at the .01 level between ESC scores and each of the three spatial ability test scores. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that PVOR scores were the best predictor of ESC scores, and showed that spatial ability scores accounted for 27% of the total variation in ESC scores. Spatial test scores were moderately or weakly correlated with each other. No significant correlations were found among BI scores and other test scores. Scantron difficulty analysis of ESC items produced difficulty ratings ranging from 33.04 to 96.43, indicating the percentage of students who answered incorrectly. Mean score on the ESC was 34%, indicating that the non-majors tested exhibited many Earth science misconceptions and conceptual difficulties. A number of significant results were found when independent t-tests and correlations were conducted among test scores and demographic variables. The number of previous university Earth science courses was significantly related to ESC scores. Preservice elementary/middle majors differed significantly in several ways from other non-majors, and several earlier results were not supported. Results of this study indicate that an important opportunity may exist to improve Earth science conceptual understanding by focusing on spatial ability, a cognitive ability that has heretofore not been directly addressed in schools.

Data Science: History repeated? - The heritage of the Free and Open Source GIS community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Löwe, Peter; Neteler, Markus

2014-05-01

Data Science is described as the process of knowledge extraction from large data sets by means of scientific methods. The discipline draws heavily from techniques and theories from many fields, which are jointly used to furthermore develop information retrieval on structured or unstructured very large datasets. While the term Data Science was already coined in 1960, the current perception of this field places is still in the first section of the hype cycle according to Gartner, being well en route from the technology trigger stage to the peak of inflated expectations. In our view the future development of Data Science could benefit from the analysis of experiences from related evolutionary processes. One predecessor is the area of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The intrinsic scope of GIS is the integration and storage of spatial information from often heterogeneous sources, data analysis, sharing of reconstructed or aggregated results in visual form or via data transfer. GIS is successfully applied to process and analyse spatially referenced content in a wide and still expanding range of science areas, spanning from human and social sciences like archeology, politics and architecture to environmental and geoscientific applications, even including planetology. This paper presents proven patterns for innovation and organisation derived from the evolution of GIS, which can be ported to Data Science. Within the GIS landscape, three strategic interacting tiers can be denoted: i) Standardisation, ii) applications based on closed-source software, without the option of access to and analysis of the implemented algorithms, and iii) Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) based on freely accessible program code enabling analysis, education and ,improvement by everyone. This paper focuses on patterns gained from the synthesis of three decades of FOSS development. We identified best-practices which evolved from long term FOSS projects, describe the role of community-driven global umbrella organisations such as OSGeo, as well as the standardization of innovative services. The main driver is the acknowledgement of a meritocratic attitude. These patterns follow evolutionary processes of establishing and maintaining a web-based democratic culture spawning new kinds of communication and projects. This culture transcends the established compartmentation and stratification of science by creating mutual benefits for the participants, irrespective of their respective research interest and standing. Adopting these best practices will enable the emerging Data Science communities to avoid pitfalls and to accelerate the progress to stages of productivity.

BOREAS Level-1B TIMS Imagery: At-sensor Radiance in BSQ Format

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Forrest G. (Editor); Nickeson, Jaime (Editor); Strub, Richard; Newcomer, Jeffrey A.; Chernobieff, Sonia

2000-01-01

The Boreal Ecosystem-Atmospheric Study (BOREAS) Staff Science Aircraft Data Acquisition Program focused on providing the research teams with the remotely sensed satellite data products they needed to compare and spatially extend point results. For BOREAS, the Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS) imagery, along with other aircraft images, was collected to provide spatially extensive information over the primary study areas. The Level-1b TIMS images cover the time periods of 16 to 20 Apr 1994 and 06 to 17 Sep 1994. The system calibrated images are stored in binary image format files. The TIMS images are available from the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC).

HIRIS (High-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer: Science opportunities for the 1990s. Earth observing system. Volume 2C: Instrument panel report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

The high-resolution imaging spectrometer (HIRIS) is an Earth Observing System (EOS) sensor developed for high spatial and spectral resolution. It can acquire more information in the 0.4 to 2.5 micrometer spectral region than any other sensor yet envisioned. Its capability for critical sampling at high spatial resolution makes it an ideal complement to the MODIS (moderate-resolution imaging spectrometer) and HMMR (high-resolution multifrequency microwave radiometer), lower resolution sensors designed for repetitive coverage. With HIRIS it is possible to observe transient processes in a multistage remote sensing strategy for Earth observations on a global scale. The objectives, science requirements, and current sensor design of the HIRIS are discussed along with the synergism of the sensor with other EOS instruments and data handling and processing requirements.

Use of Schema on Read in Earth Science Data Archives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrenko, M.; Hegde, M.; Smit, C.; Pilone, P.; Pham, L.

2017-12-01

Traditionally, NASA Earth Science data archives have file-based storage using proprietary data file formats, such as HDF and HDF-EOS, which are optimized to support fast and efficient storage of spaceborne and model data as they are generated. The use of file-based storage essentially imposes an indexing strategy based on data dimensions. In most cases, NASA Earth Science data uses time as the primary index, leading to poor performance in accessing data in spatial dimensions. For example, producing a time series for a single spatial grid cell involves accessing a large number of data files. With exponential growth in data volume due to the ever-increasing spatial and temporal resolution of the data, using file-based archives poses significant performance and cost barriers to data discovery and access. Storing and disseminating data in proprietary data formats imposes an additional access barrier for users outside the mainstream research community. At the NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data Information Services Center (GES DISC), we have evaluated applying the "schema-on-read" principle to data access and distribution. We used Apache Parquet to store geospatial data, and have exposed data through Amazon Web Services (AWS) Athena, AWS Simple Storage Service (S3), and Apache Spark. Using the "schema-on-read" approach allows customization of indexing—spatial or temporal—to suit the data access pattern. The storage of data in open formats such as Apache Parquet has widespread support in popular programming languages. A wide range of solutions for handling big data lowers the access barrier for all users. This presentation will discuss formats used for data storage, frameworks with support for "schema-on-read" used for data access, and common use cases covering data usage patterns seen in a geospatial data archive.

Use of Schema on Read in Earth Science Data Archives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hegde, Mahabaleshwara; Smit, Christine; Pilone, Paul; Petrenko, Maksym; Pham, Long

2017-01-01

Traditionally, NASA Earth Science data archives have file-based storage using proprietary data file formats, such as HDF and HDF-EOS, which are optimized to support fast and efficient storage of spaceborne and model data as they are generated. The use of file-based storage essentially imposes an indexing strategy based on data dimensions. In most cases, NASA Earth Science data uses time as the primary index, leading to poor performance in accessing data in spatial dimensions. For example, producing a time series for a single spatial grid cell involves accessing a large number of data files. With exponential growth in data volume due to the ever-increasing spatial and temporal resolution of the data, using file-based archives poses significant performance and cost barriers to data discovery and access. Storing and disseminating data in proprietary data formats imposes an additional access barrier for users outside the mainstream research community. At the NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data Information Services Center (GES DISC), we have evaluated applying the schema-on-read principle to data access and distribution. We used Apache Parquet to store geospatial data, and have exposed data through Amazon Web Services (AWS) Athena, AWS Simple Storage Service (S3), and Apache Spark. Using the schema-on-read approach allows customization of indexing spatially or temporally to suit the data access pattern. The storage of data in open formats such as Apache Parquet has widespread support in popular programming languages. A wide range of solutions for handling big data lowers the access barrier for all users. This presentation will discuss formats used for data storage, frameworks with This presentation will discuss formats used for data storage, frameworks with support for schema-on-read used for data access, and common use cases covering data usage patterns seen in a geospatial data archive.

Patterns of contribution to citizen science biodiversity projects increase understanding of volunteers' recording behaviour.

PubMed

Boakes, Elizabeth H; Gliozzo, Gianfranco; Seymour, Valentine; Harvey, Martin; Smith, Chloë; Roy, David B; Haklay, Muki

2016-09-13

The often opportunistic nature of biological recording via citizen science leads to taxonomic, spatial and temporal biases which add uncertainty to biodiversity estimates. However, such biases may also give valuable insight into volunteers' recording behaviour. Using Greater London as a case-study we examined the composition of three citizen science datasets - from Greenspace Information for Greater London CIC, iSpot and iRecord - with respect to recorder contribution and spatial and taxonomic biases, i.e. when, where and what volunteers record. We found most volunteers contributed few records and were active for just one day. Each dataset had its own taxonomic and spatial signature suggesting that volunteers' personal recording preferences may attract them towards particular schemes. There were also patterns across datasets: species' abundance and ease of identification were positively associated with number of records, as was plant height. We found clear hotspots of recording activity, the 10 most popular sites containing open water. We note that biases are accrued as part of the recording process (e.g. species' detectability) as well as from volunteer preferences. An increased understanding of volunteer behaviour gained from analysing the composition of records could thus enhance the fit between volunteers' interests and the needs of scientific projects.

Patterns of contribution to citizen science biodiversity projects increase understanding of volunteers’ recording behaviour

PubMed Central

Boakes, Elizabeth H.; Gliozzo, Gianfranco; Seymour, Valentine; Harvey, Martin; Smith, Chloë; Roy, David B.; Haklay, Muki

2016-01-01

The often opportunistic nature of biological recording via citizen science leads to taxonomic, spatial and temporal biases which add uncertainty to biodiversity estimates. However, such biases may also give valuable insight into volunteers’ recording behaviour. Using Greater London as a case-study we examined the composition of three citizen science datasets – from Greenspace Information for Greater London CIC, iSpot and iRecord - with respect to recorder contribution and spatial and taxonomic biases, i.e. when, where and what volunteers record. We found most volunteers contributed few records and were active for just one day. Each dataset had its own taxonomic and spatial signature suggesting that volunteers’ personal recording preferences may attract them towards particular schemes. There were also patterns across datasets: species’ abundance and ease of identification were positively associated with number of records, as was plant height. We found clear hotspots of recording activity, the 10 most popular sites containing open water. We note that biases are accrued as part of the recording process (e.g. species’ detectability) as well as from volunteer preferences. An increased understanding of volunteer behaviour gained from analysing the composition of records could thus enhance the fit between volunteers’ interests and the needs of scientific projects. PMID:27619155

Teaching Spatial Thinking in Undergraduate Geology Courses Using Tools and Strategies from Cognitive Science Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ormand, C. J.; Shipley, T. F.; Dutrow, B. L.; Goodwin, L. B.; Hickson, T. A.; Tikoff, B.; Atit, K.; Gagnier, K. M.; Resnick, I.

2015-12-01

Spatial visualization is an essential skill in the STEM disciplines, including the geological sciences. Undergraduate students, including geoscience majors in upper-level courses, bring a wide range of spatial skill levels to the classroom. Students with weak spatial skills may struggle to understand fundamental concepts and to solve geological problems with a spatial component. However, spatial thinking skills are malleable. Using strategies that have emerged from cognitive science research, we developed a set of curricular materials that improve undergraduate geology majors' abilities to reason about 3D concepts and to solve spatially complex geological problems. Cognitive science research on spatial thinking demonstrates that predictive sketching, making visual comparisons, gesturing, and the use of analogy can be used to develop students' spatial thinking skills. We conducted a three-year study of the efficacy of these strategies in strengthening the spatial skills of students in core geology courses at three universities. Our methodology is a quasi-experimental quantitative design, utilizing pre- and post-tests of spatial thinking skills, assessments of spatial problem-solving skills, and a control group comprised of students not exposed to our new curricular materials. Students taught using the new curricular materials show improvement in spatial thinking skills. Further analysis of our data, to be completed prior to AGU, will answer additional questions about the relationship between spatial skills and academic performance, spatial skills and gender, spatial skills and confidence, and the impact of our curricular materials on students who are struggling academically. Teaching spatial thinking in the context of discipline-based exercises has the potential to transform undergraduate education in the geological sciences by removing one significant barrier to success.

A Rules-Based Service for Suggesting Visualizations to Analyze Earth Science Phenomena.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prabhu, A.; Zednik, S.; Fox, P. A.; Ramachandran, R.; Maskey, M.; Shie, C. L.; Shen, S.

2016-12-01

Current Earth Science Information Systems lack support for new or interdisciplinary researchers, who may be unfamiliar with the domain vocabulary or the breadth of relevant data available. We need to evolve the current information systems, to reduce the time required for data preparation, processing and analysis. This can be done by effectively salvaging the "dark" resources in Earth Science. We assert that Earth science metadata assets are dark resources, information resources that organizations collect, process, and store for regular business or operational activities but fail to utilize for other purposes. In order to effectively use these dark resources, especially for data processing and visualization, we need a combination of domain, data product and processing knowledge, i.e. a knowledge base from which specific data operations can be performed. In this presentation, we describe a semantic, rules based approach to provide i.e. a service to visualize Earth Science phenomena, based on the data variables extracted using the "dark" metadata resources. We use Jena rules to make assertions about compatibility between a phenomena and various visualizations based on multiple factors. We created separate orthogonal rulesets to map each of these factors to the various phenomena. Some of the factors we have considered include measurements, spatial resolution and time intervals. This approach enables easy additions and deletions based on newly obtained domain knowledge or phenomena related information and thus improving the accuracy of the rules service overall.

Building the School Attendance Boundary Information System (SABINS): Collecting, Processing, and Modeling K to 12 Educational Geography

PubMed Central

Saporito, Salvatore; Van Riper, David; Wakchaure, Ashwini

2017-01-01

The School Attendance Boundary Information System is a social science data infrastructure project that assembles, processes, and distributes spatial data delineating K through 12th grade school attendance boundaries for thousands of school districts in U.S. Although geography is a fundamental organizing feature of K to 12 education, until now school attendance boundary data have not been made readily available on a massive basis and in an easy-to-use format. The School Attendance Boundary Information System removes these barriers by linking spatial data delineating school attendance boundaries with tabular data describing the demographic characteristics of populations living within those boundaries. This paper explains why a comprehensive GIS database of K through 12 school attendance boundaries is valuable, how original spatial information delineating school attendance boundaries is collected from local agencies, and techniques for modeling and storing the data so they provide maximum flexibility to the user community. An important goal of this paper is to share the techniques used to assemble the SABINS database so that local and state agencies apply a standard set of procedures and models as they gather data for their regions. PMID:29151773

Building the School Attendance Boundary Information System (SABINS): Collecting, Processing, and Modeling K to 12 Educational Geography.

PubMed

Saporito, Salvatore; Van Riper, David; Wakchaure, Ashwini

2013-01-01

The School Attendance Boundary Information System is a social science data infrastructure project that assembles, processes, and distributes spatial data delineating K through 12 th grade school attendance boundaries for thousands of school districts in U.S. Although geography is a fundamental organizing feature of K to 12 education, until now school attendance boundary data have not been made readily available on a massive basis and in an easy-to-use format. The School Attendance Boundary Information System removes these barriers by linking spatial data delineating school attendance boundaries with tabular data describing the demographic characteristics of populations living within those boundaries. This paper explains why a comprehensive GIS database of K through 12 school attendance boundaries is valuable, how original spatial information delineating school attendance boundaries is collected from local agencies, and techniques for modeling and storing the data so they provide maximum flexibility to the user community. An important goal of this paper is to share the techniques used to assemble the SABINS database so that local and state agencies apply a standard set of procedures and models as they gather data for their regions.

The NASA Regional Planetary Image Facility (RPIF) Network: A Key Resource for Accessing and Using Planetary Spatial Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagerty, J. J.

2017-12-01

The role of the NASA Regional Planetary Image Facility (RPIF) Network is evolving as new science-ready spatial data products continue to be created and as key historical planetary data sets are digitized. Specifically, the RPIF Network is poised to serve specialized knowledge and services in a user-friendly manner that removes most barriers to locating, accessing, and exploiting planetary spatial data, thus providing a critical data access role within a spatial data infrastructure. The goal of the Network is to provide support and training to a broad audience of planetary spatial data users. In an effort to meet the planetary science community's evolving needs, we are focusing on the following objectives: Maintain and improve the delivery of historical data accumulated over the past four decades so as not to lose critical, historical information. This is being achieved by systematically digitizing fragile materials, allowing increased access and preserving them at the same time. Help users locate, access, visualize, and exploit planetary science data. Many of the facilities have begun to establish Guest User Facilities that allow researchers to use and/or be trained on GIS equipment and other specialized tools like Socet Set/GXP photogrammetry workstations for generating digital elevation maps. Improve the connection between the Network nodes while also leveraging the unique resources of each node. To achieve this goal, each facility is developing and sharing searchable databases of their collections, including robust metadata in a standards compliant way. Communicate more effectively and regularly with the planetary science community in an effort to make potential users aware of resources and services provided by the Network, while also engaging community members in discussions about community needs. Provide a regional resource for the science community, colleges, universities, museums, media, and the public to access planetary data. Introduce new strategies for visualizing planetary data and products (e.g., 3D printing and virtual reality platforms/experiences). We anticipate that in a few years virtual reality tools will be an integral part of data analysis, providing more intuitive understanding of multiple complex data sets.

Information science team

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Billingsley, F.

1982-01-01

Concerns are expressed about the data handling aspects of system design and about enabling technology for data handling and data analysis. The status, contributing factors, critical issues, and recommendations for investigations are listed for data handling, rectification and registration, and information extraction. Potential supports to individual P.I., research tasks, systematic data system design, and to system operation. The need for an airborne spectrometer class instrument for fundamental research in high spectral and spatial resolution is indicated. Geographic information system formatting and labelling techniques, very large scale integration, and methods for providing multitype data sets must also be developed.

Planting the SEED: Towards a Spatial Economic Ecological Database for a shared understanding of the Dutch Wadden area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daams, Michiel N.; Sijtsma, Frans J.

2013-09-01

In this paper we address the characteristics of a publicly accessible Spatial Economic Ecological Database (SEED) and its ability to support a shared understanding among planners and experts of the economy and ecology of the Dutch Wadden area. Theoretical building blocks for a Wadden SEED are discussed. Our SEED contains a comprehensive set of stakeholder validated spatially explicit data on key economic and ecological indicators. These data extend over various spatial scales. Spatial issues relevant to the specification of a Wadden-SEED and its data needs are explored in this paper and illustrated using empirical data for the Dutch Wadden area. The purpose of the SEED is to integrate basic economic and ecologic information in order to support the resolution of specific (policy) questions and to facilitate connections between project level and strategic level in the spatial planning process. Although modest in its ambitions, we will argue that a Wadden SEED can serve as a valuable element in the much debated science-policy interface. A Wadden SEED is valuable since it is a consensus-based common knowledge base on the economy and ecology of an area rife with ecological-economic conflict, including conflict in which scientific information is often challenged and disputed.

Integrating Data and Networks: Human Factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, R. S.

2012-12-01

The development of technical linkages and interoperability between scientific networks is a necessary but not sufficient step towards integrated use and application of networked data and information for scientific and societal benefit. A range of "human factors" must also be addressed to ensure the long-term integration, sustainability, and utility of both the interoperable networks themselves and the scientific data and information to which they provide access. These human factors encompass the behavior of both individual humans and human institutions, and include system governance, a common framework for intellectual property rights and data sharing, consensus on terminology, metadata, and quality control processes, agreement on key system metrics and milestones, the compatibility of "business models" in the short and long term, harmonization of incentives for cooperation, and minimization of disincentives. Experience with several national and international initiatives and research programs such as the International Polar Year, the Group on Earth Observations, the NASA Earth Observing Data and Information System, the U.S. National Spatial Data Infrastructure, the Global Earthquake Model, and the United Nations Spatial Data Infrastructure provide a range of lessons regarding these human factors. Ongoing changes in science, technology, institutions, relationships, and even culture are creating both opportunities and challenges for expanded interoperability of scientific networks and significant improvement in data integration to advance science and the use of scientific data and information to achieve benefits for society as a whole.

The agronomic science of spatial and temporal water management:How much, when and where

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The agronomic sciences are those that are applied to soil and water management and crop production, including soil, water and plant sciences and related disciplines. The science of spatial and temporal water management includes many agronomic science factors, including soil physics, biophysics, plan...

Rainfall: State of the Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Testik, Firat Y.; Gebremichael, Mekonnen

Rainfall: State of the Science offers the most up-to-date knowledge on the fundamental and practical aspects of rainfall. Each chapter, self-contained and written by prominent scientists in their respective fields, provides three forms of information: fundamental principles, detailed overview of current knowledge and description of existing methods, and emerging techniques and future research directions. The book discusses • Rainfall microphysics: raindrop morphodynamics, interactions, size distribution, and evolution • Rainfall measurement and estimation: ground-based direct measurement (disdrometer and rain gauge), weather radar rainfall estimation, polarimetric radar rainfall estimation, and satellite rainfall estimation • Statistical analyses: intensity-duration-frequency curves, frequency analysis of extreme events, spatial analyses, simulation and disaggregation, ensemble approach for radar rainfall uncertainty, and uncertainty analysis of satellite rainfall products The book is tailored to be an indispensable reference for researchers, practitioners, and graduate students who study any aspect of rainfall or utilize rainfall information in various science and engineering disciplines.

SAGEMAP: A web-based spatial dataset for sage grouse and sagebrush steppe management in the Intermountain West

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knick, Steven T.; Schueck, Linda

2002-01-01

The Snake River Field Station of the Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center has developed and now maintains a database of the spatial information needed to address management of sage grouse and sagebrush steppe habitats in the western United States. The SAGEMAP project identifies and collects infor-mation for the region encompassing the historical extent of sage grouse distribution. State and federal agencies, the primary entities responsible for managing sage grouse and their habitats, need the information to develop an objective assessment of the current status of sage grouse populations and their habitats, or to provide responses and recommendations for recovery if sage grouse are listed as a Threatened or Endangered Species. The spatial data on the SAGEMAP website (http://SAGEMAP.wr.usgs.gov) are an important component in documenting current habitat and other environmental conditions. In addition, the data can be used to identify areas that have undergone significant changes in land cover and to determine underlying causes. As such, the database permits an analysis for large-scale and range-wide factors that may be causing declines of sage grouse populations. The spatial data contained on this site also will be a critical component guiding the decision processes for restoration of habitats in the Great Basin. Therefore, development of this database and the capability to disseminate the information carries multiple benefits for land and wildlife management.

Access to dialysis services: A systematic mapping review based on geographical information systems.

PubMed

Hoseini, Benyamin; Bagheri, Nasser; Kiani, Behzad; Azizi, Amirabbas; Tabesh, Hamed; Tara, Mahmood

2018-05-07

Equitable access to healthcare services constitutes one of the leading priorities of healthcare provision and access to dialysis services (ADS) has an essential impact on patients depending on renal dialysis. The many existing GIS-based ADS evaluations include various spatial and non-spatial factors affecting ADS. We systematically mapped and reviewed the available literature with reference to this area identifying gaps in current GIS-based ADS measurements and developing recommendations for future studies. A threestep, systematic mapping review of the available GIS-related evidence in PubMed, Embase, Web of science, Scopus, Science Direct and IEEE Xplore was performed in May 2016 and the information collected updated October 2017 by two independent selection processes. The quality of the studies was assessed using an informal, mixed-approach scoring system. Out of 1119 literature references identified, 36 were identified and used for final review after removal of duplicates, study screenings and applying inclusion/exclusion criteria. Given the contents of the selected studies, three study groups were identified and 41 factors with potential effects on ADS determined. These studies mainly addressed the potential and/or spatial aspects of ADS. Our systematic mapping review of the evidence revealed that current GIS-based measures of ADS tend to calculate potential ADS instead of a realized one. It was also noted that listed factors affecting ADS were mainly nonspatial bringing forth the hypothesis that designing an integrated ADS index could possibly produce better ADS score than those currently advocated. Some primary and secondary research suggestions are made and a list of recommendations offered.

Geospatial Data Standards for Indian Water Resources Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goyal, A.; Tyagi, H.; Gosain, A. K.; Khosa, R.

2016-12-01

Sustainable management of water resources is fundamental to the socio-economic development of any nation. There is an increasing degree of dependency on digital geographical data for monitoring, planning, managing and preserving the water resources and environmental quality. But the rising sophistication associated with the sharing of geospatial data among organizations or users, demands development of data standards for seamless information exchange among collaborators. Therefore, due to the realization that these datasets are vital for efficient use of Geographical Information Systems, there is a growing emphasis on data standards for modeling, encoding and communicating spatial data. Real world hydrologic interactions represented in a digital framework requires geospatial standards that may vary in contexts like: governance, resource inventory, cultural diversity, identifiers, role and scale. Though the prevalent standards for the hydrology data facilitate a particular need in a particular context but they lack a holistic approach. However, several worldwide initiatives such as Consortium for the Advancement of Hydrologic Sciences Inc. (USA), Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (Europe), Australian Water Resources Information System, etc., endeavour to address this issue of hydrology specific spatial data standards in a wholesome manner. But unfortunately there is no such provision for hydrology data exchange within the Indian community. Moreover, these standards somehow fail in providing powerful communication of the spatial hydrologic data. This study thus investigates the shortcomings of the existing industry standards for the hydrologic data models and then demonstrates a set of requirements for effective exchange of the hydrologic information in the Indian scenario.

Fort Collins Science Center Ecosystem Dynamics branch--interdisciplinary research for addressing complex natural resource issues across landscapes and time

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bowen, Zachary H.; Melcher, Cynthia P.; Wilson, Juliette T.

2013-01-01

The Ecosystem Dynamics Branch of the Fort Collins Science Center offers an interdisciplinary team of talented and creative scientists with expertise in biology, botany, ecology, geology, biogeochemistry, physical sciences, geographic information systems, and remote-sensing, for tackling complex questions about natural resources. As demand for natural resources increases, the issues facing natural resource managers, planners, policy makers, industry, and private landowners are increasing in spatial and temporal scope, often involving entire regions, multiple jurisdictions, and long timeframes. Needs for addressing these issues include (1) a better understanding of biotic and abiotic ecosystem components and their complex interactions; (2) the ability to easily monitor, assess, and visualize the spatially complex movements of animals, plants, water, and elements across highly variable landscapes; and (3) the techniques for accurately predicting both immediate and long-term responses of system components to natural and human-caused change. The overall objectives of our research are to provide the knowledge, tools, and techniques needed by the U.S. Department of the Interior, state agencies, and other stakeholders in their endeavors to meet the demand for natural resources while conserving biodiversity and ecosystem services. Ecosystem Dynamics scientists use field and laboratory research, data assimilation, and ecological modeling to understand ecosystem patterns, trends, and mechanistic processes. This information is used to predict the outcomes of changes imposed on species, habitats, landscapes, and climate across spatiotemporal scales. The products we develop include conceptual models to illustrate system structure and processes; regional baseline and integrated assessments; predictive spatial and mathematical models; literature syntheses; and frameworks or protocols for improved ecosystem monitoring, adaptive management, and program evaluation. The descriptions in this fact sheet provide snapshots of our three research emphases, followed by descriptions of select current projects.

Spatial Ability Mediates the Gender Difference in Middle School Students' Science Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ganley, Colleen M.; Vasilyeva, Marina; Dulaney, Alana

2014-01-01

Prior research has demonstrated a male advantage in spatial skills and science achievement. The present research integrated these findings by testing the potential role of spatial skills in gender differences in the science performance of eighth-grade students (13-15 years old). In "Study 1" (N = 113), the findings showed that mental…

The social costs of homeowner decisions in fire-prone communities: information, insurance, and amenities

Treesearch

Gwenlyn Busby; Gregory S. Amacher; Robert G. Haight

2013-01-01

In this article, we consider wildfire risk management decisions using a dynamic stochastic model of homeowner interaction in a setting where spatial externalities arise. Our central objective is to apply observations from the social science literature about homeowner preferences to this economic externality problem and determine how assumptions about insurance,...

Two Eyes, 3D: A New Project to Study Stereoscopy in Astronomy Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, Aaron; SubbaRao, M.; Wyatt, R.

2012-01-01

"Two Eyes, 3D" is a 3-year NSF funded research project to study the educational impacts of using stereoscopic representations in informal settings. The project funds two experimental studies. The first is focused on how children perceive various spatial qualities of scientific objects displayed in static 2D and 3D formats. The second is focused on how adults perceive various spatial qualities of scientific objects and processes displayed in 2D and 3D movie formats. As part of the project, two brief high-definition films about variable stars will be developed. Both studies will be mixed-method and look at prior spatial ability and other demographic variables as covariates. The project is run by the American Association of Variable Star Observers, Boston Museum of Science and the Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum with consulting from the California Academy of Sciences. Early pilot results will be presented. All films will be released into the public domain, as will the assessment software designed to run on tablet computers (iOS or Android).

Representations and processes of human spatial competence.

PubMed

Gunzelmann, Glenn; Lyon, Don R

2011-10-01

This article presents an approach to understanding human spatial competence that focuses on the representations and processes of spatial cognition and how they are integrated with cognition more generally. The foundational theoretical argument for this research is that spatial information processing is central to cognition more generally, in the sense that it is brought to bear ubiquitously to improve the adaptivity and effectiveness of perception, cognitive processing, and motor action. We describe research spanning multiple levels of complexity to understand both the detailed mechanisms of spatial cognition, and how they are utilized in complex, naturalistic tasks. In the process, we discuss the critical role of cognitive architectures in developing a consistent account that spans this breadth, and we note some areas in which the current version of a popular architecture, ACT-R, may need to be augmented. Finally, we suggest a framework for understanding the representations and processes of spatial competence and their role in human cognition generally. Copyright © 2011 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Spatial ability mediates the gender difference in middle school students' science performance.

PubMed

Ganley, Colleen M; Vasilyeva, Marina; Dulaney, Alana

2014-01-01

Prior research has demonstrated a male advantage in spatial skills and science achievement. The present research integrated these findings by testing the potential role of spatial skills in gender differences in the science performance of eighth-grade students (13-15 years old). In (N = 113), the findings showed that mental rotation ability mediated gender differences in physical science and technology/engineering test scores. In (N = 73,245), science performance was examined in a state population of eighth-grade students. As in , the results revealed larger gender differences on items that showed higher correlations with mental rotation. These findings underscore the importance of considering spatial training interventions aimed at reducing gender differences in the science performance of school-aged children. © 2014 The Authors. Child Development © 2014 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Geospatial Technology Applications and Infrastructure in the Biological Resources Division

USGS Publications Warehouse

D'Erchia, Frank; Getter, James; D'Erchia, Terry D.; Root, Ralph; Stitt, Susan; White, Barbara

1998-01-01

Executive Summary -- Automated spatial processing technology such as geographic information systems (GIS), telemetry, and satellite-based remote sensing are some of the more recent developments in the long history of geographic inquiry. For millennia, humankind has endeavored to map the Earth's surface and identify spatial relationships. But the precision with which we can locate geographic features has increased exponentially with satellite positioning systems. Remote sensing, GIS, thematic mapping, telemetry, and satellite positioning systems such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) are tools that greatly enhance the quality and rapidity of analysis of biological resources. These technologies allow researchers, planners, and managers to more quickly and accurately determine appropriate strategies and actions. Researchers and managers can view information from new and varying perspectives using GIS and remote sensing, and GPS receivers allow the researcher or manager to identify the exact location of interest. These geospatial technologies support the mission of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Biological Resources Division (BRD) and the Strategic Science Plan (BRD 1996) by providing a cost-effective and efficient method for collection, analysis, and display of information. The BRD mission is 'to work with others to provide the scientific understanding and technologies needed to support the sound management and conservation of our Nation's biological resources.' A major responsibility of the BRD is to develop and employ advanced technologies needed to synthesize, analyze, and disseminate biological and ecological information. As the Strategic Science Plan (BRD 1996) states, 'fulfilling this mission depends on effectively balancing the immediate need for information to guide management of biological resources with the need for technical assistance and long-range, strategic information to understand and predict emerging patterns and trends in ecological systems.' Information sharing plays a key role in nearly everything BRD does. The Strategic Science Plan discusses the need to (1) develop tools and standards for information transfer, (2) disseminate information, and (3) facilitate effective use of information. This effort centers around the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) and the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), components of the National Information Infrastructure. The NBII and NSDI are distributed electronic networks of biological and geographical data and information, as well as tools to help users around the world easily find and retrieve the biological and geographical data and information they need. The BRD is responsible for developing scientifically and statistically reliable methods and protocols to assess the status and trends of the Nation's biological resources. Scientists also conduct important inventory and monitoring studies to maintain baseline information on these same resources. Research on those species for which the Department of the Interior (DOI) has trust responsibilities (including endangered species and migratory species) involves laboratory and field studies of individual animals and the environments in which they live. Researchboth tactical and strategicis conducted at the BRD's 17 science centers and 81 field stations, 54 Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units in 40 states, and at 11 former Cooperative Park Study Units. Studies encompass fish, birds, mammals, and plants, as well as their ecosystems and the surrounding landscape. Biological Resources Division researchers use a variety of scientific tools in their endeavors to understand the causes of biological and ecological trends. Research results are used by managers to predict environmental changes and to help them take appropriate measures to manage resources effectively. The BRD Geospatial Technology Program facilitates the collection, analysis, and dissemination of data and informat

Interface between path and orbital angular momentum entanglement for high-dimensional photonic quantum information.

PubMed

Fickler, Robert; Lapkiewicz, Radek; Huber, Marcus; Lavery, Martin P J; Padgett, Miles J; Zeilinger, Anton

2014-07-30

Photonics has become a mature field of quantum information science, where integrated optical circuits offer a way to scale the complexity of the set-up as well as the dimensionality of the quantum state. On photonic chips, paths are the natural way to encode information. To distribute those high-dimensional quantum states over large distances, transverse spatial modes, like orbital angular momentum possessing Laguerre Gauss modes, are favourable as flying information carriers. Here we demonstrate a quantum interface between these two vibrant photonic fields. We create three-dimensional path entanglement between two photons in a nonlinear crystal and use a mode sorter as the quantum interface to transfer the entanglement to the orbital angular momentum degree of freedom. Thus our results show a flexible way to create high-dimensional spatial mode entanglement. Moreover, they pave the way to implement broad complex quantum networks where high-dimensionally entangled states could be distributed over distant photonic chips.

Reaching users at local scales: insights into the value of forest inventory information for education and outreach and the potential for an effective partnership between FIA, cooperative extension, and state and national conservation education partners

Treesearch

Rachel Riemann

2015-01-01

Forest information is desired for broader applications than we typically serve. Among those underserved users are the education and outreach communities. These groups are actively trying to engage and teach both youth and adults in areas such as GIS/spatial analysis, natural resource education, general math/science, invasive species, climate change, water quality, and...

Probing Atomic Dynamics and Structures Using Optical Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmittberger, Bonnie L.; Gauthier, Daniel J.

2015-05-01

Pattern formation is a widely studied phenomenon that can provide fundamental insights into nonlinear systems. Emergent patterns in cold atoms are of particular interest in condensed matter physics and quantum information science because one can relate optical patterns to spatial structures in the atoms. In our experimental system, we study multimode optical patterns generated from a sample of cold, thermal atoms. We observe this nonlinear optical phenomenon at record low input powers due to the highly nonlinear nature of the spatial bunching of atoms in an optical lattice. We present a detailed study of the dynamics of these bunched atoms during optical pattern formation. We show how small changes in the atomic density distribution affect the symmetry of the generated patterns as well as the nature of the nonlinearity that describes the light-atom interaction. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the National Science Foundation through Grant #PHY-1206040.

Perception-action relationships reconsidered in light of spatial display instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shebilske, Wayne L.

1989-01-01

Spatial display instruments convey information about both the identity and the location of objects in order to assist surgeons, astronauts, pilots, blind individuals, and others in identification, remote manipulations, navigation, and obstacle avoidance. Scientists believe that these instruments have not reached their full potential and that progress toward new applications, including the possibility of restoring sight to the blind, will be accelerated by advancing the understanding of perceptual processes. This stimulating challenge to basic researchers was advanced by Paul Bach-Y-Rita (1972) and by the National Academy of Science (1986) report on Electronic Aids for the Blind. Although progress has been made, new applications of spatial display instruments in medicine, space, aviation, and rehabilitation await improved theoretical and empirical foundations.

Geographic Information Technologies as an outreach activity in geo-scientific education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maman, Shimrit; Isaacson, Sivan; Blumberg, Dan G.

2016-04-01

In recent years, a decline in the rates of examinees in the academic track that were entitled to an enhanced matriculation certificate in scientific-technological education was reported in Israel. To confront this problem the Earth and Planetary Image Facility (EPIF) at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev fosters interdisciplinary exploration through educational programs that make use of the facility and its equipment and enable the empowerment of the community by understanding and appreciating science and technology. This is achieved by using Geographic Information Technologies (GIT) such as remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for geo-physical sciences in activities that combine theoretical background with hands-on activities. Monitoring Earth from space by satellites, digital atlases and virtual-based positioning applications are examples for fusion of spatial information (geographic) and technology that the activity is based on. GIT opens a new chapter and a recent history of Cartography starting from the collection of spatial data to its presentation and analysis. GIS have replaced the use of classical atlas books and offer a variety of Web-based applications that provide maps and display up-to-date imagery. The purpose of this workshop is to expose teachers and students to GITs which are applicable in every classroom. The activity imparts free geographic information systems that exist in cyberspace and accessible to single users as the Israeli national GIS and Google earth, which are based on a spatial data and long term local and global satellite imagery coverage. In this paper, our "Think global-Map Local" activity is presented. The activity uses GIS and change detection technologies as means to encourage students to explore environmental issues both around the globe and close to their surroundings. The students detect changes by comparing multi temporal images of a chosen site and learn how to map the alterations and produce change detection maps with simple and user friendly tools. The activity is offered both for students and supervised projects for teachers and youth.

Multilayer perceptron with local constraint as an emerging method in spatial data analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Bollivier, M.; Dubois, G.; Maignan, M.; Kanevsky, M.

1997-02-01

The use of Geographic Information Systems has revolutionalized the handling and the visualization of geo-referenced data and has underlined the critic role of spatial analysis. The usual tools for such a purpose are geostatistics which are widely used in Earth science. Geostatistics are based upon several hypothesis which are not always verified in practice. On the other hand, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) a priori can be used without special assumptions and are known to be flexible. This paper proposes to discuss the application of ANN in the case of the interpolation of a geo-referenced variable.

Remote sensing inputs to landscape models which predict future spatial land use patterns for hydrologic models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, L. D.; Tom, C.; Nualchawee, K.

1977-01-01

A tropical forest area of Northern Thailand provided a test case of the application of the approach in more natural surroundings. Remote sensing imagery subjected to proper computer analysis has been shown to be a very useful means of collecting spatial data for the science of hydrology. Remote sensing products provide direct input to hydrologic models and practical data bases for planning large and small-scale hydrologic developments. Combining the available remote sensing imagery together with available map information in the landscape model provides a basis for substantial improvements in these applications.

GIS Technologies For The New Planetary Science Archive (PSA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Docasal, R.; Barbarisi, I.; Rios, C.; Macfarlane, A. J.; Gonzalez, J.; Arviset, C.; De Marchi, G.; Martinez, S.; Grotheer, E.; Lim, T.; Besse, S.; Heather, D.; Fraga, D.; Barthelemy, M.

2015-12-01

Geographical information system (GIS) is becoming increasingly used for planetary science. GIS are computerised systems for the storage, retrieval, manipulation, analysis, and display of geographically referenced data. Some data stored in the Planetary Science Archive (PSA), for instance, a set of Mars Express/Venus Express data, have spatial metadata associated to them. To facilitate users in handling and visualising spatial data in GIS applications, the new PSA should support interoperability with interfaces implementing the standards approved by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). These standards are followed in order to develop open interfaces and encodings that allow data to be exchanged with GIS Client Applications, well-known examples of which are Google Earth and NASA World Wind as well as open source tools such as Openlayers. The technology already exists within PostgreSQL databases to store searchable geometrical data in the form of the PostGIS extension. An existing open source maps server is GeoServer, an instance of which has been deployed for the new PSA, uses the OGC standards to allow, among others, the sharing, processing and editing of data and spatial data through the Web Feature Service (WFS) standard as well as serving georeferenced map images through the Web Map Service (WMS). The final goal of the new PSA, being developed by the European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC) Science Data Centre (ESDC), is to create an archive which enables science exploitation of ESA's planetary missions datasets. This can be facilitated through the GIS framework, offering interfaces (both web GUI and scriptable APIs) that can be used more easily and scientifically by the community, and that will also enable the community to build added value services on top of the PSA.

Solar System Observations with the James Webb Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norwood, James; Hammel, Heidi; Milam, Stefanie; Stansberry, John; Lunine, Jonathan; Chanover, Nancy; Hines, Dean; Sonneborn, George; Tiscareno, Matthew; Brown, Michael;

Solar System Observations with JWST

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norwood, James; Hammel, Heidi; Milam, Stefanie; Stansberry, John; Lunine, Jonathan; Chanover, Nancy; Hines, Dean; Sonneborn, George; Tiscareno, Matthew; Brown, Michael;

Visual and Spatial Modes in Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramadas, Jayashree

2009-01-01

This paper surveys some major trends from research on visual and spatial thinking coming from cognitive science, developmental psychology, science literacy, and science studies. It explores the role of visualisation in creativity, in building mental models, and in the communication of scientific ideas, in order to place these findings in the…

A Review and Framework for Categorizing Current Research and Development in Health Related Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Studies.

PubMed

Lyseen, A K; Nøhr, C; Sørensen, E M; Gudes, O; Geraghty, E M; Shaw, N T; Bivona-Tellez, C

2014-08-15

The application of GIS in health science has increased over the last decade and new innovative application areas have emerged. This study reviews the literature and builds a framework to provide a conceptual overview of the domain, and to promote strategic planning for further research of GIS in health. The framework is based on literature from the library databases Scopus and Web of Science. The articles were identified based on keywords and initially selected for further study based on titles and abstracts. A grounded theory-inspired method was applied to categorize the selected articles in main focus areas. Subsequent frequency analysis was performed on the identified articles in areas of infectious and non-infectious diseases and continent of origin. A total of 865 articles were included. Four conceptual domains within GIS in health sciences comprise the framework: spatial analysis of disease, spatial analysis of health service planning, public health, health technologies and tools. Frequency analysis by disease status and location show that malaria and schistosomiasis are the most commonly analyzed infectious diseases where cancer and asthma are the most frequently analyzed non-infectious diseases. Across categories, articles from North America predominate, and in the category of spatial analysis of diseases an equal number of studies concern Asia. Spatial analysis of diseases and health service planning are well-established research areas. The development of future technologies and new application areas for GIS and data-gathering technologies such as GPS, smartphones, remote sensing etc. will be nudging the research in GIS and health.

A Review and Framework for Categorizing Current Research and Development in Health Related Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Studies

PubMed Central

Nøhr, C.; Sørensen, E. M.; Gudes, O.; Geraghty, E. M.; Shaw, N. T.; Bivona-Tellez, C.

2014-01-01

Summary Objectives The application of GIS in health science has increased over the last decade and new innovative application areas have emerged. This study reviews the literature and builds a framework to provide a conceptual overview of the domain, and to promote strategic planning for further research of GIS in health. Method The framework is based on literature from the library databases Scopus and Web of Science. The articles were identified based on keywords and initially selected for further study based on titles and abstracts. A grounded theory-inspired method was applied to categorize the selected articles in main focus areas. Subsequent frequency analysis was performed on the identified articles in areas of infectious and non-infectious diseases and continent of origin. Results A total of 865 articles were included. Four conceptual domains within GIS in health sciences comprise the framework: spatial analysis of disease, spatial analysis of health service planning, public health, health technologies and tools. Frequency analysis by disease status and location show that malaria and schistosomiasis are the most commonly analyzed infectious diseases where cancer and asthma are the most frequently analyzed non-infectious diseases. Across categories, articles from North America predominate, and in the category of spatial analysis of diseases an equal number of studies concern Asia. Conclusion Spatial analysis of diseases and health service planning are well-established research areas. The development of future technologies and new application areas for GIS and data-gathering technologies such as GPS, smartphones, remote sensing etc. will be nudging the research in GIS and health. PMID:25123730

Effects of Thinking Style and Spatial Ability on Anchoring Behavior in Geographic Information Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Dai-Yi; Lee, Mei-Hsuan; Sun, Chuen-Tsai

2013-01-01

The authors propose an instructional use for Google Earth (a GIS application) as an anchoring tool for knowledge integration. Google Earth can be used to support student explorations of world geography based on Wikipedia articles on earth science and history topics. We asked 66 Taiwanese high-school freshmen to make place marks with explanatory…

Resonant Soft X-ray Scattering as a Powerful Probe of Buried Polymer Interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Wei; Jiang, Zhang; Tirrell, Matthew

Elucidation of polymer interfacial structures provides insights into interfacial molecular mechanisms for coating protection, adhesion, lubrication, friction, wettability, biocompatibility, and even charge transport properties. Resonant Soft X-ray Scattering (RSoXS) offers a unique element, site and valence specific probe to study spatial modulations of molecular orbital degrees of freedom on the nanoscopic length scale. This unique sensitivity is achieved by merging small angle x-ray scattering and x-ray absorption spectroscopy into a single experiment, where the scattering provides information about spatial modulations and the spectroscopy provides sensitivity to the molecular anisotropy. Here we applied RSoXS to polystyrene (PS) films at solid-solid interfaces and poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) brushes at solid-liquid interfaces. It is found that the interfacial width of PS thin film is about one order of magnitude large than those observed by traditional scattering techniques. In addition, although the ion-induced changes of PMPC thickness are not apparent in aqueous solutions, their chain conformations like polyzwitterion distribution and correlation varied, dependent on salt types, ionic strengths and ion valences. Consequently, it is evident that RSoXS is a powerful probe of buried polymer interlaces with both spatial and chemical sensitivities. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Program in Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Materials Science and Engineering.

Monocular Patching May Induce Ipsilateral “Where” Spatial Bias

PubMed Central

Chen, Peii; Erdahl, Lillian; Barrett, Anna M.

2009-01-01

Spatial bias is an asymmetry of perception and/or representation of spatial information —“where” bias —, or of spatially directed actions — “aiming” bias. A monocular patch may induce contralateral “where” spatial bias (the Sprague effect; Sprague (1966) Science, 153, 1544–1547). However, an ipsilateral patch-induced spatial bias may be observed if visual occlusion results in top-down, compensatory re-allocation of spatial perceptual or representational resources toward the region of visual deprivation. Tactile distraction from a monocular patch may also contribute to an ipsilateral bias. To examine these hypotheses, neurologically normal adults bisected horizontal lines at baseline without a patch, while wearing a monocular patch, and while wearing tactile-only and visual-only monocular occlusion. We fractionated “where” and “aiming” spatial bias components using a video apparatus to reverse visual feedback for half of the test trials. The results support monocular patch-induced ipsilateral “where” spatial errors, which are not consistent with the Sprague effect. Further, the present findings suggested that the induced ipsilateral bias may be primarily induced by visual deprivation, consistent with compensatory “where” resource re-allocation. PMID:19100274

Administering Spatial and Cognitive Instruments In-class and On-line: Are These Equivalent?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williamson, Kenneth C.; Williamson, Vickie M.; Hinze, Scott R.

2017-02-01

Standardized, well-established paper-and-pencil tests, which measure spatial abilities or which measure reasoning abilities, have long been found to be predictive of success in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. Instructors can use these tests for prediction of success and to inform instruction. A comparative administration of spatial visualization and cognitive reasoning tests, between in-class (proctored paper and pencil) and on-line (unproctored Internet) ( N = 457), was used to investigate and to determine whether the differing instrument formats yielded equal measures of spatial ability and reasoning ability in large first-semester general chemistry sections. Although some gender differences were found, findings suggest that some differences across administration formats, but that on-line administration had similar properties of predicting chemistry performance as the in-class version. Therefore, on-line administration is a viable option for instructors to consider especially when dealing with large classes.

GéoSAS: A modular and interoperable Open Source Spatial Data Infrastructure for research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bera, R.; Squividant, H.; Le Henaff, G.; Pichelin, P.; Ruiz, L.; Launay, J.; Vanhouteghem, J.; Aurousseau, P.; Cudennec, C.

2015-05-01

To-date, the commonest way to deal with geographical information and processes still appears to consume local resources, i.e. locally stored data processed on a local desktop or server. The maturity and subsequent growing use of OGC standards to exchange data on the World Wide Web, enhanced in Europe by the INSPIRE Directive, is bound to change the way people (and among them research scientists, especially in environmental sciences) make use of, and manage, spatial data. A clever use of OGC standards can help scientists to better store, share and use data, in particular for modelling. We propose a framework for online processing by making an intensive use of OGC standards. We illustrate it using the Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) GéoSAS which is the SDI set up for researchers' needs in our department. It is based on the existing open source, modular and interoperable Spatial Data Architecture geOrchestra.

Howmuch do we Knowabout the Contributors to Volunteered Geographic Information and Citizen Science Projects?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mooney, P.; Morgan, L.

2015-08-01

In the last number of years there has been increased interest from researchers in investigating and understanding the characteristics and backgrounds of citizens who contribute to Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) and Citizen Science (CS) projects. Much of the reluctance from stakeholders such as National Mapping Agencies, Environmental Ministries, etc. to use data and information generated and collected by VGI and CS projects grows from the lack of knowledge and understanding about who these contributors are. As they are drawn from the crowd there is a sense of the unknown about these citizens. Subsequently there are justifiable concerns about these citizens' ability to collect, generate and manage high quality and accurate spatial, scientific and environmental data and information. This paper provides a meta review of some of the key literature in the domain of VGI and CS to assess if these concerns are well founded and what efforts are ongoing to improve our understanding of the crowd.

Bridging the Digital Divide between Discrete and Continuous Space-Time Array Data to Enhance Accessibility to and Usability of NASA Earth Sciences Data for the Hydrological Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teng, W. L.; Maidment, D. R.; Vollmer, B.; Peters-Lidard, C. D.; Rui, H.; Strub, R.; Whiteaker, T.; Mocko, D. M.; Kirschbaum, D. B.

2012-12-01

A longstanding and significant "Digital Divide" in data representation exists between hydrology and climatology and meteorology. Typically, in hydrology, earth surface features are expressed as discrete spatial objects such as watersheds, river reaches, and point observation sites; and time varying data are contained in time series associated with these spatial objects. Long time histories of data may be associated with a single point or feature in space. In meteorology and climatology, remotely sensed observations and weather and climate model information are expressed as continuous spatial fields, with data sequenced in time from one data file to the next. Hydrology tends to be narrow in space and deep in time, while meteorology and climatology are broad in space and narrow in time. This Divide has been an obstacle, specifically, between the hydrological community, as represented by the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. (CUAHSI) and relevant data sets at the NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC). CUAHSI has developed the Hydrologic Information System (HIS), which is built on international geospatial standards, with one of its aims to bridge the Divide. The opportunity costs of the Divide are high. It has largely prevented the routine access and use of NASA Earth sciences data by the hydrological and, more generally, geospatial community. This presentation describes a recently-begun NASA ACCESS project that addresses the Digital Divide problem. Progress to date is summarized; technical details are provided in a related presentation (Rui et al., Data Reorganization for Optimal Time Series Data Access, Analysis, and Visualization, IN016). Building on prior prototype efforts with EPA BASINS (Better Assessment Science Integrating point and Nonpoint Sources) and CUAHSI HIS, this project focuses on the following approaches to the problems of data discovery, access, and use: (1) Link HIS and GES DISC ontologies to facilitate data service registration in HIS catalog; (2) harvest NASA ECHO catalog with OpenSearch to generalize the solution beyond GES DISC; (3) develop HIS WaterOneFlow Web services for GES DISC data in OGC-compliant WaterML 2.0; (4) reorganize NASA data (land surface model outputs, satellite precipitation and soil moisture data) for optimal access as time series; (5) enhance HIS HydroDesktop client to better handle NASA data; and (6) develop hydrological use cases to guide implementation, and serve as metric for usefulness, of project technologies. This project should significantly extend NASA Earth sciences data to the large and important hydrological user community that has been, heretofore, mostly unable to easily access and use NASA data.

PRAIRIEMAP: A GIS database for prairie grassland management in western North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2003-01-01

The USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Snake River Field Station (SRFS) maintains a database of spatial information, called PRAIRIEMAP, which is needed to address the management of prairie grasslands in western North America. We identify and collect spatial data for the region encompassing the historical extent of prairie grasslands (Figure 1). State and federal agencies, the primary entities responsible for management of prairie grasslands, need this information to develop proactive management strategies to prevent prairie-grassland wildlife species from being listed as Endangered Species, or to develop appropriate responses if listing does occur. Spatial data are an important component in documenting current habitat and other environmental conditions, which can be used to identify areas that have undergone significant changes in land cover and to identify underlying causes. Spatial data will also be a critical component guiding the decision processes for restoration of habitat in the Great Plains. As such, the PRAIRIEMAP database will facilitate analyses of large-scale and range-wide factors that may be causing declines in grassland habitat and populations of species that depend on it for their survival. Therefore, development of a reliable spatial database carries multiple benefits for land and wildlife management. The project consists of 3 phases: (1) identify relevant spatial data, (2) assemble, document, and archive spatial data on a computer server, and (3) develop and maintain the web site (http://prairiemap.wr.usgs.gov) for query and transfer of GIS data to managers and researchers.

The WATERS Network Conceptual Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarboton, D. G.; Schnoor, J. L.; Haas, C. N.; Minsker, B.; Bales, R. C.; Hooper, R. P.

2007-12-01

The Water and Environmental Research Systems (WATERS) Network is a collaboration between the water- related Earth science and environmental engineering communities around a series of grand-challenge and strategic research questions. The vision of WATERS Network is to transform our ability to predict the quality, quantity and use of our nation's waters. The real transformative power of the WATERS Network lies in its ability to put sustained, spatially extensive, high-frequency information in the hands of researchers, information that will resolve how natural and engineered systems respond to perturbations. This knowledge then improves process understanding, and provides better predictive capabilities. In order to do this, the WATERS Network will create a national network of observatories equipped with multimedia sensors located across a range of different climatic and geographic regions and linked together by a common cyberinfrastructure. The network will incorporate existing and new environmental and socioeconomic data at various spatial and temporal scales. Data will include physical, chemical, and biological information to characterize surface water, ground water, land, socioeconomic and behavioral information to better frame human influences. Real-time data resources will be assimilated into an information system (cyberinfrastructure) that supports analytical tools and models, networking tools, and education and outreach services. The WATERS Network is an Environmental Observatory initiative of the U.S. National Science Foundation, developed in response to community planning over the past 10 years. It is being developed for the foundation's Engineering and Geosciences Directorates to jointly propose for funding consideration through the foundation's Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC) account. This presentation will summarize the current status of planning for the WATERS Network.

Transforming Spatial Reasoning Skills in the Upper-Level Undergraduate Geoscience Classroom Through Curricular Materials Informed by Cognitive Science Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ormand, C. J.; Shipley, T. F.; Dutrow, B. L.; Goodwin, L. B.; Hickson, T. A.; Tikoff, B.; Atit, K.; Gagnier, K. M.; Resnick, I.

2014-12-01

Spatial visualization is an essential skill in the STEM disciplines, including the geosciences. Undergraduate students, including geoscience majors in upper-level courses, bring a wide range of spatial skill levels to the classroom. Students with weak spatial skills may be unable to understand fundamental concepts and to solve geological problems with a spatial component. However, spatial thinking skills are malleable. As a group of geoscience faculty members and cognitive psychologists, we have developed a set of curricular materials for Mineralogy, Sedimentology & Stratigraphy, and Structural Geology courses. These materials are designed to improve students' spatial skills, and in particular to improve students' abilities to reason about spatially complex 3D geological concepts and problems. Teaching spatial thinking in the context of discipline-based exercises has the potential to transform undergraduate STEM education by removing one significant barrier to success in the STEM disciplines. The curricular materials we have developed are based on several promising teaching strategies that have emerged from cognitive science research on spatial thinking. These strategies include predictive sketching, making visual comparisons, gesturing, and the use of analogy. We have conducted a three-year study of the efficacy of these materials in strengthening the spatial skills of students in upper-level geoscience courses at three universities. Our methodology relies on a pre- and post-test study design, with several tests of spatial thinking skills administered at the beginning and end of each semester. In 2011-2012, we used a "business as usual" approach to gather baseline data, measuring how much students' spatial thinking skills improved in response to the existing curricula. In the two subsequent years we have incorporated our new curricular materials, which can be found on the project website: http://serc.carleton.edu/spatialworkbook/activities.html Structural Geology students exposed to the new curricular materials are better able to solve some spatially challenging structural geological problems than students from the baseline year. We are continuing to analyze data from the Mineralogy and Sedimentology/Stratigraphy courses and will have completed the analysis by AGU.

Universal Stochastic Multiscale Image Fusion: An Example Application for Shale Rock.

