ISS Local Environment Spectrometers (ISLES)

Science.gov (United States)

Krause, Linda Habash; Gilchrist, Brian E.

2014-01-01

In order to study the complex interactions between the space environment surrounding the ISS and the ISS surface materials, we propose to use lowcost, high-TRL plasma sensors on the ISS robotic arm to probe the ISS space environment. During many years of ISS operation, we have been able to condut effective (but not perfect) extravehicular activities (both human and robotic) within the perturbed local ISS space environment. Because of the complexity of the interaction between the ISS and the LEO space environment, there remain important questions, such as differential charging at solar panel junctions (the so-called "triple point" between conductor, dielectric, and space plasma), increased chemical contamination due to ISS surface charging and/or thruster activation, water dumps, etc, and "bootstrap" charging of insulating surfaces. Some compelling questions could synergistically draw upon a common sensor suite, which also leverages previous and current MSFC investments. Specific questions address ISS surface charging, plasma contactor plume expansion in a magnetized drifting plasma, and possible localized contamination effects across the ISS.

Guidelines for radiological monitoring of the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-11-01

This Standard provides criteria to be used in deciding whether an environmental monitoring program is required for a given nuclear facility. It also sets out a systematic approach to monitoring the environment, which is considered to be outside the facility boundary. It provides guidelines for establishing an environmental program covering sampling and analysis protocols, analytical techniques and sensitivity, statistical treatment of monitoring results, quality assurance, methods for expressing results, and record keeping. The standard applies to the environment of a nuclear facility operating mainly under normal conditions; in addition, certain of these requirements may also apply to situations involving abnormal releases

Monitoring device for local power peaking coefficients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mihashi, Ishi

1987-01-01

Purpose: To determine and monitor the local power peaking coefficients by a method not depending on the combination of fuel types. Constitution: Representative values for the local power distribution can be obtained by determining corresponding burn-up degrees based on the burn-up degree of each of fuel assembly segments obtained in a power distribution monitor and by the interpolation and extrapolation of void coefficients. The typical values are multiplied with compensation coefficients for the control rod effect and coefficients for compensating the effect of adjacent fuel assemblies in a calculation device to obtain typical values for the present local power distribution compensated with all of the effects. Further, the calculation device compares them with typical values of the present local power distribution to obtain an aimed local power peaking coefficient as the maximum value thereof. According to the present invention, since the local power peaking coefficients can be determined not depending on the combination of the kind of fuels, if the combination of fuel assemblies is increased upon fuel change, the amount of operation therefor is not increased. (Kamimura, M.)

Monitoring of environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mitsudera, M

1974-09-01

The amount of pollutants discharged has now exceeded the environment's natural ability to purify itself. The effect of urbanization is traced especially the degeneration of plants and animals in Tokyo. One of the methods of monitoring plants is remote sensing with multi-band photography and multi-spectroscanning. There is a correlation between the sulfur content of tree leaves and multi-band photograms on red pine trees with a correlation coefficient of -0.862.

Partial monitoring system Radioactivity of the Environment, 2006

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melicherova, T.

2007-01-01

In this report the Partial monitoring system 'Radioactivity of the Environment' for the year 2006 is presented. International co-operation of the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute in the Partial monitoring system 'Radioactivity of the Environment' of the Slovak Republic, international co-operation as well as financial data are reviewed

Involvement of local stakeholders in the development of new information schemes for the displaying of environmental radiological monitoring results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rollinger, Francoise; Lebeau, Audrey; Petitfrere, Michael; Eimer, Michel; Ganay, Claude de; Gadbois, Serge; Leprieur, Fabrice; Vaillant, Ludovic

2008-01-01

Evolution of radionuclides concentration in the environment and associated potential health impacts are key and legitimate questions for the population living around nuclear facilities. In spite of the efforts from authorities, public experts and operators to make this information available and understandable, mainly through Local Liaison Committees (LLC), the way it is usually formalized makes it difficult to meet non-expert expectations. In this context, the IRSN launched a pilot project in the Loire Valley to define new schemes for the displaying of this information. This project brings together representatives from LLCs - local elected people, trade unions and environmental NGOs -, experts from the IRSN - environment and radiation protection departments - and facilitators - CEPN and MUTADIS -. Its objectives are: 1-) To identify all nuclear facilities and producers of measurements in the environment within the Valley; 2-) To clearly define local population expectations regards environmental radiological survey; 3-) To select adequate measurements values and presentational schemes; 4-) To provide recommendations regarding the environment monitoring strategy. This project is also connected with the French national measurement network. Within this national network, the IRSN is in charge of developing a database that brings together all the results from environmental radiological monitoring, in order to provide all these data to the population, including elements about impacts on human health. This network will take advantage of the work achieved within the pilot project. The facilitation process mainly consisted in fostering relations of trust (notably with the preparation of detailed minutes of the project meetings), and supporting both local stakeholders and IRSN experts in the project management and the development of a common language at the crossroad between scientific and technical knowledge and local actors' understanding of their own environment. This

Radioactivity in the environment. A summary and radiological assessment of the Environment Agency's monitoring programmes; report for 1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

The Radioactive Substances Act 1993 provides for controls to be exercised over the keeping and use of radioactive materials and, in particular, on the accumulation and disposal of radioactive wastes. The Environment Agency is responsible for administration and enforcement of the Act in England and Wales. In support of these regulatory functions and as part of the UK Government's arrangements for providing information to the European Commission under the Euratom Treaty, the Agency commissions independent monitoring of radioactive waste disposals and their impact on the environment, and monitoring of radioactivity in air, rainwater and drinking water sources. This report presents the data from these monitoring programmes and provides a commentary on their radiological significance. It includes assessments of radiation exposure of members of the public for compliance with the annual dose limit recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Concentrations of radioactivity in water are also assessed in relation to the guidelines on drinking water quality recommended by the World Health Organisation. This report for 1997 is one of an annual series published by the Agency. It is being distributed to local authorities as part of the arrangements under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 for provision of access to environmental information. The monitoring programmes and preparation of this report are managed by the Agency's National Compliance Assessment Service. (author)

Distributed computing environment monitoring and user expectations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cottrell, R.L.A.; Logg, C.A.

1996-01-01

This paper discusses the growing needs for distributed system monitoring and compares it to current practices. It then goes to identify the components of distributed system monitoring and shows how they are implemented and successfully used at one site today to address the Local area Network (WAN), and host monitoring. It shows how this monitoring can be used to develop realistic service level expectations and also identifies the costs. Finally, the paper briefly discusses the future challenges in network monitoring. (author)

Cutting device for spent local power range monitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Shigeru; Tsuji, Teruaki.

1976-01-01

Purpose: To prevent radioactive contamination of the reactor water and simplify the operation of transferring the spent local power range monitor to a pool and preparation of the space for storing the monitor in the pool by arranging it such that the monitor is cut in the reactor water and that its cut end is closed in the reactor water. Constitution: A device for clamping a spent local power range monitor disposed within the reactor core and for cutting the monitor such that the content will not be exposed are supported by support means such that they are spaced apart in the vertical direction, and the support means is suspended in the reactor water such that it is movable relative to the monitor. Thus, there is no need to mount the cutter in any separately provided support means, and there is no possibility of exposure of the content since the cut end of the monitor is closed by the outer frame. It is therefore possible to prevent contamination of the reactor water. (Horiuchi, T.)

SEL monitoring of the earth's energetic particle radiation environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sauer, H.H.

1989-01-01

The Space Environment Laboratory (SEL) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) maintains instruments on board the GOES series of geostationary satellites, and aboard the NOAA/TIROS series of low-altitude, polar-orbiting satellites, which provide monitoring of the energetic particle radiation environment as well as monitoring the geostationary magnetic field and the solar x-ray flux. The data are used by the SEL Space Environment Services Center (SESC) to help provide real-time monitoring and forecasting of the state of the near earth environment and its disturbances, and to maintain a source of reliable information to research and operational activities of a variety of users

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Based Wireless Sensor Network for Marine-Coastal Environment Monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Trasviña-Moreno, Carlos A; Blasco, Rubén; Marco, Álvaro; Casas, Roberto; Trasviña-Castro, Armando

2017-02-24

Marine environments are delicate ecosystems which directly influence local climates, flora, fauna, and human activities. Their monitorization plays a key role in their preservation, which is most commonly done through the use of environmental sensing buoy networks. These devices transmit data by means of satellite communications or close-range base stations, which present several limitations and elevated infrastructure costs. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are another alternative for remote environmental monitoring which provide new types of data and ease of use. These aircraft are mainly used in video capture related applications, in its various light spectrums, and do not provide the same data as sensing buoys, nor can they be used for such extended periods of time. The aim of this research is to provide a flexible, easy to deploy and cost-effective Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) for monitoring marine environments. This proposal uses a UAV as a mobile data collector, low-power long-range communications and sensing buoys as part of a single WSN. A complete description of the design, development, and implementation of the various parts of this system is presented, as well as its validation in a real-world scenario.

Results of Monitoring at Olkiluoto in 2006. Environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haapanen, R.

2007-07-01

This Working Report presents the main results of Posiva Oy's environmental monitoring programme on Olkiluoto Island in 2006. This is the third annual report. The environmental monitoring system supervised by Posiva Oy produces input for biosphere modelling for long-term safety purposes as well as for monitoring the state of the environment during the construction (and later operation) of ONKALO underground characterization facility. Although some of the nuclear power production related monitoring studies by TVO (the power company) have been going on from the 1970s, the repository-related environmental monitoring of Olkiluoto Island has only recently been comprehensive. Consequently, the first Biosphere Description Report was written in 2006. This work further produced some analyses belonging to the environmental monitoring programme, namely the estimates of biomass in terrestrial vegetation (forests) and a preliminary estimate of the biomass in terrestrial fauna (moose). In the monitoring data, the ongoing construction work (OL3, ONKALO and related infrastructure) is seen for instance in raised noise levels and deposition of base cations and iron. The land-use continues to change, but where there is natural environment, it resembles other coastal locations. The nearby marine environment is affected by the cooling water from the nuclear power plant. (orig.)

Monitoring the availability of healthy and unhealthy foods and non-alcoholic beverages in community and consumer retail food environments globally.

Science.gov (United States)

Ni Mhurchu, C; Vandevijvere, S; Waterlander, W; Thornton, L E; Kelly, B; Cameron, A J; Snowdon, W; Swinburn, B

2013-10-01

Retail food environments are increasingly considered influential in determining dietary behaviours and health outcomes. We reviewed the available evidence on associations between community (type, availability and accessibility of food outlets) and consumer (product availability, prices, promotions and nutritional quality within stores) food environments and dietary outcomes in order to develop an evidence-based framework for monitoring the availability of healthy and unhealthy foods and non-alcoholic beverages in retail food environments. Current evidence is suggestive of an association between community and consumer food environments and dietary outcomes; however, substantial heterogeneity in study designs, methods and measurement tools makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions. The use of standardized tools to monitor local food environments within and across countries may help to validate this relationship. We propose a step-wise framework to monitor and benchmark community and consumer retail food environments that can be used to assess density of healthy and unhealthy food outlets; measure proximity of healthy and unhealthy food outlets to homes/schools; evaluate availability of healthy and unhealthy foods in-store; compare food environments over time and between regions and countries; evaluate compliance with local policies, guidelines or voluntary codes of practice; and determine the impact of changes to retail food environments on health outcomes, such as obesity. © 2013 The Authors. Obesity Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Distributed computing environment monitoring and user expectations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cottrell, R.L.A.; Logg, C.A.

1995-11-01

This paper discusses the growing needs for distributed system monitoring and compares it to current practices. It then goes on to identify the components of distributed system monitoring and shows how they are implemented and successfully used at one site today to address the Local Area Network (LAN), network services and applications, the Wide Area Network (WAN), and host monitoring. It shows how this monitoring can be used to develop realistic service level expectations and also identifies the costs. Finally, the paper briefly discusses the future challenges in network monitoring

Applications of Wireless Sensor Networks in Marine Environment Monitoring: A Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Guobao; Shen, Weiming; Wang, Xianbin

2014-01-01

With the rapid development of society and the economy, an increasing number of human activities have gradually destroyed the marine environment. Marine environment monitoring is a vital problem and has increasingly attracted a great deal of research and development attention. During the past decade, various marine environment monitoring systems have been developed. The traditional marine environment monitoring system using an oceanographic research vessel is expensive and time-consuming and has a low resolution both in time and space. Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have recently been considered as potentially promising alternatives for monitoring marine environments since they have a number of advantages such as unmanned operation, easy deployment, real-time monitoring, and relatively low cost. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art technologies in the field of marine environment monitoring using wireless sensor networks. It first describes application areas, a common architecture of WSN-based oceanographic monitoring systems, a general architecture of an oceanographic sensor node, sensing parameters and sensors, and wireless communication technologies. Then, it presents a detailed review of some related projects, systems, techniques, approaches and algorithms. It also discusses challenges and opportunities in the research, development, and deployment of wireless sensor networks for marine environment monitoring. PMID:25215942

Localization Strategies in WSNs as applied to Landslide Monitoring (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Massa, A.; Robol, F.; Polo, A.; Giarola, E.; Viani, F.

2013-12-01

represent a fine tuning of large scale satellite acquisitions, usually adopted for remote sensing of landslides. The integration of dense and frequent WSN data within satellite image analysis will enhance the sensing capabilities leading to a multi-resolution and an highly space-time calibrated system. The WSN-based system has been preliminary tested in controlled environments in the ELEDIA laboratories and is now installed in a real test site where an active landslide is evolving. Preliminary data are here presented to assess the feasibility of the investigated solution in landslide monitoring and event forecasting. REFERENCES [1] M. Benedetti, L. Ioriatti, M. Martinelli, and F. Viani, 'Wireless sensor network: a pervasive technology for earth observation,' in IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in App. Earth Obs. And Remote Sens., vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 488-497, 2010. [2] F. Viani, M. Donelli, P. Rocca, G. Oliveri, D. Trinchero, and A. Massa, 'Localization, tracking and imaging of targets in wireless sensor networks,' Radio Science, vol. 46, no. 5, 2011. [3] F. Viani, F. Robol, M. Salucci, E. Giarola, S. De Vigili, M. Rocca, F. Boldrini, G. Benedetti, and A. Massa, 'WSN-based early alert system for preventing wildlife-vehicle collisions in Alps regions - From the laboratory test to the real-world implementation,' 7th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation 2013 (EUCAP2013), Gothenburg, Sweden, April 8-12, 2013.

Radiation monitoring - the role of local authorities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duggan, Michael

1988-01-01

Seven reports of papers given at a symposium on the role of local authorities in radiation monitoring are given. The main theme is concerned with radiation monitoring, how to interpret the information and how it should be disseminated. The individual experiences in the aftermath of the Chernobyl reactor accident are used to illustrate several of the papers. (U.K.)

Monitoring device for local power peaking coefficient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitsuhashi, Ishi

1987-01-01

Purpose: To monitor the local power peaking coefficients obtained by the method not depending on the combination of fuel types. Method: A plurality of representative values for the local power distribution determined by the nuclear constant calculation for one fuel assembly are memorized regarding each of the burn-up degree and the void coefficient on every positions and fuel types in fuel rod assemblies. While on the other hand, the representative values for the local power distribution as described above are compensated by a compensation coefficient considering the effect of adjacent segments and a control rod compensation coefficient considering the effect due to the control rod insertion relative to the just-mentioned compensation coefficient. Then, the maximum value among them is selected to determine the local power peaking coefficient at each of the times and each of the segments, which is monitored. According to this system, the calculation and the working required for the fitting work depending on the combination of fuel types are no more required at all to facilitate the maintenance as well. (Horiuchi, T.)

Tethered Contactless Mobile Nuclear Environment Monitoring Robot

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, S. Y.; Lee, E. S.; Lee, Kun J.; Kim, Su H.; Rim, C. T.

2013-01-01

In fact, the nuclear environment monitoring is significantly crucial for early detection of NPP accident, radiological emergency, the estimation of radiation exposure to nearby residents as well as the long term radioactivity. In the UAE, the nuclear environment monitoring is, however, quite challenging because sampling locations are far from NPPs and the outdoor temperature and humidity are very high for NPP workers to collect soil, air, and water samples. Therefore, nuclear environment monitoring robots (Nubos) are strongly needed for the NPPs in the UAE. The Nubos can be remotely controlled to collect samples in extreme environment instead of NPP workers. Moreover, the Nubos can be unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned marine vehicles (UMVs) to collect soil, air, and water samples, respectively. In this paper, the prototype development of UGV type Nubos using power cable for a long distance power delivery, called Tethered contactless mobile Nubo is introduced and validated by experiments. In this paper, the prototype development of Tethered Contactless Mobile (TeCoM) Nubo, which can be powered continuously within several km distance and avoid tangled cable, and the indoor test are finished. As further works, outdoor demonstration and a grand scale R and D proposal of practical Nubo will be proceeded

Tethered Contactless Mobile Nuclear Environment Monitoring Robot

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, S. Y.; Lee, E. S.; Lee, Kun J.; Kim, Su H.; Rim, C. T. [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2013-05-15

In fact, the nuclear environment monitoring is significantly crucial for early detection of NPP accident, radiological emergency, the estimation of radiation exposure to nearby residents as well as the long term radioactivity. In the UAE, the nuclear environment monitoring is, however, quite challenging because sampling locations are far from NPPs and the outdoor temperature and humidity are very high for NPP workers to collect soil, air, and water samples. Therefore, nuclear environment monitoring robots (Nubos) are strongly needed for the NPPs in the UAE. The Nubos can be remotely controlled to collect samples in extreme environment instead of NPP workers. Moreover, the Nubos can be unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned marine vehicles (UMVs) to collect soil, air, and water samples, respectively. In this paper, the prototype development of UGV type Nubos using power cable for a long distance power delivery, called Tethered contactless mobile Nubo is introduced and validated by experiments. In this paper, the prototype development of Tethered Contactless Mobile (TeCoM) Nubo, which can be powered continuously within several km distance and avoid tangled cable, and the indoor test are finished. As further works, outdoor demonstration and a grand scale R and D proposal of practical Nubo will be proceeded.

Participatory monitoring to connect local and global priorities for forest restoration.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Kristen; Guariguata, Manuel R; Brancalion, Pedro H S

2018-03-13

New global initiatives to restore forest landscapes present an unparalleled opportunity to reverse deforestation and forest degradation. Participatory monitoring could play a crucial role in providing accountability, generating local buy in, and catalyzing learning in monitoring systems that need scalability and adaptability to a range of local sites. We synthesized current knowledge from literature searches and interviews to provide lessons for the development of a scalable, multisite participatory monitoring system. Studies show that local people can collect accurate data on forest change, drivers of change, threats to reforestation, and biophysical and socioeconomic impacts that remote sensing cannot. They can do this at one-third the cost of professionals. Successful participatory monitoring systems collect information on a few simple indicators, respond to local priorities, provide appropriate incentives for participation, and catalyze learning and decision making based on frequent analyses and multilevel interactions with other stakeholders. Participatory monitoring could provide a framework for linking global, national, and local needs, aspirations, and capacities for forest restoration. © 2018 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.

Radioactive discharges and monitoring of the environment 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

This annual report on Radioactive Discharges and Monitoring the Environment, 1988, summarises the programmes of Sellafield, Drigg, Chapelcross, Springfields and Capenhurst for monitoring the discharges of radioactive materials to the sea and the environment. Critical groups and environmental exposure pathways are identified and collective doses to these groups estimated. The disposal of radioactive wastes at each site is discussed. Certificates of authorisation are presented. A summary of recommended doses of specific radionuclides is given. (Author)

The effects of monitoring environment on problem-solving performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Laird, Brian K; Bailey, Charles D; Hester, Kim

2018-01-01

While effective and efficient solving of everyday problems is important in business domains, little is known about the effects of workplace monitoring on problem-solving performance. In a laboratory experiment, we explored the monitoring environment's effects on an individual's propensity to (1) establish pattern solutions to problems, (2) recognize when pattern solutions are no longer efficient, and (3) solve complex problems. Under three work monitoring regimes-no monitoring, human monitoring, and electronic monitoring-114 participants solved puzzles for monetary rewards. Based on research related to worker autonomy and theory of social facilitation, we hypothesized that monitored (versus non-monitored) participants would (1) have more difficulty finding a pattern solution, (2) more often fail to recognize when the pattern solution is no longer efficient, and (3) solve fewer complex problems. Our results support the first two hypotheses, but in complex problem solving, an interaction was found between self-assessed ability and the monitoring environment.

The monitoring of radioactivity in the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

35 separately indexed lectures are discussed of this conference. The contents of the individual contributions cover the following areas: 1) Monitoring networks and guidelines; 2) Monitoring equipment and methods; 3) Development of models for radionuclide migration, and 4) Individual determination and analysis of radionuclides relevant to the environment. (PW) [de

Detection and localization capability of an urban seismic sinkhole monitoring network

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Dirk; Dahm, Torsten; Schneider, Fabian

2017-04-01

Microseismic events linked to underground processes in sinkhole areas might serve as precursors to larger mass dislocation or rupture events which can cause felt ground shaking or even structural damage. To identify these weak and shallow events, a sensitive local seismic monitoring network is needed. In case of an urban environment the performance of local monitoring networks is severely compromised by the high anthropogenic noise level. We study the detection and localization capability of such a network, which is already partly installed in the urban area of the city of Hamburg, Germany, within the joint project SIMULTAN (http://www.gfz-potsdam.de/en/section/near-surface-geophysics/projects/simultan/). SIMULTAN aims to monitor a known sinkhole structure and gain a better understanding of the underlying processes. The current network consists of six surface stations installed in the basement of private houses and underground structures of a research facility (DESY - Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron). During the started monitoring campaign since 2015, no microseismic events could be unambiguously attributed to the sinkholes. To estimate the detection and location capability of the network, we calculate synthetic waveforms based on the location and mechanism of former events in the area. These waveforms are combined with the recorded urban seismic noise at the station sites. As detection algorithms a simple STA/LTA trigger and a more sophisticated phase detector are used. While the STA/LTA detector delivers stable results and is able to detect events with a moment magnitude as low as 0.35 at a distance of 1.3km from the source even under the present high noise conditions the phase detector is more sensitive but also less stable. It should be stressed that due to the local near surface conditions of the wave propagation the detections are generally performed on S- or surface waves and not on P-waves, which have a significantly lower amplitude. Due to the often

A Wearable Wireless Sensor Network for Indoor Smart Environment Monitoring in Safety Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Antolín, Diego; Medrano, Nicolás; Calvo, Belén; Pérez, Francisco

2017-02-14

This paper presents the implementation of a wearable wireless sensor network aimed at monitoring harmful gases in industrial environments. The proposed solution is based on a customized wearable sensor node using a low-power low-rate wireless personal area network (LR-WPAN) communications protocol, which as a first approach measures CO₂ concentration, and employs different low power strategies for appropriate energy handling which is essential to achieving long battery life. These wearables nodes are connected to a deployed static network and a web-based application allows data storage, remote control and monitoring of the complete network. Therefore, a complete and versatile remote web application with a locally implemented decision-making system is accomplished, which allows early detection of hazardous situations for exposed workers.

A Wearable Wireless Sensor Network for Indoor Smart Environment Monitoring in Safety Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diego Antolín

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the implementation of a wearable wireless sensor network aimed at monitoring harmful gases in industrial environments. The proposed solution is based on a customized wearable sensor node using a low-power low-rate wireless personal area network (LR-WPAN communications protocol, which as a first approach measures CO2 concentration, and employs different low power strategies for appropriate energy handling which is essential to achieving long battery life. These wearables nodes are connected to a deployed static network and a web-based application allows data storage, remote control and monitoring of the complete network. Therefore, a complete and versatile remote web application with a locally implemented decision-making system is accomplished, which allows early detection of hazardous situations for exposed workers.

An online substructure identification method for local structural health monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hou, Jilin; Ou, Jinping; Jankowski, Łukasz

2013-01-01

This paper proposes a substructure isolation method, which uses time series of measured local response for online monitoring of substructures. The proposed monitoring process consists of two key steps: construction of the isolated substructure, and its identification. The isolated substructure is an independent virtual structure, which is numerically isolated from the global structure by placing virtual supports on the interface. First, the isolated substructure is constructed by a specific linear combination of time series of its measured local responses. Then, the isolated substructure is identified using its local natural frequencies extracted from the combined responses. The substructure is assumed to be linear; the outside part of the global structure can have any characteristics. The method has no requirements on the initial state of the structure, and so the process can be carried out repetitively for online monitoring. Online isolation and monitoring is illustrated in a numerical example with a frame model, and then verified in a cantilever beam experiment. (paper)

Results of monitoring at Olkiluoto in 2008. Environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haapanen, A.

2009-09-01

This Working Report presents the main results of Posiva Oy's environmental monitoring programme on Olkiluoto Island in 2008. These summary reports have been published since 2005 (target year 2004). The environmental monitoring system supervised by Posiva Oy produces input for biosphere modelling for long-term safety purposes as well as for monitoring the state of the environment during the construction (and later operation) of ONKALO underground characterization facility. Although some of the nuclear power production related monitoring studies by TVO (the power company) have been going on from the 1970s, the repository-related environmental monitoring of Olkiluoto Island has only recently been comprehensive. However, the monitoring programme evolves according to experiences from modelling work and increasing knowledge of most important site data. For example, in addition to the originally planned activities, in 2008 several studies on fauna were carried out, some soil and vegetation transects running from land to sea were established, a separate survey of water quality with automatic detectors was carried out and zooplankton and organic carbon studies were started in context of sea monitoring. In the monitoring data, the ongoing construction work (OL3, ONKALO and related infrastructure) is seen for instance in raised levels of noise and some deposited elements. The land-use continues to change, but where there is natural environment is affected by the cooling water from the nuclear power plant. (orig.)

An Integrated Environment Monitoring System for Underground Coal Mines—Wireless Sensor Network Subsystem with Multi-Parameter Monitoring

OpenAIRE

Zhang, Yu; Yang, Wei; Han, Dongsheng; Kim, Young-Il

2014-01-01

Environment monitoring is important for the safety of underground coal mine production, and it is also an important application of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). We put forward an integrated environment monitoring system for underground coal mine, which uses the existing Cable Monitoring System (CMS) as the main body and the WSN with multi-parameter monitoring as the supplementary technique. As CMS techniques are mature, this paper mainly focuses on the WSN and the interconnection between t...

Radioactivity Monitoring of the Irish Environment 2006

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, V.; Dowdall, A; Fegan, M.; Hayden, E.; Kelleher, K.; Long, S.; McEvoy, I.; Somerville, S.; Wong, J.; Pollard, D.

2007-10-01

This report presents the results of the environmental radioactivity monitoring programme carried out by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) in 2006. This programme aims to assess the exposure of the Irish population to artificial radioactivity in the environment, to review the temporal and geographical distribution of contaminating radionuclides and to maintain systems and procedures which would allow a rapid assessment of environmental contamination to be made in the event of a radiological emergency. Radioactivity is present in the environment due to natural processes, the testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere, past nuclear accidents such as that at Chernobyl in Ukraine and the routine discharge of radionuclides from nuclear installations. Liquid discharges from the British Nuclear Group reprocessing plant at Sellafield in Cumbria in the north-west of England, which are licensed by the UK Environment Agency, continue to be the dominant source of artificial radioactivity in the Irish marine environment. The key elements of the monitoring programme implemented by the RPII in 2006 included; assessment of ambient radioactivity based on measurements of radioactivity in air and of external gamma dose rate at permanent monitoring stations located throughout the country; assessment of levels of radioactivity in drinking water; assessment of levels of radioactivity in foodstuffs based on measurements of total diet, milk and various ingredients; assessment of levels of radioactivity in the Irish marine environment based on sampling and measurement of seawater, sediment, seaweed, fish and shellfish. The RPII monitored airborne radioactivity at ten stations located throughout the country. One of these stations is equipped with a high volume sampler, which allows concentrations of caesium-137 to be measured; another is equipped to detect the presence of the gas krypton-85. This gas is released into the environment primarily as a result of the

The near coastal environment monitored from space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szekielda, K.H.

1977-01-01

The optical information required for monitoring the marine environment from space is discussed and applied for the near coastal area. By categorizing coastal features it is possible to recognize coastal regions to a high degree and to indentify water masses derived from land sources and sewage dumping sites. It is concluded that monitoring from space can be used as a tool in environmental planning. (orig.) [de

SCIENTIFIC AND INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO PROBLEM PERTAINING TO EVALUATION AND MONITORING OF ENVIRONMENT QUALITY IN REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. V. Voytov

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The paper proposes a scientific and innovative approach to solution of an important problem in the field of rational nature management and ecology which presupposes realization of evaluation, analysis and monitoring of environment  quality  (EQ in Belarus.  This  approach is based on methods and  facilities  of  administrative-command  and  partially  automatic-control  management.   The  main components of the innovative approach are an automatic  system for  evaluation and monitoring of EQ including estimation and formation of nature-resource potential within 11 cadaster and other data base, general principles on evaluation and monitoring of EQ, structural and algorithmic schemes for evaluation of ecological state of administrative territories, calculation of generalized indices of nature-territorial complexes and solution of nature protection problems in respect of EQ monitoring. A system of equation calculation for the analysis and evaluation of technogenic load on main nature components of the environment (free air, water objects, soil cover, realization of monitoring function in respect of EQ and ecological state of local and urban territories, nature resources  and enterprises, pollution and state of some recipients and also data resources for execution of analytical calculations and functions directed on monitoring quality of nature components of the environment is advanced in the paper.

Local environment can enhance fidelity of quantum teleportation

Science.gov (United States)

BadziaĢ, Piotr; Horodecki, Michał; Horodecki, Paweł; Horodecki, Ryszard

2000-07-01

We show how an interaction with the environment can enhance fidelity of quantum teleportation. To this end, we present examples of states which cannot be made useful for teleportation by any local unitary transformations; nevertheless, after being subjected to a dissipative interaction with the local environment, the states allow for teleportation with genuinely quantum fidelity. The surprising fact here is that the necessary interaction does not require any intelligent action from the parties sharing the states. In passing, we produce some general results regarding optimization of teleportation fidelity by local action. We show that bistochastic processes cannot improve fidelity of two-qubit states. We also show that in order to have their fidelity improvable by a local process, the bipartite states must violate the so-called reduction criterion of separability.

Soil monitoring as a part of environment monitoring in Slovakia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobza, J.

1997-01-01

In frame of Soil monitoring system it is going about a lot of methods in advance as follows: methods of soil monitoring sites selection and soil monitoring network construction, as well; methods of soil survey and soil sampling; analytical methods (indicating of chemical, agrochemical and physical properties); soil database and methods of evaluation and interpretation of measured results. The monitoring network was constructed on the base of ecological principles - including the monitoring of all soil types and subtypes, various climatic and emission regions as well as relatively clean regions, lowland and highland. Soil monitoring network in forest land is regular (8 x 8 km) with regard to International monitoring system in Forestry. The soil monitoring network in Slovakia consist of 650 monitoring sites (312 sites in farming land and 338 sites in forest land). In addition soil monitoring network includes also 21 monitoring sites. All monitoring sites are geodesically located and reported on the map at a scale of 1:5000. There are the methods concerning the important soil parameters indication with regard to main soil degradation processes a s follows: soil contamination (heavy metals and organic contaminants); soil acidification; soil salinity; soil erosion (deluometrically by the Cs-137 and remote sensing methods); soil compaction; soil fertility and protection. Analytical control system was elaborated according to Good Laboratory Practice. Evaluation of soil monitoring network results is not simple because it depends on various monitored parameters, on aim of evaluation as well as on the scale of landscape which is object for evaluation. There are used the modern statistical methods in monitoring system which can be: universal; disjunctive; simulated. Used statistical methods are significant for interpretation of measured results as follows: trends in landscape; anisotropy; comparison. The evaluation and interpretation way is very significant with regard not

Results of monitoring at Olkiluoto in 2009. Environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haapanen, A. (ed.) (Haapanen Forest Consulting, Vanhakylae (Finland))

2010-10-15

This Working Report presents the main results of Posiva Oy's environmental monitoring programme on Olkiluoto Island in 2009. These summary reports have been published since 2005. The environmental monitoring system supervised by Posiva Oy produces input for biosphere modelling for long-term safety purposes as well as for monitoring the state of the environment during the construction (and later operation) of ONKALO underground characterization facility. Part of the monitoring is performed by the company running the nuclear power plants on the island, Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO). Monitoring has been carried out for varying periods of time depending on the sector: some monitoring activities performed by TVO originate from the 1970s and the repository-related environmental monitoring of Olkiluoto from the early 2000s. The monitoring programme evolves according to the experiences gained from the modelling work and an increased understanding of the site. Augmentations in 2009 include e.g. establishment of a new forest intensive monitoring plot (FIP14), continuation of studies on fine roots and on the species composition and abundances of small mammals. Line transect samplings of ants, terrestrial snails and earthworms were carried out and a systematic monitoring of island birds was started. In addition, a project was started where the sediment load and factors affecting the sediment transportation into Eurajoensalmi bay is examined. Dust produced during construction of the third nuclear power unit (OL3), ONKALO and related infrastructure can be seen in the soil solution and deposition results. Furthermore, the construction works and road traffic have a raising effect on the noise levels of the immediate surroundings. The land-use continues to change, but the remaining natural environment resembles other coastal locations. The young age of the soils and the closeness of the sea are reflected in the soil properties. Mammalian fauna on the island is typical of coastal

Results of monitoring at Olkiluoto in 2009. Environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haapanen, A.

2010-10-01

This Working Report presents the main results of Posiva Oy's environmental monitoring programme on Olkiluoto Island in 2009. These summary reports have been published since 2005. The environmental monitoring system supervised by Posiva Oy produces input for biosphere modelling for long-term safety purposes as well as for monitoring the state of the environment during the construction (and later operation) of ONKALO underground characterization facility. Part of the monitoring is performed by the company running the nuclear power plants on the island, Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO). Monitoring has been carried out for varying periods of time depending on the sector: some monitoring activities performed by TVO originate from the 1970s and the repository-related environmental monitoring of Olkiluoto from the early 2000s. The monitoring programme evolves according to the experiences gained from the modelling work and an increased understanding of the site. Augmentations in 2009 include e.g. establishment of a new forest intensive monitoring plot (FIP14), continuation of studies on fine roots and on the species composition and abundances of small mammals. Line transect samplings of ants, terrestrial snails and earthworms were carried out and a systematic monitoring of island birds was started. In addition, a project was started where the sediment load and factors affecting the sediment transportation into Eurajoensalmi bay is examined. Dust produced during construction of the third nuclear power unit (OL3), ONKALO and related infrastructure can be seen in the soil solution and deposition results. Furthermore, the construction works and road traffic have a raising effect on the noise levels of the immediate surroundings. The land-use continues to change, but the remaining natural environment resembles other coastal locations. The young age of the soils and the closeness of the sea are reflected in the soil properties. Mammalian fauna on the island is typical of coastal

Proceedings (slides) of the ANCCLI-IRSN seminar: 'environment - health: what monitoring in territories by the different actors'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

Relations between the operation of nuclear facilities and the health of populations are recurrent topics. For this reason, the national association of information committees and local commissions (ANCCLI), and the radiation protection and nuclear safety institute (IRSN) have jointly organized this seminar devoted to the monitoring of environment and public health. Its aim was to share the experience of the different actors in order to help the local commissions of information (CLI) in carrying out their own actions on these topics. The first day, the Golfech, Gravelines, Cadarache and Saint-Laurent-Des-Eaux CLIs presented their local environmental monitoring actions and their impact studies for facilities effluents. IRSN presented its methodology for the elaboration of its annual radiological status of the French environment. A round table permitted the different intervening parties to exchange about their monitoring goals. The second day, the Tricastin and Gravelines CLI, as well as the health care supervision institute InVS), presented different studies and attempts of answers to the health-impact questions coming from the surrounding communities. The contributions and limitations of public health studies were discussed through a presentation of the joint ANCCLI/IRSN/InVS methodological guidebook 'public health in the vicinity of nuclear facilities: how to approach the questions asked'. This document gathers the slides of the available presentations: 1 - Environmental monitoring by the Tarn-et-Garonne departmental laboratory in partnership with the Golfech's CLI (A. Calafat); 2 - Environmental monitoring by the Tarn-et-Garonne veterinary laboratory (V. Rossetto); 3 - Independent environmental monitoring by the Tarn-et-Garonne and occasional expertises around the Gravelines site (F. Cazier); 4 - Study of the impact on Durance river of the liquid radiological effluents of CEA-Cadarache site (C. Fourcaud); 5 - Study of the impact on Loire river of the chemical

Radioactivity Monitoring of the Irish Environment 2009

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGinnity, P.; Currivan, L.; Dowdall, A.; Fegan, M.; Hanley, O.; Kelleher, K.; McKittrick, L.; Somerville, S.; Wong, J.; Pollard, D.

2010-12-01

This report presents the results of the environmental radioactivity monitoring programme carried out by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) during 2009. The RPII has routinely monitored levels of radioactivity in the environment since 1982 and this is the latest in the RPII's series of environmental monitoring reports. The RPII reviews and updates its environmental programme annually so as to ensure it remains relevant and continues to focus on the most important sources of radioactivity in the environment. The principal aims of the RPII's monitoring programme are; to assess the level of radioactivity to which the Irish population is exposed as a result of radioactivity in the environment; to study trends and establish the geographical distribution of contaminating radionuclides so as to better understand the long term behaviour of artificial radioactivity in the food chain and the environment; to ensure that any increase in radiation levels resulting from an accidental release of radioactivity to the environment is detected and assessed rapidly. During 2009 radioactivity was measured in a wide range of foods and environmental materials including: air, water, milk, seafood, foodstuffs and complete meals. The most significant source of artificial radioactivity in the Irish marine environment is the discharge of low level liquid radioactive waste from the Sellafield Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Plant on the north east coast of England. In order to assess the exposure arising from the source extensive sampling of fish and shellfish landed at ports along the north east coast of Ireland is undertaken. The most exposed group of individuals to discharges from Sellafield have been identified as commercial oyster and mussel farmers working along the north east coastline and their families. Manmade radioactivity is also present in the terrestrial environment due primarily to residual global fallout arising primarily from atmospheric testing of nuclear

Radioactivity Monitoring of the Irish Environment 2008

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fegan, M.; Currivan, L.; Dowdall, A.; Hanley, O.; Hayden, E.; Kelleher, K.; Long, S.; McKittrick, L.; Somerville, S.; Wong, J.; Pollard, D.

2010-01-01

This report presents the results of the environmental radioactivity monitoring programme carried out by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) during 2008. The RPII has routinely monitored levels of radioactivity in the environment since 1982 and this is the latest in the RPII's series of environmental monitoring reports. The RPII reviews and updates its environmental programme annually so as to ensure it remains relevant and continues to focus on the most important sources of radioactivity in the environment. The principal aims of the RPII's monitoring programme are; to assess the level of radioactivity to which the Irish population is exposed as a result of radioactivity in the environment; to study trends and establish the geographical distribution of contaminating radionuclides so as to better understand the long term behaviour of artificial radioactivity in the food chain and the environment; to ensure that any increase in radiation levels resulting from an accidental release of radioactivity to the environment is detected and assessed rapidly. During 2008 radioactivity was measured in a wide range of foods and environmental materials including: air, water, milk, seafood, foodstuffs and complete meals. The most significant source of artificial radioactivity in the Irish marine environment is the discharge of low level liquid radioactive waste from the Sellafield Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Plant on the north east coast of England. In order to assess the exposure arising from the source extensive sampling of fish and shellfish landed at ports along the north east coast of Ireland is undertaken. The most exposed group of individuals to discharges from Sellafield have been identified as commercial oyster and mussel farmers working along the north east coastline and their families. Manmade radioactivity is also present in the terrestrial environment due primarily to residual global fallout arising primarily from atmospheric testing of nuclear

Environmental monitoring report for Plantex Plant covering 1979

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, R.E.; Cornelius, V.A.

1980-05-01

The environmental monitoring program at Pantex Plant for 1979 is summarized. Monitoring data for both radioactive and non-radioactive species in the local environment are presented. Although plant activities involve the handling of significant quantities of uranium, plutonium, and tritium, only small releases of uranium (depleted in the isotope 235 U) and tritium occurred which could have affected the local environment. Monitoring data indicate that concentrations of these nuclides in the environment are below established criteria for air and water and therefore do not present a health hazard either to employees or to the public

Employee quality, monitoring environment and internal control

OpenAIRE

Chunli Liu; Bin Lin; Wei Shu

2017-01-01

We investigate the effect of internal control employees (ICEs) on internal control quality. Using special survey data from Chinese listed firms, we find that ICE quality has a significant positive influence on internal control quality. We examine the effect of monitoring on this result and find that the effect is more pronounced for firms with strict monitoring environments, especially when the firms implement the Chinese internal control regulation system (CSOX), have higher institutional ow...

Monitoring of radioactivity in the environment 201

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moeller, B.; Dyve, J.E.; Tazmini, K.

2013-01-01

The Report summarizes the data from Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority and The Norwegian Civil Defence monitoring programs for radioactivity in the environment in 2011. A short description of the systems is also presented.(Author)

Optimal layout of radiological environment monitoring based on TOPSIS method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Sufen; Zhou Chunlin

2006-01-01

TOPSIS is a method for multi-objective-decision-making, which can be applied to comprehensive assessment of environmental quality. This paper adopts it to get the optimal layout of radiological environment monitoring, it is proved that this method is a correct, simple and convenient, practical one, and beneficial to supervision departments to scientifically and reasonably layout Radiological Environment monitoring sites. (authors)

CRLBs for WSNs localization in NLOS environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Peng

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Determination of Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB as an optimality criterion for the problem of localization in wireless sensor networks (WSNs is a very important issue. Currently, CRLBs have been derived for line-of-sight (LOS situation in WSNs. However, one of major problems for accurate localization in WSNs is non-line-of-sight (NLOS propagation. This article proposes two CRLBs for WSNs localization in NLOS environment. The proposed CRLBs consider both the cases that positions of reference devices (RDs are perfectly or imperfectly known. Since non-parametric kernel method is used to build probability density function of NLOS errors, the proposed CRLBs are suitable for various distributions of NLOS errors. Moreover, the proposed CRLBs provide a unified presentation for both LOS and NLOS environments. Theoretical analysis also proves that the proposed CRLB for NLOS situation becomes the CRLB for LOS situation when NLOS errors go to 0, which gives a robust check for the proposed CRLB.

Empowering Local People through Community-based Resource Monitoring: a Comparison of Brazil and Namibia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro de Araujo Lima. Constantino

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Biological resource monitoring systems are implemented in many countries and often depend on the participation of local people. It has been suggested that these systems empower local participants while promoting conservation. We reviewed three wildlife monitoring systems in indigenous lands and sustainable development reserves in Brazilian Amazonia and one in Namibian Caprivi conservancies, analyzing the strategies adopted and conditions that facilitated local empowerment, as well as potential impacts on conservation. This provided insights into potential avenues to strengthen empowerment outcomes of monitoring systems in Latin America and Africa. We assessed four dimensions of empowerment at individual and community scales: psychological, social, economic, and political. The conditions that facilitated local empowerment included the value of natural resources, rights to trade and manage resources, political organization of communities, and collaboration by stakeholders. The wide range of strategies to empower local people included intensifying local participation, linking them to local education, feeding information back to communities, purposefully selecting participants, paying for monitoring services, marketing monitored resources, and inserting local people into broader politics. Although communities were socially and politically empowered, the monitoring systems more often promoted individual empowerment. Marketing of natural resources promoted higher economic empowerment in conservancies in Namibia, whereas information dissemination was better in Brazil because of integrated education programs. We suggest that practitioners take advantage of local facilitating conditions to enhance the empowerment of communities, bearing in mind that increasing autonomy to make management decisions may not agree with international conservation goals. Our comparative analysis of cases in Latin America and Africa allows for a greater understanding of the

Multi-terminal remote monitoring and warning system using Micro Air Vehicle for dangerous environment

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Yanan; Wang, Xiaoxun; He, Chengcheng; Lai, Chenlong; Liu, Yuanchao

2015-11-01

For overcoming the problems such as remote operation and dangerous tasks, multi-terminal remote monitoring and warning system based on STC89C52 Micro Control Unit and wireless communication technique was proposed. The system with MCU as its core adopted multiple sets of sensor device to monitor environment parameters of different locations, such as temperature, humidity, smoke other harmful gas concentration. Data information collected was transmitted remotely by wireless transceiver module, and then multi-channel data parameter was processed and displayed through serial communication protocol between the module and PC. The results of system could be checked in the form of web pages within a local network which plays a wireless monitoring and warning role. In a remote operation, four-rotor micro air vehicle which fixed airborne data acquisition device was utilized as a middleware between collecting terminal and PC to increase monitoring scope. Whole test system has characteristics of simple construction, convenience, real time ability and high reliability, which could meet the requirements of actual use.

Event localization in underwater wireless sensor networks using Monitoring Courses

KAUST Repository

Debont, Matthew John Robert; Jamshaid, Kamran; Shihada, Basem; Ho, Pin-Han

2012-01-01

We propose m-courses (Monitoring Courses), a novel solution to localize events in an underwater wireless sensor network. These networks consists of surface gateways and relay nodes. GPS can localize the position of surface gateways which can

Towards a more balanced view of the potentials of locally-based monitoring

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Jens Friis

2014-01-01

The literature on locally-based monitoring in the context of conservation of ecosystems and natural resources in developing countries displays a great deal of optimism about its prospects as a low-cost approach to gather information about conservation outcomes. Yet, this optimism stands in stark...... the information can be perceived by those who monitor to be linked to claims over resource rights and associated benefits. In such situations, trust in locally-based monitoring should be tempered by scepticism and systems of checks and balances....... contrast to studies on co-management between States and local communities showing that such processes—in which communities and the State ostensibly work hand in hand on the monitoring and management of natural resources—are fraught with power struggles within communities as well as between communities...

LOCAL AIR: Local Aerosol monitoring combining in-situ and Remote Sensing observations

Science.gov (United States)

Mona, Lucia; Caggiano, Rosa; Donvito, Angelo; Giannini, Vincenzo; Papagiannopoulos, Nikolaos; Sarli, Valentina; Trippetta, Serena

2015-04-01

The atmospheric aerosols have effects on climate, environment and health. Although the importance of the study of aerosols is well recognized, the current knowledge of the characteristics and their distribution is still insufficient, and there are large uncertainties in the current understanding of the role of aerosols on climate and the environment, both on a regional and local level. Overcoming these uncertainties requires a search strategy that integrates data from multiple platforms (eg, terrestrial, satellite, ships and planes) and the different acquisition techniques (for example, in situ measurements, remote sensing, modeling numerical and data assimilation) (Yu et al., 2006). To this end, in recent years, there have been many efforts such as the creation of networks dedicated to systematic observation of aerosols (eg, European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme-EMEP, European Aerosol Research Lidar NETwork-EARLINET, MicroPulse Lidar Network- MPLNET, and Aerosol Robotic NETwork-AERONET), the development and implementation of new satellite sensors and improvement of numerical models. The recent availability of numerous data to the ground, columnar and profiles of aerosols allows to investigate these aspects. An integrated approach between these different techniques could be able to provide additional information, providing greater insight into the properties of aerosols and their distribution and overcoming the limits of each single technique. In fact, the ground measurements allow direct determination of the physico-chemical properties of aerosols, but cannot be considered representative for large spatial and temporal scales and do not provide any information about the vertical profile of aerosols. On the other hand, the remote sensing techniques from the ground and satellite provide information on the vertical distribution of atmospheric aerosols both in the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL), mainly characterized by the presence of aerosols originating from

Environment monitoring and residents health condition monitoring of nuclear power plant Bohunice region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Letkovicova, M.; Rehak, R.; Stehlikova, B.; Celko, M.; Hraska, S.; Klocok, L.; Kostial, J.; Prikazsky, V.; Vidovic, J.; Zirko, M.; Beno, T.; Mitosinka, J.

1998-01-01

The report contents final environment evaluation and selected characteristic of residents health physics of nuclear power plant Bohunice region. Evaluated data were elaborated during analytical period 1993-1997.Task solving which results are documented in this final report was going on between 1996- 1998. The report deals in individual stages with the following: Information obtaining and completing which characterize demographic situation of the area for the 1993-1997 period; Datum obtaining and completing which contain selected health physics characteristics of the area residents; Database structures for individual data archiving from monitoring and collection; Brief description of geographic information system for graphic presentation of evaluation results based on topographic base; Digital mapping structure description; Results and evaluation of radionuclide monitoring in environment performed by Environmental radiation measurements laboratory by the nuclear power plant Bohunice for the 1993-1997 period. Demographic situation evaluation and selected health physics characteristics of the area of nuclear power plant residents for the 1993-1997 period are summarized in the final part of the document. Monitoring results and their evaluation is processed in graph, table, text description and map output forms. Map outputs are processed in the geographic information system Arc View GIS 3.0a environment

Environmental monitoring report for Pantex Plant covering 1980

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, R.E.; Laseter, W.A.

1981-03-01

This report summarizes the environmental monitoring program at Pantex Plant for 1980. Monitoring data for both radioactive and non-radioactive species in the local environment is presented. Although plant activities involve the handling of significant quantities of uranium, plutonium, and tritium, only small releases of uranium (depleted in the isotope 235 U) and tritium occurred which could have affected the local environment. Monitoring data indicate that concentrations of these nuclides in the environment are below established criteria for air and water and therefore do not present a health hazard either to employees or to the public

Environmental monitoring report for Pantex Plant covering 1982

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laseter, W.A.

