Remote Sensing and Urban Change

in GISDATA Newsletter (1995), 6

A Remote Sensing Based Calibration Framework for the MOLAND Urban Growth Model of Dublin

in International Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Information Systems (2012), 3(2), 1-21

Land-use change models are useful tools for assessing and comparing the environmental impact of alternative policy scenarios. Their increasing popularity as spatial planning instruments also poses new ... [more ▼]

Land-use change models are useful tools for assessing and comparing the environmental impact of alternative policy scenarios. Their increasing popularity as spatial planning instruments also poses new scientific challenges, such as correctly calibrating the model. The challenge in model calibration is twofold: obtaining a reliable and consistent time series of land-use information and finding suitable measures to compare model output to reality. Both of these issues are addressed in this paper. The authors propose a model calibration framework that is supported by information on urban form and function derived from medium-resolution remote sensing data through newly developed spatial metrics. The remote sensing derived maps are compared to model output of the same date for two model scenarios using well-known spatial metrics. Results demonstrate a good resemblance between the simulation output and the remote sensing derived maps. [less ▲]

Remote sensing of the energy of auroral electrons in Saturn’s atmosphere: Hubble and Cassini spectral observations

in Icarus (2013), 223

Saturn’s north ultraviolet aurora has been successfully observed twice between March and May 2011 with the STIS long-slit spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope. Spatially resolved spectra at ... [more ▼]

Saturn’s north ultraviolet aurora has been successfully observed twice between March and May 2011 with the STIS long-slit spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope. Spatially resolved spectra at ∼12 Å spectral resolution have been collected at different local times from dawn to dusk to determine the amount of hydrocarbon absorption. For this purpose, the HST telescope slewed across the auroral oval from mid-latitudes up to beyond the limb while collecting spectral data in the timetag mode. Spectral images of the north ultraviolet aurora were obtained within minutes and hours with the UVIS spectrograph on board Cassini. Several daytime sectors and one nightside location were observed and showed signatures of weak absorption by methane present in (or above) the layer of the auroral emission. No absorption from other hydrocarbons (e.g. C2H2) has been detected. For the absorbed spectra, the overlying slant CH4 column varies from 3x1015 to 2x1016 cm-2, but no clear dependence on local time is identified. A Monte Carlo electron transport model is used to calculate the vertical distribution of the H2 emission and to relate the observed spectra to the energy of the primary auroral electrons. Assuming electron precipitation with a Maxwellian energy distribution into a standard model atmosphere, we find that the mean energy ranges from less than 3 to ∼10 keV. These results are compared with previous determinations of the energy of Saturn’s aurora based on ultraviolet spectra and limb images. We conclude that the energies derived from spectral methods indicate a wide range of electron energies while the nightside limb images suggest that the auroral precipitation is consistently soft. We emphasize the need for more realistic model atmospheres with temperature and hydrocarbon distributions appropriate to high-latitude conditions. [less ▲]

A remotely actuated suntracker protection for harsh environmental conditions.

(2007)

Remotely sensed seasonal dynamics of phytoplankton in the Ligurian Sea in 1997-1999

in Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans (2004), 109(C07013),

[1] Remotely sensed data and a one-dimensional hydrophysical model were used to study the seasonal dynamics of surface plant pigments concentration in the Ligurian-Provencal basin. The variations of ... [more ▼]

[1] Remotely sensed data and a one-dimensional hydrophysical model were used to study the seasonal dynamics of surface plant pigments concentration in the Ligurian-Provencal basin. The variations of phytoplankton biomass were estimated from the observations of the Coastal Zone Color Scanner ( 1978 - 1986) and Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) ( September 1997 to October 1999) radiometers. The factors of physical environment analyzed included remotely sensed sea surface temperature ( from advanced very high resolution radiometers), wind, air temperature, and atmospheric precipitation. The Geohydrodynamics and Environment Research (GHER) model was used to explain the observed correlations between the physical forcing and the response of phytoplankton biomass. The general pattern of phytoplankton seasonal dynamics was typical to subtropical areas: maximum biomass during cold season from October to April and low biomass during summer months. The intensity of winter/spring bloom significantly varied during different years. The correlation was revealed between the summer/autumn air temperature contrast ( expressed as the difference between the air temperatures in August and in November) and the maximum monthly averaged surface chlorophyll concentration during the subsequent winter/spring bloom. The features of seasonal dynamics of phytoplankton are regulated by the physical impacts influencing water stratification. The difference between two seasonal cycles ( from September 1997 to October 1999) illustrates the response of phytoplankton growth to local meteorological conditions. In March - April 1999 the vernal bloom was much more pronounced; it resulted from deeper winter cooling and more intensive winter convection. Heating of surface water layer, wind mixing, and freshwater load with rains and river discharge either stimulate or depress the development of phytoplankton, depending on what limiting environmental factor ( light or nutrient limitation) prevailed. [less ▲]