PubMed

Gerke, Kirill M; Karsanina, Marina V; Mallants, Dirk

2015-11-02

Spatial data captured with sensors of different resolution would provide a maximum degree of information if the data were to be merged into a single image representing all scales. We develop a general solution for merging multiscale categorical spatial data into a single dataset using stochastic reconstructions with rescaled correlation functions. The versatility of the method is demonstrated by merging three images of shale rock representing macro, micro and nanoscale spatial information on mineral, organic matter and porosity distribution. Merging multiscale images of shale rock is pivotal to quantify more reliably petrophysical properties needed for production optimization and environmental impacts minimization. Images obtained by X-ray microtomography and scanning electron microscopy were fused into a single image with predefined resolution. The methodology is sufficiently generic for implementation of other stochastic reconstruction techniques, any number of scales, any number of material phases, and any number of images for a given scale. The methodology can be further used to assess effective properties of fused porous media images or to compress voluminous spatial datasets for efficient data storage. Practical applications are not limited to petroleum engineering or more broadly geosciences, but will also find their way in material sciences, climatology, and remote sensing.

Universal Stochastic Multiscale Image Fusion: An Example Application for Shale Rock

PubMed Central

Gerke, Kirill M.; Karsanina, Marina V.; Mallants, Dirk

2015-01-01

Spatial data captured with sensors of different resolution would provide a maximum degree of information if the data were to be merged into a single image representing all scales. We develop a general solution for merging multiscale categorical spatial data into a single dataset using stochastic reconstructions with rescaled correlation functions. The versatility of the method is demonstrated by merging three images of shale rock representing macro, micro and nanoscale spatial information on mineral, organic matter and porosity distribution. Merging multiscale images of shale rock is pivotal to quantify more reliably petrophysical properties needed for production optimization and environmental impacts minimization. Images obtained by X-ray microtomography and scanning electron microscopy were fused into a single image with predefined resolution. The methodology is sufficiently generic for implementation of other stochastic reconstruction techniques, any number of scales, any number of material phases, and any number of images for a given scale. The methodology can be further used to assess effective properties of fused porous media images or to compress voluminous spatial datasets for efficient data storage. Practical applications are not limited to petroleum engineering or more broadly geosciences, but will also find their way in material sciences, climatology, and remote sensing. PMID:26522938

Spatial modeling of the geographic distribution of wildlife populations: A case study in the lower Mississippi River region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ji, W.; Jeske, C.

2000-01-01

A geographic information system (GIS)-based spatial modeling approach was developed to study environmental and land use impacts on the geographic distribution of wintering northern pintails (Arias acuta) in the Lower Mississippi River region. Pintails were fitted with backpack radio transmitter packages at Catahoula Lake, LA, in October 1992-1994 and located weekly through the following March. Pintail survey data were converted into a digital database in ARC/INFO GIS format and integrated with environmental GIS data through a customized modeling interface. The study verified the relationship between pintail distributions and major environmental factors and developed a conceptual relation model. Visualization-based spatial simulations were used to display the movement patterns of specific population groups under spatial and temporal constraints. The spatial modeling helped understand the seasonal movement patterns of pintails in relation to their habitat usage in Arkansas and southwestern Louisiana for wintering and interchange situations among population groups wintering in Texas and southeastern Louisiana. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.

Combined Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 Burned Area Mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, H.; Roy, D. P.; Zhang, H.; Boschetti, L.; Yan, L.; Li, Z.

2017-12-01

Fire products derived from coarse spatial resolution satellite data have become an important source of information for the multiple user communities involved in fire science and applications. The advent of the MODIS on NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites enabled systematic production of 500m global burned area maps. There is, however, an unequivocal demand for systematically generated higher spatial resolution burned area products, in particular to examine the role of small-fires for various applications. Moderate spatial resolution contemporaneous satellite data from Landsat-8 and the Sentinel-2A and -2B sensors provide the opportunity for detailed spatial mapping of burned areas. Combined, these polar-orbiting systems provide 10m to 30m multi-spectral global coverage more than once every three days. This NASA funded research presents results to prototype a combined Landsat-8 Sentinel-2 burned area product. The Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 pre-processing, the time-series burned area mapping algorithm, and preliminary results and validation using high spatial resolution commercial satellite data over Africa are presented.

UUI: Reusable Spatial Data Services in Unified User Interface at NASA GES DISC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petrenko, Maksym; Hegde, Mahabaleshwa; Bryant, Keith; Pham, Long B.

2016-01-01

Unified User Interface (UUI) is a next-generation operational data access tool that has been developed at Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center(GES DISC) to provide a simple, unified, and intuitive one-stop shop experience for the key data services available at GES DISC, including subsetting (Simple Subset Wizard -SSW), granule file search (Mirador), plotting (Giovanni), and other legacy spatial data services. UUI has been built based on a flexible infrastructure of reusable web services self-contained building blocks that can easily be plugged into spatial applications, including third-party clients or services, to easily enable new functionality as new datasets and services become available. In this presentation, we will discuss our experience in designing UUI services based on open industry standards. We will also explain how the resulting framework can be used for a rapid development, deployment, and integration of spatial data services, facilitating efficient access and dissemination of spatial data sets.

Marine anthropogenic litter on British beaches: A 10-year nationwide assessment using citizen science data.

PubMed

Nelms, S E; Coombes, C; Foster, L C; Galloway, T S; Godley, B J; Lindeque, P K; Witt, M J

2017-02-01

Growing evidence suggests that anthropogenic litter, particularly plastic, represents a highly pervasive and persistent threat to global marine ecosystems. Multinational research is progressing to characterise its sources, distribution and abundance so that interventions aimed at reducing future inputs and clearing extant litter can be developed. Citizen science projects, whereby members of the public gather information, offer a low-cost method of collecting large volumes of data with considerable temporal and spatial coverage. Furthermore, such projects raise awareness of environmental issues and can lead to positive changes in behaviours and attitudes. We present data collected over a decade (2005-2014 inclusive) by Marine Conservation Society (MCS) volunteers during beach litter surveys carried along the British coastline, with the aim of increasing knowledge on the composition, spatial distribution and temporal trends of coastal debris. Unlike many citizen science projects, the MCS beach litter survey programme gathers information on the number of volunteers, duration of surveys and distances covered. This comprehensive information provides an opportunity to standardise data for variation in sampling effort among surveys, enhancing the value of outputs and robustness of findings. We found that plastic is the main constituent of anthropogenic litter on British beaches and the majority of traceable items originate from land-based sources, such as public littering. We identify the coast of the Western English Channel and Celtic Sea as experiencing the highest relative litter levels. Increasing trends over the 10-year time period were detected for a number of individual item categories, yet no statistically significant change in total (effort-corrected) litter was detected. We discuss the limitations of the dataset and make recommendations for future work. The study demonstrates the value of citizen science data in providing insights that would otherwise not be possible due to logistical and financial constraints of running government-funded sampling programmes on such large scales. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automatic Extraction of Destinations, Origins and Route Parts from Human Generated Route Directions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiao; Mitra, Prasenjit; Klippel, Alexander; Maceachren, Alan

Researchers from the cognitive and spatial sciences are studying text descriptions of movement patterns in order to examine how humans communicate and understand spatial information. In particular, route directions offer a rich source of information on how cognitive systems conceptualize movement patterns by segmenting them into meaningful parts. Route directions are composed using a plethora of cognitive spatial organization principles: changing levels of granularity, hierarchical organization, incorporation of cognitively and perceptually salient elements, and so forth. Identifying such information in text documents automatically is crucial for enabling machine-understanding of human spatial language. The benefits are: a) creating opportunities for large-scale studies of human linguistic behavior; b) extracting and georeferencing salient entities (landmarks) that are used by human route direction providers; c) developing methods to translate route directions to sketches and maps; and d) enabling queries on large corpora of crawled/analyzed movement data. In this paper, we introduce our approach and implementations that bring us closer to the goal of automatically processing linguistic route directions. We report on research directed at one part of the larger problem, that is, extracting the three most critical parts of route directions and movement patterns in general: origin, destination, and route parts. We use machine-learning based algorithms to extract these parts of routes, including, for example, destination names and types. We prove the effectiveness of our approach in several experiments using hand-tagged corpora.

Principles of effective USA federal fire management plans

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meyer, Marc D.; Roberts, Susan L.; Wills, Robin; Brooks, Matthew L.; Winford, Eric M.

2015-01-01

Federal fire management plans are essential implementation guides for the management of wildland fire on federal lands. Recent changes in federal fire policy implementation guidance and fire science information suggest the need for substantial changes in federal fire management plans of the United States. Federal land management agencies are also undergoing land management planning efforts that will initiate revision of fire management plans across the country. Using the southern Sierra Nevada as a case study, we briefly describe the underlying framework of fire management plans, assess their consistency with guiding principles based on current science information and federal policy guidance, and provide recommendations for the development of future fire management plans. Based on our review, we recommend that future fire management plans be: (1) consistent and compatible, (2) collaborative, (3) clear and comprehensive, (4) spatially and temporally scalable, (5) informed by the best available science, and (6) flexible and adaptive. In addition, we identify and describe several strategic guides or “tools” that can enhance these core principles and benefit future fire management plans in the following areas: planning and prioritization, science integration, climate change adaptation, partnerships, monitoring, education and communication, and applied fire management. These principles and tools are essential to successfully realize fire management goals and objectives in a rapidly changing world.

CRISM/HiRISE Correlative Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seelos, F. P.; Murchie, S. L.; McGovern, A.; Milazzo, M. P.; Herkenhoff, K. E.

2011-12-01

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) and High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) are complementary investigations with high spectral resolution and broad wavelength coverage (CRISM ~20 m/pxl; ~400 - 4000 nm, 6.55 nm sampling) and high spatial resolution with broadband color capability (HiRISE ~25 cm/pxl; ~500, 700, 900 nm band centers, ~200-300 nm FWHM). Over the course of the MRO mission it has become apparent that spectral variations in the IR detected by CRISM (~1000 nm - 4000 nm) sometimes correlate spatially with visible and near infrared 3-band color variations observed by HiRISE. We have developed a data processing procedure that establishes a numerical mapping between HiRISE color and CRISM VNIR and IR spectral data and provides a statistical evaluation of the uncertainty in the mapping, with the objective of extrapolating CRISM-inferred mineralogy to the HiRISE spatial scale. The MRO mission profile, spacecraft capabilities, and science planning process emphasize coordinated observations - the simultaneous observation of a common target by multiple instruments. The commonalities of CRISM/HiRISE coordinated observations present a unique opportunity for tandem data analysis. Recent advances in the systematic processing of CRISM hyperspectral targeted observations account for gimbal-induced photometric variations and transform the data to a synthetic nadir acquisition geometry. The CRISM VNIR (~400 nm - 1000 nm) data can then be convolved to the HiRISE Infrared, Red, and Blue/Green (IRB) response functions to generate a compatible CRISM IRB product. Statistical evaluation of the CRISM/HiRISE spatial overlap region establishes a quantitative link between the data sets. IRB spectral similarity mapping for each HiRISE color spatial pixel with respect to the CRISM IRB product allows a given HiRISE pixel to be populated with information derived from the coordinated CRISM observation, including correlative VNIR or IR spectral data, spectral summary parameters, or browse products. To properly characterize the quality and fidelity of the IRB correlation, a series of ancillary information bands that record the numerical behavior of the procedure are also generated. Prototype CRISM/HiRISE correlative data products have been generated for a small number of coordinated observation pairs. The resulting products have the potential to support integrated spectral and morphological mapping at sub-meter spatial scales. Such data products would be invaluable for strategic and tactical science operations on landed missions, and would allow observations from a landed platform to be evaluated in a CRISM-based spectral and mineralogical context.

Opportunities and Challenges for the Contribution of Citizen Science to High-Quality, Traceable Indicators of Biodiversity in the Context of Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weltzin, J. F.

2014-12-01

Indicators of climate change are designed to communicate key aspects of the status and trends of the physical climate, climate impacts, vulnerabilities, and preparedness to inform both decision makers and the public. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides a suite of "Indicators of Climate Change" and the US Global Change Research Program delivers indicators via its "Global Change Information System" (GCIS). The process of research, development and delivery of appropriate indicators of linked to climate change faces challenges including but not limited to (1) lack of data for relevant variables across longitudinal time scales with a defined relationship to climate variation or change, (2) sufficient density and distribution of data across spatial scales to support indicator development for researchers, natural resource managers and decision-makers, and (3) limited engagement of intended stakeholders who may not understand how the data were derived or the potential application of the indicator to their domain. Recent advances in the field of public participation in scientific research (PPSR), also known as "citizen science," represents a potential innovation in monitoring, research, information management and public engagement that can address several of these challenges. Citizen science datasets already available can be decades long and collected at many sites across broad spatial scales; by their nature, they create direct engagement with stakeholders and the public. For example, bird distribution data collected by citizen scientists participating in the continental-scale Christmas Bird Count since 1900 are used in EPA's indicator for "Bird Wintering Ranges." Similarly, plant leafing data collected across the nation since 1956 are combined with meteorological data to create a modeled indicator of plant leafing dates for the GCIS. This presentation will focus on (1) challenges to the development of ecological indicators of biodiversity linked to environmental variation and climate change, (2) how citizen science can address these challenges within suitable domains or disciplines, and (3) minimal requirements for citizen science projects to maximize their contribution to the production of high-quality, traceable indicators of biodiversity.

Pedotransfer functions in Earth system science: challenges and perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Looy, K.; Minasny, B.; Nemes, A.; Verhoef, A.; Weihermueller, L.; Vereecken, H.

2017-12-01

We make a stronghold for a new generation of Pedotransfer functions (PTFs) that is currently developed in the different disciplines of Earth system science, offering strong perspectives for improvement of integrated process-based models, from local to global scale applications. PTFs are simple to complex knowledge rules that relate available soil information to soil properties and variables that are needed to parameterize soil processes. To meet the methodological challenges for a successful application in Earth system modeling, we highlight how PTF development needs to go hand in hand with suitable extrapolation and upscaling techniques such that the PTFs correctly capture the spatial heterogeneity of soils. Most actively pursued recent developments are related to parameterizations of solute transport, heat exchange, soil respiration and organic carbon content, root density and vegetation water uptake. We present an outlook and stepwise approach to the development of a comprehensive set of PTFs that can be applied throughout a wide range of disciplines of Earth system science, with emphasis on land surface models. Novel sensing techniques and soil information availability provide a true breakthrough for this, yet further improvements are necessary in three domains: 1) the determining of unknown relationships and dealing with uncertainty in Earth system modeling; 2) the step of spatially deploying this knowledge with PTF validation at regional to global scales; and 3) the integration and linking of the complex model parameterizations (coupled parameterization). Integration is an achievable goal we will show.

Spatial data available on the web at http://mrdata.usgs.gov/

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Bruce

2002-01-01

Earth science information is important to decisionmakers who formulate public policy related to mineral resource sustainability, land stewardship, environmental hazards, the economy, and public health. To meet the growing demand for easily accessible data, the Mineral Resources Program has developed, in cooperation with other Federal and State agencies, an Internet-based, data-delivery system that allows interested customers worldwide to download accurate, up-to-date mineral resource-related data at any time. All data in the system are spatially located and customers with Internet access and a modern Web browser can easily produce maps having user-defined overlays for any region of interest.

The MIND PALACE: A Multi-Spectral Imaging and Spectroscopy Database for Planetary Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eshelman, E.; Doloboff, I.; Hara, E. K.; Uckert, K.; Sapers, H. M.; Abbey, W.; Beegle, L. W.; Bhartia, R.

2017-12-01

The Multi-Instrument Database (MIND) is the web-based home to a well-characterized set of analytical data collected by a suite of deep-UV fluorescence/Raman instruments built at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Samples derive from a growing body of planetary surface analogs, mineral and microbial standards, meteorites, spacecraft materials, and other astrobiologically relevant materials. In addition to deep-UV spectroscopy, datasets stored in MIND are obtained from a variety of analytical techniques obtained over multiple spatial and spectral scales including electron microscopy, optical microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, and direct fluorescence imaging. Multivariate statistical analysis techniques, primarily Principal Component Analysis (PCA), are used to guide interpretation of these large multi-analytical spectral datasets. Spatial co-referencing of integrated spectral/visual maps is performed using QGIS (geographic information system software). Georeferencing techniques transform individual instrument data maps into a layered co-registered data cube for analysis across spectral and spatial scales. The body of data in MIND is intended to serve as a permanent, reliable, and expanding database of deep-UV spectroscopy datasets generated by this unique suite of JPL-based instruments on samples of broad planetary science interest.

Analyzing and Visualizing Precipitation and Soil Moisture in ArcGIS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, Wenli; Pham, Long; Zhao, Peisheng; Kempler, Steve; Wei, Jennifer

2016-01-01

Precipitation and soil moisture are among the most important parameters in many land GIS (Geographic Information System) research and applications. These data are available globally from NASA GES DISC (Goddard Earth Science Data and Information Services Center) in GIS-ready format at 10-kilometer spatial resolution and 24-hour or less temporal resolutions. In this presentation, well demonstrate how rainfall and soil moisture data are used in ArcGIS to analyze and visualize spatiotemporal patterns of droughts and their impacts on natural vegetation and agriculture in different parts of the world.

NASA GES DISC Aerosol analysis and visualization services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, J. C.; Ichoku, C. M.; Petrenko, M.; Yang, W.; Albayrak, A.; Zhao, P.; Johnson, J. E.; Kempler, S.

2015-12-01

Among the known atmospheric constituents, aerosols represent the greatest uncertainty in climate research. Satellite data products are important for a wide variety of applications that can bring far-reaching benefits to the science community and the broader society. These benefits can best be achieved if the satellite data are well utilized and interpreted. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, despite the abundance and relative maturity of numerous satellite-borne sensors routinely measure aerosols. There is often disagreement between similar aerosol parameters retrieved from different sensors, leaving users confused as to which sensors to trust for answering important science questions about the distribution, properties, and impacts of aerosols. Such misunderstanding may be avoided by providing satellite data with accurate pixel-level (Level 2) information, including pixel coverage area delineation and science team recommended quality screening for individual geophysical parameters. NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) have developed multiple MAPSS applications as a part of Giovanni (Geospatial Interactive Online Visualization and Analysis Interface) data visualization and analysis tool - Giovanni-MAPSS and Giovanni-MAPSS_Explorer since 2007. The MAPSS database provides spatio-temporal statistics for multiple spatial spaceborne Level 2 aerosol products (MODIS Terra, MODIS Aqua, MISR, POLDER, OMI, CALIOP, SeaWiFS Deep Blue, and VIIRS) sampled over AERONET ground stations. In this presentation, I will demonstrate the improved features from Giovanni-MAPSS and introduce a new visualization service (Giovanni VizMAP) supporting various visualization and data accessing capabilities from satellite Level 2 data (non-aggregated and un-gridded) at high spatial resolution. Functionality will include selecting data sources (e.g., multiple parameters under the same measurement), defining area-of-interest and temporal extents, zooming, panning, overlaying, sliding, and data subsetting and reformatting.

The Wildland Fire Emissions Information System: Providing information for carbon cycle studies with open source geospatial tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

French, N. H.; Erickson, T.; McKenzie, D.

2008-12-01

A major goal of the North American Carbon Program is to resolve uncertainties in understanding and managing the carbon cycle of North America. As carbon modeling tools become more comprehensive and spatially oriented, accurate datasets to spatially quantify carbon emissions from fire are needed, and these data resources need to be accessible to users for decision-making. Under a new NASA Carbon Cycle Science project, Drs. Nancy French and Tyler Erickson, of the Michigan Technological University, Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI), are teaming with specialists with the USDA Forest Service Fire and Environmental Research Applications (FERA) team to provide information for mapping fire-derived carbon emissions to users. The project focus includes development of a web-based system to provide spatially resolved fire emissions estimates for North America in a user-friendly environment. The web-based Decision Support System will be based on a variety of open source technologies. The Fuel Characteristic Classification System (FCCS) raster map of fuels and MODIS-derived burned area vector maps will be processed using the Geographic Data Abstraction Library (GDAL) and OGR Simple Features Library. Tabular and spatial project data will be stored in a PostgreSQL/PostGIS, a spatially enabled relational database server. The browser-based user interface will be created using the Django web page framework to allow user input for the decision support system. The OpenLayers mapping framework will be used to provide users with interactive maps within the browser. In addition, the data products will be made available in standard open data formats such as KML, to allow for easy integration into other spatial models and data systems.

Sharing Water-related Information to Tackle Changes in the Hydrosphere - for Operational Needs (SWITCH-ON)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arheimer, Berit

2014-05-01

A recently started EU project (FP7 project No 603587) called SWITCH-ON will establish new infrastructure for water research in Europe. The overall goal of the project is to make use of open data, and add value to society by repurposing and refining data from various sources. SWITCH-ON will establish new forms of water research and facilitate the development of new products and services based on principles of sharing and community building. The basic for this work is a virtual water-science laboratory, which consists of open data, dedicated software tools and a set of protocols, hosted at the "SWITCH-ON water information" portal at http://water-switch-on.eu/. The laboratory will seamlessly integrate the open data with harmonised modelling tools and facilities the performance of virtual experiments of comparative science. Comparative science is a new form of research, which will advance science by contrasting water related processes in different environments and help understand complex processes in a more holistic way than individual studies The SWITCH-ON objectives are to use open data for implementing: 1) an innovative spatial information platform with open data tailored for direct water assessments, 2) an entirely new form of collaborative research for water-related sciences, 3) fourteen new operational products and services dedicated to appointed end-users, 4) new business and knowledge to inform individual and collective decisions in line with the Europe's smart growth and environmental objectives. The SWITCH-ON project will be one trigger in a contemporary global movement to better address environmental and societal challenges through openness and collaboration. The poster will present the project visions and achievements so far, and invite more research groups to use the virtual water-science laboratory.

Judicious use of custom development in an open source component architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bristol, S.; Latysh, N.; Long, D.; Tekell, S.; Allen, J.

2014-12-01

Modern software engineering is not as much programming from scratch as innovative assembly of existing components. Seamlessly integrating disparate components into scalable, performant architecture requires sound engineering craftsmanship and can often result in increased cost efficiency and accelerated capabilities if software teams focus their creativity on the edges of the problem space. ScienceBase is part of the U.S. Geological Survey scientific cyberinfrastructure, providing data and information management, distribution services, and analysis capabilities in a way that strives to follow this pattern. ScienceBase leverages open source NoSQL and relational databases, search indexing technology, spatial service engines, numerous libraries, and one proprietary but necessary software component in its architecture. The primary engineering focus is cohesive component interaction, including construction of a seamless Application Programming Interface (API) across all elements. The API allows researchers and software developers alike to leverage the infrastructure in unique, creative ways. Scaling the ScienceBase architecture and core API with increasing data volume (more databases) and complexity (integrated science problems) is a primary challenge addressed by judicious use of custom development in the component architecture. Other data management and informatics activities in the earth sciences have independently resolved to a similar design of reusing and building upon established technology and are working through similar issues for managing and developing information (e.g., U.S. Geoscience Information Network; NASA's Earth Observing System Clearing House; GSToRE at the University of New Mexico). Recent discussions facilitated through the Earth Science Information Partners are exploring potential avenues to exploit the implicit relationships between similar projects for explicit gains in our ability to more rapidly advance global scientific cyberinfrastructure.

Toward a community ecology of landscapes: predicting multiple predator-prey interactions across geographic space.

PubMed

Schmitz, Oswald J; Miller, Jennifer R B; Trainor, Anne M; Abrahms, Briana

2017-09-01

Community ecology was traditionally an integrative science devoted to studying interactions between species and their abiotic environments in order to predict species' geographic distributions and abundances. Yet for philosophical and methodological reasons, it has become divided into two enterprises: one devoted to local experimentation on species interactions to predict community dynamics; the other devoted to statistical analyses of abiotic and biotic information to describe geographic distribution. Our goal here is to instigate thinking about ways to reconnect the two enterprises and thereby return to a tradition to do integrative science. We focus specifically on the community ecology of predators and prey, which is ripe for integration. This is because there is active, simultaneous interest in experimentally resolving the nature and strength of predator-prey interactions as well as explaining patterns across landscapes and seascapes. We begin by describing a conceptual theory rooted in classical analyses of non-spatial food web modules used to predict species interactions. We show how such modules can be extended to consideration of spatial context using the concept of habitat domain. Habitat domain describes the spatial extent of habitat space that predators and prey use while foraging, which differs from home range, the spatial extent used by an animal to meet all of its daily needs. This conceptual theory can be used to predict how different spatial relations of predators and prey could lead to different emergent multiple predator-prey interactions such as whether predator consumptive or non-consumptive effects should dominate, and whether intraguild predation, predator interference or predator complementarity are expected. We then review the literature on studies of large predator-prey interactions that make conclusions about the nature of multiple predator-prey interactions. This analysis reveals that while many studies provide sufficient information about predator or prey spatial locations, and thus meet necessary conditions of the habitat domain conceptual theory for drawing conclusions about the nature of the predator-prey interactions, several studies do not. We therefore elaborate how modern technology and statistical approaches for animal movement analysis could be used to test the conceptual theory, using experimental or quasi-experimental analyses at landscape scales. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

Using Open data in analyzing urban growth: urban density and change detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

murgante, Beniamino; Nolè, Gabriele; Lasaponara, Rosa; Lanorte, Antonio

2013-04-01

In recent years a great attention has been paid to the evolution and the use of spatial data. Internet technologies accelerated such a process, allowing more direct access to spatial information. It is estimated that more than 600 million people have been connected to the Internet at least once to display maps on the web. Consequently, there is an irreversible process which considers geographical dimension as a fundamental attribute for the management of information flows. Furthermore, the great activity produced by open data movement leads to an easier and clearer access to geospatial information. This trend concerns, in a less evident way, also satellite data, which are increasingly accessible through the web. Spatial planning, geography and other regional sciences find it difficult to build knowledge related to spatial transformation. These problems can be significantly reduced due to a large data availability, producing significant opportunities to capture knowledge useful for a better territorial governance. This study has been developed in a heavily anthropized area in southern Italy, Apulia region, using free spatial data and free multispectral and multitemporal satellite data (Apulia region was one of the first regions in Italy to adopt open data policies). The analysis concerns urban growth, which, in recent decades, showed a rapid increase. In a first step the evolution in time and change detection of urban areas has been analyzed paying particular attention to soil consumption. In the second step Kernel Density has been adopted in order to assess development pressures. KDE (Kernel Density Estimation) function is a technique that provides the density of a phenomenon based on point data. A mobile three dimensional surface has been produced from a set of points distributed over a region of space, which weighs the events within its sphere of influence, depending on their distance from the point from which intensity is estimated. It produces, considering as input point data (vector), a density continuous raster as an output. In this case, the intensity of phenomenon will be given by buildings volume. References • Bailey T. C., Gatrell A. C. (1995). Interactive spatial data analysis. Prentice Hall. • Danese M., Lazzari M., Murgante B. (2009). "Geostatistics in Historical Macroseismic Data Analysis" Transactions on Computational Sciences VI, LNCS Vol. 5730, pp. 324-341, Springer-Verlag, Berlin ISSN: 1611-3349, doi:10.1007/978-3-642-10649-1_19 • Nolè G., Danese M., Murgante B., Lasaponara R., Lanorte, A., (2012) "Using Spatial Autocorrelation Techniques and Multi-temporal Satellite Data for Analyzing Urban Sprawl" Lecture Notes in Computer Science vol. 7335, pp. 512-527. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. ISSN: 0302-9743, doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-31137-6_39 • Murgante, B., Las Casas, G., Danese, M., (2012), "Analyzing Neighbourhoods Suitable for Urban Renewal Programs with Autocorrelation Techniques" In Burian J. (Eds.) "Advances in Spatial Planning" InTech — Open Access DOI: 10.5772/33747 ISBN:978-953-51-0377-6 • Lanorte, A., Danese M., Lasaponara R., Murgante B. (2011) "Multiscale mapping of burn area and severity using multisensor satellite data and spatial autocorrelation analysis" International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, Elsevier, doi:10.1016/j.jag.2011.09.005 • O'Sullivan D., Unwin D., (2002). Geographic Information Analysis. John Wiley & Sons • Yang, X., Lo, C. P.: Using a time series of satellite imagery to detect land use and land cover changes in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area. Int. J. Rem. Sensing 23, pp. 1775--1798 (2002) • Yuan, F., Sawaya, K.,.Loeffelholz, B. C., Bauer, M. E.: Land cover classification and change analysis of the Twin Cities (Minnesota) Metropolitan Area by multitemporal Landsat remote sensing. Rem. Sensing Environ. 98, pp. 317--328 (2005)

Geospatial decision support systems for societal decision making

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bernknopf, R.L.

2005-01-01

While science provides reliable information to describe and understand the earth and its natural processes, it can contribute more. There are many important societal issues in which scientific information can play a critical role. Science can add greatly to policy and management decisions to minimize loss of life and property from natural and man-made disasters, to manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources, and in general, to enhance and protect our quality of life. However, the link between science and decision-making is often complicated and imperfect. Technical language and methods surround scientific research and the dissemination of its results. Scientific investigations often are conducted under different conditions, with different spatial boundaries, and in different timeframes than those needed to support specific policy and societal decisions. Uncertainty is not uniformly reported in scientific investigations. If society does not know that data exist, what the data mean, where to use the data, or how to include uncertainty when a decision has to be made, then science gets left out -or misused- in a decision making process. This paper is about using Geospatial Decision Support Systems (GDSS) for quantitative policy analysis. Integrated natural -social science methods and tools in a Geographic Information System that respond to decision-making needs can be used to close the gap between science and society. The GDSS has been developed so that nonscientists can pose "what if" scenarios to evaluate hypothetical outcomes of policy and management choices. In this approach decision makers can evaluate the financial and geographic distribution of potential policy options and their societal implications. Actions, based on scientific information, can be taken to mitigate hazards, protect our air and water quality, preserve the planet's biodiversity, promote balanced land use planning, and judiciously exploit natural resources. Applications using the GDSS have demonstrated the benefits of utilizing science for policy decisions. Investment in science reduces decision-making uncertainty and reducing that uncertainty has economic value.

Multi-perspective analysis and spatiotemporal mapping of air pollution monitoring data.

PubMed

Kolovos, Alexander; Skupin, André; Jerrett, Michael; Christakos, George

2010-09-01

Space-time data analysis and assimilation techniques in atmospheric sciences typically consider input from monitoring measurements. The input is often processed in a manner that acknowledges characteristics of the measurements (e.g., underlying patterns, fluctuation features) under conditions of uncertainty; it also leads to the derivation of secondary information that serves study-oriented goals, and provides input to space-time prediction techniques. We present a novel approach that blends a rigorous space-time prediction model (Bayesian maximum entropy, BME) with a cognitively informed visualization of high-dimensional data (spatialization). The combined BME and spatialization approach (BME-S) is used to study monthly averaged NO2 and mean annual SO4 measurements in California over the 15-year period 1988-2002. Using the original scattered measurements of these two pollutants BME generates spatiotemporal predictions on a regular grid across the state. Subsequently, the prediction network undergoes the spatialization transformation into a lower-dimensional geometric representation, aimed at revealing patterns and relationships that exist within the input data. The proposed BME-S provides a powerful spatiotemporal framework to study a variety of air pollution data sources.

Enabling heterogenous multi-scale database for emergency service functions through geoinformation technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhanumurthy, V.; Venugopala Rao, K.; Srinivasa Rao, S.; Ram Mohan Rao, K.; Chandra, P. Satya; Vidhyasagar, J.; Diwakar, P. G.; Dadhwal, V. K.

2014-11-01

Geographical Information Science (GIS) is now graduated from traditional desktop system to Internet system. Internet GIS is emerging as one of the most promising technologies for addressing Emergency Management. Web services with different privileges are playing an important role in dissemination of the emergency services to the decision makers. Spatial database is one of the most important components in the successful implementation of Emergency Management. It contains spatial data in the form of raster, vector, linked with non-spatial information. Comprehensive data is required to handle emergency situation in different phases. These database elements comprise core data, hazard specific data, corresponding attribute data, and live data coming from the remote locations. Core data sets are minimum required data including base, thematic, infrastructure layers to handle disasters. Disaster specific information is required to handle a particular disaster situation like flood, cyclone, forest fire, earth quake, land slide, drought. In addition to this Emergency Management require many types of data with spatial and temporal attributes that should be made available to the key players in the right format at right time. The vector database needs to be complemented with required resolution satellite imagery for visualisation and analysis in disaster management. Therefore, the database is interconnected and comprehensive to meet the requirement of an Emergency Management. This kind of integrated, comprehensive and structured database with appropriate information is required to obtain right information at right time for the right people. However, building spatial database for Emergency Management is a challenging task because of the key issues such as availability of data, sharing policies, compatible geospatial standards, data interoperability etc. Therefore, to facilitate using, sharing, and integrating the spatial data, there is a need to define standards to build emergency database systems. These include aspects such as i) data integration procedures namely standard coding scheme, schema, meta data format, spatial format ii) database organisation mechanism covering data management, catalogues, data models iii) database dissemination through a suitable environment, as a standard service for effective service dissemination. National Database for Emergency Management (NDEM) is such a comprehensive database for addressing disasters in India at the national level. This paper explains standards for integrating, organising the multi-scale and multi-source data with effective emergency response using customized user interfaces for NDEM. It presents standard procedure for building comprehensive emergency information systems for enabling emergency specific functions through geospatial technologies.

Seeing Relationships: Using Spatial Thinking to Teach Science, Mathematics, and Social Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newcombe, Nora S.

2013-01-01

The author discusses four specific strategies for enhancing and supporting the spatial aspects of the science, mathematics, and social studies curricula. However, these four strategies are examples of what can be done, not an exhaustive list. The overarching concept is to embrace the spatial visualizations used for discovery and communication in…

Image understanding systems based on the unifying representation of perceptual and conceptual information and the solution of mid-level and high-level vision problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuvychko, Igor

2001-10-01

Vision is a part of a larger information system that converts visual information into knowledge structures. These structures drive vision process, resolving ambiguity and uncertainty via feedback, and provide image understanding, that is an interpretation of visual information in terms of such knowledge models. A computer vision system based on such principles requires unifying representation of perceptual and conceptual information. Computer simulation models are built on the basis of graphs/networks. The ability of human brain to emulate similar graph/networks models is found. That means a very important shift of paradigm in our knowledge about brain from neural networks to the cortical software. Starting from the primary visual areas, brain analyzes an image as a graph-type spatial structure. Primary areas provide active fusion of image features on a spatial grid-like structure, where nodes are cortical columns. The spatial combination of different neighbor features cannot be described as a statistical/integral characteristic of the analyzed region, but uniquely characterizes such region itself. Spatial logic and topology naturally present in such structures. Mid-level vision processes like clustering, perceptual grouping, multilevel hierarchical compression, separation of figure from ground, etc. are special kinds of graph/network transformations. They convert low-level image structure into the set of more abstract ones, which represent objects and visual scene, making them easy for analysis by higher-level knowledge structures. Higher-level vision phenomena like shape from shading, occlusion, etc. are results of such analysis. Such approach gives opportunity not only to explain frequently unexplainable results of the cognitive science, but also to create intelligent computer vision systems that simulate perceptional processes in both what and where visual pathways. Such systems can open new horizons for robotic and computer vision industries.

High-brightness laser imaging with tunable speckle reduction enabled by electroactive micro-optic diffusers.

PubMed

Farrokhi, Hamid; Rohith, Thazhe Madam; Boonruangkan, Jeeranan; Han, Seunghwoi; Kim, Hyunwoong; Kim, Seung-Woo; Kim, Young-Jin

2017-11-10

High coherence of lasers is desirable in high-speed, high-resolution, and wide-field imaging. However, it also causes unavoidable background speckle noise thus degrades the image quality in traditional microscopy and more significantly in interferometric quantitative phase imaging (QPI). QPI utilizes optical interference for high-precision measurement of the optical properties where the speckle can severely distort the information. To overcome this, we demonstrated a light source system having a wide tunability in the spatial coherence over 43% by controlling the illumination angle, scatterer's size, and the rotational speed of an electroactive-polymer rotational micro-optic diffuser. Spatially random phase modulation was implemented for the lower speckle imaging with over a 50% speckle reduction without a significant degradation in the temporal coherence. Our coherence control technique will provide a unique solution for a low-speckle, full-field, and coherent imaging in optically scattering media in the fields of healthcare sciences, material sciences and high-precision engineering.

Wide-Angle Polarimetric Camera for Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Y. J.; Kim, S.; Kang, K. I.

2016-12-01

A polarimetry data contains valuable information about the lunar surface such as the grain size and porosity of the regolith. However, a polarimetry toward the Moon in its orbit has not been performed. We plan to perform the polarimetry in lunar orbit through Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO), which will be launched around 2018/2019 as the first Korean lunar mission. Wide-Angle Polarimetric Camera (PolCam) is selected as one of the onboard instrument for KPLO. The science objectives are ; (1) To obtain the polarization data of the whole lunar surface at wavelengths of 430nm and 650nm for phase angle range from 0° to 120° with a spatial resolution of 80 m. (2) To obtain the reflectance ratios at 320 nm and 430 nm for the whole lunar surface with a spatial resolution of 80m. We will summarize recent results of lunar surface from ground-based polarimetric observations and will briefly introduce the science rationals and operation concept of PolCam.

When Height Carries Weight: Communicating Hidden Object Properties for Joint Action.

PubMed

Schmitz, Laura; Vesper, Cordula; Sebanz, Natalie; Knoblich, Günther

2018-06-24

In the absence of pre-established communicative conventions, people create novel communication systems to successfully coordinate their actions toward a joint goal. In this study, we address two types of such novel communication systems: sensorimotor communication, where the kinematics of instrumental actions are systematically modulated, versus symbolic communication. We ask which of the two systems co-actors preferentially create when aiming to communicate about hidden object properties such as weight. The results of three experiments consistently show that actors who knew the weight of an object transmitted this weight information to their uninformed co-actors by systematically modulating their instrumental actions, grasping objects of particular weights at particular heights. This preference for sensorimotor communication was reduced in a fourth experiment where co-actors could communicate with weight-related symbols. Our findings demonstrate that the use of sensorimotor communication extends beyond the communication of spatial locations to non-spatial, hidden object properties. © 2018 The Authors. Cognitive Science - A Multidisciplinary Journal published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Cognitive Science Society.

Modeling of blob-hole correlations in GPI edge turbulence data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myra, J. R.; Russell, D. A.; Zweben, S. J.

2017-10-01

Gas-puff imaging (GPI) observations made on NSTX have revealed two-point spatial correlation patterns in the plane perpendicular to the magnetic field. A common feature is the occurrence of dipole-like patterns with significant regions of negative correlation. In this work, we explore the possibility that these dipole patterns may be due to blob-hole pairs. Statistical methods are applied to determine the two-point spatial correlation that results from a model of blob-hole pair formation. It is shown that the model produces dipole correlation patterns that are qualitatively similar to the GPI data in many respects. Effects of the reference location (confined surfaces or scrape-off layer), a superimposed random background, hole velocity and lifetime, and background sheared flows are explored. The possibility of using the model to ascertain new information about edge turbulence is discussed. Work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences under Award Number DE-FG02-02ER54678.

Probabilistic Downscaling of Remote Sensing Data with Applications for Multi-Scale Biogeochemical Flux Modeling.

PubMed

Stoy, Paul C; Quaife, Tristan

2015-01-01

Upscaling ecological information to larger scales in space and downscaling remote sensing observations or model simulations to finer scales remain grand challenges in Earth system science. Downscaling often involves inferring subgrid information from coarse-scale data, and such ill-posed problems are classically addressed using regularization. Here, we apply two-dimensional Tikhonov Regularization (2DTR) to simulate subgrid surface patterns for ecological applications. Specifically, we test the ability of 2DTR to simulate the spatial statistics of high-resolution (4 m) remote sensing observations of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in a tundra landscape. We find that the 2DTR approach as applied here can capture the major mode of spatial variability of the high-resolution information, but not multiple modes of spatial variability, and that the Lagrange multiplier (γ) used to impose the condition of smoothness across space is related to the range of the experimental semivariogram. We used observed and 2DTR-simulated maps of NDVI to estimate landscape-level leaf area index (LAI) and gross primary productivity (GPP). NDVI maps simulated using a γ value that approximates the range of observed NDVI result in a landscape-level GPP estimate that differs by ca 2% from those created using observed NDVI. Following findings that GPP per unit LAI is lower near vegetation patch edges, we simulated vegetation patch edges using multiple approaches and found that simulated GPP declined by up to 12% as a result. 2DTR can generate random landscapes rapidly and can be applied to disaggregate ecological information and compare of spatial observations against simulated landscapes.

Probabilistic Downscaling of Remote Sensing Data with Applications for Multi-Scale Biogeochemical Flux Modeling

PubMed Central

Stoy, Paul C.; Quaife, Tristan

2015-01-01

Upscaling ecological information to larger scales in space and downscaling remote sensing observations or model simulations to finer scales remain grand challenges in Earth system science. Downscaling often involves inferring subgrid information from coarse-scale data, and such ill-posed problems are classically addressed using regularization. Here, we apply two-dimensional Tikhonov Regularization (2DTR) to simulate subgrid surface patterns for ecological applications. Specifically, we test the ability of 2DTR to simulate the spatial statistics of high-resolution (4 m) remote sensing observations of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in a tundra landscape. We find that the 2DTR approach as applied here can capture the major mode of spatial variability of the high-resolution information, but not multiple modes of spatial variability, and that the Lagrange multiplier (γ) used to impose the condition of smoothness across space is related to the range of the experimental semivariogram. We used observed and 2DTR-simulated maps of NDVI to estimate landscape-level leaf area index (LAI) and gross primary productivity (GPP). NDVI maps simulated using a γ value that approximates the range of observed NDVI result in a landscape-level GPP estimate that differs by ca 2% from those created using observed NDVI. Following findings that GPP per unit LAI is lower near vegetation patch edges, we simulated vegetation patch edges using multiple approaches and found that simulated GPP declined by up to 12% as a result. 2DTR can generate random landscapes rapidly and can be applied to disaggregate ecological information and compare of spatial observations against simulated landscapes. PMID:26067835

SeaSketch: Implementation of a Decision-Support Platform for a Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Multi-sector Working Group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldberg, G.; McClintock, W.

2016-12-01

Effective interagency and cross-sector coordination is essential to ecosystem based management which depends on processes characterized by collaboration and science-based information. Many technological barriers that exist in the development of science-based management plans are closely tied to process challenges, such as the sharing of data and information or the inclusion of parties with varied levels of technical experience. The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary has convened a diverse working group to develop recommendations for the management of marine shipping in and around the Santa Barbara Channel, as well as recommendations regarding research needs and outreach strategies. Working group members take a multi-issue approach with four distinct goals related to the reduction of ship strikes on whales, emissions and air quality, conflicting ocean uses, and issues of navigational safety. Members range from industry representatives, scientists, and multiple local and federal government entities. The recommended management plans will be based in the best-available science, and will build off of previous efforts, making this an interesting case study of adaptive management. In addition to support from the Sanctuary and professional facilitators, the group is using a decision-support platform, SeaSketch (safepassage.seasketch.org). SeaSketch is a web-based GIS that supports collaborative science-based marine spatial planning (MSP). Each feature supports a step of the MSP process, from data gathering, identification of data needs, the design of spatial plans, evaluation of those plans with analytics, and map-based forums that facilitate data-driven discussions. Working group members are able to access these tools to explore management options and collaborate remotely, in addition to using the platform during in-person meetings and webinars. Empowering diverse audiences to engage in the design of science-based plans is of key importance to developing ecosystem-based management plans where multi-sector participation and inter-agency coordination are critical.

SeaSketch: Implementation of a Decision-Support Platform for a Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Multi-sector Working Group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldberg, G.; McClintock, W.

2016-02-01

Effective interagency and cross-sector coordination is essential to ecosystem based management which depends on processes characterized by collaboration and science-based information. Many technological barriers that exist in the development of science-based management plans are closely tied to process challenges, such as the sharing of data and information or the inclusion of parties with varied levels of technical experience. The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary has convened a diverse working group to develop recommendations for the management of marine shipping in and around the Santa Barbara Channel, as well as recommendations regarding research needs and outreach strategies. Working group members take a multi-issue approach with four distinct goals related to the reduction of ship strikes on whales, emissions and air quality, conflicting ocean uses, and issues of navigational safety. Members range from industry representatives, scientists, and multiple local and federal government entities. The recommended management plans will be based in the best-available science, and will build off of previous efforts, making this an interesting case study of adaptive management. In addition to support from the Sanctuary and professional facilitators, the group is using a decision-support platform, SeaSketch (safepassage.seasketch.org). SeaSketch is a web-based GIS that supports collaborative science-based marine spatial planning (MSP). Each feature supports a step of the MSP process, from data gathering, identification of data needs, the design of spatial plans, evaluation of those plans with analytics, and map-based forums that facilitate data-driven discussions. Working group members are able to access these tools to explore management options and collaborate remotely, in addition to using the platform during in-person meetings and webinars. Empowering diverse audiences to engage in the design of science-based plans is of key importance to developing ecosystem-based management plans where multi-sector participation and inter-agency coordination are critical.

Onboard Science and Applications Algorithm for Hyperspectral Data Reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chien, Steve A.; Davies, Ashley G.; Silverman, Dorothy; Mandl, Daniel

2012-01-01

An onboard processing mission concept is under development for a possible Direct Broadcast capability for the HyspIRI mission, a Hyperspectral remote sensing mission under consideration for launch in the next decade. The concept would intelligently spectrally and spatially subsample the data as well as generate science products onboard to enable return of key rapid response science and applications information despite limited downlink bandwidth. This rapid data delivery concept focuses on wildfires and volcanoes as primary applications, but also has applications to vegetation, coastal flooding, dust, and snow/ice applications. Operationally, the HyspIRI team would define a set of spatial regions of interest where specific algorithms would be executed. For example, known coastal areas would have certain products or bands downlinked, ocean areas might have other bands downlinked, and during fire seasons other areas would be processed for active fire detections. Ground operations would automatically generate the mission plans specifying the highest priority tasks executable within onboard computation, setup, and data downlink constraints. The spectral bands of the TIR (thermal infrared) instrument can accurately detect the thermal signature of fires and send down alerts, as well as the thermal and VSWIR (visible to short-wave infrared) data corresponding to the active fires. Active volcanism also produces a distinctive thermal signature that can be detected onboard to enable spatial subsampling. Onboard algorithms and ground-based algorithms suitable for onboard deployment are mature. On HyspIRI, the algorithm would perform a table-driven temperature inversion from several spectral TIR bands, and then trigger downlink of the entire spectrum for each of the hot pixels identified. Ocean and coastal applications include sea surface temperature (using a small spectral subset of TIR data, but requiring considerable ancillary data), and ocean color applications to track biological activity such as harmful algal blooms. Measuring surface water extent to track flooding is another rapid response product leveraging VSWIR spectral information.

Earth Observation, Spatial Data Quality, and Neglected Tropical Diseases.

PubMed

Hamm, Nicholas A S; Soares Magalhães, Ricardo J; Clements, Archie C A

2015-12-01

Earth observation (EO) is the use of remote sensing and in situ observations to gather data on the environment. It finds increasing application in the study of environmentally modulated neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Obtaining and assuring the quality of the relevant spatially and temporally indexed EO data remain challenges. Our objective was to review the Earth observation products currently used in studies of NTD epidemiology and to discuss fundamental issues relating to spatial data quality (SDQ), which limit the utilization of EO and pose challenges for its more effective use. We searched Web of Science and PubMed for studies related to EO and echinococossis, leptospirosis, schistosomiasis, and soil-transmitted helminth infections. Relevant literature was also identified from the bibliographies of those papers. We found that extensive use is made of EO products in the study of NTD epidemiology; however, the quality of these products is usually given little explicit attention. We review key issues in SDQ concerning spatial and temporal scale, uncertainty, and the documentation and use of quality information. We give examples of how these issues may interact with uncertainty in NTD data to affect the output of an epidemiological analysis. We conclude that researchers should give careful attention to SDQ when designing NTD spatial-epidemiological studies. This should be used to inform uncertainty analysis in the epidemiological study. SDQ should be documented and made available to other researchers.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ruegg, Janine; Gries, Corinna; Bond-Lamberty, Benjamin

An important goal of macrosystems ecology research is to advance understanding of ecological systems at both fine and broad temporal and spatial scales. Our premise in this paper is that such projects require information management that is integrated into projects from their inception. Such efforts will lead to improved communication and sharing of knowledge among diverse project participants, better science outcomes, and more open science. We promote "closing the data life cycle" by publishing well-documented data sets, which allows for re-use of data to answer new and different questions from the ones conceived by the original projects. The practice ofmore » documenting and submitting data sets to publicly accessible data repositories ensures that research results and data are accessible to and useable by other researchers, thus fostering open science. Ecologists are often not familiar with the information management tools and requirements to effectively preserve data, however, and receive little institutional or professional incentive to do so. This paper describes recommended steps to these ends, and gives examples from current macrosystem ecology projects of why information management is so critical to ensuring that scientific results can be both reproduced and data shared for future use.« less

Effects of spatial heterogeneity on butterfly species richness in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kumar, S.; Simonson, S.E.; Stohlgren, T.J.

2009-01-01

We investigated butterfly responses to plot-level characteristics (plant species richness, vegetation height, and range in NDVI [normalized difference vegetation index]) and spatial heterogeneity in topography and landscape patterns (composition and configuration) at multiple spatial scales. Stratified random sampling was used to collect data on butterfly species richness from seventy-six 20 ?? 50 m plots. The plant species richness and average vegetation height data were collected from 76 modified-Whittaker plots overlaid on 76 butterfly plots. Spatial heterogeneity around sample plots was quantified by measuring topographic variables and landscape metrics at eight spatial extents (radii of 300, 600 to 2,400 m). The number of butterfly species recorded was strongly positively correlated with plant species richness, proportion of shrubland and mean patch size of shrubland. Patterns in butterfly species richness were negatively correlated with other variables including mean patch size, average vegetation height, elevation, and range in NDVI. The best predictive model selected using Akaike's Information Criterion corrected for small sample size (AICc), explained 62% of the variation in butterfly species richness at the 2,100 m spatial extent. Average vegetation height and mean patch size were among the best predictors of butterfly species richness. The models that included plot-level information and topographic variables explained relatively less variation in butterfly species richness, and were improved significantly after including landscape metrics. Our results suggest that spatial heterogeneity greatly influences patterns in butterfly species richness, and that it should be explicitly considered in conservation and management actions. ?? 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

General solution for quantitative dark-field contrast imaging with grating interferometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strobl, M.

2014-11-01

Grating interferometer based imaging with X-rays and neutrons has proven to hold huge potential for applications in key research fields conveying biology and medicine as well as engineering and magnetism, respectively. The thereby amenable dark-field imaging modality implied the promise to access structural information beyond reach of direct spatial resolution. However, only here a yet missing approach is reported that finally allows exploiting this outstanding potential for non-destructive materials characterizations. It enables to obtain quantitative structural small angle scattering information combined with up to 3-dimensional spatial image resolution even at lab based x-ray or at neutron sources. The implied two orders of magnitude efficiency gain as compared to currently available techniques in this regime paves the way for unprecedented structural investigations of complex sample systems of interest for material science in a vast range of fields.

Knowledge-based geographic information systems (KBGIS): New analytic and data management tools

USGS Publications Warehouse

Albert, T.M.

1988-01-01

In its simplest form, a geographic information system (GIS) may be viewed as a data base management system in which most of the data are spatially indexed, and upon which sets of procedures operate to answer queries about spatial entities represented in the data base. Utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques can enhance greatly the capabilities of a GIS, particularly in handling very large, diverse data bases involved in the earth sciences. A KBGIS has been developed by the U.S. Geological Survey which incorporates AI techniques such as learning, expert systems, new data representation, and more. The system, which will be developed further and applied, is a prototype of the next generation of GIS's, an intelligent GIS, as well as an example of a general-purpose intelligent data handling system. The paper provides a description of KBGIS and its application, as well as the AI techniques involved. ?? 1988 International Association for Mathematical Geology.

Geographic information systems in public health and medicine.

PubMed

Mullner, Ross M; Chung, Kyusuk; Croke, Kevin G; Mensah, Edward K

2004-06-01

Geographic information systems (GIS) are increasingly being used in public health and medicine. Advances in computer technology, the encouragement of its use by the federal government, and the wide availability of academic and commercial courses on GIS are responsible for its growth. Some view GIS as only a tool for spatial research and policy analysis, while others believe it is part of a larger emerging new science including geography, cartography, geodesy, and remote sensing. The specific advantages and problems of GIS are discussed. The greatest potential of GIS is its ability to clearly show the results of complex analyses through maps. Problems in using GIS include its costs, the need to adequately train staff, the use of appropriate spatial units, and the risk it poses to violating patient confidentiality. Lastly, the fourteen articles in this special issue devoted to GIS are introduced and briefly discussed.

Spatial-dependence recurrence sample entropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, Tuan D.; Yan, Hong

2018-03-01

Measuring complexity in terms of the predictability of time series is a major area of research in science and engineering, and its applications are spreading throughout many scientific disciplines, where the analysis of physiological signals is perhaps the most widely reported in literature. Sample entropy is a popular measure for quantifying signal irregularity. However, the sample entropy does not take sequential information, which is inherently useful, into its calculation of sample similarity. Here, we develop a method that is based on the mathematical principle of the sample entropy and enables the capture of sequential information of a time series in the context of spatial dependence provided by the binary-level co-occurrence matrix of a recurrence plot. Experimental results on time-series data of the Lorenz system, physiological signals of gait maturation in healthy children, and gait dynamics in Huntington's disease show the potential of the proposed method.

BOREAS Level-2 MAS Surface Reflectance and Temperature Images in BSQ Format

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Forrest G. (Editor); Newcomer, Jeffrey (Editor); Lobitz, Brad; Spanner, Michael; Strub, Richard; Lobitz, Brad

2000-01-01

The BOReal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) Staff Science Aircraft Data Acquisition Program focused on providing the research teams with the remotely sensed aircraft data products they needed to compare and spatially extend point results. The MODIS Airborne Simulator (MAS) images, along with other remotely sensed data, were collected to provide spatially extensive information over the primary study areas. This information includes biophysical parameter maps such as surface reflectance and temperature. Collection of the MAS images occurred over the study areas during the 1994 field campaigns. The level-2 MAS data cover the dates of 21-Jul-1994, 24-Jul-1994, 04-Aug-1994, and 08-Aug-1994. The data are not geographically/geometrically corrected; however, files of relative X and Y coordinates for each image pixel were derived by using the C130 navigation data in a MAS scan model. The data are provided in binary image format files.

Have I Been a Data Scientist from the Start? Parallels from the Geographic Information Science Community in the Early 1990s

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, D. J.

2013-12-01

In the early 1990s the author came of age as the technology driving the geographic information system or GIS was beginning to successfully 'handle' geospatial data at a range of scales and formats, and a wide array of information technology products emerged from an expanding GIS industry. However, that small community struggled to reflect the diverse research efforts at play in understanding the deeper issues surrounding geospatial data, and the impediments to that effective use of that data. It was from this need that geographic information science or GIScience arose, to ensure in part that GIS did not fall into the trap of being a technology in search of applications, a one-time, one-off, non-intellectual 'bag of tricks' with no substantive theory underpinning it, and suitable only for a static period of time (e.g., Goodchild, 1992). The community has since debated the issue of "tool versus science' which has also played a role in defining GIS as an actual profession. In turn, GIS has contributed to "methodological versus substantive" questions in science, leading to understandings of how the Earth works versus how the Earth should look. In the author's experience, the multidimensional structuring and scaling data, with integrative and innovative approaches to analyzing, modeling, and developing extensive and spatial data from selected places on land and at sea, have revealed how theory and application are in no way mutually exclusive, and it may often be application that advances theory, rather than vice versa. Increasingly, both the system and science of geographic information have welcomed strong collaborations among computer scientists, information scientists, and domain scientists to solve complex scientific questions. As such, they have paralleled the emergence and acceptance of "data science." And now that we are squarely in an era of regional- to global-scale observation and simulation of the Earth, produce data that are too big, move too fast, and do not fit the structures and processing capacity of conventional database systems, and the author reflects on how the potential of the GIS/GIScience world to contribute to the training and professional advancement of data science.

[Geography of science makes a difference: an appeal for public health].

PubMed

Guimarães, Maria Cristina Soares

2010-01-01

This article introduces a perspective for analyzing the relationship between geographic space and scientific practice and the possible contribution by the geography of science to understanding and developing strategies in favor of public health. Contributions by the field of social studies of science, specifically from the Actor-Network Theory and its concept of translation, and the geography of Milton Santos, form the theoretical framework that allows exploring the spatial dimensions of the production and circulation of scientific knowledge. The article discusses how this approach both enriches and challenges the recent international policies in favor of knowledge translation. The article identifies a possible contribution by the field of Information Science to favor the movement of knowledge, aiming to help minimize the imbalance between what is known in theory and what is applied in practice in health, or the so-called 'know-do gap'.