1983-03-01

This report summarizes the environmental monitoring program at Pantex Plant for 1982. Monitoring data for both radioactive and non-radioactive species in the local environment is presented. Plant activities involve the handling of significant quantities of uranium, plutonium, and tritium. However, only small releases of uranium (depleted in the isotope 235 U) and tritium occurred which could have affected the local environment. Monitoring data indicate that concentrations of these nuclides in the environment are below established criteria for air and water and therefore should not present a health hazard either to employees or to the public

Monitoring of radionuclides in the environs of Finnish nuclear power plants in 1989-1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ilus, E.; Sjoeblom, K-L.; Klemola, S.; Arvela, H.

1992-01-01

Surveillance of radioactive substances around Finnish nuclear power plants continued in 1989-1990 according to the regular monitoring programmes. About 1000 samples were analysed annually from both terrestrial and aquatic environments. The dominant artificial radionuclides in the vicinity of the power plants were still the cesium isotopes, 137 Cs and 134 Cs, originating from the Chernobyl accident. Owing to radioactive decay, other fallout nuclides with shorter half-lives disappeared from the environmental samples during the period in question. Trace amounts of activation products originating from the airborne releases of the local power plants were detected in some air and deposition samples. Discharged nuclides were more abundant in the aquatic environment, especially in samples of indicator organisms and sinking matter collected from the Olkiluoto area in 1990. However, the concentrations were so low that they did not markedly raise the radiation burden in the environment. (orig.)

Experience in organizing and operating of local centers of radiation monitoring in Belarus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nesterenko, V.B.; Devojno, A.N.

1993-01-01

The paper analyzes the experience in the arrangement and activity of local centres for the radiation monitoring of foods and of articles of daily use established under the control of the rural and urban area administrations at the contaminated territories. The measurement results obtained by the local centres show the deep contamination of food from the local farms and from the local fields and forests, in particular, milk, ferries and mushrooms. RAPIT information system was established automate the processing and analyse of data from the local centres of the radiation monitoring

Advancing UAS methods for monitoring coastal environments

Science.gov (United States)

Ridge, J.; Seymour, A.; Rodriguez, A. B.; Dale, J.; Newton, E.; Johnston, D. W.

2017-12-01

Utilizing fixed-wing Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), we are working to improve coastal monitoring by increasing the accuracy, precision, temporal resolution, and spatial coverage of habitat distribution maps. Generally, multirotor aircraft are preferred for precision imaging, but recent advances in fixed-wing technology have greatly increased their capabilities and application for fine-scale (decimeter-centimeter) measurements. Present mapping methods employed by North Carolina coastal managers involve expensive, time consuming and localized observation of coastal environments, which often lack the necessary frequency to make timely management decisions. For example, it has taken several decades to fully map oyster reefs along the NC coast, making it nearly impossible to track trends in oyster reef populations responding to harvesting pressure and water quality degradation. It is difficult for the state to employ manned flights for collecting aerial imagery to monitor intertidal oyster reefs, because flights are usually conducted after seasonal increases in turbidity. In addition, post-storm monitoring of coastal erosion from manned platforms is often conducted days after the event and collects oblique aerial photographs which are difficult to use for accurately measuring change. Here, we describe how fixed wing UAS and standard RGB sensors can be used to rapidly quantify and assess critical coastal habitats (e.g., barrier islands, oyster reefs, etc.), providing for increased temporal frequency to isolate long-term and event-driven (storms, harvesting) impacts. Furthermore, drone-based approaches can accurately image intertidal habitats as well as resolve information such as vegetation density and bathymetry from shallow submerged areas. We obtain UAS imagery of a barrier island and oyster reefs under ideal conditions (low tide, turbidity, and sun angle) to create high resolution (cm scale) maps and digital elevation models to assess habitat condition

Local body cooling to improve sleep quality and thermal comfort in a hot environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, L; Qian, X L; Lian, Z W; Lin, Y B

2018-01-01

The effects of local body cooling on thermal comfort and sleep quality in a hot environment were investigated in an experiment with 16 male subjects. Sleep quality was evaluated subjectively, using questionnaires completed in the morning, and objectively, by analysis of electroencephalogram (EEG) signals that were continuously monitored during the sleeping period. Compared with no cooling, the largest improvement in thermal comfort and sleep quality was observed when the back and head (neck) were both cooled at a room temperature of 32°C. Back cooling alone also improved thermal comfort and sleep quality, although the effects were less than when cooling both back and head (neck). Mean sleep efficiency was improved from 84.6% in the no cooling condition to 95.3% and 92.8%, respectively, in these conditions, indicating good sleep quality. Head (neck) cooling alone slightly improved thermal comfort and subjective sleep quality and increased Stage N3 sleep, but did not otherwise improve sleep quality. The results show that local cooling applied to large body sections (back and head) could effectively maintain good sleep and improve thermal comfort in a hot environment. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Radioactivity monitoring of the Irish marine environment 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Grady, J.; Currivan, L.

1990-06-01

This report represents the results of the Board's monitoring of radioactivity levels in the Irish marine environment during 1987. The principal objective of the monitoring programme is to obtain estimates of radiation doses to the Irish public arising from caesium-137 and caesium 134, the main contaminating radionuclides. Estimates are presented of the radiation doses to the Irish public arising from the consumption of fish and shellfish contaminated with radiocaesium

Results of monitoring at Olkiluoto in 2010 - Environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haapanen, A. (ed.) [Haapanen Forest Consulting, Vanhakylae (Finland)

2011-10-15

This Working Report presents the main results of Posiva Oy's environmental monitoring programme on Olkiluoto Island in 2010. These summary reports have been published since 2005. The environmental monitoring system supervised by Posiva Oy produces input for biosphere modelling for long-term safety purposes as well as for monitoring the state of the environment during the construction (and later operation) of ONKALO underground rock characterization facility. Part of the monitoring is performed by the company running the nuclear power plants on the island, Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO). Monitoring has been carried out for varying periods of time depending on the sector: some monitoring activities performed by TVO originate from the 1970s and the repository-related environmental monitoring of Olkiluoto from the early 2000s. The monitoring programme evolves according to experiences gained from the modelling work and increased understanding of the site. Augmentations in 2010 include one previously unmonitored private drilled well, and sampling of crop plants, aquatic macrophytes, and bottom fauna, as well as soil and water in order to obtain more data on site-specific concentration ratios. In addition to Olkiluoto Island, two so called reference lakes have been included in the sampling. Studies have been going on on one reference mire, as well. Bottom fauna studies of River Eurajoki exist from late 1970s, but have not been presented here before. Dust produced during construction of the third nuclear power unit (OL3), ONKALO and related infrastructure can be seen in the analysis results of needle litter. The construction works and road traffic have a raising effect on the noise levels of the immediate surroundings. The land-use continues to change, but the remaining natural environment resembles other coastal locations. The young age of the soils and the closeness of the sea are reflected in the soil properties. Mammalian fauna on the island is typical of coastal

Results of monitoring at Olkiluoto in 2010 - Environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haapanen, A.

2011-10-01

This Working Report presents the main results of Posiva Oy's environmental monitoring programme on Olkiluoto Island in 2010. These summary reports have been published since 2005. The environmental monitoring system supervised by Posiva Oy produces input for biosphere modelling for long-term safety purposes as well as for monitoring the state of the environment during the construction (and later operation) of ONKALO underground rock characterization facility. Part of the monitoring is performed by the company running the nuclear power plants on the island, Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO). Monitoring has been carried out for varying periods of time depending on the sector: some monitoring activities performed by TVO originate from the 1970s and the repository-related environmental monitoring of Olkiluoto from the early 2000s. The monitoring programme evolves according to experiences gained from the modelling work and increased understanding of the site. Augmentations in 2010 include one previously unmonitored private drilled well, and sampling of crop plants, aquatic macrophytes, and bottom fauna, as well as soil and water in order to obtain more data on site-specific concentration ratios. In addition to Olkiluoto Island, two so called reference lakes have been included in the sampling. Studies have been going on on one reference mire, as well. Bottom fauna studies of River Eurajoki exist from late 1970s, but have not been presented here before. Dust produced during construction of the third nuclear power unit (OL3), ONKALO and related infrastructure can be seen in the analysis results of needle litter. The construction works and road traffic have a raising effect on the noise levels of the immediate surroundings. The land-use continues to change, but the remaining natural environment resembles other coastal locations. The young age of the soils and the closeness of the sea are reflected in the soil properties. Mammalian fauna on the island is typical of coastal areas in

Annual report on radioactive discharges and monitoring of the environment 1992. V. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

This Annual Report supplements and updates the Company's Environment Annual Report by providing more detailed information on radioactive discharges, monitoring of the environment and critical group doses. BNFL has published Annual Reports on Radioactive Discharges and Monitoring of the Environment since 1977. This year the report is again sub-divided into two complementary volumes. Volume I consists of site papers, one for each of the Company's sites and includes annual data on radioactive discharges into the environment and the associated environmental monitoring programmes. Critical group doses for each site are presented in summary tables at the beginning of each Site paper. Volume II reproduces the Certificates of Authorisation regulating the Company's discharges and the statutory environmental monitoring programmes which relate to them. (Author)

An integrated environment monitoring system for underground coal mines--Wireless Sensor Network subsystem with multi-parameter monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yu; Yang, Wei; Han, Dongsheng; Kim, Young-Il

2014-07-21

Environment monitoring is important for the safety of underground coal mine production, and it is also an important application of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). We put forward an integrated environment monitoring system for underground coal mine, which uses the existing Cable Monitoring System (CMS) as the main body and the WSN with multi-parameter monitoring as the supplementary technique. As CMS techniques are mature, this paper mainly focuses on the WSN and the interconnection between the WSN and the CMS. In order to implement the WSN for underground coal mines, two work modes are designed: periodic inspection and interrupt service; the relevant supporting technologies, such as routing mechanism, collision avoidance, data aggregation, interconnection with the CMS, etc., are proposed and analyzed. As WSN nodes are limited in energy supply, calculation and processing power, an integrated network management scheme is designed in four aspects, i.e., topology management, location management, energy management and fault management. Experiments were carried out both in a laboratory and in a real underground coal mine. The test results indicate that the proposed integrated environment monitoring system for underground coal mines is feasible and all designs performed well as expected.

An Integrated Environment Monitoring System for Underground Coal Mines—Wireless Sensor Network Subsystem with Multi-Parameter Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yu; Yang, Wei; Han, Dongsheng; Kim, Young-Il

2014-01-01

Environment monitoring is important for the safety of underground coal mine production, and it is also an important application of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). We put forward an integrated environment monitoring system for underground coal mine, which uses the existing Cable Monitoring System (CMS) as the main body and the WSN with multi-parameter monitoring as the supplementary technique. As CMS techniques are mature, this paper mainly focuses on the WSN and the interconnection between the WSN and the CMS. In order to implement the WSN for underground coal mines, two work modes are designed: periodic inspection and interrupt service; the relevant supporting technologies, such as routing mechanism, collision avoidance, data aggregation, interconnection with the CMS, etc., are proposed and analyzed. As WSN nodes are limited in energy supply, calculation and processing power, an integrated network management scheme is designed in four aspects, i.e., topology management, location management, energy management and fault management. Experiments were carried out both in a laboratory and in a real underground coal mine. The test results indicate that the proposed integrated environment monitoring system for underground coal mines is feasible and all designs performed well as expected. PMID:25051037

An Integrated Environment Monitoring System for Underground Coal Mines—Wireless Sensor Network Subsystem with Multi-Parameter Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Zhang

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Environment monitoring is important for the safety of underground coal mine production, and it is also an important application of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs. We put forward an integrated environment monitoring system for underground coal mine, which uses the existing Cable Monitoring System (CMS as the main body and the WSN with multi-parameter monitoring as the supplementary technique. As CMS techniques are mature, this paper mainly focuses on the WSN and the interconnection between the WSN and the CMS. In order to implement the WSN for underground coal mines, two work modes are designed: periodic inspection and interrupt service; the relevant supporting technologies, such as routing mechanism, collision avoidance, data aggregation, interconnection with the CMS, etc., are proposed and analyzed. As WSN nodes are limited in energy supply, calculation and processing power, an integrated network management scheme is designed in four aspects, i.e., topology management, location management, energy management and fault management. Experiments were carried out both in a laboratory and in a real underground coal mine. The test results indicate that the proposed integrated environment monitoring system for underground coal mines is feasible and all designs performed well as expected.

Results of Monitoring at Olkiluoto in 2004. Environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haapanen, R.

2005-07-01

This report presents the main results of the environmental monitoring programme connected with Posiva Oy's activities on Olkiluoto island. This is the first annual report and covers the years 2004 and partly 2003. Monitoring has been carried out for varying time periods depending on the sector: some monitoring activities performed by TVO originate from the 1970s, others connected with the construction of the final disposal repository for nuclear waste and the underground research facility ONKALO are about to start. The system supervised by Posiva Oy produces input for biosphere modelling for long-term safety purposes as well as for environmental impact analyses. No unexplainable deviations from reference data were seen in the results presented in this report. The vegetation, forests, soils and animal life are typical of a coastal region within the same vegetation zone. The nearby marine environment is affected by the cooling water from the nuclear power plant, to varying extents depending on the organism and the distance. Monitoring of marine environments as well as radionuclide analyses at the moment produce reference data for the future and create a basis for the construction of a model, as no input from Posiva's activities will influence these areas for a long time. (orig.)

System for ecological monitoring and assessment for NPP site environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vorob'ev, E.I.; Olejnikov, N.F.; Reznichenko, V.Yu.

1987-01-01

On the basis of the Leningrad NPP named after V.I. Lenin the development of a system for ecological monitoring and assessment (EMA) of the environment state and health of personnel and population has started in the EMA program framework. The program of ecological monitoring and assessment coordinates the works on the study of NPP effect on the nature and people, effect of separate factors and their combination, methods and models for the description of the effects, forecasting and evaluation, selection of the optimal protection strategies. Scientific foundations, structure and content of the EMA program are given to coordinate the works carried out according to the program with other works carried out in the country in this direction. The paper deals with the composition of monitoring parameters of the standard system of ecological monitoring of the environment for NPP

Annual report on radioactive discharges and monitoring of the environment 1991. V. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

This Annual Report supplements and updates British Nuclear Fuel plc's Health and Safety and the Environment Annual Report by providing more detailed information on radioactive discharges, monitoring of the environment and critical groups doses. BNFL has published Annual Reports on Radioactive Discharges and Monitoring of the Environment since 1977. This year the report is again sub-divided into two complementary volumes. Volume I includes, for each of the Company's sites, annual data on radioactive discharges into the environment and the associated environmental monitoring programmes. Critical groups doses for each site are presented in summary tables at the beginning of each chapter. (author)

Metagenomic frameworks for monitoring antibiotic resistance in aquatic environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Port, Jesse A; Cullen, Alison C; Wallace, James C; Smith, Marissa N; Faustman, Elaine M

2014-03-01

High-throughput genomic technologies offer new approaches for environmental health monitoring, including metagenomic surveillance of antibiotic resistance determinants (ARDs). Although natural environments serve as reservoirs for antibiotic resistance genes that can be transferred to pathogenic and human commensal bacteria, monitoring of these determinants has been infrequent and incomplete. Furthermore, surveillance efforts have not been integrated into public health decision making. We used a metagenomic epidemiology-based approach to develop an ARD index that quantifies antibiotic resistance potential, and we analyzed this index for common modal patterns across environmental samples. We also explored how metagenomic data such as this index could be conceptually framed within an early risk management context. We analyzed 25 published data sets from shotgun pyrosequencing projects. The samples consisted of microbial community DNA collected from marine and freshwater environments across a gradient of human impact. We used principal component analysis to identify index patterns across samples. We observed significant differences in the overall index and index subcategory levels when comparing ecosystems more proximal versus distal to human impact. The selection of different sequence similarity thresholds strongly influenced the index measurements. Unique index subcategory modes distinguished the different metagenomes. Broad-scale screening of ARD potential using this index revealed utility for framing environmental health monitoring and surveillance. This approach holds promise as a screening tool for establishing baseline ARD levels that can be used to inform and prioritize decision making regarding management of ARD sources and human exposure routes. Port JA, Cullen AC, Wallace JC, Smith MN, Faustman EM. 2014. Metagenomic frameworks for monitoring antibiotic resistance in aquatic environments. Environ Health Perspect 122:222–228; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp

An 'artificial mussel' for monitoring heavy metals in marine environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Rudolf S.S.; Lau, T.C.; Fung, Wendy K.M.; Ko, P.H.; Leung, Kenneth M.Y.

2007-01-01

A new chemical sampling device, artificial mussel (AM), has been developed for monitoring metals in marine environments. This device consists of a polymer ligand suspended in artificial seawater within a Perspex tubing, and enclosed with semi-permeable gel at both ends. Laboratory and field experiments were carried out to examine the uptake of five metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn) by the AM. Uptake of metals by AM was proportional to the exposure metal concentrations, and the AM was able to accumulate the ASV labile fractions of metals. Uptake and release of the metals of AM are similar to those of the mussel Perna viridis, but less affected by salinity and temperature. Field studies demonstrated that the AM can not only provide a time-integrated estimate of metals concentrations, but also allows comparisons of metal levels in different environments and geographical areas beyond the natural distribution limits of biomonitors. - A new monitoring device to provide a time-integrated estimate for monitoring metals in marine environments

Overview of the LHD central control room data monitoring environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emoto, M.; Yoshinuma, M.; Yoshida, M.; Nakanishi, H.; Iwata, C.; Ohsuna, M.; Nonomura, M.; Imazu, S.; Yokota, M.; Aoyagi, M.; Ogawa, H.; Ida, K.; Watanabe, K.; Kaneko, O.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • In this paper, the data monitoring environments in the LHD central control room, for example, summary data graph and video monitoring tools are introduced. Also, the environments for the remote participants are introduced. - Abstract: During the Large Helical Device (LHD) experiments, many scientists and technical staff are working in the central control room to operate the experiment. They must manage the diagnostics and controlling devices referring to the results of the last plasma shot. Also, the experiment coordinator must decide the conditions for the subsequent experiments using the results. Furthermore, many scientists are participating in the experiment from remote sites. Therefore, it is important to share the information in the control room quickly, such as the results of the last plasma discharge, with the remote user as well as with the staff in the room. In this paper, the data monitoring environment in the LHD central control room is introduced.

Overview of the LHD central control room data monitoring environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Emoto, M., E-mail: emoto.masahiko@nifs.ac.jp; Yoshinuma, M.; Yoshida, M.; Nakanishi, H.; Iwata, C.; Ohsuna, M.; Nonomura, M.; Imazu, S.; Yokota, M.; Aoyagi, M.; Ogawa, H.; Ida, K.; Watanabe, K.; Kaneko, O.

2016-11-15

Highlights: • In this paper, the data monitoring environments in the LHD central control room, for example, summary data graph and video monitoring tools are introduced. Also, the environments for the remote participants are introduced. - Abstract: During the Large Helical Device (LHD) experiments, many scientists and technical staff are working in the central control room to operate the experiment. They must manage the diagnostics and controlling devices referring to the results of the last plasma shot. Also, the experiment coordinator must decide the conditions for the subsequent experiments using the results. Furthermore, many scientists are participating in the experiment from remote sites. Therefore, it is important to share the information in the control room quickly, such as the results of the last plasma discharge, with the remote user as well as with the staff in the room. In this paper, the data monitoring environment in the LHD central control room is introduced.

Annual report on radioactive discharges and monitoring of the environment 1992. V. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

This Annual Report supplements the Company's Health and Safety Annual Report by providing more detailed information on radioactive discharges, monitoring of the environment and critical group doses. BNFL has published Annual Reports on Radioactive Discharges and Monitoring of the Environment, covering the period from 1977 to the present. For 1990 this report has been sub-divided into two complementary parts. Volume I includes annual data for each of the Company sites on radioactive discharges into the environment and the associated environmental monitoring programmes. Volume II reproduces the Certificates of Authorisation under which the Company operates and the statutory environmental monitoring programmes which relate to them. (author)

Annual report on radioactive discharges and monitoring of the environment 1990. V. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

This Annual Report supplements the Company's Health and Safety Annual Report by providing more detailed information on radioactive discharges, monitoring of the environment and critical group doses. BNFL has published Annual Reports on Radioactive Discharges and Monitoring of the Environment, covering the period from 1977 to the present. For 1990 this report has been sub-divided into two complementary parts. Volume I includes annual data for each of the Company sites on radioactive discharges into the environment and the associated environmental monitoring programmes. Volume II reproduces the Certificates of Authorisation under which the Company operates and the statutory environmental monitoring programmes which relate to them. (author)

Annual report on radioactive discharges and monitoring of the environment 1990. V. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

This Annual Report supplements the Company's Health and Safety Annual Report by providing more detailed information on radioactive discharges, monitoring of the environment and critical group doses. BNFL has published Annual Reports on Radioactive Discharges and Monitoring of the Environment, covering the period from 1977 to the present. For 1990 this report has been sub-divided into two complementary parts. Volume I includes annual data for each of the Company sites on radioactive discharges into the environment and the associated environmental monitoring programmes. Volume II reproduces the Certificates of Authorisation under which the Company operates and the statutory environmental monitoring programmes which relate to them. (author)

Raspberry Pi Based Intelligent Wireless Sensor Node for Localized Torrential Rain Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhaozhuo Xu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Wireless sensor networks are proved to be effective in long-time localized torrential rain monitoring. However, the existing widely used architecture of wireless sensor networks for rain monitoring relies on network transportation and back-end calculation, which causes delay in response to heavy rain in localized areas. Our work improves the architecture by applying logistic regression and support vector machine classification to an intelligent wireless sensor node which is created by Raspberry Pi. The sensor nodes in front-end not only obtain data from sensors, but also can analyze the probabilities of upcoming heavy rain independently and give early warnings to local clients in time. When the sensor nodes send the probability to back-end server, the burdens of network transport are released. We demonstrate by simulation results that our sensor system architecture has potentiality to increase the local response to heavy rain. The monitoring capacity is also raised.

The efficacy of control environment as fraud deterrence in local government

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nuswantara Dian Anita

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In a globalised scenario, the topic of an enormous increase of malfeasance in the local governments, posing catastrophic threats which come from vicious bureaucratic apparatus, becomes a global phenomenon. This current study uses case study material on the risk management control system specially the control environment in Indonesia local governments to extend existing theory by developing a contingency theory for the public sector. Within local government, contingency theory has emerged as a lens for exploring the links between public sector initiatives to improve risk mitigation and the structure of the control system. The case illustrates that the discretion of control environment - the encouragement of a local government’s control environment - is considered as a springboard for fraud deterrence and might be the loopholes in the government control systems.

Employee quality, monitoring environment and internal control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunli Liu

2017-03-01

Full Text Available We investigate the effect of internal control employees (ICEs on internal control quality. Using special survey data from Chinese listed firms, we find that ICE quality has a significant positive influence on internal control quality. We examine the effect of monitoring on this result and find that the effect is more pronounced for firms with strict monitoring environments, especially when the firms implement the Chinese internal control regulation system (CSOX, have higher institutional ownership or attach greater importance to internal control. Our findings suggest that ICEs play an important role in the design and implementation of internal control systems. Our study should be of interest to both top managers who wish to improve corporate internal control quality and regulators who wish to understand the mechanisms of internal control monitoring.

Tritium monitoring for nuclear facilities and environment in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Huaiyuan

1995-12-01

Reviews of achievement and great progress of tritium monitoring techniques for nuclear facility and environment in China over the past 30 years are made which including the development experiences of several important detectors and instruments for health physics monitoring on site and some sampling and measuring methods for environmental monitoring and assessment. Information on nation wide survey activities during 1970∼1980 years on natural environmental radioactivity level in China and the related tritium data are given. (28 refs., 6 tabs.)

Radioactivity Monitoring of the Irish Environment 2007

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fegan, M.; Dowdall, A.; Hanley, O.; Hayden, E.; Kelleher, K.; Long, S.; Smith, V.; Somerville, S.; Wong, J.; Pollard, D.

2008-10-01

This report presents the results of the environmental radioactivity monitoring programme carried out by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) in 2007. This programme aims to assess the exposure of the Irish population to artificial radioactivity in the envorinment, to review the temporal and geographical distribution of contaminating radionuclides and to maintain systems and procedures which would allow a rapid assessment of environmental contamination to be made in the event of a radiological emergency. In additiopn, some natural radioactivity exposure pathways are included in the programme including radioactivity in surface and ground drinking water. Radioactivity is present in the environment due to natural oprocesses, the testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere, past nuclear accidents such as that at Chernobyl in the Ukraine and the routine discharge of radionuclides from nuclear installations. Liquid discharges from the British Nuclear Group reprocessing plant at Sellafield in Cumbria in the north-west of England continue to be the dominant source of artificial radioactivity in the Irish marine environment. The key elements of the monitoring programme implemented by the RPII in 2007 included; assessment of ambient radioactivity based on measurements of radioactivity in air and of external gamma dose rate at permanent monitoring stations located throughout the country; assessment of levels of radioactivity in drinking water; assessment of levels of radioactivity in foodstuffs based on measurements of total diet, milk and various ingredients; assessment of levels of radioactivity in the Irish marine environment based on sampling and measurement of seawater, sediment, seaweed, fish and shellfish. The RPII monitored airborne radioactivity at twelve stations located throughout the country. One of these stations is equipped with a high volume sampler, which allows background concentrations of caesium-137 to be measured; another is equipped to

Environmental monitoring report for Pantex Plant covering 1974

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, R.E.

1975-01-01

During 1974 Pantex Plant conducted a monitoring program to determine the concentration of specific radioactive and non-radioactive species in the local environment. Although the plant activities involved the handling of significant quantities of uranium, plutonium, and tritium, only small releases of uranium (depleted in the isotope 235 U) and tritium have occurred which could affect the local environment. Monitoring data indicate that concentrations of these nuclides in the environment are below established criteria for air and water and therefore do not present a health hazard either to employees or to the public. (U.S.)

IoT enabled aquatic drone for environment monitoring

OpenAIRE

Matos, João Ricardo Baptista de

2016-01-01

This thesis presents a platform that tackles environment monitoring by using air and water quality sensors to provide data for the user to know what is happening in that surveilled area. The hardware is incorporated in a sensing module in order to be used with an Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV). It presents a monitoring system based on Raspberry Pi platform and a multichannel sensing module associated with water quality and air quality measurement parameters. Thus, the temper...

Network monitoring module of BES III system environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song Liwen; Zhao Jingwei; Zhang Bingyun

2002-01-01

In order to meet the needs of the complicated network architecture of BES III (Beijing Spectrometer III) and make sure normal online running in the future, it is necessary to develop a multi-platforms Network Monitoring Tool which can help system administrator monitor and manage BES III network. The author provides a module that can monitor not only the traffic of switch-router's ports but also the performance status of key devices in the network environment, meanwhile it can also give warning to manager and submit the related reports. the great sense, the theory basis, the implementing method and the graph in formation of this tool will be discussed

Environmental monitoring report for Pantex Plant covering 1984

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laseter, W.A.

1985-01-01

This report summarizes the environmental monitoring program at Pantex Plant for 1984. It has been prepared in accordance with the United States Department of Energy Order 5484.1. This report presents monitoring data for both radioactive and non-radioactive species in the local environment. Plant activities involve the handling of significant quantities of uranium, plutonium, and tritium. However, only a small release of tritium occurred which could have affected the local environment. Monitoring data indicate that concentrations of this nuclide in the environment are below established criteria for air and water and therefore should not present a health hazard either to employees or to the public. 22 refs., 7 figs., 23 tabs

Environmental monitoring report for Pantex Plant covering 1978

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, R.E.; Cornelius, V.A.

1979-05-01

This report summarizes the environmental monitoring program at Pantex Plant for 1978. It has been prepared in accordance with the United States Department of Energy Manual Chapter 0513. This report presents monitoring data for both radioactive and non-radioactive species in the local environment. Although plant activities involve the handling of significant quantities of uranium, plutonium, and tritium, only small releases of uranium (depleted in the isotope 235 U) and tritium occurred which could have affected the local environment. Monitoring data indicate that concentrations of these nuclides in the environment are below established criteria for air and water and therefore should not present a health hazard either to employees or to the public

Comparison of passive sampling and biota for monitoring of tonalide in aquatic environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Tumova, Jitka; Grabicova, Katerina; Golovko, Oksana; Koba, Olga; Kodes, Vit; Fedorova, Ganna; Grabic, Roman; Kroupova, Hana Kocour

2017-10-01

Synthetic musk compounds are extensively used in personal care and cosmetic products all over the world. Afterwards, they are discharged into the environment mainly because they are not completely removed in wastewater treatment plants. The aim of this study was to investigate if a passive sampler is applicable for the monitoring of tonalide, a polycyclic musk compound, in the aquatic environment and to compare the levels of tonalide in pesticide-polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) and biota. For this purpose, four sampling localities on the three biggest rivers in the Czech Republic were selected. Tonalide was determined in POCIS at all sampling sites in the concentration ranging from 9 ng/POCIS (Labe River, Hradec Králové) to 25 ng/POCIS (Morava River, Blatec). The locality with the most frequent occurrence of tonalide in biota samples was the Morava River which well corresponded with the highest tonalide concentration in POCIS among sampling sites. The highest number of positive tonalide detections among all studied biota samples was found in fish plasma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evidence that tonalide bioaccumulates in fish blood. Tonalide levels were below the limit of quantification in benthos samples at all sampling sites.

Barcode based localization system in indoor environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ľubica Ilkovičová

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, in the era of intelligent buildings, there is a need to create indoornavigation systems, what is steadily a challenge. QR (Quick Response codesprovide accurate localization also in indoor environment, where other navigationtechniques (e.g. GPS are not available. The paper deals with the issues of posi-tioning using QR codes, solved at the Department of Surveying, Faculty of CivilEngineering SUT in Bratislava. Operating principle of QR codes, description ofthe application for positioning in indoor environment based on OS Android forsmartphones are described.

Results of monitoring at Olkiluoto in 2012. Environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haapanen, A.

2014-04-01

In 2003, Posiva Oy presented a programme for monitoring at Olkiluoto during construction and operation of ONKALO. In 2012 the monitoring programme was updated to concern the years 2012-2018. Part of the monitoring is performed by the company running the nuclear power plants on the island, Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO). This Working Report presents the main results of Posiva's environmental monitoring programme on Olkiluoto Island in 2012. Results are presented under five topics: 1. Evolution of geosphere, 2. Biosphere modelling input data, 3. Interaction between surface environment and groundwater in bedrock, 4. Environmental impact and 5. Baseline of monitoring of radioactive releases. Concerning the evolution of geosphere, LIDAR-scannings were done in the Olkiluoto area in 2012. The acquired data can be used for elevation and other modelling purposes. The soil solution quality in 2012 was quite comparable to that in earlier years. Proximity of the sea and the young age of soils are seen in soil solution results. Biosphere modelling input data in 2012 included e.g. continuous tree litterfall and transpiration data, as well as updated game statistics and population estimates of fauna, a fishery survey from the River Eurajoki (2011) and basic monitoring data from Olkiluoto offshore properties. Interaction between surface environment and groundwater in bedrock includes e.g. weather and surface water monitoring data. Environmental impact analyses included e.g. monitoring of noise, air quality, effluent waters and private drilled wells. Noise monitoring in the vicinity of ONKALO showed that in the case of raised noise levels the sources are mainly the traffic on Olkiluodontie road, the air conditioning of ONKALO and occasional sources such as springtime bird sounds. Construction activities in the area were seen in increased amount of NO 3 -N in the bulk deposition, and Al and Fe accumulating on needle surfaces in areas close to the rock piling and crushing area. Scots

Results of monitoring at Olkiluoto in 2012. Environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haapanen, A. (ed.) [Haapanen Forest Consulting, Vanhakylae (Finland)

2014-04-15

In 2003, Posiva Oy presented a programme for monitoring at Olkiluoto during construction and operation of ONKALO. In 2012 the monitoring programme was updated to concern the years 2012-2018. Part of the monitoring is performed by the company running the nuclear power plants on the island, Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO). This Working Report presents the main results of Posiva's environmental monitoring programme on Olkiluoto Island in 2012. Results are presented under five topics: 1. Evolution of geosphere, 2. Biosphere modelling input data, 3. Interaction between surface environment and groundwater in bedrock, 4. Environmental impact and 5. Baseline of monitoring of radioactive releases. Concerning the evolution of geosphere, LIDAR-scannings were done in the Olkiluoto area in 2012. The acquired data can be used for elevation and other modelling purposes. The soil solution quality in 2012 was quite comparable to that in earlier years. Proximity of the sea and the young age of soils are seen in soil solution results. Biosphere modelling input data in 2012 included e.g. continuous tree litterfall and transpiration data, as well as updated game statistics and population estimates of fauna, a fishery survey from the River Eurajoki (2011) and basic monitoring data from Olkiluoto offshore properties. Interaction between surface environment and groundwater in bedrock includes e.g. weather and surface water monitoring data. Environmental impact analyses included e.g. monitoring of noise, air quality, effluent waters and private drilled wells. Noise monitoring in the vicinity of ONKALO showed that in the case of raised noise levels the sources are mainly the traffic on Olkiluodontie road, the air conditioning of ONKALO and occasional sources such as springtime bird sounds. Construction activities in the area were seen in increased amount of NO{sub 3}-N in the bulk deposition, and Al and Fe accumulating on needle surfaces in areas close to the rock piling and crushing area

Intraspecific Colour Variation among Lizards in Distinct Island Environments Enhances Local Camouflage.

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Kate L A; Philpot, Kate E; Damas-Moreira, Isabel; Stevens, Martin

2015-01-01

Within-species colour variation is widespread among animals. Understanding how this arises can elucidate evolutionary mechanisms, such as those underlying reproductive isolation and speciation. Here, we investigated whether five island populations of Aegean wall lizards (Podarcis erhardii) have more effective camouflage against their own (local) island substrates than against other (non-local) island substrates to avian predators, and whether this was linked to island differences in substrate appearance. We also investigated whether degree of local substrate matching varied among island populations and between sexes. In most populations, both sexes were better matched against local backgrounds than against non-local backgrounds, particularly in terms of luminance (perceived lightness), which usually occurred when local and non-local backgrounds were different in appearance. This was found even between island populations that historically had a land connection and in populations that have been isolated relatively recently, suggesting that isolation in these distinct island environments has been sufficient to cause enhanced local background matching, sometimes on a rapid evolutionary time-scale. However, heightened local matching was poorer in populations inhabiting more variable and unstable environments with a prolonged history of volcanic activity. Overall, these results show that lizard coloration is tuned to provide camouflage in local environments, either due to genetic adaptation or changes during development. Yet, the occurrence and extent of selection for local matching may depend on specific conditions associated with local ecology and biogeographic history. These results emphasize how anti-predator adaptations to different environments can drive divergence within a species, which may contribute to reproductive isolation among populations and lead to ecological speciation.

Results of monitoring at Olkiluoto in 2005. Environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haapanen, R.

2006-08-01

This Working Report presents the main results of Posiva Oy's environmental monitoring programme on Olkiluoto Island in 2005. This is the second annual report. Monitoring has been carried out for varying time periods depending on the sector: some monitoring activities performed by TVO originate from the 1970s, others connected with the construction of the final disposal repository for nuclear waste and the underground research facility ONKALO have just started. The system supervised by Posiva Oy produces input for biosphere modelling for long-term safety purposes as well as for environmental impact analyses. In 2005 the deposition collectors and nearby needles caught some dust from the rock piling and crushing activities and traffic. Noise was another clear effect, originating mostly from OL3 construction, rock piling and crushing area and the concrete station. The studies further confirmed that the vegetation, forests, soils and animal life are typical of a coastal region within the same vegetation zone. The nearby marine environment is affected by the cooling water from the nuclear power plant, to varying extents depending on the organism and the distance. Monitoring of marine environments as well as radionuclide analyses at the moment produce reference data for the future and create a basis for the construction of a model, as no input from Posiva's activities will influence these areas for a long time. (orig.)

A Novel Method To On-Line Monitor Reactor Nuclear Power And In-Core Thermal Environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Hanying; Miller, Don W.; Li, Dongxu; Radcliff, Thomas D.

2002-01-01

For current nuclear power plants, nuclear power can not be directly measured and in-core fuel thermal environments can not be monitored due to the unavailability of an appropriate measurement technology and the inaccessibility of the fuel. If the nuclear deposited power and the in-core thermal conditions (i.e. fuel or coolant temperature and heat transfer coefficient) can be monitored in-situ, then it would play a valuable and critical role in increasing nuclear power, predicting abnormal reactor operation, improving core physical models and reducing core thermal margin so as to implement higher fuel burn-up. Furthermore, the management of core thermal margin and fuel operation may be easier during reactor operation, post-accident or spent fuel storage. On the other hand, for some advanced Generation IV reactors, the sealed and long-lived reactor core design challenges traditional measurement techniques while conventional ex-core detectors and current in-core detectors can not monitor details of the in-core fuel conditions. A method is introduced in this paper that responds to the challenge to measure nuclear power and to monitor the in-core thermal environments, for example, local fuel pin or coolant heat convection coefficient and temperature. In summary, the method, which has been designed for online in-core measurement and surveillance, will be beneficial to advanced plant safety, efficiency and economics by decreasing thermal margin or increasing nuclear power. The method was originally developed for a constant temperature power sensor (CTPS). The CTPS is undergoing design and development for an advanced reactor core to measure in-core nuclear power in measurement mode and to monitor thermal environments in compensation mode. The sensor dynamics was analyzed in compensation mode to determine the environmental temperature and the heat transfer coefficient. Previous research demonstrated that a first order dynamic model is not sufficient to simulate sensor

Radioactive monitoring of the marine environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bologa, A. S.

1991-01-01

Radioactivity monitoring of marine environment was required by the development of nuclear power and the worldwide use of ionizing radiations in many different activities. Both natural and artificial radioactivity play an important role in marine ecology and human health. In respect of this, three major facts prevail, namely: the fallout, the proximity of Danube River and the future nuclear power production. Spatial and temporal monitoring of marine radioactivity along the Romanian Black Sea shore has been systematically performed in Romanian Marine Research Institute in close cooperation with Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology since 1981. Marine emerged and submerged sediments, coastal and offshore sea water, macroalgae, invertebrates and fish of Danube mouths and/or along the coast are monitored for natural and artificial radioactivity by means of gross beta measurements and gamma spectrometry. Concentrations of radionuclides such as: K-40, Cs-134 and Cs-137 in abiotic and biotic samples, environmental distribution coefficients and concentration factors (CFs) as well as experimentally derived CFs in marine biota as radioecological bioindicators are assessed and stored in a national data base. (author)

40 CFR 58.60 - Federal monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 5 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Federal monitoring. 58.60 Section 58.60... QUALITY SURVEILLANCE Federal Monitoring § 58.60 Federal monitoring. The Administrator may locate and operate an ambient air monitoring site if the State or local agency fails to locate, or schedule to be...

The Integrated Design for Micro - environment Monitoring System of Showcase in Museum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dong Chan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In order to improve the current environment quality of cultural relics in museum and make them preserved for a long time, the paper proposes the integrated design for micro - environment monitoring system of showcase in museum, the system mainly monitors the micro-environment of heritage, such as ultraviolet, light, formaldehyde, CO2, TVOC, PM 2.5, choosing cotex-M3 ARM microcontroller STM32F103ZET6 as the control core. Based on the concept of integration, the system integrates the single air monitoring instruments. The design of circuit mainly includes the process of digital power supply and analog power supply, the acquisition and processing of 5 analog signals from sensors, and the design of reserved interface. In the aspect of interaction, the serial port lcd module was uesd for the display and control, which can get rid of the control of PC and achieve the functions of environmental monitoring, environmental warning, environmental assessment, historical data query. The integrated design for Micro-environment of Showcase in Museum achieves a monitoring platform successfully which is easy for users’ operation and access to display information conveniently. The advantages of the system are strong portability, low cost and short development cycle.

Building of effluence and environment monitoring capability of uranium mining and metallurgy in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xianjie; Hu Penghua; Duan Jianchen; Xue Jianxin

2014-01-01

The status of effluence and environmental monitoring capability of nine uranium mining and metallurgy corporations in operation in China was investigated and analyzed. The results show that there exist some problems in all corporations such as imperfect monitoring plan, ineligible analyst, aging equipment, insufficient analysis capacity, lack of good detection limit. In order to solve the problems, several steps have been taken by Department of Safety and Environment Protection and Department of Geology and Mining (CNNC) in three years, including establishing three-level monitoring sys- tem, equipping corresponding monitoring instrument, holding three training classes, enhancing the analyst capacity, publishing the model for effluence and environment monitoring capability of uranium mining and metallurgy and carrying out comparison on monitoring of U and Ra in water, which greatly improved effluence and environment monitoring capability of uranium mining and metallurgy. (authors)

Radioactivity in the environment. A summary and radiological assessment of the Environment Ageny's monitoring programmes. Report for 1996

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

This report presents the results from the Environment Agency's monitoring of radioactivity in the environment during 1996. Monitoring programmes were carried out in support of the Agency's regulatory functions under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 and as part of the UK Government's obligations under the Euratom Treaty. The programmes included: effluent monitoring; the quality checking of solid waste disposals; environmental monitoring; the monitoring of radioactivity in air and rainwater; the monitoring of radioactivity in drinking water sources. A total of 160 effluent samples were analysed for nearly 900 determinants, two consignments of solid radioactive waste destined for disposal at British Nuclear Fuels' site at Drigg were checked, direct instrumental monitoring was carried out at ISO locations within the vicinity of nuclear sites, and 532 environmental samples were analysed for over 2,000 determinants. Effluent monitoring: The Agency requires operators of certain sites to provide samples of their liquid effluents for independent analysis. The results are compared with reports submitted by site operators. The majority of results showed satisfactory agreement; operators' values were frequently higher than the Agency's measurements indicating that they were not under-reporting. However, some discrepancies were found and are being investigated. Quality checking of solid waste disposals: Consignments of solid low level radioactive waste are seized by inspectors for examination at the Agency's Waste Quality Checking Laboratory. Sophisticated non-destructive and destructive analytical techniques are used at the laboratory to check the radioactive content and description of the wastes. Consignments of waste from the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston and Amersham International at Amersham were examined. In both cases the operators reported higher activity than the Agency's laboratory. The consignments also conformed with the operators' disposal

Intraspecific Colour Variation among Lizards in Distinct Island Environments Enhances Local Camouflage

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Kate L. A.; Philpot, Kate E.; Damas-Moreira, Isabel; Stevens, Martin

2015-01-01

Within-species colour variation is widespread among animals. Understanding how this arises can elucidate evolutionary mechanisms, such as those underlying reproductive isolation and speciation. Here, we investigated whether five island populations of Aegean wall lizards (Podarcis erhardii) have more effective camouflage against their own (local) island substrates than against other (non-local) island substrates to avian predators, and whether this was linked to island differences in substrate appearance. We also investigated whether degree of local substrate matching varied among island populations and between sexes. In most populations, both sexes were better matched against local backgrounds than against non-local backgrounds, particularly in terms of luminance (perceived lightness), which usually occurred when local and non-local backgrounds were different in appearance. This was found even between island populations that historically had a land connection and in populations that have been isolated relatively recently, suggesting that isolation in these distinct island environments has been sufficient to cause enhanced local background matching, sometimes on a rapid evolutionary time-scale. However, heightened local matching was poorer in populations inhabiting more variable and unstable environments with a prolonged history of volcanic activity. Overall, these results show that lizard coloration is tuned to provide camouflage in local environments, either due to genetic adaptation or changes during development. Yet, the occurrence and extent of selection for local matching may depend on specific conditions associated with local ecology and biogeographic history. These results emphasize how anti-predator adaptations to different environments can drive divergence within a species, which may contribute to reproductive isolation among populations and lead to ecological speciation. PMID:26372454

Intraspecific Colour Variation among Lizards in Distinct Island Environments Enhances Local Camouflage.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kate L A Marshall

Full Text Available Within-species colour variation is widespread among animals. Understanding how this arises can elucidate evolutionary mechanisms, such as those underlying reproductive isolation and speciation. Here, we investigated whether five island populations of Aegean wall lizards (Podarcis erhardii have more effective camouflage against their own (local island substrates than against other (non-local island substrates to avian predators, and whether this was linked to island differences in substrate appearance. We also investigated whether degree of local substrate matching varied among island populations and between sexes. In most populations, both sexes were better matched against local backgrounds than against non-local backgrounds, particularly in terms of luminance (perceived lightness, which usually occurred when local and non-local backgrounds were different in appearance. This was found even between island populations that historically had a land connection and in populations that have been isolated relatively recently, suggesting that isolation in these distinct island environments has been sufficient to cause enhanced local background matching, sometimes on a rapid evolutionary time-scale. However, heightened local matching was poorer in populations inhabiting more variable and unstable environments with a prolonged history of volcanic activity. Overall, these results show that lizard coloration is tuned to provide camouflage in local environments, either due to genetic adaptation or changes during development. Yet, the occurrence and extent of selection for local matching may depend on specific conditions associated with local ecology and biogeographic history. These results emphasize how anti-predator adaptations to different environments can drive divergence within a species, which may contribute to reproductive isolation among populations and lead to ecological speciation.

Identifying common practices and challenges for local urban tree monitoring programs across the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Lara A. Roman; E. Gregory McPherson; Bryant C. Scharenbroch; Julia. Bartens

2013-01-01

Urban forest monitoring data are essential to assess the impacts of tree planting campaigns and management programs. Local practitioners have monitoring projects that have not been well documented in the urban forestry literature. To learn more about practitioner-driven monitoring efforts, the authors surveyed 32 local urban forestry organizations across the United...

Monitoring of radioactivity in the environs of Finnish nuclear power stations in 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sjoeblom, K.-L.; Klemola, S.; Ilus, E.; Arvela, H.; Blomqvist, L.

1989-06-01

Results of the environmental programmes for monitoring radioactive contamination around Finnish nuclear power plants in 1987 are reported. Fallout from the Chernobyl accident, which took place in April 1986, was still dominating the artificial radiation situation in Finland. Thus, large amounts of 137 Cs and other long-lived fallout nuclides predominated in the environmental samples taken in the vicinity of nuclear power plants. The extremely small airborne releases from Finnish nuclear power plants were almost totally covered by fallout nuclides. The somewhat higher aquatic releases were easier to distinguish, and it was possible to follow their spread in the marine environment. The contribution of locally discharged nuclides to radiation doses of the population was insignificant

Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment. Overcoming Environmental Monitoring Inertia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parker, T.G.; Desmond, J.A.; Stevens, A.K.

2006-01-01

The first nuclear reactors at Sellafield went critical in 1951 and fuel reprocessing commenced shortly afterwards. As the nuclear programme expanded, reprocessing increased and there was an associated increase in discharges to the environment. An initial environmental monitoring programme was formulated on the basis of research and assessment of the likely behaviour of radionuclides. In addition to the routine process sources there were also incidents that gave rise to acute releases of radioactivity to the environment. Of key significance were: the Windscale fire, 1957; short-cooled fuel reprocessing, 1981; and discharge of contaminated solvent, 1983. All of these incidents added to the requirements for environments for environmental monitoring. The monitoring programme has evolved over a period of more than 50 years. (N.C.)

Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment. Overcoming Environmental Monitoring Inertia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parker, T.G.; Desmond, J.A. [British Nuclear Group Sellafield Ltd. (United Kingdom); Stevens, A.K. [Westlakes Scientific Consulting (United Kingdom)

2006-07-01

The first nuclear reactors at Sellafield went critical in 1951 and fuel reprocessing commenced shortly afterwards. As the nuclear programme expanded, reprocessing increased and there was an associated increase in discharges to the environment. An initial environmental monitoring programme was formulated on the basis of research and assessment of the likely behaviour of radionuclides. In addition to the routine process sources there were also incidents that gave rise to acute releases of radioactivity to the environment. Of key significance were: the Windscale fire, 1957; short-cooled fuel reprocessing, 1981; and discharge of contaminated solvent, 1983. All of these incidents added to the requirements for environments for environmental monitoring. The monitoring programme has evolved over a period of more than 50 years. (N.C.)

Radioactivity Monitoring of the Irish Environment 2003-2005

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryan, R.W.; Dowdall, A; Fegan, M.F.; Hayden, E.; Kelleher, K.; Long, S.; McEvoy, I.; McKittrick, L.; McMahon, C.A.; Murray, M.; Smith, K.; Sequeira, S.; Wong, J.; Pollard, D.

2007-05-01

This report presents the results of the environmental radioactivity monitoring programme carried out by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) between 2003 and 2005. This programme aims to assess the exposure of the Irish population to anthropogenic radioactivity in the environment, to review the temporal and geographical distribution of contaminating radionuclides and to maintain systems and procedures which would allow a rapid assessment of environmental contamination to be made in the event of a radiological emergency. Radioactivity is present in the environment due to natural processes, the testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere, past nuclear accidents such as that at Chernobyl and the routine licensed discharge of radionuclides from nuclear installations. Liquid discharges from the British Nuclear Group reprocessing plant at Sellafield in Cumbria in the North-West of England continue to be the dominant source of anthropogenic radioactivity in the Irish marine environment. The key elements of the monitoring programme implemented by the RPII during the reporting period include; assessment of ambient radioactivity based on measurements of radioactivity in air and external gamma dose rate at permanent monitoring stations located throughout the country; assessment of levels of radioactivity in drinking water; assessment of levels of radioactivity in foodstuffs based on measurements of total diet, milk and miscellaneous ingredients; assessment of levels of radioactivity in the marine environment based on sampling and measurements of seawater, sediment, seaweed, fish and shellfish. The RPII monitored airborne radioactivity at eleven stations located throughout the country. One station is equipped with a high volume sampler, which allows global fallout concentrations to be measured, and one is equipped to detect the presence of the gas krypton-85. Krypton-85 is released into the environment primarily as a result of the reprocessing of nuclear

Opisthorchiasis in Northeastern Thailand: Effect of local environment and culture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beuy Joob

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Opisthorchiasis is a kind of trematode infection. This parasitic infestation is a chronic hepatobiliary tract infection and can cause chronic irritation that will finally lead to cholangiocarcinoma. It is highly endemic in northeastern region of Thailand and contributes to many cholangiocarcinoma cases annually. The attempt to control the disease becomes a national policy. However, the sanitation becomes a major underlying factor leading to infection and meanwhile, the poverty and low education of the local people become an important concern. In this opinion, the authors discuss the effect of local environment and culture on opisthorchiasis in northeastern Thailand. Due to the pattern change of local environment, global warming and globalization, the dynamicity can be observed.