Removal of Androgens and Estrogens from Water by Reactive Materials

in Journal of Water Resource and Protection (2010), 2(11), 990-993

Nowadays, endocrine disruptor compounds in the water system have become a concern due to the risk of contamination to wild life and humans even at the nanogram level. Excess estrogens and androgens are a ... [more ▼]

Nowadays, endocrine disruptor compounds in the water system have become a concern due to the risk of contamination to wild life and humans even at the nanogram level. Excess estrogens and androgens are a major contributor group of endocrine compounds. Statistical surveys have shown that dairy farms contribute to over 90% of the total estrogens in the UK and US. An analytical system is being developed to assess the efficiency of reactive materials to remove target hormonal contaminants from dairy farm effluent. This can be achieved using reporter gene assays (RGAs) to detect low level steroid hormones. A preliminary study comparing the efficiency of granular activated carbon, zero-valent iron, and organoclay was carried out using bench-scale evaluations in negative control HPLC water. Their potential ability to remove testosterone and 17-β- estradiol spiked at reported environmental levels was measured by androgenic and estrogenic luminescent reporter assay respectively. [less ▲]

Removal of C-terminal Src kinase from the immune synapse by a new binding protein

in Molecular and Cellular Biology (2005), 25(6), 2227-2241

The Csk tyrosine kinase negatively regulates the Src family kinases Lek and Fyn in T cells. Engagement of the T-cell antigen receptor results in a removal of Csk from the lipid raft-associated ... [more ▼]

The Csk tyrosine kinase negatively regulates the Src family kinases Lek and Fyn in T cells. Engagement of the T-cell antigen receptor results in a removal of Csk from the lipid raft-associated transmembrane protein PAG/Cbp. Instead, Csk becomes associated with an similar to72-kDa tyrosine-phosphorylated protein, which we identify here as G3BP, a phosphoprotein reported to bind the SH3 domain of Ras GTPase-activating protein. G3BP reduced the ability of Csk to phosphorylate Lek at Y505 by decreasing the amount of Csk in lipid rafts. As a consequence, G3BP augmented T-cell activation as measured by interleukin-2 gene activation. Conversely, elimination of endogenous G3BP by RNA interference increased Lek Y505 phosphorylation and reduced TCR signaling. In antigen-specific T cells, endogenous G3BP moved into a intracellular location adjacent to the immune synapse, but deeper inside the cell, upon antigen recognition. Csk colocalization with G3BP occurred in this "parasynaptic" location. We conclude that G3BP is a new player in T-cell-antigen receptor signaling and acts to reduce the amount of Csk in the immune synapse. [less ▲]

Removal of dioxins and PCBs in fish oils: comparison of CALUX and GC-HRMS results

in Organohalogen Compounds (2005)

Removal of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs from fish oil by activated carbon: Compliance with European Legislation

in Organohalogen Compounds (2005), 67

Removal of phosphorous through roasting of oolitic iorn ore with alkaline earth additives

in Proceedings of the XXVI International Mineral Processing Congress (2012, September)

The present study is devoted to improvement of the leaching efficiency during phosphorous removal from high phosphorous gravity-magnetic concentrate. Before leaching the concentrate has been subjected to ... [more ▼]

The present study is devoted to improvement of the leaching efficiency during phosphorous removal from high phosphorous gravity-magnetic concentrate. Before leaching the concentrate has been subjected to roasting with the addition of either Ca(OH)2 or CaO. The oolitic iron ore is roasted at 900°C for one hour. This reflects in reaction between alkaline earth additive and quartz, aluminosilicates, phosphorus, and some other minor components of the gangue minerals. The application of leaching, physical separation, and wash out of salts has resulted in the decrease of phosphorus from 0.7 to 0.15 % and it is established that the major influencing factor is the concentration of acid and to a less extent duration of the leaching process. About two third of the phosphorus can be removed by roasting with 3 % CaO to hematite, coarse grinding to d50 0.3 mm, dry high intensity magnetic separation and leaching of the magnetic fraction with hydro-chloric or nitric acid. [less ▲]