Verification of Spatial Forecasts of Continuous Meteorological Variables Using Categorical and Object-Based Methods

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-01

Using Categorical and Object-Based Methods by John W Raby and Huaqing Cai Approved for public release; distribution...by John W Raby and Huaqing Cai Computational and Information Sciences Directorate, ARL Approved for public release...AUTHOR(S) John W Raby and Huaqing Cai 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND

Experimental effects of climate messages vary geographically

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Baobao; van der Linden, Sander; Mildenberger, Matto; Marlon, Jennifer R.; Howe, Peter D.; Leiserowitz, Anthony

2018-05-01

Social science scholars routinely evaluate the efficacy of diverse climate frames using local convenience or nationally representative samples1-5. For example, previous research has focused on communicating the scientific consensus on climate change, which has been identified as a `gateway' cognition to other key beliefs about the issue6-9. Importantly, although these efforts reveal average public responsiveness to particular climate frames, they do not describe variation in message effectiveness at the spatial and political scales relevant for climate policymaking. Here we use a small-area estimation method to map geographical variation in public responsiveness to information about the scientific consensus as part of a large-scale randomized national experiment (n = 6,301). Our survey experiment finds that, on average, public perception of the consensus increases by 16 percentage points after message exposure. However, substantial spatial variation exists across the United States at state and local scales. Crucially, responsiveness is highest in more conservative parts of the country, leading to national convergence in perceptions of the climate science consensus across diverse political geographies. These findings not only advance a geographical understanding of how the public engages with information about scientific agreement, but will also prove useful for policymakers, practitioners and scientists engaged in climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Advanced Compact Holographic Data Storage System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chao, Tien-Hsin; Zhou, Hanying; Reyes, George

2000-01-01

JPL, under current sponsorship from NASA Space Science and Earth Science Programs, is developing a high-density, nonvolatile and rad-hard Advanced Holographic Memory (AHM) system to enable large-capacity, high-speed, low power consumption, and read/write of data in a space environment. The entire read/write operation will be controlled with electro-optic mechanism without any moving parts. This CHDS will consist of laser diodes, photorefractive crystal, spatial light modulator, photodetector array, and I/O electronic interface. In operation, pages of information would be recorded and retrieved with random access and highspeed. The nonvolatile, rad-hard characteristics of the holographic memory will provide a revolutionary memory technology to enhance mission capabilities for all NASA's Earth Science Mission. In this paper, recent technology progress in developing this CHDS at JPL will be presented.

Enhanced canopy fuel mapping by integrating lidar data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterson, Birgit E.; Nelson, Kurtis J.

2016-10-03

BackgroundThe Wildfire Sciences Team at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earth Resources Observation and Science Center produces vegetation type, vegetation structure, and fuel products for the United States, primarily through the Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools (LANDFIRE) program. LANDFIRE products are used across disciplines for a variety of applications. The LANDFIRE data retain their currency and relevancy through periodic updating or remapping. These updating and remapping efforts provide opportunities to improve the LANDFIRE product suite by incorporating data from other sources. Light detection and ranging (lidar) is uniquely suitable for gathering information on vegetation structure and spatial arrangement because it can collect data in three dimensions. The Wildfire Sciences Team has several completed and ongoing studies focused on integrating lidar into vegetation and fuels mapping.

MRI of chemical reactions and processes.

PubMed

Britton, Melanie M

2017-08-01

As magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can spatially resolve a wealth of molecular information available from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), it is able to non-invasively visualise the composition, properties and reactions of a broad range of spatially-heterogeneous molecular systems. Hence, MRI is increasingly finding applications in the study of chemical reactions and processes in a diverse range of environments and technologies. This article will explain the basic principles of MRI and how it can be used to visualise chemical composition and molecular properties, providing an overview of the variety of information available. Examples are drawn from the disciplines of chemistry, chemical engineering, environmental science, physics, electrochemistry and materials science. The review introduces a range of techniques used to produce image contrast, along with the chemical and molecular insight accessible through them. Methods for mapping the distribution of chemical species, using chemical shift imaging or spatially-resolved spectroscopy, are reviewed, as well as methods for visualising physical state, temperature, current density, flow velocities and molecular diffusion. Strategies for imaging materials with low signal intensity, such as those containing gases or low sensitivity nuclei, using compressed sensing, para-hydrogen or polarisation transfer, are discussed. Systems are presented which encapsulate the diversity of chemical and physical parameters observable by MRI, including one- and two-phase flow in porous media, chemical pattern formation, phase transformations and hydrodynamic (fingering) instabilities. Lastly, the emerging area of electrochemical MRI is discussed, with studies presented on the visualisation of electrochemical deposition and dissolution processes during corrosion and the operation of batteries, supercapacitors and fuel cells. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dynamic heterogeneity: a framework to promote ecological integration and hypothesis generation in urban systems

Treesearch

S. T. A. Pickett; M. L. Cadenasso; E. J. Rosi-Marshall; Ken Belt; P. M. Groffman; Morgan Grove; E. G. Irwin; S. S. Kaushal; S. L. LaDeau; C. H. Nilon; C. M. Swan; P. S. Warren

2016-01-01

Urban areas are understood to be extraordinarily spatially heterogeneous. Spatial heterogeneity, and its causes, consequences, and changes, are central to ecological science. The social sciences and urban design and planning professions also include spatial heterogeneity as a key concern. However, urban ecology, as a pursuit that integrates across these disciplines,...

Ordinary kriging vs inverse distance weighting: spatial interpolation of the sessile community of Madagascar reef, Gulf of Mexico.

PubMed

Zarco-Perello, Salvador; Simões, Nuno

2017-01-01

Information about the distribution and abundance of the habitat-forming sessile organisms in marine ecosystems is of great importance for conservation and natural resource managers. Spatial interpolation methodologies can be useful to generate this information from in situ sampling points, especially in circumstances where remote sensing methodologies cannot be applied due to small-scale spatial variability of the natural communities and low light penetration in the water column. Interpolation methods are widely used in environmental sciences; however, published studies using these methodologies in coral reef science are scarce. We compared the accuracy of the two most commonly used interpolation methods in all disciplines, inverse distance weighting (IDW) and ordinary kriging (OK), to predict the distribution and abundance of hard corals, octocorals, macroalgae, sponges and zoantharians and identify hotspots of these habitat-forming organisms using data sampled at three different spatial scales (5, 10 and 20 m) in Madagascar reef, Gulf of Mexico. The deeper sandy environments of the leeward and windward regions of Madagascar reef were dominated by macroalgae and seconded by octocorals. However, the shallow rocky environments of the reef crest had the highest richness of habitat-forming groups of organisms; here, we registered high abundances of octocorals and macroalgae, with sponges, Millepora alcicornis and zoantharians dominating in some patches, creating high levels of habitat heterogeneity. IDW and OK generated similar maps of distribution for all the taxa; however, cross-validation tests showed that IDW outperformed OK in the prediction of their abundances. When the sampling distance was at 20 m, both interpolation techniques performed poorly, but as the sampling was done at shorter distances prediction accuracies increased, especially for IDW. OK had higher mean prediction errors and failed to correctly interpolate the highest abundance values measured in situ , except for macroalgae, whereas IDW had lower mean prediction errors and high correlations between predicted and measured values in all cases when sampling was every 5 m. The accurate spatial interpolations created using IDW allowed us to see the spatial variability of each taxa at a biological and spatial resolution that remote sensing would not have been able to produce. Our study sets the basis for further research projects and conservation management in Madagascar reef and encourages similar studies in the region and other parts of the world where remote sensing technologies are not suitable for use.

The effects of online science instruction using geographic information systems to foster inquiry learning of teachers and middle school science students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagevik, Rita Anne

This study investigated the effects of using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to improve middle school students' and their teachers' understanding of environmental content and GIS. Constructivism provided the theoretical framework with Bonnstetter's inquiry evolution and Swartz's problem solving as the conceptual framework for designing these GIS units and interpreting the results. Teachers from nine schools in five counties attended a one-week workshop and follow-up session, where they learned how to teach the online Mapping Our School Site (www.ncsu.edu/scilink/studysite) and CITYgreen GIS inquiry-based problem-solving units. Two years after the workshop, two teachers from the workshop taught the six week Mapping Our School Site (MOSS) unit in the fall and one teacher from a different school taught the MOSS unit in the fall and the CITYgreen GIS unit in the spring. The students in the MOSS experimental group (n = 131) and the CITYgreen GIS comparison group (n = 33) were compared for differences in understanding of environmental content. Other factors were investigated such as students' spatial abilities, experiences, and learning preferences. Teachers and students completed the online Learning Styles Inventory (LSI), Spatial Experience Survey (SES), and the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test: Rotations (PSVT:R). Using qualitative and quantitative analyses, results indicated that the CITYgreen GIS group learned the environmental content better than the MOSS group. The MOSS group better understood how to design experiments and to use GIS to analyze problem questions. Both groups improved in problem identification and problem solving, data accuracy, and hypothesis testing. The spatial reasoning score was compared to learning style as reported on the LSI, and other spatial experiences as reported on the SES. Males scored higher than females on the spatial reasoning test, the more computer games played the higher the score, and the fewer shop classes taken the higher the score. Results indicated that 75% of the teachers' integrated GIS into classroom instruction two years after the GIS workshop. Even though teaching experience was negatively related to spatial reasoning test scores, implementation of GIS by teachers in the workshop was not influenced by years of teaching experience. The results indicate that GIS can be universally used for classroom instruction.

Ordinary kriging vs inverse distance weighting: spatial interpolation of the sessile community of Madagascar reef, Gulf of Mexico

PubMed Central

Simões, Nuno

2017-01-01

Information about the distribution and abundance of the habitat-forming sessile organisms in marine ecosystems is of great importance for conservation and natural resource managers. Spatial interpolation methodologies can be useful to generate this information from in situ sampling points, especially in circumstances where remote sensing methodologies cannot be applied due to small-scale spatial variability of the natural communities and low light penetration in the water column. Interpolation methods are widely used in environmental sciences; however, published studies using these methodologies in coral reef science are scarce. We compared the accuracy of the two most commonly used interpolation methods in all disciplines, inverse distance weighting (IDW) and ordinary kriging (OK), to predict the distribution and abundance of hard corals, octocorals, macroalgae, sponges and zoantharians and identify hotspots of these habitat-forming organisms using data sampled at three different spatial scales (5, 10 and 20 m) in Madagascar reef, Gulf of Mexico. The deeper sandy environments of the leeward and windward regions of Madagascar reef were dominated by macroalgae and seconded by octocorals. However, the shallow rocky environments of the reef crest had the highest richness of habitat-forming groups of organisms; here, we registered high abundances of octocorals and macroalgae, with sponges, Millepora alcicornis and zoantharians dominating in some patches, creating high levels of habitat heterogeneity. IDW and OK generated similar maps of distribution for all the taxa; however, cross-validation tests showed that IDW outperformed OK in the prediction of their abundances. When the sampling distance was at 20 m, both interpolation techniques performed poorly, but as the sampling was done at shorter distances prediction accuracies increased, especially for IDW. OK had higher mean prediction errors and failed to correctly interpolate the highest abundance values measured in situ, except for macroalgae, whereas IDW had lower mean prediction errors and high correlations between predicted and measured values in all cases when sampling was every 5 m. The accurate spatial interpolations created using IDW allowed us to see the spatial variability of each taxa at a biological and spatial resolution that remote sensing would not have been able to produce. Our study sets the basis for further research projects and conservation management in Madagascar reef and encourages similar studies in the region and other parts of the world where remote sensing technologies are not suitable for use. PMID:29204321

Providing the Missing Link: the Exposure Science Ontology ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Although knowledge-discovery tools are new to the exposure science community, these tools are critical for leveraging exposure information to design health studies and interpret results for improved public health decisions. Standardized ontologies define relationships, allow for automated reasoning, and facilitate meta-analyses. ExO will facilitate development of biologically relevant exposure metrics, design of in vitro toxicity tests, and incorporation of information on susceptibility and background exposures for risk assessment. In this approach, there are multiple levels of organization, from the global environment down through ecosystems, communities, indoor spaces, populations, organisms, tissues, and cells. We anticipate that the exposure science and environmental health community will adopt and contribute to this work, as wide acceptance is key to integration and federated searching of exposure data to support environmental and public health research. In particular, we anticipate acceptance of the concept that exposure science provides the spatial/temporal narrative about the intensity (concentration) of a stressor at the boundary between two systems: one functioning as an “environment” (stressor) and one functioning as a target (receptor). An agreed-upon exposure ontology with clear definitions and relationships should help to facilitate decision-making, study design and prioritization of research initiatives by enhancing the capacity for data colle

Tools and Services for Working with Multiple Land Remote Sensing Data Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krehbiel, C.; Friesz, A.; Harriman, L.; Quenzer, R.; Impecoven, K.; Maiersperger, T.

2016-12-01

The availability of increasingly large and diverse satellite remote sensing datasets provides both an opportunity and a challenge across broad Earth science research communities. On one hand, the extensive assortment of available data offer unprecedented opportunities to improve our understanding of Earth science and enable data use across a multitude of science disciplines. On the other hand, increasingly complex formats, data structures, and metadata can be an obstacle to data use for the broad user community that is interested in incorporating remote sensing Earth science data into their research. NASA's Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC) provides easy to use Python notebook tutorials for services such as accessing land remote sensing data from the LP DAAC Data Pool and interpreting data quality information from MODIS. We use examples to demonstrate the capabilities of the Application for Extracting and Exploring Analysis Ready Samples (AppEEARS), such as spatially and spectrally subsetting data, decoding valuable quality information, and exploring initial analysis results within the user interface. We also show data recipes for R and Python scripts that help users process ASTER L1T and ASTER Global Emissivity Datasets.

The Role of NASA's Planetary Data System in the Planetary Spatial Data Infrastructure Initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arvidson, R. E.; Gaddis, L. R.

2017-12-01

An effort underway in NASA's planetary science community is the Mapping and Planetary Spatial Infrastructure Team (MAPSIT, http://www.lpi.usra.edu/mapsit/). MAPSIT is a community assessment group organized to address a lack of strategic spatial data planning for space science and exploration. Working with MAPSIT, a new initiative of NASA and USGS is the development of a Planetary Spatial Data Infrastructure (PSDI) that builds on extensive knowledge on storing, accessing, and working with terrestrial spatial data. PSDI is a knowledge and technology framework that enables the efficient discovery, access, and exploitation of planetary spatial data to facilitate data analysis, knowledge synthesis, and decision-making. NASA's Planetary Data System (PDS) archives >1.2 petabytes of digital data resulting from decades of planetary exploration and research. The PDS charter focuses on the efficient collection, archiving, and accessibility of these data. The PDS emphasis on data preservation and archiving is complementary to that of the PSDI initiative because the latter utilizes and extends available data to address user needs in the areas of emerging technologies, rapid development of tailored delivery systems, and development of online collaborative research environments. The PDS plays an essential PSDI role because it provides expertise to help NASA missions and other data providers to organize and document their planetary data, to collect and maintain the archives with complete, well-documented and peer-reviewed planetary data, to make planetary data accessible by providing online data delivery tools and search services, and ultimately to ensure the long-term preservation and usability of planetary data. The current PDS4 information model extends and expands PDS metadata and relationships between and among elements of the collections. The PDS supports data delivery through several node services, including the Planetary Image Atlas (https://pds-imaging.jpl.nasa.gov/search/), the Orbital Data Explorers (http://ode.rsl.wustl.edu/), and the Planetary Image Locator Tool (PILOT, https://pilot.wr.usgs.gov/); the latter offers ties to the Integrated Software for Imagers and Spectrometers (ISIS), the premier planetary cartographic software package from USGS's Astrogeology Science Team.

Spatial Query for Planetary Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shams, Khawaja S.; Crockett, Thomas M.; Powell, Mark W.; Joswig, Joseph C.; Fox, Jason M.

2011-01-01

Science investigators need to quickly and effectively assess past observations of specific locations on a planetary surface. This innovation involves a location-based search technology that was adapted and applied to planetary science data to support a spatial query capability for mission operations software. High-performance location-based searching requires the use of spatial data structures for database organization. Spatial data structures are designed to organize datasets based on their coordinates in a way that is optimized for location-based retrieval. The particular spatial data structure that was adapted for planetary data search is the R+ tree.

Spatial big data for disaster management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shalini, R.; Jayapratha, K.; Ayeshabanu, S.; Chemmalar Selvi, G.

2017-11-01

Big data is an idea of informational collections that depicts huge measure of information and complex that conventional information preparing application program is lacking to manage them. Presently, big data is a widely known domain used in research, academic, and industries. It is utilized to store substantial measure of information in a solitary brought together one. Challenges integrate capture, allocation, analysis, information precise, visualization, distribution, interchange, delegation, inquiring, updating and information protection. In this digital world, to put away the information and recovering the data is enormous errand for the huge organizations and some time information ought to be misfortune due to circulated information putting away. For this issue the organization individuals are chosen to actualize the huge information to put away every one of the information identified with the organization they are put away in one enormous database that is known as large information. Remote sensor is a science getting data used to distinguish the items or break down the range from a separation. It is anything but difficult to discover the question effortlessly with the sensor. It makes geographic data from satellite and sensor information so in this paper dissect what are the structures are utilized for remote sensor in huge information and how the engineering is vary from each other and how they are identify with our investigations. This paper depicts how the calamity happens and figuring consequence of informational collection. And applied a seismic informational collection to compute the tremor calamity in view of classification and clustering strategy. The classical data mining algorithms for classification used are k-nearest, naive bayes and decision table and clustering used are hierarchical, make density based and simple k_means using XLMINER and WEKA tool. This paper also helps to predicts the spatial dataset by applying the XLMINER AND WEKA tool and thus the big spatial data can be well suited to this paper.

System design and implementation of digital-image processing using computational grids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Zhanfeng; Luo, Jiancheng; Zhou, Chenghu; Huang, Guangyu; Ma, Weifeng; Ming, Dongping

2005-06-01

As a special type of digital image, remotely sensed images are playing increasingly important roles in our daily lives. Because of the enormous amounts of data involved, and the difficulties of data processing and transfer, an important issue for current computer and geo-science experts is developing internet technology to implement rapid remotely sensed image processing. Computational grids are able to solve this problem effectively. These networks of computer workstations enable the sharing of data and resources, and are used by computer experts to solve imbalances of network resources and lopsided usage. In China, computational grids combined with spatial-information-processing technology have formed a new technology: namely, spatial-information grids. In the field of remotely sensed images, spatial-information grids work more effectively for network computing, data processing, resource sharing, task cooperation and so on. This paper focuses mainly on the application of computational grids to digital-image processing. Firstly, we describe the architecture of digital-image processing on the basis of computational grids, its implementation is then discussed in detail with respect to the technology of middleware. The whole network-based intelligent image-processing system is evaluated on the basis of the experimental analysis of remotely sensed image-processing tasks; the results confirm the feasibility of the application of computational grids to digital-image processing.

Computational complexity of ecological and evolutionary spatial dynamics

PubMed Central

Ibsen-Jensen, Rasmus; Chatterjee, Krishnendu; Nowak, Martin A.

2015-01-01

There are deep, yet largely unexplored, connections between computer science and biology. Both disciplines examine how information proliferates in time and space. Central results in computer science describe the complexity of algorithms that solve certain classes of problems. An algorithm is deemed efficient if it can solve a problem in polynomial time, which means the running time of the algorithm is a polynomial function of the length of the input. There are classes of harder problems for which the fastest possible algorithm requires exponential time. Another criterion is the space requirement of the algorithm. There is a crucial distinction between algorithms that can find a solution, verify a solution, or list several distinct solutions in given time and space. The complexity hierarchy that is generated in this way is the foundation of theoretical computer science. Precise complexity results can be notoriously difficult. The famous question whether polynomial time equals nondeterministic polynomial time (i.e., P = NP) is one of the hardest open problems in computer science and all of mathematics. Here, we consider simple processes of ecological and evolutionary spatial dynamics. The basic question is: What is the probability that a new invader (or a new mutant) will take over a resident population? We derive precise complexity results for a variety of scenarios. We therefore show that some fundamental questions in this area cannot be answered by simple equations (assuming that P is not equal to NP). PMID:26644569

Comparing spatially explicit ecological and social values for natural areas to identify effective conservation strategies.

PubMed

Bryan, Brett Anthony; Raymond, Christopher Mark; Crossman, Neville David; King, Darran

2011-02-01

Consideration of the social values people assign to relatively undisturbed native ecosystems is critical for the success of science-based conservation plans. We used an interview process to identify and map social values assigned to 31 ecosystem services provided by natural areas in an agricultural landscape in southern Australia. We then modeled the spatial distribution of 12 components of ecological value commonly used in setting spatial conservation priorities. We used the analytical hierarchy process to weight these components and used multiattribute utility theory to combine them into a single spatial layer of ecological value. Social values assigned to natural areas were negatively correlated with ecological values overall, but were positively correlated with some components of ecological value. In terms of the spatial distribution of values, people valued protected areas, whereas those natural areas underrepresented in the reserve system were of higher ecological value. The habitats of threatened animal species were assigned both high ecological value and high social value. Only small areas were assigned both high ecological value and high social value in the study area, whereas large areas of high ecological value were of low social value, and vice versa. We used the assigned ecological and social values to identify different conservation strategies (e.g., information sharing, community engagement, incentive payments) that may be effective for specific areas. We suggest that consideration of both ecological and social values in selection of conservation strategies can enhance the success of science-based conservation planning. ©2010 Society for Conservation Biology.

Turbulence mitigation scheme based on multiple-user detection in an orbital-angular-momentum multiplexed system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Li; Wang, Le; Zhao, Sheng-Mei; Chen, Han-Wu

2016-11-01

Atmospheric turbulence (AT) induced crosstalk can significantly impair the performance of a free-space optical (FSO) communication link using orbital angular momentum (OAM) multiplexing. In this paper, we propose a multiple-user detection (MUD) turbulence mitigation scheme in an OAM-multiplexed FSO communication link. First, we present a MUD equivalent communication model for an OAM-multiplexed FSO communication link under AT. In the equivalent model, each input bit stream represents one user’s information. The deformed OAM spatial modes caused by AT, instead of the pure OAM spatial modes, are used as information carriers, and the overlapping between the deformed OAM spatial modes are computed as the correlation coefficients between the users. Then, we present a turbulence mitigation scheme based on MUD idea to enhance AT tolerance of the OAM-multiplexed FSO communication link. In the proposed scheme, the crosstalk caused by AT is used as a useful component to deduce users’ information. The numerical results show that the performance of the OAM-multiplexed communication link has greatly improved by the proposed scheme. When the turbulence strength is 1 × 10-15 m-2/3, the transmission distance is 1000 m and the channel signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is 26 dB, the bit-error-rate (BER) performance of four spatial multiplexed OAM modes lm = +1,+2,+3,+4 are all close to 10-5, and there is a 2-3 fold increase in the BER performance in comparison with those results without the proposed scheme. In addition, the proposed scheme is more effective for an OAM-multiplexed FSO communication link with a larger OAM mode topological charge interval. The proposed scheme is a promising direction for compensating the interference caused by AT in the OAM-multiplexed FSO communication link. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61271238 and 61475075), the Open Research Fund of Key Lab of Broadband Wireless Communication and Sensor Network Technology, Ministry of Education, China (Grant No. NYKL2015011), the Postgraduate Innovation Research Plan of Jiangsu Province, China (Grant No. CXZZ13_0489), and the University Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (Grant No. 16KJB510037).

Using meta-quality to assess the utility of volunteered geographic information for science.

PubMed

Langley, Shaun A; Messina, Joseph P; Moore, Nathan

2017-11-06

Volunteered geographic information (VGI) has strong potential to be increasingly valuable to scientists in collaboration with non-scientists. The abundance of mobile phones and other wireless forms of communication open up significant opportunities for the public to get involved in scientific research. As these devices and activities become more abundant, questions of uncertainty and error in volunteer data are emerging as critical components for using volunteer-sourced spatial data. Here we present a methodology for using VGI and assessing its sensitivity to three types of error. More specifically, this study evaluates the reliability of data from volunteers based on their historical patterns. The specific context is a case study in surveillance of tsetse flies, a health concern for being the primary vector of African Trypanosomiasis. Reliability, as measured by a reputation score, determines the threshold for accepting the volunteered data for inclusion in a tsetse presence/absence model. Higher reputation scores are successful in identifying areas of higher modeled tsetse prevalence. A dynamic threshold is needed but the quality of VGI will improve as more data are collected and the errors in identifying reliable participants will decrease. This system allows for two-way communication between researchers and the public, and a way to evaluate the reliability of VGI. Boosting the public's ability to participate in such work can improve disease surveillance and promote citizen science. In the absence of active surveillance, VGI can provide valuable spatial information given that the data are reliable.

Measurement of Atmospheric Composition from Geostationary Platforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhartia, P. K.; Kawa, S. R.; Janz, S.; Herman, J. R.; Gleason, J. F.

2008-01-01

Satellite instruments flown since 1970 have had great success in elucidating the processes that control stratospheric ozone. In contrast, space-based data for tropospheric constituents that affect air quality and climate have only recently become available. While these datasets highlight the rapidly advancing capabilities of spacebased tropospheric sensors, they are also pointing to the limitations of sun-synchronous, low-earth orbiting (SSO/LEO) satellite platforms for making such measurements. In our talk we will highlight the science requirements for new missions and the technological and algorithmic approaches that we are developing to meet these requirements. From these studies a clear need for advanced atmospheric composition sensors has emerged that can be put on geostationary (GEO) platforms to provide 5 km horizontal resolution with 15-60 minutes repeat cycle. Such measurements have been high priority in the recently released Decadal Survey report by the US National Research Council. The need for GEO is driven not only by the science requirements to track rapidly changing pollution events but also by the need to provide altitude-resolved information about tropospheric constituents. Currently, with the exception of aerosols, it is not possible to derive profile information about lower tropospheric constituents from satellite measurements. New algorithmic approaches are being developed to obtain this information by combining UV and IR data, by monitoring the spatial and temporal structures of the constituents, and by using low-level clouds to separate boundary layer constituents from free troposphere. All these approaches require better spatial and temporal resolution than that provided by LEO sensors.

OrbView-3 Initial On-Orbit Characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, Kent; Blonski, Slawomir; Holekamp, Kara; Pagnutti, Mary; Zanoni, Vicki; Carver, David; Fendley, Debbie; Smith, Charles

2004-01-01

NASA at Stennis Space Center (SSC) established a Space Act Agreement with Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) and ORBIMAGE Inc. to collaborate on the characterization of the OrbView-3 system and its imagery products and to develop characterization techniques further. In accordance with the agreement, NASA performed an independent radiometric, spatial, and geopositional accuracy assessment of OrbView-3 imagery acquired before completion of the system's initial on-orbit checkout. OSC acquired OrbView-3 imagery over SSC from July 2003 through January 2004, and NASA collected ground reference information coincident with many of these acquisitions. After evaluating all acquisitions, NASA deemed two multispectral images and five panchromatic images useful for characterization. NASA then performed radiometric, spatial, and geopositional characterizations.

Synergetic Use of Crowdsourcing for Environmental Science Research, Applications and Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nair, U. S.; Thau, D.

2015-12-01

Environmental science research and applications often utilize information that is not readily available or routinely collected by government agencies. Whereas, the quality and quantity of environmental monitoring data is continually improving (e. g., spectral and spatial resolution of satellite imagery) contextual information needed to effectively utilize the data is sparse. Examples of such contextual information include ground truth data for land cover classification, presence/absence of species, prevalence of mosquito breeding sites and characteristics of urban land cover. Often, there are no agencies tasked with routine collection of such contextual information, which could be effectively collected through crowdsourcing. Crowdsourcing of such information, that is useful for environmental science research and applications, also provide opportunities for experiential learning at all levels of education. Appropriately designed crowdsourcing activity can be transform students from passive recipients of information to generators of knowledge. Multiple examples of synergistic use of crowdsourcing, developed by the Public Environmental Education and Research Apps (PEERA) group, at the University of Alabama in Huntsville will be presented. One example is crowdsourcing of land use and land cover (LULC) data using Open Data Kit (ODK) and associated analysis of satellite imagery using Google Earth Engine (GEE). Implementation of this activity as inquiry based learning exercise, for both middle school and for pre-service teachers will be discussed. Another example will detail the synergy between crowdsourcing for biodiversity mapping in southern India and environmental education. Other crowdsourcing activities that offer potential for synergy between research and public education will also be discussed.

Spatial Information in local society's cultural conservation and research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, J.-J.; Liao, H.-M.; Fan, I.-C.

2015-09-01

Center for Geographic Information Science, Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences,Academia Sinica (GIS center), Coordinate short-, medium-, and long-term operations of multidisciplinary researches focusing on related topics in the sciences and humanities. Based on the requirements of multi-disciplinary research applications, sustain collection and construction of sustaining and unifying spatial base data and knowledge and building of spatial data infrastructure. Since the 1990s, GIS center build geographic information platform: "Time and space infrastructure of Chinese civilization" (Chinese Civilizationin Time and Space, CCTS) and "Taiwan History and Culture Map" (Taiwan History and Culture in Time and Space, THCTS) . the goal of both system is constructing an integrated GIS-based application infrastructure on the spatial extent of China and Taiwan, in the timeframe of Chinese and Taiwanese history, and with the contents of Chinese and Taiwanese civilization. Base on THCTS, we began to build Cultural Resources GIS(CRGIS, http://crgis.rchss.sinica.edu.tw) in 2006, to collect temples, historic Monuments, historic buildings, old trees, wind lions god and other cultural resource in Taiwan, and provide a platform for the volunteers to make for all types of tangible, intangible cultural resources, add, edit, organize and query data via Content Management System(CMS) . CRGIS collected aggregated 13,000 temples, 4,900 churches. On this basis, draw a variety of religious beliefs map-multiple times Temple distributions, different main god distributions, church distribution. Such as Mazu maps, Multiple times temple distributions map (before 1823, 1823-1895,1895-1949,1949-2015 years) at Taijiang inner sea areas in Tainan. In Taiwan, there is a religious ritual through folk activities for a period ranging from one day to several days, passing specific geospatial range and passes through some temples or houses. Such an important folk activity somewhat similar to Western parade, called " raojing " , the main spirit is passing through of these ranges in the process, to reach the people within bless range, many scholars and academic experts's folk research are dependent on such spatial information. 2012, GIS center applied WebGIS and GPS to gather raojing activities spatial information in cooperation with multi-units, aggregated seven sessions, 22 days, 442 temples had pass through . The atlas also published named "Atlas of the 2012 Religious Processions in the Tainan Region" in 2014. we also applied national cultural resources data form relevant government authorities, through the metadata design and data processing(geocoding), established cultural geospatial and thematic information ,such as 800 monuments, 1,100 historic buildings and 4,300 old trees data. In recent years, based on CRGIS technology and operational concepts, different domain experts or local culture-ahistory research worker/team had to cooperate with us to establish local or thematic material and cultural resources. As in collaboration with local culture-history research worker in Kinmen County in 2012, build Kinmen intangible cultural assets - Wind Lion God ,set metadata and build 122 wind lion god `s attribute data and maps through field survey, it is worth mention such fieldwork data integrity is more than the official registration data form Kinmen National Park, the number of is wind lion god more than 40; in 2013,we were in cooperation with academic experts to establish property data and map of the theatre during the Japanese colonial era in Taiwan, a total of 170 theatres ; we were in cooperation with Japanese scholars, used his 44 detaile field survey data of sugar refineries during the Japanese colonial era in Taiwan ,to produce a sugar refineries distribution map and extend to a thematic web(http://map.net.tw/) [The Cultural Heritage Maps of Taiwan Suger Factories in a Century]site according to CRGIS independent cultural concept. Deployment and operation of the CRGIS, the meaning is not only build the thematic GIS system ,but also contain these concepts: Open Data, Wikipedia ,Public Participation, and we provide an interactive platform with culture resource data and geospatial technology. In addition to providing these reference material for local culture education, local cultural recognition, but to further cooperate with scholars, academic experts , local culture-history research worker / team, accumulated rich record of the past, research results, through the spatial database planning, data processing(ex. geocoding), field survey, geospatial materials overlapping, such as nesting geospatial technology to compile the cultural information and value-added applications.

On the Application of Science Systems Engineering and Uncertainty Quantification for Ice Sheet Science and Sea Level Projections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlegel, Nicole-Jeanne; Boening, Carmen; Larour, Eric; Limonadi, Daniel; Schodlok, Michael; Seroussi, Helene; Watkins, Michael

2017-04-01

Research and development activities at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) currently support the creation of a framework to formally evaluate the observational needs within earth system science. One of the pilot projects of this effort aims to quantify uncertainties in global mean sea level rise projections, due to contributions from the continental ice sheets. Here, we take advantage of established uncertainty quantification tools embedded within the JPL-University of California at Irvine Ice Sheet System Model (ISSM). We conduct sensitivity and Monte-Carlo style sampling experiments on forward simulations of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. By varying internal parameters and boundary conditions of the system over both extreme and credible worst-case ranges, we assess the impact of the different parameter ranges on century-scale sea level rise projections. The results inform efforts to a) isolate the processes and inputs that are most responsible for determining ice sheet contribution to sea level; b) redefine uncertainty brackets for century-scale projections; and c) provide a prioritized list of measurements, along with quantitative information on spatial and temporal resolution, required for reducing uncertainty in future sea level rise projections. Results indicate that ice sheet mass loss is dependent on the spatial resolution of key boundary conditions - such as bedrock topography and melt rates at the ice-ocean interface. This work is performed at and supported by the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Supercomputing time is also supported through a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Cryosphere program.

Probing the Relationship between Process of Spatial Problems Solving and Science Learning: An Eye Tracking Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Yi-Chun; Yang, Fang-Ying

2014-01-01

There were two purposes in the study. One was to explore the cognitive activities during spatial problem solving and the other to probe the relationship between spatial ability and science concept learning. Twenty university students participated in the study. The Purdue Visualization of Rotations Test (PVRT) was used to assess the spatial…

Space, relations, and the learning of science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roth, Wolff-Michael; Hsu, Pei-Ling

2014-03-01

In the literature on the situated and distributed nature of cognition, the coordination of spatial organization and the structure of human practices and relations is accepted as a fact. To date, science educators have yet to build on such research. Drawing on an ethnographic study of high school students during an internship in a scientific research laboratory, which we understand as a "perspicuous setting" and a "smart setting," in which otherwise invisible dimensions of human practices become evident, we analyze the relationship between spatial configurations of the setting and the nature and temporal organization of knowing and learning in science. Our analyses show that spatial aspects of the laboratory projectively organize how participants act and can serve as resources to help the novices to participate in difficult and unfamiliar tasks. First, existing spatial relations projectively organize the language involving interns and lab members. In particular, spatial relations projectively organize where and when pedagogical language should happen; and there are specific discursive mechanisms that produce cohesion in language across different places in the laboratory. Second, the spatial arrangements projectively organize the temporal dimensions of action. These findings allow science educators to think explicitly about organizing "smart contexts" that help learners participate in and learn complex scientific laboratory practices.

Mashup of Geo and Space Science Data Provided via Relational Databases in the Semantic Web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritschel, B.; Seelus, C.; Neher, G.; Iyemori, T.; Koyama, Y.; Yatagai, A. I.; Murayama, Y.; King, T. A.; Hughes, J. S.; Fung, S. F.; Galkin, I. A.; Hapgood, M. A.; Belehaki, A.

2014-12-01

The use of RDBMS for the storage and management of geo and space science data and/or metadata is very common. Although the information stored in tables is based on a data model and therefore well organized and structured, a direct mashup with RDF based data stored in triple stores is not possible. One solution of the problem consists in the transformation of the whole content into RDF structures and storage in triple stores. Another interesting way is the use of a specific system/service, such as e.g. D2RQ, for the access to relational database content as virtual, read only RDF graphs. The Semantic Web based -proof of concept- GFZ ISDC uses the triple store Virtuoso for the storage of general context information/metadata to geo and space science satellite and ground station data. There is information about projects, platforms, instruments, persons, product types, etc. available but no detailed metadata about the data granuals itself. Such important information, as e.g. start or end time or the detailed spatial coverage of a single measurement is stored in RDBMS tables of the ISDC catalog system only. In order to provide a seamless access to all available information about the granuals/data products a mashup of the different data resources (triple store and RDBMS) is necessary. This paper describes the use of D2RQ for a Semantic Web/SPARQL based mashup of relational databases used for ISDC data server but also for the access to IUGONET and/or ESPAS and further geo and space science data resources. RDBMS Relational Database Management System RDF Resource Description Framework SPARQL SPARQL Protocol And RDF Query Language D2RQ Accessing Relational Databases as Virtual RDF Graphs GFZ ISDC German Research Centre for Geosciences Information System and Data Center IUGONET Inter-university Upper Atmosphere Global Observation Network (Japanese project) ESPAS Near earth space data infrastructure for e-science (European Union funded project)

Varying geospatial analyses to assess climate risk and adaptive capacity in a hotter, drier Southwestern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elias, E.; Reyes, J. J.; Steele, C. M.; Rango, A.

2017-12-01

Assessing vulnerability of agricultural systems to climate variability and change is vital in securing food systems and sustaining rural livelihoods. Farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners rely on science-based, decision-relevant, and localized information to maintain production, ecological viability, and economic returns. This contribution synthesizes a collection of research on the future of agricultural production in the American Southwest (SW). Research was based on a variety of geospatial methodologies and datasets to assess the vulnerability of rangelands and livestock, field crops, specialty crops, and forests in the SW to climate-risk and change. This collection emerged from the development of regional vulnerability assessments for agricultural climate-risk by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Climate Hub Network, established to deliver science-based information and technologies to enable climate-informed decision-making. Authors defined vulnerability differently based on their agricultural system of interest, although each primarily focuses on biophysical systems. We found that an inconsistent framework for vulnerability and climate risk was necessary to adequately capture the diversity, variability, and heterogeneity of SW landscapes, peoples, and agriculture. Through the diversity of research questions and methodologies, this collection of articles provides valuable information on various aspects of SW vulnerability. All articles relied on geographic information systems technology, with highly variable levels of complexity. Agricultural articles used National Agricultural Statistics Service data, either as tabular county level summaries or through the CropScape cropland raster datasets. Most relied on modeled historic and future climate information, but with differing assumptions regarding spatial resolution and temporal framework. We assert that it is essential to evaluate climate risk using a variety of complementary methodologies and perspectives. In addition, we found that spatial analysis supports informed adaptation, within and outside the SW United States. The persistence and adaptive capacity of agriculture in the water-limited Southwest serves as an instructive example and may offer solutions to reduce future climate risk.

A Correlational Study of Seven Projective Spatial Structures with Regard to the Phases of the MOON^

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wellner, Karen Linette

1995-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between projective spatial structures and the ability to construct a scientific model. In addition, gender-related performance and the influence of prior astronomy experience on task success were evaluated. Sixty-one college science undergraduates were individually administered Piagetian tasks to assess for projective spatial structures and the ability to set up a phases of the moon model. The spatial tasks included: (a) Mountains task (coordination of perspectives); (b) Railroad task (size and intervals of objects with increasing distance); (c) Telephone Poles task (masking and ordering objects); and (d) Shadows task (spatial relationships between an object and its shadow, dependent upon the object's orientation). Cramer coefficient analyses indicated that significant relationships existed between Moon task and spatial task success. In particular, the Shadows task, requiring subjects to draw shadows of objects in different orientations, proved most difficult and was most strongly associated with with a subject's understanding of lunar phases. Chi-square tests for two independent samples were used to analyze gender performance differences on each of the Ave tasks. Males performed significantly better at a.05 significance level in regard to the Shadows task and the Moon task. Chi-square tests for two independent samples showed no significant difference in Moon task performance between subjects with astronomy or Earth science coursework, and those without such science classroom experience. Overall, only six subjects passed all seven projective spatial structure tasks. Piaget (1967) contends that concrete -operational spatial structures must be established before an individual is able to develop formal-operational patterns of thinking. The results of this study indicate that 90% of the interviewed science majors are still operating at the concrete-operational level. Several educational implications were drawn from this study: (1) The teaching of spatially dependent content to students without prerequisite spatial structures results in understanding no further beyond that which can be memorized; (2) assessment for projective spatial structures should precede science lessons dealing with time-space relationships, and (3) a student's level of spatial ability may directly impact upon interpretation of three-dimensional models.

World citation and collaboration networks: uncovering the role of geography in science

PubMed Central

Pan, Raj Kumar; Kaski, Kimmo; Fortunato, Santo

2012-01-01

Modern information and communication technologies, especially the Internet, have diminished the role of spatial distances and territorial boundaries on the access and transmissibility of information. This has enabled scientists for closer collaboration and internationalization. Nevertheless, geography remains an important factor affecting the dynamics of science. Here we present a systematic analysis of citation and collaboration networks between cities and countries, by assigning papers to the geographic locations of their authors’ affiliations. The citation flows as well as the collaboration strengths between cities decrease with the distance between them and follow gravity laws. In addition, the total research impact of a country grows linearly with the amount of national funding for research & development. However, the average impact reveals a peculiar threshold effect: the scientific output of a country may reach an impact larger than the world average only if the country invests more than about 100,000 USD per researcher annually. PMID:23198092

The influence of hazard models on GIS-based regional risk assessments and mitigation policies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bernknopf, R.L.; Rabinovici, S.J.M.; Wood, N.J.; Dinitz, L.B.

2006-01-01

Geographic information systems (GIS) are important tools for understanding and communicating the spatial distribution of risks associated with natural hazards in regional economies. We present a GIS-based decision support system (DSS) for assessing community vulnerability to natural hazards and evaluating potential mitigation policy outcomes. The Land Use Portfolio Modeler (LUPM) integrates earth science and socioeconomic information to predict the economic impacts of loss-reduction strategies. However, the potential use of such systems in decision making may be limited when multiple but conflicting interpretations of the hazard are available. To explore this problem, we conduct a policy comparison using the LUPM to test the sensitivity of three available assessments of earthquake-induced lateral-spread ground failure susceptibility in a coastal California community. We find that the uncertainty regarding the interpretation of the science inputs can influence the development and implementation of natural hazard management policies. Copyright ?? 2006 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

World citation and collaboration networks: uncovering the role of geography in science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Raj Kumar; Kaski, Kimmo; Fortunato, Santo

2012-11-01

Modern information and communication technologies, especially the Internet, have diminished the role of spatial distances and territorial boundaries on the access and transmissibility of information. This has enabled scientists for closer collaboration and internationalization. Nevertheless, geography remains an important factor affecting the dynamics of science. Here we present a systematic analysis of citation and collaboration networks between cities and countries, by assigning papers to the geographic locations of their authors' affiliations. The citation flows as well as the collaboration strengths between cities decrease with the distance between them and follow gravity laws. In addition, the total research impact of a country grows linearly with the amount of national funding for research & development. However, the average impact reveals a peculiar threshold effect: the scientific output of a country may reach an impact larger than the world average only if the country invests more than about 100,000 USD per researcher annually.

Spatial distribution of pH and organic matter in urban soils and its implications on site-specific land uses in Xuzhou, China.

PubMed

Mao, Yingming; Sang, Shuxun; Liu, Shiqi; Jia, Jinlong

2014-05-01

The spatial variation of soil pH and soil organic matter (SOM) in the urban area of Xuzhou, China, was investigated in this study. Conventional statistics, geostatistics, and a geographical information system (GIS) were used to produce spatial distribution maps and to provide information about land use types. A total of 172 soil samples were collected based on grid method in the study area. Soil pH ranged from 6.47 to 8.48, with an average of 7.62. SOM content was very variable, ranging from 3.51 g/kg to 17.12 g/kg, with an average of 8.26 g/kg. Soil pH followed a normal distribution, while SOM followed a log-normal distribution. The results of semi-variograms indicated that soil pH and SOM had strong (21%) and moderate (44%) spatial dependence, respectively. The variogram model was spherical for soil pH and exponential for SOM. The spatial distribution maps were achieved using kriging interpolation. The high pH and high SOM tended to occur in the mixed forest land cover areas such as those in the southwestern part of the urban area, while the low values were found in the eastern and the northern parts, probably due to the effect of industrial and human activities. In the central urban area, the soil pH was low, but the SOM content was high, which is mainly attributed to the disturbance of regional resident activities and urban transportation. Furthermore, anthropogenic organic particles are possible sources of organic matter after entering the soil ecosystem in urban areas. These maps provide useful information for urban planning and environmental management. Copyright © 2014 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

State of the Art of the Landscape Architecture Spatial Data Model from a Geospatial Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kastuari, A.; Suwardhi, D.; Hanan, H.; Wikantika, K.

2016-10-01

Spatial data and information had been used for some time in planning or landscape design. For a long time, architects were using spatial data in the form of topographic map for their designs. This method is not efficient, and it is also not more accurate than using spatial analysis by utilizing GIS. Architects are sometimes also only accentuating the aesthetical aspect for their design, but not taking landscape process into account which could cause the design could be not suitable for its use and its purpose. Nowadays, GIS role in landscape architecture has been formalized by the emergence of Geodesign terminology that starts in Representation Model and ends in Decision Model. The development of GIS could be seen in several fields of science that now have the urgency to use 3 dimensional GIS, such as in: 3D urban planning, flood modeling, or landscape planning. In this fields, 3 dimensional GIS is able to support the steps in modeling, analysis, management, and integration from related data, that describe the human activities and geophysics phenomena in more realistic way. Also, by applying 3D GIS and geodesign in landscape design, geomorphology information can be better presented and assessed. In some research, it is mentioned that the development of 3D GIS is not established yet, either in its 3D data structure, or in its spatial analysis function. This study literature will able to accommodate those problems by providing information on existing development of 3D GIS for landscape architecture, data modeling, the data accuracy, representation of data that is needed by landscape architecture purpose, specifically in the river area.

Visual and Experiential Learning Opportunities through Geospatial Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardiner, N.; Bulletins, S.

2007-12-01

Global observation data from satellites are essential for both research and education about Earth's climate because they help convey the temporal and spatial scales inherent to the subject, which are beyond most people's experience. Experts in the development of visualizations using spatial data distinguish the process of learning through data exploration from the process of learning by absorbing a story told from beginning to end. The former requires the viewer to absorb complex spatial and temporal dynamics inherent to visualized data and therefore is a process best undertaken by those familiar with the data and processes represented. The latter requires that the viewer understand the intended presentation of concepts, so story telling can be employed to educate viewers with varying backgrounds and familiarity with a given subject. Three examples of climate science education, drawn from the current science program Science Bulletins (American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA), demonstrate the power of visualized global earth observations for climate science education. The first example seeks to explain the potential for sea level rise on a global basis. A short feature film includes the visualized, projected effects of sea level rise at local to global scales; this visualization complements laboratory and field observations of glacier retreat and paleoclimatic reconstructions based on fossilized coral reef analysis, each of which is also depicted in the film. The narrative structure keeps learners focused on discrete scientific concepts. The second example utilizes half-hourly cloud observations to demonstrate weather and climate patterns to audiences on a global basis. Here, the scientific messages are qualitatively simpler, but the viewer must deduce his own complex visual understanding of the visualized data. Finally, we present plans for distributing climate science education products via mediated public events whereby participants learn from climate and geovisualization experts working collaboratively. This last example provides an opportunity for deep exploration of patterns and processes in a live setting and makes full use of complementary talents, including computer science, internet-enabled data sharing, remote sensing image processing, and meteorology. These innovative examples from informal educators serve as powerful pedagogical models to consider for the classroom of the future.

Submicrometre geometrically encoded fluorescent barcodes self-assembled from DNA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chenxiang; Jungmann, Ralf; Leifer, Andrew M.; Li, Chao; Levner, Daniel; Church, George M.; Shih, William M.; Yin, Peng

2012-10-01

The identification and differentiation of a large number of distinct molecular species with high temporal and spatial resolution is a major challenge in biomedical science. Fluorescence microscopy is a powerful tool, but its multiplexing ability is limited by the number of spectrally distinguishable fluorophores. Here, we used (deoxy)ribonucleic acid (DNA)-origami technology to construct submicrometre nanorods that act as fluorescent barcodes. We demonstrate that spatial control over the positioning of fluorophores on the surface of a stiff DNA nanorod can produce 216 distinct barcodes that can be decoded unambiguously using epifluorescence or total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. Barcodes with higher spatial information density were demonstrated via the construction of super-resolution barcodes with features spaced by ˜40 nm. One species of the barcodes was used to tag yeast surface receptors, which suggests their potential applications as in situ imaging probes for diverse biomolecular and cellular entities in their native environments.

Sub-micrometer Geometrically Encoded Fluorescent Barcodes Self-Assembled from DNA

PubMed Central

Lin, Chenxiang; Jungmann, Ralf; Leifer, Andrew M.; Li, Chao; Levner, Daniel; Church, George M.; Shih, William M.; Yin, Peng

2012-01-01

The identification and differentiation of a large number of distinct molecular species with high temporal and spatial resolution is a major challenge in biomedical science. Fluorescence microscopy is a powerful tool, but its multiplexing ability is limited by the number of spectrally distinguishable fluorophores. Here we use DNA-origami technology to construct sub-micrometer nanorods that act as fluorescent barcodes. We demonstrate that spatial control over the positioning of fluorophores on the surface of a stiff DNA nanorod can produce 216 distinct barcodes that can be unambiguously decoded using epifluorescence or total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy. Barcodes with higher spatial information density were demonstrated via the construction of super-resolution barcodes with features spaced by ~40 nm. One species of the barcodes was used to tag yeast surface receptors, suggesting their potential applications as in situ imaging probes for diverse biomolecular and cellular entities in their native environments. PMID:23000997

Quantitative characterization of the regressive ecological succession by fractal analysis of plant spatial patterns

USGS Publications Warehouse

Alados, C.L.; Pueyo, Y.; Giner, M.L.; Navarro, T.; Escos, J.; Barroso, F.; Cabezudo, B.; Emlen, J.M.

2003-01-01

We studied the effect of grazing on the degree of regression of successional vegetation dynamic in a semi-arid Mediterranean matorral. We quantified the spatial distribution patterns of the vegetation by fractal analyses, using the fractal information dimension and spatial autocorrelation measured by detrended fluctuation analyses (DFA). It is the first time that fractal analysis of plant spatial patterns has been used to characterize the regressive ecological succession. Plant spatial patterns were compared over a long-term grazing gradient (low, medium and heavy grazing pressure) and on ungrazed sites for two different plant communities: A middle dense matorral of Chamaerops and Periploca at Sabinar-Romeral and a middle dense matorral of Chamaerops, Rhamnus and Ulex at Requena-Montano. The two communities differed also in the microclimatic characteristics (sea oriented at the Sabinar-Romeral site and inland oriented at the Requena-Montano site). The information fractal dimension increased as we moved from a middle dense matorral to discontinuous and scattered matorral and, finally to the late regressive succession, at Stipa steppe stage. At this stage a drastic change in the fractal dimension revealed a change in the vegetation structure, accurately indicating end successional vegetation stages. Long-term correlation analysis (DFA) revealed that an increase in grazing pressure leads to unpredictability (randomness) in species distributions, a reduction in diversity, and an increase in cover of the regressive successional species, e.g. Stipa tenacissima L. These comparisons provide a quantitative characterization of the successional dynamic of plant spatial patterns in response to grazing perturbation gradient. ?? 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

A spatial classification and database for management, research, and policy making: The Great Lakes aquatic habitat framework

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wang, Lizhu; Riseng, Catherine M.; Mason, Lacey; Werhrly, Kevin; Rutherford, Edward; McKenna, James E.; Castiglione, Chris; Johnson, Lucinda B.; Infante, Dana M.; Sowa, Scott P.; Robertson, Mike; Schaeffer, Jeff; Khoury, Mary; Gaiot, John; Hollenhurst, Tom; Brooks, Colin N.; Coscarelli, Mark

2015-01-01

Managing the world's largest and most complex freshwater ecosystem, the Laurentian Great Lakes, requires a spatially hierarchical basin-wide database of ecological and socioeconomic information that is comparable across the region. To meet such a need, we developed a spatial classification framework and database — Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Framework (GLAHF). GLAHF consists of catchments, coastal terrestrial, coastal margin, nearshore, and offshore zones that encompass the entire Great Lakes Basin. The catchments captured in the database as river pour points or coastline segments are attributed with data known to influence physicochemical and biological characteristics of the lakes from the catchments. The coastal terrestrial zone consists of 30-m grid cells attributed with data from the terrestrial region that has direct connection with the lakes. The coastal margin and nearshore zones consist of 30-m grid cells attributed with data describing the coastline conditions, coastal human disturbances, and moderately to highly variable physicochemical and biological characteristics. The offshore zone consists of 1.8-km grid cells attributed with data that are spatially less variable compared with the other aquatic zones. These spatial classification zones and their associated data are nested within lake sub-basins and political boundaries and allow the synthesis of information from grid cells to classification zones, within and among political boundaries, lake sub-basins, Great Lakes, or within the entire Great Lakes Basin. This spatially structured database could help the development of basin-wide management plans, prioritize locations for funding and specific management actions, track protection and restoration progress, and conduct research for science-based decision making.

Development of the Vista Methane Emissions Inventory for Southern California: A GIS-Based Approach for Mapping Methane Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carranza, V.; Frausto-Vicencio, I.; Rafiq, T.; Verhulst, K. R.; Hopkins, F. M.; Rao, P.; Duren, R. M.; Miller, C. E.

2016-12-01

Atmospheric methane (CH4) is the second most prevalent anthropogenic greenhouse gas. Improved estimates of CH4 emissions from cities is essential for carbon cycle science and climate mitigation efforts. Development of spatially-resolved carbon emissions data sets may offer significant advances in understanding and managing carbon emissions from cities. Urban CH4 emissions in particular require spatially resolved emission maps to help resolve uncertainties in the CH4 budget. This study presents a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based approach to mapping CH4 emissions using locations of infrastructure known to handle and emit methane. We constrain the spatial distribution of sources to the facility level for the major CH4 emitting sources in the South Coast Air Basin. GIS spatial modeling was combined with publicly available datasets to determine the distribution of potential CH4 sources. The datasets were processed and validated to ensure accuracy in the location of individual sources. This information was then used to develop the Vista emissions prior, which is a one-year long, spatially-resolved CH4 emissions estimate. Methane emissions were calculated and spatially allocated to produce 1 km x 1 km gridded CH4 emission map spanning the Los Angeles Basin. In future work, the Vista CH4 emissions prior will be compared with existing, coarser-resolution emissions estimates and will be evaluated in inverse modeling studies using atmospheric observations. The Vista CH4 emissions inventory presents the first detailed spatial maps of CH4 sources and emissions estimates in the Los Angeles Basin and is a critical step towards sectoral attribution of CH4 emissions at local to regional scales.

Reducing Multisensor Satellite Monthly Mean Aerosol Optical Depth Uncertainty: 1. Objective Assessment of Current AERONET Locations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Jing; Li, Xichen; Carlson, Barbara E.; Kahn, Ralph A.; Lacis, Andrew A.; Dubovik, Oleg; Nakajima, Teruyuki

2016-01-01

Various space-based sensors have been designed and corresponding algorithms developed to retrieve aerosol optical depth (AOD), the very basic aerosol optical property, yet considerable disagreement still exists across these different satellite data sets. Surface-based observations aim to provide ground truth for validating satellite data; hence, their deployment locations should preferably contain as much spatial information as possible, i.e., high spatial representativeness. Using a novel Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF)- based approach, we objectively evaluate the spatial representativeness of current Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) sites. Multisensor monthly mean AOD data sets from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, Multiangle Imaging Spectroradiometer, Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor, Ozone Monitoring Instrument, and Polarization and Anisotropy of Reflectances for Atmospheric Sciences coupled with Observations from a Lidar are combined into a 605-member ensemble, and AERONET data are considered as the observations to be assimilated into this ensemble using the EnKF. The assessment is made by comparing the analysis error variance (that has been constrained by ground-based measurements), with the background error variance (based on satellite data alone). Results show that the total uncertainty is reduced by approximately 27% on average and could reach above 50% over certain places. The uncertainty reduction pattern also has distinct seasonal patterns, corresponding to the spatial distribution of seasonally varying aerosol types, such as dust in the spring for Northern Hemisphere and biomass burning in the fall for Southern Hemisphere. Dust and biomass burning sites have the highest spatial representativeness, rural and oceanic sites can also represent moderate spatial information, whereas the representativeness of urban sites is relatively localized. A spatial score ranging from 1 to 3 is assigned to each AERONET site based on the uncertainty reduction, indicating its representativeness level.

The Role of Geologic Mapping in NASA PDSI Planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, D. A.; Skinner, J. A.; Radebaugh, J.