Real time nanogravimetric monitoring of corrosion in radioactive environments

OpenAIRE

Tzagkaroulakis, Ioannis; Boxall, Colin

2017-01-01

Monitoring and understanding the mechanism of metal corrosion throughout the nuclear fuel cycle play a key role in the safe asset management of facilities. They also provide information essential for making an informed choice regarding the selection of decontamination methods for steel plant and equipment scheduled for decommissioning. Recent advances in Quartz Crystal Nanobalance (QCN) technology offer the means of monitoring corrosion in-situ, in radiologically harsh environments, in real t...

SLICEIT and TAHMO Partnerships: Students Local and International Collaboration for Climate and Environmental Monitoring, Technology Development, Education, Adaptation and Mitigation

Science.gov (United States)

Aishlin, P. S.; Selker, J. S.

2015-12-01

Climate change understanding and impacts vary by community, yet the global nature of climate change requires international collaboration to address education, monitoring, adaptation and mitigation needs. We propose that effective climate change monitoring and education can be accomplished via student-led local and international community partnerships. By empowering students as community leaders in climate-environmental monitoring and education, as well as exploration of adaptation/mitigation needs, well-informed communities and young leadership are developed to support climate change science moving forward. Piloted 2013-2015, the SLICEIT1 program partnered with TAHMO2 to connect student leaders in North America, Europe and Africa. At the international level, schools in the U.S.A and Netherlands were partnered with schools in Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda for science and cultural exchange. Each school was equipped with a climate or other environmental sensing system, real-time data publication and curricula for both formal and informal science, technology, engineering and math education and skill development. African counterparts in TAHMO's School-2-School program collect critically important data for enhanced on-the-ground monitoring of weather conditions in data-scarce regions of Africa. In Idaho, student designed, constructed and installed weather stations provide real time data for classroom and community use. Student-designed formal educational activities are disseminated to project partners, increasing hands-on technology education and peer-based learning. At the local level, schools are partnered with a local agency, research institute, nonprofit organization, industry and/or community partner that supplies a climate science expert mentor to SLICEIT program leaders and teachers. Mentor engagement is facilitated and secured by program components that directly benefit the mentor's organization and local community via climate/environment monitoring, student workforce

The Contribution of Local Environments to Competence Creation in Multinational Enterprises

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersson, Ulf; Dellestrand, Henrik; Pedersen, Torben

2014-01-01

This paper examines the competence development of subsidiaries in multinational enterprises. We analyze how local subsidiary environments affect the development of technological and business competencies among other units in the multinational enterprise. We test our predictions using data from 2......,107 foreign-owned subsidiaries located in seven European countries, by means of structural equation modeling — namely, LISREL. By bringing the local environment to the fore, we contribute to the literature on the emergence and determinants of firm-specific advantages. We link local subsidiary environments...... throughout the organization. Thus, we contribute to an enhanced understanding of location as a determinant of the creation of units of competence and centers of excellence within multinational enterprises. In other words, we demonstrate that country-specific advantages are beneficial for competence creation...

Environment radiological monitoring by JNC related to the JCO criticality accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Hitoshi

2001-01-01

Concerning the criticality accident at JCO Co., Ltd. (JCO) which occurred at 10:35 on 30th Sep. 1999, Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) established ''JNC's task force'' at 12:35 on the same data in conjunction with Head Office and Tokai Works. JNC's task force had collaborated on environmental radiological monitoring with the government of Japan and the local governments. This report compiles the results of the environmental monitoring performed by JNC's task force based on the request from the government of Japan and the local governments. (author)

Monitoring the impacts of trade agreements on food environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Friel, S; Hattersley, L; Snowdon, W; Thow, A-M; Lobstein, T; Sanders, D; Barquera, S; Mohan, S; Hawkes, C; Kelly, B; Kumanyika, S; L'Abbe, M; Lee, A; Ma, J; Macmullan, J; Monteiro, C; Neal, B; Rayner, M; Sacks, G; Swinburn, B; Vandevijvere, S; Walker, C

2013-10-01

The liberalization of international trade and foreign direct investment through multilateral, regional and bilateral agreements has had profound implications for the structure and nature of food systems, and therefore, for the availability, nutritional quality, accessibility, price and promotion of foods in different locations. Public health attention has only relatively recently turned to the links between trade and investment agreements, diets and health, and there is currently no systematic monitoring of this area. This paper reviews the available evidence on the links between trade agreements, food environments and diets from an obesity and non-communicable disease (NCD) perspective. Based on the key issues identified through the review, the paper outlines an approach for monitoring the potential impact of trade agreements on food environments and obesity/NCD risks. The proposed monitoring approach encompasses a set of guiding principles, recommended procedures for data collection and analysis, and quantifiable 'minimal', 'expanded' and 'optimal' measurement indicators to be tailored to national priorities, capacity and resources. Formal risk assessment processes of existing and evolving trade and investment agreements, which focus on their impacts on food environments will help inform the development of healthy trade policy, strengthen domestic nutrition and health policy space and ultimately protect population nutrition. © 2013 The Authors. Obesity Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Development of an Acoustic Localization Method for Cavitation Experiments in Reverberant Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Ranjeva, Minna; Thompson, Lee; Perlitz, Daniel; Bonness, William; Capone, Dean; Elbing, Brian

2011-11-01

Cavitation is a major concern for the US Navy since it can cause ship damage and produce unwanted noise. The ability to precisely locate cavitation onset in laboratory scale experiments is essential for proper design that will minimize this undesired phenomenon. Measuring the cavitation onset is more accurately determined acoustically than visually. However, if other parts of the model begin to cavitate prior to the component of interest the acoustic data is contaminated with spurious noise. Consequently, cavitation onset is widely determined by optically locating the event of interest. The current research effort aims at developing an acoustic localization scheme for reverberant environments such as water tunnels. Currently cavitation bubbles are being induced in a static water tank with a laser, allowing the localization techniques to be refined with the bubble at a known location. The source is located with the use of acoustic data collected with hydrophones and analyzed using signal processing techniques. To verify the accuracy of the acoustic scheme, the events are simultaneously monitored visually with the use of a high speed camera. Once refined testing will be conducted in a water tunnel. This research was sponsored by the Naval Engineering Education Center (NEEC).

Monitoring of the aquatic environment by species accumulator of pollutants: a review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oscar RAVERA

2001-09-01

Full Text Available This paper is a short review on the biomonitoring of aquatic environments by animal and plant species accumulators of toxic pollutants ("scavengers". This monitoring is based on the relationship between the pollutant concentration in the organism and that in its environment, and not on alterations produced by pollution on the biota. The latter is the basis of other types of biomonitoring, such as those based on the biotic and diversity indices and saprobic scale. The various aspects of monitoring by pollutant accumulators are illustrated; for example, the uptake and loss of pollutants, the "critical organs" and "tissues", the detoxification mechanisms and the most common factors (C.F., BAF, BSAF for establishing a connection between the pollutant concentration in the organism and that in its environment. Several examples of this monitoring on heavy metals, radioisotopes and organic micropollutants are reported. The advantages of this monitoring, the characteristics of the species to be used as bioaccumulators and some practical suggestions are listed. A close collaboration between the scientific teams working on the biomonitoring based on accumulator organisms and on the chemical monitoring is recommended from the scientific and economic point of view.

Monitoring product safety in the postmarketing environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharrar, Robert G; Dieck, Gretchen S

2013-10-01

The safety profile of a medicinal product may change in the postmarketing environment. Safety issues not identified in clinical development may be seen and need to be evaluated. Methods of evaluating spontaneous adverse experience reports and identifying new safety risks include a review of individual reports, a review of a frequency distribution of a list of the adverse experiences, the development and analysis of a case series, and various ways of examining the database for signals of disproportionality, which may suggest a possible association. Regulatory agencies monitor product safety through a variety of mechanisms including signal detection of the adverse experience safety reports in databases and by requiring and monitoring risk management plans, periodic safety update reports and postauthorization safety studies. The United States Food and Drug Administration is working with public, academic and private entities to develop methods for using large electronic databases to actively monitor product safety. Important identified risks will have to be evaluated through observational studies and registries.

Radioactivity Monitoring of the Irish Environment 2010-2011

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGinnity, P.; Currivan, L.; Dowdall, A.; Hanley, O.; Kelleher, K.; McKittrick, L.; Pollard, D.; Somerville, S.; Wong, J.; McMahon, C.

2012-11-01

This report presents the results of the environmental radioactivity monitoring programme carried out by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland RPII during 2010 and 2011. The RPII has routinely monitored levels of radioactivity in the Irish environment since 1982 and this is the latest in the RPII's series of environmental monitoring reports. The RPII reviews and updates its environmental programme annually to ensure it remains relevant and continues to focus on the most important sources of radioactivity in the environment. The data presented in this report confirm that while the levels of artificial radioactivity in the Irish environment are detectable, they are low. They do not pose a significant risk to the human health of the Irish population. Trace amounts of radioactive isotopes consistent with the Fukushima nuclear accident were detected in air, rainwater and milk samples during the period March to May 2011. These increases in levels of radioactivity were not of concern from a public health point of view. For the remainder of the reporting period, activity concentrations of radionuclides in airborne particles were low and consistent with measurements made in recent years. Radioactivity levels in milk, mixed diet and a wide range of foodstuffs were low and, for the majority of samples, below the detection limits. All drinking waters tested were found to be in compliance with the total indicative dose defined in national and EU legislation. The doses incurred by the Irish public in 2010 and 2011 as a result of artificial radioactivity in the marine environment are small when compared to dose limits or to natural radiation doses received by the Irish public. The doses to the most exposed individuals, members of the oyster and mussel farmers critical group, were approximately 0.02 per cent and 0.05 per cent of the annual dose limit of 1000 microsieverts for members of the public from practices involving controllable sources of radiation in 2010 and

Smile (System/Machine-Independent Local Environment)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fletcher, J.G.

1988-04-01

This document defines the characteristics of Smile, a System/machine-independent local environment. This environment consists primarily of a number of primitives (types, macros, procedure calls, and variables) that a program may use; these primitives provide facilities, such as memory allocation, timing, tasking and synchronization beyond those typically provided by a programming language. The intent is that a program will be portable from system to system and from machine to machine if it relies only on the portable aspects of its programming language and on the Smile primitives. For this to be so, Smile itself must be implemented on each system and machine, most likely using non-portable constructions; that is, while the environment provided by Smile is intended to be portable, the implementation of Smile is not necessarily so. In order to make the implementation of Smile as easy as possible and thereby expedite the porting of programs to a new system or a new machine, Smile has been defined to provide a minimal portable environment; that is, simple primitives are defined, out of which more complex facilities may be constructed using portable procedures. The implementation of Smile can be as any of the following: the underlying software environment for the operating system of an otherwise {open_quotes}bare{close_quotes} machine, a {open_quotes}guest{close_quotes} system environment built upon a preexisting operating system, an environment within a {open_quotes}user{close_quotes} process run by an operating system, or a single environment for an entire machine, encompassing both system and {open_quotes}user{close_quotes} processes. In the first three of these cases the tasks provided by Smile are {open_quotes}lightweight processes{close_quotes} multiplexed within preexisting processes or the system, while in the last case they also include the system processes themselves.

Software for marine ecological environment comprehensive monitoring system based on MCGS

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, X. H.; Ma, R.; Cao, X.; Cao, L.; Chu, D. Z.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, T. P.

2017-08-01

The automatic integrated monitoring software for marine ecological environment based on MCGS configuration software is designed and developed to realize real-time automatic monitoring of many marine ecological parameters. The DTU data transmission terminal performs network communication and transmits the data to the user data center in a timely manner. The software adopts the modular design and has the advantages of stable and flexible data structure, strong portability and scalability, clear interface, simple user operation and convenient maintenance. Continuous site comparison test of 6 months showed that, the relative error of the parameters monitored by the system such as temperature, salinity, turbidity, pH, dissolved oxygen was controlled within 5% with the standard method and the relative error of the nutrient parameters was within 15%. Meanwhile, the system had few maintenance times, low failure rate, stable and efficient continuous monitoring capabilities. The field application shows that the software is stable and the data communication is reliable, and it has a good application prospect in the field of marine ecological environment comprehensive monitoring.

Process monitoring with optical fibers and harsh environment sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marcus, M.A.; Wang, A.

1999-01-01

This volume contains 35 papers presented at the symposium. Some of the topics covered are: sensors for the energy industry; sensors for materials evaluation and structural monitoring; sensors for engine industry; and other harsh environments sensors

Hierarchical Leak Detection and Localization Method in Natural Gas Pipeline Monitoring Sensor Networks

OpenAIRE

Ning Yu; Renjian Feng; Jiangwen Wan; Yinfeng Wu; Yang Yu

2011-01-01

In light of the problems of low recognition efficiency, high false rates and poor localization accuracy in traditional pipeline security detection technology, this paper proposes a type of hierarchical leak detection and localization method for use in natural gas pipeline monitoring sensor networks. In the signal preprocessing phase, original monitoring signals are dealt with by wavelet transform technology to extract the single mode signals as well as characteristic parameters. In the initia...

The Ocean State Report of the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service

Science.gov (United States)

von Schuckmann, Karina

2017-04-01

COPERNICUS is the European Earth observation and monitoring programme, which aims to give the European Union autonomous and operational capability in space-based observation facilities (see the Sentinel missions) and in situ (measurements in the atmosphere, in the ocean and on the ground), and to operate six interlinked environmental monitoring services for the oceans, the atmosphere, territorial development, emergency situations, security and climate change. In this context, the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service provides an open and free access to regular and systematic information about the physical state and dynamics of the ocean and marine ecosystems for the global ocean and six European regional seas. Mercator Ocean, the French center of global ocean analysis and forecast has been entrusted by the EU to implement and operate the Copernicus Marine Service. The first Ocean State Report Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service has been prepared, and is planned to appear at an annual basis (fall each year) as a unique reference for ocean state reporting. This report contains a state-of-the-art value-added synthesis of the ocean state for the global ocean and the European regional seas from the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service data products and expert analysis. This activity is aiming to reach a wide audience -from the scientific community, over climate and environmental service and agencies, environmental reporting and bodies to the general public. We will give here an overview on the report, highlight main outcomes, and introduce future plans and developments.

MAFF monitoring of the terrestrial environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sherlock, J.C.

1991-01-01

This paper addresses the MAFF food surveillance programme, in particular our Terrestrial Radioactivity Monitoring Programme (TRAMP), and the estimation of dietary intake of radionuclides. The MAFF programme exists primarily to demonstrate that authorized discharges of radioactivity to the environment do not result in individuals receiving doses of radiation in excess of accepted limits. The estimation radionuclide intake ensures over estimation rather than underestimation of dose. Improvements in detection limits and absorption level research could lower the calculated dose to man from radionuclides in food without losing their validity. (author)

Monitoring survey of pulsating giant stars in the Local Group galaxies: survey description, science goals, target selection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saremi, E; Abedi, A; Javadi, A; Khosroshahi, H; Molaei Nezhad, A; Van Loon, J Th; Bamber, J; Hashemi, S A; Nikzat, F

2017-01-01

The population of nearby dwarf galaxies in the Local Group constitutes a complete galactic environment, perfect suited for studying the connection between stellar populations and galaxy evolution. In this study, we are conducting an optical monitoring survey of the majority of dwarf galaxies in the Local Group, with the Isaac Newton Telescope (INT), to identify long period variable stars (LPVs). These stars are at the end points of their evolution and therefore their luminosity can be directly translated into their birth masses; this enables us to reconstruct the star formation history. By the end of the monitoring survey, we will have performed observations over ten epochs, spaced approximately three months apart, and identified long-period, dust-producing AGB stars; five epochs of data have been obtained already. LPVs are also the main source of dust; in combination with Spitzer Space Telescope images at mid-IR wavelengths we will quantify the mass loss, and provide a detailed map of the mass feedback into the interstellar medium. We will also use the amplitudes in different optical passbands to determine the radius variations of the stars, and relate this to their mass loss. (paper)

Monitoring survey of pulsating giant stars in the Local Group galaxies: survey description, science goals, target selection

Science.gov (United States)

Saremi, E.; Javadi, A.; van Loon, J. Th; Khosroshahi, H.; Abedi, A.; Bamber, J.; Hashemi, S. A.; Nikzat, F.; Molaei Nezhad, A.

2017-06-01

The population of nearby dwarf galaxies in the Local Group constitutes a complete galactic environment, perfect suited for studying the connection between stellar populations and galaxy evolution. In this study, we are conducting an optical monitoring survey of the majority of dwarf galaxies in the Local Group, with the Isaac Newton Telescope (INT), to identify long period variable stars (LPVs). These stars are at the end points of their evolution and therefore their luminosity can be directly translated into their birth masses; this enables us to reconstruct the star formation history. By the end of the monitoring survey, we will have performed observations over ten epochs, spaced approximately three months apart, and identified long-period, dust-producing AGB stars; five epochs of data have been obtained already. LPVs are also the main source of dust; in combination with Spitzer Space Telescope images at mid-IR wavelengths we will quantify the mass loss, and provide a detailed map of the mass feedback into the interstellar medium. We will also use the amplitudes in different optical passbands to determine the radius variations of the stars, and relate this to their mass loss.

Urinary urge seizure semiology localization by intracranial monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Rengarajan, Ronak; Shamim, Sadat

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Seizures may present with many different symptom complexes. Seizure semiologies have localization value when contemplating surgical therapies. Epilepsy presenting as a desire to micturate is exceedingly rare, with only a handful of published cases. We present a patient who had initially unexplained childhood urinary urge that progressed into lapses of memory and confusion that was eventually diagnosed as epilepsy in adulthood. Due to refractoriness to medical management, our patient's epileptic focus was localized through both noninvasive and invasive subdural electrode arrays to the nondominant medial temporal lobe and successfully treated with an amygdalohippocampectomy. Only one other case of ictal urinary urgency seizures has been recorded with intracranial electroencephalogram monitoring in the literature. PMID:29686574

Urinary urge seizure semiology localization by intracranial monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Rengarajan, Ronak; Shamim, Sadat

2018-01-01

Seizures may present with many different symptom complexes. Seizure semiologies have localization value when contemplating surgical therapies. Epilepsy presenting as a desire to micturate is exceedingly rare, with only a handful of published cases. We present a patient who had initially unexplained childhood urinary urge that progressed into lapses of memory and confusion that was eventually diagnosed as epilepsy in adulthood. Due to refractoriness to medical management, our patient's epileptic focus was localized through both noninvasive and invasive subdural electrode arrays to the nondominant medial temporal lobe and successfully treated with an amygdalohippocampectomy. Only one other case of ictal urinary urgency seizures has been recorded with intracranial electroencephalogram monitoring in the literature.

Environmental monitoring report for Pantex Plant covering 1986

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laseter, W.A.

1987-04-01

This report summarizes the environmental monitoring program at Pantex Plant for 1986. It has been prepared in accordance with the US Department of Energy Order 5484.1. This report presents monitoring data for both radioactive and nonradioactive species in the local environment. Plant activities involve the handling of significant quantities of uranium, plutonium and tritium in the form of completed parts received from other DOE facilities, resulting in a very low potential for release of these radionuclides to the atmosphere. In 1986 only small releases of depleted uranium (depleted in the isotope U-235) and tritium occurred which could have affected the local environment. Monitoring data indicate that concentrations of these nuclides in the environment are below established criteria for air and water and therefore should not present a health hazard either to employees or to the public

Annual report on radioactive discharges from Winfrith and monitoring the environment 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-04-01

The 1987 Annual Report on radioactive discharges from Winfrith Atomic Energy Establishment and monitoring of the environment is given. The report covers waste discharges to the sea and the earth atmosphere and the associated environmental monitoring. (UK)

Results of Monitoring at Olkiluoto in 2011. Environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haapanen, A. [Haapanen Forest Consulting, Vanhakylae (Finland)

2012-11-15

This Working Report presents the main results of Posiva Oy's environmental monitoring programme on Olkiluoto Island in 2011. These summary reports have been published since 2005. The environmental monitoring system supervised by Posiva Oy produces input for biosphere modelling for long-term safety purposes as well as for monitoring the state of the environment during the construction (and later operation) of ONKALO underground rock characterization facility. Part of the monitoring is performed by the company running the nuclear power plants on the island, Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO). Monitoring has been carried out for varying periods of time depending on the sector: some monitoring activities performed by TVO originate from the 1970s and the repository-related environmental monitoring of Olkiluoto from the early 2000s. The monitoring programme evolves according to experiences gained from the modelling work and increased understanding of the site. Monitoring activities in 2011 proceeded according to the plans. The land-use of the island continues to change due to the construction work of OL3, ONKALO and related infrastructure, but the remaining natural environment resembles other coastal locations. The amount of nitrogen in the bulk deposition increased in 2011, whereas that of sulphur decreased. Some litterfall fractions showed higher Al and Fe values than earlier, likely caused by soil dust. Proximity of the sea is seen in wet deposition and soil solution results. Soil solution also reflects the young age of soils. Undestorey vegetation has shown no essential changes during the monitoring period. Mammalian fauna on the island is typical of coastal areas in Southwestern Finland. Game catches vary according to hunting pressure and natural variation in populations. The condition of the nearby sea is affected by the continuous land uplift, the shallowness of the area, the weather conditions, the general condition of the Bothnian Sea, the nutrient and sediment loads

Results of Monitoring at Olkiluoto in 2011. Environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haapanen, A.

2012-11-01

This Working Report presents the main results of Posiva Oy's environmental monitoring programme on Olkiluoto Island in 2011. These summary reports have been published since 2005. The environmental monitoring system supervised by Posiva Oy produces input for biosphere modelling for long-term safety purposes as well as for monitoring the state of the environment during the construction (and later operation) of ONKALO underground rock characterization facility. Part of the monitoring is performed by the company running the nuclear power plants on the island, Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO). Monitoring has been carried out for varying periods of time depending on the sector: some monitoring activities performed by TVO originate from the 1970s and the repository-related environmental monitoring of Olkiluoto from the early 2000s. The monitoring programme evolves according to experiences gained from the modelling work and increased understanding of the site. Monitoring activities in 2011 proceeded according to the plans. The land-use of the island continues to change due to the construction work of OL3, ONKALO and related infrastructure, but the remaining natural environment resembles other coastal locations. The amount of nitrogen in the bulk deposition increased in 2011, whereas that of sulphur decreased. Some litterfall fractions showed higher Al and Fe values than earlier, likely caused by soil dust. Proximity of the sea is seen in wet deposition and soil solution results. Soil solution also reflects the young age of soils. Undestorey vegetation has shown no essential changes during the monitoring period. Mammalian fauna on the island is typical of coastal areas in Southwestern Finland. Game catches vary according to hunting pressure and natural variation in populations. The condition of the nearby sea is affected by the continuous land uplift, the shallowness of the area, the weather conditions, the general condition of the Bothnian Sea, the nutrient and sediment loads

Results of Monitoring at Olkiluoto in 2011. Environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haapanen, A. (ed.) [Haapanen Forest Consulting, Vanhakylae (Finland)

2012-11-15

This Working Report presents the main results of Posiva Oy's environmental monitoring programme on Olkiluoto Island in 2011. These summary reports have been published since 2005. The environmental monitoring system supervised by Posiva Oy produces input for biosphere modelling for long-term safety purposes as well as for monitoring the state of the environment during the construction (and later operation) of ONKALO underground rock characterization facility. Part of the monitoring is performed by the company running the nuclear power plants on the island, Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO). Monitoring has been carried out for varying periods of time depending on the sector: some monitoring activities performed by TVO originate from the 1970s and the repository-related environmental monitoring of Olkiluoto from the early 2000s. The monitoring programme evolves according to experiences gained from the modelling work and increased understanding of the site. Monitoring activities in 2011 proceeded according to the plans. The land-use of the island continues to change due to the construction work of OL3, ONKALO and related infrastructure, but the remaining natural environment resembles other coastal locations. The amount of nitrogen in the bulk deposition increased in 2011, whereas that of sulphur decreased. Some litterfall fractions showed higher Al and Fe values than earlier, likely caused by soil dust. Proximity of the sea is seen in wet deposition and soil solution results. Soil solution also reflects the young age of soils. Undestorey vegetation has shown no essential changes during the monitoring period. Mammalian fauna on the island is typical of coastal areas in Southwestern Finland. Game catches vary according to hunting pressure and natural variation in populations. The condition of the nearby sea is affected by the continuous land uplift, the shallowness of the area, the weather conditions, the general condition of the Bothnian Sea, the nutrient and sediment

Wireless sensor network and monitoring for environment

OpenAIRE

Han, Liang

2011-01-01

In recent years, wireless sensor network technology is developing at a surprisingly high speed. More and more fields have started to use the wireless sensor network technology and find the advantages of WSN, such as military applications, environmental observing and forecasting system, medical care, smart home, structure monitoring. The world Environmental Summit in Copenhagen on 2010 has just concluded that environment has become the world’s main concern. But regrettably the summit did no...

An expert system for a local planning environment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meester, G.J.; Meester, G.J.

1993-01-01

In this paper, we discuss the design of an Expert System (ES) that supports decision making in a Local Planning System (LPS) environment. The LPS provides the link between a high level factory planning system (rough cut capacity planning and material coordination) and the actual execution of jobs on

Survey of environment related monitoring programmes of international organizations and their contribution to international monitoring programmes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-12-01

The report is a summary of environment-related monitoring programmes of international governmental organizations and their contribution to international monitoring programmes. it presents the situation as of November 1986: This survey has been prepared by a consultant for the Secretariat as a background document for the second meeting of the Environment Experts, Economic Summit in Munich, November 1986. It serves information purposes only. No claim for completeness is intended. This report may also prove to be helpful for administrators and the scientific community as regards gaining knowledge on present arrangements, approaches and environmental activities in the framework of international organizations. In this light, the present report could facilitate communication and progress in solving pressing environmental problems on the international level. (orig.)

Structural Health Monitoring Based on Combined Structural Global and Local Frequencies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jilin Hou

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a parameter estimation method for Structural Health Monitoring based on the combined measured structural global frequencies and structural local frequencies. First, the global test is experimented to obtain the low order modes which can reflect the global information of the structure. Secondly, the mass is added on the member of structure to increase the local dynamic characteristic and to make the member have local primary frequency, which belongs to structural local frequency and is sensitive to local parameters. Then the parameters of the structure can be optimized accurately using the combined structural global frequencies and structural local frequencies. The effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method are verified by the experiment of a space truss.

Traffic data for local emissions monitoring at a signalized intersection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bigazzi, A.; Lint, J.W.C. van; Klunder, G.; Stelwagen, U.; Ligterink, N.E.

2010-01-01

In order to assist planning efforts for air pollution-responsive dynamic traffic management (DTM) systems, this research assesses the accuracy of local emissions monitoring based on traffic data and models. The study quantifies the benefits of increased data resolution for short-term emissions

Manipulating and Monitoring On-Surface Biological Reactions by Light-Triggered Local pH Alterations.

Science.gov (United States)

Peretz-Soroka, Hagit; Pevzner, Alexander; Davidi, Guy; Naddaka, Vladimir; Kwiat, Moria; Huppert, Dan; Patolsky, Fernando

2015-07-08

Significant research efforts have been dedicated to the integration of biological species with electronic elements to yield smart bioelectronic devices. The integration of DNA, proteins, and whole living cells and tissues with electronic devices has been developed into numerous intriguing applications. In particular, the quantitative detection of biological species and monitoring of biological processes are both critical to numerous areas of medical and life sciences. Nevertheless, most current approaches merely focus on the "monitoring" of chemical processes taking place on the sensing surfaces, and little efforts have been invested in the conception of sensitive devices that can simultaneously "control" and "monitor" chemical and biological reactions by the application of on-surface reversible stimuli. Here, we demonstrate the light-controlled fine modulation of surface pH by the use of photoactive molecularly modified nanomaterials. Through the use of nanowire-based FET devices, we showed the capability of modulating the on-surface pH, by intensity-controlled light stimulus. This allowed us simultaneously and locally to control and monitor pH-sensitive biological reactions on the nanodevices surfaces, such as the local activation and inhibition of proteolytic enzymatic processes, as well as dissociation of antigen-antibody binding interactions. The demonstrated capability of locally modulating the on-surface effective pH, by a light stimuli, may be further applied in the local control of on-surface DNA hybridization/dehybridization processes, activation or inhibition of living cells processes, local switching of cellular function, local photoactivation of neuronal networks with single cell resolution and so forth.

Control and monitoring of the localized corrosion of zirconium in acidic chloride solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fahey, J.; Holmes, D.; Yau, T.L.

1995-01-01

Zirconium in acidic chloride solutions which are contaminated with ferric or cupric cations is prone to localized corrosion. This tendency can be reduced by ensuring that the zirconium surface is clean and smooth. In this paper, the effect of surface condition on the localized corrosion of zirconium in acidic chloride solutions is predicted with potentiodynamic scans. These predictions are confirmed by weight loss tests on various combinations of surface finish and acid concentrations. A real time indication of localized corrosion is seen by monitoring the electrochemical noise produced between two similar electrodes immersed in an acidic chloride solutions. Electrochemical noise monitoring correlates well with the predictions from potentiodynamic and weight loss experiments. The electrochemical noise results show that while an elevated (more anodic) potential caused by ferric ion contamination may be a necessary condition for localized corrosion, it is not a sufficient condition: A smooth, clean zirconium surface reduces the localized corrosion of zirconium

UARS Particle Environment Monitor (PEM) Level 3TP V001

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Particle Environment Monitor (PEM) Level 3TP data product consists of daily, 65.536 second and 2.048 interval time-ordered, vertical profiles of electron and...

SPACE RADIATION ENVIRONMENT MONITORED BY KITSAT-1 AND KITSAT-2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. H. Shin

1996-06-01

Full Text Available The results of space radiation experiments carried out on board the first two Korean technology demonstration microsatellites are presented in this paper. The first satellite, KITSAT-1, launched in August 1992, carries a radiation monitoring payload called cosmic ray experiment(CRE for characterizing the low-earth orbit(LEO radiation environment. The CRE consists of two sub-systems: the cosmic particle experiment (CPE and the total dose experiment(TDE. In addition, single event upset(SEUrates of the program memory and the RAM disk are also monitored. The second satellite, KITSAT-2, launched in September 1993, carries a newly developed 32-bit on-board computer(OBC, KASCOM(KAIST satellite computer in addition to OBC186. SEUs ocurred in the KASCOM, as well as in the program memory and RAM disk memory, have been monitored since the beginning of the satellite operation. These two satellites, which are very similar in structures but different in orbits, provide a unique opportunity to study the effects of the radiation environment characterized by the orbit.

Hyperion technology enables unified meteorological and radiological monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zigic, A.; Saponjic, D.; Arandjelovic, V.; Zunic, Z. . E-mail address of corresponding author: alex@vin.bg.ac.yu; Zigic, A.)

2005-01-01

The present state of meteorological and radiological measurement and monitoring are quite localized to smaller areas which implies the difficulties in knowing the measurement results in the wider region instantly. The need for establishing a distributed, flexible, modular and centralized measurement system for both meteorological and radiological parameters of environment is arising. The measurement and monitoring of radiological parameters of environment are not sufficient since there is a strong correlation between radiological and meteorological parameters which implies a unified distributed automatic monitoring system. The unified monitoring system makes it possible to transfer, process and store measured data in local and central databases. Central database gives a possibility of easy access to all measured data for authorized personnel and institutions. Stored measured data in central database gives a new opportunity to create a base for meteorological and radiological modelling and studies. (author)

Design of the Resources and Environment Monitoring Website in Kashgar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Z; Lin, Q Z; Wang, Q J

2014-01-01

Despite the development of the web geographical information system (web GIS), many useful spatial analysis functions are ignored in the system implementation. As Kashgar is rich in natural resources, it is of great significance to monitor the ample natural resource and environment situation in the region. Therefore, with multiple uses of spatial analysis, resources and environment monitoring website of Kashgar was built. Functions of water, vegetation, ice and snow extraction, task management, change assessment as well as thematic mapping and reports based on TM remote sensing images were implemented in the website. The design of the website was presented based on database management tier, the business logic tier and the top-level presentation tier. The vital operations of the website were introduced and the general performance was evaluated

NOVANA - National Monitoring and Assessment Programme for the Aquatic and Terrestrial Environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svendsen, L. M.

This report is Part 1 of the Programme Description of NOVANA - the Nationwide Monitoring and Assessment Programme for the Aquatic and Terrestrial Environments. Part 1 comprises a general description of the background for the programme, including the international obliga-tions and requirements...... for monitoring of nature and the environment. The overall objective and the scientific and strategic background for the priorities upon which NOVANA pro-gramme is based are described, as are the organization of the programme, the overall economy and the technical assumptions made. Finally the scientific content...

Monitoring substrate enables real-time regulation of a protein localization pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Koreaki; Mori, Hiroyuki; Chiba, Shinobu

2018-06-01

Protein localization machinery supports cell survival and physiology, suggesting the potential importance of its expression regulation. Here, we summarize a remarkable scheme of regulation, which allows real-time feedback regulation of the machinery expression. A class of regulatory nascent polypeptides, called monitoring substrates, undergoes force-sensitive translation arrest. The resulting ribosome stalling on the mRNA then affects mRNA folding to expose the ribosome-binding site of the downstream target gene and upregulate its translation. The target gene encodes a component of the localization machinery, whose physical action against the monitoring substrate leads to arrest cancellation. Thus, this scheme of feedback loop allows the cell to adjust the amount of the machinery to correlate inversely with the effectiveness of the process at a given moment. The system appears to have emerged late in evolution, in which a narrow range of organisms selected a distinct monitoring substrate-machinery combination. Currently, regulatory systems of SecM-SecA, VemP-SecDF2 and MifM-YidC2 are known to occur in different bacterial species.

POPs monitoring and related activities by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoshida, Yoshitoku; Enomoto, Yasutaka; Kazuko, Kazuko [Ministry of the Environment, Goverment of Japan (Japan)

2004-09-15

In Article 16 of Stockholm Convention for the global elimination of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), it is written that ''comparable monitoring data'' reported by the Parties will be used for the ''effectiveness evaluation of the Convention''. A detailed evaluation scheme will be decided by the Conference of the Parties, but various technical aspects of this POPs monitoring were discussed by the international experts at UNEP Chemical's workshop on the development of Global POPs Monitoring held in Geneva in March 2003, and the guidance documents for the monitoring are now being prepared based on the results of the workshop. The Ministry of the Environment (MoE), Japan, has been conducting environmental monitoring of various pollutants including major POPs in Japan for more than two decades, and reported the results every year in a report ''Chemicals in the Environment'' (or KUROHON, meaning ''black book'' in Japanese). Originally a conventional GC/ECD method had been employed for the analysis of organochlorine chemicals (OCs) in biological samples. Then a GC/MS (low resolution) was introduced for OCs analysis in sediments and water, and GC/high resolution(HR)-MS method was introduced for dioxins analysis from around 1990. Due to general decline of POPs levels in the environment, the number of ND (not detected = less than detection limits) data had been increasing in recent years, and consequently it became difficult to extract temporal trends from the monitoring data. In 2002, MoE decided to reorganize the environmental monitoring framework in order to respond to the request of POPs convention, and re-started POPs monitoring by using more sensitive GC/HR-MS method for the analysis of nine POPs chemicals (dioxins and furans have already been monitored by the method; toxaphene is analyzed by GC/negative ionization-MS). The primary purpose of this reorganization is to reveal

Energy harvesting schemes for building interior environment monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Zylka, Pawel; Pociecha, Dominik

2016-11-01

A vision to supply microelectronic devices without batteries making them perpetual or extending time of service in battery-oriented mobile supply schemes is the driving force of the research related to ambient energy harvesting. Energy harnessing aims thus at extracting energy from various ambient energy "pools", which generally are cost- or powerineffective to be scaled up for full-size, power-plant energy generation schemes supplying energy in electric form. These include - but are not limited to - waste heat, electromagnetic hum, vibrations, or human-generated power in addition to traditional renewable energy resources like water flow, tidal and wind energy or sun radiation which can also be exploited at the miniature scale by energy scavengers. However, in case of taking advantage of energy harvesting strategies to power up sensors monitoring environment inside buildings adaptable energy sources are restrained to only some which additionally are limited in spatial and temporal accessibility as well as available power. The paper explores experimentally an energy harvesting scheme exploiting human kinesis applicable in indoor environment for supplying a wireless indoor micro-system, monitoring ambient air properties (pressure, humidity and temperature).

Monitoring of radioactivity in the marine environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bologa, A.S.

1992-01-01

The necessity of radioactivity monitoring in the marine environment was imposed by the increasing development of nuclear power and its world-wide use in many different segments of economic and social life. Both natural and artificial radioactivity play an important role in marine ecology and human health. In this respect three major facts continue to prevail in Romania. The fallout, the presence of the Danube river and the expectations for future energy production. Spatial and temporal monitoring of marine radioactivity along the Romanian Black Sea shore has been systematically performed in the Romanian Marine Research Institute in close co-operation with the Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology since 1981. Marine emerged and submerged sediments, coastal and offshore sea water, macroalgae, in vertebrates and fish off the Danube mouths and/or along the coast are monitored for natural and artificial radioactivity by means of beta gross measurements and gamma spectrometry. Concentrations of radionuclides as K-40, Cs-134, Cs-137 in abiotic and biotic samples, environmental distributions coefficients and concentrations factors (CF), as well as experimentally-derived CFs in marine biota as radioecological bioindicators are assessed and stored for a national data base. (author) 3 tabs., 18 refs

Seeing white elephants? The production and communication of information in a locally-based monitoring system in Tanzania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Reinhardt Nielsen

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The literature on locally-based monitoring in the context of conservation displays a great deal of optimism about the prospects of involving local people in the systematic gathering of information about the condition and use of natural resources and conservation areas to inform management decisions from local to national levels. This study challenges this notion based on a case study of a collaborative forest management and locally-based monitoring project that has been considered a successful showcase example in Tanzania. It does so by comparing information from locally-based monitoring of forest condition and financial transactions, as presented by community management institutions to higher authorities, with forest transect surveys and an audit of financial accounts. The results reveal that the information produced and communicated under the locally-based monitoring system contradicts trends in wildlife densities and human disturbance observed in the forest and under-represents actual financial flows. Interviews and observations further indicate that communication of this information takes place under conditions of ongoing power struggles over access to benefits of collaborative forest management. This study serves to caution that the information produced and communicated under the locally-based monitoring system may be shaped by the incentives and power struggles surrounding the particular context within which the system is based and therefore cannot be taken at face value.

Reotemp Pressure Indicator - Local Pressure Indication to Monitor the SCHe Supply Bottle Pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

VAN KATWIJK, C.

1999-01-01

These 0-3000 psig range pressure indicators are located in the SCHe helium supply lines at the pressure bottles and upstream of the PRV. These accident monitoring local pressure indicators monitor the SCHe supply bottle pressure. There is one pressure indicator for each SCHe supply (4)

Operationalising an effective monitoring and evaluation system for local government: Considerations for best practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Kariuki

2017-11-01

Conclusion: The article concluded that effective monitoring and evaluation in local government that is responsive to citizens’ needs is a non-negotiable imperative for government. It recommended that municipalities be adequately resourced with competent monitoring and evaluation human personnel. This is important for strengthening their capacity to deliver efficient monitoring and evaluation services.

EDF: contribution to local development and the protection of the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parot, F.; Veyret, G.

1995-01-01

As a consequence of the 1982-1983 French Decentralization laws, local elected officials were entrusted with new responsibilities concerning environmental protection and local development. EDF, the French public electricity utility therefore had to respond to new demands. New forms of cooperation with the various local actors were imagined: assistance in diagnostics, working out local strategies, subcontracting and working for the establishment of new industrial plants, multi-purpose water management (dams for example), environment protection (discreet lines...), urban waste treatment, transportation, etc

A Design of Ginseng Planting Environment Monitoring System Based on WSN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xin Ding

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Through the analysis of ginseng products industry chain, this paper designs and implements ginseng planting environment monitoring system. The system realized data collection and detection of ginseng planting environment in real time by using wireless sensor, transmission of environmental parameters in real time by using GPRS wireless transmission module, and video monitor and alarm of ginseng land by using unattended machine. It is the foundation of information transformation of ginseng products industry chain based on the Internet of Things. The experiment of ginseng planting base in Fusong indicates the system can offer support of original data for scientific cultivation of ginseng, comprehensive analysis of ginseng products and propaganda of ginseng brand.

Review of passive accumulation devices for monitoring organic micropollutants in the aquatic environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stuer-Lauridsen, Frank

2005-01-01

Over the past 15 years passive sampling devices have been developed that accumulate organic micropollutants and allow detection at ambient sub ng/l concentrations. Most passive accumulation devices (PADs) are designed for 1-4 weeks field deployment, where uptake is governed by linear first order kinetics providing a time weighted average of the exposure concentration. Semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) are the most comprehensively studied PADs, but other samplers may also be considered for aquatic monitoring purposes. The applicability of the PADs is reviewed with respect to commonly monitored aqueous matrices and compounds, the detection limits, and for use in quantitative monitoring related to requirements embedded in the EU Water Framework Directive, the US and EU Water Quality Criteria, and the Danish monitoring aquatic programme. The PADs may monitor >75% of the organic micropollutants of the programmes. Research is warranted regarding the uptake in PADs in low flow environments and for the development of samplers for polar organic compounds. - Major developments in the passive sampling of organic contaminants in aquatic environments will support future monitoring, compliance and research

Spatial Outlier Detection of CO2 Monitoring Data Based on Spatial Local Outlier Factor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu Xin

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Spatial local outlier factor (SLOF algorithm was adopted in this study for spatial outlier detection because of the limitations of the traditional static threshold detection. Based on the spatial characteristics of CO2 monitoring data obtained in the carbon capture and storage (CCS project, the K-Nearest Neighbour (KNN graph was constructed using the latitude and longitude information of the monitoring points to identify the spatial neighbourhood of the monitoring points. Then SLOF was adopted to calculate the outlier degrees of the monitoring points and the 3σ rule was employed to identify the spatial outlier. Finally, the selection of K value was analysed and the optimal one was selected. The results show that, compared with the static threshold method, the proposed algorithm has a higher detection precision. It can overcome the shortcomings of the static threshold method and improve the accuracy and diversity of local outlier detection, which provides a reliable reference for the safety assessment and warning of CCS monitoring.

Hierarchical Leak Detection and Localization Method in Natural Gas Pipeline Monitoring Sensor Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Jiangwen; Yu, Yang; Wu, Yinfeng; Feng, Renjian; Yu, Ning

2012-01-01

In light of the problems of low recognition efficiency, high false rates and poor localization accuracy in traditional pipeline security detection technology, this paper proposes a type of hierarchical leak detection and localization method for use in natural gas pipeline monitoring sensor networks. In the signal preprocessing phase, original monitoring signals are dealt with by wavelet transform technology to extract the single mode signals as well as characteristic parameters. In the initial recognition phase, a multi-classifier model based on SVM is constructed and characteristic parameters are sent as input vectors to the multi-classifier for initial recognition. In the final decision phase, an improved evidence combination rule is designed to integrate initial recognition results for final decisions. Furthermore, a weighted average localization algorithm based on time difference of arrival is introduced for determining the leak point’s position. Experimental results illustrate that this hierarchical pipeline leak detection and localization method could effectively improve the accuracy of the leak point localization and reduce the undetected rate as well as false alarm rate. PMID:22368464

Hierarchical leak detection and localization method in natural gas pipeline monitoring sensor networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Jiangwen; Yu, Yang; Wu, Yinfeng; Feng, Renjian; Yu, Ning

2012-01-01

In light of the problems of low recognition efficiency, high false rates and poor localization accuracy in traditional pipeline security detection technology, this paper proposes a type of hierarchical leak detection and localization method for use in natural gas pipeline monitoring sensor networks. In the signal preprocessing phase, original monitoring signals are dealt with by wavelet transform technology to extract the single mode signals as well as characteristic parameters. In the initial recognition phase, a multi-classifier model based on SVM is constructed and characteristic parameters are sent as input vectors to the multi-classifier for initial recognition. In the final decision phase, an improved evidence combination rule is designed to integrate initial recognition results for final decisions. Furthermore, a weighted average localization algorithm based on time difference of arrival is introduced for determining the leak point's position. Experimental results illustrate that this hierarchical pipeline leak detection and localization method could effectively improve the accuracy of the leak point localization and reduce the undetected rate as well as false alarm rate.

Hierarchical Leak Detection and Localization Method in Natural Gas Pipeline Monitoring Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ning Yu

2011-12-01

Full Text Available In light of the problems of low recognition efficiency, high false rates and poor localization accuracy in traditional pipeline security detection technology, this paper proposes a type of hierarchical leak detection and localization method for use in natural gas pipeline monitoring sensor networks. In the signal preprocessing phase, original monitoring signals are dealt with by wavelet transform technology to extract the single mode signals as well as characteristic parameters. In the initial recognition phase, a multi-classifier model based on SVM is constructed and characteristic parameters are sent as input vectors to the multi-classifier for initial recognition. In the final decision phase, an improved evidence combination rule is designed to integrate initial recognition results for final decisions. Furthermore, a weighted average localization algorithm based on time difference of arrival is introduced for determining the leak point’s position. Experimental results illustrate that this hierarchical pipeline leak detection and localization method could effectively improve the accuracy of the leak point localization and reduce the undetected rate as well as false alarm rate.

Development on high precision monitoring technique of radon and thoron in environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imaizumi, Masayuki; Hamada, Hiromasa; Goto, Masahiro; Nakazato, Hiroomi; Mori, Mitsuhiro

1999-01-01

In a field of the environmental management, many technical research and developments such as monitoring on drainage section and flowing speed change of groundwater, analysis on alternating flow phenomenon between surface water and groundwater, analysis on water leakage at a dam, forecasting of landslide, safety evaluation on ground due to detection of faults, have conducted. And, an application to analysis on gas flowing phenomenon from underground to atmosphere as a part of study on evaluation of effect of gas emitted from earth surface on the earth environment was investigated. This study aimed to elucidate behaviors of radon and thoron at environment and to develop a high precision monitoring technique on radon and thoron required to conduct an advanced application to a tracer in hydrology, applied geology, and environment engineering. (G.K.)

Web based remote monitoring and controlling system for vulnerable environments

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Aparna; George, Minu

2016-03-01

The two major areas of concern in industrial establishments are monitoring and security. The remote monitoring and controlling can be established with the help of Web technology. Managers can monitor and control the equipment in the remote area through a web browser. The targeted area includes all type of susceptible environment like gas filling station, research and development laboratories. The environmental parameters like temperature, light intensity, gas etc. can be monitored. Security is a very important factor in an industrial setup. So motion detection feature is added to the system to ensure the security. The remote monitoring and controlling system makes use of the latest, less power consumptive and fast working microcontroller like S3C2440. This system is based on ARM9 and Linux operating system. The ARM9 will collect the sensor data and establish real time video monitoring along with motion detection feature. These captured video data as well as environmental data is transmitted over internet using embedded web server which is integrated within the ARM9 board.

Changes in the practice of environment monitoring at the Cadarache Nuclear Research Centre as a function of experience. Some examples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grandin, M.

1980-09-01

From a few examples we have seen signs of a changed attitude towards the environment monitoring of nuclear plants affecting the choice of materials and the way in which they are used. Conversely the development of technology has played its own part during the same period, though it must be said in all honesty that for reasons of cost this development is not quite finished. The changes, whether voluntary or due to the pressure of local conditions, have converged in a general tendency to substitute a degree of 'interventionism' for a relatively passive observation which involves ensuring the respect of Public Health laws and checking that the local characteristics of the biosphere are not affected abnormally by the presence of the Nuclear Establishment. This radicalization 'tends generally to replace the measurement principle by that of detection, at least at the outset. On the technical side it is sometimes necessary to take strict physical measures, as for example in the case of campaigns to establish the radiological state of the locality or of supplementary investigations following an incident. It must be emphasized moreover that the special function of a Research Centre and a certain local caution in radioprotection matters have given the situation a meaning not necessarily transposable to the monitoring of a nuclear power station for example [fr

Data Quality Monitoring : Automatic MOnitoRing Environment (AMORE ) Web Administration Tool in ALICE Experiment

CERN Document Server

Nagi, Imre

2013-01-01

ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is the heavy-ion detector designed to study the physics of strongly interacting matter and the quark-gluon plasma at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The quality of the acquired data evolves over time depending on the status of the detectors, its components and the operating environment. To get an excellent performance of detector, all detector configurations have to be set perfectly so that the data-taking can be done in an optimal way. This report describes a new implementation of the administration tools of the ALICE’s DQM framework called AMORE (Automatic MonitoRing Environment) with web technologies.

Evolution of the local environment of lanthanum during simplified SON68 glass leaching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jollivet, P.; Delaye, J.M.; Den Auwer, C.; Simoni, E.