2017-12-01

Geologic mapping is an investigative process designed to derive the geologic history of planetary objects at local, regional, hemispheric or global scales. Geologic maps are critical products that aid future exploration by robotic spacecraft or human missions, support resource exploration, and provide context for and help guide scientific discovery. Creation of these tools, however, can be challenging in that, relative to their terrestrial counterparts, non-terrestrial planetary geologic maps lack expansive field-based observations. They rely, instead, on integrating diverse data types wth a range of spatial scales and areal coverage. These facilitate establishment of geomorphic and geologic context but are generally limited with respect to identifying outcrop-scale textural details and resolving temporal and spatial changes in depositional environments. As a result, planetary maps should be prepared with clearly defined contact and unit descriptions as well as a range of potential interpretations. Today geologic maps can be made from images obtained during the traverses of the Mars rovers, and for every new planetary object visited by NASA orbital or flyby spacecraft (e.g., Vesta, Ceres, Titan, Enceladus, Pluto). As Solar System Exploration develops and as NASA prepares to send astronauts back to the Moon and on to Mars, the importance of geologic mapping will increase. In this presentation, we will discuss the past role of geologic mapping in NASA's planetary science activities and our thoughts on the role geologic mapping will have in exploration in the coming decades. Challenges that planetary mapping must address include, among others: 1) determine the geologic framework of all Solar System bodies through the systematic development of geologic maps at appropriate scales, 2) develop digital Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based mapping techniques and standards to assist with communicating map information to the scientific community and public, 3) develop public awareness of the role and application of geologic map-information to the resolution of national issues relevant to planetary science and eventual off-planet resource assessments, 4) use topical science to drive mapping in areas likely to be determined vital to the welfare of endeavors related to planetary science and exploration.

Remote sensing information sciences research group: Browse in the EOS era

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estes, John E.; Star, Jeffrey L.

1989-01-01

The problem of science data browse was examined. Given the tremendous data volumes that are planned for future space missions, particularly the Earth Observing System in the late 1990's, the need for access to large spatial databases must be understood. Work was continued to refine the concept of data browse. Further, software was developed to provide a testbed of the concepts, both to locate possibly interesting data, as well as view a small portion of the data. Build II was placed on a minicomputer and a PC in the laboratory, and provided accounts for use in the testbed. Consideration of the testbed software as an element of in-house data management plans was begun.

Assessing the quality of open spatial data for mobile location-based services research and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciepłuch, C.; Mooney, P.; Jacob, R.; Zheng, J.; Winstanely, A. C.

2011-12-01

New trends in GIS such as Volunteered Geographical Information (VGI), Citizen Science, and Urban Sensing, have changed the shape of the geoinformatics landscape. The OpenStreetMap (OSM) project provided us with an exciting, evolving, free and open solution as a base dataset for our geoserver and spatial data provider for our research. OSM is probably the best known and best supported example of VGI and user generated spatial content on the Internet. In this paper we will describe current results from the development of quality indicators for measures for OSM data. Initially we have analysed the Ireland OSM data in grid cells (5km) to gather statistical data about the completeness, accuracy, and fitness for purpose of the underlying spatial data. This analysis included: density of user contributions, spatial density of points and polygons, types of tags and metadata used, dominant contributors in a particular area or for a particular geographic feature type, etc. There greatest OSM activity and spatial data density is highly correlated with centres of large population. The ability to quantify and assess if VGI, such as OSM, is of sufficient quality for mobile mapping applications and Location-based services is critical to the future success of VGI as a spatial data source for these technologies.

A case study in adaptable and reusable infrastructure at the Keck Observatory Archive: VO interfaces, moving targets, and more

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berriman, G. Bruce; Cohen, Richard W.; Colson, Andrew; Gelino, Christopher R.; Good, John C.; Kong, Mihseh; Laity, Anastasia C.; Mader, Jeffrey A.; Swain, Melanie A.; Tran, Hien D.; Wang, Shin-Ywan

2016-08-01

The Keck Observatory Archive (KOA) (https://koa.ipac.caltech.edu) curates all observations acquired at the W. M. Keck Observatory (WMKO) since it began operations in 1994, including data from eight active instruments and two decommissioned instruments. The archive is a collaboration between WMKO and the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute (NExScI). Since its inception in 2004, the science information system used at KOA has adopted an architectural approach that emphasizes software re-use and adaptability. This paper describes how KOA is currently leveraging and extending open source software components to develop new services and to support delivery of a complete set of instrument metadata, which will enable more sophisticated and extensive queries than currently possible. In August 2015, KOA deployed a program interface to discover public data from all instruments equipped with an imaging mode. The interface complies with version 2 of the Simple Imaging Access Protocol (SIAP), under development by the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA), which defines a standard mechanism for discovering images through spatial queries. The heart of the KOA service is an R-tree-based, database-indexing mechanism prototyped by the Virtual Astronomical Observatory (VAO) and further developed by the Montage Image Mosaic project, designed to provide fast access to large imaging data sets as a first step in creating wide-area image mosaics (such as mosaics of subsets of the 4.7 million images of the SDSS DR9 release). The KOA service uses the results of the spatial R-tree search to create an SQLite data database for further relational filtering. The service uses a JSON configuration file to describe the association between instrument parameters and the service query parameters, and to make it applicable beyond the Keck instruments. The images generated at the Keck telescope usually do not encode the image footprints as WCS fields in the FITS file headers. Because SIAP searches are spatial, much of the effort in developing the program interface involved processing the instrument and telescope parameters to understand how accurately we can derive the WCS information for each instrument. This knowledge is now being fed back into the KOA databases as part of a program to include complete metadata information for all imaging observations. The R-tree program was itself extended to support temporal (in addition to spatial) indexing, in response to requests from the planetary science community for a search engine to discover observations of Solar System objects. With this 3D-indexing scheme, the service performs very fast time and spatial matches between the target ephemerides, obtained from the JPL SPICE service. Our experiments indicate these matches can be more than 100 times faster than when separating temporal and spatial searches. Images of the tracks of the moving targets, overlaid with the image footprints, are computed with a new command-line visualization tool, mViewer, released with the Montage distribution. The service is currently in test and will be released in late summer 2016.

Moving GIS Research Indoors: Spatiotemporal Analysis of Agricultural Animals

PubMed Central

Daigle, Courtney L.; Banerjee, Debasmit; Montgomery, Robert A.; Biswas, Subir; Siegford, Janice M.

2014-01-01

A proof of concept applying wildlife ecology techniques to animal welfare science in intensive agricultural environments was conducted using non-cage laying hens. Studies of wildlife ecology regularly use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to assess wild animal movement and behavior within environments with relatively unlimited space and finite resources. However, rather than depicting landscapes, a GIS could be developed in animal production environments to provide insight into animal behavior as an indicator of animal welfare. We developed a GIS-based approach for studying agricultural animal behavior in an environment with finite space and unlimited resources. Concurrent data from wireless body-worn location tracking sensor and video-recording systems, which depicted spatially-explicit behavior of hens (135 hens/room) in two identical indoor enclosures, were collected. The spatial configuration of specific hen behaviors, variation in home range patterns, and variation in home range overlap show that individual hens respond to the same environment differently. Such information could catalyze management practice adjustments (e.g., modifying feeder design and/or location). Genetically-similar hens exhibited diverse behavioral and spatial patterns via a proof of concept approach enabling detailed examinations of individual non-cage laying hen behavior and welfare. PMID:25098421

Frequency conversion of structured light.

PubMed

Steinlechner, Fabian; Hermosa, Nathaniel; Pruneri, Valerio; Torres, Juan P

2016-02-15

Coherent frequency conversion of structured light, i.e. the ability to manipulate the carrier frequency of a wave front without distorting its spatial phase and intensity profile, provides the opportunity for numerous novel applications in photonic technology and fundamental science. In particular, frequency conversion of spatial modes carrying orbital angular momentum can be exploited in sub-wavelength resolution nano-optics and coherent imaging at a wavelength different from that used to illuminate an object. Moreover, coherent frequency conversion will be crucial for interfacing information stored in the high-dimensional spatial structure of single and entangled photons with various constituents of quantum networks. In this work, we demonstrate frequency conversion of structured light from the near infrared (803 nm) to the visible (527 nm). The conversion scheme is based on sum-frequency generation in a periodically poled lithium niobate crystal pumped with a 1540-nm Gaussian beam. We observe frequency-converted fields that exhibit a high degree of similarity with the input field and verify the coherence of the frequency-conversion process via mode projection measurements with a phase mask and a single-mode fiber. Our results demonstrate the suitability of exploiting the technique for applications in quantum information processing and coherent imaging.

Geo-portal as a planning instrument: supporting decision making and fostering market potential of Energy efficiency in buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuca, Branka; Brumana, Raffaella; Oreni, Daniela; Iannaccone, Giuliana; Sesana, Marta Maria

2014-03-01

Steady technological progress has led to a noticeable advancement in disciplines associated with Earth observation. This has enabled information transition regarding changing scenarios, both natural and urban, to occur in (almost) real time. In particular, the need for integration on a local scale with the wider territorial framework has occurred in analysis and monitoring of built environments over the last few decades. The progress of Geographic Information (GI) science has provided significant advancements when it comes to spatial analysis, while the almost free availability of the internet has ensured a fast and constant exchange of geo-information, even for everyday users' requirements. Due to its descriptive and semantic nature, geo-spatial information is capable of providing a complete overview of a certain phenomenon and of predicting the implications within the natural, social and economic context. However, in order to integrate geospatial data into decision making processes, it is necessary to provide a specific context, which is well supported by verified data. This paper investigates the potentials of geo-portals as planning instruments developed to share multi-temporal/multi-scale spatial data, responding to specific end-users' demands in the case of Energy efficiency in Buildings (EeB) across European countries. The case study regards the GeoCluster geo-portal and mapping tool (Project GE2O, FP7), built upon a GeoClustering methodology for mapping of indicators relevant for energy efficiency technologies in the construction sector.

Universal Spatial Correlation Functions for Describing and Reconstructing Soil Microstructure

PubMed Central

Skvortsova, Elena B.; Mallants, Dirk

2015-01-01

Structural features of porous materials such as soil define the majority of its physical properties, including water infiltration and redistribution, multi-phase flow (e.g. simultaneous water/air flow, or gas exchange between biologically active soil root zone and atmosphere) and solute transport. To characterize soil microstructure, conventional soil science uses such metrics as pore size and pore-size distributions and thin section-derived morphological indicators. However, these descriptors provide only limited amount of information about the complex arrangement of soil structure and have limited capability to reconstruct structural features or predict physical properties. We introduce three different spatial correlation functions as a comprehensive tool to characterize soil microstructure: 1) two-point probability functions, 2) linear functions, and 3) two-point cluster functions. This novel approach was tested on thin-sections (2.21×2.21 cm2) representing eight soils with different pore space configurations. The two-point probability and linear correlation functions were subsequently used as a part of simulated annealing optimization procedures to reconstruct soil structure. Comparison of original and reconstructed images was based on morphological characteristics, cluster correlation functions, total number of pores and pore-size distribution. Results showed excellent agreement for soils with isolated pores, but relatively poor correspondence for soils exhibiting dual-porosity features (i.e. superposition of pores and micro-cracks). Insufficient information content in the correlation function sets used for reconstruction may have contributed to the observed discrepancies. Improved reconstructions may be obtained by adding cluster and other correlation functions into reconstruction sets. Correlation functions and the associated stochastic reconstruction algorithms introduced here are universally applicable in soil science, such as for soil classification, pore-scale modelling of soil properties, soil degradation monitoring, and description of spatial dynamics of soil microbial activity. PMID:26010779

Universal spatial correlation functions for describing and reconstructing soil microstructure.

PubMed

Karsanina, Marina V; Gerke, Kirill M; Skvortsova, Elena B; Mallants, Dirk

2015-01-01

Structural features of porous materials such as soil define the majority of its physical properties, including water infiltration and redistribution, multi-phase flow (e.g. simultaneous water/air flow, or gas exchange between biologically active soil root zone and atmosphere) and solute transport. To characterize soil microstructure, conventional soil science uses such metrics as pore size and pore-size distributions and thin section-derived morphological indicators. However, these descriptors provide only limited amount of information about the complex arrangement of soil structure and have limited capability to reconstruct structural features or predict physical properties. We introduce three different spatial correlation functions as a comprehensive tool to characterize soil microstructure: 1) two-point probability functions, 2) linear functions, and 3) two-point cluster functions. This novel approach was tested on thin-sections (2.21×2.21 cm2) representing eight soils with different pore space configurations. The two-point probability and linear correlation functions were subsequently used as a part of simulated annealing optimization procedures to reconstruct soil structure. Comparison of original and reconstructed images was based on morphological characteristics, cluster correlation functions, total number of pores and pore-size distribution. Results showed excellent agreement for soils with isolated pores, but relatively poor correspondence for soils exhibiting dual-porosity features (i.e. superposition of pores and micro-cracks). Insufficient information content in the correlation function sets used for reconstruction may have contributed to the observed discrepancies. Improved reconstructions may be obtained by adding cluster and other correlation functions into reconstruction sets. Correlation functions and the associated stochastic reconstruction algorithms introduced here are universally applicable in soil science, such as for soil classification, pore-scale modelling of soil properties, soil degradation monitoring, and description of spatial dynamics of soil microbial activity.

Spatiotemporal Thinking in the Geosciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shipley, T. F.; Manduca, C. A.; Ormand, C. J.; Tikoff, B.

2011-12-01

Reasoning about spatial relations is a critical skill for geoscientists. Within the geosciences different disciplines may reason about different sorts of relationships. These relationships may span vastly different spatial and temporal scales (from the spatial alignment in atoms in crystals to the changes in the shape of plates). As part of work in a research center on spatial thinking in STEM education, we have been working to classify the spatial skills required in geology, develop tests for each spatial skill, and develop the cognitive science tools to promote the critical spatial reasoning skills. Research in psychology, neurology and linguistics supports a broad classification of spatial skills along two dimensions: one versus many objects (which roughly translates to object- focused and navigation focused skills) and static versus dynamic spatial relations. The talk will focus on the interaction of space and time in spatial cognition in the geosciences. We are working to develop measures of skill in visualizing spatiotemporal changes. A new test developed to measure visualization of brittle deformations will be presented. This is a skill that has not been clearly recognized in the cognitive science research domain and thus illustrates the value of interdisciplinary work that combines geosciences with cognitive sciences. Teaching spatiotemporal concepts can be challenging. Recent theoretical work suggests analogical reasoning can be a powerful tool to aid student learning to reason about temporal relations using spatial skills. Recent work in our lab has found that progressive alignment of spatial and temporal scales promotes accurate reasoning about temporal relations at geological time scales.

Can citizen science contribute to fish assemblages monitoring in understudied areas? The case study of Tunisian marine protected areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ben Lamine, Emna; Di Franco, Antonio; Romdhane, Mohamed Salah; Francour, Patrice

2018-01-01

Resource monitoring is a key issue in ecosystem management especially for marine protected areas (MPAs), where information on the composition and structure of fish assemblages is crucial to design a sound management plan. Data on fish assemblage are usually collected using Underwater Visual Censuses (UVC). However, fish assemblages monitoring in MPAs usually calls for considerable resources in terms of costs, time and technical/scientific skills. Financial resources and trained scientific divers may, however, not be available in certain geographical areas, that are thus understudied. Therefore, involving citizen volunteer divers in fish assemblage monitoring and adopting easy-to-use underwater visual census methods could be an effective way to collect crucial data. Citizen science can be used only if it can provide information that is consistent with that collected using standard scientific monitoring. Here, we aim to: 1) compare the consistency of results from a Standard scientific UVC (S-UVC) and an Easy-to-use UVC (E-UVC) method in assessing fish assemblage spatial variability, and 2) test the consistency of data collected by Scientific Divers (SD) and Scientifically-Trained Volunteer divers (STV), using E-UVC. We used, in two consecutive years, three Tunisian future Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and adjacent areas as case studies. E-UVC and S-UVC data were consistent in highlighting the same spatial patterns for the three MPAs (between MPAs and, inside and outside each one). No significant difference was recorded between data collected by SD or STV. Our results suggest that E-UVC can provide information representing simplified proxies for describing fish assemblages and can therefore be a valuable tool for fish monitoring by citizen divers in understudied areas. This evidence could foster citizen science as an effective tool to raise environmental awareness and involve stakeholders in resource management.

Future and outlook: Where are we, and where will the spatial information management in wildlife ecology be in 50 years from now? [Chapter 24

Treesearch

Samuel A. Cushman; Falk Huettmann

2010-01-01

In this final chapter we briefly look back over what we have attempted in this book, and then look toward the future to discuss the outlook for overcoming the challenges we face within our fields of ecological science and in the greater application of this knowledge to enhance the prospect for a sustainable future for the biosphere. Looking back, we have tried...

The Spatial and the Visual in Mental Spatial Reasoning: An Ill-Posed Distinction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultheis, Holger; Bertel, Sven; Barkowsky, Thomas; Seifert, Inessa

It is an ongoing and controversial debate in cognitive science which aspects of knowledge humans process visually and which ones they process spatially. Similarly, artificial intelligence (AI) and cognitive science research, in building computational cognitive systems, tended to use strictly spatial or strictly visual representations. The resulting systems, however, were suboptimal both with respect to computational efficiency and cognitive plau sibility. In this paper, we propose that the problems in both research strands stem from a mis conception of the visual and the spatial in mental spatial knowl edge pro cessing. Instead of viewing the visual and the spatial as two clearly separable categories, they should be conceptualized as the extremes of a con tinuous dimension of representation. Regarding psychology, a continuous di mension avoids the need to exclusively assign processes and representations to either one of the cate gories and, thus, facilitates a more unambiguous rating of processes and rep resentations. Regarding AI and cognitive science, the con cept of a continuous spatial / visual dimension provides the possibility of rep re sentation structures which can vary continuously along the spatial / visual di mension. As a first step in exploiting these potential advantages of the pro posed conception we (a) introduce criteria allowing for a non-dichotomic judgment of processes and representations and (b) present an approach towards rep re sentation structures that can flexibly vary along the spatial / visual dimension.

Mapping the Upper Subsurface of MARS Using Radar Polarimetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, L. M.; Rincon, R.; Berkoski, L.

2012-01-01

Future human exploration of Mars will require detailed knowledge of the surface and upper several meters of the subsurface in potential landing sites. Likewise, many of the Planetary Science Decadal Survey science goals, such as understanding the history of Mars climate change, determining how the surface was altered through processes like volcanism and fluvial activity, and locating regions that may have been hospitable to life in the past, would be significantly advanced through mapping of the upper meters of the surface. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is the only remote sensing technique capable of penetrating through meters of material and imaging buried surfaces at high (meters to tens-of-meters) spatial resolution. SAR is capable of mapping the boundaries of buried units and radar polarimetry can provide quantitative information about the roughness of surface and subsurface units, depth of burial of stratigraphic units, and density of materials. Orbital SAR systems can obtain broad coverage at a spatial scale relevant to human and robotic surface operations. A polarimetric SAR system would greatly increase the safety and utility of future landed systems including sample caching.

Spatial correlation analysis of urban traffic state under a perspective of community detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yanfang; Cao, Jiandong; Qin, Yong; Jia, Limin; Dong, Honghui; Zhang, Aomuhan

2018-05-01

Understanding the spatial correlation of urban traffic state is essential for identifying the evolution patterns of urban traffic state. However, the distribution of traffic state always has characteristics of large spatial span and heterogeneity. This paper adapts the concept of community detection to the correlation network of urban traffic state and proposes a new perspective to identify the spatial correlation patterns of traffic state. In the proposed urban traffic network, the nodes represent road segments, and an edge between a pair of nodes is added depending on the result of significance test for the corresponding correlation of traffic state. Further, the process of community detection in the urban traffic network (named GWPA-K-means) is applied to analyze the spatial dependency of traffic state. The proposed method extends the traditional K-means algorithm in two steps: (i) redefines the initial cluster centers by two properties of nodes (the GWPA value and the minimum shortest path length); (ii) utilizes the weight signal propagation process to transfer the topological information of the urban traffic network into a node similarity matrix. Finally, numerical experiments are conducted on a simple network and a real urban road network in Beijing. The results show that GWPA-K-means algorithm is valid in spatial correlation analysis of traffic state. The network science and community structure analysis perform well in describing the spatial heterogeneity of traffic state on a large spatial scale.

An Interdisciplinary Approach at Studying the Earth-Sun System with GPS/GNSS and GPS-like Signals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zuffada, Cinzia; Hajj, George; Mannucci, Anthony J.; Chao, Yi; Ao, Chi; Zumberge, James

2005-01-01

The value of Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) measurements to atmospheric science, space physics, and ocean science, is now emerging or showing a potential to play a major role in the evolving programs of NASA, NSF and NOAA. The objective of this communication is to identify and articulate the key scientific questions that are optimally, or perhaps uniquely, addressed by GPS or GPS-like observations, and discuss their relevance to existing or planned national Earth-science research programs. The GPS-based ocean reflection experiments performed to date have demonstrated the precision and spatial resolution suitable to altimetric applications that require higher spatial resolution and more frequent repeat than the current radar altimeter satellites. GPS radio occultation is promising as a climate monitoring tool because of its benchmark properties: its raw observable is based on extremely accurate timing measurements. GPS-derived temperature profiles can provide meaningful climate trend information over decadal time scales without the need for overlapping missions or mission-to-mission calibrations. By acquiring data as GPS satellites occult behind the Earth's limb, GPS also provides high vertical resolution information on the vertical structure of electron density with global coverage. New experimental techniques will create more comprehensive TEC maps by using signals reflected from the oceans and received in orbit. This communication will discuss a potential future GNSS Earth Observing System project which would deploy a constellation of satellites using GPS and GPS-like measurements, to obtain a) topography measurements based on GPS reflections with an accuracy and horizontal resolution suitable for eddy monitoring, and h) climate-records quality atmospheric temperature profiles. The constellation would also provide for measurements of ionospheric elec tron density. This is a good example of an interdisciplinary mission concept, with broad science objectives of high societal relevance, al l resting on common cost-effective technology.

Data Basin: Expanding Access to Conservation Data, Tools, and People

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Comendant, T.; Strittholt, J.; Frost, P.; Ward, B. C.; Bachelet, D. M.; Osborne-Gowey, J.

2009-12-01

Mapping and spatial analysis are a fundamental part of problem solving in conservation science, yet spatial data are widely scattered, difficult to locate, and often unavailable. Valuable time and resources are wasted locating and gaining access to important biological, cultural, and economic datasets, scientific analysis, and experts. As conservation problems become more serious and the demand to solve them grows more urgent, a new way to connect science and practice is needed. To meet this need, an open-access, web tool called Data Basin (www.databasin.org) has been created by the Conservation Biology Institute in partnership with ESRI and the Wilburforce Foundation. Users of Data Basin can gain quick access to datasets, experts, groups, and tools to help solve real-world problems. Individuals and organizations can perform essential tasks such as exploring and downloading from a vast library of conservation datasets, uploading existing datasets, connecting to other external data sources, create groups, and produce customized maps that can be easily shared. Data Basin encourages sharing and publishing, but also provides privacy and security for sensitive information when needed. Users can publish projects within Data Basin to tell more complete and rich stories of discovery and solutions. Projects are an ideal way to publish collections of datasets, maps and other information on the internet to reach wider audiences. Data Basin also houses individual centers that provide direct access to data, maps, and experts focused on specific geographic areas or conservation topics. Current centers being developed include the Boreal Information Centre, the Data Basin Climate Center, and proposed Aquatic and Forest Conservation Centers.

TRMM .25 deg x .25 deg Gridded Precipitation Text Product

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stocker, Erich; Kelley, Owen

2009-01-01

Since the launch of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), the Precipitation Measurement Missions science team has endeavored to provide TRMM precipitation retrievals in a variety of formats that are more easily usable by the broad science community than the standard Hierarchical Data Format (HDF) in which TRMM data is produced and archived. At the request of users, the Precipitation Processing System (PPS) has developed a .25 x .25 gridded product in an easily used ASCII text format. The entire TRMM mission data has been made available in this format. The paper provides the details of this new precipitation product that is designated with the TRMM designator 3G68.25. The format is packaged into daily files. It provides hourly precipitation information from the TRMM microwave imager (TMI), precipitation radar (PR), and TMI/PR combined rain retrievals. A major advantage of this approach is the inclusion only of rain data, compression when a particular grid has no rain from the PR or combined, and its direct ASCII text format. For those interested only in rain retrievals and whether rain is convection or stratiform, these products provide a huge reduction in the data volume inherent in the standard TRMM products. This paper provides examples of the 3G68 data products and their uses. It also provides information about C tools that can be used to aggregate daily files into larger time samples. In addition, it describes the possibilities inherent in the spatial sampling which allows resampling into coarser spatial sampling. The paper concludes with information about downloading the gridded text data products.

Change is the only Constant: Community-Driven Questions, Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and Western Science Working Together - A Northern Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stimmelmayr, R.; Adams, B.; Harcharek, Q.; Pederson, M.; Brower, H., Jr.; Hepa, T.

2017-12-01

Hunter observations and many studies indicate that the Arctic is undergoing major changes in duration of seasonal sea ice extent and thickness, extreme weather patterns, more maritime traffic etc. Coupled to these environmental changes are noted changes in animal distribution, in migration routes and timing, in breeding season start, and arrival of new species to name just a few. The continuation of all these changes could negatively impact the rich marine mammal resources that are essential to Yupik and Iñupiat subsistence communities. The North Slope Borough Department of wildlife management community based marine mammal health research program aims to support the families and communities, as they, as in the past, continue to adapt to changing environmental conditions, changes in wildlife abundance and accessibility. Our program monitors the health of animals so we can detect diseases and contaminants early on that are of concern to people, provide veterinary medicine science based information to hunters regarding "healthy" and "hunter concern" catches, and address individual and "big picture" concerns about native food health and food security. Our collaborative work depends on IK and the sharing of knowledge. IK is an existing source of an integrated object and event-based data knowledge system with culturally rooted quantitative and qualitative aspects. It is characterized by built-in routine and periodic updating and comparison within a given spatial-temporal coverage (traditional use areas). It is the oldest on the ground wildlife health monitoring system of the Arctic. Hunters and communities provide in a meaningful spatial-temporal scale rich wildlife information and data on traditional subsistence resources. The IK based interpretation of ecological, physiological, behavioral, and pathological phenomena advances and expands western science based biological concepts.

Quantifying travel behavior for infectious disease research: a comparison of data from surveys and mobile phones

PubMed Central

Wesolowski, Amy; Stresman, Gillian; Eagle, Nathan; Stevenson, Jennifer; Owaga, Chrispin; Marube, Elizabeth; Bousema, Teun; Drakeley, Christopher; Cox, Jonathan; Buckee, Caroline O.

2014-01-01

Human travel impacts the spread of infectious diseases across spatial and temporal scales, with broad implications for the biological and social sciences. Individual data on travel patterns have been difficult to obtain, particularly in low-income countries. Travel survey data provide detailed demographic information, but sample sizes are often small and travel histories are hard to validate. Mobile phone records can provide vast quantities of spatio-temporal travel data but vary in spatial resolution and explicitly do not include individual information in order to protect the privacy of subscribers. Here we compare and contrast both sources of data over the same time period in a rural area of Kenya. Although both data sets are able to quantify broad travel patterns and distinguish regional differences in travel, each provides different insights that can be combined to form a more detailed picture of travel in low-income settings to understand the spread of infectious diseases. PMID:25022440

Quantifying travel behavior for infectious disease research: a comparison of data from surveys and mobile phones.

PubMed

Wesolowski, Amy; Stresman, Gillian; Eagle, Nathan; Stevenson, Jennifer; Owaga, Chrispin; Marube, Elizabeth; Bousema, Teun; Drakeley, Christopher; Cox, Jonathan; Buckee, Caroline O

2014-07-14

Human travel impacts the spread of infectious diseases across spatial and temporal scales, with broad implications for the biological and social sciences. Individual data on travel patterns have been difficult to obtain, particularly in low-income countries. Travel survey data provide detailed demographic information, but sample sizes are often small and travel histories are hard to validate. Mobile phone records can provide vast quantities of spatio-temporal travel data but vary in spatial resolution and explicitly do not include individual information in order to protect the privacy of subscribers. Here we compare and contrast both sources of data over the same time period in a rural area of Kenya. Although both data sets are able to quantify broad travel patterns and distinguish regional differences in travel, each provides different insights that can be combined to form a more detailed picture of travel in low-income settings to understand the spread of infectious diseases.

The NASA master directory: Quick reference guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Satin, Karen (Editor); Kanga, Carol (Editor)

1989-01-01

This is a quick reference guide to the NASA Master Directory (MD), which is a free, online, multidisciplinary directory of space and Earth science data sets (NASA and non-NASA data) that are of potential interest to the NASA-sponsored research community. The MD contains high-level descriptions of data sets, other data systems and archives, and campaigns and projects. It provides mechanisms for searching for data sets by important criteria such as geophysical parameters, time, and spatial coverage, and provides information on ordering the data. It also provides automatic connections to a number of data systems such as the NASA Climate Data System, the Planetary Data System, the NASA Ocean Data System, the Pilot Land Data System, and others. The MD includes general information about many data systems, data centers, and coordinated data analysis projects, It represents the first major step in the Catalog Interoperability project, whose objective is to enable researchers to quickly and efficiently identify, obtain information about, and get access to space and Earth science data. The guide describes how to access, use, and exit the MD and lists its features.

Holographic grating relaxation technique for soft matter science

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lesnichii, Vasilii, E-mail: vasilii.lesnichii@physchem.uni-freiburg.de; ITMO University, Kronverksky prospekt 49, Saint-Petersburg 197101; Kiessling, Andy

2016-06-17

The holographic grating relaxation technique also known as forced Rayleigh scattering consists basically in writing a holographic grating in the specimen of interest and monitoring its diffraction efficiency as a function of time, from which valuable information on mass or heat transfer and photoinduced transformations can be extracted. In a more detailed view, the shape of the relaxation curve and the relaxation rate as a function of the grating period were found to be affected by the architecture of diffusing species (molecular probes) that constitute the grating, as well as that of the environment they diffuse in, thus making itmore » possible to access and study spatial heterogeneity of materials and different modes of e.g., polymer motion. Minimum displacements and spatial domains approachable by the technique are in nanometer range, well below spatial periods of holographic gratings. In the present paper, several cases of holographic relaxation in heterogeneous media and complex motions are exemplified. Nano- to micro-structures or inhomogeneities comparable in spatial scale with holographic gratings manifest themselves in relaxation experiments via non-exponential decay (stepwise or stretched), spatial-period-dependent apparent diffusion coefficient, or unusual dependence of diffusion coefficient on molecular volume of diffusing probes.« less

Beyond Prediction: the Many Ways in which Climate Science can Inform Adaptation Decisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lempert, R. J.

2017-12-01

Climate science provides an increasingly rich understanding of current and future climate, but this understanding is often not fully incorporated into climate adaptation decisions. In particular, the provision of climate information is still trapped in a narrow prediction-based framework, which envisions a sequential process that begins with model-based forecasts of future climate and decision makers then acting on those forecasts. Among its challenges, this framework can discourage action when climate predictions are deemed too uncertain, encourage overconfidence when climate scientists and decision makers fail to focus on decision-relevant but poorly understood extreme events, and offers a too-narrow communication path among climate scientists and decision makers. This talk will describe how robust decision approaches, organized around the idea of stress testing proposed adaptation decisions over a wide range of futures, can enable a richer flow information among climate scientists and decision makers. The talk illustrates these themes with two examples: 1) conservation management that explores the tradeoffs among alternative climate information products with different combinations of ensemble size and spatial resolution and 2) water quality implementation planning that focuses on the handling of extremes.

Satellite Level 3 & 4 Data Subsetting at NASA GES DISC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huwe, Paul; Su, Jian; Loeser, Carlee; Ostrenga, Dana; Rui, Hualan; Vollmer, Bruce

2017-01-01

Earth Science data are available in many file formats (NetCDF, HDF, GRB, etc.) and in a wide range of sizes, from kilobytes to gigabytes. These properties have become a challenge to users if they are not familiar with these formats or only want a small region of interest (ROI) from a specific dataset. At NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC), we have developed and implemented a multipurpose subset service to ease user access to Earth Science data. Our Level 3 & 4 Regridder is capable of subsetting across multiple parameters (spatially, temporally, by level, and by variable) as well as having additional beneficial features (temporal means, regridding to target grids, and file conversion to other data formats). In this presentation, we will demonstrate how users can use this service to better access only the data they need in the form they require.

Role of Network Science in the Study of Anesthetic State Transitions.

PubMed

Lee, UnCheol; Mashour, George A

2018-04-23

The heterogeneity of molecular mechanisms, target neural circuits, and neurophysiologic effects of general anesthetics makes it difficult to develop a reliable and drug-invariant index of general anesthesia. No single brain region or mechanism has been identified as the neural correlate of consciousness, suggesting that consciousness might emerge through complex interactions of spatially and temporally distributed brain functions. The goal of this review article is to introduce the basic concepts of networks and explain why the application of network science to general anesthesia could be a pathway to discover a fundamental mechanism of anesthetic-induced unconsciousness. This article reviews data suggesting that reduced network efficiency, constrained network repertoires, and changes in cortical dynamics create inhospitable conditions for information processing and transfer, which lead to unconsciousness. This review proposes that network science is not just a useful tool but a necessary theoretical framework and method to uncover common principles of anesthetic-induced unconsciousness.

Satellite Level 3 & 4 Data Subsetting at NASA GES DISC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huwe, P.; Su, J.; Loeser, C. F.; Ostrenga, D.; Rui, H.; Vollmer, B.

2017-12-01

Earth Science data are available in many file formats (NetCDF, HDF, GRB, etc.) and in a wide range of sizes, from kilobytes to gigabytes. These properties have become a challenge to users if they are not familiar with these formats or only want a small region of interest (ROI) from a specific dataset. At NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC), we have developed and implemented a multipurpose subset service to ease user access to Earth Science data. Our Level 3 & 4 Regridder is capable of subsetting across multiple parameters (spatially, temporally, by level, and by variable) as well as having additional beneficial features (temporal means, regridding to target grids, and file conversion to other data formats). In this presentation, we will demonstrate how users can use this service to better access only the data they need in the form they require.

Pre-University Tuition in Science and Technology Can Influence Executive Functions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Méndez, Marta; Arias, Natalia; Menéndez, José R.; Villar, José R.; Neira, Ángel; Romano, Pedro V.; Núñez, José Carlos; Arias, Jorge L.

2014-01-01

Introduction: Scientific and technological areas include tuition based on highly visuo-spatial specialization and problem solving. Spatial skills and problem solving are embedded in a curriculum that promotes understanding of Science and technical subjects. These abilities are related to the development of executive functions (EFs). We aim to…

Citizen Monitoring during Hazards: The Case of Fukushima Radiation after the 2011 Japanese Earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hultquist, C.; Cervone, G.

2015-12-01

Citizen-led movements producing scientific environmental information are increasingly common during hazards. After the Japanese earthquake-triggered tsunami in 2011, the government produced airborne remote sensing data of the radiation levels after the Fukushima nuclear reactor failures. Advances in technology enabled citizens to monitor radiation by innovative mobile devices built from components bought on the Internet. The citizen-led Safecast project measured on-ground levels of radiation in the Fukushima prefecture which total 14 million entries to date in Japan. This non-authoritative citizen science collection recorded radiation levels at specific coordinates and times is available online, yet the reliability and validity of the data had not been assessed. The nuclear incident provided a case for assessment with comparable dimensions of citizen science and authoritative data. To perform a comparison of the datasets, standardization was required. The sensors were calibrated scientifically but collected using different units of measure. Radiation decays over time so temporal interpolation was necessary for comparison of measurements as being the same time frame. Finally, the GPS located points were selected within the overlapping spatial extent of 500 meters. This study spatially analyzes and statistically compares citizen-volunteered and government-generated radiation data. Quantitative measures are used to assess the similarity and difference in the datasets. Radiation measurements from the same geographic extents show similar spatial variations which suggests that citizen science data can be comparable with government-generated measurements. Validation of Safecast demonstrates that we can infer scientific data from unstructured and not vested data. Citizen science can provide real-time data for situational awareness which is crucial for decision making during disasters. This project provides a methodology for comparing datasets of radiological measurements over time and space. Integrating data for assessment from different earth sensing systems is an essential step to address the big data challenges of volume, velocity, variety, and veracity.

HIV Clustering in Mississippi: Spatial Epidemiological Study to Inform Implementation Science in the Deep South.

PubMed

Stopka, Thomas J; Brinkley-Rubinstein, Lauren; Johnson, Kendra; Chan, Philip A; Hutcheson, Marga; Crosby, Richard; Burke, Deirdre; Mena, Leandro; Nunn, Amy

2018-04-03

In recent years, more than half of new HIV infections in the United States occur among African Americans in the Southeastern United States. Spatial epidemiological analyses can inform public health responses in the Deep South by identifying HIV hotspots and community-level factors associated with clustering. The goal of this study was to identify and characterize HIV clusters in Mississippi through analysis of state-level HIV surveillance data. We used a combination of spatial epidemiology and statistical modeling to identify and characterize HIV hotspots in Mississippi census tracts (n=658) from 2008 to 2014. We conducted spatial analyses of all HIV infections, infections among men who have sex with men (MSM), and infections among African Americans. Multivariable logistic regression analyses identified community-level sociodemographic factors associated with HIV hotspots considering all cases. There were HIV hotspots for the entire population, MSM, and African American MSM identified in the Mississippi Delta region, Southern Mississippi, and in greater Jackson, including surrounding rural counties (P<.05). In multivariable models for all HIV cases, HIV hotspots were significantly more likely to include urban census tracts (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.01, 95% CI 1.20-3.37) and census tracts that had a higher proportion of African Americans (AOR 3.85, 95% CI 2.23-6.65). The HIV hotspots were less likely to include census tracts with residents who had less than a high school education (AOR 0.95, 95% CI 0.92-0.98), census tracts with residents belonging to two or more racial/ethnic groups (AOR 0.46, 95% CI 0.30-0.70), and census tracts that had a higher percentage of the population living below the poverty level (AOR 0.51, 95% CI 0.28-0.92). We used spatial epidemiology and statistical modeling to identify and characterize HIV hotspots for the general population, MSM, and African Americans. HIV clusters concentrated in Jackson and the Mississippi Delta. African American race and urban location were positively associated with clusters, whereas having less than a high school education and having a higher percentage of the population living below the poverty level were negatively associated with clusters. Spatial epidemiological analyses can inform implementation science and public health response strategies, including improved HIV testing, targeted prevention and risk reduction education, and tailored preexposure prophylaxis to address HIV disparities in the South. ©Thomas J Stopka, Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein, Kendra Johnson, Philip A Chan, Marga Hutcheson, Richard Crosby, Deirdre Burke, Leandro Mena, Amy Nunn. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (http://publichealth.jmir.org), 03.04.2018.

Spatial Aspects of Multi-Sensor Data Fusion: Aerosol Optical Thickness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leptoukh, Gregory; Zubko, V.; Gopalan, A.

2007-01-01

The Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) investigated the applicability and limitations of combining multi-sensor data through data fusion, to increase the usefulness of the multitude of NASA remote sensing data sets, and as part of a larger effort to integrate this capability in the GES-DISC Interactive Online Visualization and Analysis Infrastructure (Giovanni). This initial study focused on merging daily mean Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT), as measured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard the Terra and Aqua satellites, to increase spatial coverage and produce complete fields to facilitate comparison with models and station data. The fusion algorithm used the maximum likelihood technique to merge the pixel values where available. The algorithm was applied to two regional AOT subsets (with mostly regular and irregular gaps, respectively) and a set of AOT fields that differed only in the size and location of artificially created gaps. The Cumulative Semivariogram (CSV) was found to be sensitive to the spatial distribution of gap areas and, thus, useful for assessing the sensitivity of the fused data to spatial gaps.

(abstract) Topographic Signatures in Geology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farr, Tom G.; Evans, Diane L.

1996-01-01

Topographic information is required for many Earth Science investigations. For example, topography is an important element in regional and global geomorphic studies because it reflects the interplay between the climate-driven processes of erosion and the tectonic processes of uplift. A number of techniques have been developed to analyze digital topographic data, including Fourier texture analysis. A Fourier transform of the topography of an area allows the spatial frequency content of the topography to be analyzed. Band-pass filtering of the transform produces images representing the amplitude of different spatial wavelengths. These are then used in a multi-band classification to map units based on their spatial frequency content. The results using a radar image instead of digital topography showed good correspondence to a geologic map, however brightness variations in the image unrelated to topography caused errors. An additional benefit to the use of Fourier band-pass images for the classification is that the textural signatures of the units are quantative measures of the spatial characteristics of the units that may be used to map similar units in similar environments.

Advances in the use of observed spatial patterns of catchment hydrological response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grayson, Rodger B.; Blöschl, Günter; Western, Andrew W.; McMahon, Thomas A.

Over the past two decades there have been repeated calls for the collection of new data for use in developing hydrological science. The last few years have begun to bear fruit from the seeds sown by these calls, through increases in the availability and utility of remote sensing data, as well as the execution of campaigns in research catchments aimed at providing new data for advancing hydrological understanding and predictive capability. In this paper we discuss some philosophical considerations related to model complexity, data availability and predictive performance, highlighting the potential of observed patterns in moving the science and practice of catchment hydrology forward. We then review advances that have arisen from recent work on spatial patterns, including in the characterisation of spatial structure and heterogeneity, and the use of patterns for developing, calibrating and testing distributed hydrological models. We illustrate progress via examples using observed patterns of snow cover, runoff occurrence and soil moisture. Methods for the comparison of patterns are presented, illustrating how they can be used to assess hydrologically important characteristics of model performance. These methods include point-to-point comparisons, spatial relationships between errors and landscape parameters, transects, and optimal local alignment. It is argued that the progress made to date augers well for future developments, but there is scope for improvements in several areas. These include better quantitative methods for pattern comparisons, better use of pattern information in data assimilation and modelling, and a call for improved archiving of data from field studies to assist in comparative studies for generalising results and developing fundamental understanding.

Spatial Databases for CalVO Volcanoes: Current Status and Future Directions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramsey, D. W.

2013-12-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) California Volcano Observatory (CalVO) aims to advance scientific understanding of volcanic processes and to lessen harmful impacts of volcanic activity in California and Nevada. Within CalVO's area of responsibility, ten volcanoes or volcanic centers have been identified by a national volcanic threat assessment in support of developing the U.S. National Volcano Early Warning System (NVEWS) as posing moderate, high, or very high threats to surrounding communities based on their recent eruptive histories and their proximity to vulnerable people, property, and infrastructure. To better understand the extent of potential hazards at these and other volcanoes and volcanic centers, the USGS Volcano Science Center (VSC) is continually compiling spatial databases of volcano information, including: geologic mapping, hazards assessment maps, locations of geochemical and geochronological samples, and the distribution of volcanic vents. This digital mapping effort has been ongoing for over 15 years and early databases are being converted to match recent datasets compiled with new data models designed for use in: 1) generating hazard zones, 2) evaluating risk to population and infrastructure, 3) numerical hazard modeling, and 4) display and query on the CalVO as well as other VSC and USGS websites. In these capacities, spatial databases of CalVO volcanoes and their derivative map products provide an integrated and readily accessible framework of VSC hazards science to colleagues, emergency managers, and the general public.

Data Base Management Systems Panel Workshop: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Data base management systems (DBMS) for space acquired and associated data are discussed. The full range of DBMS needs is covered including acquiring, managing, storing, archiving, accessing and dissemination of data for an application. Existing bottlenecks in DBMS operations, expected developments in the field of remote sensing, communications, and computer science are discussed, and an overview of existing conditions and expected problems is presented. The requirements for a proposed spatial information system and characteristics of a comprehensive browse facility for earth observations applications are included.

Global Land Survey Impervious Mapping Project Web Site

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeColstoun, Eric Brown; Phillips, Jacqueline

2014-01-01

The Global Land Survey Impervious Mapping Project (GLS-IMP) aims to produce the first global maps of impervious cover at the 30m spatial resolution of Landsat. The project uses Global Land Survey (GLS) Landsat data as its base but incorporates training data generated from very high resolution commercial satellite data and using a Hierarchical segmentation program called Hseg. The web site contains general project information, a high level description of the science, examples of input and output data, as well as links to other relevant projects.

From fields to objects: A review of geographic boundary analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacquez, G. M.; Maruca, S.; Fortin, M.-J.

Geographic boundary analysis is a relatively new approach unfamiliar to many spatial analysts. It is best viewed as a technique for defining objects - geographic boundaries - on spatial fields, and for evaluating the statistical significance of characteristics of those boundary objects. This is accomplished using null spatial models representative of the spatial processes expected in the absence of boundary-generating phenomena. Close ties to the object-field dialectic eminently suit boundary analysis to GIS data. The majority of existing spatial methods are field-based in that they describe, estimate, or predict how attributes (variables defining the field) vary through geographic space. Such methods are appropriate for field representations but not object representations. As the object-field paradigm gains currency in geographic information science, appropriate techniques for the statistical analysis of objects are required. The methods reviewed in this paper are a promising foundation. Geographic boundary analysis is clearly a valuable addition to the spatial statistical toolbox. This paper presents the philosophy of, and motivations for geographic boundary analysis. It defines commonly used statistics for quantifying boundaries and their characteristics, as well as simulation procedures for evaluating their significance. We review applications of these techniques, with the objective of making this promising approach accessible to the GIS-spatial analysis community. We also describe the implementation of these methods within geographic boundary analysis software: GEM.

Envisioning a Planetary Spatial Data Infrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laura, J. R.; Fergason, R. L.; Skinner, J.; Gaddis, L.; Hare, T.; Hagerty, J.

2017-02-01

We present a vision of a codified Planetary Spatial Data Infrastructure to support vertical and horizontal data integration and reduce the burden of spatial data expertise from the planetary science expert.

Addressing Houston's Bad Air Days: Advancing Environmental Justice Advocacy with Geospatial Analysis and Science Communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, C.; White, R.; Phartiyal, P.

2016-12-01

Evidence indicates that chronic exposure to chemical pollutants contributes to and exacerbates negative health impacts, and that the burden of exposure falls disproportionately upon low-income, Black, and Latino communities. These data, however, are often inaccessible or too technical for the community groups who need it to raise public awareness and to inform decision makers. Recognizing the many challenges of communicating science to a non-technical audience, the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, a science-based policy and advocacy organization, partnered with Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services (TEJAS), an environmental justice organization based in Manchester in Houston, to develop products that would visualize the technical information needed to strengthen TEJAS' advocacy work. The products were created with the intention of educating and engaging community members and to raise the profile of these issues with community residents, local government and regional EPA officials. Together, we were able to map the geographic distribution of contaminants, health risks, and demographic information to tell the story of inequity in Houston. Our spatial analysis accounts for multiple sources of air pollution exposure and associated health risks, overlaid with demographic information in Manchester. The talk will discuss the various ways we used maps to display high level data to be accessible for community members. The analysis will ultimately be used by TEJAS to strengthen its advocacy around chemical safety by: 1) educating community members on the hazards and health risks of local pollutants, 2) increasing community awareness of local emergency planning and response procedures, and 3) providing scientific evidence to decision makers to demand prevention and reduction in chemical exposure for their community.

Experienced and Novice Teachers' Concepts of Spatial Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, M. Gail; Tretter, Thomas; Taylor, Amy; Oppewal, Tom

2008-01-01

Scale is one of the thematic threads that runs through nearly all of the sciences and is considered one of the major prevailing ideas of science. This study explored novice and experienced teachers' concepts of spatial scale with a focus on linear sizes from very small (nanoscale) to very large (cosmic scale). Novice teachers included…

Women and Spatial Change: Learning Resources for Social Science Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rengert, Arlene C., Ed.; Monk, Janice J., Ed.

Six units focusing on the effects of spatial change on women are designed to supplement college introductory courses in geography and the social sciences. Unit 1, Woman and Agricultural Landscapes, focuses on how women contributed to landscape change in prehistory, women's impact on the environment, and the hypothesis that women developed…

Implementing a High School Level Geospatial Technologies and Spatial Thinking Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nielsen, Curtis P.; Oberle, Alex; Sugumaran, Ramanathan

2011-01-01

Understanding geospatial technologies (GSTs) and spatial thinking is increasingly vital to contemporary life including common activities and hobbies; learning in science, mathematics, and social science; and employment within fields as diverse as engineering, health, business, and planning. As such, there is a need for a stand-alone K-12…

Six Myths About Spatial Thinking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newcombe, Nora S.; Stieff, Mike

2012-04-01

Visualizations are an increasingly important part of scientific education and discovery. However, users often do not gain knowledge from them in a complete or efficient way. This article aims to direct research on visualizations in science education in productive directions by reviewing the evidence for widespread assumptions that learning styles, sex differences, developmental stages, and spatial language determine the impact of visualizations on science learning. First, we examine the assumption that people differ in their verbal versus visual learning style. Due to the lack of rigorous evaluation, there is no current support for this distinction. Future research should distinguish between two different kinds of visual learning style. Second, we consider the belief that there are large and intractable sex differences in spatial ability resultant from immutable biological reasons. Although there are some spatial sex differences (in some types of spatial tests although not all), there is actually only very mixed support for biological causation. Most important, there is conclusive evidence that spatial skills can be improved through training and education. Third, we explore educators' use of Piaget's ideas about spatial development to draw conclusions about 'developmental appropriateness'. However, recent research on spatial development has focused on identifying sequences that begin with early starting points of skill, and spatial education is possible in some form at all ages. Fourth, although spatial language does not determine spatial thought, it does frame attention in a way that can have impact on learning and understanding. We examine the empirical support for each assumption and its relevance to future research on visualizations in science education.

Theme section for 36th International Symposium for Remote Sensing of the Environment in Berlin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trinder, John; Waske, Björn

2016-09-01

The International Symposium for Remote Sensing of the Environment (ISRSE) is the longest series of international conferences held on the topic of Remote Sensing, commencing in Ann Arbor, Michigan USA in 1962. While the name of the conference has changed over the years, it is regularly held approximately every 2 years and continues to be one of the leading international conferences on remote sensing. The latest of these conferences, the 36th ISRSE, was held in Berlin, Germany from 11 to 15 May 2015. All complete papers from the conference are available in the ISPRS International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences at http://www.int-arch-photogramm-remote-sens-spatial-inf-sci.net/XL-7-W3/index.html.

Spatially explicit data: stewardship and ethical challenges in science.

PubMed

Hartter, Joel; Ryan, Sadie J; Mackenzie, Catrina A; Parker, John N; Strasser, Carly A

2013-09-01

Scholarly communication is at an unprecedented turning point created in part by the increasing saliency of data stewardship and data sharing. Formal data management plans represent a new emphasis in research, enabling access to data at higher volumes and more quickly, and the potential for replication and augmentation of existing research. Data sharing has recently transformed the practice, scope, content, and applicability of research in several disciplines, in particular in relation to spatially specific data. This lends exciting potentiality, but the most effective ways in which to implement such changes, particularly for disciplines involving human subjects and other sensitive information, demand consideration. Data management plans, stewardship, and sharing, impart distinctive technical, sociological, and ethical challenges that remain to be adequately identified and remedied. Here, we consider these and propose potential solutions for their amelioration.

Using Geographic Information Science to Explore Associations between Air Pollution, Environmental Amenities, and Preterm Births

PubMed Central

Ogneva-Himmelberger, Yelena; Dahlberg, Tyler; Kelly, Kristen; Simas, Tiffany A. Moore

2015-01-01

The study uses geographic information science (GIS) and statistics to find out if there are statistical differences between full term and preterm births to non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic mothers in their exposure to air pollution and access to environmental amenities (green space and vendors of healthy food) in the second largest city in New England, Worcester, Massachusetts. Proximity to a Toxic Release Inventory site has a statistically significant effect on preterm birth regardless of race. The air-pollution hazard score from the Risk Screening Environmental Indicators Model is also a statistically significant factor when preterm births are categorized into three groups based on the degree of prematurity. Proximity to green space and to a healthy food vendor did not have an effect on preterm births. The study also used cluster analysis and found statistically significant spatial clusters of high preterm birth volume for non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic mothers. PMID:29546120

Using Geographic Information Science to Explore Associations between Air Pollution, Environmental Amenities, and Preterm Births.

PubMed

Ogneva-Himmelberger, Yelena; Dahlberg, Tyler; Kelly, Kristen; Simas, Tiffany A Moore

2015-01-01

The study uses geographic information science (GIS) and statistics to find out if there are statistical differences between full term and preterm births to non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic mothers in their exposure to air pollution and access to environmental amenities (green space and vendors of healthy food) in the second largest city in New England, Worcester, Massachusetts. Proximity to a Toxic Release Inventory site has a statistically significant effect on preterm birth regardless of race. The air-pollution hazard score from the Risk Screening Environmental Indicators Model is also a statistically significant factor when preterm births are categorized into three groups based on the degree of prematurity. Proximity to green space and to a healthy food vendor did not have an effect on preterm births. The study also used cluster analysis and found statistically significant spatial clusters of high preterm birth volume for non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic mothers.

ThinkSpace: Spatial Thinking in Middle School Astronomy Labs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Udomprasert, Patricia S.; Goodman, Alyssa A.; Plummer, Julia; Sadler, Philip M.; Johnson, Erin; Sunbury, Susan; Zhang, Helen; Dussault, Mary E.

2016-01-01

Critical breakthroughs in science (e.g., Einstein's Theory of General Relativity, and Watson & Crick's discovery of the structure of DNA), originated with those scientists' ability to think spatially, and research has shown that spatial ability correlates strongly with likelihood of entering a career in STEM. Mounting evidence also shows that spatial skills are malleable, i.e., they can be improved through training. We report early work from a new project that will build on this research to create a series of middle schools science labs called "Thinking Spatially about the Universe" (ThinkSpace), in which students will use a blend of physical and virtual models (in WorldWide Telescope) to explore complex 3-dimensional phenomena in space science. In the three-year ThinkSpace labs project, astronomers, technologists, and education researchers are collaborating to create and test a suite of three labs designed to improve learners' spatial abilities through studies of: 1) Moon phases and eclipses; 2) planetary systems around stars other than the Sun; and 3.) celestial motions within the broader universe. The research program will determine which elements in the labs will best promote improvement of spatial skills within activities that emphasize disciplinary core ideas; and how best to optimize interactive dynamic visualizations to maximize student understanding.

Participatory GIS in design of the Wroclaw University of Science and Technology campus web map and spatial analysis of campus area quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blachowski, Jan; Łuczak, Jakub; Zagrodnik, Paulina

2018-01-01

Public participation geographic information system (GIS) and participatory mapping data collection methods are means that enhance capacity in generating, managing, and communicating spatial information in various fields ranging from local planning to environmental management. In this study these methods have been used in two ways. The first one, to gather information on the additional functionality of campus web map expected by its potential users, i.e. students, staff and visitors, through web based survey. The second, to collect geographically referenced information on campus areas that are liked and disliked in a geo-survey carried out with ArcGIS Online GeoForm Application. The results of the first survey were used to map facilities such as: bicycle infrastructure, building entrances, wheelchair accessible infrastructure and benches. The results of the second one, to analyse the most and the least attractive parts of the campus with heat and hot spot analyses in GIS. In addition, the answers have been studied with regard to the visual and functional aspects of campus area raised in the survey. The thematic layers developed in the results of field mapping and geoprocessing of geosurvey data were included in the campus web map project. The paper describes the applied methodology of data collection, processing, analysis, interpretation and geovisualisation.

Spatial entanglement patterns and Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen steering in Bose-Einstein condensates.

PubMed

Fadel, Matteo; Zibold, Tilman; Décamps, Boris; Treutlein, Philipp

2018-04-27

Many-particle entanglement is a fundamental concept of quantum physics that still presents conceptual challenges. Although nonclassical states of atomic ensembles were used to enhance measurement precision in quantum metrology, the notion of entanglement in these systems was debated because the correlations among the indistinguishable atoms were witnessed by collective measurements only. Here, we use high-resolution imaging to directly measure the spin correlations between spatially separated parts of a spin-squeezed Bose-Einstein condensate. We observe entanglement that is strong enough for Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen steering: We can predict measurement outcomes for noncommuting observables in one spatial region on the basis of corresponding measurements in another region with an inferred uncertainty product below the Heisenberg uncertainty bound. This method could be exploited for entanglement-enhanced imaging of electromagnetic field distributions and quantum information tasks. Copyright © 2018 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

Object Persistence Enhances Spatial Navigation: A Case Study in Smartphone Vision Science.

PubMed

Liverence, Brandon M; Scholl, Brian J

2015-07-01

Violations of spatiotemporal continuity disrupt performance in many tasks involving attention and working memory, but experiments on this topic have been limited to the study of moment-by-moment on-line perception, typically assessed by passive monitoring tasks. We tested whether persisting object representations also serve as underlying units of longer-term memory and active spatial navigation, using a novel paradigm inspired by the visual interfaces common to many smartphones. Participants used key presses to navigate through simple visual environments consisting of grids of icons (depicting real-world objects), only one of which was visible at a time through a static virtual window. Participants found target icons faster when navigation involved persistence cues (via sliding animations) than when persistence was disrupted (e.g., via temporally matched fading animations), with all transitions inspired by smartphone interfaces. Moreover, this difference occurred even after explicit memorization of the relevant information, which demonstrates that object persistence enhances spatial navigation in an automatic and irresistible fashion. © The Author(s) 2015.

Femtosecond laser ablation-based mass spectrometry. An ideal tool for stoichiometric analysis of thin films

DOE PAGES

LaHaye, Nicole L.; Kurian, Jose; Diwakar, Prasoon K.; ...

2015-08-19

An accurate and routinely available method for stoichiometric analysis of thin films is a desideratum of modern materials science where a material’s properties depend sensitively on elemental composition. We thoroughly investigated femtosecond laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (fs-LA-ICP-MS) as an analytical technique for determination of the stoichiometry of thin films down to the nanometer scale. The use of femtosecond laser ablation allows for precise removal of material with high spatial and depth resolution that can be coupled to an ICP-MS to obtain elemental and isotopic information. We used molecular beam epitaxy-grown thin films of LaPd (x)Sb 2 and T´-La 2CuOmore » 4 to demonstrate the capacity of fs-LA-ICP-MS for stoichiometric analysis and the spatial and depth resolution of the technique. Here we demonstrate that the stoichiometric information of thin films with a thickness of ~10 nm or lower can be determined. Furthermore, our results indicate that fs-LA-ICP-MS provides precise information on the thin film-substrate interface and is able to detect the interdiffusion of cations.« less

XPEEM valence state imaging of mineral micro-intergrowths with a spatial resolution of 100nm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, A. D.; Schofield, P. F.; Scholl, A.; Pattrick, R. A. D.; Bridges, J. C.

2003-03-01

The crystal chemistry and textural relationships of minerals hold a vast amount of information relating to the formation, history and stability of natural materials. The application of soft X-ray spectroscopy to mineralogical material has revealed that 2p (L{2,3}) spectra provide a sensitive fingerprint of the electronic states of 3d metals. In bulk powdered samples much of the textural and microstructural information is lost, but the area-selectivity capability of X-ray Photo-Emission Electron Microscopy (XPEEM) provides the ability to obtain valence state information from mineral intergrowths with a submicron spatial resolution. Using the state-of-the-art PEEM2 facility on beamline 7.3.1.1 at the Advanced Light Source, Berkeley, USA, a range of minerals, mineral intergrowths and mineralogical textures have been studied for a broad suite of geological, planetary and environmental science materials. High-quality, multi-element valence images have been obtained showing the distribution/variation of the metal valence states across single grains or mineral intergrowths/textures at the l00 nm scale and quantitative valence state ratios can be obtained from areas of 0.01 μ m^2.

Connecting People to Place: Stories, Science, Deep Maps, and Geo-Quests for Place-Based Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagley, C. A.; Silbernagel, J.; Host, G.; Hart, D. A.; Axler, R.; Fortner, R. W.; Axler, M.; Smith, V.; Drewes, A.; Bartsch, W.; Danz, N.; Mathews, J.; Wagler, M.

2016-02-01

The St. Louis River Estuary project (stlouisriverestuary.org) is about connecting the stories with the science of this special place to enhance spatial awareness and stewardship of the estuary. The stories, or spatial narratives, are told through vignettes of local resource activities, framed by perspectives of local people. The spatial narratives, developed through interviews and research, target six key activities of the estuary. The science is based on stressor gradients research, incorporating factors such as population and road density, pollutant point source density, and land use. The stressor gradient developed based on these factors was used as a basis for sampling water quality and plant and macroinvertebrate communities, with the intent of quantifying relationships between land-based stressors and aquatic ecosystem indicators of condition. The stories and science are interwoven, located in place on a Deep Map, and played out in GeoQuests to illustrate the complexity and multiple perspectives within the estuary's social, economic and ecological systems. Students, decision-makers, and Lake Superior enthusiasts can engage more deeply in the complexity of the stories and science by challenging themselves with these GeoQuests played on mobile devices. We hope these place-based learning tools will be valuable in advancing spatial literacy and conversation around environmental sustainability in coastal communities.

Study on GIS-based sport-games information system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Hongzhi; Yang, Lingbin; Deng, Meirong; Han, Yongshun

2008-10-01

With the development of internet and such info-technologies as, Information Superhighway, Computer Technology, Remote Sensing(RS), Global Positioning System(GPS), Digital Communication and National Information Network(NIN),etc. Geographic Information System (GIS) becomes more and more popular in fields of science and industries. It is not only feasible but also necessary to apply GIS to large-scale sport games. This paper firstly discussed GIS technology and its application, then elaborated on the frame and content of Sport-Games Geography Information System(SG-GIS) with the function of gathering, storing, processing, sharing, exchanging and utilizing all kind of spatial-temporal information about sport games, and lastly designed and developed a public service GIS for the 6th Asian Winter Games in Changchun, China(CAWGIS). The application of CAWGIS showed that the established SG-GIS was feasible and GIS-based sport games information system was able to effectively process a large amount of sport-games information and provide the real-time sport games service for governors, athletes and the public.

Facing uncertainty in ecosystem services-based resource management.

PubMed

Grêt-Regamey, Adrienne; Brunner, Sibyl H; Altwegg, Jürg; Bebi, Peter

2013-09-01

The concept of ecosystem services is increasingly used as a support for natural resource management decisions. While the science for assessing ecosystem services is improving, appropriate methods to address uncertainties in a quantitative manner are missing. Ignoring parameter uncertainties, modeling uncertainties and uncertainties related to human-environment interactions can modify decisions and lead to overlooking important management possibilities. In this contribution, we present a new approach for mapping the uncertainties in the assessment of multiple ecosystem services. The spatially explicit risk approach links Bayesian networks to a Geographic Information System for forecasting the value of a bundle of ecosystem services and quantifies the uncertainties related to the outcomes in a spatially explicit manner. We demonstrate that mapping uncertainties in ecosystem services assessments provides key information for decision-makers seeking critical areas in the delivery of ecosystem services in a case study in the Swiss Alps. The results suggest that not only the total value of the bundle of ecosystem services is highly dependent on uncertainties, but the spatial pattern of the ecosystem services values changes substantially when considering uncertainties. This is particularly important for the long-term management of mountain forest ecosystems, which have long rotation stands and are highly sensitive to pressing climate and socio-economic changes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimation of Spatial Dynamic Nonparametric Durbin Models with Fixed Effects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qian, Minghui; Hu, Ridong; Chen, Jianwei

2016-01-01

Spatial panel data models have been widely studied and applied in both scientific and social science disciplines, especially in the analysis of spatial influence. In this paper, we consider the spatial dynamic nonparametric Durbin model (SDNDM) with fixed effects, which takes the nonlinear factors into account base on the spatial dynamic panel…

Pedotransfer Functions in Earth System Science: Challenges and Perspectives: PTFs in Earth system science perspective

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Van Looy, Kris; Bouma, Johan; Herbst, Michael

Soil, through its various functions, plays a vital role in the Earth's ecosystems and provides multiple ecosystem services to humanity. Pedotransfer functions (PTFs) are simple to complex knowledge rules that relate available soil information to soil properties and variables that are needed to parameterize soil processes. Here in this article, we review the existing PTFs and document the new generation of PTFs developed in the different disciplines of Earth system science. To meet the methodological challenges for a successful application in Earth system modeling, we emphasize that PTF development has to go hand in hand with suitable extrapolation and upscalingmore » techniques such that the PTFs correctly represent the spatial heterogeneity of soils. PTFs should encompass the variability of the estimated soil property or process, in such a way that the estimation of parameters allows for validation and can also confidently provide for extrapolation and upscaling purposes capturing the spatial variation in soils. Most actively pursued recent developments are related to parameterizations of solute transport, heat exchange, soil respiration, and organic carbon content, root density, and vegetation water uptake. Further challenges are to be addressed in parameterization of soil erosivity and land use change impacts at multiple scales. We argue that a comprehensive set of PTFs can be applied throughout a wide range of disciplines of Earth system science, with emphasis on land surface models. Novel sensing techniques provide a true breakthrough for this, yet further improvements are necessary for methods to deal with uncertainty and to validate applications at global scale.« less

Pedotransfer Functions in Earth System Science: Challenges and Perspectives: PTFs in Earth system science perspective

DOE PAGES

Van Looy, Kris; Bouma, Johan; Herbst, Michael; ...

2017-12-28

Soil, through its various functions, plays a vital role in the Earth's ecosystems and provides multiple ecosystem services to humanity. Pedotransfer functions (PTFs) are simple to complex knowledge rules that relate available soil information to soil properties and variables that are needed to parameterize soil processes. Here in this article, we review the existing PTFs and document the new generation of PTFs developed in the different disciplines of Earth system science. To meet the methodological challenges for a successful application in Earth system modeling, we emphasize that PTF development has to go hand in hand with suitable extrapolation and upscalingmore » techniques such that the PTFs correctly represent the spatial heterogeneity of soils. PTFs should encompass the variability of the estimated soil property or process, in such a way that the estimation of parameters allows for validation and can also confidently provide for extrapolation and upscaling purposes capturing the spatial variation in soils. Most actively pursued recent developments are related to parameterizations of solute transport, heat exchange, soil respiration, and organic carbon content, root density, and vegetation water uptake. Further challenges are to be addressed in parameterization of soil erosivity and land use change impacts at multiple scales. We argue that a comprehensive set of PTFs can be applied throughout a wide range of disciplines of Earth system science, with emphasis on land surface models. Novel sensing techniques provide a true breakthrough for this, yet further improvements are necessary for methods to deal with uncertainty and to validate applications at global scale.« less

Compact Holographic Data Storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chao, T. H.; Reyes, G. F.; Zhou, H.

2001-01-01

NASA's future missions would require massive high-speed onboard data storage capability to Space Science missions. For Space Science, such as the Europa Lander mission, the onboard data storage requirements would be focused on maximizing the spacecraft's ability to survive fault conditions (i.e., no loss in stored science data when spacecraft enters the 'safe mode') and autonomously recover from them during NASA's long-life and deep space missions. This would require the development of non-volatile memory. In order to survive in the stringent environment during space exploration missions, onboard memory requirements would also include: (1) survive a high radiation environment (1 Mrad), (2) operate effectively and efficiently for a very long time (10 years), and (3) sustain at least a billion write cycles. Therefore, memory technologies requirements of NASA's Earth Science and Space Science missions are large capacity, non-volatility, high-transfer rate, high radiation resistance, high storage density, and high power efficiency. JPL, under current sponsorship from NASA Space Science and Earth Science Programs, is developing a high-density, nonvolatile and rad-hard Compact Holographic Data Storage (CHDS) system to enable large-capacity, high-speed, low power consumption, and read/write of data in a space environment. The entire read/write operation will be controlled with electrooptic mechanism without any moving parts. This CHDS will consist of laser diodes, photorefractive crystal, spatial light modulator, photodetector array, and I/O electronic interface. In operation, pages of information would be recorded and retrieved with random access and high-speed. The nonvolatile, rad-hard characteristics of the holographic memory will provide a revolutionary memory technology meeting the high radiation challenge facing the Europa Lander mission. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Combined X-ray CT and mass spectrometry for biomedical imaging applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schioppa, E., Jr.; Ellis, S.; Bruinen, A. L.; Visser, J.; Heeren, R. M. A.; Uher, J.; Koffeman, E.

2014-04-01

Imaging technologies play a key role in many branches of science, especially in biology and medicine. They provide an invaluable insight into both internal structure and processes within a broad range of samples. There are many techniques that allow one to obtain images of an object. Different techniques are based on the analysis of a particular sample property by means of a dedicated imaging system, and as such, each imaging modality provides the researcher with different information. The use of multimodal imaging (imaging with several different techniques) can provide additional and complementary information that is not possible when employing a single imaging technique alone. In this study, we present for the first time a multi-modal imaging technique where X-ray computerized tomography (CT) is combined with mass spectrometry imaging (MSI). While X-ray CT provides 3-dimensional information regarding the internal structure of the sample based on X-ray absorption coefficients, MSI of thin sections acquired from the same sample allows the spatial distribution of many elements/molecules, each distinguished by its unique mass-to-charge ratio (m/z), to be determined within a single measurement and with a spatial resolution as low as 1 μm or even less. The aim of the work is to demonstrate how molecular information from MSI can be spatially correlated with 3D structural information acquired from X-ray CT. In these experiments, frozen samples are imaged in an X-ray CT setup using Medipix based detectors equipped with a CO2 cooled sample holder. Single projections are pre-processed before tomographic reconstruction using a signal-to-thickness calibration. In the second step, the object is sliced into thin sections (circa 20 μm) that are then imaged using both matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) and secondary ion (SIMS) mass spectrometry, where the spatial distribution of specific molecules within the sample is determined. The combination of two vastly different imaging approaches provides complementary information (i.e., anatomical and molecular distributions) that allows the correlation of distinct structural features with specific molecules distributions leading to unique insights in disease development.

The Business of Co-Production: Assessing Efforts to Bridge Science and Decision-Making for Adaptation in California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webber, S.; MacDonald, G. M.

2016-12-01

The last decades have seen scholars argue for a greater integration of science and decision-making in order to more effectively respond to climate change. It has been suggested that overcoming the gap between science, on the one hand, and policy-making and management, on the other, requires building bridges through methods of co-production, creating actionable science, or through boundary organizations. In this paper, we review attempts at co-production for policy-making and management in the context of climate change adaptation in California. Building on field research, including numerous interviews conducted with scientists and decision-makers who are co-producers of adaptation projects, we make three arguments. First, we show that an emphasis on co-production and science-informed climate change adaptation decision-making has bolstered a contract-oriented, and decentralized network-based model of producing climate science. Second, reviewing successes and failures in co-production - as reported in interviews - indicates that it is principally in cases of neatly defined, and spatially and temporarily narrow decision-making contexts, and with highly motivated decision-makers, that climate science is used. Finally, we suggest that the ideas of co-production and actionable science may have increased the institutional and organizational burden at the science-decision interface, lengthening the boundary-organization-chain rather than necessarily facilitating adaptive policy-making and management.

Exploring the Potential of the iPad and Xbox Kinect for Cognitive Science Research.

PubMed

Rolle, Camarin E; Voytek, Bradley; Gazzaley, Adam

2015-06-01

Many studies have validated consumer-facing hardware platforms as efficient, cost-effective, and accessible data collection instruments. However, there are few reports that have assessed the reliability of these platforms as assessment tools compared with traditional data collection platforms. Here we evaluated performance on a spatial attention paradigm obtained by our standard in-lab data collection platform, the personal computer (PC), and compared performance with that of two widely adopted, consumer technology devices: the Apple (Cupertino, CA) iPad(®) 2 and Microsoft (Redmond, WA) Xbox(®) Kinect(®). The task assessed spatial attention, a fundamental ability that we use to navigate the complex sensory input we face daily in order to effectively engage in goal-directed activities. Participants were presented with a central spatial cue indicating where on the screen a stimulus would appear. We manipulated spatial cueing such that, on a given trial, the cue presented one of four levels of information indicating the upcoming target location. Based on previous research, we hypothesized that as information of the cued spatial area decreased (i.e., larger area of possible target location) there would be a parametric decrease in performance, as revealed by slower response times and lower accuracies. Identical paradigm parameters were used for each of the three platforms, and testing was performed in a single session with a counterbalanced design. We found that performance on the Kinect and iPad showed a stronger parametric effect across the cued-information levels than that on the PC. Our results suggest that not only can the Kinect and iPad be reliably used as assessment tools to yield research-quality behavioral data, but that these platforms exploit mechanics that could be useful in building more interactive, and therefore effective, cognitive assessment and training designs. We include a discussion on the possible contributing factors to the differential effects between platforms, as well as potential confounds of the study.

Digital mountains: toward development and environment protection in mountain regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Xiaobo

2007-06-01

Former studies on mountain system are focused on the department or subject characters, i.e. different department and branches of learning carry out researches only for their individual purposes and with individual characters of the subject of interests. As a whole, their investigation is lacking of comprehensive study in combination with global environment. Ecological environment in mountain regions is vulnerable to the disturbance of human activities. Therefore, it is a key issue to coordinate economic development and environment protection in mountain regions. On the other hand, a lot of work is ongoing on mountain sciences, especially depending on the application of RS and GIS. Moreover, the development of the Digital Earth (DE) provides a clue to re-understand mountains. These are the background of the emergence of the Digital Mountains (DM). One of the purposes of the DM is integrating spatial related data and information about mountains. Moreover, the DM is a viewpoint and methodology of understanding and quantifying mountains holistically. The concept of the DM is that, the spatial and temporal data related to mountain regions are stored and managed in computers; moreover, manipulating, analyzing, modeling, simulating and sharing of the mountain information are implemented by utilizing technologies of RS, GIS, GPS, Geo-informatic Tupu, computer, virtual reality (VR), 3D simulation, massive storage, mutual operation and network communication. The DM aims at advancing mountain sciences and sustainable mountain development. The DM is used to providing information and method for coordinating the mountain regions development and environment protection. The fundamental work of the DM is the design of the scientific architecture. Furthermore, construct and develop massive databases of mountains are the important steps these days.

Analysis on the application of background parameters on remote sensing classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiao, Y.

Drawing accurate crop cultivation acreage, dynamic monitoring of crops growing and yield forecast are some important applications of remote sensing to agriculture. During the 8th 5-Year Plan period, the task of yield estimation using remote sensing technology for the main crops in major production regions in China once was a subtopic to the national research task titled "Study on Application of Remote sensing Technology". In 21 century in a movement launched by Chinese Ministry of Agriculture to combine high technology to farming production, remote sensing has given full play to farm crops' growth monitoring and yield forecast. And later in 2001 Chinese Ministry of Agriculture entrusted the Northern China Center of Agricultural Remote Sensing to forecast yield of some main crops like wheat, maize and rice in rather short time to supply information for the government decision maker. Present paper is a report for this task. It describes the application of background parameters in image recognition, classification and mapping with focuses on plan of the geo-science's theory, ecological feature and its cartographical objects or scale, the study of phrenology for image optimal time for classification of the ground objects, the analysis of optimal waveband composition and the application of background data base to spatial information recognition ;The research based on the knowledge of background parameters is indispensable for improving the accuracy of image classification and mapping quality and won a secondary reward of tech-science achievement from Chinese Ministry of Agriculture. Keywords: Spatial image; Classification; Background parameter

Food environments and dietary intakes among adults: does the type of spatial exposure measurement matter? A systematic review.

PubMed

Bivoltsis, Alexia; Cervigni, Eleanor; Trapp, Gina; Knuiman, Matthew; Hooper, Paula; Ambrosini, Gina Leslie

2018-06-09

The relationships between food environments and dietary intake have been assessed via a range of methodologically diverse measures of spatial exposure to food outlets, resulting in a largely inconclusive body of evidence, limiting informed policy intervention. This systematic review aims to evaluate the influence of methodological choice on study outcomes by examining the within-study effect of availability (e.g., counts) versus accessibility (e.g., proximity) spatial exposure measures on associations with diet. (PROSPERO registration: CRD42018085250). PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and ScienceDirect databases were searched for empirical studies from 1980 to 2017, in the English language, involving adults and reporting on the statistical association between a dietary outcome and spatial exposure measures of both availability and accessibility. Studies were appraised using an eight-point quality criteria with a narrative synthesis of results. A total of 205 associations and 44 relationships (i.e., multiple measures of spatial exposure relating to a particular food outlet type and dietary outcome) were extracted from 14 eligible articles. Comparative measures were dominated by counts (availability) and proximity (accessibility). Few studies compared more complex measures and all counts were derived from place-based measures of exposure. Sixteen of the 44 relationships had a significant effect involving an availability measure whilst only 8 had a significant effect from an accessibility measure. The largest effect sizes in relationships were mostly for availability measures. After stratification by scale, availability measure had the greatest effect size in 139 of the 176 pairwise comparisons. Of the 33% (68/205) of associations that reached significance, 53/68 (78%) were from availability measures. There was no relationship between study quality and reported study outcomes. The limited evidence suggests that availability measures may produce significant and greater effect sizes than accessibility measures. However, both availability and accessibility measures may be important concepts of spatial exposure depending on the food outlet type and dietary outcome examined. More studies reporting on multi-method effects are required to differentiate findings by the type of spatial exposure assessment and build an evidence base regarding the appropriateness and robustness of measures under different circumstances.

Hippocampal Modulation of Associative Learning

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-01-01

Improvement of Visual Communication and Its Impact on Spatial Learning. Third Annual Argonne Symposium for Undergraduates in Science, Engineering and...baseline for these observations. PUBLICATIONS: Goldbogen, G., Lerman, Z., Morton, D. and Wallisky, M. An Investigation of the Improvement of Visual ... Communication and Its Impact on Spatial Learning. Third Annual Argonne Symposium for Undergraduates in Science, Engineering and Mathematics (Submitted

Presentation of uncertainties on web platforms for climate change information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nocke, Thomas; Wrobel, Markus; Reusser, Dominik

2014-05-01

Climate research has a long tradition, however there is still uncertainty about the specific effects of climate change. One of the key tasks is - beyond discussing climate change and its impacts in specialist groups - to present these to a wider audience. In that respect, decision-makers in the public sector as well as directly affected professional groups require to obtain easy-to-understand information. These groups are not made up of specialist scientists. This gives rise to the challenge that the scientific information must be presented such that it is commonly understood, however, the complexity of the science behind needs to be incorporated. In particular, this requires the explicit representation of spatial and temporal uncertainty information to lay people. Within this talk/poster we survey how climate change and climate impact uncertainty information is presented on various climate service web-based platforms. We outline how the specifics of this medium make it challenging to find adequate and readable representations of uncertainties. First, we introduce a multi-step approach in communicating the uncertainty basing on a typology of uncertainty distinguishing between epistemic, natural stochastic, and human reflexive uncertainty. Then, we compare existing concepts and representations for uncertainty communication with current practices on web-based platforms, including own solutions within our web platforms ClimateImpactsOnline and ci:grasp. Finally, we review surveys on how spatial uncertainty visualization techniques are conceived by untrainded users.

Using image mapping towards biomedical and biological data sharing

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Image-based data integration in eHealth and life sciences is typically concerned with the method used for anatomical space mapping, needed to retrieve, compare and analyse large volumes of biomedical data. In mapping one image onto another image, a mechanism is used to match and find the corresponding spatial regions which have the same meaning between the source and the matching image. Image-based data integration is useful for integrating data of various information structures. Here we discuss a broad range of issues related to data integration of various information structures, review exemplary work on image representation and mapping, and discuss the challenges that these techniques may bring. PMID:24059352

Satellite, environmental, and medical information applied to epidemiological monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, Donald R.; Legters, Llewellyn J.

1991-01-01

Improved communications and space-science technologies, such as remote sensing, offer hope of new, more holistic approaches to combating many arthropod-borne disease problems. The promise offered by these technologies has surfaced at a time when global and national efforts at disease control are in decline. Indeed, these programs seem to be losing ground against the arthropod-borne diseases just as rapidly as we seem to be moving forward in technological development. Given these circumstances, we can only hope that remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) technologies can be pressed into service to help target the temporal and spatial application of control measures and to help in developing new control strategies.

Requirements and principles for the implementation and construction of large-scale geographic information systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Terence R.; Menon, Sudhakar; Star, Jeffrey L.; Estes, John E.

1987-01-01

This paper provides a brief survey of the history, structure and functions of 'traditional' geographic information systems (GIS), and then suggests a set of requirements that large-scale GIS should satisfy, together with a set of principles for their satisfaction. These principles, which include the systematic application of techniques from several subfields of computer science to the design and implementation of GIS and the integration of techniques from computer vision and image processing into standard GIS technology, are discussed in some detail. In particular, the paper provides a detailed discussion of questions relating to appropriate data models, data structures and computational procedures for the efficient storage, retrieval and analysis of spatially-indexed data.

Processing of spatial and non-spatial information in rats with lesions of the medial and lateral entorhinal cortex: Environmental complexity matters.

PubMed

Rodo, Christophe; Sargolini, Francesca; Save, Etienne

2017-03-01

The entorhinal-hippocampal circuitry has been suggested to play an important role in episodic memory but the contribution of the entorhinal cortex remains elusive. Predominant theories propose that the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) processes spatial information whereas the lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC) processes non spatial information. A recent study using an object exploration task has suggested that the involvement of the MEC and LEC spatial and non-spatial information processing could be modulated by the amount of information to be processed, i.e. environmental complexity. To address this hypothesis we used an object exploration task in which rats with excitotoxic lesions of the MEC and LEC had to detect spatial and non-spatial novelty among a set of objects and we varied environmental complexity by decreasing the number of objects or amount of object diversity. Reducing diversity resulted in restored ability to process spatial and non-spatial information in MEC and LEC groups, respectively. Reducing the number of objects yielded restored ability to process non-spatial information in the LEC group but not the ability to process spatial information in the MEC group. The findings indicate that the MEC and LEC are not strictly necessary for spatial and non-spatial processing but that their involvement depends on the complexity of the information to be processed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The ethics of Google Earth: crossing thresholds from spatial data to landscape visualisation.

PubMed

Sheppard, Stephen R J; Cizek, Petr

2009-05-01

'Virtual globe' software systems such as Google Earth are growing rapidly in popularity as a way to visualise and share 3D environmental data. Scientists and environmental professionals, many of whom are new to 3D modeling and visual communications, are beginning routinely to use such techniques in their work. While the appeal of these techniques is evident, with unprecedented opportunities for public access to data and collaborative engagement over the web, are there nonetheless risks in their widespread usage when applied in areas of the public interest such as planning and policy-making? This paper argues that the Google Earth phenomenon, which features realistic imagery of places, cannot be dealt with only as a question of spatial data and geographic information science. The virtual globe type of visualisation crosses several key thresholds in communicating scientific and environmental information, taking it well beyond the realm of conventional spatial data and geographic information science, and engaging more complex dimensions of human perception and aesthetic preference. The realism, perspective views, and social meanings of the landscape visualisations embedded in virtual globes invoke not only cognition but also emotional and intuitive responses, with associated issues of uncertainty, credibility, and bias in interpreting the imagery. This paper considers the types of risks as well as benefits that may exist with participatory uses of virtual globes by experts and lay-people. It is illustrated with early examples from practice and relevant themes from the literature in landscape visualisation and related disciplines such as environmental psychology and landscape planning. Existing frameworks and principles for the appropriate use of environmental visualisation methods are applied to the special case of widely accessible, realistic 3D and 4D visualisation systems such as Google Earth, in the context of public awareness-building and agency decision-making on environmental issues. Relevant principles are suggested which lend themselves to much-needed evaluation of risks and benefits of virtual globe systems. Possible approaches for balancing these benefits and risks include codes of ethics, software design, and metadata templates.

Creating visual explanations improves learning.

PubMed

Bobek, Eliza; Tversky, Barbara

2016-01-01

Many topics in science are notoriously difficult for students to learn. Mechanisms and processes outside student experience present particular challenges. While instruction typically involves visualizations, students usually explain in words. Because visual explanations can show parts and processes of complex systems directly, creating them should have benefits beyond creating verbal explanations. We compared learning from creating visual or verbal explanations for two STEM domains, a mechanical system (bicycle pump) and a chemical system (bonding). Both kinds of explanations were analyzed for content and learning assess by a post-test. For the mechanical system, creating a visual explanation increased understanding particularly for participants of low spatial ability. For the chemical system, creating both visual and verbal explanations improved learning without new teaching. Creating a visual explanation was superior and benefitted participants of both high and low spatial ability. Visual explanations often included crucial yet invisible features. The greater effectiveness of visual explanations appears attributable to the checks they provide for completeness and coherence as well as to their roles as platforms for inference. The benefits should generalize to other domains like the social sciences, history, and archeology where important information can be visualized. Together, the findings provide support for the use of learner-generated visual explanations as a powerful learning tool.

Medical image registration: basic science and clinical implications.

PubMed

Imran, Muhammad Babar; Meo, Sultan Ayoub; Yousuf, Mohammad; Othman, Saleh; Shahid, Abubakar

2010-01-01

Image Registration is a process of aligning two or more images so that corresponding feature can be related objectively. Integration of corresponding and complementary information from various images has become an important area of computation in medical imaging. Merging different images of the same patient taken by different modalities or acquired at different times is quite useful in interpreting lower resolution functional images, such as those provided by nuclear medicine, in determining spatial relationships of structures seen in different modalities. This will help in planning surgery and longitudinal follow up. The aim of this article was to introduce image registration to all those who are working in field of medical sciences in general and medical doctors in particular; and indicate how and where this specialty is moving to provide better health care services.

Geographic information systems: introduction.

PubMed

Calistri, Paolo; Conte, Annamaria; Freier, Jerome E; Ward, Michael P

2007-01-01

The recent exponential growth of the science and technology of geographic information systems (GIS) has made a tremendous contribution to epidemiological analysis and has led to the development of new powerful tools for the surveillance of animal diseases. GIS, spatial analysis and remote sensing provide valuable methods to collect and manage information for epidemiological surveys. Spatial patterns and trends of disease can be correlated with climatic and environmental information, thus contributing to a better understanding of the links between disease processes and explanatory spatial variables. Until recently, these tools were underexploited in the field of veterinary public health, due to the prohibitive cost of hardware and the complexity of GIS software that required a high level of expertise. The revolutionary developments in computer performance of the last decade have not only reduced the costs of equipment but have made available easy-to-use Web-based software which in turn have meant that GIS are more widely accessible by veterinary services at all levels. At the same time, the increased awareness of the possibilities offered by these tools has created new opportunities for decision-makers to enhance their planning, analysis and monitoring capabilities. These technologies offer a new way of sharing and accessing spatial and non-spatial data across groups and institutions. The series of papers included in this compilation aim to: - define the state of the art in the use of GIS in veterinary activities - identify priority needs in the development of new GIS tools at the international level for the surveillance of animal diseases and zoonoses - define practical proposals for their implementation. The topics addressed are presented in the following order in this book: - importance of GIS for the monitoring of animal diseases and zoonoses - GIS application in surveillance activities - spatial analysis in veterinary epidemiology - data collection and remote sensing applications - Web - GIS as a tool for data and knowledge sharing. All 43 manuscripts selected for this book have been peer-reviewed. These contributions were originally commissioned for the First international conference on the use of GIS in veterinary activities organised by the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise 'G. Caporale', Teramo, Italy, and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE: Office International des Epizooties) that was held in Silvi Marina, Italy, from 8 to 11 October 2006. The editors would like to thank all authors for their valuable contributions.

Strategy generalization across orientation tasks: testing a computational cognitive model.

PubMed

Gunzelmann, Glenn

2008-07-08

Humans use their spatial information processing abilities flexibly to facilitate problem solving and decision making in a variety of tasks. This article explores the question of whether a general strategy can be adapted for performing two different spatial orientation tasks by testing the predictions of a computational cognitive model. Human performance was measured on an orientation task requiring participants to identify the location of a target either on a map (find-on-map) or within an egocentric view of a space (find-in-scene). A general strategy instantiated in a computational cognitive model of the find-on-map task, based on the results from Gunzelmann and Anderson (2006), was adapted to perform both tasks and used to generate performance predictions for a new study. The qualitative fit of the model to the human data supports the view that participants were able to tailor a general strategy to the requirements of particular spatial tasks. The quantitative differences between the predictions of the model and the performance of human participants in the new experiment expose individual differences in sample populations. The model provides a means of accounting for those differences and a framework for understanding how human spatial abilities are applied to naturalistic spatial tasks that involve reasoning with maps. 2008 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Think3d!: Improving Mathematics Learning through Embodied Spatial Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burte, Heather; Gardony, Aaron L.; Hutton, Allyson; Taylor, Holly A.

2017-01-01

Spatial thinking skills positively relate to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) outcomes, but spatial training is largely absent in elementary school. Elementary school is a time when children develop foundational cognitive skills that will support STEM learning throughout their education. Spatial thinking should be considered a…

Strategy Training Eliminates Sex Differences in Spatial Problem Solving in a STEM Domain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stieff, Mike; Dixon, Bonnie L.; Ryu, Minjung; Kumi, Bryna C.; Hegarty, Mary

2014-01-01

Poor spatial ability can limit success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Many initiatives aim to increase STEM achievement and degree attainment through selective recruitment of high-spatial students or targeted training to improve spatial ability. The current study examines an alternative approach to…

Egocentric-updating during navigation facilitates episodic memory retrieval.

PubMed

Gomez, Alice; Rousset, Stéphane; Baciu, Monica

2009-11-01

Influential models suggest that spatial processing is essential for episodic memory [O'Keefe, J., & Nadel, L. (1978). The hippocampus as a cognitive map. London: Oxford University Press]. However, although several types of spatial relations exist, such as allocentric (i.e. object-to-object relations), egocentric (i.e. static object-to-self relations) or egocentric updated on navigation information (i.e. self-to-environment relations in a dynamic way), usually only allocentric representations are described as potentially subserving episodic memory [Nadel, L., & Moscovitch, M. (1998). Hippocampal contributions to cortical plasticity. Neuropharmacology, 37(4-5), 431-439]. This study proposes to confront the allocentric representation hypothesis with an egocentric updated with self-motion representation hypothesis. In the present study, we explored retrieval performance in relation to these two types of spatial processing levels during learning. Episodic remembering has been assessed through Remember responses in a recall and in a recognition task, combined with a "Remember-Know-Guess" paradigm [Gardiner, J. M. (2001). Episodic memory and autonoetic consciousness: A first-person approach. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 356(1413), 1351-1361] to assess the autonoetic level of responses. Our results show that retrieval performance was significantly higher when encoding was performed in the egocentric-updated condition. Although egocentric updated with self-motion and allocentric representations are not mutually exclusive, these results suggest that egocentric updating processing facilitates remember responses more than allocentric processing. The results are discussed according to Burgess and colleagues' model of episodic memory [Burgess, N., Becker, S., King, J. A., & O'Keefe, J. (2001). Memory for events and their spatial context: models and experiments. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences, 356(1413), 1493-1503].

Science Enabled by Ocean Observatory Acoustics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howe, B. M.; Lee, C.; Gobat, J.; Freitag, L.; Miller, J. H.; Committee, I.

2004-12-01

Ocean observatories have the potential to examine the physical, chemical, biological, and geological parameters and processes of the ocean at time and space scales previously unexplored. Acoustics provides an efficient and cost-effective means by which these parameters and processes can be measured and information can be communicated. Integrated acoustics systems providing navigation and communications for mobile platforms and conducting acoustical measurements in support of science objectives are critical and essential elements of the ocean observatories presently in the planning and implementation stages. The ORION Workshop (Puerto Rico, 4-8 January 2004) developed science themes that can be addressed utilizing ocean observatory infrastructure. The use of acoustics to sense the 3-d/volumetric ocean environment on all temporal and spatial scales was discussed in many ORION working groups. Science themes that are related to acoustics and measurements using acoustics are reviewed and tabulated, as are the related and sometimes competing requirements for passive listening, acoustic navigation and acoustic communication around observatories. Sound in the sea, brought from observatories to universities and schools via the internet, will also be a major education and outreach mechanism.

The Correlation between Pre-Service Science Teachers' Astronomy Achievement, Attitudes towards Astronomy and Spatial Thinking Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Türk, Cumhur

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the changes in pre-service Science teachers' astronomy achievement, attitudes towards astronomy and skills for spatial thinking in terms of their years of study. Another purpose of the study was to find out whether there was correlation between pre-service teachers' astronomy achievement, attitudes towards…

Growing a Global Perspective: Utilizing Graduate Students as Scientists in the Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, A.; Prouhet, T.; Kincaid, J.; Williams, N.; Simms, M.; Evans, R.

2006-12-01

Advancing Geospatial Skills in Science and Social Sciences (AGSSS) is a NSF GK12 program designed to produce scientists with an interest in and skills related to education by bringing graduate students (termed Fellows) into science and social science classrooms. The AGSSS program is unique in the GK-12 program because of its emphasis on spatial thinking with and through geospatial technologies. Spatial thinking is defined as the knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to use concepts of space, tools of representation, and processes of reasoning to structure problems, find answers and express solutions to these problems. Working collaboratively, Fellows assist teachers in using technologies (many freely available) such as virtual globes, GIS, GPS, NASA's ISSEarthKAM, and online databases. Fellows also customize existing curricula based on teacher requests to focus on spatial thinking and skill development. Preliminary results of the program reveal that students' use of geospatial technologies in interactive lessons that highlight real world processes and global perspectives encourages the development of higher order thinking skills. Fellows perceive three primary benefits: developing collaboration and communication skills, solidifying their own understandings of spatial thinking and becoming more aware and skilled in working in educational settings.

Affordances of Augmented Reality in Science Learning: Suggestions for Future Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Kun-Hung; Tsai, Chin-Chung

2013-08-01

Augmented reality (AR) is currently considered as having potential for pedagogical applications. However, in science education, research regarding AR-aided learning is in its infancy. To understand how AR could help science learning, this review paper firstly has identified two major approaches of utilizing AR technology in science education, which are named as image- based AR and location- based AR. These approaches may result in different affordances for science learning. It is then found that students' spatial ability, practical skills, and conceptual understanding are often afforded by image-based AR and location-based AR usually supports inquiry-based scientific activities. After examining what has been done in science learning with AR supports, several suggestions for future research are proposed. For example, more research is required to explore learning experience (e.g., motivation or cognitive load) and learner characteristics (e.g., spatial ability or perceived presence) involved in AR. Mixed methods of investigating learning process (e.g., a content analysis and a sequential analysis) and in-depth examination of user experience beyond usability (e.g., affective variables of esthetic pleasure or emotional fulfillment) should be considered. Combining image-based and location-based AR technology may bring new possibility for supporting science learning. Theories including mental models, spatial cognition, situated cognition, and social constructivist learning are suggested for the profitable uses of future AR research in science education.

Hands-on-Science: Using Education Research to Construct Learner-Centered Classes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ludwig, R. R.; Chimonidou, A.; Kopp, S.

2014-07-01

Research into the process of learning, and learning astronomy, can be informative for the development of a course. Students are better able to incorporate and make sense of new ideas when they are aware of their own prior knowledge (Resnick et al. 1989; Confrey 1990), have the opportunity to develop explanations from their own experience in their own words (McDermott 1991; Prather et al. 2004), and benefit from peer instruction (Mazur 1997; Green 2003). Students in astronomy courses often have difficulty understanding many different concepts as a result of difficulties with spatial reasoning and a sense of scale. The Hands-on-Science program at UT Austin incorporates these research-based results into four guided-inquiry, integrated science courses (50 students each). They are aimed at pre-service K-5 teachers but are open to other majors as well. We find that Hands-on-Science students not only attain more favorable changes in attitude towards science, but they also outperform students in traditional lecture courses in content gains. Workshop Outcomes: Participants experienced a research-based, guided-inquiry lesson about the motion of objects in the sky and discussed the research methodology for assessing students in such a course.

Design and implementation of spatial knowledge grid for integrated spatial analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiangnan; Guan, Li; Wang, Ping

2006-10-01

Supported by spatial information grid(SIG), the spatial knowledge grid (SKG) for integrated spatial analysis utilizes the middleware technology in constructing the spatial information grid computation environment and spatial information service system, develops spatial entity oriented spatial data organization technology, carries out the profound computation of the spatial structure and spatial process pattern on the basis of Grid GIS infrastructure, spatial data grid and spatial information grid (specialized definition). At the same time, it realizes the complex spatial pattern expression and the spatial function process simulation by taking the spatial intelligent agent as the core to establish space initiative computation. Moreover through the establishment of virtual geographical environment with man-machine interactivity and blending, complex spatial modeling, network cooperation work and spatial community decision knowledge driven are achieved. The framework of SKG is discussed systematically in this paper. Its implement flow and the key technology with examples of overlay analysis are proposed as well.

Towards a Selenographic Information System: Apollo 15 Mission Digitization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Votava, J. E.; Petro, N. E.

2012-12-01

The Apollo missions represent some of the most technically complex and extensively documented explorations ever endeavored by mankind. The surface experiments performed and the lunar samples collected in-situ have helped form our understanding of the Moon's geologic history and the history of our Solar System. Unfortunately, a complication exists in the analysis and accessibility of these large volumes of lunar data and historical Apollo Era documents due to their multiple formats and disconnected web and print locations. Described here is a project to modernize, spatially reference, and link the lunar data into a comprehensive SELENOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM, starting with the Apollo 15 mission. Like its terrestrial counter-parts, Geographic Information System (GIS) programs, such as ArcGIS, allow for easy integration, access, analysis, and display of large amounts of spatially-related data. Documentation in this new database includes surface photographs, panoramas, samples and their laboratory studies (major element and rare earth element weight percents), planned and actual vehicle traverses, and field notes. Using high-resolution (<0.25 m/pixel) images from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) the rover (LRV) tracks and astronaut surface activities, along with field sketches from the Apollo 15 Preliminary Science Report (Swann, 1972), were digitized and mapped in ArcMap. Point features were created for each documented sample within the Lunar Sample Compendium (Meyer, 2010) and hyperlinked to the appropriate Compendium file (.PDF) at the stable archive site: http://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/lunar/compendium.cfm. Historical Apollo Era photographs and assembled panoramas were included as point features at each station that have been hyperlinked to the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal (ALSJ) online image library. The database has been set up to allow for the easy display of spatial variation of select attributes between samples. Attributes of interest that have data from the Compendium added directly into the database include age (Ga), mass, texture, major oxide elements (weight %), and Th and U (ppm). This project will produce an easily accessible and linked database that can offer technical and scientific information in its spatial context. While it is not possible given the enormous amounts of data, and the small allotment of time, to enter and/or link every detail to its map layer, the links that have been made here direct the user to rich, stable archive websites and web-based databases that are easy to navigate. While this project only created a product for the Apollo 15 mission, it is the model for spatially-referencing the other Apollo missions. Such a comprehensive lunar surface-activities database, a Selenographic Information System, will likely prove invaluable for future lunar studies. References: Meyer, C. (2010), The lunar sample compendium, June 2012 to August 2012, http://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/lunar/compendium.cfm, Astromaterials Res. & Exploration Sci., NASA L. B. Johnson Space Cent., Houston, TX. Swann, G. A. (1972), Preliminary geologic investigation of the Apollo 15 landing site, in Apollo 15 Preliminary Science Report, [NASA SP-289], pp. 5-1 - 5-112, NASA Manned Spacecraft Cent., Washington, D.C.

Development of a web geoservices platform for School of Environmental Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satheendran, S.; John, C. M.; Fasalul, F. K.; Aanisa, K. M.

2014-11-01

Web geoservices is the obvious graduation of Geographic Information System in a distributed environment through a simple browser. It enables organizations to share domain-specific rich and dynamic spatial information over the web. The present study attempted to design and develop a web enabled GIS application for the School of Environmental Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India to publish various geographical databases to the public through its website. The development of this project is based upon the open source tools and techniques. The output portal site is platform independent. The premier webgis frame work `Geomoose' is utilized. Apache server is used as the Web Server and the UMN Map Server is used as the map server for this project. It provides various customised tools to query the geographical database in different ways and search for various facilities in the geographical area like banks, attractive places, hospitals, hotels etc. The portal site was tested with the output geographical database of 2 projects of the School such as 1) the Tourism Information System for the Malabar region of Kerala State consisting of 5 northern districts 2) the geoenvironmental appraisal of the Athirappilly Hydroelectric Project covering the entire Chalakkudy river basin.

Large scale Wyoming transportation data: a resource planning tool

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Donnell, Michael S.; Fancher, Tammy S.; Freeman, Aaron T.; Ziegler, Abra E.; Bowen, Zachary H.; Aldridge, Cameron L.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center created statewide roads data for the Bureau of Land Management Wyoming State Office using 2009 aerial photography from the National Agriculture Imagery Program. The updated roads data resolves known concerns of omission, commission, and inconsistent representation of map scale, attribution, and ground reference dates which were present in the original source data. To ensure a systematic and repeatable approach of capturing roads on the landscape using on-screen digitizing from true color National Agriculture Imagery Program imagery, we developed a photogrammetry key and quality assurance/quality control protocols. Therefore, the updated statewide roads data will support the Bureau of Land Management’s resource management requirements with a standardized map product representing 2009 ground conditions. The updated Geographic Information System roads data set product, represented at 1:4,000 and +/- 10 meters spatial accuracy, contains 425,275 kilometers within eight attribute classes. The quality control of these products indicated a 97.7 percent accuracy of aspatial information and 98.0 percent accuracy of spatial locations. Approximately 48 percent of the updated roads data was corrected for spatial errors of greater than 1 meter relative to the pre-existing road data. Twenty-six percent of the updated roads involved correcting spatial errors of greater than 5 meters and 17 percent of the updated roads involved correcting spatial errors of greater than 9 meters. The Bureau of Land Management, other land managers, and researchers can use these new statewide roads data set products to support important studies and management decisions regarding land use changes, transportation and planning needs, transportation safety, wildlife applications, and other studies.

Characterization of single α-tracks by photoresist detection and AFM analysis-focus on biomedical science and technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falzone, Nadia; Myhra, Sverre; Chakalova, Radka; Hill, Mark A.; Thomson, James; Vallis, Katherine A.

2013-11-01

The interactions between energetic ions and biological and/or organic target materials have recently attracted theoretical and experimental attention, due to their implications for detector and device technologies, and for therapeutic applications. Most of the attention has focused on detection of the primary ionization tracks, and their effects, while recoil target atom tracks remain largely unexplored. Detection of tracks by a negative tone photoresist (SU-8), followed by standard development, in combination with analysis by atomic force microscopy, shows that both primary and recoil tracks are revealed as conical spikes, and can be characterized at high spatial resolution. The methodology has the potential to provide detailed information about single impact events, which may lead to more effective and informative detector technologies and advanced therapeutic procedures. In comparison with current characterization methods the advantageous features include: greater spatial resolution by an order of magnitude (20 nm) detection of single primary and associated recoil tracks; increased range of fluence (to 2.5 × 109 cm-2) sensitivity to impacts at grazing angle incidence; and better definition of the lateral interaction volume in target materials.

The Brazilian decimetric array and space weather

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawant, Hanumant S.; Gopalswamy, Natchimuthuk; Rosa, Reinaldo R.; Sych, Robert A.; Anfinogentov, Sergey A.; Fernandes, Francisco C. R.; Cecatto, José R.; Costa, Joaquim E. R.

2011-07-01

We report on the development and current status of the Brazilian Decimetric Array (BDA), which will play a vital role in filling the existing gaps in imaging the Sun at decimetric wavelengths. The BDA will operate in the following radio bands: 1.2-1.7, 2.8, and 5.6 GHz with high spatial and temporal resolutions. BDA can observe flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in a spectral range poorly covered in the past, thus providing important information to space weather science. The smallest baseline of 9 m employed by the BDA combined with high sensitivity will readily identify large-scale structures such as coronal holes and provide information on wave flows from them. New methods are being developed to analyze the solar-disk data with high time resolution by using tomographic and spatial PWF techniques that can readily identify coronal holes in their initial stage. Efforts are also being made to analyze the BDA data in real time in conjunction with SOHO data for a better understanding of CMEs and coronal holes. This paper provides a brief description of the BDA, and the new techniques of data analysis.

Complexities in Subsetting Satellite Level 2 Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huwe, P.; Wei, J.; Albayrak, A.; Silberstein, D. S.; Alfred, J.; Savtchenko, A. K.; Johnson, J. E.; Hearty, T.; Meyer, D. J.

2017-12-01

Satellite Level 2 data presents unique challenges for tools and services. From nonlinear spatial geometry to inhomogeneous file data structure to inconsistent temporal variables to complex data variable dimensionality to multiple file formats, there are many difficulties in creating general tools for Level 2 data support. At NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC), we are implementing a general Level 2 Subsetting service for Level 2 data. In this presentation, we will unravel some of the challenges faced in creating this service and the strategies we used to surmount them.

Spatial and Temporal Variability of Trace Gas Columns Derived from WRF/Chem Regional Model Output: Planning for Geostationary Observations of Atmospheric Composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Follette-Cook, M. B.; Pickering, K.; Crawford, J.; Duncan, B.; Loughner, C.; Diskin, G.; Fried, A.; Weinheimer, A.

2015-01-01

We quantify both the spatial and temporal variability of column integrated O3, NO2, CO, SO2, and HCHO over the Baltimore / Washington, DC area using output from the Weather Research and Forecasting model with on-line chemistry (WRF/Chem) for the entire month of July 2011, coinciding with the first deployment of the NASA Earth Venture program mission Deriving Information on Surface conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality (DISCOVER-AQ). Using structure function analyses, we find that the model reproduces the spatial variability observed during the campaign reasonably well, especially for O3. The Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) instrument will be the first NASA mission to make atmospheric composition observations from geostationary orbit and partially fulfills the goals of the Geostationary Coastal and Air Pollution Events (GEO-CAPE) mission. We relate the simulated variability to the precision requirements defined by the science traceability matrices of these space-borne missions. Results for O3 from 0- 2 km altitude indicate that the TEMPO instrument would be able to observe O3 air quality events over the Mid-Atlantic area, even on days when the violations of the air quality standard are not widespread. The results further indicated that horizontal gradients in CO from 0-2 km would be observable over moderate distances (= 20 km). The spatial and temporal results for tropospheric column NO2 indicate that TEMPO would be able to observe not only the large urban plumes at times of peak production, but also the weaker gradients between rush hours. This suggests that the proposed spatial and temporal resolutions for these satellites as well as their prospective precision requirements are sufficient to answer the science questions they are tasked to address.

NASA's Global Change Master Directory: Discover and Access Earth Science Data Sets, Related Data Services, and Climate Diagnostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aleman, A.; Olsen, L. M.; Ritz, S.; Stevens, T.; Morahan, M.; Grebas, S. K.

2011-12-01

NASA's Global Change Master Directory provides the scientific community with the ability to discover, access, and use Earth science data, data-related services, and climate diagnostics worldwide.The GCMD offers descriptions of Earth science data sets using the Directory Interchange Format (DIF) metadata standard; Earth science related data services are described using the Service Entry Resource Format (SERF); and climate visualizations are described using the Climate Diagnostic (CD) standard. The DIF, SERF and CD standards each capture data attributes used to determine whether a data set, service, or climate visualization is relevant to a user's needs.Metadata fields include: title, summary, science keywords, service keywords, data center, data set citation, personnel, instrument, platform, quality, related URL, temporal and spatial coverage, data resolution and distribution information.In addition, nine valuable sets of controlled vocabularies have been developed to assist users in normalizing the search for data descriptions. An update to the GCMD's search functionality is planned to further capitalize on the controlled vocabularies during database queries.By implementing a dynamic keyword "tree", users will have the ability to search for data sets by combining keywords in new ways.This will allow users to conduct more relevant and efficient database searches to support the free exchange and re-use of Earth science data.

Approach to spatial information security based on digital certificate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cong, Shengri; Zhang, Kai; Chen, Baowen

2005-11-01

With the development of the online applications of geographic information systems (GIS) and the spatial information services, the spatial information security becomes more important. This work introduced digital certificates and authorization schemes into GIS to protect the crucial spatial information combining the techniques of the role-based access control (RBAC), the public key infrastructure (PKI) and the privilege management infrastructure (PMI). We investigated the spatial information granularity suited for sensitivity marking and digital certificate model that fits the need of GIS security based on the semantics analysis of spatial information. It implements a secure, flexible, fine-grained data access based on public technologies in GIS in the world.

Spatial Reasoning in Undergraduate Mathematics: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prugh, Lindsay A.

2012-01-01

The need for spatial thinkers is evident in the growing concerns regarding the performance of U.S. students in mathematics and the lack of interest in spatially-driven fields such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Although the focus on spatial research has fluctuated over decades of educational reform, a platform has been…

Social Science Collaboration with Environmental Health.

PubMed

Hoover, Elizabeth; Renauld, Mia; Edelstein, Michael R; Brown, Phil

2015-11-01

Social science research has been central in documenting and analyzing community discovery of environmental exposure and consequential processes. Collaboration with environmental health science through team projects has advanced and improved our understanding of environmental health and justice. We sought to identify diverse methods and topics in which social scientists have expanded environmental health understandings at multiple levels, to examine how transdisciplinary environmental health research fosters better science, and to learn how these partnerships have been able to flourish because of the support from National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). We analyzed various types of social science research to investigate how social science contributes to environmental health. We also examined NIEHS programs that foster social science. In addition, we developed a case study of a community-based participation research project in Akwesasne in order to demonstrate how social science has enhanced environmental health science. Social science has informed environmental health science through ethnographic studies of contaminated communities, analysis of spatial distribution of environmental injustice, psychological experience of contamination, social construction of risk and risk perception, and social impacts of disasters. Social science-environmental health team science has altered the way scientists traditionally explore exposure by pressing for cumulative exposure approaches and providing research data for policy applications. A transdisciplinary approach for environmental health practice has emerged that engages the social sciences to paint a full picture of the consequences of contamination so that policy makers, regulators, public health officials, and other stakeholders can better ameliorate impacts and prevent future exposure. Hoover E, Renauld M, Edelstein MR, Brown P. 2015. Social science collaboration with environmental health. Environ Health Perspect 123:1100-1106; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409283.

DataONE: A Distributed Environmental and Earth Science Data Network Supporting the Full Data Life Cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, R.; Michener, W.; Vieglais, D.; Budden, A.; Koskela, R.

2012-04-01

Addressing grand environmental science challenges requires unprecedented access to easily understood data that cross the breadth of temporal, spatial, and thematic scales. Tools are needed to plan management of the data, discover the relevant data, integrate heterogeneous and diverse data, and convert the data to information and knowledge. Addressing these challenges requires new approaches for the full data life cycle of managing, preserving, sharing, and analyzing data. DataONE (Observation Network for Earth) represents a virtual organization that enables new science and knowledge creation through preservation and access to data about life on Earth and the environment that sustains it. The DataONE approach is to improve data collection and management techniques; facilitate easy, secure, and persistent storage of data; continue to increase access to data and tools that improve data interoperability; disseminate integrated and user-friendly tools for data discovery and novel analyses; work with researchers to build intuitive data exploration and visualization tools; and support communities of practice via education, outreach, and stakeholder engagement.

Spatially varying geometric phase in classically entangled vector beams of light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King-Smith, Andrew; Leary, Cody

We present theoretical results describing a spatially varying geometric (Pancharatnam) phase present in vector modes of light, in which the polarization and transverse spatial mode degrees of freedom exhibit classical entanglement. We propose an experimental setup capable of characterizing this effect, in which a vector mode propagates through a Mach-Zehnder interferometer with a birefringent phase retarder present in one arm. Since the polarization state of a classically entangled light beam exhibits spatial variation across the transverse mode profile, the phase retarder gives rise to a spatially varying geometric phase in the beam propagating through it. When recombined with the reference beam from the other interferometer arm, the presence of the geometric phase is exhibited in the resulting interference pattern. We acknowledge funding from the Research Corporation for Science Advancement by means of a Cottrell College Science Award.

An approach to designing a national climate service

PubMed Central

Miles, E. L.; Snover, A. K.; Whitely Binder, L. C.; Sarachik, E. S.; Mote, P. W.; Mantua, N.

2006-01-01

Climate variability and change are considerably important for a wide range of human activities and natural ecosystems. Climate science has made major advances during the last two decades, yet climate information is neither routinely useful for nor used in planning. What is needed is a mechanism, a national climate service (NCS), to connect climate science to decision-relevant questions and support building capacity to anticipate, plan for, and adapt to climate fluctuations. This article contributes to the national debate for an NCS by describing the rationale for building an NCS, the functions and services it would provide, and how it should be designed and evaluated. The NCS is most effectively achieved as a federal interagency partnership with critically important participation by regional climate centers, state climatologists, the emerging National Integrated Drought Information System, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Regional Integrated Sciences Assessment (RISA) teams in a sustained relationship with a wide variety of stakeholders. Because the NCS is a service, and because evidence indicates that the regional spatial scale is most important for delivering climate services, given subnational geographical/geophysical complexity, attention is focused on lessons learned from the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group's 10 years of experience, the first of the NOAA RISA teams. PMID:17158218

Digital Object Identifiers (DOI's) usage and adoption in U.S Geological Survey (USGS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frame, M. T.; Palanisamy, G.

2013-12-01

Addressing grand environmental science challenges requires unprecedented access to easily understood data that cross the breadth of temporal, spatial, and thematic scales. From a scientist's perspective, the big challenges lie in discovering the relevant data, dealing with extreme data heterogeneity, large data volumes, and converting data to information and knowledge. Historical linkages between derived products, i.e. Publications, and associated datasets has not existed in the earth science community. The USGS Core Science Analytics and Synthesis, in collaboration with DOE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Mercury Consortium (funded by NASA, USGS and DOE), established a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) service for USGS data, metadata, and other media. This service is offered in partnership through the University of California Digital Library EZID service. USGS scientists, data managers, and other professionals can generate globally unique, persistent and resolvable identifiers for any kind of digital objects. Additional efforts to assign DOIs to historical data and publications have also been underway. These DOI identifiers are being used to cite data in journal articles, web-accessible datasets, and other media for distribution, integration, and in support of improved data management practices. The session will discuss the current DOI efforts within USGS, including a discussion on adoption, challenges, and future efforts necessary to improve access, reuse, sharing, and discoverability of USGS data and information.