2007-01-01

The evolution of the short- and medium-range local environment of lanthanum was determined by L-III-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) during leaching of simplified SON68-type glasses. In glass without phosphorus, lanthanum is found in a silicate environment, and its first coordination sphere comprises eight oxygen atoms at a mean distance of 2.51 angstrom. When this glass was leached at a high renewal rate, the lanthanum local environment was significantly modified: it was present at hydroxy-carbonate and silicate sites with a mean La-O distance of 2.56 angstrom, and the second neighbors consisted of La atoms instead of Si for the glass. Conversely, in the gel formed at low renewal rates, lanthanum was found in a silicate environment similar to that of the glass. In phosphorus-doped glass, lanthanum is found in a phosphate environment, although the Si/P atomic ratio is 20:1. Lanthanum is surrounded by seven oxygen atoms at a mean distance of 2.37 angstrom. When phosphorus-doped glass is leached, regardless of the leaching solution flow rate, the short- and medium-range lanthanum local environment remains almost constant; the most significant change is a 0.05 angstrom increase in the La-O distance. (authors)

Harnessing monitoring measurements in urban environments for decision making after nuclear accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaiser, J.C.; Proehl, G.

2007-01-01

This article gives an overview on the conceptual design of the Inhabited Areas Monitoring Module IA MM which will be introduced into European decision support systems for nuclear emergencies. It will improve the use of monitoring data of radioactive contamination in urban environments for decision making. IAMM converts the dated gamma dose rate (GDR) measurements from geo-referenced locations into maps of surface contamination with an enhanced spatial resolution. Depending on the availability of the monitoring data, IAMM relies on two modes of operation. If there are only a few measurements, these are taken to improve the maps from a deposition model using data assimilation. If the number of measurements is sufficient to apply spatial interpolation IAMM will rely entirely on monitoring data. Suitable geo-referenced data points will be interpreted by IAMM with respect to their detector environment using the concept of location factors. The endpoints of IAMM can be used directly for decision making or dose calculations with either simple dose models or the more refined EuRopean Model for INhabited areas (ERMIN). (orig.)

Independent regulatory control and monitoring of the environment at the uranium legacy sites under reclamation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shandala, N.K.; Titov, A.V.; Kiselev, S.M.; Isaev, D.V.; Aladova, R.A.

2012-01-01

-tern continuous monitoring of radiation parameters and public doses in the vicinity of radiation hazardous facilities. Arrangement of monitoring should be prescribed at the early stage of reclamation and continued after reclamation completing taking into account special features of the legacy site allocation and contamination nature. Radiation monitoring is based on experimental studies of physical and chemical properties of radionuclides controlled, which promote prediction of their sorption and migration activities within ecosystems. The extent of control and monitoring should be sufficient to solve the following tasks: determine the extent of compliance with the principles of radiation safety; obtain the necessary information about the dynamics of the impact of contamination sources on the environment; calculate annual effective dose to the public on the basis of radiation monitoring data of the environmental media, foodstuffs and drinking water, taking into account local features of nutrition, water supplying and dietary habits of the public. Development of some quantitative radiation and ecological criteria and regulations for remediation/reclamation of areas affected by the uranium mining is necessary for proper regulatory supervision of the uranium legacy sites.

LINER galaxy properties and the local environment

Science.gov (United States)

Coldwell, Georgina V.; Alonso, Sol; Duplancic, Fernanda; Mesa, Valeria

2018-05-01

We analyse the properties of a sample of 5560 low-ionization nuclear emission-line region (LINER) galaxies selected from SDSS-DR12 at low red shift, for a complete range of local density environments. The host LINER galaxies were studied and compared with a well-defined control sample of 5553 non-LINER galaxies matched in red shift, luminosity, morphology and local density. By studying the distributions of galaxy colours and the stellar age population, we find that LINERs are redder and older than the control sample over a wide range of densities. In addition, LINERs are older than the control sample, at a given galaxy colour, indicating that some external process could have accelerated the evolution of the stellar population. The analysis of the host properties shows that the control sample exhibits a strong relation between colours, ages and the local density, while more than 90 per cent of the LINERs are redder and older than the mean values, independently of the neighbourhood density. Furthermore, a detailed study in three local density ranges shows that, while control sample galaxies are redder and older as a function of stellar mass and density, LINER galaxies mismatch the known morphology-density relation of galaxies without low-ionization features. The results support the contribution of hot and old stars to the low-ionization emission although the contribution of nuclear activity is not discarded.

The codevelopment of coastal fisheries monitoring methods to support local management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eva Schemmel

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Small-scale fisheries across the globe provide critical food security, livelihoods, and human well-being, but are threatened by a combination of local and global stressors, including overexploitation, pollution, and climate change. Participatory approaches to management, especially those that incorporate local communities and customary knowledge can provide meaningful biological information that supports sustainable fisheries management and builds local adaptive capacity to changing ocean conditions. Through a collaboration between fishers, scientists, NGOs, and regulating agencies, we developed a low-cost, low-tech method to assess the seasonal spawning peaks, lunar spawning cycles, and size at maturity (L50 for key targeted reef fish, combining traditional knowledge and practice with modern scientific approaches, including gonadosomatic index (GSI and histology. Two years of community-based monitoring resulted in data from 57 species and 15 families of reef and nearshore fishes (n = 2595, with detailed information for 10 species at 4 locations across the Hawaiian Islands. Comparisons between community-collected GSI data and scientifically (histologically assessed spawning cycles and size at reproductive maturity produced similar results suggesting that these approaches can be applied in data-poor fisheries to assess spawning seasons and size at maturity (L50, both of which are critical needs for effective fisheries management. Semistructured surveys revealed a large body of local knowledge on spawning times and harvest practices based on allowing spawning to occur before harvesting and protecting small and large size classes, but little evidence that fishers understand temporal patterns of spawning. This suggests that monitoring methods that fill key gaps such as this and are congruent with these local knowledge systems and customary harvest practices may be key for local stewardship and adaptive management.

Radiation protection instrumentation. Monitoring equipment. Atmospheric radioactive iodine in the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

This international standard applies to portable or installed equipment for the monitoring of radioactive iodine (such as I-131 or I-125) in air in the environment of nuclear installations during normal operation, during design basis events, and in emergency situations. The monitoring involves continuous sample trapping and, where adequate, automatic start of sampling. The document deals with radioactive iodine monitor design, testing procedures, and documentation. Appended tables refer to the reference and normal testing conditions, tests in normal testing conditions, tests during changes of the affecting quantities, and tests of changes in the air circuit. (P.A.)

Wireless microwave acoustic sensor system for condition monitoring in power plant environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pereira da Cunha, Mauricio [Univ. of Maine, Orno, ME (United States)

2017-03-30

This project successfully demonstrated novel wireless microwave acoustic temperature and pressure sensors that can be embedded into equipment and structures located in fossil fuel power plant environments to monitor the condition of components such as steam headers, re-heat lines, water walls, burner tubes, and power turbines. The wireless microwave acoustic sensor technology researched and developed through a collaborative partnership between the University of Maine and Environetix Technologies Corporation can provide a revolutionary impact in the power industry since it is anticipated that the wireless sensors will deliver reliable real-time sensing information in harsh power plant conditions that involve temperatures up to 1100oC and pressures up to 750 psi. The work involved the research and development of novel high temperature harsh environment thin film electrodes, piezoelectric smart microwave acoustic sensing elements, sensor encapsulation materials that were engineered to function over long times up to 1100oC, and a radio-frequency (RF) wireless interrogation electronics unit that are located both inside and outside the high temperature harsh environment. The UMaine / Environetix team have interacted with diverse power plant facilities, and identified as a testbed a local power generation facility, which burns municipal solid waste (MSW), the Penobscot Energy Recovery Company (PERC), Orrington, Maine. In this facility Environetix / UMaine successfully implemented and tested multiple wireless temperature sensor systems within the harsh-environment of the economizer chamber and at the boiler tubes, transferring the developed technology to the power plant environment to perform real-time sensor monitoring experiments under typical operating conditions, as initially targeted in the project. The wireless microwave acoustic sensor technology developed under this project for power plant applications offers several significant advantages including wireless

Radioactivity monitoring of the Irish marine environment 1991 and 1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGarry, A.; Lyons, S.; McEnri, C.; Ryan, T.; O'Colmain, M.; Cunningham, J.D.

1994-05-01

This report presents the results of the Radiological Protection Institute's programme of monitoring of radioactivity in the seas around Ireland during 1991 and 1992. The principal objective of the monitoring programme is to review the risks to human health arising from the Sellafield discharges. Secondary objectives include studies of the distribution of the significant contaminating radionuclides in the marie environment and the identification of trends with a view to assessing possible future effects. Estimates of the radiation doses to the Irish public are also presented in this report. 23 refs. 24 tabs. 9 figs

Model-based monitoring techniques for leakage localization in distribution water networks

OpenAIRE

Meseguer Amela, Jordi; Mirats Tur, Josep Maria; Cembrano Gennari, Gabriela; Puig Cayuela, Vicenç

2015-01-01

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license This paper describes an integrated model-based monitoring framework for leakage localization in district-metered areas (DMA) of water distribution networks, which takes advantage of the availability of a hydraulic model of the network. The leakage localization methodology is based on the use of flow and pressure sensors at the DMA inlets and a limited number of pressure sensors deployed inside the DMA. The placement of these sens...

On-line corrosion monitoring in district heating systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Richter, Sonja; Thorarinsdottir, R.I.; Hilbert, Lisbeth Rischel

2004-01-01

), Electrochemical Noise (EN) and Zero Resistance Ammetry (ZRA). Electrochemical Resistance (ER) has also been used to measure corrosion. The method traditionally only measures corrosion off-line but with newly developed high-sensitive ER technique developed by MetriCorr in Denmark, on-line monitoring is possible...... complicates the chemistry of the environment. Hydrogen sulphide is present in geothermal systems and can be formed as a by-product of sulphate-reducing-bacteria (SRB). The application of electrochemical methods makes on-line monitoring possible. These methods include: Linear Polarization Resistance (LPR....... In order to assess both general corrosion and localized corrosion, it is necessary to apply more than one monitoring technique simultaneously, ZRA or EN for measuring localized corrosion and LPR or ER for measuring general corrosion rate. The advantage of monitoring localized corrosion is indisputable...

Radioactivity in the environment. Report for 2001 : a summary and radiological assessment of the Environment Agency's monitoring programmes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

RSA 93 authorisations. Radiological monitoring programmes are carried out in support of the Agency's regulatory functions under RSA 93 and as part of the UK Government's obligations under the Euratom Treaty. This report presents the results of the Agency's regular monitoring of radioactivity in the environment during 2001 and an assessment of the radiological impact. The main findings of the regular monitoring programme during 2001 were as follows: The majority of operator declarations of the radioactive content of waste discharges and disposals had been assessed accurately or were over-estimate; Radiation dose rates above sediments and concentrations of radionuclides in water, sediment, soil and grass were generally consistent with those reported in previous years. Enhanced levels of artificial radionuclides continue to be found in coastal sediments in the vicinity of Sellafield, which decline with increasing distance from the site. Radioactivity levels around other major sites were mostly low or not detectable; As in previous years, concentrations of radionuclides in samples of airborne dust and rainwater from seven locations in the UK were very low or undetectable; Water from all 31 monitored sources of drinking water in England and Wales, except one in Derbyshire, were consistently below the World Health Organisation (WHO) drinking water screening levels. The enhanced level of uranium in the Derbyshire water is due to the natural levels of uranium in the local geology, and is insignificant from a radiological point of view. Assessments of doses that might be received by members of the public from drinking water and occupation of beaches, inter-tidal areas and river banks around nuclear and major non-nuclear sites were made. In all cases, doses were less than the annual dose limit for members of the public of 1000 microsieverts (1000 μSv). Houseboat dwellers on the Ribble Estuary in Lancashire received the highest total annual dose of 142 μSv. This is due to

Local-order metric for condensed-phase environments

Science.gov (United States)

Martelli, Fausto; Ko, Hsin-Yu; Oǧuz, Erdal C.; Car, Roberto

2018-02-01

We introduce a local order metric (LOM) that measures the degree of order in the neighborhood of an atomic or molecular site in a condensed medium. The LOM maximizes the overlap between the spatial distribution of sites belonging to that neighborhood and the corresponding distribution in a suitable reference system. The LOM takes a value tending to zero for completely disordered environments and tending to one for environments that perfectly match the reference. The site-averaged LOM and its standard deviation define two scalar order parameters, S and δ S , that characterize with excellent resolution crystals, liquids, and amorphous materials. We show with molecular dynamics simulations that S , δ S , and the LOM provide very insightful information in the study of structural transformations, such as those occurring when ice spontaneously nucleates from supercooled water or when a supercooled water sample becomes amorphous upon progressive cooling.

Local Control of Audio Environment: A Review of Methods and Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jussi Kuutti

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The concept of a local audio environment is to have sound playback locally restricted such that, ideally, adjacent regions of an indoor or outdoor space could exhibit their own individual audio content without interfering with each other. This would enable people to listen to their content of choice without disturbing others next to them, yet, without any headphones to block conversation. In practice, perfect sound containment in free air cannot be attained, but a local audio environment can still be satisfactorily approximated using directional speakers. Directional speakers may be based on regular audible frequencies or they may employ modulated ultrasound. Planar, parabolic, and array form factors are commonly used. The directivity of a speaker improves as its surface area and sound frequency increases, making these the main design factors for directional audio systems. Even directional speakers radiate some sound outside the main beam, and sound can also reflect from objects. Therefore, directional speaker systems perform best when there is enough ambient noise to mask the leaking sound. Possible areas of application for local audio include information and advertisement audio feed in commercial facilities, guiding and narration in museums and exhibitions, office space personalization, control room messaging, rehabilitation environments, and entertainment audio systems.

Precise RFID localization in impaired environment through sparse signal recovery

Science.gov (United States)

Subedi, Saurav; Zhang, Yimin D.; Amin, Moeness G.

2013-05-01

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a rapidly developing wireless communication technology for electronically identifying, locating, and tracking products, assets, and personnel. RFID has become one of the most important means to construct real-time locating systems (RTLS) that track and identify the location of objects in real time using simple, inexpensive tags and readers. The applicability and usefulness of RTLS techniques depend on their achievable accuracy. In particular, when multilateration-based localization techniques are exploited, the achievable accuracy primarily relies on the precision of the range estimates between a reader and the tags. Such range information can be obtained by using the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) and/or the phase difference of arrival (PDOA). In both cases, however, the accuracy is significantly compromised when the operation environment is impaired. In particular, multipath propagation significantly affects the measurement accuracy of both RSSI and phase information. In addition, because RFID systems are typically operated in short distances, RSSI and phase measurements are also coupled with the reader and tag antenna patterns, making accurate RFID localization very complicated and challenging. In this paper, we develop new methods to localize RFID tags or readers by exploiting sparse signal recovery techniques. The proposed method allows the channel environment and antenna patterns to be taken into account and be properly compensated at a low computational cost. As such, the proposed technique yields superior performance in challenging operation environments with the above-mentioned impairments.

Understanding the Spectrum Environment: Data and Monitoring to Improve Spectrum Utilization

Data.gov (United States)

Networking and Information Technology Research and Development, Executive Office of the President — The Wireless Spectrum Research and Development Senior Steering Group (WSRD SSG) Workshop V titled: Understanding the Spectrum Environment: Data and Monitoring to...

Corrosion Monitors for Embedded Evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robinson, Alex L. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Pfeifer, Kent B. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Casias, Adrian L. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Howell, Stephen W. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Sorensen, Neil R. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Missert, Nancy A. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2017-05-01

We have developed and characterized novel in-situ corrosion sensors to monitor and quantify the corrosive potential and history of localized environments. Embedded corrosion sensors can provide information to aid health assessments of internal electrical components including connectors, microelectronics, wires, and other susceptible parts. When combined with other data (e.g. temperature and humidity), theory, and computational simulation, the reliability of monitored systems can be predicted with higher fidelity.

Democracy in the Digital Communication Environment: A Typology Proposal of Political Monitoring Processes

OpenAIRE

Feenstra, Ramón A.; Casero Ripollés, Andreu

2014-01-01

The digital environment creates new opportunities for citizen political participation. Among these, the monitoring of political and economic power centers stands out. This includes public scrutiny of the management of public funds and the activities of the public and economic systems, thus denouncing dysfunctional features. This article aims to describe, differentiate, and classify the various forms that monitoring can take in current democracies. The results indicate that three major monitor...

Annual report on radioactive discharges and monitoring of the environment 1990. V. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

This Annual Report supplements the Health and Safety Annual Report of British Nuclear Fuels plc by providing more detailed information on radioactive discharges, monitoring of the environment and critical group doses. This report has been sub-divided into two complementary parts. Volume I includes annual data for each of the Company sites on radioactive discharges into the environment and the associated environmental monitoring programmes. The sites involved are: Sellafield where the main activities are irradiated nuclear fuel reprocessing and the Calder Hall nuclear station; the Drigg radioactive waste storage and disposal site; the Chapelcross nuclear power station; Springfields Works which manufactures nuclear fuels; Capenhurst Works where uranium isotopic enrichment plants are operated. Volume II reproduces the Certificates of Authorisation under which the Company operates and the statutory environmental monitoring programmes which relate to them. (author)

Annual report on radioactive discharges and monitoring of the environment 1990. V. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

This Annual Report supplements the Health and Safety Annual Report of British Nuclear Fuels plc by providing more detailed information on radioactive discharges, monitoring of the environment and critical group doses. This report has been sub-divided into two complementary parts. Volume I includes annual data for each of the Company sites on radioactive discharges into the environment and the associated environmental monitoring programmes. The sites involved are: Sellafield where the main activities are irradiated nuclear fuel reprocessing and the Calder Hall nuclear station; the Drigg radioactive waste storage and disposal site; the Chapelcross nuclear power station; Springfields Works which manufactures nuclear fuels; Capenhurst Works where uranium isotopic enrichment plants are operated. Volume II reproduces the Certificates of Authorisation under which the Company operates and the statutory environmental monitoring programmes which relate to them. (author)

Annual report on radioactive discharges and monitoring of the environment 1993. V. 2: Certificates of authorisation and environmental monitoring programmes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-01-01

British Nuclear Fuels plc's Certificates of Authorisation, under which it operates, are reproduced in the second volume of the 1993 Annual Report on Radioactive Discharges and Monitoring of the Environment. The report also includes environmental monitoring programmes relating to discharge authorisation for each of the Sellafield, Drigg, Chapelcross, Springfields and Capenhurst sites. (UK)

Environmental monitors : creative sentencing leads to new training program with Fort McMurray's Keyano College and local residents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collison, M.

2008-01-01

In 2003, levels of chlorine in drinking water at EnCana's Christina Lake work camp fell below minimum requirements. The internal audit that followed demonstrated a need for further training of the work camp's staff. EnCana was eventually fined $242,402. EnCana's response was to propose an environmental monitoring program to the Aboriginal education department at Keyano College. The program was designed to attract students with local traditional knowledge who wished to remain in their own communities. The monitors were trained to consider the impact of human and industrial activities on the environment and assist in wildlife counts, surveys, and water quality testing. The success of the program's pilot year has led to other companies in the oil and gas industry investing further funds in the program to ensure its continuance. The program considers 6 main subjects, notably (1) traditional land use, (2) environmental planning, (3) environmental impact assessment processes, (4) global information systems, (5) waste management, and (6) reclamation. 4 figs

Monitoring of contamination of atmospheric environment by radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ise, Hiroaki

1995-01-01

Atmospheric pollution has become a worldwide problem regardless of developed industrial nations and developing countries. In particular, the pollution due to automobile exhaust gas, the carcinogenic particles in diesel exhaust and their relation to various respiratory diseases are the problems. Nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides in exhaust gas become the cause of acid rain. Radiation began to be utilized for the measurement of the concentration of floating particles and the amount of fallout dust, the forecast of the generation and diffusion of pollutants, the elucidation of the contribution of generation sources in wide areas and so on. In this report, the circumstances that radiation became to be utilized for monitoring atmospheric environment and the present status and the perspective of the radiation utilization in the field of the preservation of atmospheric environment are described. The progress of the method of measuring floating particles in Japan is explained. The automatic measurement of floating particles by β-ray absorption method and the application of β-ray absorption method to the measurement of the amount of fallout dust, generation source particles and the exposure to floating particles of individuals for health control are described. The utilization of radiation for real time monitoring, the investigation of the generation of blown-up dust, atmospheric diffusion experiment and the elucidation of the contribution of generation sources by PIXE radioactivation analysis are reported. (K.I.)

Environmental perverse incentives in coastal monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibbs, Mark T

2013-08-15

It can be argued that the intensity of monitoring of coastal marine environments lags behind the equivalent terrestrial environments. This results in a paucity of long-term time series of key environmental parameters such as turbidity. This lack of management information of the sources and sinks, and causes and impacts of stressors to the coastal marine environment, along with a lack of co-ordination of information collection is compromising the ability of environmental impact assessments of major coastal developments to discriminate between local and remote anthropogenic impacts, and natural or background processes. In particular, the quasi outsourcing of the collection of coastal information can lead to a perverse incentive whereby in many cases nobody is actively or consistently monitoring the coastal marine environment effectively. This is particularly the case with regards to the collection of long-term and whole-of-system scale data. This lack of effective monitoring can act to incentivise poor environmental performance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Novel biospectroscopy sensor technologies towards environmental health monitoring in urban environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Obinaju, Blessing E.; Martin, Francis L.

2013-01-01

Biospectroscopy is an emerging inter-disciplinary field that exploits the application of sensor technologies [e.g., Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy] to lend novel insights into biological questions. Methods involved are relatively non-destructive so samples can subsequently be analysed by more conventional approaches, facilitating deeper mechanistic insights. Fingerprint spectra are derived and these consist of wavenumber–absorbance intensities; within a typical biological experiment, a complex dataset is quickly generated. Biological samples range from biofluids to cytology to tissues derived from human or sentinel sources, and analyses can be carried out ex vivo or in situ in living tissue. A reference range of a designated normal state can be derived; anything outside this is potentially atypical and discriminating chemical entities identified. Computational approaches allow one to minimize within-category confounding factors. Because of ease of sample preparation, low-cost and high-throughput capability, biospectroscopy approaches herald a new greener means of environmental health monitoring in urban environments. -- Highlights: ► Biospectroscopy is an emerging inter-disciplinary field. ► Physical sciences sensors with computational tools lend novel insights into biology. ► Analyse in a non-destructive manner; correlate with conventional methodologies. ► Low-cost, high-throughput and label-free (i.e., a green) technology. ► Can be applied to environmental health monitoring in urban environments. -- Biospectroscopy techniques allow the fingerprinting of biological material in a wide range of contexts that could relate to environmental health monitoring in urban environments

An iridium oxide microelectrode for monitoring acute local pH changes of endothelial cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Shu Rui; O'Hare, Danny

2015-06-21

pH sensors were fabricated by anodically electrodepositing iridium oxide films (AEIROFs) onto microelectrodes on chips and coated with poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) for mechanical stability. These demonstrate super-Nernstian response to pH from pH 4.0 to 7.7 in chloride-free phosphate buffer. The surface of the chip was coated with fibronectin for the attachment of porcine aortic endothelial cells (PAECs). The working capability of the pH sensor for monitoring acute local pH changes was investigated by stimulating the PAECs with thrombin. Our results show that thrombin induced acute extracellular acidification of PAECs and dissolution of fibronectin, causing the local pH to decrease. The use of PD98059, a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor, reduced extracellular acidification and an increase in local pH was observed. This study shows that our pH sensors can facilitate the investigation of acute cellular responses to stimulation by monitoring the real-time, local pH changes of cells attached to the sensors.

Weighted Local Active Pixel Pattern (WLAPP for Face Recognition in Parallel Computation Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gundavarapu Mallikarjuna Rao

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract  - The availability of multi-core technology resulted totally new computational era. Researchers are keen to explore available potential in state of art-machines for breaking the bearer imposed by serial computation. Face Recognition is one of the challenging applications on so ever computational environment. The main difficulty of traditional Face Recognition algorithms is lack of the scalability. In this paper Weighted Local Active Pixel Pattern (WLAPP, a new scalable Face Recognition Algorithm suitable for parallel environment is proposed.  Local Active Pixel Pattern (LAPP is found to be simple and computational inexpensive compare to Local Binary Patterns (LBP. WLAPP is developed based on concept of LAPP. The experimentation is performed on FG-Net Aging Database with deliberately introduced 20% distortion and the results are encouraging. Keywords — Active pixels, Face Recognition, Local Binary Pattern (LBP, Local Active Pixel Pattern (LAPP, Pattern computing, parallel workers, template, weight computation.  

Spatial Outlier Detection of CO2 Monitoring Data Based on Spatial Local Outlier Factor

OpenAIRE

Liu Xin; Zhang Shaoliang; Zheng Pulin

2015-01-01

Spatial local outlier factor (SLOF) algorithm was adopted in this study for spatial outlier detection because of the limitations of the traditional static threshold detection. Based on the spatial characteristics of CO2 monitoring data obtained in the carbon capture and storage (CCS) project, the K-Nearest Neighbour (KNN) graph was constructed using the latitude and longitude information of the monitoring points to identify the spatial neighbourhood of the monitoring points. Then ...

Remote physiological monitoring in an austere environment: a future for battlefield care provision?

Science.gov (United States)

Smyth, Matthew J; Round, J A; Mellor, A J

2018-05-14

Wearable technologies are making considerable advances into the mainstream as they become smaller and more user friendly. The global market for such devices is forecasted to be worth over US$5 billion in 2018, with one in six people owning a device. Many professional sporting teams use self-monitoring to assess physiological parameters and work rate on the pitch, highlighting the potential utility for military command chains. As size of device reduces and sensitivity improves, coupled with remote connectivity technology, integration into the military environment could be relatively seamless. Remote monitoring of personnel on the ground, giving live updates on their physiological status, would allow commanders or medical officers the ability to manage their soldiers appropriately and improve combat effectiveness. This paper explores a proof of concept for the use of a self-monitoring system in the austere high altitude environment of the Nepalese Himalayas, akin to those experienced by modern militaries fighting in remote locations. It also reviews, in part, the historical development of remote monitoring technologies. The system allowed for physiological recordings, plotted against GPS position, to be remotely monitored in Italy. Examples of the data recorded are given and the performance of the system is discussed, including limitations, potential areas of development and how systems like this one could be integrated into the military environment. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Cesium-137 monitoring of aquatic and terrestrial environment in Goiania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Godoy, J.N.O.; Guimaraes, J.R.D.; Gouvea, V.A.; Rochedo, E.R.R.

1988-01-01

During the Goiania radiological accident, aprox. 1200 Ci of Cs - 137 were inadvertently manipulated and an unknown fraction of this total was available for environmental dispertion during at least 6 weeks, before efficient remedial action could be undertaken. The main dispersion pathways were rainwater run-off and soil ressuspension and further deposition. Cs-137 monitoring in the local environment started in the first week of October, including to date aprox. 1300 measurements of soil, vegetable (fruits and kitchen-gardens), ground and drinking water, sediments and fish, aerosol, precipitation and external dose measurement with TL dosimeters, in the surroundings of the main contamination spots. Until the conclusion of de-contamination activities in late December, the ranges of Cs-137 in a 50m radius of evacuated areas were as follows: 10 2 -10 4 Bq/Kg for surface soils and edible vegetables, 10 0 -10 1 mBq/m 3 in air and 10 Bq/l in all water types. River sediment and fish 5-10 Km downstream the accident are ranged respectively 10 2 -10 3 and 10 2 /Kg. These data indicated the pathways and locations for intervention for further reduction of radiation exposure. This intervention consisted mainly in tree-tipping and surface soil removal. (author) [pt

Annual report on radioactive discharges from Winfrith and monitoring the environment 1991

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-05-01

This annual report, the seventh, aims to provide full information on our discharges and environmental monitoring. The report is mainly graphical, comparing past and current levels with authorised limits, derived limits or the recommended limits of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). Discharges from Winfrith are subject to Authorisations issued jointly by the Department of the Environment (DOE) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF). These Authorisations, one for discharges to the sea and one for discharges to the atmosphere, require that Winfrith establish a need to discharge; that we apply Best Practicable Means (BPM) to reduce our discharges; that our discharges are below set Authorised Limits; and that schedules of effluent and environmental monitoring are established. As a 'back stop', discharges at the limits must not result in doses to the most potentially exposed part of the local population - the critical group -exceeding 0.5 mSv per year. The limit recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) for dose to a member of the general public is 1.0 mSv per year. In September 1990 Winfrith's Steam Generating Heavy Water Reactor (SGHWR) was shut down therefore the pattern of discharges for 1991 differs from previous years. Discharges are generally reduced resulting in an even lower dose to the critical group, well below 1% of the ICRP limit and much less than 1% of the UK average natural background dose. (author)

On the Relevance of Using OpenWireless Sensor Networks in Environment Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antoine B. Bagula

2009-06-01

Full Text Available This paper revisits the problem of the readiness for field deployments of wireless- sensor networks by assessing the relevance of using Open Hardware and Software motes for environment monitoring. We propose a new prototype wireless sensor network that finetunes SquidBee motes to improve the life-time and sensing performance of an environment monitoring system that measures temperature, humidity and luminosity. Building upon two outdoor sensing scenarios, we evaluate the performance of the newly proposed energy-aware prototype solution in terms of link quality when expressed by the Received Signal Strength, Packet Loss and the battery lifetime. The experimental results reveal the relevance of using the Open Hardware and Software motes when setting up outdoor wireless sensor networks.

Corrosion potential monitoring in nuclear power environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molander, A.

2004-01-01

Full text of publication follows: corrosion monitoring. The corrosion potential is usually an important parameter or even the prime parameter for many types of corrosion processes. One typical example of the strong influence of the corrosion potential on corrosion performance is stress corrosion of sensitized stainless steel in pure high temperature water corresponding to boiling water conditions. The use of in-plant monitoring to follow the effect of hydrogen addition to mitigate stress corrosion in boiling water reactors is now a well-established technique. However, different relations between the corrosion potential of stainless steel and the oxidant concentration have been published and only recently an improved understanding of the electrochemical reactions and other conditions that determine the corrosion potential in BWR systems have been reached. This improved knowledge will be reviewed in this paper. Electrochemical measurements has also been performed in PWR systems and mainly the feedwater system on the secondary side of PWRs. The measurements performed so far have shown that electrochemical measurements are a very sensitive tool to detect and follow oxygen transients in the feedwater system. Also determinations of the minimum hydrazine dosage to the feedwater have been performed. However, PWR secondary side monitoring has not yet been utilized to the same level as BWR hydrogen water chemistry surveillance. The future potential of corrosion potential monitoring will be discussed. Electrochemical measurements are also performed in other reactor systems and in other types of reactors. Experiences will be briefly reviewed. In a BWR on hydrogen water chemistry and in the PWR secondary system the corrosion potentials show a large variation between different system parts. To postulate the material behavior at different locations the local chemical and electrochemical conditions must be known. Thus, modeling of chemical and electrochemical conditions along

Monitoring burst (M-burst) — A novel framework of failure localization in all-optical mesh networks

KAUST Repository

Ali, Mohammed L.; Ho, Pin-Han; Wu, Bin; Tapolcai, Janos; Shihada, Basem

2011-01-01

Achieving instantaneous and precise failure localization in all-optical wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) networks has been an attractive feature of network fault management systems, and is particularly important when failure-dependent protection is employed. The paper introduces a novel framework of real-time failure localization in all-optical WDM mesh networks, called monitoring-burst (m-burst), which aims to initiate a graceful compromise between consumed monitoring resources and monitoring delay. Different from any previously reported solution, the proposed m-burst framework has a single monitoring node (MN) which launches optical bursts along a set of pre-defined close-loop routes, called monitoring cycles (m-cycles), to probe the links along the m-cycles. Bursts along different m-cycles are kept non-overlapping through any link of the network. By identifying the lost bursts due to single link failure events only, the MN can unambiguously localize the failed link in at least 3-connected networks. We will justify the feasibility and applicability of the proposed m-burst framework in the scenario of interest. To avoid possible collision among optical bursts launched by the MN, we define the problem of collision-free scheduling and formulate it into an integer linear program (ILP) in order to minimize the monitoring delay. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework and the proposed solution.

Monitoring burst (M-burst) — A novel framework of failure localization in all-optical mesh networks

KAUST Repository

Ali, Mohammed L.

2011-10-10

Achieving instantaneous and precise failure localization in all-optical wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) networks has been an attractive feature of network fault management systems, and is particularly important when failure-dependent protection is employed. The paper introduces a novel framework of real-time failure localization in all-optical WDM mesh networks, called monitoring-burst (m-burst), which aims to initiate a graceful compromise between consumed monitoring resources and monitoring delay. Different from any previously reported solution, the proposed m-burst framework has a single monitoring node (MN) which launches optical bursts along a set of pre-defined close-loop routes, called monitoring cycles (m-cycles), to probe the links along the m-cycles. Bursts along different m-cycles are kept non-overlapping through any link of the network. By identifying the lost bursts due to single link failure events only, the MN can unambiguously localize the failed link in at least 3-connected networks. We will justify the feasibility and applicability of the proposed m-burst framework in the scenario of interest. To avoid possible collision among optical bursts launched by the MN, we define the problem of collision-free scheduling and formulate it into an integer linear program (ILP) in order to minimize the monitoring delay. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework and the proposed solution.

Health status monitoring for ICU patients based on locally weighted principal component analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Yangyang; Ma, Xin; Wang, Youqing

2018-03-01

Intelligent status monitoring for critically ill patients can help medical stuff quickly discover and assess the changes of disease and then make appropriate treatment strategy. However, general-type monitoring model now widely used is difficult to adapt the changes of intensive care unit (ICU) patients' status due to its fixed pattern, and a more robust, efficient and fast monitoring model should be developed to the individual. A data-driven learning approach combining locally weighted projection regression (LWPR) and principal component analysis (PCA) is firstly proposed and applied to monitor the nonlinear process of patients' health status in ICU. LWPR is used to approximate the complex nonlinear process with local linear models, in which PCA could be further applied to status monitoring, and finally a global weighted statistic will be acquired for detecting the possible abnormalities. Moreover, some improved versions are developed, such as LWPR-MPCA and LWPR-JPCA, which also have superior performance. Eighteen subjects were selected from the Physiobank's Multi-parameter Intelligent Monitoring for Intensive Care II (MIMIC II) database, and two vital signs of each subject were chosen for online monitoring. The proposed method was compared with several existing methods including traditional PCA, Partial least squares (PLS), just in time learning combined with modified PCA (L-PCA), and Kernel PCA (KPCA). The experimental results demonstrated that the mean fault detection rate (FDR) of PCA can be improved by 41.7% after adding LWPR. The mean FDR of LWPR-MPCA was increased by 8.3%, compared with the latest reported method L-PCA. Meanwhile, LWPR spent less training time than others, especially KPCA. LWPR is first introduced into ICU patients monitoring and achieves the best monitoring performance including adaptability to changes in patient status, sensitivity for abnormality detection as well as its fast learning speed and low computational complexity. The algorithm

Birding for and with People: Integrating Local Participation in Avian Monitoring Programs within High Biodiversity Areas in Southern Mexico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Humberto Berlanga

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Biological monitoring is a powerful tool for understanding ecological patterns and processes, implementing sound management practices, and determining wildlife conservation strategies. In Mexico, regional long-term bird monitoring has been undertaken only over the last decade. Two comprehensive programs have incorporated bird monitoring as the main tool for assessing the impact of human productive activities on birds and habitats at local and regional levels: the Integrated Ecosystem Management (IEM and the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor Mexico (CBMM. These programs are implemented in supremely important biodiverse regions in the southern and southeastern states of Mexico. Bird monitoring activities are based on the recruitment and participation of local people linked to sustainable productive projects promoted by the CBMM or IEM. Through a series of training workshops delivered by specialists, local monitors receive equipment and coordinate to become part of a large monitoring network that facilitates regional covertures. This data currently being obtained by local people will enable the mid- and long-term assessment of the impacts of sustainable human productive activities on birds and biodiversity. Community-based bird monitoring programs are a promising opportunity for enhancing scientific knowledge, improving sustainable practices, and supporting wildlife conservation in areas of high biodiversity.

A Miniaturized Sensor for Microbial Monitoring of Spacecraft Water Environment, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Accurate real-time microbial monitoring of water environment is of paramount importance to crew health as well as to ensure proper functioning and control of the...

Creation Greenhouse Environment Map Using Localization of Edge of Cultivation Platforms Based on Stereo Vision

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Nasiri

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction Stereo vision means the capability of extracting the depth based on analysis of two images taken from different angles of one scene. The result of stereo vision is a collection of three-dimensional points which describes the details of scene proportional to the resolution of the obtained images. Vehicle automatic steering and crop growth monitoring are two important operations in agricultural precision. The essential aspects of an automated steering are position and orientation of the agricultural equipment in relation to crop row, detection of obstacles and design of path planning between the crop rows. The developed map can provide this information in the real time. Machine vision has the capabilities to perform these tasks in order to execute some operations such as cultivation, spraying and harvesting. In greenhouse environment, it is possible to develop a map and perform an automatic control by detecting and localizing the cultivation platforms as the main moving obstacle. The current work was performed to meet a method based on the stereo vision for detecting and localizing platforms, and then, providing a two-dimensional map for cultivation platforms in the greenhouse environment. Materials and Methods In this research, two webcams, made by Microsoft Corporation with the resolution of 960×544, are connected to the computer via USB2 in order to produce a stereo parallel camera. Due to the structure of cultivation platforms, the number of points in the point cloud will be decreased by extracting the only upper and lower edges of the platform. The proposed method in this work aims at extracting the edges based on depth discontinuous features in the region of platform edge. By getting the disparity image of the platform edges from the rectified stereo images and translating its data to 3D-space, the point cloud model of the environments is constructed. Then by projecting the points to XZ plane and putting local maps together

Monitoring of the radiological environmental impact of the AREVA site of Tricastin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mercat, C.; Brun, F.; Florens, P.; Petit, J.; Garnier, F.; Devin, P.

2010-01-01

Set up at the beginning of the site's operations, in 1962, the monitoring of the radiological environmental impact of the AREVA site of Tricastin has evolved over time to meet more specifically the multiple objectives of environmental monitoring: to prove the respect of the commitments required by the authorities, to be able to detect a dysfunction in the observed levels, to enable the assessment of impacts of industrial activities, to ensure the balance between environmental quality and the use made by the local population and to inform the public of the radiological state of the environment. Thousands of data were acquired on the radioactivity of all environmental compartments as well as on the functioning of local ecosystems. Today, the Network of Environmental Monitoring of AREVA Tricastin goes beyond the requirements of routine monitoring to provide innovative solutions for monitoring the radioactivity (especially for uranium) in the environment. (author)

Process monitoring in high volume semiconductor production environment with in-fab TXRF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghatak-Roy, A.R.; Hossain, T.Z.

2000-01-01

After its introduction in the 80's, TXRF has become an important tool for surface contamination analysis. This is particularly true for the semiconductor industries, where monitoring trace level contamination in ultra clean environment is absolutely necessary for successful device production with reasonable yield. In FAB 25 of the Advanced Micro Devices in Austin, we have installed two TXRF tools, which are model TXRF3750 manufactured by Rigaku. They contain rotating tungsten anodes with three beam capability for wide selection of elements. One of the beams (WM) is used for monitoring of low Z elements such as Na, Mg and Al. The standard output is 9 kW with 300 mA at 30 kV. The tool runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except for maintenance and breakdowns. We have been using TXRF for in-fab monitoring of various tools and processes for trace contamination and some quantification of materials. This in-fab operation is important because it gives real time monitoring without the necessity of bringing the wafers out of the fab. Secondly, being in ultra clean fab environment, the risk of background contamination is minimized. Since TXRF measurement is fast and does not need any sample preparation, this works very well as production support tool. Several wafer fab technicians have been trained to use the tool for round the clock operation. We have successfully monitored tools and processes in our fab. One example is the monitoring of numerous sinks used in the cleaning of production wafers after various processes. Monitor wafers are run after sink cleaning and solvent changes and they are then analyzed for any contamination. Another example is the monitoring of tools that use Ferrofluidic seals so as to prevent any contamination from Fe and Cr. Other tools using TXRF include diffusion furnaces, etchers and plasma cleaning tools. We have also been monitoring processes such as ion implantation, metal deposition and rapid thermal annealing. In this presentation, we will

ICUD-0499 Low-cost remotely sensed environmental monitoring stations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Rasmus; Thorndahl, Søren Liedtke

2017-01-01

This study contributes with extensive research of applying low-cost remotely sensed monitoring stations to an urban environment. Design requirements are scrutinized, including applications for remote data access, hardware design, and monitoring network design. A network of 9 monitoring stations...... measuring stream water level is deployed during July 2017. Data is streamed to a web page using cellular-based data transmission. Monitoring network performance is quantified with respect to local physical and weather conditions....

Real-time on-line space research laboratory environment monitoring with off-line trend and prediction analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Jules, Kenol; Lin, Paul P.

2007-06-01

With the International Space Station currently operational, a significant amount of acceleration data is being down-linked, processed and analyzed daily on the ground on a continuous basis for the space station reduced gravity environment characterization, the vehicle design requirements verification and science data collection. To help understand the impact of the unique spacecraft environment on the science data, an artificial intelligence monitoring system was developed, which detects in near real time any change in the reduced gravity environment susceptible to affect the on-going experiments. Using a dynamic graphical display, the monitoring system allows science teams, at any time and any location, to see the active vibration disturbances, such as pumps, fans, compressor, crew exercise, re-boost and extra-vehicular activities that might impact the reduced gravity environment the experiments are exposed to. The monitoring system can detect both known and unknown vibratory disturbance activities. It can also perform trend analysis and prediction by analyzing past data over many increments (an increment usually lasts 6 months) collected onboard the station for selected disturbances. This feature can be used to monitor the health of onboard mechanical systems to detect and prevent potential systems failures. The monitoring system has two operating modes: online and offline. Both near real-time on-line vibratory disturbance detection and off-line detection and trend analysis are discussed in this paper.

Radiation protection instrumentation. Monitoring equipment. Radioactive aerosols in the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

This international standard applies to portable or installed equipment for continuous monitoring of radioactive aerosols in the environment in normal and emergency conditions. Monitoring involves continuous sampling and, where desirable, automatic start of sampling. The document applies particularly to the following assignments: (i) determination of the volume activity of radionuclides in the form of aerosols, either per time unit, along with its time changes, or in the integral form over a longer time period such as 24 h, and measurement of the volume sampled; (ii) triggering a warning alarm signal if the preset volume activity or time integral of the volume activity of aerosols has been exceeded. The document deals with radioactive aerosol monitor design, testing procedures, and documentation. Appended tables refer to the reference and normal testing conditions, tests in normal testing conditions, tests during changes of the affecting quantities, and tests of the air circuit. (P.A.)

Annual report on radioactive discharges and monitoring of the environment 1992. V. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

This Annual Report supplements British Nuclear Fuel plc's Health and Safety Annual Report by providing more detailed information on radioactive discharges, monitoring of the environmental and critical group doses. BNFL has published Annual Reports on Radioactive Discharges and Monitoring of the Environment, covering the period from 1977 to the present. For 1991 this report has been sub-divided into two complementary parts. Volume II reproduces the Certificates of Authorisation under which the Company operates and the statutory environmental monitoring programmes which relate to them. (author)

Annual report on radioactive discharges and monitoring of the environment 1991. V. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

This Annual Report supplements British Nuclear Fuel plc's Health and Safety Annual Report by providing more detailed information on radioactive discharges, monitoring of the environmental and critical group doses. BNFL has published Annual Reports on Radioactive Discharges and Monitoring of the Environment, covering the period from 1977 to the present. For 1991 this report has been sub-divided into two complementary parts. Volume II reproduces the Certificates of Authorisation under which the Company operates and the statutory environmental monitoring programmes which relate to them. (author)

More than just consumers: Integrating local observations into drought monitoring to better support decision making

Science.gov (United States)

Ferguson, D. B.; Masayesva, A.; Meadow, A. M.; Crimmins, M.

2016-12-01

Drought monitoring and drought planning are complex endeavors. Measures of precipitation or streamflow provide little context for understanding how social and environmental systems impacted by drought are responding. In arid and semi-arid regions of the world, this challenge is particularly acute since social-ecological systems are already well-adapted to dry conditions. Understanding what drought means in these regions is an important first step in developing a decision-relevant monitoring system. Traditional drought indices may be of some use, but local observations may ultimately be more relevant for informing difficult decisions in response to unusually dry conditions. This presentation will focus on insights gained from a collaborative project between the University of Arizona and the Hopi Tribe-a Native American community in the U.S. Southwest-to develop a drought information system that is responsive to local needs. The primary goal of the project was to develop a system that: is based on how drought is experienced by Hopi citizens and resource managers, can incorporate local observations of drought impacts as well as conventional indicators, and brings together local expertise with conventional science-based observations. This kind of drought monitoring system can harnesses as much available information as possible to inform resource managers, political leaders, and citizens about drought conditions, but such a system can also engage these local drought stakeholders in observing, thinking about, and helping guide planning for drought.

AVHRR-based drought-observing system for monitoring the environment and socioeconomic activities

Science.gov (United States)

Kogan, F.

From all natural disaster, drought is the least understandable and the most damaging environmental phenomenon. Although in pre-satellite era, climate data were used for drought monitoring, drought specifics created problems in early drought detection start/end, monitoring its expansion/contraction, intensity and area coverage and the most important, timely estimation of the impacts on the environment and socioeconomic activities. The latest prevented to take prompt measures in mitigating negative consequences of drought for the society. Advances in remote sensing of the past ten years, contributed to the development of comprehensive drought monitoring system and numerous applications, which helped to make decisions for monitoring the environment and predicting sustainable socioeconomic activities. This paper discusses satellite-based land-surface observing system, which provides wells of information used for monitoring such unusual natural disaster as drought. This system was developed from the observations of the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) flown on NOAA operational polar-orbiting satellites. The AVHRR data were packed into the Global Vegetation Index (GVI) product, which have served the global community since 1981. The GVI provided reflectances and indices (4 km spacial resolution) every seven days for each 16 km map cell between 75EN and 55ES covering all land ecosystems. The data includes raw and calibrated radiances in the visible, near infrared and infrared spectral bands, processed (with eliminated high frequency noise) radiances, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), 20-year climatology, vegetation condition indices and also products, such as vegetation health, drought, vegetation fraction, fire risk etc. In the past ten years, users around the world used this information addressing different issues of drought impacts on socioeconomic activities and responded positively to real time drought information place regularly on the

Accelerometer-based on-body sensor localization for health and medical monitoring applications

Science.gov (United States)

Vahdatpour, Alireza; Amini, Navid; Xu, Wenyao; Sarrafzadeh, Majid

2011-01-01

In this paper, we present a technique to recognize the position of sensors on the human body. Automatic on-body device localization ensures correctness and accuracy of measurements in health and medical monitoring systems. In addition, it provides opportunities to improve the performance and usability of ubiquitous devices. Our technique uses accelerometers to capture motion data to estimate the location of the device on the user’s body, using mixed supervised and unsupervised time series analysis methods. We have evaluated our technique with extensive experiments on 25 subjects. On average, our technique achieves 89% accuracy in estimating the location of devices on the body. In order to study the feasibility of classification of left limbs from right limbs (e.g., left arm vs. right arm), we performed analysis, based of which no meaningful classification was observed. Personalized ultraviolet monitoring and wireless transmission power control comprise two immediate applications of our on-body device localization approach. Such applications, along with their corresponding feasibility studies, are discussed. PMID:22347840

Localization of Outdoor Mobile Robots Using Curb Features in Urban Road Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyunsuk Lee

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Urban road environments that have pavement and curb are characterized as semistructured road environments. In semistructured road environments, the curb provides useful information for robot navigation. In this paper, we present a practical localization method for outdoor mobile robots using the curb features in semistructured road environments. The curb features are especially useful in urban environment, where the GPS failures take place frequently. A curb extraction is conducted on the basis of the Kernel Fisher Discriminant Analysis (KFDA to minimize false detection. We adopt the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF to combine the curb information with odometry and Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS. The uncertainty models for the sensors are quantitatively analyzed to provide a practical solution.

Beekeeping, environment and modernity in localities in Yucatan, Mexico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Enrique Rodríguez Balam

2015-09-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we reflect on the local knowledge about the European honey bee Apis mellifera scutellata, namely its biology, behavior, social structure, communication, and the relationships that these organisms maintain with the environment and their natural enemies. We also discuss the impacts that land use has on this economic activity. The empirical knowledge of beekeepers converges quite well with the scientific knowledge concerning this group of organisms.

Multiple Signal Classification Algorithm Based Electric Dipole Source Localization Method in an Underwater Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yidong Xu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available A novel localization method based on multiple signal classification (MUSIC algorithm is proposed for positioning an electric dipole source in a confined underwater environment by using electric dipole-receiving antenna array. In this method, the boundary element method (BEM is introduced to analyze the boundary of the confined region by use of a matrix equation. The voltage of each dipole pair is used as spatial-temporal localization data, and it does not need to obtain the field component in each direction compared with the conventional fields based localization method, which can be easily implemented in practical engineering applications. Then, a global-multiple region-conjugate gradient (CG hybrid search method is used to reduce the computation burden and to improve the operation speed. Two localization simulation models and a physical experiment are conducted. Both the simulation results and physical experiment result provide accurate positioning performance, with the help to verify the effectiveness of the proposed localization method in underwater environments.

Event localization in underwater wireless sensor networks using Monitoring Courses

KAUST Repository

Debont, Matthew John Robert

2012-08-01

We propose m-courses (Monitoring Courses), a novel solution to localize events in an underwater wireless sensor network. These networks consists of surface gateways and relay nodes. GPS can localize the position of surface gateways which can then distribute their locations through the network using acoustic modems. Relay nodes are deployed to remain static, but these untethered nodes may drift due to water currents, resulting in disruption of communication links. We develop a novel underwater alarm system using a cyclic graph model. In the event of link failure, a series of alarm packets are broadcast in the network. These alarms are then captured by the underwater m-courses, which can also be used to assure network connectivity and identify node failures. M-courses also allow the network to localize events and identify network issues locally before forwarding results upwards to a Surface Gateway node. This reduces communication overhead and allows for efficient management of nodes in a mobile network. Our results show that m-course routing reduces the number of sends required to report an event to a Surface Gateway by up to 80% when compared to a naïve routing implementation.

Embedded Active Fiber Optic Sensing Network for Structural Health Monitoring in Harsh Environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Anbo [Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States)

2016-09-30

This report summarizes technical progress on the program “Embedded Active Fiber Optic Sensing Network for Structural Health Monitoring in Harsh Environments” funded by the National Energy Technology Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, and performed by the Center for Photonics Technology at Virginia Tech. The objective of this project is to develop a first-of-a-kind technology for remote fiber optic generation and detection of acoustic waves for structural health monitoring in harsh environments. During the project period, which is from April 1, 2013 to Septemeber 30, 2016, three different acoustic generation mechanisms were studied in detail for their applications in building a fiber optic acoustic generation unit (AGU), including laser induced plasma breakdown (LIP), Erbium-doped fiber laser absorption, and metal laser absorption. By comparing the performance of the AGUs designed based on these three mechanisms and analyzing the experimental results with simulations, the metal laser absorption method was selected to build a complete fiber optic structure health monitoring (FO-SHM) system for the proposed high temperature multi-parameter structure health monitoring application. Based on the simulation of elastic wave propagation and fiber Bragg grating acoustic pulse detection, an FO-SHM element together with a completed interrogation system were designed and built. This system was first tested on an aluminum piece in the low-temperature range and successfully demonstrated its capability of multi-parameter monitoring and multi-point sensing. In the later stages of the project, the research was focused on improving the surface attachment design and preparing the FO-SHM element for high temperature environment tests. After several upgrades to the surface attachment methods, the FO-SHM element was able to work reliably up to 600oC when attached to P91 pipes, which are the target material of this project. In the final stage of this project, this FO

Ultrasonic monitoring of pitting corrosion

Science.gov (United States)

Jarvis, A. J. C.; Cegla, F. B.; Bazaz, H.; Lozev, M.

2013-01-01

Exposure to corrosive substances in high temperature environments can cause damage accumulation in structural steels, particularly in the chemical and petrochemical industries. The interaction mechanisms are complex and varied; however initial damage propagation often manifests itself in the form of localized areas of increased material loss. Recent development of an ultrasonic wall thickness monitoring sensor capable of withstanding temperatures in excess of 500°C has allowed permanent monitoring within such hostile environments, providing information on how the shape of a pulse which has reflected from a corroding surface can change over time. Reconstructing localized corrosion depth and position may be possible by tracking such changes in reflected pulse shape, providing extra information on the state of the backwall and whether process conditions should be altered to increase plant life. This paper aims to experimentally investigate the effect certain localized features have on reflected pulse shape by `growing' artificial defects into the backwall while wall thickness is monitored using the sensor. The size and complexity of the three dimensional scattering problem lead to the development of a semi-analytical simulation based on the distributed point source method (DPSM) which is capable of simulating pulse reflection from complex surfaces measuring approximately 17×10λ Comparison to experimental results show that amplitude changes are predicted to within approximately 1dB and that pulse shape changes are accurately modelled. All experiments were carried out at room temperature, measurements at high temperature will be studied in the future.

Waste heat discharges in the aquatic environment -- impact and monitoring 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamath, P.R.

1980-01-01

Studies on ecological impacts, on fishes in particular, of waste heat discharges in the aquatic environment are briefly reviewed. These studies cover the susceptibility of fishes to disease and predation, population biology, parasite proliferation and its impact on fishes, synergistic effects due to heat and other stresses such as chemicals, pollutant, lowering of saturation limit of dissolved oxygen at elevated temperature and radioactivity. Experiences of monitoring waste heat discharges at the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) and the Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) are presented. Entrainment losses and impingement losses are also reviewed. Requirements for thermal monitoring are mentioned. (M.G.B.)

The Westinghouse Hanford Company Operational Environmental Monitoring Program CY-93

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, J.W.

1993-10-01

The Operational Environmental Monitoring Program (OEMP) provides facility-specific environmental monitoring to protect the environment adjacent to facilities under the responsibility of Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC) and assure compliance with WHC requirements and local, state, and federal environmental regulations. The objectives of the OEMP are to evaluate: compliance with federal (DOE, EPA), state, and internal WHC environmental radiation protection requirements and guides; performance of radioactive waste confinement systems; and trends of radioactive materials in the environment at and adjacent to nuclear facilities and waste disposal sites. This paper identifies the monitoring responsibilities and current program status for each area of responsibility

Local seismic monitoring east and north of Toronto - Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohajer, A.A.; Doughty, M.

1996-08-01

Monitoring of small magnitude ('micro') earthquakes in a dense local network is one of the techniques used to delineate currently active faults and seismic sources. The conventional wisdom is that smaller, but more frequent, seismic events normally occur on active fault planes and a log linear empirical relation between frequency and magnitude can be used to estimate the magnitude and recurrence (frequency) of the larger events. A program of site-specific seismic monitoring has been supported by the AECB since 1991, to investigate the feasibility of microearthquake detection in suburban areas of east Toronto in order to assess the rate activity of local events in the vicinity of the nuclear power plants at Pickering and Darlington. For deployment of the seismic stations at the most favorable locations an extensive background noise survey was carried out. This survey involved measuring and comparing the amplitude response of the ambient vibration caused by natural phenomena (e.g. wind blow, water flow, wave action) or human activities such as farming, mining and industrial work at 25 test sites. Subsequently, a five-station seismic network, with a 30 km aperture, was selected between the Pickering and Darlington nuclear power plants on Lake Ontario, to the south, and Lake Scugog to the north. The detection threshold obtained for two of the stations allows recording of local events M L =0-2, a magnitude range which is usually not detected by regional seismic networks. An analysis of several thousand triggered signals resulted in the identification of about 120 local events, which can not be assigned to any source other than the natural release of crustal stresses. The recurrence frequency of these microearthquakes shows a linear relationship which matches that of larger events in the last two centuries in this region. The preliminary results indicate that the stress is currently accumulating and is being released within clusters of small earthquakes

An intelligent stand-alone ultrasonic device for monitoring local structural damage: implementation and preliminary experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pertsch, Alexander; Kim, Jin-Yeon; Wang, Yang; Jacobs, Laurence J

2011-01-01

Continuous structural health monitoring has the potential to significantly improve the safety management of aged, in-service civil structures. In particular, monitoring of local damage growth at hot-spot areas can help to prevent disastrous structural failures. Although ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation (NDE) has proved to be effective in monitoring local damage growth, conventional equipment and devices are usually bulky and only suitable for scheduled human inspections. The objective of this research is to harness the latest developments in embedded hardware and wireless communication for developing a stand-alone, compact ultrasonic device. The device is directed at the continuous structural health monitoring of civil structures. Relying on battery power, the device possesses the functionalities of high-speed actuation, sensing, signal processing, and wireless communication. Integrated with contact ultrasonic transducers, the device can generate 1 MHz Rayleigh surface waves in a steel specimen and measure response waves. An envelope detection algorithm based on the Hilbert transform is presented for efficiently determining the peak values of the response signals, from which small surface cracks are successfully identified

Localization of Gamma-Ray Bursts Using the Fermi Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Connaughton, V.; Briggs, M.S.; Goldstein, A.; Meegan, C.A.; Paciesas, W.S.; Preece, R.D.; Wilson-Hodge, C.A.; Gibby, M.H.; Greiner, J.; Gruber, D.; Jenke, P.; Kippen, R.M.; Pelassa, V.; Xiong, S.; Yu, H-F.; Bhat, P.N.; Burgess, J.M.; Byrne, D.; Fitzpatrick, G.; Foley, S.; Giles, M.M.; Guiriec, S.; van der Horst, A.J.; von Kienlin, A.; McBreen, S.; McGlynn, S.; Tierney, D.; Zhang, B..B.

2015-01-01

The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) has detected over 1400 gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) since it began science operations in 2008 July. We use a subset of over 300 GRBs localized by instruments such as Swift, the Fermi Large Area Telescope, INTEGRAL, and MAXI, or through triangulations from the

Exploring the influence of local food environments on food behaviours: a systematic review of qualitative literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Pitt, Erin; Gallegos, Danielle; Comans, Tracy; Cameron, Cate; Thornton, Lukar

2017-09-01

Systematic reviews investigating associations between objective measures of the food environment and dietary behaviours or health outcomes have not established a consistent evidence base. The present paper aims to synthesise qualitative evidence regarding the influence of local food environments on food and purchasing behaviours. A systematic review in the form of a qualitative thematic synthesis. Urban localities. Adults. Four analytic themes were identified from the review including community and consumer nutrition environments, other environmental factors and individual coping strategies for shopping and purchasing decisions. Availability, accessibility and affordability were consistently identified as key determinants of store choice and purchasing behaviours that often result in less healthy food choices within community nutrition environments. Food availability, quality and food store characteristics within consumer nutrition environments also greatly influenced in-store purchases. Individuals used a range of coping strategies in both the community and consumer nutrition environments to make optimal purchasing decisions, often within the context of financial constraints. Findings from the current review add depth and scope to quantitative literature and can guide ongoing theory, interventions and policy development in food environment research. There is a need to investigate contextual influences within food environments as well as individual and household socio-economic characteristics that contribute to the differing use of and views towards local food environments. Greater emphasis on how individual and environmental factors interact in the food environment field will be key to developing stronger understanding of how environments can support and promote healthier food choices.

Structural Health Monitoring of Wind Turbine Blades: Acoustic Source Localization Using Wireless Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Omar Mabrok Bouzid

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Structural health monitoring (SHM is important for reducing the maintenance and operation cost of safety-critical components and systems in offshore wind turbines. This paper proposes an in situ wireless SHM system based on an acoustic emission (AE technique. By using this technique a number of challenges are introduced due to high sampling rate requirements, limitations in the communication bandwidth, memory space, and power resources. To overcome these challenges, this paper focused on two elements: (1 the use of an in situ wireless SHM technique in conjunction with the utilization of low sampling rates; (2 localization of acoustic sources which could emulate impact damage or audible cracks caused by different objects, such as tools, bird strikes, or strong hail, all of which represent abrupt AE events and could affect the structural health of a monitored wind turbine blade. The localization process is performed using features extracted from aliased AE signals based on a developed constraint localization model. To validate the performance of these elements, the proposed system was tested by testing the localization of the emulated AE sources acquired in the field.

Monitoring the sedimentary carbon in an artificially disturbed deep-sea sedimentary environment

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Nath, B.N.; Khadge, N.H.; Nabar, S.; Raghukumar, C.; Ingole, B.S.; Valsangkar, A.B.; Sharma, R.; Srinivas, K.

1 Author version: Environ. Monit. Assess., vol.184; 2012; 2829-2844 Monitoring the sedimentary carbon in an artificially disturbed deep-sea sedimentary environment B. Nagender Nath * , N.H. Khadge, Sapana Nabar, C. Raghu Kumar, B.S. Ingole... community two years after an artificial rapid deposition event. Publication of Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, 39(1), 17-27. Gage, J.D. (1978). Animals in deep-sea sediments. Proceedings of Royal Society of Edinburgh, 768, 77-93. Gage, J.D., & Tyler...

Monitoring of radioactivity in the UK environment: an annotated bibliography of current programmes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cotter, A.J.R.; Hunt, G.J.

1992-01-01

In the UK, many organisations carry out regular radioactivity monitoring programmes, and summaries of these programmes have been published in 1983 and 1988. The number of organisations carrying out radioactivity monitoring has increased rapidly in recent years, particularly in the local authority sector. The present report updates the previous summarises in the form of an annotated bibliography, giving synopses of all regular UK programmes whose results are published in report form. (author)

Structural-change localization and monitoring through a perturbation-based inverse problem.

Science.gov (United States)

Roux, Philippe; Guéguen, Philippe; Baillet, Laurent; Hamze, Alaa

2014-11-01

Structural-change detection and characterization, or structural-health monitoring, is generally based on modal analysis, for detection, localization, and quantification of changes in structure. Classical methods combine both variations in frequencies and mode shapes, which require accurate and spatially distributed measurements. In this study, the detection and localization of a local perturbation are assessed by analysis of frequency changes (in the fundamental mode and overtones) that are combined with a perturbation-based linear inverse method and a deconvolution process. This perturbation method is applied first to a bending beam with the change considered as a local perturbation of the Young's modulus, using a one-dimensional finite-element model for modal analysis. Localization is successful, even for extended and multiple changes. In a second step, the method is numerically tested under ambient-noise vibration from the beam support with local changes that are shifted step by step along the beam. The frequency values are revealed using the random decrement technique that is applied to the time-evolving vibrations recorded by one sensor at the free extremity of the beam. Finally, the inversion method is experimentally demonstrated at the laboratory scale with data recorded at the free end of a Plexiglas beam attached to a metallic support.

The structure of water quality monitoring in the disaster area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, Nobuo

2012-01-01

Described are monitoring systems of water environment at usual times and after the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster, and measures taken by the Ministry of the Environment (ME) for radioactive substances in the water environment. At usual times, the monitoring of hazardous substance in water environment is conducted by local governments. At/after the Disaster, ME conducted the monitoring investigation concerning the environmental quality standards and toxicants like dioxins in the river, sea and groundwater from late May to late July, 2011 because undesirable effects on health and life of the residents had been feared due to possible leak of hazardous substances in public water area and underground water of victim prefectures, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima and Ibaraki. As the results, no high contamination due to the Disaster was found, and a part of regions exhibited the slight chemical contamination, where continuous and additional monitoring was to be kept locally with guidance of drinking the concerned well water. ME measured radioactive iodine and cesium at 29 places of Fukushima rivers to find <65 and <30,000 Bq/kg, respectively, of 4 spots of river bed material alone (late May); then Cs 32 Bq/L in water at 1 spot and <26,000 Bq/kg in bed at all places after rain (early July). In groundwater, no radioactive nuclides above were detected in any of 111 places of Fukushima Prefecture (late June to early August). Cs was not found in sea water of 9 places of concerned prefectures, but was in the sea bottom soil, <1,380 Bq/kg (middle June). As well, local governments measured those two radioactive nuclides in water and ambient dose rate of 551 sea bathing beaches (late May to early Oct.) and found only one beach (Iwaki City, Fukushima) inappropriate for swimming play. Hereafter, ME is still to investigate the bed material of public water area and to continue to monitor the marine environment in cooperation with related authorities. (T.T.)

Halo assembly bias and the tidal anisotropy of the local halo environment

Science.gov (United States)

Paranjape, Aseem; Hahn, Oliver; Sheth, Ravi K.

2018-05-01

We study the role of the local tidal environment in determining the assembly bias of dark matter haloes. Previous results suggest that the anisotropy of a halo's environment (i.e. whether it lies in a filament or in a more isotropic region) can play a significant role in determining the eventual mass and age of the halo. We statistically isolate this effect, using correlations between the large-scale and small-scale environments of simulated haloes at z = 0 with masses between 1011.6 ≲ (m/h-1 M⊙) ≲ 1014.9. We probe the large-scale environment, using a novel halo-by-halo estimator of linear bias. For the small-scale environment, we identify a variable αR that captures the tidal anisotropy in a region of radius R = 4R200b around the halo and correlates strongly with halo bias at fixed mass. Segregating haloes by αR reveals two distinct populations. Haloes in highly isotropic local environments (αR ≲ 0.2) behave as expected from the simplest, spherically averaged analytical models of structure formation, showing a negative correlation between their concentration and large-scale bias at all masses. In contrast, haloes in anisotropic, filament-like environments (αR ≳ 0.5) tend to show a positive correlation between bias and concentration at any mass. Our multiscale analysis cleanly demonstrates how the overall assembly bias trend across halo mass emerges as an average over these different halo populations, and provides valuable insights towards building analytical models that correctly incorporate assembly bias. We also discuss potential implications for the nature and detectability of galaxy assembly bias.

TIROS-N/NOAA A-J space environment monitor subsystem. Technical memo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seale, R.A.; Bushnell, R.H.

1987-04-01

The Space Environment Monitor (SEM), which is incorporated as a subsystem in the TIROS-N and NOAA A-J satellites, is described. The SEM consists of a Total Energy Detector (TED), a Medium Energy Proton and Electron Detector (MEPED), a High Energy Proton and Alpha Detector (HEPAD) and a Data Processing Unit (DPU). The detectors are intended to provide near-real-time particle data for use in the Space Environment Service Center of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and to provide a long-term scientific data base. Telemeter codes, data reduction, and test instructions are given

Monitoring of radiation in the environment in the Netherlands. Results in 2001

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knetsch, G.J. (ed.)

2002-07-01

This report presents the results of radioactivity measurements in the Dutch environment in 2001. The measurements were carried out by RIVM, RIZA, RIKZ and Inspectorate for Health Protection and Veterinary Public Health. Radioactivity measurements were carried out on airborne particles, deposition, surface water, seawater, drinking water and food (honey, powdered milk, game, poultry, blueberry and chanterelle). Results for ambient dose equivalent rates were obtained from the National Radioactivity Monitoring Network. The levels of radioactivity in the Dutch environment were not elevated in 2001.

Monitoring of radiation in the environment in the Netherlands. Results in 2001

CERN Document Server

Knetsch, G J

2002-01-01

This report presents the results of radioactivity measurements in the Dutch environment in 2001. The measurements were carried out by RIVM, RIZA, RIKZ and Inspectorate for Health Protection and Veterinary Public Health. Radioactivity measurements were carried out on airborne particles, deposition, surface water, seawater, drinking water and food (honey, powdered milk, game, poultry, blueberry and chanterelle). Results for ambient dose equivalent rates were obtained from the National Radioactivity Monitoring Network. The levels of radioactivity in the Dutch environment were not elevated in 2001

Annual report on radioactive discharges and monitoring of the environment, 1996. V. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL)'s 1996 report on radioactive discharges from its various sites and monitoring of the surrounding environments are described. For each of the Sellafield, Drigg, Chapelcross, Springfields and Capenhurst sites, details are given on normal operations, radioactive discharges in gaseous, liquid or solid forms, environmental monitoring routines and collective dose and critical group estimates. The second, linked, volume of this report covers certificates of authorisation issued to the company. (UK)

Final annual report of the Partial monitoring system 'Radioactivity of the environment' 2015

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melicherova, T.; Cabanekova, H.; Bodorova, J.

2016-05-01

The present report evaluates activities of radiation monitoring of Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMI) in 2015. Analytical part focuses on detailed statistical analysis of monitored data. Detailed knowledge of the course of time series during uneventful period enables early detect and analyze potential increase of radioactivity levels in the environment originating from domestic or foreign sources. SHMI is responsible for international data exchange with the European Commission and with partners in Austria and Hungary.

Final annual report of the Partial monitoring system 'Radioactivity of the environment' 2016

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melicherova, T.; Cabanekova, H.; Bodorova, J.

2017-05-01

The present report evaluates activities of radiation monitoring of Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMI) in 2016. Analytical part focuses on detailed statistical analysis of monitored data. Detailed knowledge of the course of time series during uneventful period enables early detect and analyze potential increase of radioactivity levels in the environment originating from domestic or foreign sources. SHMI is responsible for international data exchange with the European Commission and with partners in Austria and Hungary.

International Collaboration on Building Local Technical Capacities for Monitoring Volcanic Activity at Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala.

Science.gov (United States)

Escobar-Wolf, R. P.; Chigna, G.; Morales, H.; Waite, G. P.; Oommen, T.; Lechner, H. N.

2015-12-01

Pacaya volcano is a frequently active and potentially dangerous volcano situated in the Guatemalan volcanic arc. It is also a National Park and a major touristic attraction, constituting an important economic resource for local municipality and the nearby communities. Recent eruptions have caused fatalities and extensive damage to nearby communities, highlighting the need for risk management and loss reduction from the volcanic activity. Volcanic monitoring at Pacaya is done by the Instituto Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanologia, Meteorologia e Hidrologia (INSIVUMEH), instrumentally through one short period seismic station, and visually by the Parque Nacional Volcan de Pacaya y Laguna de Calderas (PNVPLC) personnel. We carry out a project to increase the local technical capacities for monitoring volcanic activity at Pacaya. Funding for the project comes from the Society of Exploration Geophysicists through the Geoscientists Without Borders program. Three seismic and continuous GPS stations will be installed at locations within 5 km from the main vent at Pacaya, and one webcam will aid in the visual monitoring tasks. Local educational and outreach components of the project include technical workshops on data monitoring use, and short thesis projects with the San Carlos University in Guatemala. A small permanent exhibit at the PNVPLC museum or visitor center, focusing on the volcano's history, hazards and resources, will also be established as part of the project. The strategy to involve a diverse group of local collaborators in Guatemala aims to increase the chances for long term sustainability of the project, and relies not only on transferring technology but also the "know-how" to make that technology useful. Although not a primary research project, it builds on a relationship of years of joint research projects at Pacaya between the participants, and could be a model of how to increase the broader impacts of such long term collaboration partnerships.

Annual environmental monitoring report, January-December 1986

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-03-01

Environmental monitoring and remedial actions at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center are reported. The local climate, site geology, site water usage, land use, and demography are briefly reviewed. Among the activities reported are waste solvent tank remedial action and testing of underground storage tanks. The SLAC Linear Collider Project is discussed insofar as it impacts the environment. Neutron radiation dose to the surrounding environment and radioactive effluents are reported

Wireless Sensor Network for Indoor Air Quality Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun Li

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Indoor air quality monitoring system consists of wireless sensor device, nRF24L01 wireless transceiver modules, C8051MCU, STM32103 remote monitoring platform, alarm device and data server. Distributed in the interior space of wireless sensors measure parameters of the local air quality, wireless transceiver module of the MCU to transmit data to the remote monitoring platform for analysis which displayed and stored field environment data or charts. The data collecting from wireless sensors to be send by wireless Access Point to the remote data server based on B/S architecture, intelligent terminals such as mobile phone, laptop, tablet PC on the Internet monitor indoor air quality in real-time. When site environment air quality index data exceeds the threshold in the monitoring device, the remote monitoring platform sends out the alarm SMS signal to inform user by GSM module. Indoor air quality monitoring system uses modular design method, has the portability and scalability has the low manufacture cost, real-time monitoring data and man-machine interaction.

Residential environmental evaluation of local cities considering regional characteristic and personal residential preference-a case study of Saga City,Japan

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

GE Jian; HOKAO Kazunori

2004-01-01

Questionnaire surveys and subjective evaluations on residential environment were performed in order to grasp the main factors of residential environment of small local cities. The suitable evaluation index system was established, and the regional residential environment characteristics and personal residential preference types were analyzed, so that their influence on residential environment evaluation could be grasped. The results can be applied to the residential environment planning, construction and monitoring of local cities.

ATLAS off-Grid sites (Tier 3) monitoring. From local fabric monitoring to global overview of the VO computing activities

CERN Document Server

PETROSYAN, A; The ATLAS collaboration; BELOV, S; ANDREEVA, J; KADOCHNIKOV, I

2012-01-01

The ATLAS Distributed Computing activities have so far concentrated in the "central" part of the experiment computing system, namely the first 3 tiers (the CERN Tier0, 10 Tier1 centers and over 60 Tier2 sites). Many ATLAS Institutes and National Communities have deployed (or intend to) deploy Tier-3 facilities. Tier-3 centers consist of non-pledged resources, which are usually dedicated to data analysis tasks by the geographically close or local scientific groups, and which usually comprise a range of architectures without Grid middleware. Therefore a substantial part of the ATLAS monitoring tools which make use of Grid middleware, cannot be used for a large fraction of Tier3 sites. The presentation will describe the T3mon project, which aims to develop a software suite for monitoring the Tier3 sites, both from the perspective of the local site administrator and that of the ATLAS VO, thereby enabling the global view of the contribution from Tier3 sites to the ATLAS computing activities. Special attention in p...

The Node Monitoring Component of a Scalable Systems Software Environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miller, Samuel James [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2006-01-01

This research describes Fountain, a suite of programs used to monitor the resources of a cluster. A cluster is a collection of individual computers that are connected via a high speed communication network. They are traditionally used by users who desire more resources, such as processing power and memory, than any single computer can provide. A common drawback to effectively utilizing such a large-scale system is the management infrastructure, which often does not often scale well as the system grows. Large-scale parallel systems provide new research challenges in the area of systems software, the programs or tools that manage the system from boot-up to running a parallel job. The approach presented in this thesis utilizes a collection of separate components that communicate with each other to achieve a common goal. While systems software comprises a broad array of components, this thesis focuses on the design choices for a node monitoring component. We will describe Fountain, an implementation of the Scalable Systems Software (SSS) node monitor specification. It is targeted at aggregate node monitoring for clusters, focusing on both scalability and fault tolerance as its design goals. It leverages widely used technologies such as XML and HTTP to present an interface to other components in the SSS environment.

Information system of partial monitoring system 'Radioactivity of the environment'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melicherova, T.

2007-01-01

Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMI) is operator of radiation monitoring from 1963. At present SHMI operates in its monitoring network 23 detectors GammaTracer fy Genitron, one mobile detector and one standby detector. Radiation data (dose rate in the unit nSv/h) from detectors in the automated meteorological stations are transmitted by data-logger and private institute network to National Telecommunication Centre in Bratislava. The data from MSS (message switch system) are inserted into the database. The 1 hours and 24 hours averages are computed on the server automatically. Delay between time of measurements and time of inserting data to database is only 10 min. Radiation files from SHMI network are on-line transmitted to information system of Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic and to information system of Slovak Army. Transmission to to Crisis Centre of Civil Protection is under reconstruction at present. Database contains one table for radiation data and several tables for configurations, catalogues of stations and additional tables. Database works in environment client-server. On client PC runs the user front-end application. This application provides to display the data using many filters, to display tables with configurations concerning technical equipment, to display maps, graphs, etc. There is the possibility to store data into the archives, to make reports and to analyse data in the environment of professional statistical software. Precipitations values from meteorological stations were integrated do the information system of radiation monitoring for better interpretation of gamma dose rate values. SHMI cooperates in the radiation data exchange with European Commission Joint Research Centre in Ispra, Radiation Warning Centre in Vienna and Meteoservice Budapest. (author)

External radiation monitoring in TAPS and RAPS environs (1980-81) using TLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basu, A.S.; Nambi, K.S.V.; Sunta, C.M.

1983-01-01

Results of environmental external radiation monitoring using quarterly integrated TLD measurements are presented for environments of the Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) and the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) for the two year monitoring period (1980-81). The data fit into the unimodal log-normal distribution except for locations where gaseous radioactivity escaping from the plant makes a significant contribution. The average natural radiation background in TAPS and RAPS environment is estimated to be 59.6 +- 4.7 mR yr -1 and 65.1 +- 9.8 mR yr -1 respectively. Contribution from the plant superimposed over the natural level leads frequently to bi-normal distribution. The effect of stack-released gaseous radioactivity is seen in locations within 1.6 km of TAPS: for example Ghivoli village registered an excess of 9.3 mR yr -1 over the natural background. The quarterly background values indicate minor temporal and spatial variations which can be attributed to changes in natural as well as stack released radioactivity. (author)

An IoT-Based Computational Framework for Healthcare Monitoring in Mobile Environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Mora, Higinio; Gil, David; Terol, Rafael Muñoz; Azorín, Jorge; Szymanski, Julian

2017-10-10

The new Internet of Things paradigm allows for small devices with sensing, processing and communication capabilities to be designed, which enable the development of sensors, embedded devices and other 'things' ready to understand the environment. In this paper, a distributed framework based on the internet of things paradigm is proposed for monitoring human biomedical signals in activities involving physical exertion. The main advantages and novelties of the proposed system is the flexibility in computing the health application by using resources from available devices inside the body area network of the user. This proposed framework can be applied to other mobile environments, especially those where intensive data acquisition and high processing needs take place. Finally, we present a case study in order to validate our proposal that consists in monitoring footballers' heart rates during a football match. The real-time data acquired by these devices presents a clear social objective of being able to predict not only situations of sudden death but also possible injuries.

Real-time continuous glucose monitoring systems in the classroom/school environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Benassi, Kari; Drobny, Jessica; Aye, Tandy

2013-05-01

Children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) spend 4-7 h/day in school with very little supervision of their diabetes management. Therefore, families have become more dependent on technology, such as use of real-time continuous glucose monitoring (RT-CGM), to provide increased supervision of their diabetes management. We sought to assess the impact of RT-CGM use in the classroom/school environment. Children with T1D using RT-CGM, their parents, and teachers completed a questionnaire about RT-CGM in the classroom/school environment. The RT-CGM was tolerated well in the classroom/school environment. Seventy percent of parents, 75% of students, and 51% of teachers found RT-CGM useful in the classroom/school environment. The students found the device to be more disruptive than did their parents and teachers. However, all three groups agreed that RT-CGM increased their comfort with diabetes management at school. Our study suggests that RT-CGM is useful and not disruptive in the classroom/school environment. The development of education materials for teachers could further increase its acceptance in the classroom/school environment.

Cable condition monitoring in a pressurized water reactor environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Hussaini, T.J.

1988-01-01

Oconee Nuclear Station is the first nuclear plant designed, engineered and constructed by Duke Power Company. Even though the accelerated aging method was available to determine the life expectancy of the cable used in the reactor building, no natural aging data was available at that time. In order to be able to verify the condition of the reactor building cable over the life of the plant, an on-going cable monitoring plan was instituted. Various types of cable were selected to be monitored, and they were installed in cable life evaluation circuits in the reactor building. At five year intervals over the life of the plant, cable samples would be removed from these cable life evaluation circuits and tested to determine the effects of the reactor building environment on the integrity of the cable. A review of the cable life evaluation circuits and the results of the evaluation program to date is presented

The application of entropy weight TOPSIS method to optimal points in monitoring the Xinjiang radiation environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng Guangwen; Hu Youhua; Liu Qian

2009-01-01

In this paper, the application of the entropy weight TOPSIS method to optimal layout points in monitoring the Xinjiang radiation environment has been indroduced. With the help of SAS software, It has been found that the method is more ideal and feasible. The method can provide a reference for us to monitor radiation environment in the same regions further. As the method could bring great convenience and greatly reduce the inspecting work, it is very simple, flexible and effective for a comprehensive evaluation. (authors)

Local bureaucrats as bricoleurs. The everyday implementation practices of county environment officers in rural Kenya

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mikkel Funder

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Bricolage in natural resource governance takes place through the interplay of a variety of actors. This article explores the practices of a group whose agency as bricoleurs has received little attention, namely the government officers who represent the state in the everyday management of water, land, forests and other resources across rural Africa. Specifically we examine how local Environment Officers in Taita Taveta County in Kenya go about implementing the national environmental law on the ground, and how they interact with communities in this process. As representatives of “the local state”, the Environment Officers occupy an ambiguous position in which they are expected to implement lofty laws and policies with limited means and in a complex local reality. In response to this they employ three key practices, namely (i working through personal networks, (ii tailoring informal agreements, and (iii delegating public functions and authority to civil society. As a result, the environmental law is to a large extent implemented through a blend of formal and informal rules and governance arrangements, produced through the interplay of the Environment Officers, communities and other local actors.

Error Analysis for RADAR Neighbor Matching Localization in Linear Logarithmic Strength Varying Wi-Fi Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mu Zhou

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper studies the statistical errors for the fingerprint-based RADAR neighbor matching localization with the linearly calibrated reference points (RPs in logarithmic received signal strength (RSS varying Wi-Fi environment. To the best of our knowledge, little comprehensive analysis work has appeared on the error performance of neighbor matching localization with respect to the deployment of RPs. However, in order to achieve the efficient and reliable location-based services (LBSs as well as the ubiquitous context-awareness in Wi-Fi environment, much attention has to be paid to the highly accurate and cost-efficient localization systems. To this end, the statistical errors by the widely used neighbor matching localization are significantly discussed in this paper to examine the inherent mathematical relations between the localization errors and the locations of RPs by using a basic linear logarithmic strength varying model. Furthermore, based on the mathematical demonstrations and some testing results, the closed-form solutions to the statistical errors by RADAR neighbor matching localization can be an effective tool to explore alternative deployment of fingerprint-based neighbor matching localization systems in the future.

Error Analysis for RADAR Neighbor Matching Localization in Linear Logarithmic Strength Varying Wi-Fi Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Zengshan; Xu, Kunjie; Yu, Xiang

2014-01-01

This paper studies the statistical errors for the fingerprint-based RADAR neighbor matching localization with the linearly calibrated reference points (RPs) in logarithmic received signal strength (RSS) varying Wi-Fi environment. To the best of our knowledge, little comprehensive analysis work has appeared on the error performance of neighbor matching localization with respect to the deployment of RPs. However, in order to achieve the efficient and reliable location-based services (LBSs) as well as the ubiquitous context-awareness in Wi-Fi environment, much attention has to be paid to the highly accurate and cost-efficient localization systems. To this end, the statistical errors by the widely used neighbor matching localization are significantly discussed in this paper to examine the inherent mathematical relations between the localization errors and the locations of RPs by using a basic linear logarithmic strength varying model. Furthermore, based on the mathematical demonstrations and some testing results, the closed-form solutions to the statistical errors by RADAR neighbor matching localization can be an effective tool to explore alternative deployment of fingerprint-based neighbor matching localization systems in the future. PMID:24683349

The development of web monitoring digital area monitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Hoon-Jin; Lee, Jun-Hee; Namkoong, Phil; Lee, Dong-Hoon; Lee, Su-Hong; Kim, We-Su

2005-01-01

As CCTV and radiation area monitor have been used separately to date, there have existed inconveniences in managing the view images and radiation dose rates from them. Thus we became to develop the web monitoring digital area monitor which incorporated the existing two factors, CCTV and radiation area monitor, into one. As incorporated with digitalisation, this device will usually become linked with PC, so that the view image and radiation dose rate can be concurrently identified in convenience. These measured figures automatically become data-based on PC by SW program, and become displayed in various format. Moreover, they can be monitored in remote and real time basis in the internet environment. Its local unit uses the cost-effective GM tube and CMOS image sensor, and has the small LCD which directly indicates the measured dose rate. The image sensor is designed to be operated with pan and tilt motion, thus can eliminate the dead view zone. It is thought that the developed device at this time could make the radiation safety management of each work field be done with low cost-high efficiency manner, making role of the CCTV inspection system

The development of web monitoring digital area monitor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Hoon-Jin; Lee, Jun-Hee; Namkoong, Phil; Lee, Dong-Hoon; Lee, Su-Hong; Kim, We-Su [Iljin Radiation Engineering Co., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2005-11-15

As CCTV and radiation area monitor have been used separately to date, there have existed inconveniences in managing the view images and radiation dose rates from them. Thus we became to develop the web monitoring digital area monitor which incorporated the existing two factors, CCTV and radiation area monitor, into one. As incorporated with digitalisation, this device will usually become linked with PC, so that the view image and radiation dose rate can be concurrently identified in convenience. These measured figures automatically become data-based on PC by SW program, and become displayed in various format. Moreover, they can be monitored in remote and real time basis in the internet environment. Its local unit uses the cost-effective GM tube and CMOS image sensor, and has the small LCD which directly indicates the measured dose rate. The image sensor is designed to be operated with pan and tilt motion, thus can eliminate the dead view zone. It is thought that the developed device at this time could make the radiation safety management of each work field be done with low cost-high efficiency manner, making role of the CCTV inspection system.

Sentinel-1 provides ice drift observations for Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Toudal Pedersen, Leif; Saldo, Roberto

are matched every month in the processing system.The quality of the ice drift vectors are routinely verified against GPS locations of drift buoys and the RMS difference between the baseline product available through the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service data portal and GPS drifters is ~500......Sea ice drift information with an accuracy that allows also ice deformation (divergence, shear, vorticity) to be derived is being operationally generated in the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS).The method is based on 2-dimensional digital cross correlation where subsections......View project in 2007 when large volumes of ENVISAT ASAR images of the Polar regions became available during the International Polar Year. A dataset of daily ice drift vectors of the Polar Regions (North and South) is now available covering the time period from 2007 to the present time.In 2009 the processing...

Facility effluent monitoring plan for the tank farm facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crummel, G.M.

1998-05-18

A facility effluent monitoring plan is required by the US Department of Energy in DOE Order 5400.1 for any operations that involve hazardous materials and radioactive substances that could impact employee or public safety or the environment. This document is prepared using the specific guidelines identified in A Guide for Preparing Hanford Site Facility Effluent Monitoring Plans, WHC-EP-0438. This facility effluent monitoring plan assesses effluent monitoring systems and evaluates whether they are adequate to ensure the public health and safety as specified in applicable federal, state, and local requirements.

Monitoring of radiation in the environment in the Netherlands. Results in 2000

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knetsch, G.J. (ed.)

2002-07-01

This report presents the results of radioactivity measurements in the environment in the Netherlands carried out by RIVM, RIZA, RIKZ and Inspectorate for Health Protection and Veterinary Public Health in 2000. Measurements of radioactivity have been carried out in airborne particulates, deposition, surface water, seawater, drinking water and food (honey, game, blueberry and mushrooms). Results for ambient dose equivalent rates have been obtained from the National Radioactivity Monitoring Network. No measurements were done in milk. In 2000 no elevated levels of radioactivity were found in the Dutch environment.

Monitoring of radiation in the environment in the Netherlands. Results in 2000

CERN Document Server

Knetsch, G J

2002-01-01

This report presents the results of radioactivity measurements in the environment in the Netherlands carried out by RIVM, RIZA, RIKZ and Inspectorate for Health Protection and Veterinary Public Health in 2000. Measurements of radioactivity have been carried out in airborne particulates, deposition, surface water, seawater, drinking water and food (honey, game, blueberry and mushrooms). Results for ambient dose equivalent rates have been obtained from the National Radioactivity Monitoring Network. No measurements were done in milk. In 2000 no elevated levels of radioactivity were found in the Dutch environment

A Cost Effective Solution for Development Environment for Data Acquisition, Monitoring and Simulation of PLC Controlled Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Bjelica

2014-06-01

Full Text Available It is very important to test and monitor the operation of Programmable Logic Controller (PLC in real time (online. Nowadays, conventional, but expensive monitoring systems for PLCs, such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA systems, software and hardware simulators (or debuggers, are widely used. This paper proposes a user friendly and cost-effective development environment for monitoring, data acquisition and online simulation of applications with PLC. The purpose of this solution is to simulate the process which is controlled by the PLC. The performances of the proposed development environment are presented on the examples of washing machine and dishwasher simulators.

Initiation of environment protection monitoring system in energetic sector of Sartid Iron and Steel Factory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janjic, Jovan; Ivanovic, Jovan

2003-01-01

Energetic sector in SARTID Iron and Steel factory includes complex systems for production, transformation and distribution of all kinds of energy and fluids, supplying all other production divisions. As that, energetic sector has large influence in environment. Incorporating quality system ISO 14001 in SARTID factory, with special care we are working on environment protection monitoring system. Having started with this, as first we are working on implementation of monitoring system for air pollution from our emitters of exhausted gases issued from incineration of blast furnace (BF) gas, natural gas and crude oil. Constant recording of air pollutant emissions from our boilers have became standard procedure now. This monitoring system is based on software package, where input data are permanently measured flow of fuels, fuel composition and quality of combustion. As a result, in each time we know quantity of emitted exhausted components - CO 2 , CO, SO 2 , (NO) x . Another monitoring system that we are implementing right now is some simpler, being used for a lot of smaller BF or natural gas consumers. (Original)

Grey Incidence analyze of Environment Monitoring Data and Research on the Disease Prevention Measures of Longmen Grottoes

Science.gov (United States)

LeiLei, Zheng; XueZhi, Fu; Fei, Chu

2018-05-01

Longmen Grottoes was afflicted with many diseases for a long period such as weathering, seepage water and organism growth. Those adverse factors were threatening to preserve cultural relic. Longmen Grottoes conservation and restoration project being put into effect by UNESCO in 2002. The Longmen Grottoes area environmental monitoring system was built in order to comprehensively master the distribution law of environmental factors over the Longmen Grottoes. The monitoring items contains temperature, humidity, wind direction, wind speed, precipitation, light intensity,water content in soil, the rock surface temperature and so on. At the same time, monitoring three experiment caves, monitoring the inside temperature, humidity, seepage water and the wall face temperature etc. So as to analyze the relationship between cave environment and regional environment. We statistical and arrange the data using Excel software, Kgraph software and DPS software. Through the grey incidence analyze, the incidence matrix and the correlation degree of the environmental factors was obtained[1]. The main environment factors for the formation of the disease had been researched. Based on the existing environmental monitor data, the relevance of seepage water and fracture displacement with other environmental factors had been studied, and the relational order was obtained. Corresponding preventive measures were put forward by the formation mechanism analyze of the disease.

Radioactivity in the environment. Report for 1999. A summary and radiological assessment of the Environment Ageny's monitoring programmes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

radionuclides analysed in airborne dust and rainwater from seven locations in the UK were very low or undetectable. (iv) Water from all 31 sources of drinking water in England and Wales, except one in Derbyshire, were consistently well below the World Health Organisation (WHO) drinking water screening levels. The enhanced level of uranium in the Derbyshire water is due to the local geology, and is insignificant from a radiological point of view. Assessments of doses which might be received by members of the public from drinking water and occupation of beaches, riverbanks and inter-tidal areas around nuclear and major non-nuclear sites were made. In all cases, doses were less than the annual dose limit for members of the public of 1000 μSv. Houseboat dwellers on the Ribble Estuary in Lancashire received the highest annual doses of 160 μSv from non-food sources. This is due to their high occupancy over inter-tidal sediments which contain radionuclides discharged from both BNFL Sellafield and BNFL Springfields. On the Cumbria coast annual doses were between 4 and 39 μSv, similar to previous years. Elsewhere, annual doses were 1 μSv or less. From time to time, more detailed studies are carried out by the Agency to investigate areas where enhanced levels of radioactivity in the environment were detected. Three such studies, which continued during 1999, were: Tritium levels around nuclear sites. The higher than expected concentrations of tritium found in fish, shellfish and sediments in the Cardiff area as a result of discharges from the Nycomed Amersham plant, were reported in the Radioactivity in the Environment Report for 1998. During 1999, the Agency started a programme of additional environmental monitoring for tritium around particular nuclear sites in England and Wales. The results indicate that significantly elevated concentrations of tritium in the environment are restricted to the Cardiff area and are not found elsewhere. (v) Sea-washed turf. The Agency has commissioned

Integrity mechanism for eHealth tele-monitoring system in smart home environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Mantas, Georgios; Lymberopoulos, Dimitrios; Komninos, Nikos

2009-01-01

During the past few years, a lot of effort has been invested in research and development of eHealth tele-monitoring systems that will provide many benefits for healthcare delivery from the healthcare provider to the patient's home. However, there is a plethora of security requirements in eHealth tele-monitoring systems. Data integrity of the transferred medical data is one of the most important security requirements that should be satisfied in these systems, since medical information is extremely sensitive information, and even sometimes life threatening information. In this paper, we present a data integrity mechanism for eHealth tele-monitoring system that operates in a smart home environment. Agent technology is applied to achieve data integrity with the use of cryptographic smart cards. Furthermore, the overall security infrastructure and its various components are described.

Physical and chemical monitoring of environment components at Rirang and Eko Remaja West Kalimantan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sorot S, Achmad; Deddi, Eep; Wismawati, Titi; Widarti, Sri

2002-01-01

The aim of the environmental monitoring is to know the possibility change environmental component quality at Kalan area West Kalimantan. This monitoring activity has done parallel to the exploration and mining research on radioactive ore at Kalan area. The monitoring consist the activities such as river water sampling, stream sediments, soil, and pH. Water and sediment samples were taken from the same location as what been carried out at the previously research sampling. COD and BOD parameters of the water were been analyzed in field, while the other parameters were analyzed at Jakarta using spectrophotometer and Eberline alpha counter SACR5. Data obtained on BOD, COD, and heavy metal constant such as Ca, As, Mg, Fe, Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb, Mn, Mc, U, Th nad Ra lesser than that in 1997/1998 monitoring. Base on the criteria of EQAM, AMDAL the Rirang water quality (4.62 scales) and Eko Remaja water quality (4.76) are fairly good. Result of stream sediment and soil samples analysis are relatively close to 1997/1998 monitoring, except U and Th content were increase 1-5 %. Result of soil analysis on the parameters Ca, Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb, Mn, Mo, U, Th, and fe relatively same with the 1997/1998 monitoring, except the uranium content is lesser than that monitoring. The maximal radioactivity values were accepted is 0.4 Bq/l. Based on the physical and chemical assay of the river water, stream sediments, and soils samples shown that the quality of the environment was not deteriorating, that mean the exploration and mining research on radioactive ores are do not disturb the environment

The environment, international standards, asset health management and condition monitoring: An integrated strategy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roe, S. [CSD, British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT) (United Kingdom); Mba, D. [School of Engineering, Cranfield University, MK43 0AL, Bedfordshire (United Kingdom)], E-mail: d.mba@cranfield.ac.uk

2009-02-15

Asset Health Management (AHM), supported by condition monitoring (CM) and performance measuring technologies, together with trending, modelling and diagnostic frameworks, is not only critical to the reliability of high-value machines, but also to a companies Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE), system safety and profitability. In addition these protocols are also critical to the global concern of the environment. Industries involved with monitoring key performances indicators (KPI) to improve OEE would benefit from a standardised qualification and certification scheme for their personnel, particularly if it is based on internationally accepted procedures for the various CM technologies that also share the same objectives as AH and CM. Furthermore, the development of 'models' for implementation of a Carbon tax is intrinsically dependent on the integrity and accuracy of measurements contributing to these indicators. This paper reviews the global picture of condition monitoring, the environment and related international standards and then considers their relationship and equivalent global objectives. In addition, it presents the methods behind the development of such standards for certification of competence in personnel involved with data collection, modelling and measurements of KPIs. Two case studies are presented that highlight the integrated strategy in practise.

The environment, international standards, asset health management and condition monitoring: An integrated strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roe, S.; Mba, D.

2009-01-01

Asset Health Management (AHM), supported by condition monitoring (CM) and performance measuring technologies, together with trending, modelling and diagnostic frameworks, is not only critical to the reliability of high-value machines, but also to a companies Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE), system safety and profitability. In addition these protocols are also critical to the global concern of the environment. Industries involved with monitoring key performances indicators (KPI) to improve OEE would benefit from a standardised qualification and certification scheme for their personnel, particularly if it is based on internationally accepted procedures for the various CM technologies that also share the same objectives as AH and CM. Furthermore, the development of 'models' for implementation of a Carbon tax is intrinsically dependent on the integrity and accuracy of measurements contributing to these indicators. This paper reviews the global picture of condition monitoring, the environment and related international standards and then considers their relationship and equivalent global objectives. In addition, it presents the methods behind the development of such standards for certification of competence in personnel involved with data collection, modelling and measurements of KPIs. Two case studies are presented that highlight the integrated strategy in practise

Food and beverage environment analysis and monitoring system: a reliability study in the school food and beverage environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Bullock, Sally Lawrence; Craypo, Lisa; Clark, Sarah E; Barry, Jason; Samuels, Sarah E

2010-07-01

States and school districts around the country are developing policies that set nutrition standards for competitive foods and beverages sold outside of the US Department of Agriculture's reimbursable school lunch program. However, few tools exist for monitoring the implementation of these new policies. The objective of this research was to develop a computerized assessment tool, the Food and Beverage Environment Analysis and Monitoring System (FoodBEAMS), to collect data on the competitive school food environment and to test the inter-rater reliability of the tool among research and nonresearch professionals. FoodBEAMS was used to collect data in spring 2007 on the competitive foods and beverages sold in 21 California high schools. Adherence of the foods and beverages to California's competitive food and beverage nutrition policies for schools (Senate Bills 12 and 965) was determined using the data collected by both research and nonresearch professionals. The inter-rater reliability between the data collectors was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Researcher vs researcher and researcher vs nonresearcher inter-rater reliability was high for both foods and beverages, with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from .972 to .987. Results of this study provide evidence that FoodBEAMS is a promising tool for assessing and monitoring adherence to nutrition standards for competitive foods sold on school campuses and can be used reliably by both research and nonresearch professionals. Copyright 2010 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Performance of an alpha air monitor in a dusty environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoover, M.D.; Newton, G.J.; Yeh, H.C.; Seiler, F.A.; Boecker, B.B.

1988-01-01

The Eberline Alpha-6 Continuous Air Monitor (CAM) was evaluated for use in detecting alpha radiation from 238 Pu and 239 Pu in the presence of background aerosols of salt dust and radon progeny. The Alpha-6 method uses an embedded, multichannel analyzer and real-time computer to correct for the presence of alpha-emitting radon progeny and to accurately report plutonium air concentration in dust-free environments. However, accumulation of mg/cm 2 salt dust on the sample collection filter was found to be equivalent to an infinitely thick layer. Dust loading raises the limit of detection in proportion to the concentration of airborne salt. Proper detection of 239 Pu is impaired by airborne concentrations of salt greater than 2 mg/m 3 . Alpha spectral analysis at a central monitoring computer is recommended to avoid detection errors at higher salt concentrations. (author)

Review of passive accumulation devices for monitoring organic micropollutants in the aquatic environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Stuer-Lauridsen, Frank

2005-08-01

Over the past 15 years passive sampling devices have been developed that accumulate organic micropollutants and allow detection at ambient sub ng/l concentrations. Most passive accumulation devices (PADs) are designed for 1-4 weeks field deployment, where uptake is governed by linear first order kinetics providing a time weighted average of the exposure concentration. Semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) are the most comprehensively studied PADs, but other samplers may also be considered for aquatic monitoring purposes. The applicability of the PADs is reviewed with respect to commonly monitored aqueous matrices and compounds, the detection limits, and for use in quantitative monitoring related to requirements embedded in the EU Water Framework Directive, the US and EU Water Quality Criteria, and the Danish monitoring aquatic programme. The PADs may monitor >75% of the organic micropollutants of the programmes. Research is warranted regarding the uptake in PADs in low flow environments and for the development of samplers for polar organic compounds.