An approach to designing a national climate service.

PubMed

Miles, E L; Snover, A K; Whitely Binder, L C; Sarachik, E S; Mote, P W; Mantua, N

2006-12-26

Climate variability and change are considerably important for a wide range of human activities and natural ecosystems. Climate science has made major advances during the last two decades, yet climate information is neither routinely useful for nor used in planning. What is needed is a mechanism, a national climate service (NCS), to connect climate science to decision-relevant questions and support building capacity to anticipate, plan for, and adapt to climate fluctuations. This article contributes to the national debate for an NCS by describing the rationale for building an NCS, the functions and services it would provide, and how it should be designed and evaluated. The NCS is most effectively achieved as a federal interagency partnership with critically important participation by regional climate centers, state climatologists, the emerging National Integrated Drought Information System, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Regional Integrated Sciences Assessment (RISA) teams in a sustained relationship with a wide variety of stakeholders. Because the NCS is a service, and because evidence indicates that the regional spatial scale is most important for delivering climate services, given subnational geographical/geophysical complexity, attention is focused on lessons learned from the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group's 10 years of experience, the first of the NOAA RISA teams.

Pedotransfer Functions in Earth System Science: Challenges and Perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Looy, Kris; Bouma, Johan; Herbst, Michael; Koestel, John; Minasny, Budiman; Mishra, Umakant; Montzka, Carsten; Nemes, Attila; Pachepsky, Yakov A.; Padarian, José; Schaap, Marcel G.; Tóth, Brigitta; Verhoef, Anne; Vanderborght, Jan; van der Ploeg, Martine J.; Weihermüller, Lutz; Zacharias, Steffen; Zhang, Yonggen; Vereecken, Harry

2017-12-01

Soil, through its various functions, plays a vital role in the Earth's ecosystems and provides multiple ecosystem services to humanity. Pedotransfer functions (PTFs) are simple to complex knowledge rules that relate available soil information to soil properties and variables that are needed to parameterize soil processes. In this paper, we review the existing PTFs and document the new generation of PTFs developed in the different disciplines of Earth system science. To meet the methodological challenges for a successful application in Earth system modeling, we emphasize that PTF development has to go hand in hand with suitable extrapolation and upscaling techniques such that the PTFs correctly represent the spatial heterogeneity of soils. PTFs should encompass the variability of the estimated soil property or process, in such a way that the estimation of parameters allows for validation and can also confidently provide for extrapolation and upscaling purposes capturing the spatial variation in soils. Most actively pursued recent developments are related to parameterizations of solute transport, heat exchange, soil respiration, and organic carbon content, root density, and vegetation water uptake. Further challenges are to be addressed in parameterization of soil erosivity and land use change impacts at multiple scales. We argue that a comprehensive set of PTFs can be applied throughout a wide range of disciplines of Earth system science, with emphasis on land surface models. Novel sensing techniques provide a true breakthrough for this, yet further improvements are necessary for methods to deal with uncertainty and to validate applications at global scale.

The relationships between spatial ability, logical thinking, mathematics performance and kinematics graph interpretation skills of 12th grade physics students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bektasli, Behzat

Graphs have a broad use in science classrooms, especially in physics. In physics, kinematics is probably the topic for which graphs are most widely used. The participants in this study were from two different grade-12 physics classrooms, advanced placement and calculus-based physics. The main purpose of this study was to search for the relationships between student spatial ability, logical thinking, mathematical achievement, and kinematics graphs interpretation skills. The Purdue Spatial Visualization Test, the Middle Grades Integrated Process Skills Test (MIPT), and the Test of Understanding Graphs in Kinematics (TUG-K) were used for quantitative data collection. Classroom observations were made to acquire ideas about classroom environment and instructional techniques. Factor analysis, simple linear correlation, multiple linear regression, and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data. Each instrument has two principal components. The selection and calculation of the slope and of the area were the two principal components of TUG-K. MIPT was composed of a component based upon processing text and a second component based upon processing symbolic information. The Purdue Spatial Visualization Test was composed of a component based upon one-step processing and a second component based upon two-step processing of information. Student ability to determine the slope in a kinematics graph was significantly correlated with spatial ability, logical thinking, and mathematics aptitude and achievement. However, student ability to determine the area in a kinematics graph was only significantly correlated with student pre-calculus semester 2 grades. Male students performed significantly better than female students on the slope items of TUG-K. Also, male students performed significantly better than female students on the PSAT mathematics assessment and spatial ability. This study found that students have different levels of spatial ability, logical thinking, and mathematics aptitude and achievement levels. These different levels were related to student learning of kinematics and they need to be considered when kinematics is being taught. It might be easier for students to understand the kinematics graphs if curriculum developers include more activities related to spatial ability and logical thinking.

Social Science Collaboration with Environmental Health

PubMed Central

Hoover, Elizabeth; Renauld, Mia; Edelstein, Michael R.

2015-01-01

Background Social science research has been central in documenting and analyzing community discovery of environmental exposure and consequential processes. Collaboration with environmental health science through team projects has advanced and improved our understanding of environmental health and justice. Objective We sought to identify diverse methods and topics in which social scientists have expanded environmental health understandings at multiple levels, to examine how transdisciplinary environmental health research fosters better science, and to learn how these partnerships have been able to flourish because of the support from National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). Methods We analyzed various types of social science research to investigate how social science contributes to environmental health. We also examined NIEHS programs that foster social science. In addition, we developed a case study of a community-based participation research project in Akwesasne in order to demonstrate how social science has enhanced environmental health science. Results Social science has informed environmental health science through ethnographic studies of contaminated communities, analysis of spatial distribution of environmental injustice, psychological experience of contamination, social construction of risk and risk perception, and social impacts of disasters. Social science–environmental health team science has altered the way scientists traditionally explore exposure by pressing for cumulative exposure approaches and providing research data for policy applications. Conclusions A transdisciplinary approach for environmental health practice has emerged that engages the social sciences to paint a full picture of the consequences of contamination so that policy makers, regulators, public health officials, and other stakeholders can better ameliorate impacts and prevent future exposure. Citation Hoover E, Renauld M, Edelstein MR, Brown P. 2015. Social science collaboration with environmental health. Environ Health Perspect 123:1100–1106; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409283 PMID:25966491

Spatial and Climate Literacy: Connecting Urban and Rural Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boger, R. A.; Low, R.; Mandryk, C.; Gorokhovich, Y.

2013-12-01

Through a collaboration between the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), Brooklyn College, and Lehman College, four independent but linked modules were developed and piloted in courses offered at Brooklyn College and UNL simultaneously. Module content includes climate change science and literacy principles, using geospatial technologies (GIS, GPS and remote sensing) as a vehicle to explore issues associated with global, regional, and local climate change in a concrete, quantitative and visual way using Internet resources available through NASA, NOAA, USGS, and a variety of universities and organizations. The materials take an Earth system approach and incorporate sustainability, resilience, water and watersheds, weather and climate, and food security topics throughout the semester. The research component of the project focuses on understanding the role of spatial literacy and authentic inquiry based experiences in climate change understanding and improving confidence in teaching science. In particular, engaging learners in both climate change science and GIS simultaneously provides opportunities to examine questions about the role that data manipulation, mental representation, and spatial literacy plays in students' abilities to understand the consequences and impacts of climate change. Pre and post surveys were designed to discern relationships between spatial cognitive processes and effective acquisition of climate change science concepts in virtual learning environments as well as alignment of teacher's mental models of nature of science and climate system dynamics to scientific models. The courses will again be offered simultaneously in Spring 2014 at Brooklyn College and UNL. Evaluation research will continue to examine the connections between spatial and climate literacy and teacher's mental models (via qualitative textual analysis using MAXQDA text analysis, and UCINET social network analysis programs) as well as how urban-rural learning interactions may influence climate literacy.

The French proposal for a high spatial resolution Hyperspectral mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrère, Véronique; Briottet, Xavier; Jacquemoud, Stéphane; Marion, Rodolphe; Bourguignon, Anne; Chami, Malik; Chanussot, Jocelyn; Chevrel, Stéphane; Deliot, Philippe; Dumont, Marie; Foucher, Pierre-Yves; Gomez, Cécile; Roman-Minghelli, Audrey; Sheeren, David; Weber, Christiane; Lefèvre, Marie-José; Mandea, Mioara

2014-05-01

More than 25 years of airborne imaging spectroscopy and spaceborne sensors such as Hyperion or HICO have clearly demonstrated the ability of such a remote sensing technique to produce value added information regarding surface composition and physical properties for a large variety of applications. Scheduled missions such as EnMAP and PRISMA prove the increased interest of the scientific community for such a type of remote sensing data. In France, a group of Science and Defence users of imaging spectrometry data (Groupe de Synthèse Hyperspectral, GSH) established an up-to-date review of possible applications, define instrument specifications required for accurate, quantitative retrieval of diagnostic parameters, and identify fields of application where imaging spectrometry is a major contribution. From these conclusions, CNES (French Space Agency) decided a phase 0 study for an hyperspectral mission concept, named at this time HYPXIM (HYPerspectral-X IMagery), the main fields of applications are vegetation biodiversity, coastal and inland waters, geosciences, urban environment, atmospheric sciences, cryosphere and Defence. Results pointed out applications where high spatial resolution was necessary and would not be covered by the other foreseen hyperspectral missions. The phase A started at the beginning of 2013 based on the following HYPXIM characteristics: a hyperspectral camera covering the [0.4 - 2.5 µm] spectral range with a 8 m ground sampling distance (GSD) and a PAN camera with a 1.85 m GSD, onboard a mini-satellite platform. This phase A is currently stopped due to budget constraints. Nevertheless, the Science team is currently focusing on the preparation for the next CNES prospective meeting (March, 2014), an important step for the future of the mission. This paper will provide an update of the status of this mission and of new results obtained by the Science team.

Characterize Aerosols from MODIS/MISR/OMI/MERRA-2: Dynamic Image Browse Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, J. C.; Yang, W.; Shen, S.; Zhao, P.; Albayrak, A.; Johnson, J. E.; Kempler, S. J.; Pham, L.

2016-12-01

Among the known atmospheric constituents, aerosols still represent the greatest uncertainty in climate research. To understand the uncertainty is to bring altogether of observational (in-situ and remote sensing) and modeling datasets and inter-compare them synergistically for a wide variety of applications that can bring far-reaching benefits to the science community and the broader society. These benefits can best be achieved if these earth science data (satellite and modeling) are well utilized and interpreted. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, despite the abundance and relative maturity of numerous satellite-borne sensors routinely measure aerosols. There is often disagreement between similar aerosol parameters retrieved from different sensors, leaving users confused as to which sensors to trust for answering important science questions about the distribution, properties, and impacts of aerosols. NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) have developed multiple MAPSS (Multi-sensor Aerosol Products Sampling System) applications as a part of Giovanni (Geospatial Interactive Online Visualization and Analysis Interface) data visualization and analysis tool since 2007. The MAPSS database provides spatio-temporal statistics for multiple spatial spaceborne Level 2 aerosol products (MODIS Terra, MODIS Aqua, MISR, POLDER, OMI, CALIOP, SeaWiFS Deep Blue, and VIIRS) sampled over AERONET ground stations. In this presentation, I will demonstrate a new visualization service (NASA Level 2 Data Quality Visualization, DQViz) supporting various visualization and data accessing capabilities from satellite Level 2 (MODIS/MISR/OMI) and long term assimilated aerosols from NASA Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2 displaying at their own native physical-retrieved spatial resolution. Functionality will include selecting data sources (e.g., multiple parameters under the same measurement), defining area-of-interest and temporal extents, zooming, panning, overlaying, sliding, and data subsetting and reformatting.

U.S. Geological Survey Ecosystems science strategy: advancing discovery and application through collaboration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, Byron K.; Wingard, G. Lynn; Brewer, Gary; Cloern, James E.; Gelfenbaum, Guy; Jacobson, Robert B.; Kershner, Jeffrey L.; McGuire, Anthony David; Nichols, James D.; Shapiro, Carl D.; van Riper, Charles; White, Robin P.

2013-01-01

Ecosystem science is critical to making informed decisions about natural resources that can sustain our Nation’s economic and environmental well-being. Resource managers and policymakers are faced with countless decisions each year at local, regional, and national levels on issues as diverse as renewable and nonrenewable energy development, agriculture, forestry, water supply, and resource allocations at the urbanrural interface. The urgency for sound decisionmaking is increasing dramatically as the world is being transformed at an unprecedented pace and in uncertain directions. Environmental changes are associated with natural hazards, greenhouse gas emissions, and increasing demands for water, land, food, energy, mineral, and living resources. At risk is the Nation’s environmental capital, the goods and services provided by resilient ecosystems that are vital to the health and wellbeing of human societies. Ecosystem science—the study of systems of organisms interacting with their environment and the consequences of natural and human-induced change on these systems—is necessary to inform decisionmakers as they develop policies to adapt to these changes. This Ecosystems Science Strategy is built on a framework that includes basic and applied science. It highlights the critical roles that U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists and partners can play in building scientific understanding and providing timely information to decisionmakers. The strategy underscores the connection between scientific discoveries and the application of new knowledge, and it integrates ecosystem science and decisionmaking, producing new scientific outcomes to assist resource managers and providing public benefits. We envision the USGS as a leader in integrating scientific information into decisionmaking processes that affect the Nation’s natural resources and human well-being. The USGS is uniquely positioned to play a pivotal role in ecosystem science. With its wide range of expertise, the Bureau can bring holistic, cross-scale, interdisciplinary capabilities to the design and conduct of monitoring, research, and modeling and to new technologies for data collection, management, and visualization. Collectively, these capabilities can be used to reveal ecological patterns and processes, explain how and why ecosystems change, and forecast change over different spatial and temporal scales. USGS science can provide managers with options and decision-support tools to use resources sustainably. The USGS has long-standing, collaborative relationships with the Department of the Interior (DOI) and other partners in the natural sciences, in both conducting science and applying the results. The USGS engages these partners in cooperative investigations that otherwise would lack the necessary support or be too expensive for a single bureau to conduct. The heart of this strategy is a framework for USGS ecosystems science that focuses on five long-term goals, which are seen as interconnected components that reinforce our vision of the USGS providing science that is at the forefront of decisionmaking.

A menu of electron probes for optimising information from scanning transmission electron microscopy.

PubMed

Nguyen, D T; Findlay, S D; Etheridge, J

2018-01-01

We assess a selection of electron probes in terms of the spatial resolution with which information can be derived about the structure of a specimen, as opposed to the nominal image resolution. Using Ge [001] as a study case, we investigate the scattering dynamics of these probes and determine their relative merits in terms of two qualitative criteria: interaction volume and interpretability. This analysis provides a 'menu of probes' from which an optimum probe for tackling a given materials science question can be selected. Hollow cone, vortex and spherical wave fronts are considered, from unit cell to Ångstrom size, and for different defocus and specimen orientations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Decision Support System for Optimum Use of Fertilizers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoskinson, Reed Louis; Hess, John Richard; Fink, Raymond Keith

1999-07-01

The Decision Support System for Agriculture (DSS4Ag) is an expert system being developed by the Site-Specific Technologies for Agriculture (SST4Ag) precision farming research project at the INEEL. DSS4Ag uses state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and computer science technologies to make spatially variable, site-specific, economically optimum decisions on fertilizer use. The DSS4Ag has an open architecture that allows for external input and addition of new requirements and integrates its results with existing agricultural systems’ infrastructures. The DSS4Ag reflects a paradigm shift in the information revolution in agriculture that is precision farming. We depict this information revolution in agriculture as an historic trend inmore » the agricultural decision-making process.« less

A Decision Support System for Optimum Use of Fertilizers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

R. L. Hoskinson; J. R. Hess; R. K. Fink

1999-07-01

The Decision Support System for Agriculture (DSS4Ag) is an expert system being developed by the Site-Specific Technologies for Agriculture (SST4Ag) precision farming research project at the INEEL. DSS4Ag uses state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and computer science technologies to make spatially variable, site-specific, economically optimum decisions on fertilizer use. The DSS4Ag has an open architecture that allows for external input and addition of new requirements and integrates its results with existing agricultural systems' infrastructures. The DSS4Ag reflects a paradigm shift in the information revolution in agriculture that is precision farming. We depict this information revolution in agriculture as an historic trend inmore » the agricultural decision-making process.« less

Cross-scale phenological data integration to benefit resource management and monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Richardson, Andrew D.; Weltzin, Jake F.; Morisette, Jeffrey T.

2017-01-01

Climate change is presenting new challenges for natural resource managers charged with maintaining sustainable ecosystems and landscapes. Phenology, a branch of science dealing with seasonal natural phenomena (bird migration or plant flowering in response to weather changes, for example), bridges the gap between the biosphere and the climate system. Phenological processes operate across scales that span orders of magnitude—from leaf to globe and from days to seasons—making phenology ideally suited to multiscale, multiplatform data integration and delivery of information at spatial and temporal scales suitable to inform resource management decisions.A workshop report: Workshop held June 2016 to investigate opportunities and challenges facing multi-scale, multi-platform integration of phenological data to support natural resource management decision-making.

Exploring New Methods of Displaying Bit-Level Quality and Other Flags for MODIS Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khalsa, Siri Jodha Singh; Weaver, Ron

2003-01-01

The NASA Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) archives and distributes snow and sea ice products derived from the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites. All MODIS standard products are in the Earth Observing System version of the Hierarchal Data Format (HDF-EOS). The MODIS science team has packed a wealth of information into each HDF-EOS file. In addition to the science data arrays containing the geophysical product, there are often pixel-level Quality Assurance arrays which are important for understanding and interpreting the science data. Currently, researchers are limited in their ability to access and decode information stored as individual bits in many of the MODIS science products. Commercial and public domain utilities give users access, in varying degrees, to the elements inside MODIS HDF-EOS files. However, when attempting to visualize the data, users are confronted with the fact that many of the elements actually represent eight different 1-bit arrays packed into a single byte array. This project addressed the need for researchers to access bit-level information inside MODIS data files. In an previous NASA-funded project (ESDIS Prototype ID 50.0) we developed a visualization tool tailored to polar gridded HDF-EOS data set. This tool,called the Polar researchers to access, geolocate, visualize, and subset data that originate from different sources and have different spatial resolutions but which are placed on a common polar grid. The bit-level visualization function developed under this project was added to PHDIS, resulting in a versatile tool that serves a variety of needs. We call this the EOS Imaging Tool.

Windows to the soul: vision science as a tool for studying biological mechanisms of information processing deficits in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Yoon, Jong H; Sheremata, Summer L; Rokem, Ariel; Silver, Michael A

2013-10-31

Cognitive and information processing deficits are core features and important sources of disability in schizophrenia. Our understanding of the neural substrates of these deficits remains incomplete, in large part because the complexity of impairments in schizophrenia makes the identification of specific deficits very challenging. Vision science presents unique opportunities in this regard: many years of basic research have led to detailed characterization of relationships between structure and function in the early visual system and have produced sophisticated methods to quantify visual perception and characterize its neural substrates. We present a selective review of research that illustrates the opportunities for discovery provided by visual studies in schizophrenia. We highlight work that has been particularly effective in applying vision science methods to identify specific neural abnormalities underlying information processing deficits in schizophrenia. In addition, we describe studies that have utilized psychophysical experimental designs that mitigate generalized deficit confounds, thereby revealing specific visual impairments in schizophrenia. These studies contribute to accumulating evidence that early visual cortex is a useful experimental system for the study of local cortical circuit abnormalities in schizophrenia. The high degree of similarity across neocortical areas of neuronal subtypes and their patterns of connectivity suggests that insights obtained from the study of early visual cortex may be applicable to other brain regions. We conclude with a discussion of future studies that combine vision science and neuroimaging methods. These studies have the potential to address pressing questions in schizophrenia, including the dissociation of local circuit deficits vs. impairments in feedback modulation by cognitive processes such as spatial attention and working memory, and the relative contributions of glutamatergic and GABAergic deficits.

Optimal Access to NASA Water Cycle Data for Water Resources Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teng, W. L.; Arctur, D. K.; Espinoza, G. E.; Rui, H.; Strub, R. F.; Vollmer, B.

2016-12-01

A "Digital Divide" in data representation exists between the preferred way of data access by the hydrology community (i.e., as time series of discrete spatial objects) and the common way of data archival by earth science data centers (i.e., as continuous spatial fields, one file per time step). This Divide has been an obstacle, specifically, between the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. Hydrologic Information System (CUAHSI HIS) and NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC). An optimal approach to bridging the Divide, developed by the GES DISC, is to reorganize data from the way they are archived to some way that is optimal for the desired method of data access. Specifically for CUAHSI HIS, selected data sets were reorganized into time series files, one per geographical "point." These time series files, termed "data rods," are pre-generated or virtual (generated on-the-fly). Data sets available as data rods include North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS), Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS), TRMM Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA), Land Parameter Retrieval Model (LPRM), Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA)-Land, and Groundwater and Soil Moisture Conditions from Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) Data Assimilation drought indicators for North America Drought Monitor (GRACE-DA-DM). In order to easily avail the operational water resources community the benefits of optimally reorganized data, we have developed multiple methods of making these data more easily accessible and usable. These include direct access via RESTful Web services, a browser-based Web map and statistical tool for selected NLDAS variables for the U.S. (CONUS), a HydroShare app (Data Rods Explorer, under development) on the Tethys Platform, and access via the GEOSS Portal. Examples of drought-related applications of these data and data access methods are provided.

The National Map: from geography to mapping and back again

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kelmelis, John A.; DeMulder, Mark L.; Ogrosky, Charles E.; Van Driel, J. Nicholas; Ryan, Barbara J.

2003-01-01

When the means of production for national base mapping were capital intensive, required large production facilities, and had ill-defined markets, Federal Government mapping agencies were the primary providers of the spatial data needed for economic development, environmental management, and national defense. With desktop geographic information systems now ubiquitous, source data available as a commodity from private industry, and the realization that many complex problems faced by society need far more and different kinds of spatial data for their solutions, national mapping organizations must realign their business strategies to meet growing demand and anticipate the needs of a rapidly changing geographic information environment. The National Map of the United States builds on a sound historic foundation of describing and monitoring the land surface and adds a focused effort to produce improved understanding, modeling, and prediction of land-surface change. These added dimensions bring to bear a broader spectrum of geographic science to address extant and emerging issues. Within the overarching construct of The National Map, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is making a transition from data collector to guarantor of national data completeness; from producing paper maps to supporting an online, seamless, integrated database; and from simply describing the Nation’s landscape to linking these descriptions with increased scientific understanding. Implementing the full spectrum of geographic science addresses a myriad of public policy issues, including land and natural resource management, recreation, urban growth, human health, and emergency planning, response, and recovery. Neither these issues nor the science and technologies needed to deal with them are static. A robust research agenda is needed to understand these changes and realize The National Map vision. Initial successes have been achieved. These accomplishments demonstrate the utility of The National Map to the Nation and give confidence in evolving its future applications.

From field data collection to earth sciences dissemination: mobile examples in the digital era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giardino, Marco; Ghiraldi, Luca; Palomba, Mauro; Perotti, Luigi

2015-04-01

In the framework of the technological and cultural revolution related to the massive diffusion of mobile devices, as smartphones and tablets, the information management and accessibility is changing, and many software houses and developer communities realized applications that can meet various people's needs. Modern collection, storing and sharing of data have radically changed, and advances in ICT increasingly involve field-based activities. Progresses in these researches and applications depend on three main components: hardware, software and web system. Since 2008 the geoSITLab multidisciplinary group (Earth Sciences Department and NatRisk Centre of the University of Torino and the Natural Sciences Museum of the Piemonte Region) is active in defining and testing methods for collecting, managing and sharing field information using mobile devices. Key issues include: Geomorphological Digital Mapping, Natural Hazards monitoring, Geoheritage assessment and applications for the teaching of Earth Sciences. An overview of the application studies is offered here, including the use of Mobile tools for data collection, the construction of relational databases for inventory activities and the test of Web-Mapping tools and mobile apps for data dissemination. The fil rouge of connection is a standardized digital approach allowing the use of mobile devices in each step of the process, which will be analysed within different projects set up by the research group (Geonathaz, EgeoFieldwork, Progeo Piemonte, GeomediaWeb). The hardware component mainly consists of the availability of handheld mobile devices (e.g. smartphones, PDAs and Tablets). The software component corresponds to applications for spatial data visualization on mobile devices, such as composite mobile GIS or simple location-based apps. The web component allows the integration of collected data into geodatabase based on client-server architecture, where the information can be easily loaded, uploaded and shared between field staff and data management team, in order to disseminate collected information to media or to inform the decision makers. Results demonstrated the possibility to record field observations in a fast and reliable way, using standardized formats that can improve the precision of collected information and lower the possibility of errors and data omission. Dedicated forms have been set up for gathering different thematic data (geologic/geomorphologic, faunal and floristic, path system…etc.). Field data allowed to arrange maps and SDI useful for many application purposes: from country-planning to disaster risk management, from Geoheritage management to Earth Science concepts dissemination.

Detecting fractal power-law long-range dependence in pre-sliced cooked pork ham surface intensity patterns using Detrended Fluctuation Analysis.

PubMed

Valous, Nektarios A; Drakakis, Konstantinos; Sun, Da-Wen

2010-10-01

The visual texture of pork ham slices reveals information about the different qualities and perceived image heterogeneity, which is encapsulated as spatial variations in geometry and spectral characteristics. Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA) detects long-range correlations in nonstationary spatial sequences, by a self-similarity scaling exponent alpha. In the current work, the aim is to investigate the usefulness of alpha, using different colour channels (R, G, B, L*, a*, b*, H, S, V, and Grey), as a quantitative descriptor of visual texture in sliced ham surface patterns for the detection of long-range correlations in unidimensional spatial series of greyscale intensity pixel values at 0 degrees , 30 degrees , 45 degrees , 60 degrees , and 90 degrees rotations. Images were acquired from three qualities of pre-sliced pork ham, typically consumed in Ireland (200 slices per quality). Results indicated that the DFA approach can be used to characterize and quantify the textural appearance of the three ham qualities, for different image orientations, with a global scaling exponent. The spatial series extracted from the ham images display long-range dependence, indicating an average behaviour around 1/f-noise. Results indicate that alpha has a universal character in quantifying the visual texture of ham surface intensity patterns, with no considerable crossovers that alter the behaviour of the fluctuations. Fractal correlation properties can thus be a useful metric for capturing information embedded in the visual texture of hams. Copyright (c) 2010 The American Meat Science Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transforming Spatial Reasoning Skills in the Undergraduate Geoscience Classroom Through Interventions Based on Cognitive Science Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ormand, C. J.; Shipley, T. F.; Tikoff, B.; Manduca, C. A.; Dutrow, B. L.; Goodwin, L. B.; Hickson, T.; Atit, K.; Gagnier, K. M.; Resnick, I.

2013-12-01

Spatial visualization is an essential skill in many, if not all, STEM disciplines. It is a prerequisite for understanding subjects as diverse as fluid flow through 3D fault systems, magnetic and gravitational fields, atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns, cellular and molecular structures, engineering design, topology, and much, much more. Undergraduate geoscience students, in both introductory and upper-level courses, bring a wide range of spatial skill levels to the classroom. However, spatial thinking improves with practice, and can improve more rapidly with intentional training. As a group of geoscience faculty members and cognitive psychologists, we are collaborating to apply the results of cognitive science research to the development of teaching materials to improve undergraduate geology majors' spatial thinking skills. This approach has the potential to transform undergraduate STEM education by removing one significant barrier to success in the STEM disciplines. Two promising teaching strategies have emerged from recent cognitive science research into spatial thinking: gesturing and predictive sketching. Studies show that students who gesture about spatial relationships perform better on spatial tasks than students who don't gesture, perhaps because gesture provides a mechanism for cognitive offloading. Similarly, students who sketch their predictions about the interiors of geologic block diagrams perform better on penetrative thinking tasks than students who make predictions without sketching. We are developing new teaching materials for Mineralogy, Structural Geology, and Sedimentology & Stratigraphy courses using these two strategies. Our data suggest that the research-based teaching materials we are developing may boost students' spatial thinking skills beyond the baseline gains we have measured in the same courses without the new curricular materials.

A look at spatial abilities in undergraduate women science majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lord, Thomas R.

Contemporary investigations indicate that men generally perform significantly better in tasks involving visuo-spatial awareness than do women. Researchers have attempted to explain this difference through several hypotheses but as yet the reason for the dimorphism has not been established. Further, contemporary studies have indicated that enhancement of mental image formation and manipulation is possible when students are subjected to carefully designed spatial interventions. Present research was conducted to see if women in the sciences were as spatial perceptively accurate as their male counterparts. The researcher also was interested to find if the women that received the intervention excercises improved in their visuo-spatial awareness as rapidly as their male counterparts.The study was conducted on science majors at a suburban two year college. The population was randomly divided into groups (experimental, placebo, and control) each containing approximately the same number of men and women. All groups were given a battery of spatial perception tests (Ekstrom et al, 1976) at the onset of the winter semester and a second version of the battery at the conclusion of the semester. An analysis of variance followed by Scheffe contrasts were run on the results. The statistics revealed that the experimental group significantly outperformed the nonexperimental groups on the tests. When the differences between the mean scores for the women in the experimental group were statistically compared to those of the men in the experimental group the women were improving at a more rapid rate. Many women have the capacity to develop visuo-spatial aptitude and although they may start out behind men in spatial ability, they learn quickly and often catch up to the men's level when given meaningful visuo-spatial interventions.

Spatial information semantic query based on SPARQL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Zhifeng; Huang, Lei; Zhai, Xiaofang

2009-10-01

How can the efficiency of spatial information inquiries be enhanced in today's fast-growing information age? We are rich in geospatial data but poor in up-to-date geospatial information and knowledge that are ready to be accessed by public users. This paper adopts an approach for querying spatial semantic by building an Web Ontology language(OWL) format ontology and introducing SPARQL Protocol and RDF Query Language(SPARQL) to search spatial semantic relations. It is important to establish spatial semantics that support for effective spatial reasoning for performing semantic query. Compared to earlier keyword-based and information retrieval techniques that rely on syntax, we use semantic approaches in our spatial queries system. Semantic approaches need to be developed by ontology, so we use OWL to describe spatial information extracted by the large-scale map of Wuhan. Spatial information expressed by ontology with formal semantics is available to machines for processing and to people for understanding. The approach is illustrated by introducing a case study for using SPARQL to query geo-spatial ontology instances of Wuhan. The paper shows that making use of SPARQL to search OWL ontology instances can ensure the result's accuracy and applicability. The result also indicates constructing a geo-spatial semantic query system has positive efforts on forming spatial query and retrieval.

The Design and Use of Planetary Science Video Games to Teach Content while Enhancing Spatial Reasoning Skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziffer, Julie; Nadirli, Orkhan; Rudnick, Benjamin; Pinkham, Sunny; Montgomery, Benjamin

2016-10-01

Traditional teaching of Planetary Science requires students to possess well developed spatial reasoning skills (SRS). Recent research has demonstrated that SRS, long known to be crucial to math and science success, can be improved among students who lack these skills (Sorby et al., 2009). Teaching spatial reasoning is particularly valuable to women and minorities who, through societal pressure, often doubt their abilities (Hill et al., 2010). To address SRS deficiencies, our team is developing video games that embed SRS training into Planetary Science content. Our first game, on Moon Phases, addresses the two primary challenges faced by students trying to understand the Sun-Earth-Moon system: 1) visualizing the system (specifically the difference between the Sun-Earth orbital plane and the Earth-Moon orbital plane) and 2) comprehending the relationship between time and the position-phase of the Moon. In our second video game, the student varies an asteroid's rotational speed, shape, and orientation to the light source while observing how these changes effect the resulting light curve. To correctly pair objects to their light curves, students use spatial reasoning skills to imagine how light scattering off a three dimensional rotating object is imaged on a sensor plane and is then reduced to a series of points on a light curve plot. These two games represent the first of our developing suite of high-interest video games designed to teach content while increasing the student's competence in spatial reasoning.

Cortical feedback signals generalise across different spatial frequencies of feedforward inputs.

PubMed

Revina, Yulia; Petro, Lucy S; Muckli, Lars

2017-09-22

Visual processing in cortex relies on feedback projections contextualising feedforward information flow. Primary visual cortex (V1) has small receptive fields and processes feedforward information at a fine-grained spatial scale, whereas higher visual areas have larger, spatially invariant receptive fields. Therefore, feedback could provide coarse information about the global scene structure or alternatively recover fine-grained structure by targeting small receptive fields in V1. We tested if feedback signals generalise across different spatial frequencies of feedforward inputs, or if they are tuned to the spatial scale of the visual scene. Using a partial occlusion paradigm, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA) we investigated whether feedback to V1 contains coarse or fine-grained information by manipulating the spatial frequency of the scene surround outside an occluded image portion. We show that feedback transmits both coarse and fine-grained information as it carries information about both low (LSF) and high spatial frequencies (HSF). Further, feedback signals containing LSF information are similar to feedback signals containing HSF information, even without a large overlap in spatial frequency bands of the HSF and LSF scenes. Lastly, we found that feedback carries similar information about the spatial frequency band across different scenes. We conclude that cortical feedback signals contain information which generalises across different spatial frequencies of feedforward inputs. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Expanding Talent Search Procedures by Including Measures of Spatial Ability: CTY's Spatial Test Battery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stumpf, Heinrich; Mills, Carol J.; Brody, Linda E.; Baxley, Philip G.

2013-01-01

The importance of spatial ability for success in a variety of domains, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), is widely acknowledged. Yet, students with high spatial ability are rarely identified, as Talent Searches for academically talented students focus on identifying high mathematical and verbal abilities.…

The relation between working memory and language comprehension in signers and speakers.

PubMed

Emmorey, Karen; Giezen, Marcel R; Petrich, Jennifer A F; Spurgeon, Erin; O'Grady Farnady, Lucinda

2017-06-01

This study investigated the relation between linguistic and spatial working memory (WM) resources and language comprehension for signed compared to spoken language. Sign languages are both linguistic and visual-spatial, and therefore provide a unique window on modality-specific versus modality-independent contributions of WM resources to language processing. Deaf users of American Sign Language (ASL), hearing monolingual English speakers, and hearing ASL-English bilinguals completed several spatial and linguistic serial recall tasks. Additionally, their comprehension of spatial and non-spatial information in ASL and spoken English narratives was assessed. Results from the linguistic serial recall tasks revealed that the often reported advantage for speakers on linguistic short-term memory tasks does not extend to complex WM tasks with a serial recall component. For English, linguistic WM predicted retention of non-spatial information, and both linguistic and spatial WM predicted retention of spatial information. For ASL, spatial WM predicted retention of spatial (but not non-spatial) information, and linguistic WM did not predict retention of either spatial or non-spatial information. Overall, our findings argue against strong assumptions of independent domain-specific subsystems for the storage and processing of linguistic and spatial information and furthermore suggest a less important role for serial encoding in signed than spoken language comprehension. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spheres of Knowledge that Require Open-mindedness and Open Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Branch, B. D.

2009-05-01

The progress of social knowledge is impeded if not paralyzed at present by two fundamental factors, one impinging from knowledge without, and the other operating within the world of science itself' (Mannheim, Wirth, and Shils, p. xi). Hence, a Sphere of Knowledge (SK) defined here as a pseudo-ontology, may require a societal open-mindedness as defined by Dewey (1912). With professional open-mindedness and open data use, such social constructs may bridge and build relations towards efficient and effective societal problem solving. Open data use is defined where information has to be gathered from many sources to provided input for latter decision-making in the public interest. Here, spatial thinking may be the heart of data collection, analysis, and reporting that sustains an informatics experience among all parts of society. Here, at risk may be human survival and sustainability if policy and politics has hindered scientific or evidence-based transfer. Executive Order 12096, Coordinating Geographical Data Acquisition and Access: The National Spatial Data Infrastructure, by the federal government in 1994, may be an example of an informatics gap of knowledge where a federal mandate is not being connected to geosciences tools and community leaders that could benefit an open society. Critical in a SK is how an open society makes effective decisions if the issues it faces are new with unpredictable outcomes. Policy and politics should not impede the scientific or evidence based knowledge transfer but should be a root of democratic tools. Policy development and implementation should reflect such complexities' (Gardner, et al, 2003, p. 2). Conceptually, a SK may be too broad for any one disciplinary to address effectively as a next generation concern. The demand for deep integration of scientific data within and between disciplines is also growing, as larger and broader science questions are becoming more common. Concurrent with the growing demand for next generation information technology for science is a growth in semantic technologies' (McGuinness, Fox, and Brodaric, 2008, p. 1). Thus, if human survivability and sustainability exist in this manner as a societal issue, then effective interdisciplinary collaboration among social and hard sciences must effectively value the other to see an advance of evidence based and science based habits in the citizenry. The effective decision making of society may be dependent on the skills of science, its data sharing, and collaboration skills of multiple disciplines to reach feasible solutions for the public interest.

Volunteered Geographic Information: Interpretation, Visualisation and Social Computing (VGIscience)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burghardt, Dirk; Nejdl, Wolfgang; Schiewe, Jochen; Sester, Monika

2018-05-01

In the past years Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) has emerged as a novel form of user-generated content, which involves active generation of geo-data for example in citizen science projects or during crisis mapping as well as the passive collection of data via the user's location-enabled mobile devices. In addition there are more and more sensors available that detect our environment with ever greater detail and dynamics. These data can be used for a variety of applications, not only for the solution of societal tasks such as in environment, health or transport fields, but also for the development of commercial products and services. The interpretation, visualisation and usage of such multi-source data is challenging because of the large heterogeneity, the differences in quality, the high update frequencies, the varying spatial-temporal resolution, subjective characteristics and low semantic structuring. Therefore the German Research Foundation has launched a priority programme for the next 3-6 years which will support interdisciplinary research projects. This priority programme aims to provide a scientific basis for raising the potential of VGI- and sensor data. Research questions described more in detail in this short paper span from the extraction of spatial information, to the visual analysis and knowledge presentation, taking into account the social context while collecting and using VGI.

Multiscale information modelling for heart morphogenesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdulla, T.; Imms, R.; Schleich, J. M.; Summers, R.

2010-07-01

Science is made feasible by the adoption of common systems of units. As research has become more data intensive, especially in the biomedical domain, it requires the adoption of a common system of information models, to make explicit the relationship between one set of data and another, regardless of format. This is being realised through the OBO Foundry to develop a suite of reference ontologies, and NCBO Bioportal to provide services to integrate biomedical resources and functionality to visualise and create mappings between ontology terms. Biomedical experts tend to be focused at one level of spatial scale, be it biochemistry, cell biology, or anatomy. Likewise, the ontologies they use tend to be focused at a particular level of scale. There is increasing interest in a multiscale systems approach, which attempts to integrate between different levels of scale to gain understanding of emergent effects. This is a return to physiological medicine with a computational emphasis, exemplified by the worldwide Physiome initiative, and the European Union funded Network of Excellence in the Virtual Physiological Human. However, little work has been done on how information modelling itself may be tailored to a multiscale systems approach. We demonstrate how this can be done for the complex process of heart morphogenesis, which requires multiscale understanding in both time and spatial domains. Such an effort enables the integration of multiscale metrology.

Using analogy to learn about phenomena at scales outside human perception.

PubMed

Resnick, Ilyse; Davatzes, Alexandra; Newcombe, Nora S; Shipley, Thomas F

2017-01-01

Understanding and reasoning about phenomena at scales outside human perception (for example, geologic time) is critical across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Thus, devising strong methods to support acquisition of reasoning at such scales is an important goal in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. In two experiments, we examine the use of analogical principles in learning about geologic time. Across both experiments we find that using a spatial analogy (for example, a time line) to make multiple alignments, and keeping all unrelated components of the analogy held constant (for example, keep the time line the same length), leads to better understanding of the magnitude of geologic time. Effective approaches also include hierarchically and progressively aligning scale information (Experiment 1) and active prediction in making alignments paired with immediate feedback (Experiments 1 and 2).

Problems in merging Earth sensing satellite data sets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Paul H.; Goldberg, Michael J.

1987-01-01

Satellite remote sensing systems provide a tremendous source of data flow to the Earth science community. These systems provide scientists with data of types and on a scale previously unattainable. Looking forward to the capabilities of Space Station and the Earth Observing System (EOS), the full realization of the potential of satellite remote sensing will be handicapped by inadequate information systems. There is a growing emphasis in Earth science research to ask questions which are multidisciplinary in nature and global in scale. Many of these research projects emphasize the interactions of the land surface, the atmosphere, and the oceans through various physical mechanisms. Conducting this research requires large and complex data sets and teams of multidisciplinary scientists, often working at remote locations. A review of the problems of merging these large volumes of data into spatially referenced and manageable data sets is presented.

Progress with lossy compression of data from the Community Earth System Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, H.; Baker, A.; Hammerling, D.; Li, S.; Clyne, J.

2017-12-01

Climate models, such as the Community Earth System Model (CESM), generate massive quantities of data, particularly when run at high spatial and temporal resolutions. The burden of storage is further exacerbated by creating large ensembles, generating large numbers of variables, outputting at high frequencies, and duplicating data archives (to protect against disk failures). Applying lossy compression methods to CESM datasets is an attractive means of reducing data storage requirements, but ensuring that the loss of information does not negatively impact science objectives is critical. In particular, test methods are needed to evaluate whether critical features (e.g., extreme values and spatial and temporal gradients) have been preserved and to boost scientists' confidence in the lossy compression process. We will provide an overview on our progress in applying lossy compression to CESM output and describe our unique suite of metric tests that evaluate the impact of information loss. Further, we will describe our processes how to choose an appropriate compression algorithm (and its associated parameters) given the diversity of CESM data (e.g., variables may be constant, smooth, change abruptly, contain missing values, or have large ranges). Traditional compression algorithms, such as those used for images, are not necessarily ideally suited for floating-point climate simulation data, and different methods may have different strengths and be more effective for certain types of variables than others. We will discuss our progress towards our ultimate goal of developing an automated multi-method parallel approach for compression of climate data that both maximizes data reduction and minimizes the impact of data loss on science results.

Improvements in Virtual Sensors: Using Spatial Information to Estimate Remote Sensing Spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oza, Nikunj C.; Srivastava, Ashok N.; Stroeve, Julienne

2005-01-01

Various instruments are used to create images of the Earth and other objects in the universe in a diverse set of wavelength bands with the aim of understanding natural phenomena. Sometimes these instruments are built in a phased approach, with additional measurement capabilities added in later phases. In other cases, technology may mature to the point that the instrument offers new measurement capabilities that were not planned in the original design of the instrument. In still other cases, high resolution spectral measurements may be too costly to perform on a large sample and therefore lower resolution spectral instruments are used to take the majority of measurements. Many applied science questions that are relevant to the earth science remote sensing community require analysis of enormous amounts of data that were generated by instruments with disparate measurement capabilities. In past work [1], we addressed this problem using Virtual Sensors: a method that uses models trained on spectrally rich (high spectral resolution) data to "fill in" unmeasured spectral channels in spectrally poor (low spectral resolution) data. We demonstrated this method by using models trained on the high spectral resolution Terra MODIS instrument to estimate what the equivalent of the MODIS 1.6 micron channel would be for the NOAA AVHRR2 instrument. The scientific motivation for the simulation of the 1.6 micron channel is to improve the ability of the AVHRR2 sensor to detect clouds over snow and ice. This work contains preliminary experiments demonstrating that the use of spatial information can improve our ability to estimate these spectra.

Rapid prototyping of soil moisture estimates using the NASA Land Information System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anantharaj, V.; Mostovoy, G.; Li, B.; Peters-Lidard, C.; Houser, P.; Moorhead, R.; Kumar, S.

2007-12-01

The Land Information System (LIS), developed at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, is a functional Land Data Assimilation System (LDAS) that incorporates a suite of land models in an interoperable computational framework. LIS has been integrated into a computational Rapid Prototyping Capabilities (RPC) infrastructure. LIS consists of a core, a number of community land models, data servers, and visualization systems - integrated in a high-performance computing environment. The land surface models (LSM) in LIS incorporate surface and atmospheric parameters of temperature, snow/water, vegetation, albedo, soil conditions, topography, and radiation. Many of these parameters are available from in-situ observations, numerical model analysis, and from NASA, NOAA, and other remote sensing satellite platforms at various spatial and temporal resolutions. The computational resources, available to LIS via the RPC infrastructure, support e- Science experiments involving the global modeling of land-atmosphere studies at 1km spatial resolutions as well as regional studies at finer resolutions. The Noah Land Surface Model, available with-in the LIS is being used to rapidly prototype soil moisture estimates in order to evaluate the viability of other science applications for decision making purposes. For example, LIS has been used to further extend the utility of the USDA Soil Climate Analysis Network of in-situ soil moisture observations. In addition, LIS also supports data assimilation capabilities that are used to assimilate remotely sensed soil moisture retrievals from the AMSR-E instrument onboard the Aqua satellite. The rapid prototyping of soil moisture estimates using LIS and their applications will be illustrated during the presentation.

Visualization and Analysis of Multi-scale Land Surface Products via Giovanni Portals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shen, Suhung; Kempler, Steven J.; Gerasimov, Irina V.

2013-01-01

Large volumes of MODIS land data products at multiple spatial resolutions have been integrated into the Giovanni online analysis system to support studies on land cover and land use changes,focused on the Northern Eurasia and Monsoon Asia regions through the LCLUC program. Giovanni (Goddard Interactive Online Visualization ANd aNalysis Infrastructure) is a Web-based application developed by the NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC), providing a simple and intuitive way to visualize, analyze, and access Earth science remotely-sensed and modeled data.Customized Giovanni Web portals (Giovanni-NEESPI andGiovanni-MAIRS) have been created to integrate land, atmospheric,cryospheric, and societal products, enabling researchers to do quick exploration and basic analyses of land surface changes, and their relationships to climate, at global and regional scales. This presentation shows a sample Giovanni portal page, lists selected data products in the system, and illustrates potential analyses with imagesand time-series at global and regional scales, focusing on climatology and anomaly analysis. More information is available at the GES DISCMAIRS data support project portal: http:disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.govmairs.

Moving Beyond Misconceptions: A New Model for Learning Challenges in Cognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slater, T. F.; Slater, S. J.

2011-12-01

For over 40 years, the science education community has given its attention to cataloging the substantial body of "misconceptions" in individual's thinking about science, and to addressing the consequences of those misconceptions in the science classroom. Despite the tremendous amount of effort given to researching and disseminating information related to misconceptions, and the development of a theory of conceptual change to mitigate misconceptions, progress continues to be less than satisfying. An analysis of the literature and our own research has persuaded the CAPER Center for Astronomy and Physics Education Research to put forth model that will allow us to operate on students' learning difficulties in a more fruitful manner. Previously, much of the field's work binned erroneous student thinking into a single construct, and from that basis, curriculum developers and instructors addressed student misconceptions with a single instructional strategy. In contrast this model suggests that "misconceptions" are a mixture of at least four learning barriers: incorrect factual information, inappropriately applied mental algorithms (phenomenological primitives), insufficient cognitive structures (e.g. spatial reasoning), and affective/emotional difficulties. Each of these types of barriers should be addressed with an appropriately designed instructional strategy. Initial applications of this model to learning problems in the Earth & Space Sciences have been fruitful, suggesting that an effort towards categorizing persistent learning difficulties in the geosciences beyond the level of "misconceptions" may allow our community to craft tailored and more effective learning experiences for our students and the general public.

Sealife: a semantic grid browser for the life sciences applied to the study of infectious diseases.

PubMed

Schroeder, Michael; Burger, Albert; Kostkova, Patty; Stevens, Robert; Habermann, Bianca; Dieng-Kuntz, Rose

2006-01-01

The objective of Sealife is the conception and realisation of a semantic Grid browser for the life sciences, which will link the existing Web to the currently emerging eScience infrastructure. The SeaLife Browser will allow users to automatically link a host of Web servers and Web/Grid services to the Web content he/she is visiting. This will be accomplished using eScience's growing number of Web/Grid Services and its XML-based standards and ontologies. The browser will identify terms in the pages being browsed through the background knowledge held in ontologies. Through the use of Semantic Hyperlinks, which link identified ontology terms to servers and services, the SeaLife Browser will offer a new dimension of context-based information integration. In this paper, we give an overview over the different components of the browser and their interplay. This SeaLife Browser will be demonstrated within three application scenarios in evidence-based medicine, literature & patent mining, and molecular biology, all relating to the study of infectious diseases. The three applications vertically integrate the molecule/cell, the tissue/organ and the patient/population level by covering the analysis of high-throughput screening data for endocytosis (the molecular entry pathway into the cell), the expression of proteins in the spatial context of tissue and organs, and a high-level library on infectious diseases designed for clinicians and their patients. For more information see http://www.biote.ctu-dresden.de/sealife.

The Computational Science Education Reference Desk: A tool for increasing inquiry based learning in the science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joiner, D. A.; Stevenson, D. E.; Panoff, R. M.

2000-12-01

The Computational Science Reference Desk is an online tool designed to provide educators in math, physics, astronomy, biology, chemistry, and engineering with information on how to use computational science to enhance inquiry based learning in the undergraduate and pre college classroom. The Reference Desk features a showcase of original content exploration activities, including lesson plans and background materials; a catalog of websites which contain models, lesson plans, software, and instructional resources; and a forum to allow educators to communicate their ideas. Many of the recent advances in astronomy rely on the use of computer simulation, and tools are being developed by CSERD to allow students to experiment with some of the models that have guided scientific discovery. One of these models allows students to study how scientists use spectral information to determine the makeup of the interstellar medium by modeling the interstellar extinction curve using spherical grains of silicate, amorphous carbon, or graphite. Students can directly compare their model to the average interstellar extinction curve, and experiment with how small changes in their model alter the shape of the interstellar extinction curve. A simpler model allows students to visualize spatial relationships between the Earth, Moon, and Sun to understand the cause of the phases of the moon. A report on the usefulness of these models in two classes, the Computational Astrophysics workshop at The Shodor Education Foundation and the Conceptual Astronomy class at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, will be presented.

Connecting Mathematics Learning through Spatial Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulligan, Joanne; Woolcott, Geoffrey; Mitchelmore, Michael; Davis, Brent

2018-01-01

Spatial reasoning, an emerging transdisciplinary area of interest to mathematics education research, is proving integral to all human learning. It is particularly critical to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. This project will create an innovative knowledge framework based on spatial reasoning that identifies new…

Emerging trends in geospatial artificial intelligence (geoAI): potential applications for environmental epidemiology.

PubMed

VoPham, Trang; Hart, Jaime E; Laden, Francine; Chiang, Yao-Yi

2018-04-17

Geospatial artificial intelligence (geoAI) is an emerging scientific discipline that combines innovations in spatial science, artificial intelligence methods in machine learning (e.g., deep learning), data mining, and high-performance computing to extract knowledge from spatial big data. In environmental epidemiology, exposure modeling is a commonly used approach to conduct exposure assessment to determine the distribution of exposures in study populations. geoAI technologies provide important advantages for exposure modeling in environmental epidemiology, including the ability to incorporate large amounts of big spatial and temporal data in a variety of formats; computational efficiency; flexibility in algorithms and workflows to accommodate relevant characteristics of spatial (environmental) processes including spatial nonstationarity; and scalability to model other environmental exposures across different geographic areas. The objectives of this commentary are to provide an overview of key concepts surrounding the evolving and interdisciplinary field of geoAI including spatial data science, machine learning, deep learning, and data mining; recent geoAI applications in research; and potential future directions for geoAI in environmental epidemiology.

Soil Science Education: Philosophy and Perspectives. SSSA Special Publication Number 37.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baveye, Philippe, Ed.; And Others

Soil science provides the educational framework to integrate components of earth science systems, to understand the causes and consequences of spatial variability, and view dynamic processes impacting ecosystems in a holistic perspective. This book, a special publication of the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), identifies and analyzes…

Quasar Astrophysics with the Space Interferometry Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Unwin, Stephen; Wehrle, Ann; Meier, David; Jones, Dayton; Piner, Glenn

2007-01-01

Optical astrometry of quasars and active galaxies can provide key information on the spatial distribution and variability of emission in compact nuclei. The Space Interferometry Mission (SIM PlanetQuest) will have the sensitivity to measure a significant number of quasar positions at the microarcsecond level. SIM will be very sensitive to astrometric shifts for objects as faint as V = 19. A variety of AGN phenomena are expected to be visible to SIM on these scales, including time and spectral dependence in position offsets between accretion disk and jet emission. These represent unique data on the spatial distribution and time dependence of quasar emission. It will also probe the use of quasar nuclei as fundamental astrometric references. Comparisons between the time-dependent optical photocenter position and VLBI radio images will provide further insight into the jet emission mechanism. Observations will be tailored to each specific target and science question. SIM will be able to distinguish spatially between jet and accretion disk emission; and it can observe the cores of galaxies potentially harboring binary supermassive black holes resulting from mergers.

The Balloon Experimental Twin Telescope for Infrared Interferometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silverburg, Robert

2009-01-01

Astronomical studies at infrared wavelengths have dramatically improved our understanding of the universe, and observations with Spitzer, the upcoming Herschel mission, and SOFIA will continue to provide exciting new discoveries. The comparatively low spatial resolution of these missions, however, is insufficient to resolve the physical scales on which mid- to far-infrared emission arises, resulting in source and structure ambiguities that limit our ability to answer key science questions. Interferometry enables high angular resolution at these wavelengths. We have proposed a new high altitude balloon experiment, the Balloon Experimental Twin Telescope for Infrared Interferometry (BETTII). High altitude operation makes far-infrared (30- 300micron) observations possible, and BETTII's 8-meter baseline provides unprecedented angular resolution (approx. 0.5 arcsec) in this band. BETTII will use a double-Fourier instrument to simultaneously obtain both spatial and spectral information. The spatially resolved spectroscopy provided by BETTII will address key questions about the nature of disks in young cluster stars and active galactic nuclei and the envelopes of evolved stars. BETTII will also lay the groundwork for future space interferometers.

Complex EUV imaging reflectometry: spatially resolved 3D composition determination and dopant profiling with a tabletop 13nm source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porter, Christina L.; Tanksalvala, Michael; Gerrity, Michael; Miley, Galen P.; Esashi, Yuka; Horiguchi, Naoto; Zhang, Xiaoshi; Bevis, Charles S.; Karl, Robert; Johnsen, Peter; Adams, Daniel E.; Kapteyn, Henry C.; Murnane, Margaret M.

2018-03-01

With increasingly 3D devices becoming the norm, there is a growing need in the semiconductor industry and in materials science for high spatial resolution, non-destructive metrology techniques capable of determining depth-dependent composition information on devices. We present a solution to this problem using ptychographic coherent diffractive imaging (CDI) implemented using a commercially available, tabletop 13 nm source. We present the design, simulations, and preliminary results from our new complex EUV imaging reflectometer, which uses coherent 13 nm light produced by tabletop high harmonic generation. This tool is capable of determining spatially-resolved composition vs. depth profiles for samples by recording ptychographic images at multiple incidence angles. By harnessing phase measurements, we can locally and nondestructively determine quantities such as device and thin film layer thicknesses, surface roughness, interface quality, and dopant concentration profiles. Using this advanced imaging reflectometer, we can quantitatively characterize materials-sciencerelevant and industry-relevant nanostructures for a wide variety of applications, spanning from defect and overlay metrology to the development and optimization of nano-enhanced thermoelectric or spintronic devices.

Ontology patterns for complex topographic feature yypes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Varanka, Dalia E.

2011-01-01

Complex feature types are defined as integrated relations between basic features for a shared meaning or concept. The shared semantic concept is difficult to define in commonly used geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing technologies. The role of spatial relations between complex feature parts was recognized in early GIS literature, but had limited representation in the feature or coverage data models of GIS. Spatial relations are more explicitly specified in semantic technology. In this paper, semantics for topographic feature ontology design patterns (ODP) are developed as data models for the representation of complex features. In the context of topographic processes, component assemblages are supported by resource systems and are found on local landscapes. The topographic ontology is organized across six thematic modules that can account for basic feature types, resource systems, and landscape types. Types of complex feature attributes include location, generative processes and physical description. Node/edge networks model standard spatial relations and relations specific to topographic science to represent complex features. To demonstrate these concepts, data from The National Map of the U. S. Geological Survey was converted and assembled into ODP.

Breaking new ground in the mind: an initial study of mental brittle transformation and mental rigid rotation in science experts.