Complex monitoring of aerospace and mountain environment at Beo Mussala

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angelov, I.; Angelov, C.; Barnekov, L. and others

2006-01-01

The mission of BEO Moussala is the observing, complex monitoring and studies of global change processes, aerospace and mountain environment, natural hazards and technological risks. BEO Moussala is the focal point of the BEO Centre of Excellence established and promoted in the framework of FP5 project HIMONTONET essentially improving its research capacities in frame of the FP6 project BEOBAL. The basic fields of current and future activities and studies at BEO Moussala are: global change, aerospace and mountain environment, natural hazards and technological risks and not at least development, design and enhancement of measurement devices and systems. The basic parameters and characteristics of the new measuring facilities are given and discussed from the point of view of the requirements of Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW) and Global Change Programs

Facility Effluent Monitoring Plan for the N Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watson, D.J.; Brendel, D.F.; Shields, K.D.

1991-11-01

A facility effluent monitoring plan is required by the US Department of Energy in DOE Order 5400.1 for any operations that involve hazardous materials and radioactive substances that could impact employee or public safety or the environment. This document is prepared using the specific guidelines identified in A Guide for Preparing Hanford Site Facility Effluent Monitoring Plans, WHC-EP- 0438. This facility effluent monitoring plan assesses effluent monitoring systems and evaluates whether they are adequate to ensure the public health and safety as specified in applicable federal, state, and local requirements. This facility effluent monitoring plan is the first annual report. It shall ensure long-range integrity of the effluent monitoring systems by requiring an update whenever a new process or operation introduces new hazardous materials or significant radioactive materials. This document must be reviewed annually even if there are no operational changes, and it must be updated as a minimum every three years. The primary purpose of the N Reactor Facility Effluent Monitoring Plan (FEMP), during standby, is to ensure that the radioactive effluents are properly monitored and evaluated for compliance with the applicable DOE orders and regulatory agencies at the federal, state, and local levels. A secondary purpose of the FEMP is to ensure that hazardous wastes are not released, in liquid effluents, to the environment even though the potential to do so is extremely low. The FEMP is to provide a monitoring system that collects representative samples in accordance with industry standards, performs analyses within stringent quality control (QC) requirements, and evaluates the data through the use of comparative analysis with the standards and acceptable environmental models

Developing the remote sensing-based water environmental model for monitoring alpine river water environment over Plateau cold zone

Science.gov (United States)

You, Y.; Wang, S.; Yang, Q.; Shen, M.; Chen, G.

2017-12-01

Alpine river water environment on the Plateau (such as Tibetan Plateau, China) is a key indicator for water security and environmental security in China. Due to the complex terrain and various surface eco-environment, it is a very difficult to monitor the water environment over the complex land surface of the plateau. The increasing availability of remote sensing techniques with appropriate spatiotemporal resolutions, broad coverage and low costs allows for effective monitoring river water environment on the Plateau, particularly in remote and inaccessible areas where are lack of in situ observations. In this study, we propose a remote sense-based monitoring model by using multi-platform remote sensing data for monitoring alpine river environment. In this study some parameterization methodologies based on satellite remote sensing data and field observations have been proposed for monitoring the water environmental parameters (including chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl-a), water turbidity (WT) or water clarity (SD), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and total organic carbon (TOC)) over the china's southwest highland rivers, such as the Brahmaputra. First, because most sensors do not collect multiple observations of a target in a single pass, data from multiple orbits or acquisition times may be used, and varying atmospheric and irradiance effects must be reconciled. So based on various types of satellite data, at first we developed the techniques of multi-sensor data correction, atmospheric correction. Second, we also built the inversion spectral database derived from long-term remote sensing data and field sampling data. Then we have studied and developed a high-precision inversion model over the southwest highland river backed by inversion spectral database through using the techniques of multi-sensor remote sensing information optimization and collaboration. Third, take the middle reaches of the Brahmaputra river as the study area, we validated the key

The monitoring of radioactive contamination and radiation exposure in the environment in Germany- tasks, techniques, realizations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bayer, A.

1998-01-01

A brief historical account of the development of the monitoring of radioactivity in the environment in Germany is given. The aims of monitoring and the tasks, classified according to the possible sources of release, are presented and the methods required are described. The monitoring systems, set up on the basis of different legal principles, are presented and the technical realization of these including their current state of development, is described. Finally, an account is given of the coordination of the national monitoring systems which is at present in progress, as well as of the integration of these monitoring systems into international monitoring and information networks. (author)

Design of environment monitoring system to evaluate radionuclide release from subsystem on PWR nuclear power accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sri Kuntjoro; Sugiyanto; Pande Made Udiyani; Jupiter Sitorus Pane

2012-01-01

Nuclear Power Plan (NPP) as a renewable energy source is selected as an alternative, because it has many advantages that is environmentally friendly, fuel supply which is independent of the season, and the price that can compete with other power plants. However, the existence of some public skepticism about nuclear radiation safety, the government must be convinced about the operation of nuclear power plants are safe and secure. Research on the design of environment monitoring system for evaluation of radionuclide release from the reactor subsystems and the environment due to accidents at power reactors has been done. The study was conducted by calculating the distribution of radionuclide release into the reactor subsystem and the environment and also to build the environment radiation monitoring system. Environmental monitoring system consists of a radiation counter, early warning systems, meteorological measurement systems, GPS systems and GIS. Radiation monitoring system used to record the data of radiation, meteorological measurement system used to record data of wind and speed direction, while the GPS system is used to determine position of data measurements. The data is then transmitted to a data acquisition system and then to be transmitted to the control center. Collection and transmission of data is done via SMS formatting using a modem device that is placed in the control center. The control center receives measurement data from various places. In this case the control center has a function as an SMS Gateway. This system can visualize for different measurement locations. Furthermore, radiation data and position data to be integrated with digital maps. System integration is then visualized in a personal computer. To position of measurements directly visualized on the map and also look for the data displayed on a monitor as a red or green circle colour. That colour indicated as a safe limit of radiation monitor. When the cycle colour is red, the system will

[The marine coastal water monitoring program of the Italian Ministry of the Environment].

Science.gov (United States)

Di Girolamo, Irene

2003-01-01

The Ministry of the Environment carries out marine and coastal monitoring programs with the collaboration of the coastal Regions. The program in progress (2001-2003), on the basis of results of the previous one, has identified 73 particulary significant areas (57 critical areas and 16 control areas). The program investigates several parameters on water, plancton, sediments, mollusks and benthos with analyses fortnightly, six-monthly and annual. The main aim of these three year monitoring programs is to assess the quality of national marine ecosystem.

Monitoring on corrosion behavior of steam generator tubings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takamatsu, H.; Isobe, S.; Sato, M.; Arioka, K.; Tsuruta, T.

1988-01-01

The importance of chemistry in high temperature aqueous solutions is widely recognized for understanding corrosion phenomena in PWR SG crevice environments. Potential and pH are two important parameters, among other environmental factors affecting localized corrosion processes, such as IGA and/or SCC in SG crevices. In this article, we discuss the potential-pH-IGA/SCC diagram of Alloy 600 as a basis for evaluating the corrosion behavior of SG tubings, and two examples of monitoring, corrosion potential monitoring in the bulk secondary water and pH monitoring in simulated SG crevices. (author)

Beekeeping, environment and modernity in localities in Yucatan, Mexico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Enrique Rodríguez Balam

2015-05-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-7925.2015v28n3p143 In this paper, we reflect on the local knowledge about the European honey bee  Apis mellifera scutellata, namely its biology, behavior, social structure, communication, and the relationships that these organisms maintain with the environment and their natural enemies. We also discuss the impacts that land use has on this economic activity. The empirical knowledge of beekeepers converges quite well with the scientific knowledge concerning this group of organisms.

Evaluating the use of local ecological knowledge to monitor hunted tropical-forest wildlife over large spatial scales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luke Parry

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Monitoring the distribution and abundance of hunted wildlife is critical to achieving sustainable resource use, yet adequate data are sparse for most tropical regions. Conventional methods for monitoring hunted forest-vertebrate species require intensive in situ survey effort, which severely constrains spatial and temporal replication. Integrating local ecological knowledge (LEK into monitoring and management is appealing because it can be cost-effective, enhance community participation, and provide novel insights into sustainable resource use. We develop a technique to monitor population depletion of hunted forest wildlife in the Brazilian Amazon, based on the local ecological knowledge of rural hunters. We performed rapid interview surveys to estimate the landscape-scale depletion of ten large-bodied vertebrate species around 161 Amazonian riverine settlements. We assessed the explanatory and predictive power of settlement and landscape characteristics and were able to develop robust estimates of local faunal depletion. By identifying species-specific drivers of depletion and using secondary data on human population density, land form, and physical accessibility, we then estimated landscape- and regional-scale depletion. White-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari, for example, were estimated to be absent from 17% of their putative range in Brazil's largest state (Amazonas, despite 98% of the original forest cover remaining intact. We found evidence that bushmeat consumption in small urban centers has far-reaching impacts on some forest species, including severe depletion well over 100 km from urban centers. We conclude that LEK-based approaches require further field validation, but have significant potential for community-based participatory monitoring as well as cost-effective, large-scale monitoring of threatened forest species.

BreathSens: A Continuous On-Bed Respiratory Monitoring System With Torso Localization Using an Unobtrusive Pressure Sensing Array.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jason J; Huang, Ming-Chun; Xu, Wenyao; Zhang, Xiaoyi; Stevens, Luke; Alshurafa, Nabil; Sarrafzadeh, Majid

2015-09-01

The ability to continuously monitor respiration rates of patients in homecare or in clinics is an important goal. Past research showed that monitoring patient breathing can lower the associated mortality rates for long-term bedridden patients. Nowadays, in-bed sensors consisting of pressure sensitive arrays are unobtrusive and are suitable for deployment in a wide range of settings. Such systems aim to extract respiratory signals from time-series pressure sequences. However, variance of movements, such as unpredictable extremities activities, affect the quality of the extracted respiratory signals. BreathSens, a high-density pressure sensing system made of e-Textile, profiles the underbody pressure distribution and localizes torso area based on the high-resolution pressure images. With a robust bodyparts localization algorithm, respiratory signals extracted from the localized torso area are insensitive to arbitrary extremities movements. In a study of 12 subjects, BreathSens demonstrated its respiratory monitoring capability with variations of sleep postures, locations, and commonly tilted clinical bed conditions.

The effect of brain lesions on sound localization in complex acoustic environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Zündorf, Ida C; Karnath, Hans-Otto; Lewald, Jörg

2014-05-01

Localizing sound sources of interest in cluttered acoustic environments--as in the 'cocktail-party' situation--is one of the most demanding challenges to the human auditory system in everyday life. In this study, stroke patients' ability to localize acoustic targets in a single-source and in a multi-source setup in the free sound field were directly compared. Subsequent voxel-based lesion-behaviour mapping analyses were computed to uncover the brain areas associated with a deficit in localization in the presence of multiple distracter sound sources rather than localization of individually presented sound sources. Analyses revealed a fundamental role of the right planum temporale in this task. The results from the left hemisphere were less straightforward, but suggested an involvement of inferior frontal and pre- and postcentral areas. These areas appear to be particularly involved in the spectrotemporal analyses crucial for effective segregation of multiple sound streams from various locations, beyond the currently known network for localization of isolated sound sources in otherwise silent surroundings.

A review of the behaviour of radionuclides in the environment around Dounreay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacKenzie, A.; Begg, F.; Scott, E.

1996-02-01

This study was commissioned by Her Majesty's Industrial Pollution Inspectorate of The Scottish Office Environment Department to review published literature on (1) radionuclide discharges from the Dounreay and Vulcan nuclear establishments, (2) environmental monitoring and modelling of the behaviour of radionuclides in the Dounreay environment, (3) local agricultural and fisheries practices and (4) radionuclide research studies carried out in this environment

Monitoring equipment environment during nuclear plant operation at Salem and Hope Creek generating stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blum, A.; Smith, R.J.

1991-01-01

Monitoring of environmental parameters has become a significant issue for operating nuclear power plants. While the long-term benefits of plant life extension programs are being pursued with comprehensive environmental monitoring programs, the potential effect of local hot spots at various plant locations needs to be evaluated for its effect on equipment degradation and shortening of equipment qualified life. A significant benefit can be experienced from temperature monitoring when a margin exists between the design versus actual operating temperature. This margin can be translated into longer equipment qualified life and significant reduction in maintenance activities. At PSE and G, the immediate need for monitoring environmental parameters is being accomplished via the use of a Logic Beach Bitlogger. The Bitlogger is a portable data loggings system consisting of a system base, input modules and a communication software package. Thermocouples are installed on selected electrical equipment and cables are run from the thermocouples to the input module of the Bitlogger. Temperature readings are taken at selected intervals, stored in memory, and downloaded periodically to a PC software program, i.e., Lotus. The data is formatted into tabular or graphical documents. Because of their versatility, Bitloggers are being used differently at the authors Nuclear facility. At the Salem Station (2 Units-4 loop Westinghouse PWR), a battery powered, fully portable, calibrated Bitlogger is located in an accessible area inside Containment where it monitors the temperature of various electrical equipment within the Pressurizer Enclosure. It is planned that close monitoring of the local hot spot temperatures in this area will allow them to adjust and reconcile the environmental qualification of the equipment

Integrating the environment in local strategic planning : Guidelines (Case of Morocco)

Science.gov (United States)

Benbrahim, Hafsa

2018-05-01

Since 2010, an advanced regionalization project has been initiated by Morocco, which plans to consolidate the processes of decentralization and deconcentration by extending the powers of the regions and other local authorities. This project, institutionalized in the 2011 Constitution, defines the territorial organization of the Kingdom and reinforces decentralization according to a model of advanced regionalization. Through advanced regionalization, Morocco aims at integrated and sustainable development in economic, social, cultural and environmental terms, through the development of the potential and resources of each region. However, in order to honor this commitment of advanced regionalization, local authorities must be assisted in adopting a local strategic planning approach, allowing them to develop territorial plans for sustainable development in accordance with the national legal framework, specifically the Framework law 99-12, and international commitments in terms of environmental protection. This research deals with the issue of environmental governance in relation to the role and duties of local authorities. Thus, the main goal of our study is to present the guidelines to be followed by the local authorities to improve the quality of the environment integration process in the local strategic planning with the aim of putting it in a perspective of sustainable development.

LYSIMETER - A UNIQUE TOOL FOR MONITORING THE INTERACTIONS AMONG THE COMPONENTS OF ENVIRONMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan Matušek

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Modern lysimeter facilities in connection with meteorological stations allow monitoring and evaluation of mutual basic components of the environment, such as water, air, soil and vegetation. Water is the most important component of the ecosystem and the component which connects all the other components. Therefore, we need to know the basic distribution and water balance in the different components of the environment to be able to interpret some processes in nature. Rainfall, which is the primary source of vital processes in the soil, is formed in the air. The amount of precipitation that gets into the soil and into the groundwater is affected by weather conditions. Primary distribution of rainwater is divided between infiltration, surface runoff, transpiration and evapotranspiration. The amount of water infiltrated into the soil and then evaporated by solar activity or activities of plants can be identified primarily by monitoring changes in weight. For this monitoring we use weighable lysimeter. This equipment with the monolith size of surface area 1 m2 and the depth of 1.5 m is able to follow online updates of weight of the 2 ton body with an accuracy of 100 g. When we add to quantification of leakages through the bottom layer, we obtain a comprehensive record of rainfall at the time in the natural environment of the individual components. The obtained data can be further interpreted in terms of the needs of hydrology, agriculture, and environmental studies, and according to the purpose and objectives for which we want to use them.

Inverse Source Data-Processing Strategies for Radio-Frequency Localization in Indoor Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gianluca Gennarelli

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Indoor positioning of mobile devices plays a key role in many aspects of our daily life. These include real-time people tracking and monitoring, activity recognition, emergency detection, navigation, and numerous location based services. Despite many wireless technologies and data-processing algorithms have been developed in recent years, indoor positioning is still a problem subject of intensive research. This paper deals with the active radio-frequency (RF source localization in indoor scenarios. The localization task is carried out at the physical layer thanks to receiving sensor arrays which are deployed on the border of the surveillance region to record the signal emitted by the source. The localization problem is formulated as an imaging one by taking advantage of the inverse source approach. Different measurement configurations and data-processing/fusion strategies are examined to investigate their effectiveness in terms of localization accuracy under both line-of-sight (LOS and non-line of sight (NLOS conditions. Numerical results based on full-wave synthetic data are reported to support the analysis.

An IoT-Based Computational Framework for Healthcare Monitoring in Mobile Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Higinio Mora

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The new Internet of Things paradigm allows for small devices with sensing, processing and communication capabilities to be designed, which enable the development of sensors, embedded devices and other ‘things’ ready to understand the environment. In this paper, a distributed framework based on the internet of things paradigm is proposed for monitoring human biomedical signals in activities involving physical exertion. The main advantages and novelties of the proposed system is the flexibility in computing the health application by using resources from available devices inside the body area network of the user. This proposed framework can be applied to other mobile environments, especially those where intensive data acquisition and high processing needs take place. Finally, we present a case study in order to validate our proposal that consists in monitoring footballers’ heart rates during a football match. The real-time data acquired by these devices presents a clear social objective of being able to predict not only situations of sudden death but also possible injuries.

The Global Environment Radiation Monitoring Network (GERMON)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zakheim, B.J.; Goellner, D.A.

1994-01-01

Following the Chernobyl accident in 1986, a group of experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) met in France to discuss and develop the basic principles of a global environmental radiation monitoring network (GERMON). The basic functions of this network were to provide regular reports on environmental radiation levels and to be in a position to provide reliable and accurate radiation measurements on a quick and accurate radiation measurements on a quick turnaround basis in the event of a major radiation release. By 1992, although 58 countries had indicated an interest in becoming a part of the GERMON system, only 16 were providing data on a regular basis. This paper traces the history of GERMON from its inception in 1987 through its activities during 1993-4. It details the objectives of the network, describes functions, lists its participants, and presents obstacles in the current network. The paper examines the data requirements for radiological emergency preparedness and offers suggestions for the current system. The paper also describes the growing need for such a network. To add a domestic perspective, the authors present a summary of the environmental monitoring information system that was used by the NRC in 1986 in its analyses of the Chernobyl incident. Then we will use this 1986 experience to propose a method for the use of GERMON should a similar occasion arise in the future

Environment mapping and localization with an uncontrolled swarm of ultrasound sensor motes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Duisterwinkel, E.; Demi, L.; Dubbelman, G.; Talnishnikh, E.; Wörtche, H.J.; Bergmans, J.W.M.

2014-01-01

A method is presented in which a (large) swarm of sensor motes perform simple ultrasonic ranging measurements. The method allows to localize the motes within the swarm, and at the same time, map the environment which the swarm has traversed. The motes float passively uncontrolled through the

LOCALIZATION OF GAMMA-RAY BURSTS USING THE FERMI GAMMA-RAY BURST MONITOR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Connaughton, V.; Briggs, M. S.; Burgess, J. M. [CSPAR and Physics Department, University of Alabama in Huntsville, 320 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35899 (United States); Goldstein, A.; Wilson-Hodge, C. A. [Astrophysics Office, ZP12, NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 35812 (United States); Meegan, C. A.; Jenke, P.; Pelassa, V.; Xiong, S.; Bhat, P. N. [CSPAR, University of Alabama in Huntsville, 320 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35899 (United States); Paciesas, W. S. [Universities Space Research Association, Huntsville, AL (United States); Preece, R. D. [Department of Space Science, University of Alabama in Huntsville, 320 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35899 (United States); Gibby, M. H. [Jacobs Technology, Inc., Huntsville, AL (United States); Greiner, J.; Yu, H.-F. [Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, Giessenbachstrasse 1, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Gruber, D. [Planetarium Südtirol, Gummer 5, I-39053 Karneid (Italy); Kippen, R. M. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, NM 87545 (United States); Byrne, D.; Fitzpatrick, G.; Foley, S., E-mail: valerie@nasa.gov [School of Physics, University College Dublin, Belfield, Stillorgan Road, Dublin 4 (Ireland); and others

2015-02-01

The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) has detected over 1400 gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) since it began science operations in 2008 July. We use a subset of over 300 GRBs localized by instruments such as Swift, the Fermi Large Area Telescope, INTEGRAL, and MAXI, or through triangulations from the InterPlanetary Network, to analyze the accuracy of GBM GRB localizations. We find that the reported statistical uncertainties on GBM localizations, which can be as small as 1°, underestimate the distance of the GBM positions to the true GRB locations and we attribute this to systematic uncertainties. The distribution of systematic uncertainties is well represented (68% confidence level) by a 3.°7 Gaussian with a non-Gaussian tail that contains about 10% of GBM-detected GRBs and extends to approximately 14°. A more complex model suggests that there is a dependence of the systematic uncertainty on the position of the GRB in spacecraft coordinates, with GRBs in the quadrants on the Y axis better localized than those on the X axis.

High frequency monitoring of the coastal marine environment using the MAREL buoy.

Science.gov (United States)

Blain, S; Guillou, J; Tréguer, P; Woerther, P; Delauney, L; Follenfant, E; Gontier, O; Hamon, M; Leilde, B; Masson, A; Tartu, C; Vuillemin, R

2004-06-01

The MAREL Iroise data buoy provides physico-chemical measurements acquired in surface marine water in continuous and autonomous mode. The water is pumped 1.5 m from below the surface through a sampling pipe and flows through the measuring cell located in the floating structure. Technological innovations implemented inside the measuring cell atop the buoy allow a continuous cleaning of the sensor, while injection of chloride ions into the circuit prevents biological fouling. Specific sensors for temperature, salinity, oxygen and fluorescence investigated in this paper have been evaluated to guarantee measurement precision over a 3 month period. A bi-directional link under Internet TCP-IP protocols is used for data, alarms and remote-control transmissions with the land-based data centre. Herein, we present a 29 month record for 4 parameters measured using a MAREL buoy moored in a coastal environment (Iroise Sea, Brest, France). The accuracy of the data provided by the buoy is assessed by comparison with measurements of sea water weekly sampled at the same site as part of SOMLIT (Service d'Observation du Milieu LIToral), the French network for monitoring of the coastal environment. Some particular events (impact of intensive fresh water discharges, dynamics of a fast phytoplankton bloom) are also presented, demonstrating the worth of monitoring a highly variable environment with a high frequency continuous reliable system.

Application of local area network technology in an engineering environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Powell, A.D.; Sokolowski, M.A.

1990-01-01

This paper reports on the application of local area network technology in an engineering environment. Mobil Research and Development Corporation Engineering, Dallas, texas has installed a local area network (LAN) linking over 85 microcomputers. This network, which has been in existence for more than three years, provides common access by all engineers to quality output devices such as laser printers and multi-color pen plotters; IBM mainframe connections; electronic mail and file transfer; and common engineering program. The network has been expanded via a wide area ethernet network to link the Dallas location with a functionally equivalent LAN of over 400 microcomputers in Princeton, N.J. Additionally, engineers on assignment at remote areas in Europe, U.S., Africa and project task forces have dial-in access to the network via telephone lines

Individually controlled localized chilled beam in conjunction with chilled ceiling: Part 1 – Physical environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arghand, Taha; Bolashikov, Zhecho Dimitrov; Kosonen, Risto

2016-01-01

This study investigates the indoor environment generated by localized chilled beam coupled with chilled ceiling (LCBCC) and compares it with the environment generated by mixing ventilation coupled with chilled ceiling (CCMV). The experiments were performed in a mock-up of single office (4.1 m × 4...

Local Leak Detection and Health Monitoring of Pressurized Tanks

Science.gov (United States)

Polzin, Kurt; Witherow, William; Korman, Valentin; Sinko, John; Hendrickson, Adam

2011-01-01

An optical gas-detection sensor safely monitors pressurized systems (such as cryogenic tanks) and distribution systems for leaks. This sensor system is a fiber-coupled, solid optical body interferometer that allows for the miniaturized sensing element of the device to be placed in the smallest of recesses, and measures a wide range of gas species and densities (leaks). The deflection of the fringe pattern is detected and recorded to yield the time-varying gas density in the gap. This technology can be used by manufacturers or storage facilities with toxic, hazardous, or explosive gases. The approach is to monitor the change in the index of refraction associated with low-level gas leaks into a vacuum environment. The completion of this work will provide NASA with an enabling capability to detect gas system leaks in space, and to verify that pressurized systems are in a safe (i.e. non-leaking) condition during manned docking and transit operations. By recording the output of the sensor, a time-history of the leak can be constructed to indicate its severity. Project risk is mitigated by having several interferometric geometries and detection techniques available, each potentially leveraging hardware and lessons learned to enhance detectability.

Construct mine environment monitoring system based on wireless mesh network

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xin; Ge, Gengyu; Liu, Yinmei; Cheng, Aimin; Wu, Jun; Fu, Jun

2018-04-01

The system uses wireless Mesh network as a network transmission medium, and strive to establish an effective and reliable underground environment monitoring system. The system combines wireless network technology and embedded technology to monitor the internal data collected in the mine and send it to the processing center for analysis and environmental assessment. The system can be divided into two parts: the main control network module and the data acquisition terminal, and the SPI bus technology is used for mutual communication between them. Multi-channel acquisition and control interface design Data acquisition and control terminal in the analog signal acquisition module, digital signal acquisition module, and digital signal output module. The main control network module running Linux operating system, in which the transplant SPI driver, USB card driver and AODV routing protocol. As a result, the internal data collection and reporting of the mine are realized.

Continuous Distributed Top-k Monitoring over High-Speed Rail Data Stream in Cloud Computing Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanning Wang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In the environment of cloud computing, real-time mass data about high-speed rail which is based on the intense monitoring of large scale perceived equipment provides strong support for the safety and maintenance of high-speed rail. In this paper, we focus on the Top-k algorithm of continuous distribution based on Multisource distributed data stream for high-speed rail monitoring. Specifically, we formalized Top-k monitoring model of high-speed rail and proposed DTMR that is the Top-k monitoring algorithm with random, continuous, or strictly monotone aggregation functions. The DTMR was proved to be valid by lots of experiments.

A Movement-Assisted Deployment of Collaborating Autonomous Sensors for Indoor and Outdoor Environment Monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Niewiadomska-Szynkiewicz, Ewa; Sikora, Andrzej; Marks, Michał

2016-09-14

Using mobile robots or unmanned vehicles to assist optimal wireless sensors deployment in a working space can significantly enhance the capability to investigate unknown environments. This paper addresses the issues of the application of numerical optimization and computer simulation techniques to on-line calculation of a wireless sensor network topology for monitoring and tracking purposes. We focus on the design of a self-organizing and collaborative mobile network that enables a continuous data transmission to the data sink (base station) and automatically adapts its behavior to changes in the environment to achieve a common goal. The pre-defined and self-configuring approaches to the mobile-based deployment of sensors are compared and discussed. A family of novel algorithms for the optimal placement of mobile wireless devices for permanent monitoring of indoor and outdoor dynamic environments is described. They employ a network connectivity-maintaining mobility model utilizing the concept of the virtual potential function for calculating the motion trajectories of platforms carrying sensors. Their quality and utility have been justified through simulation experiments and are discussed in the final part of the paper.

IMAGE information monitoring and applied graphics software environment. Volume 2. Software description

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hallam, J.W.; Ng, K.B.; Upham, G.L.

1986-09-01

The EPRI Information Monitoring and Applied Graphics Environment (IMAGE) system is designed for 'fast proto-typing' of advanced concepts for computer-aided plant operations tools. It is a flexible software system which can be used for rapidly creating, dynamically driving and evaluating advanced operator aid displays. The software is written to be both host computer and graphic device independent

Facility effluent monitoring plan for the fast flux test facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nickels, J.M.; Dahl, N.R.

1992-11-01

A facility effluent monitoring plan is required by the US Department of Energy in US Department of Energy Order 5400.1 for any operations that involve hazardous materials and radioactive substances that could affect employee or public safety or the environment. A Facility Effluent Monitoring Plan determination was performed during calendar year 1991 and the evaluation requires the need for a facility effluent monitoring plan. This facility effluent monitoring plan assesses effluent monitoring systems and evaluates whether they are adequate to ensure the public health and safety as specified in applicable federal, state, and local requirements

Monitoring the Impact of Anthropogenic and Natural Influences on the Environment of Mesoamerica

Science.gov (United States)

Hardin, D.; Graves, S.; Sever, T.; Irwin, D.

2005-12-01

Mesoamerica - composed of the seven Central American countries and the five southernmost states of Mexico - is one of the richest biological regions in the world. The region is home to approximately eight percent of the planet's biodiversity. There are 14 biosphere reserves, eight world heritage sites and 589 protected areas. The human population, of over 45 million people consists of more than 50 ethnic groups. This rich biological and cultural diversity is threatened by human influence and natural disasters. Illegal logging and slash and burn agriculture are major contributors to extensive deforestation. Earthquakes, volcanoes, drought, and severe storms threaten the region. Of particular note is the massive destruction and loss of life resulting from hurricane Mitch in 1998. An international effort is underway to preserve the remaining forested regions, with its biodiversity, and to promote sustained development throughout the region. In 2002 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) joined with the World Bank and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to work with the Central American Commission for Environment and Development (CCAD), to develop an advanced decision support system for Mesoamerica known as SERVIR. (SERVIR is a Spanish acronym meaning to serve.) The partners are contributing expertise in space-based observation with information management technologies and intimate knowledge of local ecosystems to create a system for use by scientists, educators, and policy makers to monitor and forecast ecological changes, respond to natural disasters, and better understand both natural and human induced effects. NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center and the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) are concentrating on the preparation of data products and Information Technology applications that will integrate information from the entire region into a coherent information system that is easy to access and utilize. Already

Integrated multi-sensor fusion for mapping and localization in outdoor environments for mobile robots

Science.gov (United States)

Emter, Thomas; Petereit, Janko

2014-05-01

An integrated multi-sensor fusion framework for localization and mapping for autonomous navigation in unstructured outdoor environments based on extended Kalman filters (EKF) is presented. The sensors for localization include an inertial measurement unit, a GPS, a fiber optic gyroscope, and wheel odometry. Additionally a 3D LIDAR is used for simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM). A 3D map is built while concurrently a localization in a so far established 2D map is estimated with the current scan of the LIDAR. Despite of longer run-time of the SLAM algorithm compared to the EKF update, a high update rate is still guaranteed by sophisticatedly joining and synchronizing two parallel localization estimators.

Investigation of local environment around rare earths (La and Eu) by fluorescence line narrowing during borosilicate glass alteration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Molières, Estelle [CEA – DEN-DTCD-LCV-SECM Laboratoire d' études du Comportement à Long Terme, 30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze (France); Panczer, Gérard; Guyot, Yannick [Institut Lumière Matière, UMR5306 Université Lyon 1-CNRS, Université de Lyon, 69622 Villeurbanne cedex (France); Jollivet, Patrick [CEA – DEN-DTCD-LCV-SECM Laboratoire d' études du Comportement à Long Terme, 30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze (France); Majérus, Odile; Aschehoug, Patrick; Barboux, Philippe [Laboratoire de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Paris, UMR-CNRS 7574, École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Paris (ENSCP Chimie-ParisTech), 11 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75231 Paris (France); Gin, Stéphane [CEA – DEN-DTCD-LCV-SECM Laboratoire d' études du Comportement à Long Terme, 30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze (France); Angeli, Frédéric, E-mail: frederic.angeli@cea.fr [CEA – DEN-DTCD-LCV-SECM Laboratoire d' études du Comportement à Long Terme, 30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze (France)

2014-01-15

The local environment of europium in soda-lime borosilicate glasses with a range of La{sub 2}O{sub 3} content was probed by continuous luminescence and Fluorescence Line Narrowing (FLN) to investigate the local environment of rare earth elements in pristine and leached glass. After aqueous leaching at 90 °C at pH 7 and 9.5, rare earths were fully retained and homogeneously distributed in the amorphous alteration layer (commonly called gel). Two separate silicate environments were observed in pristine and leached glasses regardless of the lanthanum content and the leaching conditions. A borate environment surrounding europium was not observed in pristine and leached glasses. During glass alteration, OH groups were located around the europium environment, which became more organized (higher symmetry) in the first coordination shell. -- Highlights: • No borate environment surrounding europium was detected in pristine borosilicate glasses. • Up to 12 mol% of REE2O3 in glass, local environment of europium does not significantly change. • Europium environment becomes more ordered and symmetric in gels than in pristine glasses. • Two distinct silicate sites were observed, as well in pristine glass as in gels (leached glasses). • In altered glasses, OH groups were located around europium.

Investigation of local environment around rare earths (La and Eu) by fluorescence line narrowing during borosilicate glass alteration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molières, Estelle; Panczer, Gérard; Guyot, Yannick; Jollivet, Patrick; Majérus, Odile; Aschehoug, Patrick; Barboux, Philippe; Gin, Stéphane; Angeli, Frédéric

2014-01-01

The local environment of europium in soda-lime borosilicate glasses with a range of La 2 O 3 content was probed by continuous luminescence and Fluorescence Line Narrowing (FLN) to investigate the local environment of rare earth elements in pristine and leached glass. After aqueous leaching at 90 °C at pH 7 and 9.5, rare earths were fully retained and homogeneously distributed in the amorphous alteration layer (commonly called gel). Two separate silicate environments were observed in pristine and leached glasses regardless of the lanthanum content and the leaching conditions. A borate environment surrounding europium was not observed in pristine and leached glasses. During glass alteration, OH groups were located around the europium environment, which became more organized (higher symmetry) in the first coordination shell. -- Highlights: • No borate environment surrounding europium was detected in pristine borosilicate glasses. • Up to 12 mol% of REE2O3 in glass, local environment of europium does not significantly change. • Europium environment becomes more ordered and symmetric in gels than in pristine glasses. • Two distinct silicate sites were observed, as well in pristine glass as in gels (leached glasses). • In altered glasses, OH groups were located around europium

Foodstuff monitoring. To protect the consumer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

A set of articles describes the activities of the IRSN in the field of foodstuff monitoring about nuclear plants, in order to assess the exposure of population by food. Simulation codes have been developed to model the deposit of radionuclides on grass and their transfer to cows and milk, but also to local vegetable productions. In case of accidental release, it would be possible to forbid the consumption of some products. The IRSN performs a continuous monitoring of the environment at the local, regional and national levels. For each of these levels, a sampling plan is defined in terms of sampling location and frequency. These controls are different according to the region. The radiological quality of water is monitored and several actors are involved in this process (regional and national agencies, producers and distributors, laboratories). The case of the region of Chinon is more particularly addressed. Local production and consumption habits are studied for a better assessment of their health impact. Some projects are finally evoked: inclusion of children in food-habit survey, investigations in different regions, analysis of bottled waters, widening of the area for the study of post-accidental consequences

A critical friend: monitoring and evaluation systems, development cooperation and local government. The case of Tuscany.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossignoli, Serena; Coticchia, Fabrizio; Mezzasalma, Annarosa

2015-06-01

The role of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems in the field of development cooperation has globally increased in last decades. International and regional organizations, as well as states, local governments and NGOs have largely adopted the tools provided by M&E in order to enhance transparency, effectiveness and efficiency. The paper aims at verifying how and to what extent the implementation of M&E systems has affected the overall quality of international cooperation projects financed by a local government. After a literature review on M&E in development cooperation, the research analyzes the wide range of activities (evaluation ex-ante, mid-term, final, monitoring, consultancy) carried out by the Evaluation Team of the XY in the last eight years in behalf of an Italian local government: the Region of Tuscany. The paper reveals the strategic significance of adopting M&E systems in the medium-long term. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated linear regression tools improve RSSI WSN localization in multipath indoor environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laermans Eric

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Received signal strength indication (RSSI-based localization is emerging in wireless sensor networks (WSNs. Localization algorithms need to include the physical and hardware limitations of RSSI measurements in order to give more accurate results in dynamic real-life indoor environments. In this study, we use the Interdisciplinary Institute for Broadband Technology real-life test bed and present an automated method to optimize and calibrate the experimental data before offering them to a positioning engine. In a preprocessing localization step, we introduce a new method to provide bounds for the range, thereby further improving the accuracy of our simple and fast 2D localization algorithm based on corrected distance circles. A maximum likelihood algorithm with a mean square error cost function has a higher position error median than our algorithm. Our experiments further show that the complete proposed algorithm eliminates outliers and avoids any manual calibration procedure.

Tritium monitoring in environment at ICIT Tritium Separation Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varlam, Carmen; Stefanescu, I.; Vagner, Irina; Faurescu, I.; Toma, A.; Dulama, C.; Dobrin, R.

2008-01-01

Full text: The Cryogenic Pilot is an experimental project developed within the national nuclear energy research program, which is designed to develop the required technologies for tritium and deuterium separation by cryogenic distillation of heavy water. The process used in this installation is based on a combination between liquid-phase catalytic exchange (LPCE) and cryogenic distillation. Basically, there are two ways that the Cryogenic Pilot could interact with the environment: by direct atmospheric release and through the sewage system. This experimental installation is located 15 km near the region biggest city and in the vicinity - about 1 km, of Olt River. It must be specified that in the investigated area there is an increased chemical activity; almost the entire Experimental Cryogenic Pilot's neighborhood is full of active chemical installations. This aspect is really essential for our study because the sewerage system is connected with the other three chemical plants from the neighborhood. For that reason we progressively established elements of an environmental monitoring program well in advance of tritium operation in order to determine baseline levels. The first step was the tritium level monitoring in environmental water and wastewater of industrial activity from neighborhood. In order to establish the base level of tritium concentration in the environment around the nuclear facilities, we investigated the sample preparation treatment for different types of samples: onion, green beams, grass, apple, garden lettuce, tomato, cabbage, strawberry and grapes. We used azeotropic distillation of all types of samples, the carrier solvent being toluene from different Romanian providers. All measurements for the determination of environmental tritium concentration were performed using liquid scintillation counting (LSC), with the Quantulus 1220 spectrometer. (authors)

Facility effluent monitoring plan for 242-A Evaporator facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crummel, G.M.; Gustavson, R.D.

1993-03-01

A facility effluent monitoring plan is required by the US Department of Energy in DOE Order 5400.1* for any operations that involve hazardous materials and radioactive substances that could affect employee or public safety or the environment. A facility effluent monitoring plan determination was performed during Calendar Year 1991 and the evaluation showed the need for a facility effluent monitoring plan. This document is prepared using the specific guidelines identified in A Guide for Preparing Hanford Site Facility effluent Monitoring Plans, WHC-EP-0438-1**. This facility effluent monitoring plan assesses effluent monitoring systems and evaluates whether they are adequate to ensure the public health and safety as specified in applicable federal, state, and local requirements

Relations Between Self-Reported and Linguistic Monitoring Assessments of Affective Experience in an Extreme Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Nathan

2018-03-01

Approaches for monitoring psychosocial health in challenging environments are needed to maintain the performance and safety of personnel. The purpose of the present research was to examine the relationship between 2 candidate methods (self-reported and linguistics) for monitoring affective experience during extreme environment activities. A single-subject repeated-measures design was used in the present work. The participant was a 46-year-old individual scheduled to complete a self-supported ski expedition across Arctic Greenland. The expedition lasted 28 days, and conditions included severe cold, low stimulation, whiteouts, limited habitability, and threats to life and limb. During the expedition, the participant completed a daily self-report log including assessment of psychological health (perceptions of control and affect) and a video diary (emotion). Video diary entries were subjected to linguistic inquiry and word count analyses before the links between self-report and linguistic data across the expedition period were tested. Similarities in the pattern of self-reported and linguistic assessments emerged across the expedition period. A number of predictable correlations were identified between self-reported and linguistic assessments of affective/emotional experience. Overall, there was better agreement between self-reports and linguistic analytics for indicators of negative affect/emotion. Future research should build on this initial study to further test the links between self-reported affect and emotional states monitored via linguistics. This could help develop methods for monitoring psychological health in extreme environments and support organizational decision making. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Java based environment to control and monitor distributed processing systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Legrand, I.C.

1997-01-01

Distributed processing systems are considered to solve the challenging requirements of triggering and data acquisition systems for future HEP experiments. The aim of this work is to present a software environment to control and monitor large scale parallel processing systems based on a distributed client-server approach developed in Java. One server task may control several processing nodes, switching elements or controllers for different sub-systems. Servers are designed as multi-thread applications for efficient communications with other objects. Servers communicate between themselves by using Remote Method Invocation (RMI) in a peer-to-peer mechanism. This distributed server layer has to provide a dynamic and transparent access from any client to all the resources in the system. The graphical user interface programs, which are platform independent, may be transferred to any client via the http protocol. In this scheme the control and monitor tasks are distributed among servers and network controls the flow of information among servers and clients providing a flexible mechanism for monitoring and controlling large heterogenous distributed systems. (author)

Piezoelectric dynamic strain monitoring for detecting local seismic damage in steel buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurata, Masahiro; Li, Xiaohua; Fujita, Kohei; Yamaguchi, Mayako

2013-01-01

This research presents a methodology for damage detection along with a sensing system for monitoring seismic damage in steel buildings. The system extracts the location and extent of local damage, such as fracture at a beam–column connection, from changes in the bending moment distribution in a steel moment-resisting frame. We developed a dynamic strain-based sensing system utilizing piezoelectric film sensors and wireless sensing techniques to estimate the bending moments resisted by individual structural members under small amplitude loadings such as ambient vibrations and minor earthquakes. We introduce a new damage index that extracts local damage information from the comparative study of the dynamic strain responses of the structural members before and after a large earthquake event. The damage detection scheme was examined both analytically and numerically using a simple frame example. Then, the entire local damage detection scheme was verified through a series of vibration tests using a one-quarter-scale steel testbed that simulated seismic damage at member ends. (paper)

Real-Time Molecular Monitoring of Chemical Environment in ObligateAnaerobes during Oxygen Adaptive Response

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holman, Hoi-Ying N.; Wozei, Eleanor; Lin, Zhang; Comolli, Luis R.; Ball, David. A.; Borglin, Sharon; Fields, Matthew W.; Hazen, Terry C.; Downing, Kenneth H.

2009-02-25

Determining the transient chemical properties of the intracellular environment canelucidate the paths through which a biological system adapts to changes in its environment, for example, the mechanisms which enable some obligate anaerobic bacteria to survive a sudden exposure to oxygen. Here we used high-resolution Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectromicroscopy to continuously follow cellular chemistry within living obligate anaerobes by monitoring hydrogen bonding in their cellular water. We observed a sequence of wellorchestrated molecular events that correspond to changes in cellular processes in those cells that survive, but only accumulation of radicals in those that do not. We thereby can interpret the adaptive response in terms of transient intracellular chemistry and link it to oxygen stress and survival. This ability to monitor chemical changes at the molecular level can yield important insights into a wide range of adaptive responses.

Cutting device for a local power range monitor tube

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Shigeru; Tsuji, Teruaki.

1976-01-01

Object: To provide a combination of a lifting device for a local power range monitor (LPRM) tube, a cutter and a transfer machine to safely and securely cut the LPRM tube under water. Structure: An LPRM tube is gripped by an LPRM tube gripper, which is moved up and down by a chain drive, through a flexture corrector, and the tip of the LPRM tube is held and released from the LPRM tube gripper so as to be threaded into an LPRM tube cutter to grip it by a transfer gripper of an LPRM tube transfer machine, after which the LPRM tube cutter is operated under pressure water to cut the LPRM tube with a cutter edge so that a cut portion is closed. (Yoshino, Y.)

APPLICATION OF KATG::LUX GENE CONSTRUCT FOR CYTOTOXICITY AND GENOTOXICITY MONITORING OF METOPROLOL IN ENVIRONMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eliza Hawrylik

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was the evaluation of usefulness of Escherichia coli K-12 RFM 443 katG::lux for cytotoxicity and genotoxicity monitoring of metoprolol in the environment. Metoprolol is one of the most popular cardiac drug which belongs to the group of β – blockers. The drug was applied at concentrations ranging from 10-1 mg/cm3 to 10-5 mg/cm3. Obtained data indicated the influence of metoprolol on lux gene expression and katG promotor activity in E.coli K-12. The results indicato the possibility of using of Escherichia coli K-12 RFM 443 strain with katG::lux gene construct in the monitoring of cytotoxicity and genotoxicity cardiac drug residues in the environment.

Glacial and periglacial environment monitoring in Aosta Valley - Northwestern Italian Alps

Science.gov (United States)

Motta, Elena; Cremonese, Edoardo; Morra di Cella, Umberto; Pogliotti, Paolo; Vagliasindi, Marco

2010-05-01

Aosta Valley is a small alpine region of about 3.300 km2 located in the NW Italy, on the southern side of the Alps and surrounded by the highest Alpine peaks such as Mont Blanc (4810m), Mont Rose (4634m) and Cervino (4478m), More than 50% of the territory has an elevation above 2000 metres asl. High mountain, glacial and periglacial environments cover a significant part of the territory. As the cryosphere is strongly sensitive to climate change, global warming effects are particularly evident in this alpine region, and they often affect environment and social and economic life, thus representing a key issue for politicians and people working and living in the valley. Among these effects, some of the most important are the decrease of water storage due to glaciers retreat and the increasing natural hazards as a consequence of rapid environmental dynamics. Hence the importance of monitoring glacial and periglacial environment, in order to quantify effects of climate change, to detect new dynamics and to manage consequences on the environment and the social life. In Aosta Valley the understanding of these phenomena is carried out by means of several actions, both at a regional scale and on specific representative sites. A multi-temporal analysis of aerial photographs, orthophotos and satellite imagery allows to detect glaciers evolution trend at a regional scale. All this information is collected in a Regional Glacier inventory, according to the World Glaciers Inventory standard and recommendations. Analysis of the information collected in the Inventory show that the total area presently covered by glaciers is about 135 km2; area changes occurred in the past has been about -44.3 km2, and -17 km2. between 1975 and 2005. Glacier inventory also gathers - for each of the about 200 glaciers - morphological data, information about events and photos both historical and present. Glacier mass balance (the difference resulting from the mass gained by the glacier through the

Lightweight UDP Pervasive Protocol in Smart Home Environment Based on Labview

Science.gov (United States)

Kurniawan, Wijaya; Hannats Hanafi Ichsan, Mochammad; Rizqika Akbar, Sabriansyah; Arwani, Issa

2017-04-01

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) technology in a reliable environment was not a problem, but not in an environment where the entire Smart Home network connected locally. Currently employing pervasive protocols using TCP technology, when data transmission is sent, it would be slower because they have to perform handshaking process in advance and could not broadcast the data. On smart home environment, it does not need large size and complex data transmission between monitoring site and monitoring center required in Smart home strain monitoring system. UDP (User Datagram Protocol) technology is quick and simple on data transmission process. UDP can broadcast messages because the UDP did not require handshaking and with more efficient memory usage. LabVIEW is a programming language software for processing and visualization of data in the field of data acquisition. This paper proposes to examine Pervasive UDP protocol implementations in smart home environment based on LabVIEW. UDP coded in LabVIEW and experiments were performed on a PC and can work properly.

GLOBAL-LOCAL ENVIRONMENT CERTIFICATION AT FIVE STAR HOTELS IN TOURISM AREA OF NUSA DUA, BALI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ni Gst Nym Suci Murni

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The research aims to examine the various form of environment certification, ideology behind the practice of green tourism (global award and Tri Hita Karana (local award, and the implication of environment practice at five star hotel in Nusa Dua tourism area. The data of the reserach was assessed by postmodern critical theory (theory of discourse regarding power/knowledge, hegemony theory, practice theory, and theory of deep/shallow ecology. The method used in this cultural studies is the qualitative one, where the data collection were obtained through direct observation, in-depth interviews, and related documentation. The sample used 6 five star hotels which practise green award, of 14 established five star hotels (some hotel is not in full operation.  The results showed that (1 there are some variation of environment practice in five star hotel, (2 ideology working behind these practices can be seen from global ideology in the form of sustainable development deriving green tourism, and the local ideology, in the form of Tri Hita Karana (THK used in THK award, (3 implication of global-local invironment practice in tourism area and surrounding.

Localized Corrosion Behavior of Type 304SS with a Silica Layer Under Atmospheric Corrosion Environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

E. Tada; G.S. Frankel

2006-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has proposed a potential repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste at the Yucca Mountain site in Nevada. [I] The temperature could be high on the waste packages, and it is possible that dripping water or humidity could interact with rock dust particulate to form a thin electrolyte layer with concentrated ionic species. Under these conditions, it is possible that highly corrosion-resistant alloys (CRAs) used as packages to dispose the nuclear waste could suffer localized corrosion. Therefore, to better understand long-term corrosion performance of CRAs in the repository, it is important to investigate localized corrosion under a simulated repository environment. We measured open circuit potential (OCP) and galvanic current (i g ) for silica-coated Type 304SS during drying of salt solutions under controlled RH environments to clarify the effect of silica layer as a dust layer simulant on localized corrosion under atmospheric environments. Type 304SS was used as a relatively susceptible model CRA instead of the much more corrosion resistant alloys, such as Alloy 22, that are being considered as, waste package materials

Local environment but not genetic differentiation influences biparental care in ten plover populations.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Orsolya Vincze

Full Text Available Social behaviours are highly variable between species, populations and individuals. However, it is contentious whether behavioural variations are primarily moulded by the environment, caused by genetic differences, or a combination of both. Here we establish that biparental care, a complex social behaviour that involves rearing of young by both parents, differs between closely related populations, and then test two potential sources of variation in parental behaviour between populations: ambient environment and genetic differentiation. We use 2904 hours behavioural data from 10 geographically distinct Kentish (Charadrius alexandrinus and snowy plover (C. nivosus populations in America, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa to test these two sources of behavioural variation. We show that local ambient temperature has a significant influence on parental care: with extreme heat (above 40 °C total incubation (i.e. % of time the male or female incubated the nest increased, and female share (% female share of incubation decreased. By contrast, neither genetic differences between populations, nor geographic distances predicted total incubation or female's share of incubation. These results suggest that the local environment has a stronger influence on a social behaviour than genetic differentiation, at least between populations of closely related species.

Environmental monitoring report for calendar year 1984

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stencel, J.R.

1985-05-01

The results of the environmental monitoring program for CY84 for the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) are presented and discussed. The Princeton Large Torus (PLT), Princeton Beta Experiment (PBX), and PPPL's largest tokamak, the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) had a complete year of run time. In addition, the S-1 Spheromak was in operation and the RF Test Facility came on-line. The phased approach of TFTR environmental monitoring continued with the addition of neutron monitors. During CY84 there were no adverse effects to the environment resulting from any operational program at PPPL, and the Laboratory was in compliance with all applicable Federal, State, and local environmental regulations

Robot Vision to Monitor Structures in Invisible Fog Environments Using Active Imaging Technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Seungkyu; Park, Nakkyu; Baik, Sunghoon; Choi, Youngsoo; Jeong, Kyungmin [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-05-15

Active vision is a direct visualization technique using a highly sensitive image sensor and a high intensity illuminant. Range-gated imaging (RGI) technique providing 2D and 3D images is one of emerging active vision technologies. The RGI technique extracts vision information by summing time sliced vision images. In the RGI system, objects are illuminated for ultra-short time by a high intensity illuminant and then the light reflected from objects is captured by a highly sensitive image sensor with the exposure of ultra-short time. The RGI system provides 2D and 3D image data from several images and it moreover provides clear images from invisible fog and smoke environment by using summing of time-sliced images. Nowadays, the Range-gated (RG) imaging is an emerging technology in the field of surveillance for security applications, especially in the visualization of invisible night and fog environment. Although RGI viewing was discovered in the 1960's, this technology is, nowadays, more and more applicable by virtue of the rapid development of optical and sensor technologies, such as highly sensitive imaging sensor and ultra-short pulse laser light. In contrast to passive vision systems, this technology enables operation even in harsh environments like fog and smoke. During the past decades, several applications of this technology have been applied in target recognition and in harsh environments, such as fog, underwater vision. Also, this technology has been demonstrated 3D imaging based on range-gated imaging. In this paper, a robot system to monitor structures in invisible fog environment is developed using an active range-gated imaging technique. The system consists of an ultra-short pulse laser device and a highly sensitive imaging sensor. The developed vision system is carried out to monitor objects in invisible fog environment. The experimental result of this newly approach vision system is described in this paper. To see invisible objects in fog

Robot Vision to Monitor Structures in Invisible Fog Environments Using Active Imaging Technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Seungkyu; Park, Nakkyu; Baik, Sunghoon; Choi, Youngsoo; Jeong, Kyungmin

2014-01-01

Active vision is a direct visualization technique using a highly sensitive image sensor and a high intensity illuminant. Range-gated imaging (RGI) technique providing 2D and 3D images is one of emerging active vision technologies. The RGI technique extracts vision information by summing time sliced vision images. In the RGI system, objects are illuminated for ultra-short time by a high intensity illuminant and then the light reflected from objects is captured by a highly sensitive image sensor with the exposure of ultra-short time. The RGI system provides 2D and 3D image data from several images and it moreover provides clear images from invisible fog and smoke environment by using summing of time-sliced images. Nowadays, the Range-gated (RG) imaging is an emerging technology in the field of surveillance for security applications, especially in the visualization of invisible night and fog environment. Although RGI viewing was discovered in the 1960's, this technology is, nowadays, more and more applicable by virtue of the rapid development of optical and sensor technologies, such as highly sensitive imaging sensor and ultra-short pulse laser light. In contrast to passive vision systems, this technology enables operation even in harsh environments like fog and smoke. During the past decades, several applications of this technology have been applied in target recognition and in harsh environments, such as fog, underwater vision. Also, this technology has been demonstrated 3D imaging based on range-gated imaging. In this paper, a robot system to monitor structures in invisible fog environment is developed using an active range-gated imaging technique. The system consists of an ultra-short pulse laser device and a highly sensitive imaging sensor. The developed vision system is carried out to monitor objects in invisible fog environment. The experimental result of this newly approach vision system is described in this paper. To see invisible objects in fog

Neutron-activation method of monitoring of the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sattarov, G.S.; Muzafarov, A.M.; Komilov, J.M.; Kadirov, F.; Kist, A.A.

2004-01-01

Full text: Estimation of technogenic influences of the industrial enterprises on an environment, in particular, on ground and underground waters, was carried out by the fragmentary analysis of their element structure. In the report application of neutron-activation analysis (NAA) for monitoring an environment is considered. The total contents of elements was determined by NAA method with use of a reactor such as WWR-SM. Values of factors of correlation (K) are calculated with use of the computer, by special algorithm and reception of numerical values between 30 elements in the samples selected by a traditional technique from more than 600 points in area of activity GMZ-2. The developed technique has allowed to reveal elements indicators of technogenic (As, Ag, Sb, W, Au), mixed (Mo, Ba, Hg) and natural (Sc, Fe, Co, Ni, Rb, Cs, REE, Hf, Th, U) origins. Change of the total contents of elements in underground waters which were selected from observant chinks quarterly within three years is investigated. The technique of definition of forms of a presence of elements in underground and the sewage, based on electrodialysis division of ions with use nuclear (on a basis polyethyleneterephtalate film) filters with a diameter of pores of 0,16x0,2 micrometres is developed

Trends in monitoring pharmaceuticals and personal-care products in the aquatic environment by use of passive sampling devices

Science.gov (United States)

Mills, G.A.; Vrana, B.; Allan, I.; Alvarez, D.A.; Huckins, J.N.; Greenwood, R.

2007-01-01

The use of passive sampling in monitoring pharmaceuticals and personal-care products (PPCPs) in the aquatic environment is discussed. The utility of passive sampling methods for monitoring the fraction of heavy metals and the biologically available fraction of non-polar organic priority pollutants is recognized and these technologies are being used in surveys of water quality. These devices are used to measure the dissolved fraction and they can yield information that can be used in the development of risk assessments models. These devices can also be used to locate illegal dumping and to monitor specific sources of input of PPCPs into the environment, or to monitor the effectiveness of water treatment processes in the removal of these compounds from wastewater. These devices can provide representative information at low cost which necessitate a combination of laboratory calibration and field studies for emerging pollutants.

Environmental survey near a decommissioning nuclear facility: example of tritium monitoring in the terrestrial environment of Creys-Malville - Environmental survey near a nuclear facility undergoing decommissioning: example of tritium monitoring in the terrestrial environment of Creys-Malville

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boyer, C.; Gontier, G.; Chauveau, J.L. [EDF CIDEN, Division Environnement, 154 Avenue Thiers, 69458 Lyon (France); Pourcelot, L.; Roussel-Debet, S.; Cossonnet, P.C. [IRSN, LERCM Cadarache and LMRE Orsay (France); Jean-Baptiste, P. [LSCE, UMR 1572-CEA/CNRS/UVQS, 91198 Gif sur Yvette (France)

2014-07-01

As part of the regulatory environmental monitoring around its nuclear power plants (NPP) in France, EDF carries out more than 40.000 measurements of radionuclides in the environment every year. In addition, EDF performs more detailed radioecological surveys on all of its sites. The purposes of these surveys are: 1/ to control that radioactive discharge limits prescribed by the regulatory authority are respected, 2/ to monitor the environment of the NPPs to verify normal plant operation and to detect all possible failures in power station operation at an early stage and 3/ to establish if there is any increase of radionuclides of anthropogenic origin in the environment and to determine whether this build-up can be attributed to plant operations. Radioecological surveys are conducted in the environment surrounding each of EDF's NPPs. Samples are collected in surrounding ecosystems (terrestrial and aquatic) where the radioactive releases are discharged (liquid and gaseous discharges). These surveys results enable the examination of the spatial distribution and temporal variability of radionuclide activity in the environment throughout the reactors life, from the first fuel load to the decommissioning of the plant. The results from this monitoring have shown that EDF's nuclear power plants have only a minor effect on radionuclide levels in the environment. These results highlight the efficiency of EDF's efforts to minimise its impacts on the environment via an efficient waste management system and high operating standards of its plants. In particular, tritium is subject to special monitoring for more than 30 years; concentrations of free tritium and organically bound tritium in major environmental compartments are therefore well-known in the vicinity of French NPPs. At the end of a reactor's life, EDF has collected a large amount of reference data before decommissioning operations start. During these operations, EDF pursue the radioecological survey

Monitoring local heating around an interventional MRI antenna with RF radiometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ertürk, M. Arcan [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21287 and Division of MR Research, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21287 (United States); El-Sharkawy, AbdEl-Monem M.; Bottomley, Paul A., E-mail: bottoml@mri.jhu.edu [Division of MR Research, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21287 (United States)

2015-03-15

Purpose: Radiofrequency (RF) radiometry uses thermal noise detected by an antenna to measure the temperature of objects independent of medical imaging technologies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Here, an active interventional MRI antenna can be deployed as a RF radiometer to measure local heating, as a possible new method of monitoring device safety and thermal therapy. Methods: A 128 MHz radiometer receiver was fabricated to measure the RF noise voltage from an interventional 3 T MRI loopless antenna and calibrated for temperature in a uniformly heated bioanalogous gel phantom. Local heating (ΔT) was induced using the antenna for RF transmission and measured by RF radiometry, fiber-optic thermal sensors, and MRI thermometry. The spatial thermal sensitivity of the antenna radiometer was numerically computed using a method-of-moment electric field analyses. The gel’s thermal conductivity was measured by MRI thermometry, and the localized time-dependent ΔT distribution computed from the bioheat transfer equation and compared with radiometry measurements. A “H-factor” relating the 1 g-averaged ΔT to the radiometric temperature was introduced to estimate peak temperature rise in the antenna’s sensitive region. Results: The loopless antenna radiometer linearly tracked temperature inside a thermally equilibrated phantom up to 73 °C to within ±0.3 °C at a 2 Hz sample rate. Computed and MRI thermometric measures of peak ΔT agreed within 13%. The peak 1 g-average temperature was H = 1.36 ± 0.02 times higher than the radiometric temperature for any media with a thermal conductivity of 0.15–0.50 (W/m)/K, indicating that the radiometer can measure peak 1 g-averaged ΔT in physiologically relevant tissue within ±0.4 °C. Conclusions: Active internal MRI detectors can serve as RF radiometers at the MRI frequency to provide accurate independent measures of local and peak temperature without the artifacts that can accompany MRI thermometry or

Monitoring local heating around an interventional MRI antenna with RF radiometry

Science.gov (United States)

Ertürk, M. Arcan; El-Sharkawy, AbdEl-Monem M.; Bottomley, Paul A.

2015-01-01

Purpose: Radiofrequency (RF) radiometry uses thermal noise detected by an antenna to measure the temperature of objects independent of medical imaging technologies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Here, an active interventional MRI antenna can be deployed as a RF radiometer to measure local heating, as a possible new method of monitoring device safety and thermal therapy. Methods: A 128 MHz radiometer receiver was fabricated to measure the RF noise voltage from an interventional 3 T MRI loopless antenna and calibrated for temperature in a uniformly heated bioanalogous gel phantom. Local heating (ΔT) was induced using the antenna for RF transmission and measured by RF radiometry, fiber-optic thermal sensors, and MRI thermometry. The spatial thermal sensitivity of the antenna radiometer was numerically computed using a method-of-moment electric field analyses. The gel’s thermal conductivity was measured by MRI thermometry, and the localized time-dependent ΔT distribution computed from the bioheat transfer equation and compared with radiometry measurements. A “H-factor” relating the 1 g-averaged ΔT to the radiometric temperature was introduced to estimate peak temperature rise in the antenna’s sensitive region. Results: The loopless antenna radiometer linearly tracked temperature inside a thermally equilibrated phantom up to 73 °C to within ±0.3 °C at a 2 Hz sample rate. Computed and MRI thermometric measures of peak ΔT agreed within 13%. The peak 1 g-average temperature was H = 1.36 ± 0.02 times higher than the radiometric temperature for any media with a thermal conductivity of 0.15–0.50 (W/m)/K, indicating that the radiometer can measure peak 1 g-averaged ΔT in physiologically relevant tissue within ±0.4 °C. Conclusions: Active internal MRI detectors can serve as RF radiometers at the MRI frequency to provide accurate independent measures of local and peak temperature without the artifacts that can accompany MRI thermometry or

Monitoring local heating around an interventional MRI antenna with RF radiometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ertürk, M. Arcan; El-Sharkawy, AbdEl-Monem M.; Bottomley, Paul A.

2015-01-01

Purpose: Radiofrequency (RF) radiometry uses thermal noise detected by an antenna to measure the temperature of objects independent of medical imaging technologies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Here, an active interventional MRI antenna can be deployed as a RF radiometer to measure local heating, as a possible new method of monitoring device safety and thermal therapy. Methods: A 128 MHz radiometer receiver was fabricated to measure the RF noise voltage from an interventional 3 T MRI loopless antenna and calibrated for temperature in a uniformly heated bioanalogous gel phantom. Local heating (ΔT) was induced using the antenna for RF transmission and measured by RF radiometry, fiber-optic thermal sensors, and MRI thermometry. The spatial thermal sensitivity of the antenna radiometer was numerically computed using a method-of-moment electric field analyses. The gel’s thermal conductivity was measured by MRI thermometry, and the localized time-dependent ΔT distribution computed from the bioheat transfer equation and compared with radiometry measurements. A “H-factor” relating the 1 g-averaged ΔT to the radiometric temperature was introduced to estimate peak temperature rise in the antenna’s sensitive region. Results: The loopless antenna radiometer linearly tracked temperature inside a thermally equilibrated phantom up to 73 °C to within ±0.3 °C at a 2 Hz sample rate. Computed and MRI thermometric measures of peak ΔT agreed within 13%. The peak 1 g-average temperature was H = 1.36 ± 0.02 times higher than the radiometric temperature for any media with a thermal conductivity of 0.15–0.50 (W/m)/K, indicating that the radiometer can measure peak 1 g-averaged ΔT in physiologically relevant tissue within ±0.4 °C. Conclusions: Active internal MRI detectors can serve as RF radiometers at the MRI frequency to provide accurate independent measures of local and peak temperature without the artifacts that can accompany MRI thermometry or

The Environics Mobile CBRN Detection System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaakkola, T.

2007-01-01

Environics Oy has developed a novel monitoring system for detection of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear compounds. The system is portable and rapidly installed into a monitoring location. It will allow real time monitoring and alarming of: Chemical Warfare agents (Nerve, Blister, Blood), Toxic industrial chemicals (General toxic-alarm), Biological warfare agents (Bacteria, viruses, toxins), Radiological agents such as alpha and gamma radiation. Monitoring Station makes continuously measurements. Sensor data is processed and stored to local database by the Master Module (MM) that is located within the station. The MM sends the data to the Control Centers by using communication network. The Control Center receives and logs the data and shows it in real time on a map interface. The status of each sensor and detector can be seen in real time. (author)

Characterizing local traffic contributions to particulate air pollution in street canyons using mobile monitoring techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Zwack, Leonard M.; Paciorek, Christopher J.; Spengler, John D.; Levy, Jonathan I.

2011-05-01

Traffic within urban street canyons can contribute significantly to ambient concentrations of particulate air pollution. In these settings, it is challenging to separate within-canyon source contributions from urban and regional background concentrations given the highly variable and complex emissions and dispersion characteristics. In this study, we used continuous mobile monitoring of traffic-related particulate air pollutants to assess the contribution to concentrations, above background, of traffic in the street canyons of midtown Manhattan. Concentrations of both ultrafine particles (UFP) and fine particles (PM 2.5) were measured at street level using portable instruments. Statistical modeling techniques accounting for autocorrelation were used to investigate the presence of spatial heterogeneity of pollutant concentrations as well as to quantify the contribution of within-canyon traffic sources. Measurements were also made within Central Park, to examine the impact of offsets from major roadways in this urban environment. On average, an approximate 11% increase in concentrations of UFP and 8% increase in concentrations of PM 2.5 over urban background was estimated during high-traffic periods in street canyons as opposed to low traffic periods. Estimates were 8% and 5%, respectively, after accounting for temporal autocorrelation. Within Central Park, concentrations were 40% higher than background (5% after accounting for temporal autocorrelation) within the first 100 m from the nearest roadway for UFP, with a smaller but statistically significant increase for PM 2.5. Our findings demonstrate the viability of a mobile monitoring protocol coupled with spatiotemporal modeling techniques in characterizing local source contributions in a setting with street canyons.

Radioactivity in food and the environment, 1996

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-09-01

This report continues the series which combines the results of the radioactivity monitoring programmes previously published by MAFF in two documents: the 'Terrestrial Radioactivity Monitoring Programme (TRAMP) Report: Radioactivity in food and agricultural products in England and Wales' and the 'Aquatic Environment Monitoring Report: Radioactivity in surface and coastal waters of the British Isles' (AEMR). For the first time the report includes the results of all environmental monitoring for radioactivity carried out on behalf of the regulatory authority in Scotland. These results were previously presented in the 'Statistical Bulletin: Environmental Monitoring for Radioactivity in Scotland' (e.g. The Scottish Office, (1996). Measurements in 1996 included the analysis of samples of food and other materials from the environment and detection of beta and gamma dose rates in the environment. The results show that radionuclide concentrations and radiation dose rates were generally similar to those in 1995. However, near Sellafield, despite the general downward trend in disposals from the site during 1996, there were some increases in concentrations of technetium-99 and carbon-14 in marine foodstuffs reflecting disposals from and operations on the site in previous years. These operations included processing of stored wastes and the operation of the Enhanced Actinide Removal Plant (EARP). The Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP) continued its commissioning phase in 1996 and its disposals had little effect on food and the marine environment. The results of the monitoring have been interpreted in terms of public radiation exposures using data on activity levels in food and local surveys to establish potential 'critical groups' of people likely to be most exposed. (author)

Summary 1998. Releases control and environment monitoring for the CEA Centers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

In the framework of its environmental policy, the CEA aims at reduce as weak as possible, in regards to the technological and economic needs, its activities impacts on the people and the environment. This paper contributes to the public information on the radioactive gaseous and liquid releases during the year 1998. It presents data on the releases and the radioactivity levels around the CEA sites and gathers the associated regulation and monitoring methods. (A.L.B.)

Distributed, signal strength-based indoor localization algorithm for use in healthcare environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Wyffels, Jeroen; De Brabanter, Jos; Crombez, Pieter; Verhoeve, Piet; Nauwelaers, Bart; De Strycker, Lieven

2014-11-01

In current healthcare environments, a trend toward mobile and personalized interactions between people and nurse call systems is strongly noticeable. Therefore, it should be possible to locate patients at all times and in all places throughout the care facility. This paper aims at describing a method by which a mobile node can locate itself indoors, based on signal strength measurements and a minimal amount of yes/no decisions. The algorithm has been developed specifically for use in a healthcare environment. With extensive testing and statistical support, we prove that our algorithm can be used in a healthcare setting with an envisioned level of localization accuracy up to room revel (or region level in a corridor), while avoiding heavy investments since the hardware of an existing nurse call network can be reused. The approach opted for leads to very high scalability, since thousands of mobile nodes can locate themselves. Network timing issues and localization update delays are avoided, which ensures that a patient can receive the needed care in a time and resources efficient way.

Wireless local area network in a prehospital environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grimes Gary J

2004-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Wireless local area networks (WLANs are considered the next generation of clinical data network. They open the possibility for capturing clinical data in a prehospital setting (e.g., a patient's home using various devices, such as personal digital assistants, laptops, digital electrocardiogram (EKG machines, and even cellular phones, and transmitting the captured data to a physician or hospital. The transmission rate is crucial to the applicability of the technology in the prehospital setting. Methods We created two separate WLANs to simulate a virtual local are network environment such as in a patient's home or an emergency room (ER. The effects of different methods of data transmission, number of clients, and roaming among different access points on the file transfer rate were determined. Results The present results suggest that it is feasible to transfer small files such as patient demographics and EKG data from the patient's home to the ER at a reasonable speed. Encryption, user control, and access control were implemented and results discussed. Conclusions Implementing a WLAN in a centrally managed and multiple-layer-controlled access control server is the key to ensuring its security and accessibility. Future studies should focus on product capacity, speed, compatibility, interoperability, and security management.

Human response to individually controlled micro environment generated with localized chilled beam

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Uth, Simon C.; Nygaard, Linette; Bolashikov, Zhecho Dimitrov

2014-01-01

Indoor environment in a single-office room created by a localised chilled beam with individual control of the primary air flow was studied. Response of 24 human subjects when exposed to the environment generated by the chilled beam was collected via questionnaires under a 2-hour exposure including...... and local thermal sensation reported by the subjects with the two systems. Both systems were equally acceptable. At 26°C the individual control of the localised chilled beam lead to higher acceptability of the work environment. At 28°C the acceptability decreased with the two systems. It was not acceptable...... different work tasks at three locations in the room. Response of the subjects to the environment generated with a chilled ceiling combined with mixing air distribution was used for comparison. The air temperature in the room was kept at 26 or 28 °C. Results show no significant difference in the overall...

Passive sampling in regulatory chemical monitoring of nonpolar organic compounds in the aquatic environment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Booij, K.; Robinson, C.D.; Burgess, R.M.; Mayer, P.; Roberts, C.A.; Ahrens, L.; Allan, I.J.; Brant, J.; Jones, L.; Kraus, U.R.; Larsen, M.M.; Lepom, P.; Petersen, J.; Pröfrock, D.; Roose, P.; Schäfer, S.; Smedes, F.; Tixier, C.; Vorkamp, K.; Whitehouse, P.

2016-01-01

We reviewed compliance monitoring requirements in the EuropeanUnion, the United States, and the Oslo-Paris Convention for the protection of themarine environment of the North-East Atlantic, and evaluated if these are met bypassive sampling methods for nonpolar compounds. The strengths

A Movement-Assisted Deployment of Collaborating Autonomous Sensors for Indoor and Outdoor Environment Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ewa Niewiadomska-Szynkiewicz

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Using mobile robots or unmanned vehicles to assist optimal wireless sensors deployment in a working space can significantly enhance the capability to investigate unknown environments. This paper addresses the issues of the application of numerical optimization and computer simulation techniques to on-line calculation of a wireless sensor network topology for monitoring and tracking purposes. We focus on the design of a self-organizing and collaborative mobile network that enables a continuous data transmission to the data sink (base station and automatically adapts its behavior to changes in the environment to achieve a common goal. The pre-defined and self-configuring approaches to the mobile-based deployment of sensors are compared and discussed. A family of novel algorithms for the optimal placement of mobile wireless devices for permanent monitoring of indoor and outdoor dynamic environments is described. They employ a network connectivity-maintaining mobility model utilizing the concept of the virtual potential function for calculating the motion trajectories of platforms carrying sensors. Their quality and utility have been justified through simulation experiments and are discussed in the final part of the paper.

Final annual report of the Partial monitoring system 'Radioactivity of the environment' 2014

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melicherova, T.; Cabanekova, H.; Bodorova, J.

2015-01-01

The present report evaluates activities of radiation monitoring of Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMI) in 2014. Analytical part focuses on detailed statistical analysis of monitored data. Detailed knowledge of the course of time series during uneventful period enables early detect and analyze potential increase of radioactivity levels in the environment originating from domestic or foreign sources. SHMI is responsible for international data exchange with the European Commission and with partners in Austria and Hungary.

Monocular Vision-Based Robot Localization and Target Tracking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bing-Fei Wu

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a vision-based technology for localizing targets in 3D environment. It is achieved by the combination of different types of sensors including optical wheel encoders, an electrical compass, and visual observations with a single camera. Based on the robot motion model and image sequences, extended Kalman filter is applied to estimate target locations and the robot pose simultaneously. The proposed localization system is applicable in practice because it is not necessary to have the initializing setting regarding starting the system from artificial landmarks of known size. The technique is especially suitable for navigation and target tracing for an indoor robot and has a high potential extension to surveillance and monitoring for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles with aerial odometry sensors. The experimental results present “cm” level accuracy of the localization of the targets in indoor environment under a high-speed robot movement.

METHODS OF STATISTICAL MONITORING OF PROFESSIONAL ORIENTATION WORK OF SOCIAL EDUCATORS IN PERSONAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oleksandr M. Korniiets

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the application of social services WEB 2.0 for personal learning environment creation that is used for professional orientation work of social educator. The feedback is must be in personal learning environment for the effective professional orientation work. This feedback can be organized through statistical monitoring. The typical solution for organizing personal learning environment with built-in statistical surveys and statistical data processing is considered in the article. The possibilities of the statistical data collection and processing services on the example of Google Analytics are investigated.

Monitoring of atomic metastable state lifetimes by the laser-enhanced ionization technique--A new method for probing local stoichiometric combustive conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ljungberg, Peter; Malmsten, Yvonne; Axner, Ove

1995-01-01

The lifetimes of atomic metastable states in an acetylene/air flame have been investigated using the laser-enhanced ionization technique. The lifetimes were found to be several orders of magnitude less than the natural ones, which clearly shows that they are fully determined by the surrounding environment. The lifetime of a specific state has been investigated as a function of flame conditions. It was found that the lifetime is strongly dependent on the local flame composition, with a distinct maximum for stoichiometric conditions. For fuel-lean local conditions, the excess of O2 acts as an effective quencher of the metastable state, while for fuel-rich conditions the quenching is dominated by unburned fuel components. An acetylene/air flame has been probed both as a function of height in the flame, as well as a function of fuel/air composition fed to the burner. The experiments show clearly for which heights and fuel/air compositions that lean, stoichiometric or rich conditions prevail. This makes a monitoring of metastable state lifetimes a useful technique for combustion analysis

Monitoring aquatic environment pollution: a major component of environment management systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, I.H.; Khan, M.H.; Sheikh, I.M.

1999-01-01

The paper is based on the international experiences mostly of the UK (United Kingdom) and Europe on monitoring aquatic pollution and controlling water pollution which have a long history of the legislation involved. The U.K. control of water pollution and regulatory laws are very effective as in shown by the fact that 96 percent of rivers in England and Wales are suitable for potable supplies with conventional water treatment. Current British legislation is basically contained n the 1951, 1960 and 1974 acts of parliament in the U.K. A common feature of all this environment legislation is the high level of consultation which has taken place between government and all concerned and al those concerned in the development of legislation and drawing up regulations etc. and involved in implementation of them. Similarly considerable discussion takes place with the controlling authorities by dischargers over the detailed implementation of legislation in the U.K. Consequently these harmonious attitudes have been responsible for the effectiveness of the U.K. legislation. In the U.K. control of discharges of industrial effluents to sewers and to all natural waters including underground water is vested in the regional water authorities, which on application, issue consent permitting discharges of industrial effluents to sewers and to all natural waters including underground waters in vested in the regional water authorities, which on application, issue consent permitting discharges to be made subject to conditions and limitations in the consent/authorisation/approval. The paper critically reviews major aspects of the philosophy of aquatic pollution control and monitoring, as statistics reveal deadly state of liquid effluent contamination water bodies in Pakistan. Without prompt installation of treatment plants we may face a tragedy of catastrophic magnitude. (author)

Macrobrachium amazonicum: an alternative for microbiological monitoring of aquatic environments in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raimunda Sâmia Nogueira Brilhante

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to evaluate the role of the Amazon River prawn, Macrobrachium amazonicum, as carrier of Candida spp., by analyzing the correlation between Candida spp. from these prawns and their environment (surface water and sediment, through M13-PCR fingerprinting and RAPD-PCR. For this purpose, 27 strains of Candida spp. were evaluated. These strains were recovered from the gastrointestinal tract of adult M. amazonicum (7/27 from Catú Lake, Ceará State, Brazil and from the aquatic environment (surface water and sediment of this lake (20/27. Molecular comparison between the strains from prawns and the aquatic environment was conducted by M13-PCR fingerprinting and RAPD-PCR, utilizing the primers M13 and OPQ16, respectively. The molecular analysis revealed similarities between the band patterns of eight Candida isolates with the primer M13 and 11 isolates with the primer OPQ16, indicating that the same strains are present in the digestive tract of M. amazonicum and in the aquatic environment where these prawns inhabit. Therefore, these prawns can be used as sentinels for environmental monitoring through the recovery of Candida spp. from the aquatic environment in their gastrointestinal tract

Facility effluent monitoring plan for the plutonium-uranium extraction facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nickels, J.M.; Geiger, J.L.

1992-11-01

A facility effluent monitoring plan is required by the US Department of Energy in DOE Order 5400.1 for any operations that involve hazardous materials and radioactive substances that could impact employee or public safety or the environment. A facility effluent monitoring plan determination was performed during Calendar Year 1991 and the evaluation requires the need for a facility effluent monitoring plan. This document is prepared using the specific guidelines identified. in. A Guide for Preparing Hanford Site Facility Effluent Monitoring Plans, WHC-EP-0438. This facility effluent monitoring plan assesses effluent monitoring systems and evaluates whether they are adequate to ensure the public health and safety as specified in applicable federal, state, and local requirements

Radioactivity monitoring of the Irish marine environment 1993 to 1995

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pollard, D.; Long, S.; Hayden, E.; Smith, V.; Ryan, T.P.; Dowdall, A.; McGarry, A.; Cunningham, J.D.

1996-10-01

This report presents the results of the marine radioactivity monitoring programme carried out by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland during the period 1993 to 1995. The principal objective of this programme is to assess the exposure to the Irish population arising from radioactive contamination in the Irish marine environment and to estimate the risks to human health arising from such exposure. In addition, the programme aims to assess the distribution of the significant contaminating radionuclides in the marine environment and to identify tends with a view to assessing possible future effects. The results show that by 1995 the mean concentration of caesium-137 in fish landed at north-east ports had fallen to 1.6 Bq/kg, from a figure of 68 Bq/kg in 1979-82 and 3.0 Bq/kg in 1993. A similar decline is evident for seawater, sediment and seaweed. In addition, the Irish Sea data show the progressive dilution of artificial radioactivity with increasing distance from Sellafield

Local Path Planning of Driverless Car Navigation Based on Jump Point Search Method Under Urban Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaijun Zhou

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The Jump Point Search (JPS algorithm is adopted for local path planning of the driverless car under urban environment, and it is a fast search method applied in path planning. Firstly, a vector Geographic Information System (GIS map, including Global Positioning System (GPS position, direction, and lane information, is built for global path planning. Secondly, the GIS map database is utilized in global path planning for the driverless car. Then, the JPS algorithm is adopted to avoid the front obstacle, and to find an optimal local path for the driverless car in the urban environment. Finally, 125 different simulation experiments in the urban environment demonstrate that JPS can search out the optimal and safety path successfully, and meanwhile, it has a lower time complexity compared with the Vector Field Histogram (VFH, the Rapidly Exploring Random Tree (RRT, A*, and the Probabilistic Roadmaps (PRM algorithms. Furthermore, JPS is validated usefully in the structured urban environment.

Inter-comparison of personal monitors for nanoparticles exposure at workplaces and in the environment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Todea, A.M.; Beckmann, S.; Kaminski, H.; Bard, D.; Bau, S.; Clavaguera, S.; Dahmann, D.; Dozol, H.; Dziurowitz, N.; Elihn, K.; Fierz, M.; Lidén, G.; Meyer-Plath, A.; Monz, C.; Neumann, V.; Pelzer, J.; Simonow, B.K.; Thali, P.; Tuinman, I.; Vleuten, A. van der; Vroomen, H.; Asbach, C.

2017-01-01

Personal monitors based on unipolar diffusion charging (miniDiSC/DiSCmini, NanoTracer, Partector) can be used to assess the individual exposure to nanoparticles in different environments. The charge acquired by the aerosol particles is nearly proportional to the particle diameter and, by

Configuration Management and Infrastructure Monitoring Using CFEngine and Icinga for Real-time Heterogeneous Data Taking Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Poat, M. D.; Lauret, J.; Betts, W.

2015-12-01

The STAR online computing environment is an intensive ever-growing system used for real-time data collection and analysis. Composed of heterogeneous and sometimes groups of custom-tuned machines, the computing infrastructure was previously managed by manual configurations and inconsistently monitored by a combination of tools. This situation led to configuration inconsistency and an overload of repetitive tasks along with lackluster communication between personnel and machines. Globally securing this heterogeneous cyberinfrastructure was tedious at best and an agile, policy-driven system ensuring consistency, was pursued. Three configuration management tools, Chef, Puppet, and CFEngine have been compared in reliability, versatility and performance along with a comparison of infrastructure monitoring tools Nagios and Icinga. STAR has selected the CFEngine configuration management tool and the Icinga infrastructure monitoring system leading to a versatile and sustainable solution. By leveraging these two tools STAR can now swiftly upgrade and modify the environment to its needs with ease as well as promptly react to cyber-security requests. By creating a sustainable long term monitoring solution, the detection of failures was reduced from days to minutes, allowing rapid actions before the issues become dire problems, potentially causing loss of precious experimental data or uptime.

The monitoring of the terrestrial environment around Almirante Alvaro Alberto nuclear power station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tavares, P.G.; Souza, R.F.; Cardoso, S.N.M.

2011-01-01

The goal of this paper is to evaluate the environmental monitoring around Almirante Alvaro Alberto Nuclear Power Station after the beginning the operation of Unit II, in July 2000. The Environmental Monitoring Laboratory (EML) has, for purpose, to monitor the environment around the station to verify if there is a potential impact caused by the operation of the units. The EML collects several environmental samples and analyses radiometrically to determine the presence of artificial radionuclides. The types of the samples are marine samples (sea water, fish, algae, beach sand and sediments), terrestrial (milk, banana, soil, grass, superficial and underground water and river water and sediment) and aerial samples (rain water, airborne for iodine and particulate). This paper only describes the monitoring of terrestrial samples. At the EML, the samples are prepared and analysed following international procedures. The samples of milk, banana, soil, grass, surface and underground water, river water and river sediment are analysed by gamma spectrometry in a multi-channel analyser GENIE-2000 System with High-purity Germanium (HpGe) detectors to determine the activities of the detectable radionuclides. The EML also analyses tritium in surface water by liquid scintillation counting. In addition, analysis of 89 Sr/ 9 0 Sr, by beta counting and 131 I by gamma spectrometry are performed in the processed milk. The results are, then, compared with those obtained in pre-operational time of Angra 1 (1978 - 1982) and those obtained in operational time of the units until 2010. The results show us that, from 1982 until now, there is no impact in terrestrial environment caused by the operation neither of Angra 1 nor both Angra 1 and Angra 2. (author)

The monitoring of the terrestrial environment around Almirante Alvaro Alberto nuclear power station

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tavares, P.G.; Souza, R.F.; Cardoso, S.N.M., E-mail: pgtares@eletronuclear.gov.b, E-mail: rfsouza@eletronuclear.gov.b, E-mail: sergion@eletronuclear.gov.b [ELETROBRAS Eletronuclear S.A., Paraty, RJ (Brazil). Lab. de Monitoracao Ambiental

2011-07-01

The goal of this paper is to evaluate the environmental monitoring around Almirante Alvaro Alberto Nuclear Power Station after the beginning the operation of Unit II, in July 2000. The Environmental Monitoring Laboratory (EML) has, for purpose, to monitor the environment around the station to verify if there is a potential impact caused by the operation of the units. The EML collects several environmental samples and analyses radiometrically to determine the presence of artificial radionuclides. The types of the samples are marine samples (sea water, fish, algae, beach sand and sediments), terrestrial (milk, banana, soil, grass, superficial and underground water and river water and sediment) and aerial samples (rain water, airborne for iodine and particulate). This paper only describes the monitoring of terrestrial samples. At the EML, the samples are prepared and analysed following international procedures. The samples of milk, banana, soil, grass, surface and underground water, river water and river sediment are analysed by gamma spectrometry in a multi-channel analyser GENIE-2000 System with High-purity Germanium (HpGe) detectors to determine the activities of the detectable radionuclides. The EML also analyses tritium in surface water by liquid scintillation counting. In addition, analysis of {sup 89}Sr/{sup 90}Sr, by beta counting and {sup 131}I by gamma spectrometry are performed in the processed milk. The results are, then, compared with those obtained in pre-operational time of Angra 1 (1978 - 1982) and those obtained in operational time of the units until 2010. The results show us that, from 1982 until now, there is no impact in terrestrial environment caused by the operation neither of Angra 1 nor both Angra 1 and Angra 2. (author)

Using local ecological knowledge to monitor threatened Mekong megafauna in Lao PDR.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas N E Gray

Full Text Available Pressures on freshwater biodiversity in Southeast Asia are accelerating yet the status and conservation needs of many of the region's threatened fish species are unclear. This impacts the ability to implement conservation activities and to understand the effects of infrastructure developments and other hydrological changes. We used Local Ecological Knowledge from fishing communities on the Mekong River in the Siphandone waterscape, Lao PDR to estimate mean and mode last capture dates of eight rare or culturally significant fish species in order to provide conservation monitoring baselines. One hundred and twenty fishermen, from six villages, were interviewed. All eight species had been captured, by at least one of the interviewees, within the waterscape within the past year. However the mean and mode last capture dates varied between the species. Larger species, and those with higher Red List threat status, were caught less recently than smaller species of less conservation concern. The status of the Critically Endangered Pangasius sanitwongsei (mean last capture date 116.4 months is particularly worrying suggesting severe population decline although cultural issues may have caused this species to have been under-reported. This highlights that studies making use of Local Ecological Knowledge need to understand the cultural background and context from which data is collected. Nevertheless we recommend our approach, of stratified random interviews to establish mean last capture dates, may be an effective methodology for monitoring freshwater fish species of conservation concern within artisanal fisheries. If fishing effort remains relatively constant, or if changes in fishing effort are accounted for, differences over time in mean last capture dates are likely to represent changes in the status of species. We plan to repeat our interview surveys within the waterscape as part of a long-term fish-monitoring program.

Facility effluent monitoring plan for the 284-E and 284-W power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nickels, J.M.; Herman, D.R.

1992-11-01

A facility effluent monitoring plan is required by the US Department of Energy in DOE Order 5400.1 for any operations that involve hazardous materials and radioactive substances that could impact employee or public safety or the environment. A facility effluent monitoring plan determination was performed during calendar year 1991 and the evaluation requires the need for a facility effluent monitoring plan. This facility effluent monitoring plan assesses effluent monitoring systems and evaluates whether they are adequate to ensure the public health and safety as specified in applicable federal, state, and local requirements

Community-Based Monitoring in Response to Local Concerns: Creating Usable Knowledge for Water Management in Rural Land

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana C. Flores-Díaz

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Water resources around the world are being affected by increasing demand for human consumption as well as by industrial and agricultural use. Water quality has an impact on our quality of life, so effective monitoring provides the necessary data to allow decision makers to address critical water-related issues. This study (1 analyzes water knowledge generated by a community-based water monitoring (CBWM network within a world heritage site; (2 discusses the extent to which monitoring responds to community concerns about water; and (3 indicates challenges in the generation of local usable knowledge. Using information generated over 6.5 years by a local monitoring network, we calculated a water quality index (WQI and generated a time-series analysis using the breaks for additive season and trend (Bfast algorithm. Results were grouped by specific community and institutional concerns about water. Springs under good management practices had low pollution levels, while others used for drinking and recreation had high fecal bacterial counts. Monitoring provided data about Escherichia coli counts exceeding legal limits, and about conditions of alkalinity and dissolved oxygen that represent a risk for the freshwater ecosystems. This study demonstrates how CBWM schemes can be a means of generating knowledge of water resources that can enhance the understanding of water dynamics and inform users’ decisions at local–regional levels.

Upstream vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers for fault monitoring and localization in WDM passive optical networks

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Elaine; Zhao, Xiaoxue; Chang-Hasnain, Connie J.

2008-04-01

As wavelength division multiplexed passive optical networks (WDM-PONs) are expected to be first deployed to transport high capacity services to business customers, real-time knowledge of fiber/device faults and the location of such faults will be a necessity to guarantee reliability. Nonetheless, the added benefit of implementing fault monitoring capability should only incur minimal cost associated with upgrades to the network. In this work, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a fault monitoring and localization scheme based on a highly-sensitive and potentially low-cost monitor in conjunction with vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). The VCSELs are used as upstream transmitters in the WDM-PON. The proposed scheme benefits from the high reflectivity of the top distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) mirror of optical injection-locked (OIL) VCSELs to reflect monitoring channels back to the central office for monitoring. Characterization of the fault monitor demonstrates high sensitivity, low bandwidth requirements, and potentially low output power. The added advantage of the proposed fault monitoring scheme incurs only a 0.5 dB penalty on the upstream transmissions on the existing infrastructure.

2002 WIPP Environmental Monitoring Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Washington TRU Solutions LLC

2002-09-30

DOE Order 5400.1, General Environmental Protection Program, requires each DOE | facility to prepare an environmental management plan (EMP). This document is | prepared for WIPP in accordance with the guidance contained in DOE Order 5400.1; DOE Order 5400.5, Radiation Protection of the Public and Environment; applicable sections of Environmental Regulatory Guide for Radiological Effluent Monitoring and Environmental Surveillance (DOE/EH-0173T; DOE, 1991); and the Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 834, ''Radiation Protection of the Public and Environment'' (draft). Many sections of DOE Order 5400.1 have been replaced by DOE Order 231.1, which is the driver for the annual Site Environmental Report (SER) and the guidance source for preparing many environmental program documents. The WIPP Project is operated by Westinghouse TRU Solutions (WTS) for the DOE. This plan defines the extent and scope of WIPP's effluent and environmental | monitoring programs during the facility's operational life and also discusses WIPP's quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program as it relates to environmental monitoring. In addition, this plan provides a comprehensive description of environmental activities at WIPP including: A summary of environmental programs, including the status of environmental monitoring activities A description of the WIPP Project and its mission A description of the local environment, including demographics An overview of the methodology used to assess radiological consequences to the public, including brief discussions of potential exposure pathways, routine and accidental releases, and their consequences Responses to the requirements described in the Environmental Regulatory Guide for Radiological Effluent Monitoring and Environmental Surveillance.

The capacity of local governments to improve business environment: Evidence from Serbia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vesna Janković Milić

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to draw attention on the need to strengthen institutional cooperation between local self-governments and the business community. The paper analyses the ability of socio-economic councils in Serbia, as a part of local governments, to improve the business environment and indicators of social status at the local level. In addition to socio-economic councils, this analysis includes the departments, divisions and offices for local economic development and their responsibilities. The results in the paper has been generated using descriptive statistics, Chi-Square test, t-test and regression analysis, based on the analysis of primary data collected in empirical research on 55 municipalities in Serbia. The fundamental results obtained using the stated analysis is that socio-economic councils have positive impact on the social and economic development in the survived municipalities. Finally, the basic conclusion from the executed research is that size of the municipality is not a limiting factor for the establishment of the socio-economic councils and their functionality

Improving delivery of a health-promoting-environments program: experiences from Queensland Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Dwyer, S

1997-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to outline the key components of a statewide multisite health-promoting-environments program. Contemporary health-promotion programs in settings such as schools, workplaces and hospitals use organisational development theory to address the health issues of the setting, including the physical environment, the organisational environment, and the specific health needs of the employees and consumers of the service. Program principles include management of each project by the participant organisation or site (for example, a school or workplace), using resources available within the organisation and the local community, voluntary participation, social justice and participant-based priority setting, and evaluation and monitoring. Adoption of these principles implies a shift in the role of the health worker from implementer to facilitator. Based on the experience of Queensland Health, it is proposed that the essential building blocks of the health-promoting-environments program are an intersectoral policy base, a model for action, training and resources, local facilitators, support from local organisations, a supportive network of sites, marketing of the program, and a state-based evaluation and monitoring system. The program in Queensland was able to develop a significant number of these components over the 1990-1996 period. In regard to evaluation, process measures can be built around the program components; however, further research is required for development of impact indicators and benchmarks on quality.

Hyperplane distance neighbor clustering based on local discriminant analysis for complex chemical processes monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu, Chunhong; Xiao, Shaoqing; Gu, Xiaofeng [Jiangnan University, Wuxi (China)

2014-11-15

The collected training data often include both normal and faulty samples for complex chemical processes. However, some monitoring methods, such as partial least squares (PLS), principal component analysis (PCA), independent component analysis (ICA) and Fisher discriminant analysis (FDA), require fault-free data to build the normal operation model. These techniques are applicable after the preliminary step of data clustering is applied. We here propose a novel hyperplane distance neighbor clustering (HDNC) based on the local discriminant analysis (LDA) for chemical process monitoring. First, faulty samples are separated from normal ones using the HDNC method. Then, the optimal subspace for fault detection and classification can be obtained using the LDA approach. The proposed method takes the multimodality within the faulty data into account, and thus improves the capability of process monitoring significantly. The HDNC-LDA monitoring approach is applied to two simulation processes and then compared with the conventional FDA based on the K-nearest neighbor (KNN-FDA) method. The results obtained in two different scenarios demonstrate the superiority of the HDNC-LDA approach in terms of fault detection and classification accuracy.

Hyperplane distance neighbor clustering based on local discriminant analysis for complex chemical processes monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Chunhong; Xiao, Shaoqing; Gu, Xiaofeng

2014-01-01

The collected training data often include both normal and faulty samples for complex chemical processes. However, some monitoring methods, such as partial least squares (PLS), principal component analysis (PCA), independent component analysis (ICA) and Fisher discriminant analysis (FDA), require fault-free data to build the normal operation model. These techniques are applicable after the preliminary step of data clustering is applied. We here propose a novel hyperplane distance neighbor clustering (HDNC) based on the local discriminant analysis (LDA) for chemical process monitoring. First, faulty samples are separated from normal ones using the HDNC method. Then, the optimal subspace for fault detection and classification can be obtained using the LDA approach. The proposed method takes the multimodality within the faulty data into account, and thus improves the capability of process monitoring significantly. The HDNC-LDA monitoring approach is applied to two simulation processes and then compared with the conventional FDA based on the K-nearest neighbor (KNN-FDA) method. The results obtained in two different scenarios demonstrate the superiority of the HDNC-LDA approach in terms of fault detection and classification accuracy

Annual report on radioactive discharges from Winfrith and monitoring the environment 1989

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-03-01

The numerical values of the authorised limits are based on past performance, future requirements and the application of BPM. As a 'back-stop', discharges at the limits must not result in doses to the most potentially exposed part of the local population -the critical group - exceeding 0.5 mSv per year. The limit of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) for dose to a member of the general public is 1.0 mSv per year. During 1989 some small changes took place in our discharge patterns, our environmental monitoring and in the assessment of critical group doses. These changes are discussed in the introductions to the two parts of this report where the relevant Authorisations are also discussed. This report, the fifth of our annual series, has as its aim the provision, to the general public, of full information on discharges from the SGHWR reactor and other smaller sources at Winfrith and the associated environmental monitoring programmes. Some improvements in presentation have been made. The data, mainly provided graphically in the main text, are still compared with authorised limits or derived levels, but numerical values are now given. The graphs refer to specifically authorised radio-nuclides e.g. tritium, rather than to gross activity. Previous reports were restricted to monitoring at the site boundary and to off-site monitoring. Some data are now given in the report for on-site monitoring. (author)

Environmental monitoring with in-situ gamma spectrometer; Umweltueberwachung mit in-situ-Gamma-Spektrometer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reinhardt, S. [ENVINET GmbH, Haar (Germany)

2014-01-20

The in-situ gamma spectroscopy allows large area and continuous monitoring of the radio nuclides and there composition in the environment. In comparison to the gamma dose rate measurement the additional spectral information gives the possibility for a quick and effective action in the case of a man-made radiation exposition in the environment. The knowledge respectively localization of the possible nuclides, which a responsible for the increased dose rate, supports responsible organization in the quick identification of the situation, definition of the actions and tracking of the temporal and local process of the radiation exposition. Due to dedicate actions the risk for people and environment is reduced.

Quality assurance for the measurements and monitoring of radioactivity in the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Betti, Maria; Aldave de las Heras, Laura

2004-01-01

During the Fifth Framework Programme (FP5) of the European Commission--according to an institutional programme in support to the policy of the European Commission for the implementation of Art. 35 and 36 of the Euratom Treaty as well as in the framework of the OSPAR Convention for the protection of marine environment of the north-east Atlantic--at the Institute for Transuranium Elements (ITU-General Directorate Joint Research Centre-European Commission), a reference laboratory for the measurement of radioactivity in the environment (MaRE laboratory) has been set up. In this paper, the principles and philosophy in order to improve the quality and reliability of analytical data for the measurement and monitoring of radioactivity in the environment under a quality assurance (QA) programme are presented. Examples of how a QA programme at the MaRE laboratory is developed and applied are given. Internal and external quality control (QC) programmes are also discussed

Use of local area networks in radioisotopic monitoring systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scheckel, C.A.; Huckins, R.J.

1991-01-01

In the spring of 1988, Canberra's Nuclear Data Systems Division introduced a device that performed the basic data acquisition functions of a multichannel analyzer (MCA) but was interfaced to an Institute of electrical and Electronics Engineers standard 802.2/802.3 Ethernet local area network 1,2 (LAN). The device, known as the 556 acquisition interface module (AIM), includes 64K channels of spectral memory and can handle two analog-to-digital converter (ADC) modules running an aggregate acquisition rate of up to 1 MHz. The AIM can transfer data and accept commands over the 10M bit/s LAN, making it suitable for real-time applications. Subsequent advancements in software and hardware display technology have expanded the capabilities of spectroscopy analysis systems by providing remote real-time spectral displays. The paper presents a system architecture review and discusses applicability for radiation monitoring

Radioactivity monitoring of the Irish marine environment 1985-86

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cunningham, J.D.; O'Grady, J.; Rush, T.