PubMed

Resnick, Ilyse; Shipley, Thomas F

2013-05-01

The current study examines the spatial skills employed in different spatial reasoning tasks, by asking how science experts who are practiced in different types of visualizations perform on different spatial tasks. Specifically, the current study examines the varieties of mental transformations. We hypothesize that there may be two broad classes of mental transformations: rigid body mental transformations and non-rigid mental transformations. We focus on the disciplines of geology and organic chemistry because different types of transformations are central to the two disciplines: While geologists and organic chemists may both confront rotation in the practice of their profession, only geologists confront brittle transformations. A new instrument was developed to measure mental brittle transformation (visualizing breaking). Geologists and organic chemists performed similarly on a measure of mental rotation, while geologists outperformed organic chemists on the mental brittle transformation test. The differential pattern of skill on the two tests for the two groups of experts suggests that mental brittle transformation and mental rotation are different spatial skills. The roles of domain general cognitive resources (attentional control, spatial working memory, and perceptual filling in) and strategy in completing mental brittle transformation are discussed. The current study illustrates how ecological and interdisciplinary approaches complement traditional cognitive science to offer a comprehensive approach to understanding the nature of spatial thinking.

Investigation of noise properties in grating-based x-ray phase tomography with reverse projection method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bao, Yuan; Wang, Yan; Gao, Kun; Wang, Zhi-Li; Zhu, Pei-Ping; Wu, Zi-Yu

2015-10-01

The relationship between noise variance and spatial resolution in grating-based x-ray phase computed tomography (PCT) imaging is investigated with reverse projection extraction method, and the noise variances of the reconstructed absorption coefficient and refractive index decrement are compared. For the differential phase contrast method, the noise variance in the differential projection images follows the same inverse-square law with spatial resolution as in conventional absorption-based x-ray imaging projections. However, both theoretical analysis and simulations demonstrate that in PCT the noise variance of the reconstructed refractive index decrement scales with spatial resolution follows an inverse linear relationship at fixed slice thickness, while the noise variance of the reconstructed absorption coefficient conforms with the inverse cubic law. The results indicate that, for the same noise variance level, PCT imaging may enable higher spatial resolution than conventional absorption computed tomography (ACT), while ACT benefits more from degraded spatial resolution. This could be a useful guidance in imaging the inner structure of the sample in higher spatial resolution. Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2012CB825800), the Science Fund for Creative Research Groups, the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant Nos. KJCX2-YW-N42 and Y4545320Y2), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11475170, 11205157, 11305173, 11205189, 11375225, 11321503, 11179004, and U1332109).

Teachers' Spatial Anxiety Relates to 1st-and 2nd-Graders' Spatial Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gunderson, Elizabeth A.; Ramirez, Gerardo; Beilock, Sian L.; Levine, Susan C.

2013-01-01

Teachers' anxiety about an academic domain, such as math, can impact students' learning in that domain. We asked whether this relation held in the domain of spatial skill, given the importance of spatial skill for success in math and science and its malleability at a young age. We measured 1st-and 2nd-grade teachers' spatial anxiety…

Implementing an SIG based platform of application and service for city spatial information in Shanghai

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Bailang; Wu, Jianping

2006-10-01

Spatial Information Grid (SIG) is an infrastructure that has the ability to provide the services for spatial information according to users' needs by means of collecting, sharing, organizing and processing the massive distributed spatial information resources. This paper presents the architecture, technologies and implementation of the Shanghai City Spatial Information Application and Service System, a SIG based platform, which is an integrated platform that serves for administration, planning, construction and development of the city. In the System, there are ten categories of spatial information resources, including city planning, land-use, real estate, river system, transportation, municipal facility construction, environment protection, sanitation, urban afforestation and basic geographic information data. In addition, spatial information processing services are offered as a means of GIS Web Services. The resources and services are all distributed in different web-based nodes. A single database is created to store the metadata of all the spatial information. A portal site is published as the main user interface of the System. There are three main functions in the portal site. First, users can search the metadata and consequently acquire the distributed data by using the searching results. Second, some spatial processing web applications that developed with GIS Web Services, such as file format conversion, spatial coordinate transfer, cartographic generalization and spatial analysis etc, are offered to use. Third, GIS Web Services currently available in the System can be searched and new ones can be registered. The System has been working efficiently in Shanghai Government Network since 2005.

Combinational Reasoning of Quantitative Fuzzy Topological Relations for Simple Fuzzy Regions

PubMed Central

Liu, Bo; Li, Dajun; Xia, Yuanping; Ruan, Jian; Xu, Lili; Wu, Huanyi

2015-01-01

In recent years, formalization and reasoning of topological relations have become a hot topic as a means to generate knowledge about the relations between spatial objects at the conceptual and geometrical levels. These mechanisms have been widely used in spatial data query, spatial data mining, evaluation of equivalence and similarity in a spatial scene, as well as for consistency assessment of the topological relations of multi-resolution spatial databases. The concept of computational fuzzy topological space is applied to simple fuzzy regions to efficiently and more accurately solve fuzzy topological relations. Thus, extending the existing research and improving upon the previous work, this paper presents a new method to describe fuzzy topological relations between simple spatial regions in Geographic Information Sciences (GIS) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Firstly, we propose a new definition for simple fuzzy line segments and simple fuzzy regions based on the computational fuzzy topology. And then, based on the new definitions, we also propose a new combinational reasoning method to compute the topological relations between simple fuzzy regions, moreover, this study has discovered that there are (1) 23 different topological relations between a simple crisp region and a simple fuzzy region; (2) 152 different topological relations between two simple fuzzy regions. In the end, we have discussed some examples to demonstrate the validity of the new method, through comparisons with existing fuzzy models, we showed that the proposed method can compute more than the existing models, as it is more expressive than the existing fuzzy models. PMID:25775452

The role of physical content in piagetian spatial tasks: Sex differences in spatial knowledge?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golbeck, Susan L.

Sex-related differences on Piagetian horizontality (water level) and verticality (plumb line) tasks were examined in 64 college students. It was hypothesized that females' difficulties on these Euclidean spatial problems are due not to differences in underlying spatial competence, but rather to differences in knowledge of task specific information about the physical properties of water levels and plumb lines. This was tested by presenting subjects with the standard water level and plumb line problems and also modified problems not requiring knowledge of physical principles (i.e., drawing straight up and down or straight across lines inside tipped rectangles). While males were expected to outperform females on the standard tasks, no sex differences were expected on the modified tasks. Results of an ANOVA on scores for horizontality and verticality each showed main effects for sex and task version but failed to reveal the hypothesized interaction. However, performance on the Euclidean spatial tasks was also considered in terms of overall success versus failure. While males were more successful than females in the standard format, males and females were equally successful in the modified, nonphysical, format. Hence, college aged males and females generally do not differ in spatial competence although they may be differentially influenced by task content. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for theory and practice. It is emphasized that science educators must be especially aware of such task influences for females so that performance deficits are not mistaken for competence deficits.

Kite aerial photography for low-cost, ultra-high spatial resolution multi-spectral mapping of intertidal landscapes.

PubMed

Bryson, Mitch; Johnson-Roberson, Matthew; Murphy, Richard J; Bongiorno, Daniel

2013-01-01

Intertidal ecosystems have primarily been studied using field-based sampling; remote sensing offers the ability to collect data over large areas in a snapshot of time that could complement field-based sampling methods by extrapolating them into the wider spatial and temporal context. Conventional remote sensing tools (such as satellite and aircraft imaging) provide data at limited spatial and temporal resolutions and relatively high costs for small-scale environmental science and ecologically-focussed studies. In this paper, we describe a low-cost, kite-based imaging system and photogrammetric/mapping procedure that was developed for constructing high-resolution, three-dimensional, multi-spectral terrain models of intertidal rocky shores. The processing procedure uses automatic image feature detection and matching, structure-from-motion and photo-textured terrain surface reconstruction algorithms that require minimal human input and only a small number of ground control points and allow the use of cheap, consumer-grade digital cameras. The resulting maps combine imagery at visible and near-infrared wavelengths and topographic information at sub-centimeter resolutions over an intertidal shoreline 200 m long, thus enabling spatial properties of the intertidal environment to be determined across a hierarchy of spatial scales. Results of the system are presented for an intertidal rocky shore at Jervis Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Potential uses of this technique include mapping of plant (micro- and macro-algae) and animal (e.g. gastropods) assemblages at multiple spatial and temporal scales.

Kite Aerial Photography for Low-Cost, Ultra-high Spatial Resolution Multi-Spectral Mapping of Intertidal Landscapes

PubMed Central

Bryson, Mitch; Johnson-Roberson, Matthew; Murphy, Richard J.; Bongiorno, Daniel

2013-01-01

Intertidal ecosystems have primarily been studied using field-based sampling; remote sensing offers the ability to collect data over large areas in a snapshot of time that could complement field-based sampling methods by extrapolating them into the wider spatial and temporal context. Conventional remote sensing tools (such as satellite and aircraft imaging) provide data at limited spatial and temporal resolutions and relatively high costs for small-scale environmental science and ecologically-focussed studies. In this paper, we describe a low-cost, kite-based imaging system and photogrammetric/mapping procedure that was developed for constructing high-resolution, three-dimensional, multi-spectral terrain models of intertidal rocky shores. The processing procedure uses automatic image feature detection and matching, structure-from-motion and photo-textured terrain surface reconstruction algorithms that require minimal human input and only a small number of ground control points and allow the use of cheap, consumer-grade digital cameras. The resulting maps combine imagery at visible and near-infrared wavelengths and topographic information at sub-centimeter resolutions over an intertidal shoreline 200 m long, thus enabling spatial properties of the intertidal environment to be determined across a hierarchy of spatial scales. Results of the system are presented for an intertidal rocky shore at Jervis Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Potential uses of this technique include mapping of plant (micro- and macro-algae) and animal (e.g. gastropods) assemblages at multiple spatial and temporal scales. PMID:24069206

Towards Optimal Spectral and Spatial Documentation of Cultural Heritage. Cosch - AN Interdisciplinary Action in the Cost Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boochs, F.; Bentkowska-Kafel, A.; Degringy, C.; Hautta-Kasari, M.; Rizvic, S.; Sitnik, R.; Tremeau, A.

2013-07-01

This paper introduces the aims and early activities of Colour and Space in Cultural Heritage (COSCH), an interdisciplinary European network of experts in the latest optical measuring techniques and electronic imaging applied to documentation of artefacts. COSCH is a forum open to organisations, institutions and companies interested in collaboration within the emerging field of precise spectral and spatial imaging techniques, in physical and chemical sciences applied to cultural heritage objects, as well as in research and applications to conservation and art-historical analysis of such objects. COSCH started in November 2012. Funded by COST, an intergovernmental framework for European Cooperation in Science and Technology, COSCH networking activities enable knowledge exchange and coordination of nationally-funded research on a European level with occasional contribution of experts from other countries. Funding has been made available for four years (2012-2016). Participation is open to researchers across a wide range of disciplines, including computer scientists and museum professionals, art historians and academics in heritage-related fields. COSCH is a trans-domain Action (TD1201) of the COST Domain Materials, Physics and Nanosciences (MPNS) which facilitates and promotes innovation in material science. The work of COSCH is defined in the Memorandum of Understanding between the COST Office and the Chairman of COSCH. The Memorandum is available from http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/mpns/Actions/TD1201 alongside the latest progress report and other documents. The scientific work draws on earlier and current research of the participants and is organised around the following areas: spectral and spatial object documentation; algorithms and procedures; analysis and restoration of surfaces and objects of material culture; visualisation of cultural heritage objects and its dissemination. Up-to-date information about COSCH activities, including its scientific and training programmes, abstracts of presentations and a list of participants, can all be found on the Action website at http://www.cosch.info.

ESIP's Earth Science Knowledge Graph (ESKG) Testbed Project: An Automatic Approach to Building Interdisciplinary Earth Science Knowledge Graphs to Improve Data Discovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGibbney, L. J.; Jiang, Y.; Burgess, A. B.

2017-12-01

Big Earth observation data have been produced, archived and made available online, but discovering the right data in a manner that precisely and efficiently satisfies user needs presents a significant challenge to the Earth Science (ES) community. An emerging trend in information retrieval community is to utilize knowledge graphs to assist users in quickly finding desired information from across knowledge sources. This is particularly prevalent within the fields of social media and complex multimodal information processing to name but a few, however building a domain-specific knowledge graph is labour-intensive and hard to keep up-to-date. In this work, we update our progress on the Earth Science Knowledge Graph (ESKG) project; an ESIP-funded testbed project which provides an automatic approach to building a dynamic knowledge graph for ES to improve interdisciplinary data discovery by leveraging implicit, latent existing knowledge present within across several U.S Federal Agencies e.g. NASA, NOAA and USGS. ESKG strengthens ties between observations and user communities by: 1) developing a knowledge graph derived from various sources e.g. Web pages, Web Services, etc. via natural language processing and knowledge extraction techniques; 2) allowing users to traverse, explore, query, reason and navigate ES data via knowledge graph interaction. ESKG has the potential to revolutionize the way in which ES communities interact with ES data in the open world through the entity, spatial and temporal linkages and characteristics that make it up. This project enables the advancement of ESIP collaboration areas including both Discovery and Semantic Technologies by putting graph information right at our fingertips in an interactive, modern manner and reducing the efforts to constructing ontology. To demonstrate the ESKG concept, we will demonstrate use of our framework across NASA JPL's PO.DAAC, NOAA's Earth Observation Requirements Evaluation System (EORES) and various USGS systems.

Words and Maps: Developmental Changes in Mental Models of Spatial Information Acquired from Descriptions and Depictions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uttal, David H.; Fisher, Joan A.; Taylor, Holly A.

2006-01-01

People acquire spatial information from many sources, including maps, verbal descriptions, and navigating in the environment. The different sources present spatial information in different ways. For example, maps can show many spatial relations simultaneously, but in a description, each spatial relation must be presented sequentially. The present…

Direct Visualization of Valence Electron Motion Using Strong-Field Photoelectron Holography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Mingrui; Li, Yang; Zhou, Yueming; Li, Min; Cao, Wei; Lu, Peixiang

2018-03-01

Watching the valence electron move in molecules on its intrinsic timescale has been one of the central goals of attosecond science and it requires measurements with subatomic spatial and attosecond temporal resolutions. The time-resolved photoelectron holography in strong-field tunneling ionization holds the promise to access this realm. However, it remains to be a challenging task hitherto. Here we reveal how the information of valence electron motion is encoded in the hologram of the photoelectron momentum distribution (PEMD) and develop a novel approach of retrieval. As a demonstration, applying it to the PEMDs obtained by solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation for the prototypical molecule H2+ , the attosecond charge migration is directly visualized with picometer spatial and attosecond temporal resolutions. Our method represents a general approach for monitoring attosecond charge migration in more complex polyatomic and biological molecules, which is one of the central tasks in the newly emerging attosecond chemistry.

Time-dependent landslide probability mapping

USGS Publications Warehouse

Campbell, Russell H.; Bernknopf, Richard L.; ,

1993-01-01

Case studies where time of failure is known for rainfall-triggered debris flows can be used to estimate the parameters of a hazard model in which the probability of failure is a function of time. As an example, a time-dependent function for the conditional probability of a soil slip is estimated from independent variables representing hillside morphology, approximations of material properties, and the duration and rate of rainfall. If probabilities are calculated in a GIS (geomorphic information system ) environment, the spatial distribution of the result for any given hour can be displayed on a map. Although the probability levels in this example are uncalibrated, the method offers a potential for evaluating different physical models and different earth-science variables by comparing the map distribution of predicted probabilities with inventory maps for different areas and different storms. If linked with spatial and temporal socio-economic variables, this method could be used for short-term risk assessment.

Teaching Geography and History through GIS: Application on Greek cultural sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skentos, Athanasios; Pavlopoulos, Kosmas; Galani, Apostolia; Theodorakopoulou, Katerina; Kritikos, Giorgos

2013-04-01

This study deals with the presentation of cultural succession in Greek space-time through a GIS application, associated with core concepts of geographic and historical education. Through the specific application students will be able to develop five distinct skills: sense of time-scale, historical and geographic comprehension, spatial analysis and interpretation, ability to perform geo-historical research, and procedure of geo-historical decision-making. The methodology is based on the calibration of a set of criteria for each cultural site that covers the topics of economy, geomorphology, society, religion, art and science. Further analysis of these data forms a geodatabase. In addition, palaeogeographic and historical maps of the cultural sites derived by the geodatabase provide information about temporal and spatial changes. As result, students will be able to develop a multidimensional and interdisciplinary approach, in order to reconstruct the evolution of the site.

Direct Visualization of Valence Electron Motion Using Strong-Field Photoelectron Holography.

PubMed

He, Mingrui; Li, Yang; Zhou, Yueming; Li, Min; Cao, Wei; Lu, Peixiang

2018-03-30

Watching the valence electron move in molecules on its intrinsic timescale has been one of the central goals of attosecond science and it requires measurements with subatomic spatial and attosecond temporal resolutions. The time-resolved photoelectron holography in strong-field tunneling ionization holds the promise to access this realm. However, it remains to be a challenging task hitherto. Here we reveal how the information of valence electron motion is encoded in the hologram of the photoelectron momentum distribution (PEMD) and develop a novel approach of retrieval. As a demonstration, applying it to the PEMDs obtained by solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation for the prototypical molecule H_{2}^{+}, the attosecond charge migration is directly visualized with picometer spatial and attosecond temporal resolutions. Our method represents a general approach for monitoring attosecond charge migration in more complex polyatomic and biological molecules, which is one of the central tasks in the newly emerging attosecond chemistry.

BOREAS Level-4c AVHRR-LAC Ten-Day Composite Images: Surface Parameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cihlar, Josef; Chen, Jing; Huang, Fengting; Nickeson, Jaime; Newcomer, Jeffrey A.; Hall, Forrest G. (Editor)

2000-01-01

The BOReal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) Staff Science Satellite Data Acquisition Program focused on providing the research teams with the remotely sensed satellite data products they needed to compare and spatially extend point results. Manitoba Remote Sensing Center (MRSC) and BOREAS Information System (BORIS) personnel acquired, processed, and archived data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) instruments on the NOAA-11 and -14 satellites. The AVHRR data were acquired by CCRS and were provided to BORIS for use by BOREAS researchers. These AVHRR level-4c data are gridded, 10-day composites of surface parameters produced from sets of single-day images. Temporally, the 10-day compositing periods begin 11-Apr-1994 and end 10-Sep-1994. Spatially, the data cover the entire BOREAS region. The data are stored in binary image format files. Note: Some of the data files on the BOREAS CD-ROMs have been compressed using the Gzip program.

BOREAS Level-4b AVHRR-LAC Ten-Day Composite Images: At-sensor Radiance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cihlar, Josef; Chen, Jing; Nickerson, Jaime; Newcomer, Jeffrey A.; Huang, Feng-Ting; Hall, Forrest G. (Editor)

2000-01-01

The BOReal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) Staff Science Satellite Data Acquisition Program focused on providing the research teams with the remotely sensed satellite data products they needed to compare and spatially extend point results. Manitoba Remote Sensing Center (MRSC) and BOREAS Information System (BORIS) personnel acquired, processed, and archived data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) instruments on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA-11) and -14 satellites. The AVHRR data were acquired by CCRS and were provided to BORIS for use by BOREAS researchers. These AVHRR level-4b data are gridded, 10-day composites of at-sensor radiance values produced from sets of single-day images. Temporally, the 10- day compositing periods begin 11-Apr-1994 and end 10-Sep-1994. Spatially, the data cover the entire BOREAS region. The data are stored in binary image format files.

AFM-IR: Technology and Applications in Nanoscale Infrared Spectroscopy and Chemical Imaging.

PubMed

Dazzi, Alexandre; Prater, Craig B

2016-12-13

Atomic force microscopy-based infrared spectroscopy (AFM-IR) is a rapidly emerging technique that provides chemical analysis and compositional mapping with spatial resolution far below conventional optical diffraction limits. AFM-IR works by using the tip of an AFM probe to locally detect thermal expansion in a sample resulting from absorption of infrared radiation. AFM-IR thus can provide the spatial resolution of AFM in combination with the chemical analysis and compositional imaging capabilities of infrared spectroscopy. This article briefly reviews the development and underlying technology of AFM-IR, including recent advances, and then surveys a wide range of applications and investigations using AFM-IR. AFM-IR applications that will be discussed include those in polymers, life sciences, photonics, solar cells, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and cultural heritage. In the Supporting Information , the authors provide a theoretical section that reviews the physics underlying the AFM-IR measurement and detection mechanisms.

Mapping the spatial distribution of global anthropogenic mercury atmospheric emission inventories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Simon J.; Steenhuisen, Frits; Pacyna, Jozef M.; Pacyna, Elisabeth G.

This paper describes the procedures employed to spatially distribute global inventories of anthropogenic emissions of mercury to the atmosphere, prepared by Pacyna, E.G., Pacyna, J.M., Steenhuisen, F., Wilson, S. [2006. Global anthropogenic mercury emission inventory for 2000. Atmospheric Environment, this issue, doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2006.03.041], and briefly discusses the results of this work. A new spatially distributed global emission inventory for the (nominal) year 2000, and a revised version of the 1995 inventory are presented. Emissions estimates for total mercury and major species groups are distributed within latitude/longitude-based grids with a resolution of 1×1 and 0.5×0.5°. A key component in the spatial distribution procedure is the use of population distribution as a surrogate parameter to distribute emissions from sources that cannot be accurately geographically located. In this connection, new gridded population datasets were prepared, based on the CEISIN GPW3 datasets (CIESIN, 2004. Gridded Population of the World (GPW), Version 3. Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University and Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT). GPW3 data are available at http://beta.sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/gpw/index.jsp). The spatially distributed emissions inventories and population datasets prepared in the course of this work are available on the Internet at www.amap.no/Resources/HgEmissions/

Low-Cost Ultra-High Spatial and Temporal Resolution Mapping of Intertidal Rock Platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bryson, M.; Johnson-Roberson, M.; Murphy, R.

2012-07-01

Intertidal ecosystems have primarily been studied using field-based sampling; remote sensing offers the ability to collect data over large areas in a snapshot of time which could compliment field-based sampling methods by extrapolating them into the wider spatial and temporal context. Conventional remote sensing tools (such as satellite and aircraft imaging) provide data at relatively course, sub-meter resolutions or with limited temporal resolutions and relatively high costs for small-scale environmental science and ecology studies. In this paper, we describe a low-cost, kite-based imaging system and photogrammetric pipeline that was developed for constructing highresolution, 3D, photo-realistic terrain models of intertidal rocky shores. The processing pipeline uses automatic image feature detection and matching, structure-from-motion and photo-textured terrain surface reconstruction algorithms that require minimal human input and only a small number of ground control points and allow the use of cheap, consumer-grade digital cameras. The resulting maps combine colour and topographic information at sub-centimeter resolutions over an area of approximately 100m, thus enabling spatial properties of the intertidal environment to be determined across a hierarchy of spatial scales. Results of the system are presented for an intertidal rock platform at Cape Banks, Sydney, Australia. Potential uses of this technique include mapping of plant (micro- and macro-algae) and animal (e.g. gastropods) assemblages at multiple spatial and temporal scales.

Pulse-parameter dependence of nuclear ``attosecond time delays''

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Armstrong, Greg; Ursrey, D.; Hernandez, J. V.; Anis, F.; Severt, T.; Zohrabi, M.; Berry, Ben; Feizollah, Peyman; Jochim, Bethany; Kanaka Raju, P.; McKenna, J.; Gaire, B.; Carnes, K. D.; Ben-Itzhak, I.; Esry, B. D.

2017-04-01

One of the main goals of strong-field photodissociation is the control of chemical reactions. Recent experiments have successfully controlled the spatial asymmetry in D2+using two-color interferometry. These experiments achieved vibrational resolution, and so were able to determine the spatial asymmetry of a number of vibrational states as a function of two-color delay. The relative phase in the delay-dependent spatial asymmetry obtained in these experiments may be used to define a time delay in dissociation from adjacent vibrational states - a technique used previously to produce relative time delays in atomic ionization from the photoelectron spectrum. Further two-color measurements in this direction are being planned. As a guide to these experiments, we aim to determine theoretically the dependence of such delays on laser intensity, pulse length, and pulse shape. We also identify the parameters that maximize the contrast in the delay-dependent spatial asymmetry. This work is supported by the Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, and Biosciences Division, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Office of Science, U. S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-FG02-86ER13191.

Digital soil mapping in assessment of land suitability for organic farming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghambashidze, Giorgi; Kentchiashvili, Naira; Tarkhnishvili, Maia; Jolokhava, Tamar; Meskhi, Tea

2017-04-01

Digital soil mapping (DSM) is a fast-developing sub discipline of soil science which gets more importance along with increased availability of spatial data. DSM is based on three main components: the input in the form of field and laboratory observational methods, the process used in terms of spatial and non-spatial soil inference systems, and the output in the form of spatial soil information systems, which includes outputs in the form of rasters of prediction along with the uncertainty of prediction. Georgia is one of the countries who are under the way of spatial data infrastructure development, which includes soil related spatial data also. Therefore, it is important to demonstrate the capacity of DSM technics for planning and decision making process, in which assessment of land suitability is a major interest for those willing to grow agricultural crops. In that term land suitability assessment for establishing organic farms is in high demand as market for organically produced commodities is still increasing. It is the first attempt in Georgia to use DSM to predict areas with potential for organic farming development. Current approach is based on risk assessment of soil pollution with toxic elements (As, Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr) and prediction of bio-availability of those elements to plants on example of the region of Western Georgia, where detailed soil survey was conducted and spatial database of soil was created. The results of the study show the advantages of DSM at early stage assessment and depending on availability and quality of the input data, it can achieve acceptable accuracy.

The malleability of spatial skills: a meta-analysis of training studies.

PubMed

Uttal, David H; Meadow, Nathaniel G; Tipton, Elizabeth; Hand, Linda L; Alden, Alison R; Warren, Christopher; Newcombe, Nora S

2013-03-01

Having good spatial skills strongly predicts achievement and attainment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields (e.g., Shea, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2001; Wai, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2009). Improving spatial skills is therefore of both theoretical and practical importance. To determine whether and to what extent training and experience can improve these skills, we meta-analyzed 217 research studies investigating the magnitude, moderators, durability, and generalizability of training on spatial skills. After eliminating outliers, the average effect size (Hedges's g) for training relative to control was 0.47 (SE = 0.04). Training effects were stable and were not affected by delays between training and posttesting. Training also transferred to other spatial tasks that were not directly trained. We analyzed the effects of several moderators, including the presence and type of control groups, sex, age, and type of training. Additionally, we included a theoretically motivated typology of spatial skills that emphasizes 2 dimensions: intrinsic versus extrinsic and static versus dynamic (Newcombe & Shipley, in press). Finally, we consider the potential educational and policy implications of directly training spatial skills. Considered together, the results suggest that spatially enriched education could pay substantial dividends in increasing participation in mathematics, science, and engineering. © 2013 American Psychological Association

Decision support system development at the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fox, Timothy J.; Nelson, J. C.; Rohweder, Jason J.

2014-01-01

A Decision Support System (DSS) can be defined in many ways. The working definition used by the U.S. Geological Survey Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) is, “A spatially based computer application or data that assists a researcher or manager in making decisions.” This is quite a broad definition—and it needs to be, because the possibilities for types of DSSs are limited only by the user group and the developer’s imagination. There is no one DSS; the types of DSSs are as diverse as the problems they help solve. This diversity requires that DSSs be built in a variety of ways, using the most appropriate methods and tools for the individual application. The skills of potential DSS users vary widely as well, further necessitating multiple approaches to DSS development. Some small, highly trained user groups may want a powerful modeling tool with extensive functionality at the expense of ease of use. Other user groups less familiar with geographic information system (GIS) and spatial data may want an easy-to-use application for a nontechnical audience. UMESC has been developing DSSs for almost 20 years. Our DSS developers offer our partners a wide variety of technical skills and development options, ranging from the most simple Web page or small application to complex modeling application development.

Spatial Distribution of Star Formation in High Redshift Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cunnyngham, Ian; Takamiya, M.; Willmer, C.; Chun, M.; Young, M.

2011-01-01

Integral field unit spectroscopy taken of galaxies with redshifts between 0.6 and 0.8 utilizing Gemini Observatory’s GMOS instrument were used to investigate the spatial distribution of star-forming regions by measuring the Hβ and [OII]λ3727 emission line fluxes. These galaxies were selected based on the strength of Hβ and [OII]λ3727 as measured from slit LRIS/Keck spectra. The process of calibrating and reducing data into cubes -- possessing two spatial dimensions, and one for wavelength -- was automated via a custom batch script using the Gemini IRAF routines. Among these galaxies only the bluest sources clearly show [OII] in the IFU regardless of total galaxy luminosity. The brightest galaxies lack [OII] emission and it is posited that two different modes of star formation exist among this seemingly homogeneous group of z=0.7 star-forming galaxies. In order to increase the galaxy sample to include redshifts from 0.3 to 0.9, public Gemini IFU data are being sought. Python scripts were written to mine the Gemini Science Archive for candidate observations, cross-reference the target of these observations with information from the NASA Extragalactic Database, and then present the resultant database in sortable, searchable, cross-linked web-interface using Django to facilitate navigation. By increasing the sample, we expect to characterize these two different modes of star formation which could be high-redshift counterparts of the U/LIRGs and dwarf starburst galaxies like NGC 1569/NGC 4449. The authors acknowledge funds provided by the National Science Foundation (AST 0909240).

Toward optimizing the delivery and use of climate science for natural resource management: lessons learned from recent adaptation efforts in the southwestern U.S.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enquist, C.

2014-12-01

Within the past decade, a wealth of federal, state, and NGO-driven initiatives has emerged across managed landscapes in the United States with the goal of facilitating a coordinated response to rapidly changing climate and environmental conditions. In addition to acquisition and translation of the latest climate science, climate vulnerability assessment and scenario planning at multiple spatial and temporal scales are typically major components of such broad adaptation efforts. Numerous approaches for conducting this work have emerged in recent years and have culminated in general guidance and trainings for resource professionals that are specifically designed to help practitioners face the challenges of climate change. In particular, early engagement of stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions is particularly critical to cultivate buy-in and other enabling conditions for moving the science to on-the-ground action. I report on a suite of adaptation efforts in the southwestern US and interior Rockies, highlighting processes used, actions taken, lessons learned, and recommended next steps to facilitate achieving desired management outcomes. This includes a discussion of current efforts to optimize funding for actionable climate science, formalize science-management collaborations, and facilitate new investments in approaches for strategic climate-informed monitoring and evaluation.

GIS and paleoanthropology: incorporating new approaches from the geospatial sciences in the analysis of primate and human evolution.

PubMed

Anemone, R L; Conroy, G C; Emerson, C W

2011-01-01

The incorporation of research tools and analytical approaches from the geospatial sciences is a welcome trend for the study of primate and human evolution. The use of remote sensing (RS) imagery and geographic information systems (GIS) allows vertebrate paleontologists, paleoanthropologists, and functional morphologists to study fossil localities, landscapes, and individual specimens in new and innovative ways that recognize and analyze the spatial nature of much paleoanthropological data. Whether one is interested in locating and mapping fossiliferous rock units in the field, creating a searchable and georeferenced database to catalog fossil localities and specimens, or studying the functional morphology of fossil teeth, bones, or artifacts, the new geospatial sciences provide an essential element in modern paleoanthropological inquiry. In this article we review recent successful applications of RS and GIS within paleoanthropology and related fields and argue for the importance of these methods for the study of human evolution in the twenty first century. We argue that the time has come for inclusion of geospatial specialists in all interdisciplinary field research in paleoanthropology, and suggest some promising areas of development and application of the methods of geospatial science to the science of human evolution. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Malleability of Spatial Skills: A Meta-Analysis of Training Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uttal, David H.; Meadow, Nathaniel G.; Tipton, Elizabeth; Hand, Linda L.; Alden, Alison R.; Warren, Christopher; Newcombe, Nora S.

2013-01-01

Having good spatial skills strongly predicts achievement and attainment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields (e.g., Shea, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2001; Wai, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2009). Improving spatial skills is therefore of both theoretical and practical importance. To determine whether and to what extent training and…

Think3d!: Training Spatial Thinking Fundamental to STEM Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Holly A.; Hutton, Allyson

2013-01-01

This article describes the initial implementation of an innovative program for elementary-age children involving origami and pop-up paper engineering to promote visuospatial thinking. While spatial ability measures correlate with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) success, a focus on spatial thinking is all but missing in elementary…

Multisensory Rehabilitation Training Improves Spatial Perception in Totally but Not Partially Visually Deprived Children

PubMed Central

Cappagli, Giulia; Finocchietti, Sara; Baud-Bovy, Gabriel; Cocchi, Elena; Gori, Monica

2017-01-01

Since it has been shown that spatial development can be delayed in blind children, focused sensorimotor trainings that associate auditory and motor information might be used to prevent the risk of spatial-related developmental delays or impairments from an early age. With this aim, we proposed a new technological device based on the implicit link between action and perception: ABBI (Audio Bracelet for Blind Interaction) is an audio bracelet that produces a sound when a movement occurs by allowing the substitution of the visuo-motor association with a new audio-motor association. In this study, we assessed the effects of an extensive but entertaining sensorimotor training with ABBI on the development of spatial hearing in a group of seven 3–5 years old children with congenital blindness (n = 2; light perception or no perception of light) or low vision (n = 5; visual acuity range 1.1–1.7 LogMAR). The training required the participants to play several spatial games individually and/or together with the psychomotor therapist 1 h per week for 3 months: the spatial games consisted of exercises meant to train their ability to associate visual and motor-related signals from their body, in order to foster the development of multisensory processes. We measured spatial performance by asking participants to indicate the position of one single fixed (static condition) or moving (dynamic condition) sound source on a vertical sensorized surface. We found that spatial performance of congenitally blind but not low vision children is improved after the training, indicating that early interventions with the use of science-driven devices based on multisensory capabilities can provide consistent advancements in therapeutic interventions, improving the quality of life of children with visual disability. PMID:29097987

Evaluation and comparison of methods to estimate irrigation withdrawal for the National Water Census Focus Area Study of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin in southwestern Georgia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Painter, Jaime A.; Torak, Lynn J.; Jones, John W.

2015-09-30

Methods to estimate irrigation withdrawal using nationally available datasets and techniques that are transferable to other agricultural regions were evaluated by the U.S. Geological Survey as part of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin focus area study of the National Water Census (ACF–FAS). These methods investigated the spatial, temporal, and quantitative distributions of water withdrawal for irrigation in the southwestern Georgia region of the ACF–FAS, filling a vital need to inform science-based decisions regarding resource management and conservation. The crop– demand method assumed that only enough water is pumped onto a crop to satisfy the deficit between evapotranspiration and precipitation. A second method applied a geostatistical regimen of variography and conditional simulation to monthly metered irrigation withdrawal to estimate irrigation withdrawal where data do not exist. A third method analyzed Landsat satellite imagery using an automated approach to generate monthly estimates of irrigated lands. These methods were evaluated independently and compared collectively with measured water withdrawal information available in the Georgia part of the ACF–FAS, principally in the Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin. An assessment of each method’s contribution to the National Water Census program was also made to identify transfer value of the methods to the national program and other water census studies. None of the three methods evaluated represent a turnkey process to estimate irrigation withdrawal on any spatial (local or regional) or temporal (monthly or annual) extent. Each method requires additional information on agricultural practices during the growing season to complete the withdrawal estimation process. Spatial and temporal limitations inherent in identifying irrigated acres during the growing season, and in designing spatially and temporally representative monitor (meter) networks, can belie the ability of the methods to produce accurate irrigation-withdrawal estimates that can be used to produce dependable and consistent assessments of water availability and use for the National Water Census. Emerging satellite-data products and techniques for data analysis can generate high spatial-resolution estimates of irrigated-acres distributions with near-term temporal frequencies compatible with the needs of the ACF–FAS and the National Water Census.

A Multi-Temporal Remote Sensing Approach to Freshwater Turtle Conservation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mui, Amy B.

Freshwater turtles are a globally declining taxa, and estimates of population status are not available for many species. Primary causes of decline stem from widespread habitat loss and degradation, and obtaining spatially-explicit information on remaining habitat across a relevant spatial scale has proven challenging. The discipline of remote sensing science has been employed widely in studies of biodiversity conservation, but it has not been utilized as frequently for cryptic, and less vagile species such as turtles, despite their vulnerable status. The work presented in this thesis investigates how multi-temporal remote sensing imagery can contribute key information for building spatially-explicit and temporally dynamic models of habitat and connectivity for the threatened, Blanding's turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) in southern Ontario, Canada. I began with outlining a methodological approach for delineating freshwater wetlands from high spatial resolution remote sensing imagery, using a geographic object-based image analysis (GEOBIA) approach. This method was applied to three different landscapes in southern Ontario, and across two biologically relevant seasons during the active (non-hibernating) period of Blanding's turtles. Next, relevant environmental variables associated with turtle presence were extracted from remote sensing imagery, and a boosted regression tree model was developed to predict the probability of occurrence of this species. Finally, I analysed the movement potential for Blanding's turtles in a disturbed landscape using a combination of approaches. Results indicate that (1) a parsimonious GEOBIA approach to land cover mapping, incorporating texture, spectral indices, and topographic information can map heterogeneous land cover with high accuracy, (2) remote-sensing derived environmental variables can be used to build habitat models with strong predictive power, and (3) connectivity potential is best estimated using a variety of approaches, though accurate estimates across human-altered landscapes is challenging. Overall, this body of work supports the use of remote sensing imagery in species distribution models to strengthen the precision, and power of predictive models, and also draws attention to the need to consider a multi-temporal examination of species habitat requirements.

Distributed spatial information integration based on web service

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, Hengjian; Zhang, Yun; Shao, Zhenfeng

2008-10-01

Spatial information systems and spatial information in different geographic locations usually belong to different organizations. They are distributed and often heterogeneous and independent from each other. This leads to the fact that many isolated spatial information islands are formed, reducing the efficiency of information utilization. In order to address this issue, we present a method for effective spatial information integration based on web service. The method applies asynchronous invocation of web service and dynamic invocation of web service to implement distributed, parallel execution of web map services. All isolated information islands are connected by the dispatcher of web service and its registration database to form a uniform collaborative system. According to the web service registration database, the dispatcher of web services can dynamically invoke each web map service through an asynchronous delegating mechanism. All of the web map services can be executed at the same time. When each web map service is done, an image will be returned to the dispatcher. After all of the web services are done, all images are transparently overlaid together in the dispatcher. Thus, users can browse and analyze the integrated spatial information. Experiments demonstrate that the utilization rate of spatial information resources is significantly raised thought the proposed method of distributed spatial information integration.

Distributed spatial information integration based on web service

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, Hengjian; Zhang, Yun; Shao, Zhenfeng

2009-10-01

Spatial information systems and spatial information in different geographic locations usually belong to different organizations. They are distributed and often heterogeneous and independent from each other. This leads to the fact that many isolated spatial information islands are formed, reducing the efficiency of information utilization. In order to address this issue, we present a method for effective spatial information integration based on web service. The method applies asynchronous invocation of web service and dynamic invocation of web service to implement distributed, parallel execution of web map services. All isolated information islands are connected by the dispatcher of web service and its registration database to form a uniform collaborative system. According to the web service registration database, the dispatcher of web services can dynamically invoke each web map service through an asynchronous delegating mechanism. All of the web map services can be executed at the same time. When each web map service is done, an image will be returned to the dispatcher. After all of the web services are done, all images are transparently overlaid together in the dispatcher. Thus, users can browse and analyze the integrated spatial information. Experiments demonstrate that the utilization rate of spatial information resources is significantly raised thought the proposed method of distributed spatial information integration.

NASA's Earth Observing Data and Information System - Supporting Interoperability through a Scalable Architecture (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, A. E.; Lowe, D. R.; Murphy, K. J.; Ramapriyan, H. K.

2011-12-01

Initiated in 1990, NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) is currently a petabyte-scale archive of data designed to receive, process, distribute and archive several terabytes of science data per day from NASA's Earth science missions. Comprised of 12 discipline specific data centers collocated with centers of science discipline expertise, EOSDIS manages over 6800 data products from many science disciplines and sources. NASA supports global climate change research by providing scalable open application layers to the EOSDIS distributed information framework. This allows many other value-added services to access NASA's vast Earth Science Collection and allows EOSDIS to interoperate with data archives from other domestic and international organizations. EOSDIS is committed to NASA's Data Policy of full and open sharing of Earth science data. As metadata is used in all aspects of NASA's Earth science data lifecycle, EOSDIS provides a spatial and temporal metadata registry and order broker called the EOS Clearing House (ECHO) that allows efficient search and access of cross domain data and services through the Reverb Client and Application Programmer Interfaces (APIs). Another core metadata component of EOSDIS is NASA's Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) which represents more than 25,000 Earth science data set and service descriptions from all over the world, covering subject areas within the Earth and environmental sciences. With inputs from the ECHO, GCMD and Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission metadata models, EOSDIS is developing a NASA ISO 19115 Best Practices Convention. Adoption of an international metadata standard enables a far greater level of interoperability among national and international data products. NASA recently concluded a 'Metadata Harmony Study' of EOSDIS metadata capabilities/processes of ECHO and NASA's Global Change Master Directory (GCMD), to evaluate opportunities for improved data access and use, reduce efforts by data providers and improve metadata integrity. The result was a recommendation for EOSDIS to develop a 'Common Metadata Repository (CMR)' to manage the evolution of NASA Earth Science metadata in a unified and consistent way by providing a central storage and access capability that streamlines current workflows while increasing overall data quality and anticipating future capabilities. For applications users interested in monitoring and analyzing a wide variety of natural and man-made phenomena, EOSDIS provides access to near real-time products from the MODIS, OMI, AIRS, and MLS instruments in less than 3 hours from observation. To enable interactive exploration of NASA's Earth imagery, EOSDIS is developing a set of standard services to deliver global, full-resolution satellite imagery in a highly responsive manner. EOSDIS is also playing a lead role in the development of the CEOS WGISS Integrated Catalog (CWIC), which provides search and access to holdings of participating international data providers. EOSDIS provides a platform to expose and share information on NASA Earth science tools and data via Earthdata.nasa.gov while offering a coherent and interoperable system for the NASA Earth Science Data System (ESDS) Program.

NASA's Earth Observing Data and Information System - Supporting Interoperability through a Scalable Architecture (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, A. E.; Lowe, D. R.; Murphy, K. J.; Ramapriyan, H. K.

2013-12-01

Initiated in 1990, NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) is currently a petabyte-scale archive of data designed to receive, process, distribute and archive several terabytes of science data per day from NASA's Earth science missions. Comprised of 12 discipline specific data centers collocated with centers of science discipline expertise, EOSDIS manages over 6800 data products from many science disciplines and sources. NASA supports global climate change research by providing scalable open application layers to the EOSDIS distributed information framework. This allows many other value-added services to access NASA's vast Earth Science Collection and allows EOSDIS to interoperate with data archives from other domestic and international organizations. EOSDIS is committed to NASA's Data Policy of full and open sharing of Earth science data. As metadata is used in all aspects of NASA's Earth science data lifecycle, EOSDIS provides a spatial and temporal metadata registry and order broker called the EOS Clearing House (ECHO) that allows efficient search and access of cross domain data and services through the Reverb Client and Application Programmer Interfaces (APIs). Another core metadata component of EOSDIS is NASA's Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) which represents more than 25,000 Earth science data set and service descriptions from all over the world, covering subject areas within the Earth and environmental sciences. With inputs from the ECHO, GCMD and Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission metadata models, EOSDIS is developing a NASA ISO 19115 Best Practices Convention. Adoption of an international metadata standard enables a far greater level of interoperability among national and international data products. NASA recently concluded a 'Metadata Harmony Study' of EOSDIS metadata capabilities/processes of ECHO and NASA's Global Change Master Directory (GCMD), to evaluate opportunities for improved data access and use, reduce efforts by data providers and improve metadata integrity. The result was a recommendation for EOSDIS to develop a 'Common Metadata Repository (CMR)' to manage the evolution of NASA Earth Science metadata in a unified and consistent way by providing a central storage and access capability that streamlines current workflows while increasing overall data quality and anticipating future capabilities. For applications users interested in monitoring and analyzing a wide variety of natural and man-made phenomena, EOSDIS provides access to near real-time products from the MODIS, OMI, AIRS, and MLS instruments in less than 3 hours from observation. To enable interactive exploration of NASA's Earth imagery, EOSDIS is developing a set of standard services to deliver global, full-resolution satellite imagery in a highly responsive manner. EOSDIS is also playing a lead role in the development of the CEOS WGISS Integrated Catalog (CWIC), which provides search and access to holdings of participating international data providers. EOSDIS provides a platform to expose and share information on NASA Earth science tools and data via Earthdata.nasa.gov while offering a coherent and interoperable system for the NASA Earth Science Data System (ESDS) Program.

Complexities in Subsetting Level 2 Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huwe, Paul; Wei, Jennifer; Meyer, David; Silberstein, David S.; Alfred, Jerome; Savtchenko, Andrey K.; Johnson, James E.; Albayrak, Arif; Hearty, Thomas

2017-01-01

Satellite Level 2 data presents unique challenges for tools and services. From nonlinear spatial geometry to inhomogeneous file data structure to inconsistent temporal variables to complex data variable dimensionality to multiple file formats, there are many difficulties in creating general tools for Level 2 data support. At NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC), we are implementing a general Level 2 Subsetting service for Level 2 data to a user-specified spatio-temporal region of interest (ROI). In this presentation, we will unravel some of the challenges faced in creating this service and the strategies we used to surmount them.

Computer-assisted cartography: an overview.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guptill, S.C.; Starr, L.E.

1984-01-01

An assessment of the current status of computer-assisted cartography, in part, is biased by one's view of the cartographic process as a whole. From a traditional viewpoint we are concerned about automating the mapping process; from a progressive viewpoint we are concerned about using the tools of computer science to convey spatial information. On the surface these viewpoints appear to be in opposition. However, it is postulated that in the final analysis, they face the same goal. This overview uses the perspectives from two viewpoints to depict the current state of computer-assisted cartography and speculate on future goals, trends, and challenges.-Authors

The Balloon Experimental Twin Telescope for Infrared Interferometry (BETTII)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rinehart, Stephen

2012-01-01

The Balloon Experimental Twin Telescope for Infrared Interferometry (BETTII) is an 8-meter baseline far-infrared interferometer to fly on a high altitude balloon. BETTII uses a double-Fourier Michelson interferometer to simultaneously obtain spatial and spectral information on science targets; the long baseline provides subarcsecond angular resolution, a capability unmatched by other far-infrared facilities. Here, we present key aspects of the overall design of the mission and provide an overview of the current status of the project. We also discuss briefly the implications of this experiment for future space-based far-infrared interferometers.

Combining total internal reflection sum frequency spectroscopy spectral imaging and confocal fluorescence microscopy.

PubMed

Allgeyer, Edward S; Sterling, Sarah M; Gunewardene, Mudalige S; Hess, Samuel T; Neivandt, David J; Mason, Michael D

2015-01-27

Understanding surface and interfacial lateral organization in material and biological systems is critical in nearly every field of science. The continued development of tools and techniques viable for elucidation of interfacial and surface information is therefore necessary to address new questions and further current investigations. Sum frequency spectroscopy (SFS) is a label-free, nonlinear optical technique with inherent surface specificity that can yield critical organizational information on interfacial species. Unfortunately, SFS provides no spatial information on a surface; small scale heterogeneities that may exist are averaged over the large areas typically probed. Over the past decade, this has begun to be addressed with the advent of SFS microscopy. Here we detail the construction and function of a total internal reflection (TIR) SFS spectral and confocal fluorescence imaging microscope directly amenable to surface investigations. This instrument combines, for the first time, sample scanning TIR-SFS imaging with confocal fluorescence microscopy.

I. SPATIAL SKILLS, THEIR DEVELOPMENT, AND THEIR LINKS TO MATHEMATICS.

PubMed

Verdine, Brian N; Golinkoff, Roberta Michnick; Hirsh-Pasek, Kathy; Newcombe, Nora S

2017-03-01

Understanding the development of spatial skills is important for promoting school readiness and improving overall success in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields (e.g., Wai, Lubinski, Benbow, & Steiger, 2010). Children use their spatial skills to understand the world, including visualizing how objects fit together, and can practice them via spatial assembly activities (e.g., puzzles or blocks). These skills are incorporated into measures of overall intelligence and have been linked to success in subjects like mathematics (Mix & Cheng, 2012) and science (Pallrand & Seeber, 1984; Pribyl & Bodner, 1987). This monograph sought to answer four questions about early spatial skill development: 1) Can we reliably measure spatial skills in 3- and 4-year-olds?; 2) Do spatial skills measured at 3 predict spatial skills at age 5?; 3) Do preschool spatial skills predict mathematics skills at age 5?; and 4) What factors contribute to individual differences in preschool spatial skills (e.g., SES, gender, fine-motor skills, vocabulary, and executive function)? Longitudinal data generated from a new spatial skill test for 3-year-old children, called the TOSA (Test of Spatial Assembly), show that it is a reliable and valid measure of early spatial skills that provides strong prediction to spatial skills measured with established tests at age 5. New data using this measure finds links between early spatial skill and mathematics, language, and executive function skills. Analyses suggest that preschool spatial experiences may play a central role in children's mathematical skills around the time of school entry. Executive function skills provide an additional unique contribution to predicting mathematical performance. In addition, individual differences, specifically socioeconomic status, are related to spatial and mathematical skill. We conclude by exploring ways of providing rich early spatial experiences to children. © 2017 The Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Controlling neutron orbital angular momentum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, Charles W.; Barankov, Roman; Huber, Michael G.; Arif, Muhammad; Cory, David G.; Pushin, Dmitry A.

2015-09-01

The quantized orbital angular momentum (OAM) of photons offers an additional degree of freedom and topological protection from noise. Photonic OAM states have therefore been exploited in various applications ranging from studies of quantum entanglement and quantum information science to imaging. The OAM states of electron beams have been shown to be similarly useful, for example in rotating nanoparticles and determining the chirality of crystals. However, although neutrons--as massive, penetrating and neutral particles--are important in materials characterization, quantum information and studies of the foundations of quantum mechanics, OAM control of neutrons has yet to be achieved. Here, we demonstrate OAM control of neutrons using macroscopic spiral phase plates that apply a `twist' to an input neutron beam. The twisted neutron beams are analysed with neutron interferometry. Our techniques, applied to spatially incoherent beams, demonstrate both the addition of quantum angular momenta along the direction of propagation, effected by multiple spiral phase plates, and the conservation of topological charge with respect to uniform phase fluctuations. Neutron-based studies of quantum information science, the foundations of quantum mechanics, and scattering and imaging of magnetic, superconducting and chiral materials have until now been limited to three degrees of freedom: spin, path and energy. The optimization of OAM control, leading to well defined values of OAM, would provide an additional quantized degree of freedom for such studies.

Sharing Water-related Information to Tackle Changes in the Hydrosphere - for Operational Needs (SWITCH-ON)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arheimer, Berit

2015-04-01

Recently, a collaborative EU project started called SWITCH-ON (EU FP7 project No 603587) coordinated by SMHI to support the INSPIRE directive and the Open Data Strategy. The overall goal of the project is to establish a "one-stop-shop" web portal for easy access to European water information. The project will use open data, provide infrastructure for sharing and collaboration, and add value to society and research by repurposing and refining data from various sources. The SWITCH-ON project http://www.water-switch-on.eu/ will establish new forms of water research and facilitate the development of new products and services based on principles of sharing and community building in the water society. The SWITCH-ON objectives are to use open data for implementing: 1) an innovative spatial information platform (SIP) to find, bind, transform and publish data, 2) entirely new forms of collaborative research organised in a Virtual Water-Science Laboratory, open for any research group, 3) fourteen new operational products for water management and awareness, 4) outreach facilities for new water business and knowledge in line with the Europe's smart growth and environmental objectives. This poster will describe the overall project goals and especially the recent progress on developing a Virtual Water-Science Laboratory. Contact: waterswitchon@gmail.com

QR code optical encryption using spatially incoherent illumination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheremkhin, P. A.; Krasnov, V. V.; Rodin, V. G.; Starikov, R. S.

2017-02-01

Optical encryption is an actively developing field of science. The majority of encryption techniques use coherent illumination and suffer from speckle noise, which severely limits their applicability. The spatially incoherent encryption technique does not have this drawback, but its effectiveness is dependent on the Fourier spectrum properties of the image to be encrypted. The application of a quick response (QR) code in the capacity of a data container solves this problem, and the embedded error correction code also enables errorless decryption. The optical encryption of digital information in the form of QR codes using spatially incoherent illumination was implemented experimentally. The encryption is based on the optical convolution of the image to be encrypted with the kinoform point spread function, which serves as an encryption key. Two liquid crystal spatial light modulators were used in the experimental setup for the QR code and the kinoform imaging, respectively. The quality of the encryption and decryption was analyzed in relation to the QR code size. Decryption was conducted digitally. The successful decryption of encrypted QR codes of up to 129  ×  129 pixels was demonstrated. A comparison with the coherent QR code encryption technique showed that the proposed technique has a signal-to-noise ratio that is at least two times higher.

The Role of Spatial Analysis in Detecting the Consequence of the Factory Sites : Case Study of Assalaya Factory-Sudan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khair, Amar Sharaf Eldin; Purwanto; RyaSunoko, Henna; Abdullah, Omer Adam

2018-02-01

Spatial analysis is considered as one of the most important science for identifying the most appropriate site for industrialization and also to alleviate the environmental ramifications caused by factories. This study aims at analyzing the Assalaya sugarcane factory site by the use of spatial analysis to determine whether it has ramification on the White Nile River. The methodology employed for this study is Global Position System (GPS) to identify the coordinate system of the study phenomena and other relative factors. The study will also make use Geographical Information System (GIS) to implement the spatial analysis. Satellite data (LandsatDem-Digital Elevation Model) will be considered for the study area and factory in identifying the consequences by analyzing the location of the factory through several features such as hydrological, contour line and geological analysis. Data analysis reveals that the factory site is inappropriate and according to observation on the ground it has consequences on the White Nile River. Based on the finding, the study recommended some suggestions to avoid the aftermath of any factory in general. We have to take advantage of this new technological method to aid in selecting most apt locations for industries that will create an ambient environment.

75 years of dryland science: Trends and gaps in arid ecology literature.

PubMed

Greenville, Aaron C; Dickman, Chris R; Wardle, Glenda M

2017-01-01

Growth in the publication of scientific articles is occurring at an exponential rate, prompting a growing need to synthesise information in a timely manner to combat urgent environmental problems and guide future research. Here, we undertake a topic analysis of dryland literature over the last 75 years (8218 articles) to identify areas in arid ecology that are well studied and topics that are emerging. Four topics-wetlands, mammal ecology, litter decomposition and spatial modelling, were identified as 'hot topics' that showed higher than average growth in publications from 1940 to 2015. Five topics-remote sensing, climate, habitat and spatial, agriculture and soils-microbes, were identified as 'cold topics', with lower than average growth over the survey period, but higher than average numbers of publications. Topics in arid ecology clustered into seven broad groups on word-based similarity. These groups ranged from mammal ecology and population genetics, broad-scale management and ecosystem modelling, plant ecology, agriculture and ecophysiology, to populations and paleoclimate. These patterns may reflect trends in the field of ecology more broadly. We also identified two broad research gaps in arid ecology: population genetics, and habitat and spatial research. Collaborations between population genetics and ecologists and investigations of ecological processes across spatial scales would contribute profitably to the advancement of arid ecology and to ecology more broadly.

Exploring spatial patterns of farmland transactions and farmland use changes.

PubMed

Chang, Hsueh-Sheng; Chen, Tzu-Ling

2015-09-01

Strong economic incentives stimulate the conversion of farmland to non-farm uses possessing higher economic benefits, and rising land values can result in further conversions in the surrounding areas. However, previous studies focused exclusively on the analysis of attribute data, without concern for location or geographic information. Our study focuses on the application of spatial analysis method by exploring the magnitude and patterns of farmland use changes and farmland transactions in Tainan County in southwestern Taiwan. The results show that farmland use changes and transactions appear to cluster in specific locations-near urban planning areas, industrial parks, and science parks. Clustered farmland use changes indicate both excessive development of some farmland and possible protection of other farmland, while clustered farmland transactions indicate potential pressure for future conversion to non-farming uses. Overall, the spatial analyses indicate (without necessarily implying a cause-and-effect relationship) that the greater the farmland use change, the greater the number of farmland transactions. This approach to exploring the spatial patterns in and the interaction between farmland use change and farmland transactions can be applied to other regions facing increasing competition for farmland conversions and may be a useful tool for monitoring both urban expansion and increased farmland transactions. These occurrences should be closely monitored by governments to avoid excessive loss of farmland.