1988-01-01

This report presents the results of the monitoring programme for the two-year period from January 1985 to December 1986. Information on the radioactive contamination of the marine environment is obtained from the analysis of environmental samples taken at a number of locations along the coastline and various sampling stations in the western Irish Sea. These usually include samples of surface seawater, sediment, seaweed, fish and shellfish. Estimates are presented of the individual and collective doses received by the Irish public from the consumption of fish and shellfish during the period 1985-1986. These doses are assessed in terms of the system of dose limitation recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection and embodied in the Basic Safety Standards Directive of the European Community

The effects of the local environment on active galactic nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manzer, L. H.; De Robertis, M. M.

2014-01-01

There continues to be significant controversy regarding the mechanism(s) responsible for the initiation and maintenance of activity in galactic nuclei. In this paper we will investigate possible environmental triggers of nuclear activity through a statistical analysis of a large sample of galaxy groups. The focus of this paper is to identify active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and other emission-line galaxies in these groups and to compare their frequency with a sample of over 260,000 isolated galaxies from the same catalog. The galaxy groups are taken from the catalog of Yang et al., in which over 20,000 virialized groups of galaxies (2 ≤ N ≤ 20) with redshifts between 0.01 and 0.20 are from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We first investigate the completeness of our data set and find, though biases are a concern particularly at higher redshift, that our data provide a fair representation of the local universe. After correcting emission-line equivalent widths for extinction and underlying Balmer stellar absorption, we classify galaxies in the sample using traditional emission-line ratios, while incorporating measurement uncertainties. We find a significantly higher fraction of AGNs in groups compared with the isolated sample. Likewise, a significantly higher fraction of absorption-line galaxies are found in groups, while a higher fraction of star-forming galaxies prefer isolated environments. Within grouped environments, AGNs and star-forming galaxies are found more frequently in small- to medium-richness groups, while absorption-line galaxies prefer groups with larger richnesses. Groups containing only emission-line galaxies have smaller virial radii, velocity dispersions, and masses compared with those containing only absorption-line galaxies. Furthermore, the AGN fraction increases with decreasing distance to the group centroid, independent of galaxy morphology. Using properties obtained from Galaxy Zoo, there is an increased fraction of AGNs within merging systems

The effects of the local environment on active galactic nuclei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manzer, L. H.; De Robertis, M. M., E-mail: liannemanzer@gmail.com, E-mail: mmdr@yorku.ca [Department of Physics and Astronomy, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 (Canada)

2014-06-20

There continues to be significant controversy regarding the mechanism(s) responsible for the initiation and maintenance of activity in galactic nuclei. In this paper we will investigate possible environmental triggers of nuclear activity through a statistical analysis of a large sample of galaxy groups. The focus of this paper is to identify active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and other emission-line galaxies in these groups and to compare their frequency with a sample of over 260,000 isolated galaxies from the same catalog. The galaxy groups are taken from the catalog of Yang et al., in which over 20,000 virialized groups of galaxies (2 ≤ N ≤ 20) with redshifts between 0.01 and 0.20 are from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We first investigate the completeness of our data set and find, though biases are a concern particularly at higher redshift, that our data provide a fair representation of the local universe. After correcting emission-line equivalent widths for extinction and underlying Balmer stellar absorption, we classify galaxies in the sample using traditional emission-line ratios, while incorporating measurement uncertainties. We find a significantly higher fraction of AGNs in groups compared with the isolated sample. Likewise, a significantly higher fraction of absorption-line galaxies are found in groups, while a higher fraction of star-forming galaxies prefer isolated environments. Within grouped environments, AGNs and star-forming galaxies are found more frequently in small- to medium-richness groups, while absorption-line galaxies prefer groups with larger richnesses. Groups containing only emission-line galaxies have smaller virial radii, velocity dispersions, and masses compared with those containing only absorption-line galaxies. Furthermore, the AGN fraction increases with decreasing distance to the group centroid, independent of galaxy morphology. Using properties obtained from Galaxy Zoo, there is an increased fraction of AGNs within merging systems

Monitoring the Microgravity Environment Quality On-Board the International Space Station Using Soft Computing Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Jules, Kenol; Lin, Paul P.

2001-01-01

This paper presents an artificial intelligence monitoring system developed by the NASA Glenn Principal Investigator Microgravity Services project to help the principal investigator teams identify the primary vibratory disturbance sources that are active, at any moment in time, on-board the International Space Station, which might impact the microgravity environment their experiments are exposed to. From the Principal Investigator Microgravity Services' web site, the principal investigator teams can monitor via a graphical display, in near real time, which event(s) is/are on, such as crew activities, pumps, fans, centrifuges, compressor, crew exercise, platform structural modes, etc., and decide whether or not to run their experiments based on the acceleration environment associated with a specific event. This monitoring system is focused primarily on detecting the vibratory disturbance sources, but could be used as well to detect some of the transient disturbance sources, depending on the events duration. The system has built-in capability to detect both known and unknown vibratory disturbance sources. Several soft computing techniques such as Kohonen's Self-Organizing Feature Map, Learning Vector Quantization, Back-Propagation Neural Networks, and Fuzzy Logic were used to design the system.

Facility Effluent Monitoring Plan for the Plutonium Finishing Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

FRAZIER, T.P.

1999-01-01

A facility effluent monitoring plan is required by the U. S. Department of Energy in DOE Order 5400.1 for any operations that involve hazardous materials and radioactive substances that could impact employee or public safety or the environment. This facility effluent monitoring plan assesses effluent monitoring systems and evaluates whether these systems are adequate to ensure the public health and safety as specified in applicable federal, state, and local requirements. To ensure the long-range integrity of the effluent monitoring systems, an update to this facility effluent monitoring plan is required whenever a new process or operation introduces new hazardous materials or significant radioactive materials. This document is reviewed annually even if there are no operational changes, and is updated, at a minimum, every 3 years

Monitoring for radioactive materials releasing to environment in M310 reformatived nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yin Zhenyu; Yang Guangli; Xu Guang

2012-01-01

Airborne radioactive materials of nuclear power plant (NPP) releases to the environment from the stack of NPP. Radioactive liquid waste releases of the ocean, the fluvial and the lake through the liquid waste letdyke of NPP. Further more, a few radioactive waste may be taken out of the NPP by vehicle or personnel. For the purpose of strict management and control above-mentioned waste, we use detect equipment monitoring radioactive waste of NPP. Management and control for the releasing of radioactive material to the environment in M310 reformatived NPP is strict and safety. (authors)

Lidar Remote Sensing for Industry and Environment Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Upendra N. (Editor); Itabe, Toshikazu (Editor); Sugimoto, Nobuo (Editor)

2000-01-01

Contents include the following: 1. Keynote paper: Overview of lidar technology for industrial and environmental monitoring in Japan. 2. lidar technology I: NASA's future active remote sensing mission for earth science. Geometrical detector consideration s in laser sensing application (invited paper). 3. Lidar technology II: High-power femtosecond light strings as novel atmospheric probes (invited paper). Design of a compact high-sensitivity aerosol profiling lidar. 4. Lasers for lidars: High-energy 2 microns laser for multiple lidar applications. New submount requirement of conductively cooled laser diodes for lidar applications. 5. Tropospheric aerosols and clouds I: Lidar monitoring of clouds and aerosols at the facility for atmospheric remote sensing (invited paper). Measurement of asian dust by using multiwavelength lidar. Global monitoring of clouds and aerosols using a network of micropulse lidar systems. 6. Troposphere aerosols and clouds II: Scanning lidar measurements of marine aerosol fields at a coastal site in Hawaii. 7. Tropospheric aerosols and clouds III: Formation of ice cloud from asian dust particles in the upper troposphere. Atmospheric boundary layer observation by ground-based lidar at KMITL, Thailand (13 deg N, 100 deg. E). 8. Boundary layer, urban pollution: Studies of the spatial correlation between urban aerosols and local traffic congestion using a slant angle scanning on the research vessel Mirai. 9. Middle atmosphere: Lidar-observed arctic PSC's over Svalbard (invited paper). Sodium temperature lidar measurements of the mesopause region over Syowa Station. 10. Differential absorption lidar (dIAL) and DOAS: Airborne UV DIAL measurements of ozone and aerosols (invited paper). Measurement of water vapor, surface ozone, and ethylene using differential absorption lidar. 12. Space lidar I: Lightweight lidar telescopes for space applications (invited paper). Coherent lidar development for Doppler wind measurement from the International Space

Supervision monitoring for radiation environment around Daya Bay and Lingao nuclear power stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Naiming; Chen Zhidong; Song Haiqing; Deng Fei; Lin Qing; Huang Nairong; Zhou Ruidong; Mo Guanghua; Li Lingjuan; Liu Ying; Li Qiaoqin; Lai Liming; Zhou Xue

2004-01-01

This paper systematically introduces the supervision monitoring for radiation environment around the Guangdong Daya Bay and Ling Ao nuclear power station by the Guangdong Environmental Radiation Research and Monitoring Center. It includes the monitoring plan, methods, quality assurance, main results and conclusions. The results show that: (1) The gas discharge have not caused any detectable impacts to the terrestrial and atmospheric environment since their operation; (2) 110m Ag could only be detected in seawater in the West Daya Bay in 1995 and 1997 and in sediments in 1997. The maximum annual average in seawater was 3.1 Bq/m 3 , annual average of 110m Ag in sediments was 1.0 Bq/kg(dry). But it was always detectable in pearl oyster, gulfweed and cuttlefish in the West Daya Bay. The 110m Ag concentrations in halobios were relatively higher in 1994, 1996 and 1997. The maximum concentrations in pearl oyster, gulfweed and cuttlefish were 2.2, 1.7 and 5.8 Bq/kg (fresh) respectively. It has significantly decreased with decreasing discharge from the stations since 1997. (3) 137 Cs could be detected in almost all seawater samples in the West Daya Bay and the concentration were relatively higher from 1994-1998. The maximum annual average was laid in 1995 and it was 4.6 Bq/m 3 . After 1999, its concentration ranged in the background level. The concentrations in other marine samples were extremely low and changed in the range of the background. (4) 3 H in seawater in the West Daya Bay would go up as a pulse soon after 3 H discharge from the station and would go down to the background after 3-5 days. The annual average of monitoring results were between 0.8-3.4 Bq/L

Development of an Indoor Airflow Energy Harvesting System for Building Environment Monitoring

OpenAIRE

Fei Fei; Shengli Zhou; John D. Mai; Wen Jung Li

2014-01-01

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have been widely used for intelligent building management applications. Typically, indoor environment parameters such as illumination, temperature, humidity and air quality are monitored and adjusted by an intelligent building management system. However, owing to the short life-span of the batteries used at the sensor nodes, the maintenance of such systems has been labor-intensive and time-consuming. This paper discusses a battery-less self-powering system that...

Local pH Monitoring of Small Cluster of Cells using a Fiber-Optic Dual-Core Micro-Probe.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Sisi; Yang, Qingbo; Xiao, Hai; Shi, Honglan; Ma, Yinfa

2017-03-31

Biological studies of tissues and cells have enabled numerous discoveries, but these studies still bear potential risks of invalidation because of cell heterogeneity. Through high-accuracy techniques, recent studies have demonstrated that discrepancies do exist between the results from low-number-cell studies and cell-population-based results. Thus the urgent need to re-evaluate key principles on limited number of cells has been provoked. In this study, a novel designed dual-core fiber-optic pH micro-probe was fabricated and demonstrated for niche environment pH sensing with high spatial resolution. An organic-modified silicate (OrMoSils) sol-gel thin layer was functionalized by entrapping a pH indicator, 2', 7'-Bis (2-carbonylethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF), on a ~70 μm sized probe tip. Good linear correlation between fluorescence ratio of I 560 nm /I 640 nm and intercellular pH values was obtained within a biological-relevant pH range from 6.20 to 7.92 (R 2 = 0.9834), and with a pH resolution of 0.035 ± 0.005 pH units. The probe's horizontal spatial resolution was demonstrated to be less than 2mm. Moreover, the probe was evaluated by measuring the localized extracellular pH changes of cultured human lung cancer cells (A549) when exposed to titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 NPs). Results showed that the probe has superior capability for fast, local, and continual monitoring of a small cluster of cells, which provides researchers a fast and accurate technique to conduct local pH measurements for cell heterogeneity-related studies.

Effective radiological contamination control and monitoring techniques in high alpha environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Funke, Kevin C

2003-02-01

In the decommissioning of a highly contaminated alpha environment, such as the one at Hanford's 233-S Plutonium Concentration Facility, one of the key elements of a successful radiological control program is an integrated safety approach. This approach begins with the job-planning phase where the scope of the work is described. This is followed by a brainstorming session involving engineering and craft to identify how to perform the work in a logical sequence of events. Once the brainstorming session is over, a Job Hazard Analysis is performed to identify any potential problems. Mockups are utilized to enable the craft to get hands on experience and provide feedback and ideas to make the job run smoother. Ideas and experience gained during mockups are incorporated into the task instruction. To assure appropriate data are used in planning and executing the job, our principal evaluation tools included lapel and workplace air sampling, plus continuous air monitors and frequent surveys to effectively monitor job progress. In this highly contaminated alpha environment, with contamination levels ranging from 0.3 Bq cm-2 to approximately 100,000 Bq cm-2 (2,000 dpm per 100 cm2 to approximately 600 million dpm per 100 cm2), with average working levels of 1,600-3,200 Bq cm-2 (10-20 million dpm per 100 cm2) without concomitant ambient radiation levels, control of the spread of contamination is key to keeping airborne levels As Low As Reasonably Achievable.

Mobile environmental radiation monitoring station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Assido, H.; Shemesh, Y.; Mazor, T.; Tal, N.; Barak, D.

1997-01-01

A mobile environmental radiation monitoring station has been developed and established for the Israeli Ministry of Environment. The radiation monitoring station is ready for immediate placing in any required location, or can be operated from a vehicle. The station collects data Tom the detector and transfers it via cellular communication network to a Computerized Control Center for data storage, processing, and display . The mobile station is fully controlled from the. Routinely, the mobile station responses to the data request accumulated since the last communication session. In case of fault or alarm condition in the mobile station, a local claim is activated and immediately initiates communication with the via cellular communication network. (authors)

Distributed intelligent urban environment monitoring system

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Jinsong; Wang, Wei; Gao, Jie; Cong, Rigang

2018-02-01

The current environmental pollution and destruction have developed into a world-wide major social problem that threatens human survival and development. Environmental monitoring is the prerequisite and basis of environmental governance, but overall, the current environmental monitoring system is facing a series of problems. Based on the electrochemical sensor, this paper designs a small, low-cost, easy to layout urban environmental quality monitoring terminal, and multi-terminal constitutes a distributed network. The system has been small-scale demonstration applications and has confirmed that the system is suitable for large-scale promotion

WildSense: Monitoring Interactions among Wild Deer in Harsh Outdoor Environments Using a Delay-Tolerant WSN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junho Ahn

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Biologists and ecologists often monitor the spread of disease among deer in the wild by using tracking systems that record their movement patterns, locations, and interaction behavior. The existing commercial systems for monitoring wild deer utilize collars with GPS sensors, deployed on captured and rereleased deer. The GPS sensors record location data every few hours, enabling researchers to approximate the interaction behavior of tracked deer with their GPS locations. However, the coarse granularity of periodically recorded GPS location data provides only limited precision for determining deer interaction behavior. We have designed a novel system to monitor wild deer interaction behavior more precisely in harsh wilderness environments. Our system combines the functionalities of both GPS and RF-radio sensors with low-cost and minimal-resource motes. We designed and built our system to be able to operate robustly for a period of up to several months for continual tracking and monitoring of the locations and interaction behaviors of wild deer in harsh environments. We successfully deployed six deer collars on six wild deer that were captured and rereleased in the Soapstone Prairie Natural Area of northern Colorado over a one-month period. In this paper, we describe how we designed and built this system and evaluate its successful operation in a wilderness area.

Norwegian monitoring (1990-2015) of the marine environment around the sunken nuclear submarine Komsomolets.

Science.gov (United States)

Gwynn, Justin P; Heldal, Hilde Elise; Flo, Janita K; Sværen, Ingrid; Gäfvert, Torbjörn; Haanes, Hallvard; Føyn, Lars; Rudjord, Anne Liv

2018-02-01

Norway has monitored the marine environment around the sunken Russian nuclear submarine Komsomolets since 1990. This study presents an overview of 25 years of Norwegian monitoring data (1990-2015). Komsomolets sank in 1989 at a depth of 1680 m in the Norwegian Sea while carrying two nuclear torpedoes in its armament. Subsequent Soviet and Russian expeditions to Komsomolets have shown that releases from the reactor have occurred and that the submarine has suffered considerable damage to its hulls. Norwegian monitoring detected 134 Cs in surface sediments around Komsomolets in 1993 and 1994 and elevated activity concentrations of 137 Cs in bottom seawater between 1991 and 1993. Since then and up to 2015, no increased activity concentrations of radionuclides above values typical for the Norwegian Sea have been observed in any environmental sample collected by Norwegian monitoring. In 2013 and 2015, Norwegian monitoring was carried out using an acoustic transponder on the sampling gear that allowed samples to be collected at precise locations, ∼20 m from the hull of Komsomolets. The observed 238 Pu/ 239,240 Pu activity ratios and 240 Pu/ 239 Pu atom ratios in surface sediments sampled close to Komsomolets in 2013 did not indicate any releases of Pu isotopes from reactor or the torpedo warheads. Rather, these values probably reflect the overprinting of global fallout ratios with fluxes of these Pu isotopes from long-range transport of authorised discharges from nuclear reprocessing facilities in Northern Europe. However, due to the depth at which Komsomolets lies, the collection of seawater and sediment samples in the immediate area around the submarine using traditional sampling techniques from surface vessels is not possible, even with the use of acoustic transponders. Further monitoring is required in order to have a clear understanding of the current status of Komsomolets as a potential source of radioactive contamination to the Norwegian marine environment

Methodology for locale-scale monitoring for the PROTHEGO project: the Choirokoitia case study

Science.gov (United States)

Themistocleous, Kyriacos; Agapiou, Athos; Cuca, Branka; Danezis, Chris; Cigna, Francesca; Margottini, Claudio; Spizzichino, Daniele

2016-10-01

PROTHEGO (PROTection of European Cultural HEritage from GeO-hazards) is a collaborative research project funded in the framework of the Joint Programming Initiative on Cultural Heritage and Global Change (JPICH) - Heritage Plus in 2015-2018 (www.prothego.eu). PROTHEGO aims to make an innovative contribution towards the analysis of geohazards in areas of cultural heritage, and uses novel space technology based on radar interferometry (InSAR) to retrieve information on ground stability and motion in the 400+ UNESCO's World Heritage List monuments and sites of Europe. InSAR can be used to measure micro-movements to identify geo-hazards. In order to verify the InSAR image data, field and close range measurements are necessary. This paper presents the methodology for local-scale monitoring of the Choirokoitia study site in Cyprus, inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and part of the demonstration sites of PROTHEGO. Various field and remote sensing methods will be exploited for the local-scale monitoring, static GNSS, total station, leveling, laser scanning and UAV and compared with the Persistent Scatterer Interferometry results. The in-situ measurements will be taken systematically in order to document any changes and geo-hazards that affect standing archaeological remains. In addition, ground truth from in-situ visits will provide feedback related to the classification results of urban expansion and land use change maps. Available archival and current optical satellite images will be used to calibrate and identify the level of risk at the Cyprus case study site. The ground based geotechnical monitoring will be compared and validated with InSAR data to evaluate cultural heritage sites deformation trend and to understand its behaviour over the last two decades.

Dietary quality in children and the role of the local food environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eimear Keane

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Diet is a modifiable contributor to many chronic diseases including childhood obesity. The local food environment may influence children's diet but this area of research is understudied. This study explores if distance to and the number of supermarkets and convenience stores in the local area around households are associated with dietary quality in nine year olds whilst controlling for household level socio-economic factors. This is a secondary analysis of Wave 1 (2007/2008 of the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI Child Cohort Study, a sample of 8568 nine year olds from the Republic of Ireland. Dietary intake was assessed using a short, 20-item parent reported food frequency questionnaire and was used to create a dietary quality score (DQS whereby a higher score indicated a higher diet quality. Socio-economic status was measured using household class, household income, and maternal education. Food availability was measured as road network distance to and the number of supermarkets and convenience stores around households. Separate fixed effects regression models assessed the association between local area food availability and dietary quality, stratified by sex. The DQS ranged from −5 to 25 (mean 9.4, SD 4.2. Mean DQS was higher in those who lived furthest (distance in quintiles from their nearest supermarket (p<0.001, and in those who lived furthest from their nearest convenience store (p<0.001. After controlling for socio-economic characteristics of the household, there was insufficient evidence to suggest that distance to the nearest supermarket or convenience store was associated with dietary quality in girls or boys. The number of supermarkets or convenience stores within 1000 m of the household was not associated with dietary quality. Food availability had a limited effect on dietary quality in this study. Issues associated with conceptualising and measuring the food environment may explain the findings of the current study. Keywords: Diet

Radioactivity in the Marine Environment 1999

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rudjord, A.L.; Foeyn, L.; Brungot, A.L.; Kolstad, A.K.; Helldal, H.E.; Brown, J.; Iosjpe, M.; Christensen, G.

2001-07-01

in the present report. Several institutions have collected samples and analysed results for the coordinated monitoring programme. They are, the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (including the environmental unit in Tromsoe), the Institute of Marine Research, Institute for Energy Technology, the Directorate of Fisheries (including the local office in Tromsoe) and the Norwegian Food Control Authority (local office in Salten). The main sections of the report are (1) Sources of radionuclides in the marine environment, (2) Collection of samples, (3) Environmental radioactivity from Norwegian sources, (4) Radioactivity in sea water and sediments, (5) Radioactivity in fish and other biota, (6) Development of assessment tools. Appendix 1 gives general information about radionuclide analysis and provides details of analytical methods employed by each institution.

Radioactivity in the Marine Environment 1999

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudjord, A.L.; Foeyn, L.; Brungot, A.L.; Kolstad, A.K.; Helldal, H.E.; Brown, J.; Iosjpe, M.; Christensen, G.

2001-01-01

in the present report. Several institutions have collected samples and analysed results for the coordinated monitoring programme. They are, the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (including the environmental unit in Tromsoe), the Institute of Marine Research, Institute for Energy Technology, the Directorate of Fisheries (including the local office in Tromsoe) and the Norwegian Food Control Authority (local office in Salten). The main sections of the report are (1) Sources of radionuclides in the marine environment, (2) Collection of samples, (3) Environmental radioactivity from Norwegian sources, (4) Radioactivity in sea water and sediments, (5) Radioactivity in fish and other biota, (6) Development of assessment tools. Appendix 1 gives general information about radionuclide analysis and provides details of analytical methods employed by each institution

Monitoring the Fiscal Health of Taiwan's Local Government: Application of the 10-Point Scale of Fiscal Distress

OpenAIRE

Yuan-Hong Ho; Chiung-Ju Huang

2014-01-01

This article presents a monitoring indicators system that predicts whether a local government in Taiwan is heading for fiscal distress and identifies a suitable fiscal policy that would allow the local government to achieve fiscal balance in the long run. This system is relevant to stockholders’ interest, simple for national audit bodies to use, and provides an early warning of fiscal distress that allows preventative action to be taken.

Radiological safety system based on real-time tritium-in-air monitoring indoors and in effluents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bidica, N.; Sofalca, N; Balteanu, O.; Srefan, I.

2006-01-01

Exposure to tritium is an important health hazard in any tritium processing facility so that implementing a real-time tritium monitoring system is necessary for its operation in safety conditions. The tritium processing facility operators need to be informed at any time about the in-air tritium concentration indoors or in the stack effluents, in order to detect immediately any leaks in tritium containments, or any releases inside the buildings or to the environment. This information is very important for adopting if necessary protection measures and correcting actions as quickly as possible. In this paper we describe an improved real-time tritium monitoring system designed for the Heavy Water Detritiation Pilot Plant of National Institute for Cryogenics and Isotopes Separation, Rm. Valcea, Romania. The design of the Radiological Safety System implemented for the ICIT Water Detritiation Pilot Plant is intended to provide the maximum safety level based on the ALARA concept. The main functions of tritium monitoring system are: - monitoring the working areas and gaseous effluents by determination of the tritium-in-air activity concentration; - local and remote data display; - assessing of environment dose equivalent rates and dose equivalents in the working environment (for personnel exposure control and work planning); - assessing the total tritium activity released to the environment through ventilation exhaust stack; - safety functions, i.e., local and remote, locking/unlocking personnel access, process shut-down in emergency conditions and start of the air cleaning systems. With all these features our tritium monitoring system is really a safety system adequate for personnel and environmental protection. (authors)

Standard Guide for Environmental Monitoring Plans for Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2010-01-01

1.1 This guide covers the development or assessment of environmental monitoring plans for decommissioning nuclear facilities. This guide addresses: (1) development of an environmental baseline prior to commencement of decommissioning activities; (2) determination of release paths from site activities and their associated exposure pathways in the environment; and (3) selection of appropriate sampling locations and media to ensure that all exposure pathways in the environment are monitored appropriately. This guide also addresses the interfaces between the environmental monitoring plan and other planning documents for site decommissioning, such as radiation protection, site characterization, and waste management plans, and federal, state, and local environmental protection laws and guidance. This guide is applicable up to the point of completing D&D activities and the reuse of the facility or area for other purposes.

Construction and application of an intelligent air quality monitoring system for healthcare environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Chao-Tung; Liao, Chi-Jui; Liu, Jung-Chun; Den, Walter; Chou, Ying-Chyi; Tsai, Jaw-Ji

2014-02-01

Indoor air quality monitoring in healthcare environment has become a critical part of hospital management and policy. Manual air sampling and analysis are cost-inhibitive and do not provide real-time air quality data and response measures. In this month-long study over 14 sampling locations in a public hospital in Taiwan, we observed a positive correlation between CO(2) concentration and population, total bacteria, and particulate matter concentrations, thus monitoring CO(2) concentration as a general indicator for air quality could be a viable option. Consequently, an intelligent environmental monitoring system consisting of a CO(2)/temperature/humidity sensor, a digital plug, and a ZigBee Router and Coordinator was developed and tested. The system also included a backend server that received and analyzed data, as well as activating ventilation and air purifiers when CO(2) concentration exceeded a pre-set value. Alert messages can also be delivered to offsite users through mobile devices.

Potential of monitoring nuclides with the epiphyte Tillandsia usneoides: Uptake and localization of 133Cs.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Peng; Zheng, Guiling; Chen, Xuan; Pemberton, Robert

2012-12-01

Epiphytic Tillandsia plants are efficient air pollution biomonitors and traditionally used to monitor atmospheric heavy metal pollution, but rarely nuclides monitoring. Here we evaluated the potential of Tillandsia usneoides for monitoring (133)Cs and investigated if Cs was trapped by the plant external surface structures. The results showed that T. usneoides was able to survive relatively high Cs stress. With the increase of Cs solution concentration, the total of Cs in plants increased significantly, which suggests that the plants could accumulate Cs quickly and effectively. Therefore, T. usneoides has considerable potential for monitoring Cs polluted environments. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) analysis showed that Cs was detected in each type of cells in foliar trichomes, and the ratio of Cs in the internal disc cell was higher than that in ring cell and wing cell, which indicates that the mechanism of adsorption Cs in Tillandsia has an active component. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Whiskers and Localized Corrosion on Copper in Repository Environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hermansson, Hans-Peter; Gillen, Peter

2004-03-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that whiskers (thread/hair shaped structures) can form on copper in a sulphide containing environment. A remaining important question is whether the attack on the copper metal surface beneath a whisker is of a localized or of a general nature. This issue has not been clarified as whiskers are very fragile and have always detached and fallen off from the surface at some stage of handling. It has therefore been very difficult to link the growth root of the whisker to underlying structures in the metal surface. A study was therefore initiated to settle the important issue of the relation between whisker position and the type of underlying metal attack. The usage of a porous medium was originally planned to support the whiskers in order to keep them in place and by post examinations characterize the nature of the whisker roots and thus the type of attack on the metal. However, the early stages of the present experimental work clearly indicated that other ways of study were necessary. A photographic method for the registration and positioning of whisker growth was therefore developed. It proved to be a successful means to coordinate whisker position and to link it with the attack on the underlying metal. Shortage of sulphide in previous experiments caused a retarded growth rate of whiskers. Therefore, in present experiments the sulphide concentration was kept at a more constant level throughout an experiment and a hindered whisker growth did not limit the attack on underlying metal. Whiskers and substrates were observed with a video camera throughout an experiment and the phase composition was examined with Laser Raman Spectroscopy, LRS and the Raman video microscope. Post examinations were also performed using light optical microscopy. By combining the results from the optical methods it has been possible to distinguish two kinds of whisker roots (small/large diameter) with the underlying metal surface. It has also been demonstrated

Air pollution sources, impact and monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qureshi, I.H.

1999-01-01

Improper management of socio-economic developmental activities has put a great stress on natural resources and eco-systems and has caused environmental degradation. Indiscriminate release of toxic substances into the atmosphere from power generation, industrial operations, transportation, incineration of waste and other operations has affected the quality of ambient air. Combustion of fossil fuel results in the emission of oxides of carbon, sulfur and nitrogen, particulate and organic compounds which affect the local, regional and global environment. Industrial operations release a wide variety of pollutants which directly affect the local environment. Operation of automobiles releases oxides of carbon, sulfur and nitrogen, hydrocarbons, traces of heavy metals and toxic polycyclic aromatic compounds whereas incineration of municipal waste releases particulate, acid fumes and photochemically reactive and odorous compounds. These air pollutants have varying impacts on health and environment. The intake of polluted air may produce various physiological disorders ranging from respiratory diseases to changes in blood chemistry. Therefore, the emission of pollutants should be controlled at the source and monitoring the levels of pollution should assess the quality of air. (author)

Leakage localization with an acoustic array that covers a wide area for pipeline leakage monitoring in a closed space

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Choon Su [Center for Safety Measurements, Division of Metrology for Quality of Life, Korea Research institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Jeon, Jong Hoon [Hyundai Heavy Industry Co.,Ltd., Ulsan (Korea, Republic of); Park, Jin Ho [Korea Atomiv Energy Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2013-10-15

It is of great importance to localize leakages in complex pipelines for assuring their safety. A sensor array that can detect where leakages occur enables us to monitor a wide area with a relatively low cost. Beam forming is a fast and efficient algorithm to estimate where sources are, but it is generally made use of in free field condition. In practice, however, many pipelines are placed in a closed space for the purpose of safety and maintenance. This leads us to take reflected waves into account to the beam forming for interior leakage localization. Beam power distribution of reflected waves in a closed space is formulated, and spatial average is introduced to suppress the effect of reflected waves. Computer simulations and experiments ensure how the proposed method is effective to localize leakage in a closed space for structural health monitoring.

Human resources of local governments as motivators of participation of businesses and citizens in protecting of environment

OpenAIRE

NIKOLIĆ N.; GAJOVIĆ A.; PAUNOVIĆ V.

2015-01-01

This paper discusses the importance of human resources of local governments in the motivation of businesses and citizens in protecting the environment. The inability to absorb current problems caused by inadequate and incomplete arrangement of utilization of human resources of the local government of Lučani caused the redefining of strategic priorities of environmental protection. The motivational power of human resources of local governments expressed through interaction with the population ...

A Solid-State NMR Experiment: Analysis of Local Structural Environments in Phosphate Glasses

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Stanley E.; Saiki, David; Eckert, Hellmut; Meise-Gresch, Karin

2004-01-01

An experiment that can be used to directly study the local chemical environments of phosphorus in solid amorphous materials is demonstrated. The experiment aims at familiarizing the students of chemistry with the principles of solid-state NMR, by having them synthesize a simple phosphate glass, and making them observe the (super 31)P NMR spectrum,…

Radiation protection and environmental monitoring in the area of the Asse shaft plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyer, H.; Mueller-Lyda, I.

1990-08-01

Personnel monitoring has been carried through in compliance with the Radiation Protection Ordinance. Environmental monitoring including measurement of local doses, local dose rates, and airborne radioactivity in the shaft has been made according to the provisions for radiation protection at the place of work. Maximum permissible personal doses or activity levels for occupationally exposed persons have not been exceeded in the reporting period. Exhaust air monitoring detected the nuclides H-3, C-14, Pb-210, and the short-lived daughter products of Rn-222 and Rn-220. The activity concentrations in the environment, determined from the measured annual release values, for some part have been lower than the average of natural concentrations of said nuclides. The radiation exposure due to emissions, measured at the least favourable point in the environment, has been far below the limits set by the Radiation Protection Ordinance. In conclusion: The radiation exposure of the personnel and of the population in the area of the Asse shaft plant due to the storage of radioactive is low, compared to the natural radiation exposure. (orig.) [de

Radiation protection and environmental monitoring in the area of the Asse shaft plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller-Lyda, I.; Meyer, H.

1989-06-01

Personnel monitoring has been carried through in compliance with the Radiation Protection Ordinance. Environmental monitoring including measurement of local doses, local dose rates, and airborne radioactivity in the shaft has been made according to the provisions for radiation protection at the place of work. Maximum permissible personal doses or activity levels for occupationally exposed persons have not been exceeded in the reporting period. Exhaust air monitoring detected the nuclides H-3, C-14, Pb-210, and the short-lived daughter products of Rn-222 and Rn-220. The activity concentrations in the environment, determined from the measured annual release values, for some part have been lower than the average of natural concentrations of said nuclides. The radiation exposure due to emissions, measured at the least favourable point in the environment, has been far below the limits set by the Radiation Protection Ordinance. In conclusion: The radiation exposure of the personnel and of the population in the area of the Asse shaft plant due to the storage of radioactive is low, compared to the natural radiation exposure. (orig.) [de

Facility effluent monitoring plan for the B plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lesser, J.E.

1994-09-01

A facility effluent monitoring plan is required by the U.S. Department of Energy in DOE Order 5400.1 for any operations that involve hazardous materials and radioactive substances that could impact employee or public safety or the environment. This document is prepared using the specific guidelines identified in A Guide for Preparing Hanford Site Facility Effluent Monitoring Plans, WHC-EP-0438-1. This facility effluent monitoring plant assesses effluent monitoring systems and evaluates whether they are adequate to ensure the public health and safety as specified in applicable federal, state, and local requirements. This facility effluent monitoring plan shall ensure long-range integrity of the effluent monitoring systems by requiring an update whenever a new process or operation introduces new hazardous materials or significant radioactive materials. This document must be reviewed annually even if there are no operational changes, and it must be updated every three years

Local Measurement of Fuel Energy Deposition and Heat Transfer Environment During Fuel Lifetime Using Controlled Calorimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Don W. Miller; Andrew Kauffmann; Eric Kreidler; Dongxu Li; Hanying Liu; Daniel Mills; Thomas D. Radcliff; Joseph Talnagi

2001-01-01

A comprehensive description of the accomplishments of the DOE grant titled, ''Local Measurement of Fuel Energy Deposition and Heat Transfer Environment During Fuel Lifetime using Controlled Calorimetry''

Monitoring User-Based Accessibility Assessment in Urban Environments and in Public Buildings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gintaras Stauskis

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The research features analysis of user-experience-based accessibility assessment and progress monitoring of buildings and public spaces; this analysis is used as a tool for facilitating the development of humane, socially sustainable and an inclusive urban environment. A group of users representing people with different kinds of disabilities, the elderly and families with children was created to assess the quality of access to various buildings with different functions and locations across Vilnius and in Singapore. A school, two hospitals, a rehab centre and two offices were selected for access monitoring in Vilnius City, while a hotel, a café and two metro stations with public squares were chosen for access assessment in Singapore. As the same method was principally applied to assess accessibility of selected buildings in Vilnius City in 2000 and 2017 and in Singapore in 2012, the article draws a comparative analysis of access levels in these two cities located in different global regions. The results show a definite improvement of access quality over time and also identify the critical aspects in this process. The segment of plot planning represents the lowest quality of access for all assessed building types as compared to the building segment and the external–internal element segments. The paper also draws conclusions that access improvement is a continuous process of implementing advanced urban policy instruments, and city planners can contribute to it by constantly analysing and presenting to public the monitoring data about the progress in access improvement. Comparing the assessment results between Vilnius City and Singapore – cities that are located in different global regions and in different socio-economic environments – provides a practical tool for benchmarking and setting the priorities for this process.

Radiological emergency assessment of local decision support system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breznik, B.; Kusar, A.; Boznar, M.Z.; Mlakar, P.

2003-01-01

Local decision support system has been developed based on the needs of Krsko Nuclear Power Plant for quick dose projection and it is one of important features required for proposal of intervention before actual release may occur. Radiological emergency assessment in the case of nuclear accident is based on plant status analysis, radiation monitoring data and on prediction of release of radioactive sources to the environment. There are possibilities to use automatic features to predict release source term and manual options for selection of release parameters. Advanced environmental modelling is used for assessment of atmospheric dispersion of radioactive contamination in the environment. (author)

NATO Advanced Research Workshop, 19-22 May 1997: Rapid Method for Monitoring the Environment for Biological Hazards

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

1997-01-01

The NATO Advanced Research Workshop met for the purpose of bringing to light rapid methods for monitoring the environment for biological hazards such as biological warfare agents, naturally occurring...

Facility effluent monitoring plan for the tank farms facilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bachand, D.D.; Crummel, G.M.

1995-05-01

A facility effluent monitoring plan is required by the US Department of Energy for any operations that involve hazardous materials and radioactive substances that could impact employee or public safety or the environment. This document is prepared using specific guidelines. This facility effluent monitoring plan assesses effluent monitoring systems and evaluates whether they are adequate to ensure the public health and safety as specified in applicable federal, state, and local requirements. This facility effluent monitoring plan shall ensure long-range integrity of the effluent monitoring systems by requiring an update whenever a new process or operation introduces new hazardous materials or significant radioactive materials. This document must be reviewed annually even if there are no operational changes, and it must be updated as a minimum every three years.

Facility effluent monitoring plan for the 2724-W Protective Equipment Decontamination Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nickels, J.M.; Lavey, G.H.

1992-12-01

A facility effluent monitoring plan is required by the US Department of Energy in DOE Order 5400.1* for any operations that involve hazardous materials and radioactive substances that could impact employee or public safety or the environment. A facility effluent monitoring plan determination was performed during Calendar Year 1991 and the evaluation requires the need for a facility effluent monitoring plan. This document is prepared using the specific guidelines identified in A Guide for Preparing Hanford Site Facility Effluent Monitoring Plans, WHC-EP-0438**. This facility effluent monitoring plan assesses effluent monitoring systems and evaluates whether they are adequate to ensure the public health and safety as specified in applicable federal, state, and local requirements

Mathematical model and algorithm of operation scheduling for monitoring situation in local waters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sokolov Boris

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A multiple-model approach to description and investigation of control processes in regional maritime security system is presented. The processes considered in this paper were qualified as control processes of computing operations providing monitoring of the situation adding in the local water area and connected to relocation of different ships classes (further the active mobile objects (AMO. Previously developed concept of active moving object (AMO is used. The models describe operation of AMO automated monitoring and control system (AMCS elements as well as their interaction with objects-in-service that are sources or recipients of information being processed. The unified description of various control processes allows synthesizing simultaneously both technical and functional structures of AMO AMCS. The algorithm for solving the scheduling problem is described in terms of the classical theory of optimal automatic control.

Localizing drought monitoring products to support agricultural climate service advisories in South Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Qamer, F. M.; Matin, M. A.; Yadav, N. K.; Bajracharya, B.; Zaitchik, B. F.; Ellenburg, W. L.; Krupnik, T. J.; Hussain, G.

2017-12-01

The Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change identifies drought as one of the major climate risks in South Asia. During past two decades, a large amount of climate data have been made available by the scientific community, but the deployment of climate information for local level and agricultural decision making remains less than optimal. The provisioning of locally calibrated, easily accessible, decision-relevant and user-oriented information, in the form of drought advisory service could help to prepare communities to reduce climate vulnerability and increase resilience. A collaborative effort is now underway to strengthen existing and/or establish new drought monitoring and early warning systems in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan by incorporating standard ground-based observations, earth observation datasets, and numerical forecast models. ICT-based agriculture drought monitoring platforms, hosted at national agricultural and meteorological institutions, are being developed and coupled with communications and information deployment strategies to enable the rapid and efficient deployment of information that farmers can understand, interpret, and act on to adapt to anticipated droughts. Particular emphasis is being placed on the calibration and validation of data products through retrospective analysis of time series data, in addition to the installation of automatic weather station networks. In order to contextualize monitoring products to that they may be relevant for farmers' primary cropping systems, district level farming practices calendars are being compiled and validated through focus groups and surveys to identify the most important times and situations during which farmers can adapt to drought. High-resolution satellite crop distribution maps are under development and validation to add value to these efforts. This programme also aims to enhance capacity of agricultural extension staff to better understand

Fiber Bragg grating sensors in harsh environments: considerations and industrial monitoring applications

Science.gov (United States)

Méndez, Alexis

2017-06-01

Over the last few years, fiber optic sensors (FOS) have seen an increased acceptance and widespread use in industrial sensing and in structural monitoring in civil, aerospace, marine, oil & gas, composites and other applications. One of the most prevalent types in use today are fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors. Historically, FOS have been an attractive solution because of their EM immunity and suitability for use in harsh environments and rugged applications with extreme temperatures, radiation exposure, EM fields, high voltages, water contact, flammable atmospheres, or other hazards. FBG sensors have demonstrated that can operate reliably in many different harsh environment applications but proper type and fabrication process are needed, along with suitable packaging and installation procedure. In this paper, we review the impact that external factors and environmental conditions play on FBG's performance and reliability, and describe the appropriate sensor types and protection requirements suitable for a variety of harsh environment applications in industrial furnaces, cryogenic coolers, nuclear plants, maritime vessels, oil & gas wells, aerospace crafts, automobiles, and others.

Development of a Compact Range-gated Vision System to Monitor Structures in Low-visibility Environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahn, Yong-Jin; Park, Seung-Kyu; Baik, Sung-Hoon; Kim, Dong-Lyul; Choi, Young-Soo; Jeong, Kyung-Min

2015-01-01

Image acquisition in disaster area or radiation area of nuclear industry is an important function for safety inspection and preparing appropriate damage control plans. So, automatic vision system to monitor structures and facilities in blurred smoking environments such as the places of a fire and detonation is essential. Vision systems can't acquire an image when the illumination light is blocked by disturbance materials, such as smoke, fog and dust. To overcome the imaging distortion caused by obstacle materials, robust vision systems should have extra-functions, such as active illumination through disturbance materials. One of active vision system is a range-gated imaging system. The vision system based on the range-gated imaging system can acquire image data from the blurred and darken light environments. Range-gated imaging (RGI) is a direct active visualization technique using a highly sensitive image sensor and a high intensity illuminant. Currently, the range-gated imaging technique providing 2D and range image data is one of emerging active vision technologies. The range-gated imaging system gets vision information by summing time sliced vision images. In the RGI system, a high intensity illuminant illuminates for ultra-short time and a highly sensitive image sensor is gated by ultra-short exposure time to only get the illumination light. Here, the illuminant illuminates objects by flashing strong light through disturbance materials, such as smoke particles and dust particles. In contrast to passive conventional vision systems, the RGI active vision technology enables operation even in harsh environments like low-visibility smoky environment. In this paper, a compact range-gated vision system is developed to monitor structures in low-visibility environment. The system consists of illumination light, a range-gating camera and a control computer. Visualization experiments are carried out in low-visibility foggy environment to see imaging capability

Development of a Compact Range-gated Vision System to Monitor Structures in Low-visibility Environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahn, Yong-Jin; Park, Seung-Kyu; Baik, Sung-Hoon; Kim, Dong-Lyul; Choi, Young-Soo; Jeong, Kyung-Min [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

Image acquisition in disaster area or radiation area of nuclear industry is an important function for safety inspection and preparing appropriate damage control plans. So, automatic vision system to monitor structures and facilities in blurred smoking environments such as the places of a fire and detonation is essential. Vision systems can't acquire an image when the illumination light is blocked by disturbance materials, such as smoke, fog and dust. To overcome the imaging distortion caused by obstacle materials, robust vision systems should have extra-functions, such as active illumination through disturbance materials. One of active vision system is a range-gated imaging system. The vision system based on the range-gated imaging system can acquire image data from the blurred and darken light environments. Range-gated imaging (RGI) is a direct active visualization technique using a highly sensitive image sensor and a high intensity illuminant. Currently, the range-gated imaging technique providing 2D and range image data is one of emerging active vision technologies. The range-gated imaging system gets vision information by summing time sliced vision images. In the RGI system, a high intensity illuminant illuminates for ultra-short time and a highly sensitive image sensor is gated by ultra-short exposure time to only get the illumination light. Here, the illuminant illuminates objects by flashing strong light through disturbance materials, such as smoke particles and dust particles. In contrast to passive conventional vision systems, the RGI active vision technology enables operation even in harsh environments like low-visibility smoky environment. In this paper, a compact range-gated vision system is developed to monitor structures in low-visibility environment. The system consists of illumination light, a range-gating camera and a control computer. Visualization experiments are carried out in low-visibility foggy environment to see imaging capability.

The challenge of monitoring the cryosphere in alpine environments: Prepare the present for the future

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Andrea; Helfricht, Kay; Seiser, Bernd; Stocker-Waldhuber, Martin; Hartl, Lea; Wiesenegger, Hans

2017-04-01

Understanding the interaction of mountain glaciers and permafrost with weather and climate is essential for the interpretation of past states of the cryosphere in terms of climate change. Most of the glaciers and rock glaciers in Eastern Alpine terrain are subject to strong gradients in climatic forcing, and the persistence of these gradients under past climatic conditions is, more or less, unknown. Thus a key challenge of monitoring the cryosphere is to define the demands on a monitoring strategy for capturing essential processes and their potential changes. For example, the effects of orographic precipitation and local shading vary with general circulation patterns and the amount of solar radiation during the melt(ing) season. Recent investigations based on the Austrian glacier inventories have shown that glacier distribution is closely linked to topography and climatic situation, and that these two parameters imply also different sensitivities of the specific glaciers to progressing climate change. This leads to the need to develop a monitoring system capturing past, but also fairly unknown future ensembles of climatic state and sensitivities. As a first step, the Austrian glacier monitoring network has been analyzed from the beginning of the records onwards. Today's monitoring network bears the imprints of past research interests, but also past funding policies and personal/institutional engagements. As a limitation for long term monitoring in general, today's monitoring strategies have to cope with being restricted to these historical commitments to preserve the length of the time series, but at the same time expanding the measurements to fulfil present and future scientific and societal demands. The decision on cryospheric benchmark sites has an additional uncertainty: the ongoing disintegration of glaciers, their increasing debris cover as well as the potential low ice content and relatively unknown reaction of rock glaciers in the course of climate change

Matchmaking: the influence of monitoring environments on the effectiveness of performance pay systems

OpenAIRE

Richard Belfield; David Marsden

2002-01-01

This study uses cross-section and panel data from the 1998 Workplace Employee Relations Survey to explore contextual influences on the relationship between performance-related pay (PRP) and organizational performance. While it finds strong evidence that the use of PRP can enhance performance outcomes, it also determines that this relationship is qualified by the structure of workplace monitoring environments. In addition, it presents evidence that managers learn about optimum combinations of ...

Development of metallic system multi-composite materials for compound environment and corrosion monitoring technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiuchi, Kiyoshi

1996-01-01

For the structural materials used for the pressure boundary of nuclear power plants and others, the long term durability over several decades under the compound environment, in which the action of radiation and the corrosion and erosion in the environment of use are superposed, is demanded. To its controlling factors, the secular change of materials due to irradiation ageing and the chemical and physical properties of extreme compound environment are related complicatedly. In the first period of this research, the development of the corrosion-resistant alloys with the most excellent adaptability to environments was carried out by the combination of new alloy design and alloy manufacturing technology. In the second period, in order to heighten the adaptability as the pressure boundary materials between different compound environments, the creation of metallic system multi-composite materials has been advanced. Also corrosion monitoring technique is being developed. The stainless steel for water-cooled reactors, the wear and corrosion-resistant superalloy for reactor core, the corrosion-resistant alloy and the metallic refractory material for reprocessing nitric acid reaction vessels are reported. (K.I.)

Primary assembly of soil communities: disentangling the effect of dispersal and local environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Ingimarsdóttir, María; Caruso, Tancredi; Ripa, Jörgen; Magnúsdóttir, Olöf Birna; Migliorini, Massimo; Hedlund, Katarina

2012-11-01

It has long been recognised that dispersal abilities and environmental factors are important in shaping invertebrate communities, but their relative importance for primary soil community assembly has not yet been disentangled. By studying soil communities along chronosequences on four recently emerged nunataks (ice-free land in glacial areas) in Iceland, we replicated environmental conditions spatially at various geographical distances. This allowed us to determine the underlying factors of primary community assembly with the help of metacommunity theories that predict different levels of dispersal constraints and effects of the local environment. Comparing community assembly of the nunataks with that of non-isolated deglaciated areas indicated that isolation of a few kilometres did not affect the colonisation of the soil invertebrates. When accounting for effects of geographical distances, soil age and plant richness explained a significant part of the variance observed in the distribution of the oribatid mites and collembola communities, respectively. Furthermore, null model analyses revealed less co-occurrence than expected by chance and also convergence in the body size ratio of co-occurring oribatids, which is consistent with species sorting. Geographical distances influenced species composition, indicating that the community is also assembled by dispersal, e.g. mass effect. When all the results are linked together, they demonstrate that local environmental factors are important in structuring the soil community assembly, but are accompanied with effects of dispersal that may "override" the visible effect of the local environment.