Hedonic valuation of the spatial competition for urban circumstance utilities: case Wuhan, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Bin; Liu, Yaolin; Huang, Lina

2008-10-01

It has generally accepted Alonso's [1] theory about the allocation of different land uses of commerce, resident and industry in urban area. A bunch of researches have provided their aspects of the theme of the relationships between urban circumstances and urban land uses in either the influence of one or several designate circumstance factors on different land uses, or the comprehensive analysis of the influence of all kinds of circumstance on one selected land usage (e.g. residential use). There is still not a wholly analysis about the influence of all kinds of spatial characteristics, available for the location selection of different land uses. That's why this research selects to engage in a study on the difference among "consumer preferences" to the location amenities in the city. Here we regard the behavior as "spatial competition of the locations". Hedonic regression model (HRM) analysis is employed as the basic framework of the research. Tabular comparison of HRM parameters performed with principal components analysis (PCA) and Geographic Information Science (GIS) provides all necessary numerical investigation and spatial analysis until to the finally results. The research can be helpful for putting forward to a further integrated investigation on the relationship between urban circumstance and real land use values.

Manufacturing of super-polished large aspheric/freeform optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Dae Wook; Oh, Chang-jin; Lowman, Andrew; Smith, Greg A.; Aftab, Maham; Burge, James H.

2016-07-01

Several next generation astronomical telescopes or large optical systems utilize aspheric/freeform optics for creating a segmented optical system. Multiple mirrors can be combined to form a larger optical surface or used as a single surface to avoid obscurations. In this paper, we demonstrate a specific case of the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST). This optic is a 4.2 m in diameter off-axis primary mirror using ZERODUR thin substrate, and has been successfully completed in the Optical Engineering and Fabrication Facility (OEFF) at the University of Arizona, in 2016. As the telescope looks at the brightest object in the sky, our own Sun, the primary mirror surface quality meets extreme specifications covering a wide range of spatial frequency errors. In manufacturing the DKIST mirror, metrology systems have been studied, developed and applied to measure low-to-mid-to-high spatial frequency surface shape information in the 4.2 m super-polished optical surface. In this paper, measurements from these systems are converted to Power Spectral Density (PSD) plots and combined in the spatial frequency domain. Results cover 5 orders of magnitude in spatial frequencies and meet or exceed specifications for this large aspheric mirror. Precision manufacturing of the super-polished DKIST mirror enables a new level of solar science.

NASA's Global Change Master Directory: Discover and Access Earth Science Data Sets, Related Data Services, and Climate Diagnostics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aleman, Alicia; Olsen, Lola; Ritz, Scott; Morahan, Michael; Cepero, Laurel; Stevens, Tyler

2011-01-01

NASA's Global Change Master Directory provides the scientific community with the ability to discover, access, and use Earth science data, data-related services, and climate diagnostics worldwide. The GCMD offers descriptions of Earth science data sets using the Directory Interchange Format (DIF) metadata standard; Earth science related data services are described using the Service Entry Resource Format (SERF); and climate visualizations are described using the Climate Diagnostic (CD) standard. The DIF, SERF and CD standards each capture data attributes used to determine whether a data set, service, or climate visualization is relevant to a user's needs. Metadata fields include: title, summary, science keywords, service keywords, data center, data set citation, personnel, instrument, platform, quality, related URL, temporal and spatial coverage, data resolution and distribution information. In addition, nine valuable sets of controlled vocabularies have been developed to assist users in normalizing the search for data descriptions. An update to the GCMD's search functionality is planned to further capitalize on the controlled vocabularies during database queries. By implementing a dynamic keyword "tree", users will have the ability to search for data sets by combining keywords in new ways. This will allow users to conduct more relevant and efficient database searches to support the free exchange and re-use of Earth science data. http://gcmd.nasa.gov/

Spatially Enabling the Health Sector

PubMed Central

Weeramanthri, Tarun Stephen; Woodgate, Peter

2016-01-01

Spatial information describes the physical location of either people or objects, and the measured relationships between them. In this article, we offer the view that greater utilization of spatial information and its related technology, as part of a broader redesign of the architecture of health information at local and national levels, could assist and speed up the process of health reform, which is taking place across the globe in richer and poorer countries alike. In making this point, we describe the impetus for health sector reform, recent developments in spatial information and analytics, and current Australasian spatial health research. We highlight examples of uptake of spatial information by the health sector, as well as missed opportunities. Our recommendations to spatially enable the health sector are applicable to high- and low-resource settings. PMID:27867933

Spatially Enabling the Health Sector.

PubMed

Weeramanthri, Tarun Stephen; Woodgate, Peter

2016-01-01

Spatial information describes the physical location of either people or objects, and the measured relationships between them. In this article, we offer the view that greater utilization of spatial information and its related technology, as part of a broader redesign of the architecture of health information at local and national levels, could assist and speed up the process of health reform, which is taking place across the globe in richer and poorer countries alike. In making this point, we describe the impetus for health sector reform, recent developments in spatial information and analytics, and current Australasian spatial health research. We highlight examples of uptake of spatial information by the health sector, as well as missed opportunities. Our recommendations to spatially enable the health sector are applicable to high- and low-resource settings.

Spatial and temporal epidemiological analysis in the Big Data era.

PubMed

Pfeiffer, Dirk U; Stevens, Kim B

2015-11-01

Concurrent with global economic development in the last 50 years, the opportunities for the spread of existing diseases and emergence of new infectious pathogens, have increased substantially. The activities associated with the enormously intensified global connectivity have resulted in large amounts of data being generated, which in turn provides opportunities for generating knowledge that will allow more effective management of animal and human health risks. This so-called Big Data has, more recently, been accompanied by the Internet of Things which highlights the increasing presence of a wide range of sensors, interconnected via the Internet. Analysis of this data needs to exploit its complexity, accommodate variation in data quality and should take advantage of its spatial and temporal dimensions, where available. Apart from the development of hardware technologies and networking/communication infrastructure, it is necessary to develop appropriate data management tools that make this data accessible for analysis. This includes relational databases, geographical information systems and most recently, cloud-based data storage such as Hadoop distributed file systems. While the development in analytical methodologies has not quite caught up with the data deluge, important advances have been made in a number of areas, including spatial and temporal data analysis where the spectrum of analytical methods ranges from visualisation and exploratory analysis, to modelling. While there used to be a primary focus on statistical science in terms of methodological development for data analysis, the newly emerged discipline of data science is a reflection of the challenges presented by the need to integrate diverse data sources and exploit them using novel data- and knowledge-driven modelling methods while simultaneously recognising the value of quantitative as well as qualitative analytical approaches. Machine learning regression methods, which are more robust and can handle large datasets faster than classical regression approaches, are now also used to analyse spatial and spatio-temporal data. Multi-criteria decision analysis methods have gained greater acceptance, due in part, to the need to increasingly combine data from diverse sources including published scientific information and expert opinion in an attempt to fill important knowledge gaps. The opportunities for more effective prevention, detection and control of animal health threats arising from these developments are immense, but not without risks given the different types, and much higher frequency, of biases associated with these data. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatial downscaling of soil prediction models based on weighted generalized additive models in smallholder farm settings.

PubMed

Xu, Yiming; Smith, Scot E; Grunwald, Sabine; Abd-Elrahman, Amr; Wani, Suhas P; Nair, Vimala D

2017-09-11

Digital soil mapping (DSM) is gaining momentum as a technique to help smallholder farmers secure soil security and food security in developing regions. However, communications of the digital soil mapping information between diverse audiences become problematic due to the inconsistent scale of DSM information. Spatial downscaling can make use of accessible soil information at relatively coarse spatial resolution to provide valuable soil information at relatively fine spatial resolution. The objective of this research was to disaggregate the coarse spatial resolution soil exchangeable potassium (K ex ) and soil total nitrogen (TN) base map into fine spatial resolution soil downscaled map using weighted generalized additive models (GAMs) in two smallholder villages in South India. By incorporating fine spatial resolution spectral indices in the downscaling process, the soil downscaled maps not only conserve the spatial information of coarse spatial resolution soil maps but also depict the spatial details of soil properties at fine spatial resolution. The results of this study demonstrated difference between the fine spatial resolution downscaled maps and fine spatial resolution base maps is smaller than the difference between coarse spatial resolution base maps and fine spatial resolution base maps. The appropriate and economical strategy to promote the DSM technique in smallholder farms is to develop the relatively coarse spatial resolution soil prediction maps or utilize available coarse spatial resolution soil maps at the regional scale and to disaggregate these maps to the fine spatial resolution downscaled soil maps at farm scale.

Exploring Best Practices for Research Data Management in Earth Science through Collaborating with University Libraries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, T.; Branch, B. D.

2013-12-01

Earth Science research data, its data management, informatics processing and its data curation are valuable in allowing earth scientists to make new discoveries. But how to actively manage these research assets to ensure them safe and secure, accessible and reusable for long term is a big challenge. Nowadays, the data deluge makes this challenge become even more difficult. To address the growing demand for managing earth science data, the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) partners with the Library and Technology Services (LTS) of Lehigh University and Purdue University Libraries (PUL) on hosting postdoctoral fellows in data curation activity. This inter-disciplinary fellowship program funded by the SLOAN Foundation innovatively connects university libraries and earth science departments and provides earth science Ph.D.'s opportunities to use their research experiences in earth science and data curation trainings received during their fellowship to explore best practices for research data management in earth science. In the process of exploring best practices for data curation in earth science, the CLIR Data Curation Fellows have accumulated rich experiences and insights on the data management behaviors and needs of earth scientists. Specifically, Ting Wang, the postdoctoral fellow at Lehigh University has worked together with the LTS support team for the College of Arts and Sciences, Web Specialists and the High Performance Computing Team, to assess and meet the data management needs of researchers at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES). By interviewing the faculty members and graduate students at EES, the fellow has identified a variety of data-related challenges at different research fields of earth science, such as climate, ecology, geochemistry, geomorphology, etc. The investigation findings of the fellow also support the LTS for developing campus infrastructure for long-term data management in the sciences. Likewise, Benjamin D. Branch, the postdoctoral fellow at PUL conducted GIS (Geographic Information Systems) data curation interviews and worked closely with the GIS Information Specialist towards GIS-related instructional programs in order to recognize the data management needs in GIS research. Conceptually, the research implemented grounded theory approach of campus wide interviews for spatial GIS inquiry. To date, research analysis of a subset of 32 individual interviews with faculty, graduate students, or geospatial staff users is underway with the intent of publication. Collectively, CLIR fellowship program should work to expand the capacity and job resiliency of the library as necessary vehicle of institutional competitiveness via its prominence in data services for future consideration in the areas of data science, data curation, data rescue and collaborative support of the scientific community. In addition, the digital data service aspects of library transformation may be showcased in the results of the fellows' accomplishments.

Can Citizen Science Assist in Determining Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) Presence in a Declining Population?

PubMed

Flower, Emily; Jones, Darryl; Bernede, Lilia

2016-07-14

The acceptance and application of citizen science has risen over the last 10 years, with this rise likely attributed to an increase in public awareness surrounding anthropogenic impacts affecting urban ecosystems. Citizen science projects have the potential to expand upon data collected by specialist researchers as they are able to gain access to previously unattainable information, consequently increasing the likelihood of an effective management program. The primary objective of this research was to develop guidelines for a successful regional-scale citizen science project following a critical analysis of 12 existing citizen science case studies. Secondly, the effectiveness of these guidelines was measured through the implementation of a citizen science project, Koala Quest, for the purpose of estimating the presence of koalas in a fragmented landscape. Consequently, this research aimed to determine whether citizen-collected data can augment traditional science research methods, by comparing and contrasting the abundance of koala sightings gathered by citizen scientists and professional researchers. Based upon the guidelines developed, Koala Quest methodologies were designed, the study conducted, and the efficacy of the project assessed. To combat the high variability of estimated koala populations due to differences in counting techniques, a national monitoring and evaluation program is required, in addition to a standardised method for conducting koala population estimates. Citizen science is a useful method for monitoring animals such as the koala, which are sparsely distributed throughout a vast geographical area, as the large numbers of volunteers recruited by a citizen science project are capable of monitoring a similarly broad spatial range.

PANGAEA® - Data Publisher for Earth & Environmental Science - Research data enters scholarly communication and big data analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diepenbroek, Michael; Schindler, Uwe; Riedel, Morris; Huber, Robert

2014-05-01

The ISCU World Data Center PANGAEA is an information system for acquisition, processing, long term storage, and publication of geo-referenced data related to earth science fields. Storing more than 350.000 data sets from all fields of geosciences it belongs to the largest archives for observational earth science data. Standard conform interfaces (ISO, OGC, W3C, OAI) enable access from a variety of data and information portals, among them the search engine of PANGAEA itself ((www.pangaea.de) and e.g. GBIF. All data sets in PANGAEA are citable, fully documented, and can be referenced via persistent identifiers (Digital Object Identifier - DOI) - a premise for data publication. Together with other ICSU World Data Centers (www.icsu-wds.org) and the Technical Information Library in Germany (TIB) PANGAEA had a share in the implementation of a DOI based registry for scientific data, which by now is supported by a worldwide consortium of libraries (www.datacite.org). A further milestone was building up strong co-operations with science publishers as Elsevier, Springer, Wiley, AGU, Nature and others. A common web service allows to reference supplementary data in PANGAEA directly from an articles abstract page (e.g. Science Direct). The next step with science publishers is to further integrate the editorial process for the publication of supplementary data with the publication procedures on the journal side. Data centric research efforts such as environmental modelling or big data analysing approaches represent new challenges for PANGAEA. Integrated data warehouse technologies are used for highly efficient retrievals and compilations of time slices or surface data matrixes on any measurement parameters out of the whole data continuum. Further, new and emerging big data approaches are currently investigated within PANGAEA to e.g. evaluate its usability for quality control or data clustering. PANGAEA is operated as a joint long term facility by MARUM at the University Bremen and the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI). More than 80% of the funding results from project data management and the implementation of spatial data infrastructures (more than 160 International to national projects since the last 15 years - www.pangaea.de/projects).

Bodily systems and the spatial-functional structure of the human body.

PubMed

Smith, Barry; Munn, Katherine; Papakin, Igor

2004-01-01

The human body is a system made of systems. The body is divided into bodily systems proper, such as the endocrine and circulatory systems, which are subdivided into many sub-systems at a variety of levels, whereby all systems and subsystems engage in massive causal interaction with each other and with their surrounding environments. Here we offer an explicit definition of bodily system and provide a framework for understanding their causal interactions. Medical sciences provide at best informal accounts of basic notions such as system, process, and function, and while such informality is acceptable in documentation created for human beings, it falls short of what is needed for computer representations. In our analysis we will accordingly provide the framework for a formal definition of bodily system and of associated notions.

Reflections on a vision for integrated research and monitoring after 15 years

USGS Publications Warehouse

Murdoch, Peter S.; McHale, Michael; Baron, Jill S.

2014-01-01

In May of 1998, Owen Bricker and his co-author Michael Ruggiero introduced a conceptual design for integrating the Nation’s environmental research and monitoring programs. The Framework for Integrated Monitoring and Related Research was an organizing strategy for relating data collected by various programs, at multiple spatial and temporal scales, and by multiple science disciplines to solve complex ecological issues that individual research or monitoring programs were not designed to address. The concept nested existing intensive monitoring and research stations within national and regional surveys, remotely sensed data, and inventories to produce a collaborative program for multi-scale, multi-network integrated environmental monitoring and research. Analyses of gaps in data needed for specific issues would drive decisions on network improvements or enhancements. Data contributions to the Framework from existing networks would help indicate critical research and monitoring programs to protect during budget reductions. Significant progress has been made since 1998 on refining the Framework strategy. Methods and models for projecting scientific information across spatial and temporal scales have been improved, and a few regional pilots of multi-scale data-integration concepts have been attempted. The links between science and decision-making are also slowly improving and being incorporated into science practice. Experiments with the Framework strategy since 1998 have revealed the foundational elements essential to its successful implementation, such as defining core measurements, establishing standards of data collection and management, integrating research and long-term monitoring, and describing baseline ecological conditions. They have also shown us the remaining challenges to establishing the Framework concept: protecting and enhancing critical long-term monitoring, filling gaps in measurement methods, improving science for decision support, and integrating the disparate integrated science efforts now underway. In the 15 years since the Bricker and Ruggiero (Ecol Appl 8(2):326–329, 1998) paper challenged us with a new paradigm for bringing sound and comprehensive science to environmental decisions, the scientific community can take pride in the progress that has been made, while also taking stock of the challenges ahead for completing the Framework vision.

Mutation-induced spatial differences in neuraminidase structure and sensitivity to neuraminidase inhibitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Zhi-wei; Hao, Dong-xiao; Che, Yi-zhuo; Yang, Jia-hui; Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Sheng-li

2018-01-01

Not Available Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11374237 and 11504287), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2017M613147), and Shaanxi Province Postdoctoral Science Foundation, China.

Science, Math, and Gender.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reyes, Laurie Hart; Padilla, Michael J.

1985-01-01

Examines recent data on sex-related differences in science and mathematics achievement, discussing meta-analyses findings on attitudes, career choice, life/physical science preferences, and motivation. Indicates that spatial visualization appears to be very important and that girls more often attribute success to luck rather than skill. (DH)

Comparison of environmental and socio-economic domains of vulnerability to flood hazards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leidel, M.; Kienberger, S.; Lang, S.; Zeil, P.

2009-04-01

Socio-economic and environmental based vulnerability models have been developed within the research context of the FP6 project BRAHMATWINN. The conceptualisation of vulnerability has been defined in the project and is characterised as a function of sensitivity and adaptive capacity, where sensitivity is used to refer to systems that are susceptible to the impacts of environmental stress. Adaptive capacity is used to refer to systems or resources available to communities that could help them adapt or cope with the adverse consequences of environmental stresses in the recovery phase. In a wider context the approach reflects the wider objective and conceptualizations of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) framework, where vulnerability is characterized as a component of overall risk. A methodology has been developed which delineates spatial units of vulnerability (VULNUS). These units share a specific common characteristic and allow the independent spatial modelling of a complex phenomena independent from administrative units and raster based approaches. An increasing detail of spatial data and complex decision problems require flexible means for scaled spatial representations, for mapping the dynamics and constant changes, and delivering the crucial information. Automated techniques of object-based image analysis (OBIA, Lang & Blaschke, 2006), capable of integrating a virtually unlimited set of spatial data sets, try to match the information extraction with our world view. To account for that, a flexible concept of manageable units is required. The term geon was proposed by Lang (2008) to describe generic spatial objects that are homogenous in terms of a varying spatial phenomena under the influence of, and partly controlled by, policy actions. The geon concept acts as a framework for the regionalization of continuous spatial information according to defined parameters of homogeneity. It is flexible in terms of a certain perception of a problem (specific policy realm, specific hazard domain, etc.). In this study, vulnerability units have been derived as a specific instance of a geon set within an area exposed to flood risk. Using geons, we are capable of transforming singular domains of information on specific systemic components to policy-relevant, conditioned information (Kienberger et al., 2008; Tiede & Lang, 2007). According to the work programme socio-economic vulnerabilities have been modelled for the Salzach catchment. A specific set of indicators has been developed with a strong stakeholder orientation. Next to that, and to allow an easier integration within the aimed development of Water Resource Response Units (WRRUs) the environmental domain of vulnerability has additionally been modelled. We present the results of the socio-economic and environmental based approach to model vulnerability. The research methodology utilises census as well as land use/land cover data to derive and assess vulnerability. As a result, spatial units have been identified which represent common characteristics of socio-economic environmental vulnerability. The results show the spatially explicit vulnerability and its underlying components sensitivity and adaptive capacity for socio-economic and environmental domains and discuss differences. Within the test area, the Salzach River catchment in Austria, primarily urban areas adjacent to water courses are highly vulnerable. It can be stated that the delineation of vulnerability units that integrates all dimensions of sustainability are a prerequisite for a holistic and thus adaptive integrated water management approach. Indeed, such units constitute the basis for future dynamic vulnerability assessments, and thus for the assessment of uncertainties due to climate change. Kienberger, S., S. Lang & D. Tiede (2008): Socio-economic vulnerability units - modelling meaningful spatial units. In: Proceedings of the GIS Research UK 16th Annual conference GISRUK 2008, Manchester. Lang, S. (2008): Object-based image analysis for remote sensing applications: modeling reality - dealing with complexity. In: Blaschke, T., S. Lang & G. Hay (eds.): Object-Based Image Analysis - Spatial concepts for knowledge-driven remote sensing applications. New York: Springer, 3-28. Lang, S. & T. Blaschke (2006) Bridging remote sensing and GIS - what are the most supportive pillars? In: S: Lang & T. Blaschke (eds.): International Archives of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences vol. XXXVI-4/C42. CD-ROM and online at www.isprs.org. Tiede D. & S .Lang (2007): Analytical 3D views and virtual globes - putting analytical results into spatial context. ISPRS, ICA, DGfK - Joint Workshop: Visualization and Exploration of Geospatial Data, Stuttgart

Interatomic interaction effects on second-order momentum correlations and Hong-Ou-Mandel interference of double-well-trapped ultracold fermionic atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandt, Benedikt B.; Yannouleas, Constantine; Landman, Uzi

2018-05-01

Identification and understanding of the evolution of interference patterns in two-particle momentum correlations as a function of the strength of interatomic interactions are important in explorations of the nature of quantum states of trapped particles. Together with the analysis of two-particle spatial correlations, they offer the prospect of uncovering fundamental symmetries and structure of correlated many-body states, as well as opening vistas into potential control and utilization of correlated quantum states as quantum-information resources. With the use of the second-order density matrix constructed via exact diagonalization of the microscopic Hamiltonian, and an analytic Hubbard-type model, we explore here the systematic evolution of characteristic interference patterns in the two-body momentum and spatial correlation maps of two entangled ultracold fermionic atoms in a double well, for the entire attractive- and repulsive-interaction range. We uncover quantum-statistics-governed bunching and antibunching, as well as interaction-dependent interference patterns, in the ground and excited states, and interpret our results in light of the Hong-Ou-Mandel interference physics, widely exploited in photon indistinguishability testing and quantum-information science.

Temporal sparsity exploiting nonlocal regularization for 4D computed tomography reconstruction

PubMed Central

Kazantsev, Daniil; Guo, Enyu; Kaestner, Anders; Lionheart, William R. B.; Bent, Julian; Withers, Philip J.; Lee, Peter D.

2016-01-01

X-ray imaging applications in medical and material sciences are frequently limited by the number of tomographic projections collected. The inversion of the limited projection data is an ill-posed problem and needs regularization. Traditional spatial regularization is not well adapted to the dynamic nature of time-lapse tomography since it discards the redundancy of the temporal information. In this paper, we propose a novel iterative reconstruction algorithm with a nonlocal regularization term to account for time-evolving datasets. The aim of the proposed nonlocal penalty is to collect the maximum relevant information in the spatial and temporal domains. With the proposed sparsity seeking approach in the temporal space, the computational complexity of the classical nonlocal regularizer is substantially reduced (at least by one order of magnitude). The presented reconstruction method can be directly applied to various big data 4D (x, y, z+time) tomographic experiments in many fields. We apply the proposed technique to modelled data and to real dynamic X-ray microtomography (XMT) data of high resolution. Compared to the classical spatio-temporal nonlocal regularization approach, the proposed method delivers reconstructed images of improved resolution and higher contrast while remaining significantly less computationally demanding. PMID:27002902

Web pages: What can you see in a single fixation?

PubMed

Jahanian, Ali; Keshvari, Shaiyan; Rosenholtz, Ruth

2018-01-01

Research in human vision suggests that in a single fixation, humans can extract a significant amount of information from a natural scene, e.g. the semantic category, spatial layout, and object identities. This ability is useful, for example, for quickly determining location, navigating around obstacles, detecting threats, and guiding eye movements to gather more information. In this paper, we ask a new question: What can we see at a glance at a web page - an artificial yet complex "real world" stimulus? Is it possible to notice the type of website, or where the relevant elements are, with only a glimpse? We find that observers, fixating at the center of a web page shown for only 120 milliseconds, are well above chance at classifying the page into one of ten categories. Furthermore, this ability is supported in part by text that they can read at a glance. Users can also understand the spatial layout well enough to reliably localize the menu bar and to detect ads, even though the latter are often camouflaged among other graphical elements. We discuss the parallels between web page gist and scene gist, and the implications of our findings for both vision science and human-computer interaction.

Designing computer learning environments for engineering and computer science: The scaffolded knowledge integration framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linn, Marcia C.

1995-06-01

Designing effective curricula for complex topics and incorporating technological tools is an evolving process. One important way to foster effective design is to synthesize successful practices. This paper describes a framework called scaffolded knowledge integration and illustrates how it guided the design of two successful course enhancements in the field of computer science and engineering. One course enhancement, the LISP Knowledge Integration Environment, improved learning and resulted in more gender-equitable outcomes. The second course enhancement, the spatial reasoning environment, addressed spatial reasoning in an introductory engineering course. This enhancement minimized the importance of prior knowledge of spatial reasoning and helped students develop a more comprehensive repertoire of spatial reasoning strategies. Taken together, the instructional research programs reinforce the value of the scaffolded knowledge integration framework and suggest directions for future curriculum reformers.

Imaging Spectrometry of Inland and Coastal Waters: State of the Art, Achievements and Perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giardino, C.; Brando, V. E.; Gege, P.; Pinnel, N.; Hochberg, E.; Knaeps, E.; Reusen, I.; Doerffer, R.; Bresciani, M.; Braga, F.; Foerster, S.; Champollion, N.; Dekker, A.

2018-06-01

Imaging spectrometry of non-oceanic aquatic ecosystems has been in development since the late 1980s when the first airborne hyperspectral sensors were deployed over lakes. Most water quality management applications were, however, developed using multispectral mid-spatial resolution satellites or coarse spatial resolution ocean colour satellites till now. This situation is about to change with a suite of upcoming imaging spectrometers being deployed from experimental satellites or from the International Space Station. We review the science of developing applications for inland and coastal aquatic ecosystems that often are a mixture of optically shallow and optically deep waters, with gradients of clear to turbid and oligotrophic to hypertrophic productive waters and with varying bottom visibility with and without macrophytes, macro-algae, benthic micro-algae or corals. As the spaceborne, airborne and in situ optical sensors become increasingly available and appropriate for aquatic ecosystem detection, monitoring and assessment, the science-based applications will need to be further developed to an operational level. The Earth Observation-derived information products will range from more accurate estimates of turbidity and transparency measures, chlorophyll, suspended matter and coloured dissolved organic matter concentration, to more sophisticated products such as particle size distributions, phytoplankton functional types or distinguishing sources of suspended and coloured dissolved matter, estimating water depth and mapping types of heterogeneous substrates. We provide an overview of past science, current state of the art and future directions so that early career scientists as well as aquatic ecosystem managers and associated industry groups may be prepared for the imminent deluge of imaging spectrometry data.

On Information Metrics for Spatial Coding.

PubMed

Souza, Bryan C; Pavão, Rodrigo; Belchior, Hindiael; Tort, Adriano B L

2018-04-01

The hippocampal formation is involved in navigation, and its neuronal activity exhibits a variety of spatial correlates (e.g., place cells, grid cells). The quantification of the information encoded by spikes has been standard procedure to identify which cells have spatial correlates. For place cells, most of the established metrics derive from Shannon's mutual information (Shannon, 1948), and convey information rate in bits/s or bits/spike (Skaggs et al., 1993, 1996). Despite their widespread use, the performance of these metrics in relation to the original mutual information metric has never been investigated. In this work, using simulated and real data, we find that the current information metrics correlate less with the accuracy of spatial decoding than the original mutual information metric. We also find that the top informative cells may differ among metrics, and show a surrogate-based normalization that yields comparable spatial information estimates. Since different information metrics may identify different neuronal populations, we discuss current and alternative definitions of spatially informative cells, which affect the metric choice. Copyright © 2018 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Promoting social welfare through oral health: New Jersey's fluoridation experience.

PubMed

Mendoza, Roger Lee

2009-01-01

This study examines the contentious public health policy of treating community water with fluoride in the United States. The question for scholarly investigation is why water fluoridation has been unsuccessful in several parts of the United States relative to the rest. It addresses this question by looking into the processes of scientific discovery and information dissemination, benefits and risks of science-based health policy, related issues of provision and production, and spatial dimensions of policy development. The case method based on New Jersey's experience in public water fluoridation, was opted for this study. We find that policy debates, which are confined to single key issues, tend to breed binary choices and bipolar debates and result in policy stalemates. Consumer accessibility and desirability of merit goods thus become sharply conflicting social welfare values. They undermine the intent of science-based policies and often make alternative and second-best policies more practical to adopt.

Real-time imaging of quantum entanglement.

PubMed

Fickler, Robert; Krenn, Mario; Lapkiewicz, Radek; Ramelow, Sven; Zeilinger, Anton

2013-01-01

Quantum Entanglement is widely regarded as one of the most prominent features of quantum mechanics and quantum information science. Although, photonic entanglement is routinely studied in many experiments nowadays, its signature has been out of the grasp for real-time imaging. Here we show that modern technology, namely triggered intensified charge coupled device (ICCD) cameras are fast and sensitive enough to image in real-time the effect of the measurement of one photon on its entangled partner. To quantitatively verify the non-classicality of the measurements we determine the detected photon number and error margin from the registered intensity image within a certain region. Additionally, the use of the ICCD camera allows us to demonstrate the high flexibility of the setup in creating any desired spatial-mode entanglement, which suggests as well that visual imaging in quantum optics not only provides a better intuitive understanding of entanglement but will improve applications of quantum science.

Description and testing of the Geo Data Portal: Data integration framework and Web processing services for environmental science collaboration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blodgett, David L.; Booth, Nathaniel L.; Kunicki, Thomas C.; Walker, Jordan I.; Viger, Roland J.

2011-01-01

Interest in sharing interdisciplinary environmental modeling results and related data is increasing among scientists. The U.S. Geological Survey Geo Data Portal project enables data sharing by assembling open-standard Web services into an integrated data retrieval and analysis Web application design methodology that streamlines time-consuming and resource-intensive data management tasks. Data-serving Web services allow Web-based processing services to access Internet-available data sources. The Web processing services developed for the project create commonly needed derivatives of data in numerous formats. Coordinate reference system manipulation and spatial statistics calculation components implemented for the Web processing services were confirmed using ArcGIS 9.3.1, a geographic information science software package. Outcomes of the Geo Data Portal project support the rapid development of user interfaces for accessing and manipulating environmental data.

Real-Time Imaging of Quantum Entanglement

PubMed Central

Fickler, Robert; Krenn, Mario; Lapkiewicz, Radek; Ramelow, Sven; Zeilinger, Anton

2013-01-01

Quantum Entanglement is widely regarded as one of the most prominent features of quantum mechanics and quantum information science. Although, photonic entanglement is routinely studied in many experiments nowadays, its signature has been out of the grasp for real-time imaging. Here we show that modern technology, namely triggered intensified charge coupled device (ICCD) cameras are fast and sensitive enough to image in real-time the effect of the measurement of one photon on its entangled partner. To quantitatively verify the non-classicality of the measurements we determine the detected photon number and error margin from the registered intensity image within a certain region. Additionally, the use of the ICCD camera allows us to demonstrate the high flexibility of the setup in creating any desired spatial-mode entanglement, which suggests as well that visual imaging in quantum optics not only provides a better intuitive understanding of entanglement but will improve applications of quantum science. PMID:23715056

Geospatial Analysis and Remote Sensing from Airplanes and Satellites for Cultural Resources Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giardino, Marco J.; Haley, Bryan S.

2005-01-01

Cultural resource management consists of research to identify, evaluate, document and assess cultural resources, planning to assist in decision-making, and stewardship to implement the preservation, protection and interpretation of these decisions and plans. One technique that may be useful in cultural resource management archaeology is remote sensing. It is the acquisition of data and derivative information about objects or materials (targets) located on the Earth's surface or in its atmosphere by using sensor mounted on platforms located at a distance from the targets to make measurements on interactions between the targets and electromagnetic radiation. Included in this definition are systems that acquire imagery by photographic methods and digital multispectral sensors. Data collected by digital multispectral sensors on aircraft and satellite platforms play a prominent role in many earth science applications, including land cover mapping, geology, soil science, agriculture, forestry, water resource management, urban and regional planning, and environmental assessments. Inherent in the analysis of remotely sensed data is the use of computer-based image processing techniques. Geographical information systems (GIS), designed for collecting, managing, and analyzing spatial information, are also useful in the analysis of remotely sensed data. A GIS can be used to integrate diverse types of spatially referenced digital data, including remotely sensed and map data. In archaeology, these tools have been used in various ways to aid in cultural resource projects. For example, they have been used to predict the presence of archaeological resources using modern environmental indicators. Remote sensing techniques have also been used to directly detect the presence of unknown sites based on the impact of past occupation on the Earth's surface. Additionally, remote sensing has been used as a mapping tool aimed at delineating the boundaries of a site or mapping previously unknown features. All of these applications are pertinent to the goals of site discovery and assessment in cultural resource management.

Towards democracy in spatial planning through spatial information built by communities: The investigation of spatial information built by citizens from participatory mapping to volunteered geographic information in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yudono, Adipandang

2017-06-01

Recently, crowd-sourced information is used to produce and improve collective knowledge and community capacity building. Triggered by broadening and expanding access to the Internet and cellular telephones, the utilisation of crowd-sourcing for policy advocacy, e-government and e-participation has increased globally [1]. Crowd-sourced information can conceivably support government’s or general social initiatives to inform, counsel, and cooperate, by engaging subjects and empowering decentralisation and democratization [2]. Crowd-sourcing has turned into a major technique for interactive mapping initiatives by urban or rural community because of its capability to incorporate a wide range of data. Continuously accumulated spatial data can be sorted, layered, and envisioned in ways that even beginners can comprehend with ease. Interactive spatial visualization has the possibility to be a useful democratic planning tool to empower citizens participating in spatial data provision and sharing in government programmes. Since the global emergence of World Wide Web (WWW) technology, the interaction between information providers and users has increased. Local communities are able to produce and share spatial data to produce web interfaces with territorial information in mapping application programming interfaces (APIs) public, such as Google maps, OSM and Wikimapia [3][4][5]. In terms of the democratic spatial planning action, Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) is considered an effective voluntary method of helping people feel comfortable with the technology and other co-participants in order to shape coalitions of local knowledge. This paper has aim to investigate ‘How is spatial data created by citizens used in Indonesia?’ by discussing the characteristics of spatial data usage by citizens to support spatial policy formulation, starting with the history of participatory mapping to current VGI development in Indonesia.

Science Writer's Guide to Landsat 7

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

The Earth Observing System (EOS), the centerpiece of NASA's Earth science program, is a suite of spacecraft and interdisciplinary science investigations dedicated to advancing our understanding of global change. The flagship EOS satellite, Terra (formerly EOS AM-1), scheduled for launch in July 1999, will provide key measurements of the physical and radiative properties of clouds; air-land and air-sea exchanges of energy, carbon, and water; trace gases; and volcanoes. Flying in formation with Terra, Landsat 7 will make global high spatial resolution measurements of land surface and surrounding coastal regions. Other upcoming EOS missions and instruments include QuikSCAT, to collect sea surface wind data; the Stratospheric Gas and Aerosol Experiment (SAGE III), to create global profiles of key atmospheric gases; and the Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitors (ACRIM) to measure the energy output of the Sun. The second of the major, multi-instrument EOS platforms, PM-1, is scheduled for launch in 2000. Interdisciplinary research projects sponsored by EOS use specific Earth science data sets for a broader investigation into the function of Earth systems. Current EOS research spans a wide range of sciences, including atmospheric chemistry, hydrology, land use, and marine ecosystems. The EOS program has been managed since 1990 by the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., for NASA's Office of Earth Science in Washington, D. C. Additional information on the program can be found on the EOS Project Science Office Web site (http://eospso.gsfc.nasa.gov).

Spatial Ability Learning through Educational Robotics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Julià, Carme; Antolí, Juan Òscar

2016-01-01

Several authors insist on the importance of students' acquisition of spatial abilities and visualization in order to have academic success in areas such as science, technology or engineering. This paper proposes to discuss and analyse the use of educational robotics to develop spatial abilities in 12 year old students. First of all, a course to…

Harnessing Spatial Thinking to Support STEM Learning. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 161

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newcombe, Nora

2017-01-01

Spatial intelligence concerns the locations of objects, their shapes, their relations, and the paths they take as they move. Recognition of spatial skills enriches the traditional educational focus on developing literacy and numerical skills to include a cognitive domain particularly relevant to achievement in science, technology, engineering and…

Spatial accuracy assessment in natural resources and environmental sciences: Second International Symposium

Treesearch

H. Todd Mowrer; Raymond L. Czaplewski; R. H. Hamre

1996-01-01

This international symposium on theory and techniques for assessing the accuracy of spatial data and spatial analyses included more than ninety presentations by representatives from government, academic, and private institutions in over twenty countries throughout the world. To encourage interactions across disciplines, presentations in the general subject areas of...

NASA GES DISC support of CO2 Data from OCO-2, ACOS, and AIRS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wei, Jennifer C; Vollmer, Bruce E.; Savtchenko, Andrey K.; Hearty, Thomas J; Albayrak, Rustem Arif; Deshong, Barbara E.

2013-01-01

NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Centers (GES DISC) is the data center assigned to archive and distribute current AIRS, ACOS data and data from the upcoming OCO-2 mission. The GES DISC archives and supports data containing information on CO2 as well as other atmospheric composition, atmospheric dynamics, modeling and precipitation. Along with the data stewardship, an important mission of GES DISC is to facilitate access to and enhance the usability of data as well as to broaden the user base. GES DISC strives to promote the awareness of science content and novelty of the data by working with Science Team members and releasing news articles as appropriate. Analysis of events that are of interest to the general public, and that help in understanding the goals of NASA Earth Observing missions, have been among most popular practices.Users have unrestricted access to a user-friendly search interface, Mirador, that allows temporal, spatial, keyword and event searches, as well as an ontology-driven drill down. Variable subsetting, format conversion, quality screening, and quick browse, are among the services available in Mirador. The majority of the GES DISC data are also accessible through OPeNDAP (Open-source Project for a Network Data Access Protocol) and WMS (Web Map Service). These services add more options for specialized subsetting, format conversion, image viewing and contributing to data interoperability.

Information system of mineral deposits in Slovenia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hribernik, K.; Rokavec, D.; Šinigioj, J.; Šolar, S.

2010-03-01

At the Geologic Survey of Slovenia the need for complex overview and control of the deposits of available non-metallic mineral raw materials and of their exploitations became urgent. In the framework of the Geologic Information System we established the Database of non-metallic mineral deposits comprising all important data of deposits and concessionars. Relational database is built with program package MS Access, but in year 2008 we plan to transfer it on SQL server. In the evidence there is 272 deposits and 200 concessionars. The mineral resources information system of Slovenia, which was started back in 2002, consists of two integrated parts, mentioned relational database of mineral deposits, which relates information in tabular way so that rules of relational algebra can be applied, and geographic information system (GIS), which relates spatial information of deposits. . The complex relationships between objects and the concepts of normalized data structures, lead to the practical informative and useful data model, transparent to the user and to better decision-making by allowing future scenarios to be developed and inspected. Computerized storage, and display system is as already said, developed and managed under the support of Geological Survey of Slovenia, which conducts research on the occurrence, quality, quantity, and availability of mineral resources in order to help the Nation make informed decisions using earth-science information. Information about deposit is stored in records in approximately hundred data fields. A numeric record number uniquely identifies each site. The data fields are grouped under principal categories. Each record comprise elementary data of deposit (name, type, location, prospect, rock), administrative data (concessionar, number of decree in official paper, object of decree, number of contract and its duration) and data of mineral resource produced amount and size of exploration area). The data can also be searched, sorted and printed using any of these fields. New records are being added annually, and existing records updated or upgraded. Relational database is connected with scanned exploration/exploitation areas of deposits, defined on the base of digital ortofoto. Register of those areas is indispensable because of spatial planning and spatial municipal and regional strategy development. Database is also part of internet application for quick search and review of data and part of web page of mineral resources of Slovenia. The technology chosen for internet application is ESRI's ArcIMS Internet Map Server. ArcIMS allows users to readily and easily display, analyze, and interpret spatial data from desktop using a Web browser connected to the Internet. We believe that there is an opportunity for cooperation within this activity. We can offer a single location where users can come to browse relatively simply for geoscience-related digital data sets.

The Template for Assessing Climate Change Impacts and Management Options (TACCIMO): Science at Your Fingertips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jennings, L. N.; Treasure, E.; Moore Myers, J.; McNulty, S.

2012-12-01

There is an ever-increasing volume of useful scientific knowledge about climate change effects and management options for natural ecosystems. Agencies such as the USDA Forest Service have been charged with the need to evaluate this body of knowledge and if necessary adapt to the impacts of climate change in their forest planning and management. However, the combined volume of existing information and rate of development of new information, lack of climate change specialists, and limited technology transfer mechanisms make efficient access and use difficult. The Template for Assessing Climate Change Impacts and Management Options (TACCIMO) addresses this difficulty through its publically accessible web-based tool that puts current and concise climate change science at the fingertips of forest planners and managers. A collaborative product of the USDA Forest Service Research Stations and the National Forest System, TACCIMO integrates peer-reviewed research with management and planning options through search and reporting tools that connect land managers with information they can trust. TACCIMO highlights elements from the wealth of climate change science with attention to what natural resource planners and managers need through a searchable repository of over 4,000 effects of climate change and close to 1,000 adaptive management options, all excerpted from a growing body of peer-reviewed scientific literature. A geospatial mapping application provides downscaled climate data for the nation and other spatially explicit models relevant to evaluating climate change impacts on forests. Report generators assist users in capturing outputs specific to a given location and resource area in a consistent and organized manner. For USDA Forest Service users, science findings can be readily linked with management conditions and capabilities from national forest management plans. The development of TACCIMO was guided by interactions with natural resource professionals, resulting in a flexible framework that allows new information to be added routinely and existing information to be reorganized as new science emerges and management needs change. TACCIMO is currently being used to support climate change science assessments for national forest land and management plan revisions in El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico, the Southern Sierra national forests in California, and Francis Marion National Forest in South Carolina. The tool is also being actively used by state, extension, and private natural resource professionals for climate change education and outreach. For all users, TACCIMO provides a fast, concise, and creditable starting point to guide critical thinking, additional analysis, and expert consultation to support all aspects of natural resource management decision making.

Beyond MOS and fibers: Optical Fourier-transform Imaging Unit for Cananea Observatory (OFIUCO)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nieto-Suárez, M. A.; Rosales-Ortega, F. F.; Castillo, E.; García, P.; Escobedo, G.; Sánchez, S. F.; González, J.; Iglesias-Páramo, J.; Mollá, M.; Chávez, M.; Bertone, E.; et al.

2017-11-01

Many physical processes in astronomy are still hampered by the lack of spatial and spectral resolution, and also restricted to the field-of-view (FoV) of current 2D spectroscopy instruments available worldwide. It is due to that, many of the ongoing or proposed studies are based on large-scale imaging and/or spectroscopic surveys. Under this philosophy, large aperture telescopes are dedicated to the study of intrinsically faint and/or distance objects, covering small FoVs, with high spatial resolution, while smaller telescopes are devoted to wide-field explorations. However, future astronomical surveys, should be addressed by acquiring un-biases, spatially resolved, high-quality spectroscopic information for a wide FoV. Therefore, and in order to improve the current instrumental offer in the Observatorio Astrofísico Guillermo Haro (OAGH) in Cananea, Mexico (INAOE); and to explore a possible instrument for the future Telescopio San Pedro Mártir (6.5m), we are currently integrating at INAOE an instrument prototype that will provide us with un-biased wide-field (few arcmin) spectroscopic information, and with the flexibility of operating at different spectral resolutions (R 1-20000), with a spatial resolution limited by seeing, and therefore, to be used in a wide range of astronomical problems. This instrument called OFIUCO: Optical Fourier-transform Imaging Unit for Cananea Observatory, will make use of the Fourier Transform Spectroscopic technique, which has been proved to be feasible in the optical wavelength range (350-1000 nm) with designs such as SITELLE (CFHT). We describe here the basic technical description of a Fourier transform spectrograph with important modifications from previous astronomical versions, as well as the technical advantages and weakness, and the science cases in which this instrument can be implemented.

Microwat : a new Earth Explorer mission proposal to measure the Sea surface Temperature and the Sea Ice Concentration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prigent, Catherine; Aires, Filipe; Heygster, Georg

2017-04-01

Ocean surface characterization from satellites is required to understand, monitor and predict the general circulation of the ocean and atmosphere. With more than 70% global cloud coverage at any time, visible and infrared satellite observations only provide limited information. The polar regions are particularly vulnerable to the climate changes and are home to complex mesoscale mechanisms that are still poorly understood. They are also under very persis- tent cloudiness. Passive microwave observations can provide surface information such as Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and Sea Ice Concentration (SIC) regardless of the cloud cover, but up to now they were limited in spatial resolution. Here, we propose a passive microwave conically scanning imager, MICROWAT, in a polar orbit, for the retrieval of the SST and SIC, with a spatial resolution of 15km. It observes at 6 and 10GHz, with low-noise dual polarization receivers, and a foldable mesh antenna of 5m-diameter. Furthermore, MICROWAT will fly in tandem with MetOp-SG B to benefit from the synergy with scatterometers (SCA) and microwave imagers (MWI). MICROWAT will provide global SST estimates, twice daily, regardless of cloud cover, with an accuracy of 0.3K and a spatial resolution of 15km. The SIC will be derived with an accuracy of 3%. With its unprecedented "all weather" accurate SST and SIC at 15km, MICROWAT will provide the atmospheric and oceanic forecasting sys- tems with products compatible with their increasing spatial resolution and complexity, with impact for societal applications. It will also answer fundamental science questions related to the ocean, the atmosphere and their interactions. * Prigent, Aires, Bernardo, Orlhac, Goutoule, Roquet, & Donlon, Analysis of the potential and limitations of microwave radiometry for the retrieval of sea surface temperature: Definition

The Complicate Observations and Multi-Parameter Land Information Constructions on Allied Telemetry Experiment (COMPLICATE)

PubMed Central

Tian, Xin; Li, Zengyuan; Chen, Erxue; Liu, Qinhuo; Yan, Guangjian; Wang, Jindi; Niu, Zheng; Zhao, Shaojie; Li, Xin; Pang, Yong; Su, Zhongbo; van der Tol, Christiaan; Liu, Qingwang; Wu, Chaoyang; Xiao, Qing; Yang, Le; Mu, Xihan; Bo, Yanchen; Qu, Yonghua; Zhou, Hongmin; Gao, Shuai; Chai, Linna; Huang, Huaguo; Fan, Wenjie; Li, Shihua; Bai, Junhua; Jiang, Lingmei; Zhou, Ji

2015-01-01

The Complicate Observations and Multi-Parameter Land Information Constructions on Allied Telemetry Experiment (COMPLICATE) comprises a network of remote sensing experiments designed to enhance the dynamic analysis and modeling of remotely sensed information for complex land surfaces. Two types of experimental campaigns were established under the framework of COMPLICATE. The first was designed for continuous and elaborate experiments. The experimental strategy helps enhance our understanding of the radiative and scattering mechanisms of soil and vegetation and modeling of remotely sensed information for complex land surfaces. To validate the methodologies and models for dynamic analyses of remote sensing for complex land surfaces, the second campaign consisted of simultaneous satellite-borne, airborne, and ground-based experiments. During field campaigns, several continuous and intensive observations were obtained. Measurements were undertaken to answer key scientific issues, as follows: 1) Determine the characteristics of spatial heterogeneity and the radiative and scattering mechanisms of remote sensing on complex land surfaces. 2) Determine the mechanisms of spatial and temporal scale extensions for remote sensing on complex land surfaces. 3) Determine synergist inversion mechanisms for soil and vegetation parameters using multi-mode remote sensing on complex land surfaces. Here, we introduce the background, the objectives, the experimental designs, the observations and measurements, and the overall advances of COMPLICATE. As a result of the implementation of COMLICATE and for the next several years, we expect to contribute to quantitative remote sensing science and Earth observation techniques. PMID:26332035

One map policy (OMP) implementation strategy to accelerate mapping of regional spatial planing (RTRW) in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasyim, Fuad; Subagio, Habib; Darmawan, Mulyanto

2016-06-01

A preparation of spatial planning documents require basic geospatial information and thematic accuracies. Recently these issues become important because spatial planning maps are impartial attachment of the regional act draft on spatial planning (PERDA). The needs of geospatial information in the preparation of spatial planning maps preparation can be divided into two major groups: (i). basic geospatial information (IGD), consist of of Indonesia Topographic maps (RBI), coastal and marine environmental maps (LPI), and geodetic control network and (ii). Thematic Geospatial Information (IGT). Currently, mostly local goverment in Indonesia have not finished their regulation draft on spatial planning due to some constrain including technical aspect. Some constrain in mapping of spatial planning are as follows: the availability of large scale ofbasic geospatial information, the availability of mapping guidelines, and human resources. Ideal conditions to be achieved for spatial planning maps are: (i) the availability of updated geospatial information in accordance with the scale needed for spatial planning maps, (ii) the guideline of mapping for spatial planning to support local government in completion their PERDA, and (iii) capacity building of local goverment human resources to completed spatial planning maps. The OMP strategies formulated to achieve these conditions are: (i) accelerating of IGD at scale of 1:50,000, 1: 25,000 and 1: 5,000, (ii) to accelerate mapping and integration of Thematic Geospatial Information (IGT) through stocktaking availability and mapping guidelines, (iii) the development of mapping guidelines and dissemination of spatial utilization and (iv) training of human resource on mapping technology.

Development and testing of an assessment to measure spatial thinking about enhanced greenhouse effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skaza, Heather Jean

Americans, in general, do not behave in environmentally sustainable ways. We drive cars and fly in planes that emit planet-warming carbon. We purchase food in nearly indestructible packaging that is not recycled or repurposed. We do not consider the environmental impact of the "stuff" stuffed into our grocery and department stores, most of which is made of materials that had to be dug out of the ground, leaving rivers and skies full of pollution in its place. Citizens have a responsibility to understand complex global and local environmental problems. A person's ability to think about the way that an environmental problem they are tasked with understanding changes over time and space can better prepare them to make sustainable decisions in the face of this complexity. Spatial thinking serves the learner's ability to understand the impact of environmental actions and should be given a consistent place in environmental education. Teaching practices and pedagogies that focus on spatial thinking are necessary to learners' success. In order to know if these strategies are successful, educators need an assessment tool that targets the spatial thinking skills necessary to understanding environmental problems. This dissertation project used a models and modeling theoretical framework to develop and test an assessment of students' spatial thinking abilities related to the environmental problem of enhanced greenhouse effect. This assessment was developed from a review of existing spatial thinking literature, research on existing assessments of spatial thinking abilities, and existing assessment of enhanced greenhouse effect. In addition, I interviewed and surveyed experts in science, math, and environmental education to elicit their perspectives on the spatial thinking skills necessary for learners to understand enhanced greenhouse effect. All of this information was synthesized into 14 Central Concepts of spatial thinking for enhanced greenhouse effect. The assessment was developed for students to express their mental models related to these 14 Central Concepts. The assessment was reviewed and tested by experts related to the project's content, as well as students from the target population for assessment delivery. It was revised based on feedback and data collect from these groups. Here I describe my findings, that students are more proficient at modeling simple spatial relationships, one at a time, than modeling more complex relationships; that students understand human-scale spatial relationships related to enhanced greenhouse effect better than very small or very large ones; and that students can associate and correlate spatially distributed features and phenomena to describe enhanced greenhouse effect. Finally, I describe the ways in which student and expert feedback has informed not only revisions of this assessment specifically, but also to the assessment development process, for better assessment design, when spatial thinking assessments related to other environmental problems are developed in the future.

Contextualizing Cave Maps as Geospatial Information: Case Study of Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinhart, H.

2017-12-01

Caves are the result of solution processes. Because they are happened from geochemical and tectonic activity, they can be considered as geosphere phenomena. As one of the geosphere phenomena, especially at karst landform, caves have spatial dimensions and aspects. Cave’s utilizations and developments are increasing in many sectors such as hydrology, earth science, and tourism industry. However, spatial aspects of caves are poorly concerned dues to the lack of recognition toward cave maps. Many stakeholders have not known significances and importance of cave maps in determining development of a cave. Less information can be considered as the cause. Therefore, it is strongly necessary to put cave maps into the right context in order to make stakeholders realize the significance of it. Also, cave maps will be officially regarded as tools related to policy, development, and conservation act of caves hence they will have regulation in the usages and applications. This paper aims to make the contextualization of cave maps toward legal act. The act which is used is Act Number 4 Year 2011 About Geospatial Information. The contextualization is done by scrutinizing every articles and clauses related to cave maps and seek the contextual elements from both of them. The results are that cave maps can be regarded as geospatial information and classified as thematic geospatial information. The usages of them can be regulated through the Act Number 4 Year 2011. The regulations comprised by data acquisition, database, authorities, surveyor, and the obligation of providing cave maps in planning cave’s development and the environment surrounding.

Migrant deaths at the Arizona-Mexico border: Spatial trends of a mass disaster.

PubMed

Giordano, Alberto; Spradley, M Katherine

2017-11-01

Geographic Information Science (GIScience) technology has been used to document, investigate, and predict patterns that may be of utility in both forensic academic research and applied practice. In examining spatial and temporal trends of the mass disaster that is occurring along the U.S.-Mexico border, other researchers have highlighted predictive patterns for search and recovery efforts as well as water station placement. The purpose of this paper is to use previously collected spatial data of migrant deaths from Arizona to address issues of data uncertainty and data accuracy that affect our understanding of this phenomenon, including local and federal policies that impact the U.S.-Mexico border. The main objective of our study was to explore how the locations of migrant deaths have varied over time. Our results confirm patterns such as a lack of relationship between Border Patrol apprehensions and migrant deaths, as well as highlight new patterns such as the increased positional accuracy of migrant deaths recorded closer to the border. This paper highlights the importance of using positionally accurate data to detect spatio-temporal trends in forensic investigations of mass disasters: without qualitative and quantitative information concerning the accuracy of the data collected, the reliability of the results obtained remains questionable. We conclude by providing a set of guidelines for standardizing the collection and documentation of migrant remains at the U.S.-Mexico border. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measuring acoustic habitats

PubMed Central

Merchant, Nathan D; Fristrup, Kurt M; Johnson, Mark P; Tyack, Peter L; Witt, Matthew J; Blondel, Philippe; Parks, Susan E

2015-01-01

1. Many organisms depend on sound for communication, predator/prey detection and navigation. The acoustic environment can therefore play an important role in ecosystem dynamics and evolution. A growing number of studies are documenting acoustic habitats and their influences on animal development, behaviour, physiology and spatial ecology, which has led to increasing demand for passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) expertise in the life sciences. However, as yet, there has been no synthesis of data processing methods for acoustic habitat monitoring, which presents an unnecessary obstacle to would-be PAM analysts. 2. Here, we review the signal processing techniques needed to produce calibrated measurements of terrestrial and aquatic acoustic habitats. We include a supplemental tutorial and template computer codes in matlab and r, which give detailed guidance on how to produce calibrated spectrograms and statistical analyses of sound levels. Key metrics and terminology for the characterisation of biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic sound are covered, and their application to relevant monitoring scenarios is illustrated through example data sets. To inform study design and hardware selection, we also include an up-to-date overview of terrestrial and aquatic PAM instruments. 3. Monitoring of acoustic habitats at large spatiotemporal scales is becoming possible through recent advances in PAM technology. This will enhance our understanding of the role of sound in the spatial ecology of acoustically sensitive species and inform spatial planning to mitigate the rising influence of anthropogenic noise in these ecosystems. As we demonstrate in this work, progress in these areas will depend upon the application of consistent and appropriate PAM methodologies. PMID:25954500

Measuring acoustic habitats.

PubMed

Merchant, Nathan D; Fristrup, Kurt M; Johnson, Mark P; Tyack, Peter L; Witt, Matthew J; Blondel, Philippe; Parks, Susan E

2015-03-01

1. Many organisms depend on sound for communication, predator/prey detection and navigation. The acoustic environment can therefore play an important role in ecosystem dynamics and evolution. A growing number of studies are documenting acoustic habitats and their influences on animal development, behaviour, physiology and spatial ecology, which has led to increasing demand for passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) expertise in the life sciences. However, as yet, there has been no synthesis of data processing methods for acoustic habitat monitoring, which presents an unnecessary obstacle to would-be PAM analysts. 2. Here, we review the signal processing techniques needed to produce calibrated measurements of terrestrial and aquatic acoustic habitats. We include a supplemental tutorial and template computer codes in matlab and r, which give detailed guidance on how to produce calibrated spectrograms and statistical analyses of sound levels. Key metrics and terminology for the characterisation of biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic sound are covered, and their application to relevant monitoring scenarios is illustrated through example data sets. To inform study design and hardware selection, we also include an up-to-date overview of terrestrial and aquatic PAM instruments. 3. Monitoring of acoustic habitats at large spatiotemporal scales is becoming possible through recent advances in PAM technology. This will enhance our understanding of the role of sound in the spatial ecology of acoustically sensitive species and inform spatial planning to mitigate the rising influence of anthropogenic noise in these ecosystems. As we demonstrate in this work, progress in these areas will depend upon the application of consistent and appropriate PAM methodologies.